Whisper now, and tell me how...

You watch and tell me, somehow, I'm gonna be alright.  

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Quick starter call (one-liners to develop further)--also look over my verses and reply with one! It’ll make things way smoother on this blog since I have a-many to choose from!

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⁽ Thread. ⁾ →  @narxkami  ⑊  Narukami Yu.

          A sight for sore eyes indeed. Everything here brings him back, from the familiar cracked sidewalks to the very scent of the air, but nothing so much as the sound of an old friend. It had been a hard year for them all, but perhaps Naoki suffered more than any of them. No one Yu loved actually died (at least, not permanently), and for all the fear and pain he endured, it was only temporary. Looking back on it now, Yu is certain: the good far outweighs the bad. 

     Not everyone was so lucky, though. “Ah, Naoki. Hisashiburi.” And Naoki does look better than he did the year before, but Yu doubts that he will be fully recovered so soon. “How are you?”

        ⌜HAD⌟ it not been the fact he hadn’t seen his upperclassmen in a while, he might have extended a chuckle for the feminine way he used that phrase. It wasn’t as if he could talk when he had been raised by his elder sister for so long; he wasn’t really one who could have ever spoken against it when he held such ‘unmanly’ qualities himself--a scared second year to boot that ran out of the room when forced to watch a scary movie. ❝ Gobusata shite imasu... ❞ came his soft reply, a bow following to show his politeness.

             How had he been? The depressing topic of himself had never been something worth noting to others--as they often avoided it even if he demanded they not treat him differently. The avoidance of ever inquiring about his mood or well-being happened more often than he’d like, but he forced his lips to remain upright, ❝ I’m doing fine now... Mom and Dad are kind of working me hard this week to help for this month’s rent, but I finally got off for the day. Um...sorry...you probably don’t want to smell this scent too much, right...? I should go...wash up so you don’t have to deal with it. ❞

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Me: Persona 5 verse with Naoki: still depressed but also older Me: Persona 5, sister survivor AU: He’s dead, jim.

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⁽ Starter. ⁾ →  @narxkami  ⑊  Narukami Yu.

         ⌜SMILE⌟ weak by all means, he felt the hinted depression take root in him, despite the visit from Narukami. Golden Week. The time when anyone came by to see their friends from different locations; however, all that came to mind when seeing him were the deep rooted memories that plagued his mind from the year prior. Painfully fresh, he felt his chest vibrate against his shuddering breaths, but he still forced these thoughts to the back of his mind. This was Narukami, so he should show him some vacation during this time of year, even though Naoki likely smelled of alcohol from his long day at work.

             ❝ Narukami-san, you’re a sight for sore eyes... ❞

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                                   LIKE THIS POST IF YOU’D LIKE A STARTER!

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            ❝ Having nightmares is the worst--especially on the weekend... I thought I was about to die with all that water rising. ❞

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⁽ Thread. ⁾ →  @needlepunk ⑊ Kanji

           He didn’t want to sit down for a reason. Now they were sitting across from each other in an awkward episode of feeling obligated to entertain each other. It wasn’t the mood Kanji had in mind when coming over. “Uh…I guess we can split it. But It’s meant for you….” This was awkward, to say the least. Kanji took a moment to himself in his thoughts, choosing his words carefully…but perhaps not as carefully as he should have.

          “Hey, I don’t mind if ya need ta get some stuff off your chest. I mean…remember when my dad died? We must have been in like…2nd grade. I kept cryin’ to ya for days at school.”

         ⌜KANJI⌟ held within him good intention--a concept that wasn’t too outlandish from Naoki’s childhood memory of him--but when the concept of speaking on something he felt cold--numb--toward caused his fingertips to scratch on to the table. Without meaning to, he shot his sharp stare into the other’s eyes briefly before they collapsed back to the wooden surface. Food was forgotten, mouth too stiff to unhinge as jaw tightened inward. Pale skin seemed to drain of color further when he realized how long he stalled on answering the blond. 

             Avoid it, his thoughts ragged at him, pushing away all discussion on his sister--all thoughts that could cause him to become a downer in their conversation. He knew it selfish, but he would sooner have Kanji bring down the mood than himself--he couldn’t take the pitiful stares or incessant lectures on how he should act--how he should feel. ❝ Your dad... I haven’t thought about him in so long, but I still remember the day I saw you holding back your tears. ❞

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Naoki being the only muse I have rn that can’t stand horror or being scared makes me the happiest kid. I just imagine him hating when people make him watch horror movies because he knows he’ll get freaked out and struggle to sleep at night / can’t go into the dark for days; when he was a kid, even telling him lore would cause him so much strife. After school, if someone told him, he’d probably just be in tears and stick close to Saki until she scared him too--and then he either pissed himself or sat down right where he was standing to cry.

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⁽ Thread. ⁾ →  @kcnishi· ⑊ Onee-chan

RIght…exams. She had been doing her best to avoid thinking about them for the most part. After all, if her parents (or at least her father) had their way, she’d just stay home and work the store instead of going to college. Not like they would have the money to send her, anyway. Even if she wanted to go, she’d have to save up money and do her best to work her way through it once she maybe gets accepted.  In either case, she faintly laughs, looking up to her brother. “I’m not, don’t worry. Let’s go get some food, yeah? And if you want, we can even finish off these cream puffs when we get back?” She’d at least humor him on that front. She’d replace them for him, her personal sweet tooth turning sour as of late. He went through the effort of bringing them to her, anyway.  “Once your full, though, you should probably get to homework before you forget to do it.”

         ⌜THE BOY⌟ required no other forms of confirmation as he leaped from the bed in a near jovial manner. The fact she agreed with him on going out for something to eat was enough to please him, but only because he thought he’d managed to cheer her up--even slightly. With arms at his side, he turned to her and gave a soft smile, bags under his eyes more prominent in this light (the lighting went both ways on the siblings) but a clear lift of his lips indicating his inner emotions. ❝ It’ll be nice to get something to eat before the sun goes down; it’s supposed to rain later, and I’d rather not get drenched just trying to get back so I’m glad you agreed on this, Nee-chan. ❞

             Though unbeknownst to him--or rather blissful ignorance--was the fact that this sort of weather marked a showing of the Midnight Channel, he knew the dangers of staying out too late; in fact, in his mind, he didn’t want to risk his sister being caught up in whatever murder spree transpired on those nights. ❝ I’ll do my homework when all’s said and done, but I’m too hungry to think, really...b-but this night isn’t about me; it’s about you getting things off your chest, you know? I’ll even pay for the meal tonight! ❞

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⁽ Thread. ⁾ →  @kcnishi· ⑊ Onee-chan

The fact that Naoki was trying so hard for her of all people made her feel some slight warmth of happiness. He was always looking out for her, even though she should have been doing that for him instead. An infinite weight rested upon her chest, not willing to give at any time in the near future. Her head was barely keeping itself up as she too forced her smile. She couldn’t take off work. If she wasn’t working, then her parents store was even more in jeopardy.  “That…would be nice,” she sighs, closing her eyes to try to alleviate the incoming headache. Maybe she did need some food. Some real food that wasn’t the junk they sold in the Junes food court. “I’m probably just stressed from work.” Staying in the house definitely wasn’t helping her. “Maybe… we could go get some Aiya’s. And just catch up with it, hm?” It sounded nice in this world full of bullshit. He was her guiding light. Her saving grace. The only really good this in this world of liars and backstabbers. “But… don’t you have homework to do?”

         ⌜Homework.⌟ Of all the things on his mind currently, those assignments had been the least of his concerns; every ounce of his being had been dedicated to supplying everyone else around him with what is expected of him. It, honestly, sucked to think about something so stressful on top of everything else, but he knew better than to slack off--at least he wouldn’t slack off much. The health committee basically had all but shunned him, thinking him lucky that the teachers had taken pity on his family’s circumstances, but with the town constantly pressing their thumbs down on him (male heir to the Konishi family), he felt ill--exhausted--himself.

            ❝ Well, yeah, but...I can skate by on tonight’s homework; it’s kinda easy... It’s not like I’m a third year yet, right? They have it tough with all the entrance exams and studying; I think I’ll be alright if I take a few more hours to get it done. I’m more hungry anyway, and it’s too hard to focus on an empty stomach. ❞ Besides, he’d much rather spend time with his sister like before to complain about Junes or life, than sit there and groan as he placed his head down on the table in volumes of increasing stress; no matter how many times he completed an assignment, he felt as if the mountains of work were just increasing behind him. ❝ You aren’t gonna make me go to my room and do it, are you?  ❞

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⁽ Thread. ⁾ →  @needlepunk ⑊ Kanji

          Come inside?

          Kanji’s brow twitched, eyes wdiening only for a split second before taking an initial step backwards. Couldn’t Naoki just take the food and that be the end of it? He really hadn’t planned on doing anything else beyond this. Yet… “I…I guess.” He swallowed as he lowered his guard. There was huff as he cautiously stepped forward and shut the door behind him.

          The entry way was exactly as he had remembered. Nothing seemed to have changed despite it being years since he had last set foot in the Konishi house. Come to think of it…did they ever visit each other even once during middle school days? He couldn’t recall. No doubt his friend’s room was different, at the very least….

          “Hehehe…glad ta see it’s still the same….”

        ⌜Still the same.⌟ His entire throat closed at this evaluation of the interior; he supposed to someone who hadn’t been within the walls in so long, this sort of environment wouldn’t have changed much, but Naoki,who had lived here since the beginning of his life, there wasn’t anything remotely familiar--not anymore. Numbness spread through him, his features dulling as he turned and headed toward the kitchen to place the plate on the table. ❝ Yeah...I guess...it’s kinda the same. I don’t think so, though; without Nee-chan here, it kinda looks like garbage. Sometimes, after work, she’d come home and drag me out of my room and make me help her clean up. ❞

               He gave one glance back before throwing his eyes back at the table. ❝ …Sorry, you probably don’t want to hear depressing stuff like that here. ❞ Even within the confines of his home, he still felt judged (you’re not doing enough, you’re not helping enough, you’re not crying, you hated your sister). ❝ …Do you want to share this plate? Or do you want to eat something out of the fridge? ❞

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            ❝ Um...hey. Adachi is the worst... ❞

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⁽ Thread. ⁾ →  @kcnishi· ⑊ Onee-chan

The edges of her lips tugged into a half-hearted smile. He was trying, and that’s what mattered to her. Was it enough to bring her out of this state? Not at all. But…it was still refreshing to see him try to make her happy. Saki glances to the food in his hand. Cream puffs. Of course. His favorites. “Sounds like them,” she mused a bit, eyes still downcast. So he had noticed her change in attitude. Not like she was doing much to hide it from him. Or most for that matter. She gives him a small nod. “Thank you. I appreciate it, but I promise I’m okay. Just a little tired is all.” In a brief moment, her eyes met her brothers. The once lively brown hues were now sullen and muted. Devoid of most color and definition. It only lasted a small moment before she looked away  again. “Things have just been busy between everything. I…don’t want to bother you with it.”

          ⌜Guilt⌟ pestered him. The younger glanced down, avoiding staring her in the eye--for both the purpose of not wishing to offend and to avoid those dull hues. Without her around much, it felt like everyone had placed all responsibility on his shoulders; it felt equal to that tale of Atlas sometimes where the world was on his shoulders, but...he wasn’t really sure what to do with it. If he moved left, he might drop his parents; move right and there goes his sister; move forward and the housewives would treat him as if he were trying to avoid everything; move back and his classmates would keep ostracizing him. Frustration had built up on this--frustration that turned numb itself. ❝ Hey, why don’t you take off work and we could, uh, go grab something to eat! Yeah, I heard Aiya’s has a really great deal on their beef bowls today--a buy one, get one half off! ❞ Forced smile kept present as he spoke, fingertips now embedded into the sheets--unsure if he could make any impact.

           He knew... Who was he kidding? She probably felt more suffering than he did; all he had were pesky women talking about him behind his back, people ignoring him, and his parents unable to make up their minds on how they felt about his sister--he was pretty sure they were expecting him to choose sides. There wasn’t any feasible correct answer to help out, but he wouldn’t leave his sister behind; she probably felt ill from the stress, murders, and fear of that guy who was causing them to happen. A majority of the kidnapped victims have been girls, too... It wasn’t like he was in any danger of falling into this game of cat and mouse. ❝ You won’t bother me with it, you know? It’d be great to talk to you like always; we can bemoan and talk about how much Junes sucks--or I don’t care. It just sucks...not talking to anyone. You don’t have to go out, Sis; we could lie down in here and do the same. ❞

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⁽ Thread. ⁾ →  @needlepunk ⑊ Kanji

          Kanji just stood there, frozen and unsure of himself. His immediate mental reaction was to just leave it at that and walk away, not say anything more, but there was still a nagging voice in the back of his head pushing him to move forward with this. He groaned as he shoved both hands into his pockets and shuffled his body to and fro, uncomfortable and annoyed. “Nah, uh…they’re for you…dumbass.”

          Okay, so he was really bad at trying to reconnect with anyone. At least effort was present, right? “I…I made ‘em. Thought maybe you’d need some comfort food….”

         ⌜Comfort food⌟ The term stuck dryly in his mind as Kanji stated it firmly, his rugged nature not uncommon when faced with a situation that felt uncertain. Ringing ears even silenced themselves as Naoki’s irises fell to the plated meal for a moment, filled with soft emotion though none of it delight. Comfort food. What a term to say to one who’d lost a sibling, but he knew the intentions were of kindness instead of mocking. A momentary thought lingered in his mind as he kept his head lowered, ‘ Did he deserve comfort food when he was so cold? ’

             ❝ ...Thanks... ❞ Came his hesitant reply. If he smiled in public, he’d be met with others whispering about how he hated his sister, how he should be crying... He couldn’t move; he couldn’t breathe; he couldn’t stagnate; he couldn’t suffocate... ❝ S-Sorry... I’m not trying to sound like a jerk; it’s just... Can...you just come inside instead...? ❞

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⁽ Thread. ⁾ →  @kcnishi· ⑊ Onee-chan

“Mmm..yeah. Come in.” She could have just as easily turned him away without a second thought, but he was making an effort. He was one of the few things she was doing all this for. The least she could do was don a false smile and do her best to keep him satiated while the world around their family was ripped to utter pieces. Shredded by the vicious hounds that lived in this town that would take any opportunity to sink their teeth into some juicy new gossip. She pulled herself out of her cradled position and went to sit up on her bed instead to feel a little less pathetic. Her room wasn’t neat nor clean. Just a kind state of scattered organization. Her blinds were drawn and her desk lamp was the only thing illuminating her room. As of late, it was hard to be in bright light for so long. A side effect, maybe? As her brother entered her room, she looked up with the small smile she had prepared, letting her eyes shut momentarily in an attempt to look like everything was okay. “Everything okay with you?”

          ⌜He⌟ could lie and pretend that school was as boring and dull as ever, but with all the rumors abuzz and people rushing about in frantic whispers, it felt more akin to a madhouse than anything; it felt bothersome, tiring. He could pretend that the women on the streets were as chatty and sweet as they came when in Inaba, but as their constant demands toward him increasing, he felt as if he wasn’t viewed as a struggling teenager himself and someone they could bite at in conversation. He could lie and press that feigned smile on his face and say that everything was okay for him, but a part of him knew that she might pick up on his lying. Well, even if he knew that she might uncover the truth, he forced himself to lift his lips and nod.

          What was the point of bringing her mood down more?

         ❝ Um, yeah, ❞ he lied through his teeth, wandering over to her and placing the cream puffs down beside him as he took a seat. ❝ Mom and Dad are downstairs arguing about the answer to this game show, so I thought I’d bring my food upstairs and share with you…so you won’t steal it from the fridge this time. ❞ It was a joke, a teasing remark, between siblings that often went noticed on the streets during the day when they’d argue. Recently, though, she hadn’t bothered to eat his leftovers, causing them to expire and rot away. It felt jarring. Careful fingers unwrapped the coating that protected the delicacies, allowing the scent of sugar to embrace the room for a moment. ❝ You also seemed really down…so I thought that a little sugar might help you feel better...maybe… Nee-chan, ❞ he paused, hesitating on continuing but with forced breath he forced himself to speak, ❝ Are you okay…? ❞    

[kcnishi-deactivated20210615]

               you never realize                                what you had                                            until it’s pulled out                                                                  from under you

naoki penned by marizpan saki penned by abby

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⁽ Thread. ⁾ →  @kcnishi​ ⑊ Onee-chan

Saki was done with all this news. Ms. Yamano was dead. Adachi  was dead. All because of her. Yet, her identity as the mass killer she was still unknown to all. She had done her best to go out and take care of those whom she targeted, but they were coming back. Most recently, she had targeted Rise and she wasn’t going to deny how easy it was. Still, she wasn’t sure how much it would last this time around, but she hoped it’d be a bit longer than last time. In frustration and pure and utter depression, Saki locked herself in her room for the first time in what seemed like weeks. Maybe even months. How long had she been doing this? Her head was buried in her arms as there was a small knock at her door. Words came in response, muffled by her arms. “Who is it?”

                                                     @crestfallcn  ☁

         ⌜Doorway⌟ painfully laid before him, Naoki’s fist had barely tapped against it, fearful of startling the girl within; ever since the murders and kidnappings of Inaba began, her entire mood had practically turned sour--a stark contrast to her normal appearance. It felt surreal to wake up in the morning to see her just numbly informing him that she’d eaten his leftovers before exiting the home. When he asked about what to do for her with his friends, unsure of any kind of solution to this difficult task, they all responded to share with her--it might improve her mood. With cream puffs held to his chest, their wrappings still freshly prepared from the bakery, he waited to hear her question before parting his lips. ❝ It’s...Naoki. ❞  

             With her suddenly harboring these intense personality changes, people had begun to speak about him as well, claiming that the reason the family held these situations was due to their home’s position, their daughter’s job, and the fact the siblings weren’t close in age. They went on to speak vocally about this final one, saying that because of his age, he must be acting out at home and causing her more pain on top of her shame. It took every ounce of his being not to speak up, though housewives would approach him to reprimand him when laughing or joking around with others, saying that he should be home and doing something for his parents, not just acting like a spoiled child or a delinquent. His emotions repressed down during the day, he couldn’t find the answer to how he should be--or who he should appear as to the public eye. He felt hung up--like the victims--on a pole for the town to scrutinize, unable to move without their prying irises demanding he know how to behave. 

            Well, he could at least be there for his sister; that was a start to show he liked her, wasn’t it? ❝ ...Can I come in? ❞