synnet | @iwakusufune; video;

Pardon me for interrupting, but I have something that needs to be said.

[ He's polite enough, standing out in the common area, but Nanami has a very serious expression on. Extra serious today, since he's holding one of the sad, worn real paper books in his hand. Considering he's made his appearance resemble a suit, he could pass for someone's stern PA. ]

The library on the premises is in need of more care, but it's still functional. The books in this world are mostly digital, so items like this should be considered rare specimens. Even though they aren't common in daily use, they're valuable you should look at them as precious antiques. Treat them as such. And YET-

[ He opens the book to reveal some heavy line scrawls over the page. Someone was apparently treating this as free paper for doodle practice! ...or map-making, sure, but doodle practice to him. ]

This item is an example of traditional printing methods that began over a thousand years ago. In this age, these techniques are already practically lost arts.

I would deeply appreciate if everyone would respect the library and leave it intact. I understand that the appearance isn't very inviting, but I will attend to that part personally. Please don't make things difficult for me.

[ Okay, maybe the PA of some gangster. Nanami does nod, though. ]

Thank you for cooperating.

[ And now with that out of the way, still riding a very serious wave: ]

Itadori-kun. I need a word in private.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ It's painful to hear Yuji talk like that. When Nanami does know how much the odds are stacked against them and that even if Yuji and the remaining sorcerers do somehow manage to succeed, they'll be paying a heavy price. There's no way they wouldn't. But it's even worse to hear Yuji say that he's done something, presumably out of the desperation he must have felt, that only hurts him; that he was only living to rescue Gojo. He hates hearing that Yuji is getting hit by wave after wave of disaster. He might have known that the world was an unfair and cruel place, but there are good people, Yuji one of them, and Nanami can't bear to watch a selfless heart continue to suffer.

It's not fair.

Yuji has every right to be scared. What he's describing Nanami can't see a clear way out of. If they can only get to Gojo, then maybe--but maybe not. That's the simple, devastating truth of the whole thing. Maybe not. Maybe hope is really that out of reach. He doesn't know what Sukuna's actions toward Yuji specifically mean either, but he can guess that it's to serve the curse's selfish goal and also because he has some petty interest in Yuji, not just Megumi.

And with a twist of something in his gut, Nanami feels the gamble weighing down on the future. He draws an audible breath, putting his hand over one of Yuji's clenched fists. ]

Itadori. It doesn't change what I said before. You will go back, but it's because you're still needed. You didn't let anything happen. Sorcerers face unpredictable dangers every day, and nothing can be more unpredictable than a curse we don't have solid information on. It's not over yet.

I believe I haven't misplaced my faith.

[ He doesn't mean to be a burden; he doesn't mean to offer too much, to unload himself, but the words stumble and come out before he can bite them back. Of the people here that he loves, the people here that he is starting to care for, Nanami is someone that he can rely on. He hates that he is offering more suffering and pain to someone that matters so much to him, a mentor that he can never confess everything to, but... A little bit might be okay.

None of this is fair, for either of them. Yuji wishes that he could open his mouth and wave it all away, admit to nothing, claim nothing, but it's not that simple. The words get caught in his throat, and he breathes out a little as he shifts. The touch to his hand softens him a little, and he blinks back his tears, forcing himself to keep it together. He wants to believe, wants to let himself cling to the kindness Nanami is offering, but at the same time...

Tilting his head back, he breathes out softly, sniffling. ]

... Yeah. It's not over yet.

[ If something is going wrong, if something is unplanned, they need to adapt to it. They need to find a way to overcome it. To save Gojo-sensei, to protect Fushiguro, to make sure that they get to live their lives, even at the cost of his own... That's something Yuji is prepared to do. He's been prepared to die since the beginning, and maybe he wants to live for now, but when the time comes he can accept what's ahead of him. He can accept that his luck will run out sooner rather than later.

Leaning into Nanami a little more, he closes his eyes. ]

I'm... I'm glad you believe in me, Nanami. That makes me feel better.

[ It gives his death a little bit of meaning, in the end. ]

[ He can't give Yuji the answers to what he needs to do. No one can answer for someone else's life or tell them the best way to live or what is worth continuing to fight for. That's just something each person has to decide on their own, and while it's always an unfair question, Nanami has seen time and again that it's not Yuji's physical body that gives him his real strength, it's his heart. He'll push past the doubts and the hardest losses, no matter what any of his enemies may believe, because his desire to help people will keep him going. There is no one else Nanami has met who has been so driven to care about everyone around him. For the sake of his friends, Nanami really believes Yuji has the potential to overcome the cruel lot he was handed.

That might be what Gojo saw all along. The invincible, deeper force that some of them can never tap into. Even the strongest himself might never be able to realize the full potential of what grants Yuji his purpose. But it's also all up to him to find it. Nanami can only set him on the right path and hope. ]

It's okay to be afraid. The things that lie ahead aren't easy for any of us. But you should never be ashamed of your decisions. As a sorcerer, you're fighting with your strength and the strength of those that put their faith in you. We're still counting on you.

[ He lets Yuji lean on him, providing calm stability against the turmoil of Yuji's thoughts. No wonder he's been acting uneasy and checking up on them so much. Despite his smiles, Yuji is still young and already facing far too much. He needs stability. Nanami remains there, letting Yuji stay leaning against him and feel the movement of his slow breathing. ]

Just wait here for a minute.

[ Letting himself have this is more than Yuji could've ever predicted or ask for, and he lets himself sink into it. This wasn't ever really the relationship he and Nanami had before: if he wanted a hug or to laugh around, he would go to Gojo-sensei, but... They can lean on one another in this place, because they can trust each other. Time might have been stolen from them, but they've got a little more of it, more than expected. He relishes that.

He's not going to take it for granted - he can't. He can't. Even if Nanami wants to keep him at arms length, even if he wants to keep walls, Yuji will take it and accept it. Whatever Nanami asks for, wants, whatever would make him happy, Yuji will give it. He'll do anything for this man.

It's probably a little embarrassing.

Nanami gives him so much, it must be the kind of weight that is so hard to bear. ]

Okay. Just a minute is okay.

[ Or longer. However, he can take it. Closing his eyes, he smiles. ]

I'll count on you and the others too. We can be strong together.

[ Yuji says he'll count on other people and that they can be stronger together. It sounds like he is calming down again at least for the time being, so Nanami lets him lean in and indulge in that calm. At least he's not breaking down again, and that's going to be the best they can do for the moment.

Nanami can't hold him up or keep him together, but if Yuji finds his own way of going forward, eventually he'll be able to let him move forward naturally on his own. And then Nanami can possibly find his own place. Something to call his own reason. It's funny how he's felt so unchanged since waking up again. Injuries healed, back in the sad routine of work and fighting, it almost feels like Nanami's life has just picked up where he left off. He doesn't say it's exhausting, but he doesn't say anything more either.

He does what he needs to do and lets Yuji lean on him in silence. ]

@iwakusufune; video;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject