escordvi | closed 💀 forward dated to the end of January

Entry tags:

beat,
futaba sakura

closed 💀 forward dated to the end of January

Who: Beat and Futaba
Status: Closed
Where: Around Eltrut
What: Beat's memories of another world come flooding back, forward dated to the end of January
Warnings: None currently, will add if needed

[Never in Beat's life did he think he would relive getting hit by a vehicle... While that was an exaggeration, what happened to him definitely felt like it.

A second ago, he had been walking and minding his own business. The next thing he knew, he found himself eating dirt, taken aback by pain that assaulted his senses. He laid down on the ground, hands clutching at the sides of his head, his temples throbbing as scenes of something he couldn't place flash behind his eyes. It was taking all his willpower not to scream, curling more into himself as he laid down in a fetal position, wishing for whatever this is to end.

Memories flooded his mind of a time he didn't remember—painful, joyful, dangerous, warm. Suddenly he remembers paper cranes flying through the air, a festival celebrating the rulers of night and day, dragons descending upon a quiet village. Of dangers in the form of a dark wolf-like form hovering over him, and a bespectacled sphinx beating its wings at him.

Of strangely familiar faces... a blond with unruly hair and sharp ears, a boy with jet black hair and a monkey companion, and a spiky headed kid, hair jutting out from either side and a bright smile. A girl with looped black hair framing either side of her face, another of a blonde with a perpetual scowl on her lips—

And finally a bright-eyed redhead, her grin wide and mischievous, making his mouth feel thick and dry, and his heart skip a beat.

His eyes fly open, the pain dulling but still present. Was that... Songerein?

After a minute, he pushes himself off the floor, scrambling back onto his feet. Noticing the stares of the people around him, he dismisses their concern, immediately making his way anywhere but here. Once he takes a second to get his bearings, he whips out his shellphone and immediately sends Futaba a message.]

yo

[Yo what? Do you remember me? Beat felt stupid, staring at the screen of his shellphone for a long time, debating his next step. Finally, he starts typing again.]

you free right now?

[He's not sure what he's doing, but he does know that he needs to see her. Soon.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

['There'll be a lot more of these, yo' she had been told not that long ago in Reverein, eating fried chicken together with Beat for Christmas, celebrating the holiday in the way only the Japanese would. Sure, it wasn't from everyone's favourite kitchen of a Colonel, but it was a fond memory.

It didn't happen this year, for a few reasons. Yes, she had been around Beat, felt plenty of feelings for him still, many that were hard to suppress while around him, but if he wasn't from Reverein like she was, if he didn't recognize her and was just straight from Shibuya, the one he had shown her... well. Futaba wasn't one to let attachments get to her too much. This, too, would pass, if she willed it to, and she was trying her damnedest to make sure it would, the hurt was too much. Specs was too much. Change was hard, but not letting this change go would be worse.

As is normal for a not-quite-a-shut-in-anymore, and just for information, Futaba had been perusing public chats when a message came through. Beat? Just a 'yo'? He was still the same one-braincell boy she liked, and it got a chuckle out of her at least. But was he going to say anything else? ... guess n— oh. Huh. They had idly chatted, probably awkwardly on her end, and some occasional bump-ins, but had he asked to hang with her recently?]

Yeah, just doing some reconnaissance. [...nah, Beat knows what that is, right? Right??] I would ask wbu, but I guess you're texting me because you are, huh.

[smooth, Futaba.]

Edited (you didn't see that html fail OR THE ICON FAIL omg) 2025-01-06 05:13 (UTC)

[Reconnaissance, huh? He's heard that word before and at least knows what it means. A small smile tugs at the edge of his mouth. That does sound like something she would do. His fingers fly across the screen.]

think you got a minute?
kinda need some air

[Was that enough? Was that a weird ask? Suddenly he finds himself overthinking the situation. It was impulsive enough that he texted her without so much as a second thought, but now that he was here, he found himself second-guessing.]

like i just wanna chill with someone you know?

[I want to see you. He wants to say it so bad, but he's frightened he might scare her away if he did that. For now, he needs to know it's her first.]

You becoming an old man, Bones? Get that good ol' sea air, good for your bones and all?

[That probably wouldn't go away, no matter how hard she tried. He'd almost always been Bones, even before they were dating. Sure, she called him Beat every so often, and hadn't yet gotten the go ahead to call him ~his real name~ yet, Bones it was.]

But sure, I could stand to get out, even if the daystar might burn a little.

[She could go for some curry, but she didn't know anywhere yet that had curry... but a snack would be nice, even if she was going to be hanging out (very awkwardly) with a snacc.]

heh i probly only got a coupla years on ya and you calling me old?
thats harsh yo

[How could something that felt so familiar, so nice, feel so unbelievably gut-wrenching at the same time? His stomach is in knots as he types up his replies. It was not knowing if she was the same Futaba he had knew, and liked. And if that were the case? The knowledge just might wreck him.

He swallows thickly, not sure how he would even react when he sees here.]

you and me can stick to somewhere thats got shade
wouldnt want ya burning up on me all of a sudden
where can i fetch ya?

Yeah it's only a couple of years buuuuuuut you know. I can't imagine you a crotchety old man, still on a skateboard doing tricks, landing wrong and then... CRACK! Oh, there goes my back!!

[See, it was easy being more... herself, sort of, while it wasn't face to face, but it still felt... weird in a lot of ways for her.]

Hm, yeah I don't need to spontaneously combust, that'd be bad. Uhh, there's a place on Eltrut that has some snacks I like visiting [she'll just give him some instructions to get to it] but you can sit there to hang out, too. Good for, you know, the reconnaissance I mentioned earlier.

yo imma be on my board as long as i can step on it
aint no busted bones gonna stop me!

[If only you could hear him, he'd be saying that with so much conviction. And he would believe it too without a second of a doubt. But that cockiness didn't carry over with how he felt. While it was nice to riff off each other like that, he felt like a ball of nerves. Before today, he hadn't really thought of them as close after all... Friends sure, but in reality, he thought so much more of her, despite still reeling at the realization of it and all that he was only recalling now.]

aight imma head there right now
see ya in a bit

[And just like that, he's running, letting his feet take him as fast as he could. It's no surprise that he beats her. Food can wait, though. For now, he takes a seat outside, somewhere shaded in case she preferred to stay outdoors. He takes out his phone, gaze switching from his phone to his surroundings, keeping a lookout for Futaba's arrival as his leg bounced up and down against the ground, his restlessness in full view as the minutes ticked on by.]

[That really did sound like him... she can hear that in his voice, in fact, even if it were over text. She really could imagine him at something like 95, still cruising down Shibuya on a skateboard, telling them young whippersnappers to get out of his way. That really would be like him.

It makes her heart ache, though. But, she'll take the good and the bad.

Once she collects her things, really just some money and stuffing her shellphone in her pocket, and throwing on her skull and crossbones hoodie, she makes her way to their meeting place. Ah, he's already here, hard to miss him even through a crowd. Since she's much smaller, and likes not being perceived, she'll instead announce her arrival.]

Bones! [And a little wave for motion to pick up on. He was still the same, and she was really trying to be the same here too. Same weird Futaba, same weird mannerisms... just very awkward since, as far as she knew, Beat remembered nothing of Reverein and being in the dreamworld with her.

Once he notices her ~~omg, senpai noticed her!!~~, Futaba dodges the crowd to sit across from him.]

So how is the sea air for your bones, Bones?

[It's in the few moments that he looks away from the crowd when he hears her calling out to him, his attention immediately snapping towards her voice, picking her out in the crowd. Even hearing that nickname is nostalgic. Only Futaba ever called him that, further cementing that she probably did remember him. But finally seeing her, fills him with warmth, only to be replaced by dread in mere seconds.

His blood runs cold when he notices the jacket she has on, bringing back even more memories of when she first got it. Futaba had been so excited to show it off to him, her wide smile splitting across her face. How could he remember it so vividly, when only half an hour ago, he had no memory of being in another world with her?

The look on his face falters briefly, wincing as the memories come, but he tries to catch himself, smiling at her as she approaches, waving her over until she finally takes a seat.]

Ain't somethin' I'm used to if I'm bein' honest. Wasn't feelin' too hot a sec ago, but it's workin'.

[He shakes his head, trying to buy time, to make conversation until his nerves calm.]

You sure I ain't botherin' ya from your recon science? What's that for anyways?

[Lucky for him, she was still a little too far to notice his smile falter, but he's smiling again once she's sitting. No matter to her! It's still nice being able to spend time with him, no matter how much it hurts, but it's hard to tell him 'no' when the desire to tell him that isn't there.

When he mentions that the air is actually helping, there's that little gremlin laugh that follows that he knows all to well.]

Heh heh, I figured it'd do you well! I was only half kidding about it being good for your old bones, but it is pretty refreshing if I do say so myself.

Oh. Nah. I can do that anywhere. I did it before, too, but it's really just to gather information for whoever wants to pay me in cold hard cash for it! Just like a pirate, or a phantom thief, right?

[And a little gremlin smile, because it really was just to keep tabs on everything she could that was public... and if something was interesting enough, maybe to dig into if it went into private networks, should she figure it out.]

You tellin' me, yo. Ain't been to the ocean much back at... [He almost slips, saying Songerein instead of Japan. Being on the beach there was a much more recent memory compared to any outing to the beach with his friends. Clearing his throat, he tries again.] Back home.

[It's hard seeing her across him like this, knowing what he knows now. The clues lead him to believe that she is from Reverein, that they had spent time together outside the beaches and the armadas, and that, for a time, they had been seeing each other. Yet somehow, he had forgotten all that.

How was he supposed to breach that topic? How was he supposed to apologize about that? And how was she going to react to all of it?]

Heh, guess that'd work here, yeah? There's gotta be someone who wants dirt on the people runnin' 'round. [He tilts his head to the shop, straining to keep his expression casual and unbothered.] You wanna grab somethin' 'fore you keep up snoopin'?

Man, I missed out on it since I wasn't going to school when Shujin went for their big trip, they went to Hawaii! Ren got to see it though, even did the hang loose motion when he got back [as she demonstrates here], I was pretty jealous... but if I go back to school, I could go too. Hard to get to beaches when you're smack dab in the middle of Shibuya, you know?

[She gets it, she does. It's much different here than it was in Japan, even in Reverein where she had been before, but... well, it was kind of nice to be here now, actually, a nice change of pace when they could come and go as they pleased back in the dreamworld.]

Oh, yeah, I suggested it, huh. I don't have to keep snooping while we're here though, it's just something I do when I'm by myself, mostly. Old habits die hard and all. Did I ever tell you—

[Ah, right. He didn't remember their time elsewhere, huh.]

Ah, never mind. Let's go find something tasty!

[She hops up, stopping herself to instinctively hold out her hand to grab his, though the motion looked like it would have been started... right. Be cool, Futaba. Don't make it weird.]

Yo, Hawaii? That school a' yours sounds hella stacked if the trip's all the way out there. The best we got's the usual to Kyoto an' Nara. Leas' we got this now.

[It's hard to escape the salt-filled air in Eltrut when they were so close to it. He would agree that it was different, but nice despite it all... But even now, he's learning a bit more about her and her time in her own Shibuya.

Just when he gets back on his feet, he sees her arm move, as if almost reaching out before she stops herself and keeps it at her side. If you asked him earlier that day, he would've shrugged it off as her being friendly. But now, he's less sure about it.]

Hey, lemme pay for whatever you gettin', aight? Was your idea to eat but it was me who dragged ya out.

[It was the least he could do.]

Edited 2025-01-06 09:46 (UTC)

I'm hoping when I go back I'll be able to go to Hawaii too, I think it'd be fun. Though I guess I wouldn't mind Nara or Kyoto or anything either, but seeing somewhere new? That'd be even better!

[In another timeline she at least gets to see Kyoto, but not this one :') alas.

At his offer to pay, she stares at him for a moment.]

You sure? It's not like I minded to come out here, you know? It's good for me to get out every now and again and I don't mind your company [for a bazillion different reasons] but if you're sure... I'll try not to break your bank, heh heh.

[With a nod toward the shop, she starts heading on in, with a little wave to the shopkeeper, stopping to look at the small menuboard they had. She wasn't really here for any of the meals, but the stuff that reminded her of dim sum? Perfect.]

They got boba here too, so I get my fill of it from here. It's pretty good, along with the dim sum. Dim sum? I guess it's like that.

This place count?

[It was new to both of them, after all. He never thought that he would be the type to world-hop, and he can only assume that she thinks the same. And somehow he's managed two for himself... Three if you count the UG, but he's not exactly sure how that one works.

He attempts to dismiss her worries with a wave of a hand as they walk into the shop.]

Nah, it's cool. Wouldn'ta offered if I didn't mean it. [Hopefully he has enough to cover it. And if he doesn't, he'll work it off or something.] So jus' a boba an' that dim sum thing? I got ya.

[Whatever she decides, he puts in the order and gets a strawberry boba for himself, and another variation of dimsum to give them both choices. Or she can have it in the end if she wanted it. Beat still wasn't sure if he had much of an appetite, but he needed to keep up appearances for now.

They settle back at their table outside once they have their orders, leaving Beat to mull over his thoughts as they settle down. Just how was he going to bring it up. Doesn't help that them eating together like this brings him back to when they were sharing a meal of curry and takoyaki at the ball in Reverein. Futaba had looked breath-taking in the dress she was wearing.

He winces slightly, finding his head throbbing with every new memory that comes back to him. But he curbs that for now, playing it off as business as usual.]

How's things goin' for ya? Settlin' in aight?

Eh, kinda, it's not quite Hawaii. Would have been cool to see that for real though. This has more pirates, so I can't complain.

[More up her alley, if she were honest about it.

Once everything is ordered up and they head back on out with at least the boba, Futaba starts idly flipping through the shellphone network while taking some sips of the boba in hand.]

Eh, no different than before, really. Just another world to get used to, you know? Way different than the one before.

[That had been kind of talked about before, when she was getting her cool new magic tattoo, but perhaps not in detail. Just mention of Reverein.]

Weird to have to pay for things though, I haven't needed to for... [shit how long had it been] uh, a couple years. What about you? Getting used to being in a strange new world, after being plucked from your own from the world you know to become a pirate?

[Beat watches her, maybe a little too intently as she speaks. God, he's missed being around her like this. While they both lived their own lives in Reverein, he saw he constantly. And now, there was a dull ache in his chest having missed that for a few months now.

He wants to agree that this whole situation is different... At least he can about Shibuya.]

Musta been nice livin' someplace free. That part ain't much different here an' back home. Still gotta pay for stuff.

[A shrug as he sips on his own boba, food left untouched between them. Which might seem odd, considering it's Beat.]

Dunno if I'm much offa pirate. Been one for Halloween, but this kinda thing's somethin' outta a movie, you know? Really goin' out there an' exploring stuff, seein' all sorts a' creatures. Even got myself a dog, but it's got like... [He pauses to pantomime two other heads on either side of his head with each of his hands opened wide, fingers bent like claws.] —with three heads, yo.

Well yeah, but it was nice to just be like "welp I'm off to do my good deed, thanks for the coffee!" in Dreambucks, but now I gotta pay, it's weird.

[Luckily for him, she's not too pressed about eating; she's grabbing things but subconsciously leaving plenty for Beat, not really realizing that she's leaving half, as she would normally, for him.]

Wait really? A dog with three heads? A Pupperous?! Like a Cerberous but a puppy?! [She's already laughing, because that sounds ridiculous, but she really is wondering... if it shares a stomach...] Do you have to have three different bowls for them? Does it poop extra?! [These are important questions to know, clearly.]

[God, the sound of her laugh brings him back. Hell, talking and joking around like this, and sharing a meal with her brings him back. But he's filled with guilt just thinking about it, only imagining how she had felt having known him before. While he somehow forgot her.

He had gone through something similar in the past when Rhyme had forgotten him. Now, he couldn't believe he had done the same thing to someone so important to him.

So he continued the charade, pretending everything was fine, even if deep down his heart ached, much like a vice gripping his chest.]

Hell if I know! I ain't ever had a pet with three heads 'fore! [That wasn't a lie.] But yeah, I got three bowls for 'im. Sometimes he jus' eats from one. Ain't really figured 'im out yet. His name's Kuma.

[Wait until she hears that he chose that name despite it being a pomeranian puppy.]

Should let the two a' you meet some day!

Kuma, huh? Heh, you're an animal magnet, huh?

[There was Rhyme the squirrel, and of course Hachiko the dog, too, in Reverein... and now Kuma...]

Ah, no, never mind! [Right, not gonna remember!] But sure, I can meet him whenever, that'd be fun to see a three-headed dog. I've seen some weird stuff, but never one of those.

[Even if it was still awkward for her, feeling at ease around him was still the best feeling. She didn't have to be on high alert, or wonder if she was being correct in reading the room with him. Even if she was going to have to... ignore what had been, since this Beat didn't remember. Well, thems the breaks and all that, Futaba didn't want to make him feel even more awkward after not remembering by saying "yeah, so we were actually dating" because... well, maybe he liked someone else here?

...ugh. That was the worst thing to think of. The thought makes her face fall for a moment, before masking it with grabbing her boba and drinking as much as she can in a breath.]

[Unfortunately for Futaba, Beat had caught when her face contorted. It was only for the briefest of moments, but they had been together long enough in Reverein for him to be able to pick up the small quirks that she had. Her trying to mask it only worried him more, and his own expression twists into a frown. Doesn't help that she's trying to down an entire thing of boba in one sip.]

Take it easy on the boba, yo. Don't want ya chokin' on one a those on me.

[It's supposed to be in jest, but genuine worry creases his brow, and he almost reaches out towards her. For a moment, his leans forward, hand hanging between them, before he pulls it back. As much as he wants to say something, he shouldn't. He couldn't. Not when he put her through all that. He didn't deserve her.

But still, he wants to show up for her. He leans back, trying to keep his distance:] Yo, you aight? Somethin' botherin' ya?

[Almost on queue does she actually kind of choke on the drink, but it's... probably fine....?! Futaba looks fine, at least, since she's waving it off now, but she looks up long enough to see him reaching toward her.

...huh.]

Y-yeah! Fine! I'm fine, don't worry about me! It's nothing important anyway, just... thought of something that was putting a bad taste in my mouth.

[But she could pry to maybe... put her mind at ease?]

Anyway, we've been here long enough, anyone catch your eye? [Totally smooth, won't suspect a thing.]

[Slowly, the cinch in his brow eases, but he remains wary about her reaction. Was it something that he should get involved in?

But that thought is quickly wiped away when her question catches him off guard. His mouth hangs open, eyes wide, surprise and confusion plain as day on his face, red spreading across his cheeks and the tip of his ears. Had he been drinking himself, she would've gotten the same reaction as her.]

B-bwuh?! Whatchu mean—

[He looks down on his lap, unable to meet her gaze. Just how was he supposed to answer that? There was someone and they were sitting right across him. His heart sank, a lump growing thick in his throat. He reached up, rubbing the back of his neck, trying to dispel his embarrassment and lingering discomfort and failing.]

I mean... Yeah, kinda? [Only then does he look back up to Futaba, wishing against every fiber of his being that they didn't meet as friends in Escordvi. That his dumb self could've just remembered her instead of finding himself in whatever mess this was.]

[He did. Futaba takes in a sharp breath when he confirms, scrunching her boba cup... and tossing it directly at his face.

Okay no, that's only in her head, but there's definitely some inward screaming here, her hesitation to confirm anything feeling like it's stretching into forever, though it's only been a brief moment. Eventually she smiles and nods some, because that's normal. Yep. Completely normal.]

Oh, yeah? You should definitely make a move, then, I could... be your wingwoman! Well, maybe, I'm still kind of awkward around people, but I could try. I have a little experience, I was dating— [can't say you here, careful] — s-someone before, when I was... elsewhere. Not in Shibuya, but... you know! So I could help!

[Maybe it'd help her get over it faster, after all, if she did.]

Hold up, my wingwoman?

[He practically sputters the words, unsure how else to react. Had the situation
been different, perhaps he would appreciate the assist, but something like that wasn't necessary. He didn't need her to do something like that for him. Especially when the person he had his eye on was her in the first place.

His eyes dart back to the floor and his hand doesn't leave the back of his neck.]

Look, Shorty, you ain't gotta—

[And then he pauses, blinking once, twice, as realization slowly—painfully slow—dawns on him.

Fuck.

All it took was one nickname and the whole charade came tumbling down. Somehow he let that slip. He had tried to be so, so careful, but it was just like him to mess up, even when it came to something like this. The guilt he felt grew tenfold, threatening to swallow him whole. But, despite that, he isn't worried about himself, pushing aside his own feelings to focus on someone else's. Even now, he was more worried about Futaba than himself.

Craning his neck to look at her, Beat locked eyes with her, his own filled with concern—and dread—as he gauged her own reaction. There was no way he can take it back now. All that was left was owning up to it.

He wants to reach out yet again but finds himself nervous, practically frightened, to do so. Yet, he leans forward on the table, at least allowing himself that much, if only to close the distance between them. God knows they've been far apart for too long.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject