Aftermath [Open to all]

[imperialsun]

Characters: Naoya Toudou and you (all of you)!
Setting: Various Floors, the Dorms
Format: Starting with prose, but I'll match you
Summary: Naoya has his own ideas about the tower, makes plans, goes patrolling, is a typical protagonist.
Warnings: PROTAG.

Dorms & Note

There was a single piece of paper taped over the lowest level, just before you entered the tower levels:

If you want to join patrolling, please leave me a message in room 01-08. If you need weapon practice, I can aid you there as well.

-Naoya Toudou

If you went to talk to him in his dorm, you'd notice that the room was cramped; for some reason there were five of them along with a large arcade machine in the back. Usually, he'd be playing if he wasn't sleeping and happend to be in his room.

Night Patrol (any Floor)

Despite the events that had happened the last week and the talks with Jin, Naoya was still dutifully doing what he could to aid the others. The year he had passed in the tower had strengthened him in ways he hadn't truly realized until the month hit him; and he realized how much lighter his sword had become over time.

When the night creatures bumped, Naoya simply bumped back as best as he could. Rather he have to deal with his own death by the tower hand's, than someone else's if he could help it. Jin had been right in that respect. Once you accepted that death wasn't completely permanent, it did open up a lot more possibilities; both trivial and allowing for plans that could be considered borderline insanity.

But he was who he was. He'd continue to have hope, no matter what the tower tried to throw at him. Even a year later, he was still a wall. And with both a long katana in one hand and a submachine gun slung over his other shoulder, he looked ready for war.

Floor 29: Maze (Closed to Chidori)

Even Naoya could appriciate a little piece and quiet. The twisting hedge maze meant that most people favored the meadow rather than here, and after fighting the Night Queen, Naoya was rather patient enough to know when to enter here (early morning) and how to get out.

For now, he was content sleeping outside of the maze, in the large garden.

Floor 77: Sauna

While he had enjoyed being here before, Naoya had noticed the increased watchful eyes of the worker units. Well, he had his own thoughts about that, and wasn't going to share them here, that was for sure.

At least the sauna still made a good place to relax, despite the increased "security". If you saw him, he was in the mixed sauna, busy counting up to a hundred...and when that was over, he'd simply do it again.

Floor 73: Snow Castle | OPEN TO ALL

It was cold. That was alright. He had a persona that could help him with that, along with his outfit. The Snow/Night Queen had turned his entire school into a walking glacier before, this was just a little harsher.

Once he got closer to the building, Naoya began to explore the castle in earnest, least he find a clue of its origin, or at least interesting places that could aid him out later...

Floor 19 & 3 - Libraries | OPEN TO ALL

While already have a few books about 3D programming (once again), one could find Naoya looking over the books in deep thought.

A detail he should have noticed that before, and he mentally kicked himself that he had not. In many ways, this was making him even more suspicious...

Floor 14 - Media Room | OPEN TO ALL

There really was no way to remove the nerd from him.

Come inside, and you would easily find one(1) Naoya Toudou busy playing a fighting or an action game of some kind. Modernity had no more secrets from him, now he was used to all the newer games that were after his time, and would gleefully play a racing game whenever he could.

OOC
You are free to bump into Naoya in other levels if you'd like, I am open to anything!

Comments

And now for Icons I never thought I would need to use

[imperialsun]

He wasn't sure what he had expected, or what he wanted to do. The thumps got so powerful he could hear them in his ears which had by now turned a very nice shade of tomato red. This served to remind him that despite the two years of events both here and home, he was still a 19 year old teenager.

And not very experienced when it came to mattes of the heart.

After running away from his problems for so many years, Naoya had come to terms with that part of himself when he had fought a piece of his shadow. He had grown stronger from it. Biting his lip, he suddenly pushed Chidori a little closer to him.

"Sorry..."

No wait, don't be sorry! Maybe he should have read more magazines so he'd know what to do...

"...I'm glad you're here."

x2 for me

[floreatnoctem]

Were it any other time, she would hesitate. Put things off and push him away like no matter what, she had all the time in the world. Because she didn't, and she'd always thought it would be easier to push people away rather than let them get close enough to care about her dying. But it wasn't the same here, not when dying was the rough equivalent of going down to lunch or something in terms of how seriously the tower administration saw it. Granted to some, that might mean that they could take as much time as they wanted because no matter what, they would be back.

To Chidori, it had come to mean taking opportunities as they struck, because one never knew when they'd stop caring about resurrecting you.

"Sorry...?"

It takes her a moment to understand that it's because of the sudden movement and not something else. She sees fit to reassure him by leaning against his side, making a quiet, almost content sound and settling her opposite hand over his at her elbow.

"Likewise."

[imperialsun]

He smiled and looked at the forest maze, studying the hedges as if they were suddenly more detailed and interesting than before.

"...I'm glad..."

He was about to say something else, talk about their plans and going back to less personal talk when time seemed to slow down and a conversation between...well...himself happened.

"No, first you need to kiss her already!"
"What?!"
"We're both a boy with teenage hormones, stop pretending you're this cool frigid badass, I'm pretty sure she's expecting it."
"Hey I..."
"...you like her legs. She has really nice legs."
"That's not what I meant!"
"Oh believe me, I know. But this is way more fun. We both noticed her reaction when you touched her right? Do you want the rest of the peanut gallery to come? Bet they'll say the same thing, just in a nicer way. The self capable of demonic cruelty, remember?"
"..."
"So how long are you going to be staring into space talking to yourself while she waits? Don't worry about the consequences for once! Don't run away from it, run with it! Tch, sometimes I can't believe you're me."

Shaking his head briskly, Naoya snapped back into reality, eyes locked on Chidori for a few seconds before looking away again. Was this how that part of Maki had felt when she...

"Stop thinking about missed opportunities, dumbass!"

Just when he couldn't really get rid of that voice inside his head. At least Chidori couldn't hear these exchanges with his other, loud self. That piece of 'encouragement' didn't completely make his next actions not awkward or daunting either (in fact they were filled with plenty). Once more, he pushed her nearer, neck craning close enough to the point where he could feel her breath gently on his cheek, and it sent a small shiver down his spine.

No room for hesitation...or so, he hoped... Without warning, he twisted his body enough so that he was able to grab her even closer and remove the gab between their lips.

O-oh. This is what it felt like.

He could get used to this...

Besides (he figured), if she didn't, Chidori could easily slap him away, burn him up or impale him with her axe. He had a feeling if she didn't agree with this, he'd be a dead man anyway.

[floreatnoctem]

"I thought that might be the case."

She's teasing a little, only because she doesn't know how else to react. Naoya brings strange reactions out of her- he has ever since the situation with their shadows. Perhaps it's a side effect of part of her spending so much time with part of him. Perhaps it's that he doesn't seem to judge any of Strega as much as others have. Or perhaps it's just that she feels like she doesn't have to try and explain her feelings to him constantly. The fact that he seems to have a better understanding of her than most certainly doesn't hurt her estimation of him, at least.

So when the moment takes a turn toward something different, she can't help but be a little surprised- she still remembers, hazily, the 'them' from the future. Knows how he can overthink...

When he looks away, it's all she can do not to look disappointed, keeping her expression serene until he looks her way again and pauses.

"Such hesitation. I wonder if he's pretending you're actually someone else..."

Dutifully, she ignores Medea's sneering commentary, brow furrowing slightly at the way he's hesitating. It doesn't take her long to realize that it isn't entirely simple hesitation- after all, she's seen more than one person pause to deal with voices that didn't know when to stop. Really, she even has one of her own.

"Mmm, so very much like someone you're already familiar with- maybe he isn't the one doing the replacing after all..."

She ignores that too, eyes following his movements as he resolves whatever issue he's been having with himself and bends his head toward hers in a swift motion, mouth pressing against hers. Her fingers tighten reflexively where they lay, and she makes a brief, quiet noise of surprise, allowing it to continue for a moment before pulling away. Head still ducked and face warmer than she really cares for, she raises a hand to her mouth, fingers tracing where his had been.

"...oh," she begins quietly, eyes skimming along somewhere in the vicinity of his collarbone. "That..."

But the words stick, and she figures actions speak louder regardless. Her hands covere his, using the leverage to push herself up and press a kiss of her own against his mouth in return.

What's one more thing to lose when lives and worlds are already constantly at stake?

[imperialsun]

He didn't know what he should have expected, and what he wanted to happen. When Chidori moves in to kiss him back, Naoya's mind shatters, as his poor heart began to beat at an even more accelerated rate, and he almost expected his head explode. A barrier he had always put up; that he didn't want to hurt her, that he didn't understand his own feelings, Maki, Eriko, that if Minato came back...it all vanished into a puff of smoke. All he can see now...is her.

Damn she really did have nice legs.

He opens up his fingers, using them to grab her hands above his, as Naoya tosses logic and his usual quiet and controlled manners, just letting his instincts take over. Maybe he'd regret this later or recall it with an embarrassed memory, he had no idea.

Quite frankly, didn't care right now.

As he pulls their hands upwards, he pushes himself even closer to her, trying to hug Chidori from the back. Right now, all he wants to feel that fire inside her, as dangerous that it might be, and bring it closer against his own.

The tower could have literally crumbled behind them and he wouldn't have noticed.

hey there latest tagback in the history of tagbacks

[floreatnoctem]

Lips parting, she breathes a nearly-inaudible 'ah' into the kiss as he pulls her closer, squeezing his hand with the one in his while the other gently slips into his hair, fingers curling into his hair to gently tug him closer still. She catches the errant thought about her legs mostly by accident, but she can't say she's all that bothered by it.

Why thank you.

Her fingers squeeze his lightly once again, a quiet, throaty chuckle bubbling into the kiss. When she pulls back, to smile up at him- a rare enough occurrence that it's probably quite noteworthy- she raises an eyebrow at him, curious but teasing.

"Should I take to wearing shorter skirts then, Naoya?"

Slow but steady is the name of this log - Also new icons

[imperialsun]

"Only if you want," he says a little too fast when they part before catching himself and attempting to pathetically drown out the teenage hormones speaking before him. Granted, it was what he was going to say, just a little more...diplomatically.

Everywhere her hands had brushed; his hair, his hands, his lips...there's a warm throbbing sensation that matches his own heartbeat, lingering on. He has to stop himself from thinking a little too much into details right now. Teenagers. He's not sure what he wants to do. To laugh, to cry, to be embarrassed, to run away as fast as possible as he used to do...it's still too amazing and powerful for him to be able to process it completely.

Instead, he focuses on something he hasn't seen often but each time feels like he gets to witnessing an intricate, precious piece of artwork. Something that very few are allowed to see. His worries melt away again, and he feels completely refreshed, with a power stronger than any healing spell. He wants her near him. He wants to protect her, he wants her to protect him too. But most importantly...

"Your smile is really beautiful."

And with that, it's his turn to smile, and it feels like his cheeks are about to burst and oh goodness, be still his heart and mind.

[imperialeclipse]

"Heh heh heh, I knew you had it in you. Now just imagine her if she was baking something completely stark nak--"

[imperialsun]

...Especially his mind.