girlybruiser | inbox.

hey haru-chan! are you free today?? there's something i wanna talk abt when i get home

I will be back from the library shortly and then I will be free all night.

alright! see you then

[And when Haru gets home, Utena's sitting at the kitchen table, nibbling halfheartedly on some crackers and sipping her tea, jiggling her foot against the floor in between bites]

[ Haru slips into the house quietly, always conscious of her other housemates and trying not to make noise on their heads (while still avoiding Goro because she's too embarrassed to face him). She hangs her coat in the closet up front, slips off her Chelsea boots and makes her way into the kitchen with her bag slung around her shoulder.

She looks a little tired, but she has been at school all day, then went to study in the library for a couple of hours. But she beams ever brightly at Utena. ]

Utena-chan! Did you get back a while ago?

[ She allows the bag to slide off her shoulder, onto the island counter. ]

Yeah, but it's okay. It gave me time to take care of some stuff. Do you want anything, by the way? Crackers, or tea, or...

[If they're going to talk about this, they might as well do it over food]

Tea would be lovely, thank you.

[ She decides to take a seat then, needing to rest her legs after the commute home. Living in Heropa, traveling to De Chima for work and school has not been easy. It's like an adventure each day, but she is exhausted.

She regards Utena curiously, wondering what her earlier message was about. ]

Is Futaba-chan home?

[Tea it is! Utena stands up to pour water in a kettle, eager for an excuse to stand up and stretch her legs a little]

Mm-hmn, she's up in her room. She's going to be pretty busy, though - I think she still has some homework to finish up.

[And now for the mug. There's a cute one in the cupboard, one with a little chip at the lip and three cats on both sides, above faded text that used to read, "The Purrfect Morning"]

I haven't seen Akechi-san, though. So, I guess that means it's just the two of us for now.

Thank you for preparing the tea. I'm sorry, I'm somewhat beat from today. Today's lecture felt so much longer than usual...

[ For once it was hard for her to keep her eyes open during class.

But upon mentioning Goro, Haru seems to jolt awake, her face turning a bit pink. ]

Um... that is fine! We don't spend as nearly enough time together as we should, don't you think so?

It's no problem, really. And, well...

[She fidgets a bit, before her hand shoots back towards the cupboard and starts rummaging for the box of tea she just put away]

I'm not sure that this is the kind of thing that either of them would really understand.

[ Her head cocks a bit, brows furrowing with puzzlement at what Utena says. Haru can't fathom what it is that both Futaba and Goro wouldn't understand, but she would. ]

How do you mean?

[She pauses for amoment, and when she speaks, her voice is quieter and has none of the good cheer it did when she greeted her]

They weren't a part of the Pantheon. Woden, Blake, whatever you want to call him, he left them alone.

[ The mood is almost instantly somber, Haru sitting in silence and letting Utena's words hang in the air before she finally decides on how to respond.

Her voice is quiet; not necessarily fearful, but certainly uncomfortable to a point. She tries not to dwell on what happened in the summer, though every now and then she's hit with reminders, either from Woden's presence himself on the network or someone bringing it up.

She's not mad Utena brought it up, however. What happened to them was downright appalling, terrifying even. ]

The Pantheon... [ Her hands shift onto her lap. ] Do you think about what happened often?

I try not to, but... well, it's kind of hard to avoid, isn't it? Not when he's still here.

[There's an edge of bitterness to her voice, and she sighs, shaking her head]

I'm worried, though. He's been pretty quiet lately - I don't think I've seen him around for a while. I used to think that was a good thing, but now... now I'm just wondering if he's up to something. Something bigger than his last stunt.

[ Her chest tightens at the idea of Woden concocting another plan. ]

I do not know... there is always a possibility he has learned his lesson and that is why he's been quiet.

... are you worried he will come for us again?

He might. That's why I wanted to talk to you. Blake... he hasn't said anything to you, has he? He's been leaving you alone, right?

[There's an edge of worry to her voice, concern that she hasn't quite been able to escape his grasp.]

We have not spoken since the late fall. When he had made an appearance on the network.

[ "I gave you powers, and a new identity."

Goosebumps rise along her arms and shoulders thinking back to that conversation. ]

Has he spoken to you, Utena-chan?

No, he-

[She startles as she's interrupted by the sharp screech of the kettle, and after taking a deep breath, she pours the hot water into Haru's mug]

The last time he talked to me was when I was Aion. But I don't think it's because he's learned anything - guys like that never do.

[ Her head lifts at the noise, watching Utena prepare the tea. ]

A cruel adult with such power... [ Not unlike the corrupt adults back home. It's saddening she couldn't escape that here either, but so-called adults weren't always to be trusted. ] What he did to you was unforgivable. I'm sorry it happened, Utena-chan.

[She breathes out, mustering up a sad smile as she sets the timer]

Thanks, but I wasn't the only one he hurt. That's why I'm trying to talk to people from the old Pantheon, to make sure that they're doing alright. And if he's been messing with any of us... maybe we can help each other.

Not that what he did was right, but...

[ Haru pauses, wondering how to phrase this. It's not that she wants to dismiss their shared trauma, as what happened to them was like a waking nightmare they couldn't escape from.

It's strange how cognizant she had been of everything happening, but unable to lift a finger to stop it. It was as if someone had put her in the backseat and someone else had taken her place. ]

It's been a while since all that. Why now?

Well...

[How does she explain? How does she explain... She leans on the counter, folding her hands together as she furrows her brow]

I was talking to a friend earlier and Blake came up. At first we were just making fun of him, but then we realized that he's been lying low for a while. And that's probably a bad sign, isn't it? I mean, what happened with you and the rest of the Pantheon... that's not the first time he's messed with me. Maybe that's why he decided to make me Aion - to make sure I wouldn't beat the crap out of him.

[She breathes out and unlaces her fingers, before lacing them again, quietly fidgeting while she waits for the tea to finish brewing]

So, that's why I wanted to talk to you. I just wanted to make sure that he wasn't trying anything weird with you again.

[Weird. That's one way to put it.]

Edited 2019-03-17 06:56 (UTC)

He's targeted you before?

[ She's never heard this before, even from Futaba. Was Futaba aware at all? Haru stares worriedly at Utena and deep down, there's a small part of her that wonders if Woden would come for her and the others like Keith again. ]

... no, he has not said anything to me.

Yeah. A couple times, actually.

[Her voice falters as nausea wells in her belly, and she can nearly taste the bile that threatens to rise into the back of her throat]

He's been messing with my life ever since he got here. First he just wanted me to join that creepy band of his, but after that... well, I guess he just couldn't take no for an answer.

How uncouth.

[ Yet... Haru isn't surprised. His so-called apology to her hadn't been heartfelt or sincere at all. Simply rehearsed. ]

The first time he and I spoke was when I had arrived. I... spoke without thinking, telling him a little bit about my family. It was an error of judgment, though I don't know if he picked me because of that or it was simply random.

[ She sighs, leveling her gaze. ]

Futaba-chan and I won't let him do anything to you again. You will always have the Phantom Thieves on your side.

[Uncouth. That's one way to put it. Once Haru mentions her own experience with Woden, though, her stomach tightens itself into knots. She doesn't know anything about Haru's family, but she knows all too well how it can be a person's weak spot, and she can't help but feel a new wave of disgust at the thought of Woden taking advantage of that.

However, her anger is tempered by Haru's promise. She looks up, taken aback; when was the last time someone had promised to take care of her? When was the last time she allowed herself to be the one protected, instead of the one her protects others?]

Haru-chan, I...

[A warmth spreads through her chest at the thought of them both at her side. However, her memories, her duties, begin to chill her. This isn't just about her, is it? And besides, how can she stand idle and let them do all the work? Didn't she say that she didn't want to get her hands dirty? And didn't she agree that she was ready for this? She breathes in and looks back at Haru, meeting her gaze]

Thank you. I mean it, really, but-

[Her voice cracks, overcome with emotion, and she swallows the lump in her throat]

I'm not just worried about me. I can fight back. But everyone else here - the natives, they were a target, too. They don't remember, but... did you ever hear about the bombs? He wasn't responsible, but...

[There's a bitter edge to her voice again, and she nearly spits the last few words out]

But he had some fun with it.

text; backdated to february

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