"I bet you don't remember me." -- "Only every other memory."

[singularjustice]

Who: N and whoever!
Where: Plaza.
When: Saturday Afternoon.
Style: Either or!
Status: Open.

[ There is a tall boy standing in the plaza, tea-green hair blown back behind him as a large white dragon blows warm air around him, just enough to work on drying his soaked state.

N knows he has been gone for some time. It is like waking up from a very deep sleep, where the dreams you once had were fading blur, yet it was obvious hours upon hours had passed.

He was wearing his old clothes again. He remembers the wind whipping his hair, Hilda's calls before he leapt to Reshiram's back. That memory seems so close and yet so far away.

The boy pushes it out of his mind. It does not matter now.

N is home. ]

Comments

[singularjustice]

I think you don't give yourself enough credit! They all like you!

[1/2]

[messianic]

[. . .]

[2/2]

[messianic]

I think they like you better.

[s h r u g.]

Just a hunch.

[singularjustice]

[ N laughs and then reaches out a hand. ]

That doesn't mean they would want you to stop visiting. Will you come home with me?

[messianic]

Of course I will.

[A quiet sigh, almost a 'heh'.]

I don't think I want to let you out of my sight right now.

[singularjustice]

[ N pauses, his expression growing more serious for a moment before another smile spreads n his face, this one more wistful. ]

I'd like it if you stayed with me, too.

[messianic]

Then...

[A quiet, quiet smile.]

I'll stay with you for a little while.

Maybe the animals won't mind too much.

[singularjustice]

I am sure they would not mind at all!

[ N beams brightly, taking Minato's hand. This -- yes, this is how things, even if it is not how things are meant to be, it is how he wants them to be. ]

[messianic]

...you have more faith in them than I do...

[It's wry, but he follows willingly, clasping N's hand in his.

N's hand is so warm...and it's so familiar.

There's nothing wrong with that, right?]

[singularjustice]

Well, of course.

[ N squeezes the thin hand in his. ]

Isn't that how it always works? I'll have faith in them for you, and you have faith in people for me.

[messianic]

...That's right.

[Ah...it's something else, isn't it? To be able to have this...partnership for lack of a better word.

And it is a partnership.]

If we keep this up, I'm going to have to start calling you aibou.

[He's only half-joking.]

[singularjustice]

Aibou? What does that mean?

[ The question is cheerful as they walk. N would let Minato call him about anything he felt like, really. ]

[messianic]

[He's quiet for a moment, looking up at the sky. And then he looks down, faintly smiling.]

...It means 'partner'. In Japanese.

[singularjustice]

Partner.

[ N thinks about it. Then his smile grows soft. ]

I wouldn't mind being your aibou. At all.

[messianic]

[...ah.

Well then. It makes him happy, in a way, even though he knows there's no guarantee that N won't disappear again--or that Minato himself won't.

But what matters...is that in this instance, he has a partner.]

...Alright then.

[He pushes open the door to N's home and animal refuge.]

This is the place, right? After you...aibou.

[singularjustice]

... thank you, aibou.

[ N's expression is warm as he looks at Minato for just a moment before stepping in.

Then he calls out to the various creatures that live in the refuge --

It is not five seconds before he is knocked to the floor by a very excited pack of mingled species. ]

[messianic]

[.....snort.

Minato just.

Stands back and watches.

And stifles that snort of laughter.]