EMPATHEIAS INBOX

[truthstranger]

Here it is!!

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action | dec 24/early 25 (spoilers for ndrv3 just in case)

[fabling]

[ "Doing better" isn't exactly the way to phrase it, given that denial of ever caring even a smidgen for Hinasaki has gone out the window and he's pretending she never existed. Partly because he hasn't really needed to bring her up, partly because no one else has either.

It's late when he finally caves and breaks into his apartment, closing and locking the door behind himself so no one else will disturb them. By now, he's already asleep and while it's hard to get around his room without a light, he manages well enough.

By the time Saihara wakes up in the morning, he'll find Ouma face down on the bed asleep, with his one hand closest to him clutching at his sleeve, the air around him is dark and heavy, consumed with nightmares and just a general overall sinking feeling. ]

[truthstranger]

[ True to their earlier test, the door is quiet enough that Shuichi doesn't even stir when Ouma comes in, and there still really isn't a lot in the room to trip over or run into.

Still, it's a little earlier than he'd normally wake up when he starts to rise back towards consciousness, shifting a little and feeling like something is strange. He blinks his eyes blearily open to see Ouma's hair, and the oppressive atmosphere looming around him, and then he is much more awake, eyes snapping fully open to make sure he's seeing what he thinks he's seeing.

He doesn't move, though, and after the initial moment of alarm he's not sure if he should. Is it better to just let Ouma sleep...? Probably he wasn't doing a lot of it before, if he was breaking into his room in the middle of the night.

But the dark air is concerning, and so he starts by moving just a little, shifting to put his hand lightly over Ouma's. ]

[fabling]

[ It's harder to mask anything when you're asleep, and have very little conscious will to control it. He's still asleep when Saihara wakes up, breathing through a small gap he's made by having his head tilted down. He doesn't stir until Saihara's hand covers his own. It twitches under the warmth and weight, curling back tentatively (even in his sleep he seems cautious about it) before his grip turns tight.

The contact doesn't fully disperse the oppressive air around him, but it helps a little. Where there hands are connected, the air seems to glow whiter, rather than the darker forms taking over the rest of his body. ]

[truthstranger]

[ There's another long moment of consideration before an idea occurs to Shuichi, and he tries to push aside his worry for Ouma and instead recall the feeling he'd had when he first saw him, surprise and happiness that he was alive, the emotion swelling in his chest. It's actually pretty easy to feel that way again, when he focuses on the fact that Ouma's here, with him, gripping his hand in a way that is definitely real and definitely genuine.

He gets even more pleased when it works, a warm, humid breeze swirling around them as he otherwise stays still. ]

[fabling]

[ The warmth is almost suffocating. Not because it isn't pleasant, but because it contrasts the state of his mind so much it has to be to break through. He squirms a little, wriggling closer to where the warmth seems to be coming from. It's still taking a little effort to dissolve whatever oppressive air around him he'd made, but it seems to be settling into something lighter now, made so by the attempt Saihara made.

He wriggles closer again, breathing steadier now and curled onto his side. His hand still hasn't let go, but his body has shifted so that while most of him is still about a foot and a half from Saihara, his head has nudged forward until it's against Saihara's chest, bumping and halting there. ]

[truthstranger]

[ Shuichi exhales slowly, grateful that seems to have helped some, and then, after another long moment of holding completely still, lifts his free hand to settle, lightly and hesitantly, on the back of Ouma's head. ]

dec 26th | sometime late afternoon | action, if you'd like!

[blackwaterchild]

[At some point Miu's found where Shuichi lives (hey, part of her abilities DO involve tracking people, so...), and finds herself loitering around his door with a package in hand.

Inside is a deerstalker hat and a pipe that blows bubbles. There's a note on top of it that's just a winky face.

Below that, however, is a leather-bound notebook and another note.]

It's not much, but I figured every great detective should have a place to store their notes and observations, right?

Sorry it's late. I'm not sure what Ouma-kun's told you, but I went home for a while and I'm back now. Sorry if you were worried.

Merry Christmas,
Miu Hinasaki

[Not that she actually thinks Shuichi might've been worried about her, but she's not sure how Kokichi's acted in the wake of her 'betrayal' via being forced back home.

She sighs, gathers her courage and knocks on the door, before setting the package down and preparing to wander off. Maybe he's not home!! She feels a little embarrassed about it as it is]

[truthstranger]

[ Shuichi was in fact just sitting in his room reading, and he looks up in surprise at the knock. He's not expecting anyone, and Ouma wouldn't knock... But whoever it is came up to the fourth floor of the apartment building, so probably they're looking for him specifically.

By the time he opens the door she's a few steps down the hallway, and he sees the package first before noticing her. But when he does— ]

Ah, Hinasaki-san!

[blackwaterchild]

[Miu jumps like she's been caught and for half a second contemplates running, but... That would look ridiculous right now. She sighs softly at herself and then turns, folding her hands behind her back.]

Saihara-san. Hi. [She pauses, aware that she's wearing Kokichi's signature white outfit, aware that he's certainly going to notice it, but she approaches again anyhow.] Sorry if I disturbed you.

[truthstranger]

[ He definitely notices it—there's an obvious start of surprise on his face when she turns around and he really gets a good look at her—but he doesn't comment for the moment, instead bending down to pick up the package. ]

It's fine, I was just reading a little. This is for me...?

[blackwaterchild]

Yeah. It was Christmas yesterday, but I missed it, so I'm delivering some presents through the day.

It's... It's not much. But you've been kind to me, so I figured... [She trails off, looking a bit embarrassed.] It's the least I can do. You can open it now, if you want.

Mystery Gift - December.

[empc]

[ When Shuichi wakes, he will find that his crystal is glowing! His emotion drops for the month of Ennea have resonated with Empatheias' giant crystal, and a reaction has been formed.

Stuck to one of his feet is a pair of underwear. Oh my! At least it's clean!

(Thank you for submitting to the Emotion Tracker!) ]

NDRV3 SPOILERS sometime between 13th/14th February in the A.M.

[fabling]

[ His last stop for the evening is at Shuichi's place. He's careful when he steps inside, avoiding going too close to where he's sleeping just in case he wakes up -- though that's also because he needs more time to prepare this.

On his bathroom door he'll find a sheet of paper stuck to the wood. In big letters are the words

PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
One you enter you cannot turn back.
What you see must never be repeated to anyone.

Ominous, huh?

Well, whenever Shuichi opens the door he'll find his bathroom mirror has been decorated with a bunch of small pieces of paper that look like post its but have just been cut up for this purpose.



It takes a long time to set up, so much that he would have been tempted to just curl up there and sleep if he wasn't so... concerned with what his reaction would be. With it done, he slips back out again like he was never there to begin with--then proceeds to start trying to avoid him no matter what for the next couple of days.

What a great plan. ]

2/14

[blackwaterchild]

[Shuichi'll be receiving one (1) little baggie of handmade chocolates. They're supposed to be like, magnifying glass shapes and question marks, but they're kind of lumpy... They're hard to shape, okay?? They're also a little too sweet, but whatever. She did her best.

There's also a little note.]

I'm sorry if the taste is a little off, this is my first time making things myself. But buying something from the store didn't seem right either, these aren't Obligation Chocolates or anything, you know?

I wanted a way to show my thanks and appreciation. Sometimes with abilities like mine, you forget there are good people in the world, that not everyone is out to use and abuse you. But you help remind me of that. You're a sweet guy and honestly I'm a little impressed you're still like this even after all you've been through. It takes courage to be kind. Never change, okay?

XOXO,
Miu Hinasaki

P.S. I joined an acting troupe here. When I do my first performance I'll grab tickets for you. You can be one of my first fans. <3

2/14 [Not Here - Action on behalf of Kokichi Ouma

[lightthedarkness]

[Waiting on Shuichi Saihara's doorstep when he gets home is a mountain massive mountain of candy and roses. There are 30 red roses, each with a red ribbon wrapped around it, 5 peach roses with peach ribbons, 1 yellow rose with a yellow ribbon around it, and 1 pink rose with a pink ribbon wrapped around it. with each rose there is also a box of heart-shaped chocolates with a card. All it reads is:]

- (๑╹ڡ╹)╭ ～ ♡

late night february 20

[liftoft]

[ Hi, Shuichi, how's your evening going? Peaceful? Quiet?

Hopefully he wasn't sleeping, because there's suddenly a very alarmed Kaito whisper-yelling across telepathy--how does one whisper OR yell with telepathy? Kaito's figured it out ]

O-Oi, Shuichi!!!

[truthstranger]

[ Well, he was in bed reading, but when he hears Kaito's voice he bolts upright and yelps aloud before he manages to respond properly. ]

M-Momota-kun?! What is it?!

[liftoft]

Ah, sorry, sorry--did I scare you? I just gotta tell you something about Ouma and he's in the shower, so I'm tryin' to do it before he comes back!

[truthstranger]

About Ouma-kun? Did something happen?

[liftoft]

Y-Yeah, something crazy. We uh--we kissed.

and I have an octopus constellation bitten into my neck now...

it must be like v early on the 21st now ig... sorry shuichi after the above ^^^^

[fabling]

[ Despite wanting to, he doesn't go home first, heading straight to Shuichi's from Kaito's (which means he's still in the latter's shirt as well, sorry...). Part of it is because if he did go home first, he'd probably not leave again. The times when he has confronted things before explode in some form or other, and that isn't even taking the emotional energies here into account. He has a little more control now thanks to Hizumi's teachings but it still isn't great.

A few days ago he almost got squished by a tree thanks to losing it, so clearly... things need to be improved.

As it is, he's outside Shuichi's apartment for around 20 minutes before he can bring himself to knock. He doesn't even bother lock picking it right now when things apparently got more complicated and his head is still reeling. In fact, when Shuichi opens the door there'll be a split second where his head is still lowered and almost twisted into a frown before he's putting on a bright smile. ]

Saihara-chan! I can't believe you missed the excursion.

[ Is he going to pretend everything is fine for now? Apparently, yes. ]

[truthstranger]

[ Shuichi, after his conversation with Kaito, tries to go back to his book while he waits for Ouma to maybe show up, but he doesn't particularly succeed. While Ouma is building up his courage outside the door, Shuichi is staring anxiously at the same page he's had open for an hour, trying to run over the things he wants to say in his head, even though he's pretty sure all of it will go out the window as soon as he's actually talking to Ouma.

When the knock finally comes he jumps up and opens it almost immediately, expression somehow both relieved and frantic. ]

Ouma-kun! Ah—come in!

[fabling]

[ It really is fast how quickly he opens the door after the knock. The look on his face almost has his smile faltering, but he hides it well enough by slipping past him to step inside his apartment. ]

Sooooooo, as I was saying, [ He's going to keep talking about Verati. ] we got to do some puzzles to open up some ruins the researchers had been studying.

[truthstranger]

[ He closes the door behind Ouma awkwardly. None of his mental scripts accounted for Ouma walking in like everything is completely fine and talking about something else. ]

That's... good... I'm sorry I missed it.

[fabling]

[ Well at least he's still unpredictable as hell. He just doesn't know how to go into the other stuff and putting it off is always a Great Pasttime. ]

Mmm, Amami-chan and Akamatsu-chan were there too.