[Closed]

[welcome_home]

Who: The Izanagi Household
When: backdated to waaaay back at the end of June >.>
Where: Izanagi Jingu
What: Nanako's had a Day...


[ It's late evening when Nanako gets back to her brother's Temple after a full day out trying to answer a Prayer. She lets herself in the front door and toes off her shoes before stepping up into the hall and crossing into the big open room that takes up most of the first floor of Souji's home.

Except her normal exuberance is missing and she looks drained and exhausted and after casting a tired look at the stairs, she decides that looks like too much work and goes to curl up on the couch in the living room instead, wrapping herself snugly about a pillow and clinging to it as if it was one of her stuffed animals.

She even forgets to call out that she's home, but as she's not sure who else is here at the moment, it doesn't really occur to her as she goes to huddle on the couch for a while instead. ]

Comments

[welcome_home]

But I don't know what I learned though. [ It's enough to have Nanako pulling her hands down from her face a little to blink at Homura in confusion. And maybe a hint of uncertainty. ]

[timeshields]

You've learned you can emit bright light. It seems like it's related to your feelings.

[welcome_home]

Yeah, I guess... [ She stares down at her hands, unsure of how she'd actually done that still. ] And it scared away the ayakashi, even though I couldn't stop it by myself.

[timeshields]

It's a start.

Now you can train it so you can use it at will.

[welcome_home]

Yeah... [ She thinks that over for a moment before her expression slowly - hesitantly - begins to brighten. ] I guess this means I really do have a power after all?

[timeshields]

Yes. Now it's a matter of learning and training it.

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako nods, curling and uncurling her fingers in her lap before glancing up at Homura again. ]

Thanks, Homura. Maybe... Maybe I can do it better next time.

[timeshields]

I'm sure you will.

... Bring me next time.

[welcome_home]

[ That certainly has her gaze jerking up to Homura's face as she goes still. ]

Would that... be okay?

[timeshields]

I want to protect you.

[welcome_home]

But what if you get hurt too?

[ Nanako didn't even want to think about that, and today had been too close. ]

[timeshields]

I'll be fine.

[There's no reason for her to think that without her memories, but the feelings remains.]

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako hesitates, biting her lower lip. ]

Should we... ask Souji-oniichan first? Just to make sure?

[timeshields]

We can talk to him.

[But either way, she's not opposed to becoming both their shinki.]

[welcome_home]

Should we go find him?

[ Homura has offered something like this before, but Nanako had never been ready. Especially after how scary getting her first Shinki had been. But after the danger of tonight and her discovery of her own powers...

Well. She was reconsidering. Like Souji, Homura often made her feel safe. ]

[timeshields]

Let's.

[She'll stand up and offer her hand to Nanako.]

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako reaches out, gripping Homura's hand in a tight grip as she slides off the couch, still clutching the pillow with her other arm. Tucked in against the other girl's side, she nods. ]

Okay. Do you know where he is?

[timeshields]

He should be home.

[But where at home is the question.]

[welcome_home]

[ It turns out he's not that hard to find, as they locate him a few moments later in the kitchen.

Letting go of Homura's hand only once he comes into sight, Nanako flings herself at her big brother's legs with a sudden movement, clinging to him in a way that might tip him off even if he hadn't spotted the sign of tears on her face. ]

[socials]

[ It's a good thing Souji is at the counter, because the way Nanako throws herself at him would have taken his legs out otherwise. But that alone tells him quite a bit, where he'd started to turn when he heard people coming into the kitchen. ]

Nanako? Hey - hey, what's wrong? [ He shifts, trying to get down to her level, but looking over the top of her head at Homura with a concerned furrow to his brow. ] Homura?

[timeshields]

[Homura doesn't fidget, and she doesn't shuffle awkwardly. Instead, she meets Souji's gaze and nods slightly.]

Nanako went on a prayer. It didn't go well.

[Blunt and straightforward. Just as usual.]

[welcome_home]

[ The tears she'd managed to hold back when talking to Homura spill over all over again at the sound of Souji's voice and the automatic feeling of safety and home that comes with him. She buries her face against his thigh, shuddering with renewed tears. ]

I couldn't do it.

[socials]

[ Homura's statement isn't much to go off of, but it at least tells him that nothing too horrible happened, if she's so calm still. So, Souji moves, carefully pulling Nanako back just enough so that he can drop down and sit seiza on the floor.

He rubs his thumb across one of her cheeks, brushing away tears. ]

Go ahead and let it out, okay? Homura, can you get me some tissues?

[timeshields]

[She nods. At least, Homura didn't think it was too awful. If she's in one piece (and not a magical girl), that's enough. But Nanako's view on it is very different.]

Yes.

[She'll disappear for a moment before coming back with a box of tissues.]

[welcome_home]

[ When Souji sinks down on the floor, Nanako immediately crawls into his lap, hiding her face against his chest as she curls up close, giving a soft hiccup as she rubs a fist at her eyes. Part of her feels silly for crying, but she can't seem to help it. ]