ic contact;

[coexistent]

"I'm not around, so... leave a message, I guess."

Comments

[coexistent]

At least... one of us will get to see it, right?

[something like that. but still—]

I know it'll be fun anyway. Even if it's not with Axel and Xion... you're all my friends too, and that's what matters.

[immobileyes]

... Yeah. I'm going with different friends, but you're all still important.

[coexistent]

We'll just have to make it as fun as we can... for our friends who aren't here with us.

[immobileyes]

I still don't really know what you do at the beach, though... find seashells?

[coexistent]

Yeah...

I don't know what else though. Maybe Hiro knows...

[immobileyes]

I'll have to ask him. He seems to know a lot about this sort of thing!

[ HIRO'S SO COOL... ]

[coexistent]

Yeah... it's almost like he knows everything, right?

[immobileyes]

Almost. He's still trying to understand romance.

[ Even though he's dating Ruby. ]

[coexistent]

Well...

[huh.]

Doesn't he kind of get that stuff though?

[immobileyes]

I thought he did, but then he asked me for help.

[ Mary Kozakura, Love Doctor, can't even hint that she's got a crush on her roommate. ]

[coexistent]

...He did?

[roxas tilts his head. that's... not what he was expecting, honestly. not that mary is a bad person to go to for that sort of thing (probably? what does he know...), but he still doesn't expect to hear it.]

[immobileyes]

Yeah... that's why some of my manga is gone-- I let him borrow some of it to see if it would help. I guess he wants to try being more romantic?

[coexistent]

Oh... I hope it works for him, if that's what he's trying to do.

[??? he supports his friend's endeavors even if he doesn't understand them very well.]

[immobileyes]

I think it will! I know he really likes Ruby and I'm pretty sure she really likes him, and so it's mutual, and nothing can stop the power of two people who like each other! So I think it'll be okay.

[ SHE BELIEVES. ]

[coexistent]

It sounds like it... but if that's how it is, why does he need the manga?

[immobileyes]

... Maybe for ideas. You want to be perfect for things like this.

[coexistent]

Oh... I guess that makes sense. [and after a short pause:] I wonder if I'll ever get how this stuff is supposed to work.

[immobileyes]

Mm... [ there's a pause, and then she smiles at him. ]

Yeah, I think you will. When you fall for someone, you'll probably get it.

[coexistent]

Fall for someone...

[he... really doesn't know what to make of that statement, honestly. it's one of those things that goes over his head.]

[immobileyes]

Yeah, like having a crush. I know I tried to explain it to you [ a lot ] but I think it'll probably be easier to understand it if you experience it for yourself one day.

[ This is not actually a conversation she wants to have. ]

[coexistent]

[too bad neither of them realizes that he's already experiencing this.]

Yeah... I wish I understood what it was like, but it sounded confusing. [he's about to make things worse.]

Have you ever had one?

[immobileyes]

[ THIS IS NOT A CONVERSATION SHE WANTED TO HAVE.

Mary makes a dignified choked sort of squeak, and turns bright pink. Okay no calm down Mary don't alarm him you can be cool-- ]

Y-yes??

[ Nailed it. ]

[coexistent]

O... oh.

[roxas isn't sure what kind of answer he was expecting from that question, but it feels strange for sure.

so she's had a crush before. she knows what it feels like...]

Is it really like what the manga says? [he asks, a little quieter. the truth is that he wants to understand those feelings, but he can't make sense of them. maybe... she can help him, if she's been through it before.]

[immobileyes]

[ DON'T LOOK AT HER LIKE THAT, ROXAS, MARY IS TOTALLY CAPABLE OF DOKIS AS SHE IS OF PARALYZING PEOPLE--

She kind of just wants to melt into the ground now, finding herself between the rock (Roxas) and the hard place (explaining to the person she likes what it feels like). But because it's Roxas, she can't bring herself to fumble for an excuse or lie or change the subject. He's only just realized he has a heart-- she can't do that to him.

But hnnnnngh. ]

It's... not exactly like that. There aren't any flower petals and sometimes you don't even realize it at first. Because it feels a lot like friendship. You're happy just being with them, and it hurts when they're sad or upset. It's kind of like having a best friend, I think, only they're important to you in a different kind of way. Like you'd do anything to make sure they're happy, and when they are, you're really happy too. And it's really comfortable being around them, but it can also make your chest hurt a little, because you feel a lot of things but it's hard to understand all of them and what they mean. You want to hold their hand or be close to them and... [ She trails off, before she gives her head a quick shake. ]

And sometimes your heart beats faster, but it's not always easy to get why it is, either. Sometimes it's just because they smile at you or say they were thinking about you.

[coexistent]

[he listens pretty intently at her words...

and they resonate with him somewhat strangely. that... that's familiar to him. the idea of those feelings, the idea of a friend that is so important to him that he can't find the words for it—that he knows it's not a "best friend," but still some special.

someone he wants to be happy, someone who makes him sad when they're not happy. someone who makes him smile because they're smiling. the ache in his chest, and the lack of understanding. the thumping in his chest when that person is smiling...

his hand almost instinctively clutches his chest, just over his heart, and he draws in a quiet breath.]

That's... what it feels like?

[because...

when he thinks about mary, all of those things happen.]