[closed] strong like a family,

[cuteshit]

Who: The gods & shinki residing at Izanagi's temple!
When: July 5th - July 9th
Where: Izanagi's Temple
What: Team Izanagi's living situation is changing up again with the arrival of a new shinki for Ptah, who also happens to be a friend from home.


evening of the 5th:

[When Kanji returns to the house after the day's festivities, it's with Naoto in tow-- and being as new to this place as she is, he feels guilty about having to excuse himself almost immediately, but he has to talk to Souji-- alone. This isn't the first time Souji has seen someone besides Nanako or Kanji himself turn up from home, but Kanji isn't sure there's any precedent for what to do. He tells Naoto to make herself comfortable and puts water on for tea before he goes searching through the house itself, calling for Souji at the top of his lungs.

'Quiet' has never really been a thing for him.]

Yo, Souji-senpai! You back yet? We gotta talk! It's, uh-- real important!

[Like real important, buddy.]

((OOC: Feel free to use this as a house mingle log for the days listed! Top-levels or misc threads welcome and encouraged.))

Comments

[socials]

[ Souji arrives home a little bit before everybody else, just so that there will be someone to greet them when they come back - he trusts Homura to watch out for Nanako, especially now, so he tries not to worry - and...

Well, the fact Kanji calls out to him tells him a lot, after he saw Naoto and Nanako sent him the selfie with her. He leaves the cats with their dinner, heading towards the familiar voice of his kohai, and the moment he reaches him he sets his hand between his shoulders to quickly navigate him towards the stairs. ]

Let's head up to my room, okay?

[cuteshit]

[Kanji looks relieved when Souji answers the call, though it's nowhere near enough to put him entirely at ease after the day he's had. He nods, letting himself be steered, raking a hand through his bleached hair once he's through the door to Souji's room.]

Thanks, senpai.

[He exhales, glancing towards the open door before he closes it behind them, guaranteeing their privacy.]

I'm guessin' you already figured out what this is about.

[socials]

[ He feels a little bad, taking Kanji away and leaving Naoto alone, but he's pretty sure Nanako and Homura are likely to be home to keep her company. And, before long, he'll make sure she knows she's welcomed here just as much as everyone else. It's interesting, having three gods spending so much time here. But it's nice, knowing that they won't be lonely, that someone will always be here.

Like Souji intends to be now, as he closes the door. ]

Nanako sent me a selfie with her and Naoto, and I ran into her afterwards. [ And maybe it hurt him, before, just talking to her and knowing she didn't remember him. But something in his chest tightens for Kanji, specifically. ]

[cuteshit]

[He nods, unusually somber. He knew Souji would put the pieces together as soon as he realized Naoto was here.]

She doesn't remember anything. None of what we did-- or any of us.

[She doesn't remember him.]

I know that's how it works with shinki, but... never really thought it'd happen to someone we know.

[socials]

[ Leaning against the door for a moment, Souji regards Kanji, taking him in.

And then he shifts off it, opening his arms a little, offering comfort. ]

It can happen to anyone, and that's the worst part of it. But every time I think of one of us being a shinki, I can't help but wonder... if we were with them, could we prevent it?

[cuteshit]

[Kanji exhales slowly, his gaze dropping.]

I was thinkin' that, too. She was-- chasin' down some kinda criminal.

[What happened after that, he thinks Souji can probably guess. The offer doesn't go unnoticed, subtle as it is, and Kanji steps in to take it, putting his arms around his friend's middle without a second thought.]

Shit... it was awful.

[socials]

[ Souji doesn't react to what Kanji says, save for closing his eyes and wrapping his arms tight around his friend in return. The fact he accepts the offer is something that he can't help but be grateful for, considering the fact they both need it, the grounding feeling of comfort. He could've passed on it, and the subtlety would have made it easy.

But he just puts his chin on Kanji's shoulder, fingers curling tight in the back of his shirt. ]

She's your shinki. [ Because that explains why he saw it. ]

I'm sorry, Kanji. [ Because he knows how he feels, when it comes to Naoto. ] I'm sorry.

[cuteshit]

I don't know what to do for her.

[He's grateful for the contact; it keeps him anchored, keeps his temper from flaring even as he sets his jaw, steeling himself. He's too tall to rest his head on Souji's shoulder in turn, but he swallows hard, lightly thumping his friend's back.]

I'm so new here myself-- I dunno how to be a good god.

[Naoto herself had seemed unhappy when he told her he was new, too.]

[socials]

[ The thump doesn't bother him, and he just uncurls the fingers of one hand from his shirt to rub between his shoulders. A response to his gesture, something to try and console, but also show him that he gets it. Souji almost wants to pull him down against him, to let him find some greater comfort. ]

I'll help you as much as I can. I promise. You can ask me whatever you think you need to, and I'll tell you everything I know, and everything I've done with all the shinki I've worked with. [ He gives him a small thump. ]

But just remember, we've worked together before. We've worked with her before. She doesn't have memories of it, but we learned how to do it once, in a situation we were also new to. I think we can do it again.

[fortune_detective]

[Naoto's not quite sure how she feels about being ditched by her god, leaving her alone in what is essentially a stranger's home. She was told that this would be the shrine she'd be staying at for the time being, but it was still hard for her to exactly "make herself at home." She lingers in the entrance way for a moment, studying the hallway that her god disappeared down. Her gaze then surveys over what appears to be the main living room. The whole place certainly seemed homey, not quite what she pictured a "shrine" to look like. She steps cautiously into the living room, still taking in all of its decor. She briefly walks into the kitchen to check on the water boiling on the stove before resigning herself to a seat on the living room couch.]

More waiting...

[She sighs, already feeling like she's had her fill of it today. Her curiosity and restlessness pushing her to get up and explore the shrine's interior on her own. She shakes her head. No, that would be rather rude to simply enter random rooms without permission. She drums her fingers on the tops of her legs and does her best to stay patient while Kanji takes care of whatever business he hurried off for. That, or until the water boils. Whichever comes first...]

[welcome_home]

[ It's not too much longer before the remaining family members trickle home and Nanako comes bouncing into the room, still high on sugar and looking wide awake despite the hour.

She stops short when she spots Naoto perched on the couch though, her eyes going wide as her mouth drops open. ]

N-Naoto?! How did you get here?

[fortune_detective]

[Naoto smiles and waves a greeting, looking thoroughly uneasy and uncomfortable. She'd heard the footsteps of someone entering, but she still felt thoroughly unprepared as to what she should say. Poor Nanako was probably thinking Naoto had broken in or something.]

W- welcome home.

Um, Kanji brought me here. He... he said this would be where we're staying. I... I hope that's alright?

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako's expression goes from confused to elated in .3 seconds as she flings herself in Naoto's direction to climb up on the couch beside her and kneel there on the cushions. ]

Really?? Kanji is your god? Ohhh, that's... [ She hopes that didn't make Kanji cry. ] Yes, it's very alright! I stay here too! There's lots of room! And cats!

[ Because that made everything better, right? ]

[fortune_detective]

[Naoto nods her head, her uneasiness subsides somewhat at Naoto's apparent elation. She really was such a sweet girl. It was hard not to mirror that warm smile of her's back.]

You stay here too, Nanako-chan?

[If she's a god, she would have her own temple wouldn't she? Well, Souji is her brother. It certainly makes sense that they'd want to stay close to one another. If anything, she had more of a reason to stay here than Naoto felt she did.]

I guess that makes us housemates then. I hope I can repay you and your brother someday for your hospitality.

[welcome_home]

Yeah! It's Souji-oniichan's house, but I stay here with him and Homura - she's his shinki. Kanji's been staying here too, since he just got here a little while ago.

[fortune_detective]

Do gods typically stay at each other's temples rather than their own?

[Then, realizing how they must sound, Naoto quickly backpedals.]

Ah! W- what I mean is, you and Souji-san are siblings, so it makes sense that you two would wish to stay close to one another. But, um, Kanji and I... since neither of us are related to you both, is it really alright for us to stay here? I wouldn't want to impose upon you or your brother unnecessarily.

[Naoto understands that, as Kanji's shinki, it's best she stay close to him. Wherever he's staying, she should be close at hand. She just wants to be sure that they're not potentially overstaying their welcome with Souji, Nanako, and Homura.]

[welcome_home]

Mmmm, maybe not, but it's different. Kanji's family too! [ And so was Naoto, although Nanako doesn't mention that in such an obvious way, although she reaches out to pat her arm consolingly. ] Kanji probably has a temple, too, but since he was new he came here to stay with us, since he knows big bro from before.

Don't worry. I like it that you're here!

[fortune_detective]

["Kanji is family, too?" He really must be closer to Souji and Nanako than Naoto had thought. And the more she thinks on it, if Kanji had just gone to live at his own temple this whole time, he'd have been living by himself until today. That... seems awfully lonely...]

[Naoto's warm and grateful smiles come easily as Nanako consolingly touches her arm. What an incredibly sweet girl.]

Nanako-chan... well then, if you're happy to have me here, then I'm honored to be your house guest.

I'll be sure to help out around the house however I can to thank you and your brother for taking me in for the time being.

[timeshields]

[It doesn't take her very much longer to get home. Even if she is still embarrassingly emotional after talking it out with Souji... or more accurately, crying her eyes out into Souji's chest.

It takes her a moment to calm completely down and open up the door to Souji's home.]

... Naoto?

[fortune_detective]

[Naoto gets up politely from her seat when Homura enters, offering her a polite bow in greeting.]

Welcome home, Homura-san.

Please pardon my intrusion. It, um... it seems I'll be staying with you all here for the time being. I hope I prove to be a courteous house guest.

[timeshields]

Thank... you...

[There are a few different people who use those suffixes, and while they don't bother her. She never uses them back.

She looks at Naoto for a few seconds. As far as new housemates go, this one doesn't seem bad.]

It's fine. Souji seems to collect people.

[fortune_detective]

["Collect... people?"]

Ah... heh, I see...

I, um... was assigned to be Kanji's shinki, so I'll only be staying here for as long as he is. I'll do my best to not be too much of a burden upon you three in the meantime.

[On that note, Naoto gets up to pour another mug of tea. This one for Homura. She returns to the living room a moment later, placing the mug on the table for her next to a small sugar dish.]

Do you take your tea with milk or sugar, Homura-san?

[timeshields]

[Like cats. He takes them in and then cares about them.

She'd rather he didn't, but when your god is a protag, what else can you do.]

You don't seem like the type to get in trouble.

[A moment or two before she picks up the mug and just cradles it in her hands.]

It's fine just like this.

[fortune_detective]

[She nods, sitting back in her seat on the couch and taking a sip of her own tea.]

What sort of type do I seem like to you then?

[It's a nonchalant question. Naoto doesn't seem to mean it as a jest or something to be taken too seriously. Homura struck her as naturally quiet, yet pensive and articulately to the point. Naoto's simply curious to hear more from the girl in order to try and get a better sense of how she thinks.]

[timeshields]

[She'll wait for a few minutes before drinking her own. But in the interim she considers Naoto. They may not know each other very well, they've only had one real conversation before this point. Still, there are a few things she can pick up on.]

You're observant and helpful. You have some concern for others if you're already worried about what kind of houseguest you're going to be.