Theater Kid's March Comes in Like a Lion

[thestarknows]

⭐ Who: Junna Hoshimi... and you!
⭐ When: Throughout March!
⭐ Where: In Yumemigaoka!
⭐ What: March catch-all!
⭐ Warnings: Junna's grappling with some heavy stuff, so... threads could get into parents not being great, some homophobia, and other things. There's also some implicit sleeping together (nothing NSFW though) in the Lisa and Junna thread, if that's a thing you prefer to avoid!

Comments

[reluctants]

[ She nods. ]

That's better. Um.. saying "thanks" instead, I mean. Especially when you don't have something to apologize, you know..? [ Not that Illya means Junna should tell her thanks. She certainly doesn't think she has earned it as much as other people who have helped Junna!

But she does think other people would like to hear it from Junna more than her apologizing - that might only hurt them more. ]

Just say thank you and.. um, spend time with people. It's better than being out here all by yourself, you know..? Then you get all caught up in your own thoughts when there's no one else to be louder than them.

[thestarknows]

Y-Yeah... [Junna looks down for a second. It's going to be hard to not apologize. She still thinks she did something wrong. But... Illya has a point: it's probably not what people want to hear.

There's a moment's hesitation, then she smiles. Just a little bit.]

...Guilty as charged. I wanted to get out, but... I've been doing that. I--ah-- [She hesitates.] I was trying to work up the nerve to go see people. I'm still... it's hard to not worry about it. I know that's... not really logical.

[deadwishes]

You're welcome! I'm pretty good at stuff like this. [what modesty?]

And if you ever have any trouble, just let me know. I can handle stuff like that.

[what does that mean? good question. don't ask.]

[thestarknows]

I'll say. [The confidence is... nice to see, at least.

She keeps smiling, but she has to wonder: what is "stuff like that?" Should she be filled with dread...?

I-It's probably fine.] I-I'll... definitely keep it in mind, if I'm feeling down in the future!

[traceofeffort]

Mm. I... yeah. I like talking through my problems, but I tend to go on for a while, you know?

[She chuckles dully, her heart not quite in it; it's true enough, but. She's trying. Lisa tucks her head in against Junna's shoulder, tone soft.]

And I'm glad you're ready to move on, because... that's about it. From there Hibiki shot the thing and then- we found you. Center stage. I was so happy, so relieved I turned into a sobbing mess right there. [Another chuckle, this one a little brighter; it's not like Junna hasn't realized by now what was driving Lisa through the chaos.] And you went down, down into... whatever the end was. I don't care right now, but... Koi-chan yeeted herself off the stage after you, there's no other way to describe it. Jeanne-chan came to reassure me before she hopped down... Zeke-san and. Olruggio-san? Anyway. They came after you, and... you know the rest. They... they brought you back. It's... it's fine now. [She takes another deep breath, pulling herself as tight as she dares, repeating herself, voice stronger, convincing herself along with Junna.] Everything is fine now. You're here, you're safe, and we can. We can figure it out from here, yeah?

[She's silent a long moment. Then, face still buried in Junna's collar, unwilling to move:]

Snack later. Hugs now. Um, hugs later too.

[traceofeffort]

Then you've got a bag to pack, and we have dreams to plan.

[Her heart is soaring. This is not how Lisa envisioned this moment, this time yesterday. She couldn't have imagined it in her wildest dreams. But... sometimes life turns out okay, as her grin returns, unstoppable and brimming with energy.]

And none of that's going to happen here! Let's get going, yeah? Moving you in won't take long, but I don't want to wait any longer than I have to.

[thestarknows]

It's okay. [Junna kisses her cheek, as they lean their heads close together. Her arms stay wrapped around Lisa -- and she listens. A smile creeps across her face, though it's distant. Koi threw herself in there; Jeanette thought to look after Lisa. That's enough for Junna. Her arms squeeze a little tighter, then, and she exhales.]

Everything's fine now. We can figure it out. [A beat; a moment of hesitation, before she revises that:] We are figuring it out.

[She leans her head atop Lisa's, eyes closed, her face half-buried in Lisa's hair. She said she needed a hug. She's getting one -- and she feels lighter, but she finds herself clingier than she expected to be. But... she needs comfort, too.]

Hugs now. [It's said quietly.] And later. And as much as we need.

[thestarknows]

[That cheer proves infectious -- not that Junna wasn't feeling cheerful already. Today is such a change from yesterday; this time yesterday, she wondered what future she might have, and if she had driven Lisa away. And now... now, everything feels like it's working out wonderfully.

She nods, then hops to her feet -- and zips up her new brown hoodie.]

You're right. Let's get going. I don't want to wait, either.

[reluctants]

Well..

[ .. her voice trails off, the girl looking like she's thinking about the other's words. ]

Who do you think you want to see first, more than anyone else..?

[thestarknows]

Well... my girlfriend is the one I want to see most. [She smiles just a little awkwardly.] That's a bit obvious though.

My friends. The people who came for me. You, Illya-chan! I...

Just want to see them. Talk to them. Have things feel normal again.

[reluctants]

[ .. w-wait, she's included there too?

That thought is a little too overwhelming for Illya right now. Especially while she's so busy trying to help Junna! There's no time to freak out about being included! Q-Quick, Illya-- ]

You should go see her then! Go see your girlfriend right now! [ She does sound a little more panicked than a moment ago-- She's just flustered, okay. Flustered, and yet still trying to be encouraging. ] There's nothing stopping you..!

[thestarknows]

[Junna blinks. Maybe she said the wrong thing or--

Then she flusters, hands lifted, and she shakes her head quickly.] A-ah, I still need like... another three or four walks around the lake before I'm that brave, though! R-Really!

[reluctants]

You're already brave!

[ Sorry, Junna. Apparently Illya is not letting it slide so easily this time.. Letting things slide is what seems to get people bummed out enough that they end up in the middle of Disturbances, after all! And while she doubts two would happen to Junna in a row like this, she's not going to risk it. ]

And I know she would totally want to see you too right now! I'm sure of it! Can you really make her wait like that?

[traceofeffort]

I'm holding you to that. I'm going to be... leaning on you a little while longer.

[Physically and emotionally both. But... she's healing. Slowly but surely. After a moment, though, she lets her tone slip into something very overly dramatic, realizing she needs to start letting the pressure out of the pot before she explodes. Uh, again.]

Spirits, though, I don't want to write the reports for this one. Yoshino-san's going to read me the riot act. I might need cuddles for that too.

[thestarknows]

B-But...

[It's being asked if she can make Lisa wait like that... well, that pushes Junna over the edge. She doesn't think it'll go well -- she's terrified of what Lisa might say -- but the idea she might hurt Lisa more gets her attention. Junna's eyes widen and then, slowly, she nods.]

...y-you're right. I... I should go see her.

[thestarknows]

It's okay. As long as you don't mind me leaning on you right back.

[She blinks at the overly dramatic tone -- and then a smile comes across Junna's face. She hears that, Miss Imai. And thankfully, Junna knows how to match that. Her tone is very serious -- and thus, in turn, not serious at all.]

Ah, whatever shall I do, getting more cuddles. Maybe you can do two reports...?

not me coming in a month later but before my computer explodes again...!

[daikonic]

[ ...Man, she sucks at this, doesn't she? Nene coughs awkwardly, trying to recover. Come on, Yashiro Nene...! You saved your friend from a creepy giraffe monster, comforting her should be easy...! ]

H-Hey, don't worry about it! What kind of friend would I be if I left my friend alone with a creepy talking giraffe! If anything, I wish I could've done more...

[ She kind of just. Went crazy in there. ]

B-But...! I um, I don't regret it.

no worries!!

[thestarknows]

You did great. Amane-kun should be proud. [She smiles a little bit at that -- though there is a wince at the memory of that terrible giraffe that her mind cooked up. How did that come out of her brain?

She straightens up, though. Maybe focus on what's in front of her.]

I'm glad you did. I was... well. You saw. I let things get so bad...

[daikonic]

Heh... you think so?

[ Maybe she'll rub it in his face later... Nene, destroyer of Nightmares and Night Terrors... never mind that in terms of the actual Night Terror, Nene did maybe like... a sliver of damage. ]

H-Hey, that's not your fault! Everyone has their lows! Everybody has bad days! I've had bad days too, y'know...!

[ Mind, it didn't result in a disturbance... though, then again, maybe single-handedly spawning a Nightmare after a bad rejection is at a similar level— ]

[traceofeffort]

Don't you dare, missy, I already don't want to do the one! We'll... make a bundle deal out of it. I'll write a big long report for the both of us, and it'll be a nice cuddle pile with a keyboard in our laps. And if the Director doesn't like, then... then... well, I haven't gotten that far, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to tell her to deal with it.

[thestarknows]

Okay, okay. [Junna laughs. It feels good to... laugh, make a couple of jokes, and not be thinking about the heavy stuff. For just a little bit, after all of that. She smiles -- then hugs against Lisa again.]

That sounds like a good way to handle it. A cuddle pile, especially, sounds nice.

[thestarknows]

He better. [She smiles at that, though. She's joking. (Mostly.)

Then, she blinks -- and glances to the side. There's a flicker of embarrassment, or something deeper, but... she knows what Nene means. She hesitates, before she nods.]

I know. Just... mine made such a big problem for everyone. I-I mean... I know I'm in good company, it's just...

...hard to shake the guilt.

[traceofeffort]

I figured you'd be in for that. We'll... figure it out together. We've kind of gotten through all the nasty parts, so it shouldn't even be hard. Just annoying.

[Lisa lets out a long breath, smiling a little more naturally.]

I'm okay with annoying. It's better than what we've been dealing with up to now. And I know you've got my back if it gets... overwhelming.

[thestarknows]

I can live with annoying, too. Besides...

[She leans in against Lisa. There's a smile -- and she looks a little embarrassed.] The cuddling part makes it easier. Speaking of... want to head home?

[traceofeffort]

[Lisa looks confused for a moment.]

Are you sure? I feel a little bad leaving when we... [She nods meaningfully at the table.] Don't get me wrong, I'm wiped out, but this was important to you.