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[fujimaru]

It's Ritsuka! I've either fallen asleep or couldn't find my phone in time, so leave a message.

[ text / action / etc]

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[messianic]

[ ...!

He tries to straighten a bit at that, even though he falls back into his usual slouch a few moments later. ]

Ah... Ritsuka.

[ ... ]

Yo. How's it going?

[ nailed it. ]

[fujimaru]

I feel like I should be asking you that... how long were you wandering around out there?

[ She does not cross her arms or anything, but she is giving him a pointed Look. ]

[messianic]

[ he.... considers that for a moment, sniffling a bit, before he just shrugs. ]

Not that long... Zhongli-san was out wandering and didn't know how to handle a cold, so after that I wanted to make sure nobody else was dealing with the same thing.

Why, what's up? Did you need something?

[fujimaru]

I was worried about you.

[ She's mostly deadpan, half exasperated and half amused. She knows what he's like, and it's not a surprise. ]

I just convinced Saturn to take a nap. I thought I was gonna have to drag you back to get you back inside.

[messianic]

... Ah. Oops.

[ he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly at that, before he just offers her a rueful shrug. ]

Sorry. I'm okay though. A little under the weather too, but... I'm pretty used to it, so it's not a big deal.

[fujimaru]

Just because you're used to it doesn't mean you have to keep pushing through it. C'mon, let's getting you sit down.

[ She is approaching, reaching for his hand. ]

I've been grabbing sports drinks, so you should at least try drinking one of those.

[messianic]

[ He won't refuse or be difficult, at least. He's nodding even before she takes his hand, and when she does--

She'll feel it, but it's not a particularly strong rush of emotions. Instead, there's a slow, gentle sense of fondness and light amusement, and some sheepishness for making her worry. ]

Okay, okay... you're right. I'll take a breather now.

[fujimaru]

[ Well. She hadn't really been expecting that, though she's had a couple flashes of this earlier! There's a moment of genuine surprise, though she doesn't let go of his hand--surprise that is underlying a low-grade concern, as much as she's trying not to be overly fussy. Unlike him, her feelings are less gentle, more like they're being physically reigned in somehow. Ritsuka frequently has a thousand feelings at once, but right now the worry is what outweighs everything else. ]

...Okay. Uh. C'mon, let's get you lying down.

[messianic]

[ ...?

Minato's emotions shift to light confusion for a moment as he feels her worry--and then slowly, his eyebrows arch as realization settles in. ]

Ahhh... It's like this again, huh...?

[ He glances at their connected hands, curiosity and concern mingling. ]

[fujimaru]

Has this happened before?

[ She's mostly bemused, rather than outright worried or confused, also looking at their hands. ]

I mean, it happened with Saturn, too, but I thought it was maybe some side effect from his ridealong...

[messianic]

Mm... the last time it was by choice, during one of the tasks. But we were able to share our emotions then, too.

[ he's quiet for a moment, before he just flashes her a quietly concerned look, matched by the emotions she'll feel from him, even muted as they are. ]

You don't mind?

[fujimaru]

It's a little weird, but...

[ She shrugs after a moment. It's not the kind of thing she's immediately thrilled about, and there's some things that she doesn't particularly want him to know, but... on the other hand, she does trust him. Things could be worse. ]

...if you don't mind, I don't.

[messianic]

I don't mind.

[ He responds with that immediately, his emotions backing it up with a peaceful sort of acceptance, alongside a warm feeling that she's willing to trust him with something like this. ]

It's a little intimate, but not in a bad way.

[fujimaru]

[ She pauses at that, a little thread of something wistful that bubbles up and fades away again as she leads him to the nest. Overall, though, she's calmly thoughtful. ]

It's a little weird, too. It's not like I can't tell they're not my feelings--but they're still there. Chalk that up as a new one, even for me.

[messianic]

[ Wistful, huh...? His curiosity bleeds through for a moment, before he tempers it with comfortable patience. ]

Mm... it can be a little odd. I guess the real question is just if we should ignore it or talk about it, right?

[ all of those feelings, simple as they are, that they're feeling.

He flops pretty willingly into the nest as soon as they make it, but slowly enough to not have to let go of her hand. ]

[fujimaru]

[ She considers a moment, then sinks down to settle next to him. Holding hands is actually pretty nice? It's kind of nice to have associations beyond just "one or both of us are on the brink of death." ]

I dunno... if you can feel it, do you need to talk about it? But also, just leaving them as-is probably won't do any real good, if there's something wrong. I can see the points for doing either.

[messianic]

[ he smiles a little at that, squeezing her hand, amused and charmed in equal measure. ]

To be honest, I'm just curious and nosy, so I'm always tempted to ask you what you're thinking.

[ the emotions just make him want to know even more!! ]

[fujimaru]

I'm usually thinking about a lot of things. I can think about how I'm worried about people who are sick and wondering if I can find cheese crackers in the canteen the next time I go there at the same time. Stuff like that.

[ That is not the whole of what she is thinking, but those are still things she's thinking about. ]

[messianic]

[ he nods thoughtfully, contemplative and quietly pleased that she's sharing, even if it's just stuff like that. ]

And that's exactly the kind of stuff I like to hear about--serious stuff, but also mundane things. Even if it's a little weird to be interested... I dunno. It's nice.

[fujimaru]

I don't think it's weird at all. ...I just don't really know where or how to bring things up. Not even 'cause I don't want to, you know? It's just--I do a lot of things without really thinking about them until after.

[messianic]

That's okay too, honestly. I mean, it makes sense.

[ he squeezes her hand in his own, torn between fondness and ruefulness. ]

I don't want you to think I'm nagging at you to talk about what you're thinking more often or anything. I just like it when you do, that's all.

[fujimaru]

You've never made me feel pressured about anything, Minato-kun.

[ She says that firmly, with utter sincerity, squeezing his hand back. This is something she is firm about, perhaps only a little surprised that he would be worried. ]

It's happened plenty of times. Even people who I know love me and mean well have done it--but never you.

[messianic]

Ah... that's a relief to hear then.

[ he's a little startled by her certainty, but in a touched and grateful sort of way. After all... he likes Ritsuka so, so much exactly as she is--the last thing he ever wants to do is put any sort of pressure on her to change or do something outside of her comfort zone.

A bit more lightly: ]

I wouldn't be a very reliable alternate universe self if I did that sort of thing, after all.

[fujimaru]

[ She blinks, laughs, and flops down onto her back next to him in the nest pile. This is fine. ]

I dunno, yes and no? Theoretically, if anyone was gonna bully me into doing the hard things, it would be myself. Or another me, as it were.

[messianic]

[ this is very fine. He follows suit, flopping back and covering up a yawn with his free hand. ]

I don't really think you need any bullying for that sort of thing. You just approach things at your own pace sometimes. Nothing wrong with that.