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[spacialeyes]

I'll apologize if I want.

[he's very stubborn about being stupid, thank you! Yuuto huffs to indicate that stubbornness.]

Yeah, I can show you that one. I can give you some starling to trade for the equipment too... and I'll skip my medicine later, so that I can wake up long enough to help.

You want it set up before the Wish Maker arrives, right?

[dereban]

Do you want to get your ass kicked?

[ She can do that!! ]

And basically, yeah. I'm not sure how much it'll help, though... but at least it's something.

[spacialeyes]

No! But I won't lie about that feeling either.

[He glares softly to assert this.]

I think that it'll be a huge help. If you all can keep an eye on more of the city at once, then Wish Maker can't sneak around as easily. Taking away the element of surprise is a big deal, right?

[... Oh. Yuuto sits up straight, cheeks turning red again.]

This isn't good cake conversation, is it? How is it, by the way? Okay?

[dereban]

Yeah. And if a camera cuts, then that's also a signal.

Oh. The cake's pretty good though, actually...

[spacialeyes]

That's a good point. Maybe it would help to teach some other people how to monitor them in shifts..?

[He brightens considerably when he hears the compliment, finally letting the sadder topic go.]

I'm glad to hear it! Baking is something that I don't like using my power for, so I wasn't sure if it would turn out as good as the regular meals that I make... Luckily Ryoko is handling all of the desserts, so you're my only test subject. No one else is getting bad joke cake!

[dereban]

Observing them should be easy--I plan on having that publicly accessible for all Fallen Stars through Starnet.

...don't use the term "test subject" again, though.

[ ha ha haaaaaa. ]

[spacialeyes]

Ahaha... You're right. I'm sorry.

[He leans forward on his elbows, his expression softening.]

I put my heart into it. I wanted to make you happy... So I'm glad that it turned out okay! Maybe 100% less plastic next time, though.

...

Unless... [stop this train of thought.]

[dereban]

... Unless?

[ She tilts her head, curious. ]

[spacialeyes]

If I give everyone that I love a cake with a capsule prize inside of it, then maybe I can normalize it being for friends! I'll even learn new jokes or fun trivia, or I could put toys or presents inside?

Would that be fun? Would it get my point across?

[dereban]

Don't do that; it's a choking hazard.

[spacialeyes]

Eh- But! Oh... Auuu.

[She's right. He pouts.]

I could have opened a mail service alongside YuuDash... Yuutou's Delivery and Cake Service..!

[dereban]

Did you really like that movie that much...

[spacialeyes]

Yes!!!

[And now that she’s watched it with him, she may be able to notice how the way that his hair gets fluffy or flatter with his emotions is him mimicking Ghibli animation.]

That witch using her power to help and save people… She’s so cool! I wish I could do that too.

[dereban]

She's pretty amazing. Honestly, better than most of the other witches I've met in real life.

[spacialeyes]

That's right, you know a 'witch' with a power like mine! Is the witch from that movie really more impressive?

[Yuuto's grin is half-teasing;] I'm good at picking my fictional idols then.

[dereban]

I know... well, personally I've only properly met two witches. One of them's an asshole. I'll never forgive her. The other is... well, he's okay. He's a dumbass dork, though.

[ ... ]

Are you including me in that category too?

[spacialeyes]

[oh riiight. He's a dumbass, huh?

Yuuto goes quiet for a moment. Then shakes his head.]

I don't want for you to be my idol. Then you'll be out of reach.

[dereban]

. . . am I not out of reach right now?

[ A genuine question, but mostly to hear his further thoughts on it. It's more curious more than anything. ]

[spacialeyes]

[He pauses, feeling a bit awkward now that he’s on the spot.]

… Even though it feels like you keep moving forward, I can try to keep up right now?

Do you… want to leave me behind instead? I can… [His voice trails off.]

[dereban]

Moving forward... mm, it's more that I've taken many steps back and some steps forward. I'm back at the starting line.

[...]

I don't... I don't want to.

[spacialeyes]

Maybe it looks linear to you... But to me, Inaba's movement has been more like a maze. So going 'backwards' is part of the process..?

[Yuuto shakes his head, admitting that he isn't an expert.]

I don't want for you to leave me either. I really like being by your side, you know. You're easy to be around.

[dereban]

It's kind of weird that you call it a maze when I see it like a graph.

[ She sighs. ]

I do have to go back home, eventually, though...

[spacialeyes]

[He giggles softly,] I get that a lot. The world looks really different when you're spacetime incarnate, I guess.

[Though that...

He sighs too. His expression softens, but he maintains a smile.]

I know. You have a home to return to. And... I don't want to keep you from that. But for now, um... I'm lucky to have you here.

[dereban]

Maybe it's selfish of me.

[ She knows it is. Extremely so. She knows that the idea that she has to go hurts him, but... he's not the only that hurts. ]

But you should come visit sometime.

[spacialeyes]

Visit..?

[He repeats the request in a confused tone, his voice fading to silence as he hears how strange the word sounds on his tongue.

Then awful black tears start to fall and he has to lower his head.]

No one’s ever… [No one has ever asked him to come back to a world. If anything, he’s been told to stay away.] … is that really okay? That means you’d see me again..?