nullorvoid | IC Contact/Voicemail

Once in a while. Don't tell anyone, they're gonna wonder what happened.

Don't worry, it'll be our little secret!

[She mimes zipping her lips before laughing.]

...I'm really super glad I got to meet you, Ginti! Especially when you're being this nice!

[God, why do you have to go and say things like that - ]

It's not like I'm doing anything all that spectacular, you know.

You're being really nice though! There's a guy kinda like you back home and he always brushes me off. But the more I've gotten to know you, the more I like you! You're waaaaaay better than everyone back home!

[...Well that sure is a thing, apparently.]

That's not to say I don't like them! I really like them a lot! They're all really nice. But it means a lot more when you're nice, you know?

[You're her A-rank support, okay.]

...I get what you're saying, yeah.

[And he does, in some vague way; it's just different when certain people say certain things. Getting praise out of Nona's a big deal, getting it out of anyone else isn't so much. (Getting it out of Oculus is creepy and shouldn't be dwelled on.)

He's not really sure what to do with the notion that he's better than everyone else Nowi knows because he's pretty damn sure that's not true, but at the very least the context is helpful. Or something.]

Kinda hard to believe that anyone can just brush you off like that, though, you're kind of a presence.

[...And that's...probably a compliment.]

Oh, he does it to everyone! And I'm not the only super-cheerful, friendly girl in the army! We've got like, fifty people, so I'm not really all that special! Besides being a Manakete, I mean!

[She kicks her legs and stares out at the city for a moment, thinking.]

...Sometimes I miss everyone, but I don't really think about it all that much. They're really nice people and I like them a lot, but they're okay and if they show up here then I'll be happy. But if they don't, it's okay. I like everyone I've met here!

[...]

Hey, Ginti? Do you think there's a way to stay here? I know a lot of people talk about wanting to go home, but... I kinda don't want to leave. Not any time soon, at least! I think I'd be really sad back home without you. Even if I didn't remember you. I'd totally still feel like I lost something really important!

[...sure, nowi.]

[...Oh. Well, that's...

Jesus, Nowi.]

Maybe? From what I've seen we don't really get a choice, but...

[He's quiet for a moment, though. Thinking more than anything.]

I don't know - I spent a long time wanting to leave after I showed up here. It's not something I thought I'd like, you know? But now...I think it'd be nice, maybe. Staying here for a while.

Maybe I'd think about leaving in a thousand years!

[...]

Oh wait, humans definitely don't live that long. A hundred? Is that too long?

[nowi]

...I'm really glad you don't want to go home right away though. 'Cause if you left me behind I'd be really, really mad! Or maybe I'd just cry. That's probably more likely.

Hey, come on, don't be like that.

[Like what, exactly, he's not sure; it's something to say, though, and he doesn't sound annoyed when he says it, either.]

I'm not going to leave you or anything. Promise, okay?

Pinky promise?

[She'll hold out her pinky, okay.]

...Yeah.

[This is probably the dumbest thing he's ever done, but you know what, he can't say that he minds. Let's do this, then.]

Good!

[SO IT'S A PROMISE THEN. You'd better not ever leave, Ginti!!]

...Oh gosh, sorry, I didn't mean to make everything kinda weird and sorta sad? I don't think we're going anywhere for awhile, so let's enjoy ourselves, right?

It...happens, I guess. Don't worry about it.

[...Emotional competence.]

...I'm not great at it and I don't always say a lot, but you can talk to me about stuff. I don't really like hearing it from most people, but it's different if it's you.

I really like hearing that I'm special! From you. I mean, I know I'm special. I'm a dragon! But you don't think I'm special just because I'm a dragon.

[She tips her head a bit as she thinks.]

That's not something that bothers me or anything, it's just something I've noticed! It's really nice.

But! If something is bothering me, you'll definitely know it. I don't really keep things quiet, you know!

Trust me, I've noticed.

[Just...let him reach out and muss your hair up a little for that, okay. He's not really one for contact, but once in a while exceptions can be made.]

But yeah, it's not because you're a dragon, it's just because it's you, I guess.

...That sounds stupid as hell when other people say it and it sounds stupid as hell when I say it, but there we go, I guess.

[Nowi leans into that immediately, because she really doesn't care how messy her hair is and that feels nice.]

Hah, I don't think it sounds stupid! I am pretty great! But it means a lot, Ginti!

[She's going pink and it's not just because of the cold.]

You can be really sweet sometimes, you know?

[Nowi, oh my god - ]

Tell that to anyone I worked with back home and they're going to wonder what sort of identical stranger I was replaced with.

Well it's true! Your reputation has totally suffered here, huh? Too late, you can't undo it! I'm gonna find you sweet forever!

[TOO LATE SHE'S GOING TO GIGGLE FOREVER NOW]

Oh my god, I used to be good at this.

[...]

Bad at this? Bad enough at this that I wouldn't get comments like that.

[nowi for god's sake he's gonna die]

Too late, now you're just adorable!

[HANDS ON HER CHEEKS

SHE'S GONNA WRIGGLE OFF THIS TREE AT THIS RATE]

Oh my gosh, Ginti, you're so ridiculous!

Yeah, and you're gonna fall out of the tree if you keep that up.

[And while that would solve the immediate problem, that is not quite the result we want.]

I'm not gonna fall!

[But that does get her to stop moving around so much.]

I think I know a thing or two about how to not fall out of a tree!

...That is such a weirdly specific skillset.

[...]

Says the guy who reads people's souls with party games. I know.

When you've been around a thousand years, you get pretty good at lots of random stuff!

[She laughs though.]

Though I think reading people's souls with party games is a bit more specific than that!

Yeah, well, if something has to be the one trick I have, it might as well be a good one.

[Or something.]

But you know what, if you've spent the last thousand years getting really good at not falling out of trees, I'm not going to argue it with you.

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