fourteenth prayer [closed]

[prayed]

Characters: Kyoko Sakura, Czeslaw Meyer, V/V, Yosuke Hanamura, Amelia
Setting: Dorm 04-03
Format: Action
Summary: Sometimes when monsters happen, people band together.
Warnings: None.

Dorm 04-03
[Rather than running around blindly at night, it was far more sensible to team up with a few reliable people. Homura or Mami would have been ideal, but even Naoto or Enoch could have worked in a pinch.

So how is it that she wound up with these three?

Yosuke isn't so bad. As loath as she is to admit to it, she knows from his memories that he's reliable enough in a fight, but even then, he's only hanging around because his girlfriend's here. V/V and Czes aren't fighters. She has no reason to be protecting them, but the thought of the someone as innocent as getting hurt again makes her sick to her stomach. As for Czes...somehow, she just can't bring herself to leave this kid alone.

So, the empty dorm room's door has been barricaded using the bed frame and various pieces of furniture that Kyoko dragged up throughout the day (they only really need three, after all,) and with that, the threat of monsters is cut in half.

As for the rest--well, now it's just waiting. If one breaks in, she can handle it; if that fails, Yosuke can make himself useful, but for the moment she's just sitting on the bed. Czes's head rests on her lap as she strokes his hair back, waiting for him to fall asleep (although she expects that he'll be trying to stay awake as long as he can, now.) Really, she's far more affectionate with him than one might expect--almost like a big sister, really.]

...Tch. Are we seriously gonna have to deal with this all month? I'm already sick of having to hide out like this, y'know.

Floor Eighty-One
[Staying up every night to keep it's watch is starting to take it's toll on Kyoko, who has been starting to fall asleep in random places on a regular basis. Right now that place just happens to be in floor eighty-one's lounge. Perhaps it's because he's taken pity on her, having had been staying up to watch over him every night or maybe he's just given up on getting her to move--whatever the case, Kyoko is sprawled out on the couch, her head laying on Czes's lap.

She's been dozing like this for some time. At one point she had managed to completely fall sleep like this, but most times she'll begin to doze off before jerking awake and mumbling tiredly before laying her head back down. Right now she seems to be in the process of dozing again.]

Comments

[heavenscorpse]

I'm sure it won't last that long.

[V/V's optimistic, at least, though she knows she doesn't have much evidence to back it up. She's sitting on the floor, away from the door.]

[princeofjunes]

[On the one hand, he desperately wants to tease Kyoko for being a big softie beneath all her bluster and gluttony. On the other hand, he already knew that a long time ago from kicking around in her head - it was sort of unavoidable. He'll settle for looking just a little smug while he cuddles up next to V/V]

Yeah, with any luck we'll get through this junk in a week or two.

[bytheirhand]

I still don't think we should be here at all.

[It felt wrong. It was wrong. The thought of staying here through the night was a little unsettling.

AND HE IS GOING TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT OK. CZES IS GOING TO STAY UP JUST LIKE THE BIG KIDS!!!]

[prayed]

Can't run for more than a month at most.

[She looks down at Czes.]

If you wanna go back and entrust your safety to those careless roommates of yours or run around blindly and get crunched up by a monster, be my guest.

[A slight sigh. It's not that she doesn't understand her concern; this is just the safest route she could think of.]

Even if something bad turns up, all you and V/V are gonna have to do is stand back. I'll take care of everything--and I guess Yosuke too. He shouldn't do anything as stupid as just getting himself killed.

[That's as close to a compliment as she gets, Yosuke, so enjoy it.]

[heavenscorpse]

{V/V nods, and leans into Yosuke's shoulder a little.]

I trust you two. We'll be okay.

[princeofjunes]

[As warm and fuzzy as V/V's vote of confidence makes him feel - and although that's the closest Kyoko's ever been to complimenting him that he knows of - Yosuke can't help himself anymore. He just HAS to do some teasing, and he has to do it now or the tension is going to kill him]

You sure you even need to trouble yourself, Kyoko? I can probably handle any trouble, and you seem pretty comfortable there. I wouldn't want to make you go out of your way.

[bytheirhand]

He hunches his shoulders a bit, not eager to do any of those things.]

You don't look like much of a fighter.

[Sorry, Yosuke. Blunt child is blunt.]

[prayed]

Heh. You're right, I should at least give you a chance to embarrass yourself in front of your girlfriend before I step in.

[As for him not being a fighter, well....]

Pretty sure the ghost in his head does most of the fighting for him, y'know. That guy couldn't even go TV diving without it.

[...it occurs to her a little too late that that'll probably just make things even more confusing to anyone who doesn't know about persona users. Oh well.]

[heavenscorpse]

I think that still counts as him fighting himself, though.

[It's part of him, it counts?]

[princeofjunes]

[V/V you are the best girlfriend ever, standing up for him like that! He can't help but turn his head and plant a light kiss atop her head as thanks for the support, then turns back to Kyoko with a grin]

For starters, clearly your little brother hasn't learned to not judge people by appearances if he knows you're strong and then spouts that. And nice try Kyoko, but you can't bait me that easy. You know how much I can rock if I really push myself!

Really, it won't hurt you to compliment me. I swear, it's painless!

[bytheirhand]

She's not my sister.

[He sits up, like he's trying to prove a point, but he looks confused. His gaze shifts between the three of them.]

You have a ghost in your head that... fights for you?

[prayed]

[Kyoko's just going to take the opportunity to pull Czes onto her lap, draping on him.]

Yeah, but like, he's su-per slow. Kinda like you, y'know.

[She taps Czes's temple before pointing to Yosuke, even though V/V is just killing her by standing up for him like that.]

That's what you're gonna grow up to be if you don't hurry up and shape up. You're gonna turn out to be the sorta guy who pushes himself right into the trash. Dumpster diving doesn't mean you go running into them, y'know.

[heavenscorpse]

[V/V folds her arms crossly at that.]

Don't use Yosuke as a scare tactic, it's not nice to anybody. I mean, -I wouldn't want to grow up to be my boyfriend but that''s because it would just be strange, wouldn't it?

Floor 81 you say?!

[gradosfinest]

[This month. That was something she found herself repeating just about every month in this godsforsaken hellhole, every time she didn't think it could get worse? It found a way. She wasn't even sure if she was angry by this point so much as... tired.

Not that the perpetual lack of sleep was helping matters at all, between not feeling comfortable remaining in her room and being so on guard, she hadn't been letting herself sleep as much as she probably should have been. Especially trucking around two weapons and a half-suit of armor all day. So maybe a nap or something wouldn't hurt, right?

That was her logic in coming to this floor, figuring the lounge would be as good a place as any. Even if there were a few unpleasant memories tied to this room, it was still one of the calmer places by far. This didn't stop her from exiting the elevator with a hand on the hilt of her sword, cautiously looking around for a moment before determining it was safe. In fact not only safe, but there were other people here by the looks of it! Perfect. Although it took her a moment to recognize just who one of them was as the young knight walked up...

... and seeing Kyoko dozing off with her head in someone elses lap is just strange. That conversation they had in the elevator didn't exactly paint her to be the cuddly type, which means logically the boy must be somebody very important!]]

... hmm? Oh, hi Kyoko! I'm sorry, I don't think I've met your boyfriend before. [She's not even trying to tease her or make a joke, it's simply the first thought that came to mind. If she weren't quite so tired herself it would occur to her not to jump to conclusions, but that thought doesn't quite cross her mind.]

[bytheirhand]

[Czes didn't ask Kyoko to look after him. He didn't ask her to stay up all night guarding their makeshift fortress to keep him safe. He hasn't exactly been kind to her, hasn't exactly done anything to give her a reason to protect him, but she is.

So perhaps it is pity.

Because why on earth is she wasting her time protecting someone like him? Especially now that she knows exactly who and what he is. Still, she protects him. He doesn't understand why and for the moment he's given up on trying to figure it out.

He told her that stopping here was a bad idea. That at the rate she's been going if she sat down for even a moment she was going to fall asleep. Naturally, Kyoko didn't listen. After about ten minutes of trying to get her to move after she started drooling on him, he became resigned to his fate -- being used as a pillow by an obnoxious teenager with a hero complex.

Czes looks up when Amelia approaches, but as soon as she speaks his jaw drops.

What... what did she just say?

His cheeks flush pink and he forcefully shoves Kyoko off his lap.]

I'm not her boyfriend!

[prayed]

[She mumbles something incomprehensible that was probably meant as a greeting as she hears Amelia. She struggles to get a hold on her quickly fading consciousness, making a disagreeable noise as she realizes that Amelia has mistaken Czes for her boyfriend (really, Amelia? He's five years younger than her...) She opens her mouth, starts to correct her--]

Huh? He--

[--and doesn't get finish the first word before her attempts at explaining are replaced by a shrill shriek and the loud thump of her body hitting the floor after Czes shoves her.

Well, that woke her up, at least.]

Don't be stupid! Everybody knows that you're not my boyfriend, y'know!

[She snaps, but despite her glare and her initial moodiness she promptly crawls back on the couch and drops her head right back on his lap.]

[gradosfinest]

[That hadn't quite been Amelia's intention really, unaware that what she just said would wind up putting Kyoko on the floor and making a bit of a scene. Blinking a couple of times as the boy suddenly shoved Kyoko off of his lap she watched the two of them argue for a second, only for Kyoko to start using his lap as a pillow again...

Well of course! She simply misinterpeted it, that's all!]

Err, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to jump to conclusions like that, oh goodness this is kind of awkward, I can't believe I just called your brother your boyfriend...

[You just keep digging that hole deeper, Amelia.]

[bytheirhand]

[Nope. He is now actively fighting against having this redheaded teenagers head in his lap.]

I'm not her brother either!

[prayed]

How am I supposed to get comfortable if you keep moving!?

[She whines at him for a moment before raising one hand to give a dismissive wave.]

Tch. Don't listen to him. He's always trying to pretend we're not related.

[If everyone's going to call him her brother, then fine. He's her brother.]

[gradosfinest]

[Amelia just kind of looks between the two of them for a moment, blinking in a rather confused manner. She does not have enough mental energy to sort this out right now, and thus she settles for simply sitting down on the floor next to the couch, adjusting her sword slightly when she does.]

Well, either way then I don't think I've met you before sir! My name's Amelia, what's yours?

[bytheirhand]

[And Czes doesn't have enough physical energy to keep trying to shove Kyoko off his lap so he eventually relents.]

Mm, we haven't. My name's Czeslaw, but you can call me Czes if you'd like.

[prayed]

[She yawns loudly before rolling onto her back, kicking her knees up and turning her head to look at Amelia.]

...should be room if you wanna sit down.

[gradosfinest]

Oh, well thank you! And it's nice to meet you, Czes!

[Alright, she'll just hop up onto the couch then before leaning back against it with a sigh, although she does remove her sword entirely and leave it sitting on her lap, still sheathed. Weapons do sometimes get in the way of sitting, but it's something she's used to by now.]

... so it seems like they're trying to kill us more than usual. Again.

[prayed]

Isn't that normal for them? Especially that girl.

[She closes her eyes for a few moments.]

She's probably still pissed 'cause somebody broke the system, y'know. Those worthless idiots rushed into things without having any idea about what they were doing.

[bytheirhand]

Nice to meet you, too.

[He furrows his brow.]

You mean Ruana?