re_alignment | audio;

Entry tags:

brave police: j-decker | kagerou

audio;

[For a long moment, when the feed clicks on... there's nothing. Only static. Did the manic-seeming BP start fidgeting with his Link again?]

[Then, abruptly:]

I'm sorry.

[The words are soft, choked. They're rough around the edges, as if edged by jagged points. If he were human, he'd have sounded like he'd been crying.]

[Despite the tone, the plea, it's clear the old Kagerou is back in the driver's seat again.]

I'm --

I'm so sorry.

[ click ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...

I'll come back. I'll come to you.

[That's literally all it took.]

O-Okay.

I'm here, in our room.

[And even after all this, she feels a bit relieved.

Dad's back.]

Right...

[He'll hang up then. In favor of just. Coming home.]

[And when Kagerou finds her, she'll be huddled on that beanbag chair in a little ball.

A blanket wrapped around her, watching the door as if it'd disappear if she took her eyes off it. Teabags scatter the area around her, as if she needed some kind of caffeine.

Sleep wasn't as easy as she'd like to admit.]

[He's very quiet when he steps inside. Even for someone his size, he barely makes a sound as he moves. He slips into the room, hovering in the doorway as he takes stock of things.]

[This...]

[This is awful. And it's all his fault.]

[He hovers here still, staring awkwardly, wanting to apologize, and not knowing how.]

[It was something she'd always admired him for. Then again, there wasn't a thing she didn't. Kagerou was placed on such a high pedestal in her life, it was hard to knock him down.

Even now.

So when he enters, she has to keep herself from bolting towards him, letting him be the first to react.

Those ares are huge though, hopeful.]

You're back to normal? You're okay?

[When she doesn't move, what hope there was in his one optic flickers out. He lowers his head, folding his arms across his chest as if he's cold.]

[Has he really damaged everything beyond repair...? Has he... lost her?]

Yes. It's me.

[The words are soft, strained, and cracking around the edges. He looks more like a kicked puppy than a big, powerful robot ninja right now.]

[You don't have long to contemplate that, Kagerou. Because there's something soft, warm and about 18-year-old size against his leg.

Followed by soft crying.

There's no words to describe how happy she is right now.]

Welcome home.

[She was too tired to fight. And why should she?]

You...

[He stands there, stunned, for a beat or two too long, as the realization slides over him. As the feel of her weight presses against his ankle.]

Kay.

[It's almost a cry.]

[His legs seem to give out, and he's hunkered down to her level, hands cupped around her, before he even finishes speaking her name. It's all right. It's going to be all right.]

[Her head tilts up, wiping an eye with her gloved hand. She never realized how much she needed him until this week. Until it was taken away once again. But if he's coming back...pushing him away wouldn't do anything.

She didn't want to close that part of herself again.

And it wasn't his fault, either.]

Can you ground your dad? I think you should be grounded.

[It's said between sniffles, giving a few choked laughs to go with it.]

Do what you have to. Please...

[He'll do anything she wants him to. At this moment, he would do literally anything for her. Anything he can to make this right.]

[She is his entire world. Everything that matters to him here.]

[He scoops her up, holds her to his chest, protectively, gently, just like always. If he could cry, he would.]

I just... I want to be make sure you're all right. I want to keep you safe again...

[Those arms wrap around his neck, nuzzling into that mesh that encompasses it. This was the Kagerou she loved. Not whatever happened this past week. He'd come back to her.

And that was all that mattered.]

I am now.

Don't be sad, okay?

[His whole frame shivers, feeling her hold. She's here. She's forgiving him. Everything can start to be okay again... can't it?]

[He keeps her supported, going still, so as not to harm her.]

Then you can't either.

All right?

[She doesn't move her face from that neck mesh, but there's a smile pressed into it now.]

I'm better now.

Dad's home.

[He starts to sink to his knees, still holding her. As if he's afraid releasing her is going to break something, or she'll leave him.]

[He's bowed over her, the words making him tremble with some emotion he can't name.]

I promised.

I promised I wouldn't leave you.

[The hold doesn't phase her. If anything, she welcomes the embrace, as if cold metal was now the warmest thing she could press herself against. And maybe...it was. In some metaphorical way. He was one of her only links in this strange world.]

You didn't

You didn't leave, you were just out of the house for awhile.

[Mentally and physically.]

[Her presence is more welcome than he could ever say. She's here. She's forgiven him. She still cares for him, needs him. No matter what he said to her, she's still here.]

[It's worth more than anything else in this world.]

[He nods, with utmost care, still keeping her close, as if putting her down would cause her to change her mind.]

I won't ever leave you.

I'll always come back. I promise. I promise you.

Heh, you're pretty good at keeping your promises. So I believe you.

[But the caffeine starts to wear off, her eyes slowly drooping down as she leans against him.]

Can we...sleep? I'm suddenly really tired...

... thank you, Kay. Thank you for everything.

[For forgiving him. For caring for him. For giving him purpose again.]

[He finally moves, when she sags in his hold, stepping quietly over to set her on the beanbag chair. But his hand doesn't move away from her. It hovers, while he literally curls around the beanbag.]

I'll be here.

...Thank you too. You're a good dad.

[It's said half asleep as she sinks into that beanbag, only falling more into it the longer she sits there.]

G...night.

[And she's out.]

[He curls a little nearer to her, never once lifting his hand from where it rests, protectively, over her.]

[Even when she sleeps, and he nods off too, draped around and over her. Guarding her.]

[It's his purpose now, isn't it?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;

action;