01

[papartner]

From: Kazuki Kurusu
To: Everyone
Subject: [ this field unintentionally left blank ]

[ Whatever starts appearing in the journals looks a little messy. No, the writer is not drunk. They're upset. They're weepy, they're having A Time. ]

We left in October but got here in July... and now it's four months later and it's November here and back home, it's... That means today... today would be our daughter's birthday, AGAIN. And because of the time difference... It means I missed it TWICE! Our daughter's fifth birthday!! TWICE!! The FIRST one we would have spent together, and I'm not even THERE! Not there to make her THE BEST CAKE EVER, and decorate the house, and celebrate! I don't know how I'll ever make it up to her, she'll never get that I missed it two times... Wait. WAIT. does that mean she's two years older now?? My baby is growing up without me?! No WAY! Soon she'll be dating that little CREEP and then getting married and -

[ if someone were around the tree house Kazuki resides in, they would hear a pained shriek, followed by HE BETTER STAY AWAY WHILE WE'RE ASLEEP. It, in fact, disturbs some of the birds in the branches nearby, and they fly out of the tree at the sudden noise. Oops. ]

Comments

Sender: Aerith Gainsborough

[inheritedearth]

[Oh, this is... well. Aerith knows panic when she sees it, and Kazuki isn't exactly being subtle.]

Ah, Kazuki? Maybe time to take a few deep breaths.

Was that you I just heard screaming a few trees down...?

[papartner]

[ this man's child-related freak out does not understand the meaning of subtle. to be honest neither do most of his freak outs. he has a lot of freak outs. The reply takes a moment to come but it's still as messy as ever. ]

I'm breathing fine!! But how can I NOT worry that she's going to turn out delinquent without her parental influences there to guide her?? I'm the worst papa ever!!

[ Also still too consumed by said freak out to actually answer her question... yet, anyway ]

[inheritedearth]

[Well, no one will ever accuse him of not being a passionate father!]

You're obviously very devoted to her! That makes me feel like you'll have taught her well how to make good decisions, right? I'm sure she's just fine, and it's not like you left her. You just... went to sleep for a little bit.

Sender: Martel Yggdrasill

[untwisted]

Please calm down! I don't believe we're actually gone from our worlds, so your daughter still has you with her.

I know I'm not familiar with you or your child, but even if you did miss it, young children don't really hold grudges. They may get upset in a single moment, but they love you unconditionally and it won't last. And you also don't have to worry about how she might be doing without you. They don't grow up THAT quickly.

[She'd assure him the little person he's raising wouldn't completely go off the deep end without him but HA HA, that wasn't her experience...]

[papartner]

You don't believe we're actually gone?! But we don't know that! How does someone know that for SURE? She's only five, she can't be away from her papas this long!! She's totally going to get mad at me again and I don't know if I can handle that, temporary or not! She's my BABY. My precious little baby, Miri!!

I don't want to miss a thing, you know?! She's gonna need new shoes soon!!

[ sorry about the breakdown... he's not okay. the dream crap and how it all actually works has frustrated him since he got here. ]

[untwisted]

One of the tapirs mentioned it to me right after I awoke here. I'm not sure what I'd do if I found out that it wasn't true. We either have to trust that or ask around and see if someone else knows more.

It's okay. I know there's a lot to worry about when you're raising a child, and I know how great watching them grow up is. I wish I could assure you that you won't miss anything, but whatever the case may be, just know it's going to be all right. Honestly it doesn't sound like much of a dream if it took away something so important to you!

['Sall good, she's not judging. She just can't not help when she can do something.]

sender: riku

[retrieves]

aren't we just dreaming, though?
also... if she's five, then why is she already dating?

[papartner]

We're asleep and she's not!! okay! Fine, but that means who's watching her? There's NOBODY left! She can't even reach the sink by herself yet

[ the text cuts off abruptly for a minute because, huff, huff ]

He's a little bastard that CAN NOT be underestimated, he's moving WAY TOO FAST with all the girls at the daycare and I'm going to lose it if he doesn't keep his distance

[ yes he is talking about a four or five year old little boy, what ]

Miri's not dating until she's at least forty

[retrieves]

this is so much right now.

[he's just going to go ahead and put that out there.]

i didn't know daycare was the new hot place to get dates.
again i'm going to say...
she's FIVE.

Sender: Yato

[intertwinedfates]

Make it up to her by having THREE birthdays next year. You'll be the best dad ever in her eyes. Especially if you shower her with presents and attention for them all.

[papartner]

Three birthdays... means three cakes... I can make three cakes!! Three cakes is easy! I can do that in my SLEEP!

But that's a whole YEAR away! And it doesn't matter until we're back together!!

[intertwinedfates]

You're thinking about it all wrong! You have three birthdays spread out throughout the year! That way she gets to celebrate on more than one day.

But if you're worried about getting back, then maybe you need to start trying to wake up. Get an alarm clock, drink some coffee, run ten times around the city until you're so exhausted that you can't help sleeping here. You might wake up back home.

sender: Ace

[donfire]

Maybe when you get back the time would have passed slower and you could enjoy her birthday with her!

Also she shouldn't be dating anyone, right? RIGHT?

[papartner]

I mean this is a dream, so that's totally possible... but it's also possible that the reverse is true too! And if that's the case

there's an even BIGGER chance that she could be dating that little

[ it cuts off as he shrieks again at his house ]

Never! NEVER

[donfire]

Maybe she won't date him at all! Maybe she'll wait until she's older!

Sender: Madoka

[puellamagi]

I think if my Mom or Dad missed my birthday, I'd be sad, but...

That would make the next birthday I get to celebrate them even more special. I think that it might be the same for her. I'm sure she feels lucky to have a Dad who loves her so much.

[papartner]

[ he may be crying for a different reason now. ]

This is so sweet... You don't think she'd be mad with us at all?! I just don't want to disappoint her, ever, you know?

action;

[dadinside]

[While this world is without a lot of the horrors that Rei grew up with, he still prefers to sleep in the tub. Old habits die hard, it seems. Or rather, it's difficult to leave behind the traumas that draw him to safer sleeping places. He's currently fast asleep, having had another late night/early morning gaming session, except this particular instance doesn't seem very restful. Occasionally, Rei does have nightmares, most stemming from his childhood, but this one is a little different. He's kicked off the thick blanket covering him, his body overheated, when he usually runs cold. His skin is covered in a thin sheen of cold sweat. On his face is a troubled expression, but more than that is the pain he seems to be in. Eyebrows knit together, his mouth ajar, panting, as a dull pain courses through his body.

Unseen is the wound he got a couple of months ago, on the back of his shoulder, pulsing with black energy. His heart is racing, but it's hard to tell if it's from the pain he appears to be experiencing, or the nightmare. It's a familiar nightmare- flashes of him killing people. Their cold, lifeless eyes boring through him in condemnation. Constant reminders of the orders given to him by his father, painful reminders of what happens to those that betray the organization. No one is safe. Bonds don't exist. Ties easily severed.

Then, at a glimpse, he thinks he sees a woman. She's familiar. He knows who she is, and in an instant there's a flash of light... before everything turns red--

It's late morning when he hears a scream that rouses him from that nightmare. He bolts upright in mid-panic, struggling to catch his breath. His hair and clothes are little damp and he immediately notices that he doesn't feel quite right. Something is off...

Nausea.

He leans forward, attempting to stave off whatever this feeling is- his vision blurry and head spinning. When he squeezes his eyes shut all he sees is red, all he smells is blood, and it's enough to force his eyes open.

Focus on something else.

Anything else.

Like that scream...

It was Kazuki, but he knows that particular scream. He's not in danger. Sounds like he's losing his shit, though. Rei remains sitting in the tub, trying to get his bearings under control, pushing back the awful feeling trying to envelope him. In due time, the wound ceases pulsing, and his breathing settles. Ignoring the rest, he uses the rim of the bath tub to pull himself up onto his feet, intent on walking it off, literally.

When he finally emerges from the bathroom, he can see Kazuki hunched over the table in the living room, writing furiously between choked noises and manic movements. Must be Miri, he thinks, and he slowly approaches the couch looking like a disheveled gremlin that just woke up from a thousand year slumber. His hair is all out of place and his jacket is hanging off one of his shoulders- he appears no different than usual.]

... You okay?

[He asks groggily, knowing the answer to that question, but allowing Kazuki to vent if needed.]

action;

[papartner]

[ Fortunately, because Rei knows that Kazuki screaming isn't necessarily an emergency, he's had a bit of time to collect himself. Not completely, but, you know. He's still got tears in the corners of his eyes as he looks over at Rei stumbling out of his metaphorical cave and into the light of day.

It bothers him to keep thinking about Miri being alone, on today of all days. But also, he's a little comforted by the fact that he isn't. What a selfish asshole you are sometimes, Kazuki.

Blinking away some of the tears, he gets up from his spot in the living room, already closing the distance between him and Rei. ]

C'mon, we got places to be!

[ Kazuki has his one remaining bauble in his pocket. It's enough to do what he needs to do. And god, does he need to do it right now. ]

[queenofminiskirts]

whenever shiho or aoi are mad at their fathers they ask them to buy a hermes bag. maybe you can try that?

[She's joking. Well, mostly joking anyway.]

but if your daughter is turning five, why would this be the first birthday you spent together? if you don't mind me asking, that is.

[She's just curious.]

[papartner]

[ is he making a mental note of an expensive handbag, or is he just glossing over it because she's only 5? No one will ever know.

But this is a good question, one Kazuki finds hard to answer. They've been working the angle that he's actually her dad, but that's hard to disguise when he's already said as much as he has. Besides - they're safe here. Or, should be safe here, so is there any harm in just being a little open about it? ]

She's adopted. Hasn't even been a year yet... I was hoping I could make her first birthday with her new family extra special.

Sender: Crow

[kaakaa]

Are you okay?

[papartner]

does it look like I'm okay??????



[ kazuki, no one can see you, technically ]

Sender: Senku

[10billionpercent]

I'm not certain time in the waking world operates the same as it does here. You might not have missed any time at all.

If by some chance you did miss that, she's five. She might not have a handle on the passage of time yet, so when you wake up you just need to enact your plans and celebrate her birthday then.

And if she knows, just apologize and make up for it.

[papartner]

People can tell me that all they want - I need some hard proof here!

And she's five but she's not stupid. She'll know if I missed her birthday - and even if she doesn't, I will, and I'm the one who has to live with it! Her first birthday with us - you can't replace something like that!