[There's another one of those pauses, but she does eventually move to his side, laying down along with him. She tries to take a deep breath, but it hitches somewhere along the way and, well, that's quite enough of that.]
[At those words, she gives his hand a tight squeeze, closing her eyes.]
...I'd offer to tell you some kind of story if it would help, but I'm afraid I don't know many happy ones. I don't have many cheerful memories, and the kinds of tales my society teaches the children aren't very cheerful, either.
[Still, there's a thoughtful lilt to her voice. She's trying to drag her tired mind into thinking of something.]
Yeah! Harry Potter's a good one. When I was little, my dad used to read a chapter of it to me each night before bed. He always acted surprised, but I knew he'd read them before.
He was kinda boring. He worked in an office and didn't really have his own interests. Or...whatever he did like was boring to me at the time, probably. We never really shared anything we both liked, he just went along with whatever I liked. I didn't really notice it until the year before he died, and by then I just...stopped talking to him about those kinda things as much. I know it's a normal part of growing up, all my friends told me they went through the same thing too, but when your dad just dies you start to feel guilty for thinking those kinda things.
[She doesn't know offices, and, well... her father didn't necessarily share her interests, but he did constantly have her back, doing anything in his power to protect her.
Another squeeze, thumb running along his in what she hopes is a comforting motion.]
I... don't really know what counts as boring in this world. [She understands broader concepts of things, but a lot of the aspects of daily life for the rest of humanity? The closest she'll get to that is through books or television, if it's something she can bear to watch.]
It sounds like you still have good memories, though.
So did my parents. ...Then again, I got in trouble a lot.
[Of the 'under threat of elimination' type.]
But... Even at your age, I was trying to get some space from my parents. When I was deciding where to work as an adult, I made my choice partially based on which place meant I wouldn't have to be under them anymore.
So... either at that age, or even now, I think it's normal if you didn't want to do everything with your family all the time.
[...]
Just like... how it's normal to miss them when it turns out that means you don't get to see them, too.
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How much longer?
[How much longer do they have to do this?]
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I don't know if it's enough time to do what we need to do, but it's all the time we have. We'll have to make it work.
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They still have a little more than a week of this to deal with.]
...I feel like I'm losing my mind here.
[People called her strong, and she hadn't really believed them. But now? She knows it can't be true, not when she's breaking apart like this.]
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[He would have some words on strength and such, but he's worn pretty thin himself.]
...I'm sorry. Hearing "It could be worse" probably wouldn't help, huh?
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[There's... not much that can be helped at all. She slowly exhales, turning to look at him properly. Holding out a hand to him.]
How are you feeling?
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I can make it a week.
[It's a non-answer, really. Just like always, he's avoiding his feelings.]
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...I'd offer to tell you some kind of story if it would help, but I'm afraid I don't know many happy ones. I don't have many cheerful memories, and the kinds of tales my society teaches the children aren't very cheerful, either.
[Still, there's a thoughtful lilt to her voice. She's trying to drag her tired mind into thinking of something.]
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...Did Atsushi ever tell you about how we read together during our breaks?
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[Future Japan sure hasn't. ]
He really liked that one.
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[Can't really just fix it like that if someone breaks a bone or gets eaten by a giant dog, etc.]
Did he read all of them to you like that?
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[They didn't get to finish that one, because Stuff happened.]
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Could you... tell me a little bit about him?
Your father.
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Another squeeze, thumb running along his in what she hopes is a comforting motion.]
I... don't really know what counts as boring in this world. [She understands broader concepts of things, but a lot of the aspects of daily life for the rest of humanity? The closest she'll get to that is through books or television, if it's something she can bear to watch.]
It sounds like you still have good memories, though.
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...I hope that he wouldn't be disappointed in me, if he saw me now.
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[Of the 'under threat of elimination' type.]
But... Even at your age, I was trying to get some space from my parents. When I was deciding where to work as an adult, I made my choice partially based on which place meant I wouldn't have to be under them anymore.
So... either at that age, or even now, I think it's normal if you didn't want to do everything with your family all the time.
[...]
Just like... how it's normal to miss them when it turns out that means you don't get to see them, too.