thenearshore | Help Me, God! [Closed]

[ Nia's lucky to find Goku here, honestly. He's in the middle of getting ready to return to Hakkai's temple and he's not planning leaving there once he does. Not until Hakkai wakes up. Sure, Chikusa and Ken can protect him while he sleeps. Goku doesn't doubt that. But someone has to look out for them too.

Still, at this exact moment, Huitzilopochtli is at his residence. When he opens the door, he's not surprised to see Nia. He is surprised to see her expression. ]

Nia? ... You okay?

[Nia had been prepared to wait, obviously. And send him messages that hinted at nothing when her patience ran out. (So not that long.) Lucky she didn't have to.]

[She takes a deep breath, very conscious of not needing to at the moment, then meets Goku's eyes.]

Shizuo's gone.

[ Look, if you ever can't find Goku, just look for Gojyo or Hakkai. Or just leave a tray of meat buns on the porch and wait for him to come home. ]

Shizuo- [-right, her god. The guy who didn't like fighting. And now he's...

Without putting a shred of thought into it, Goku puts his hand on Nia's head and tugs her close. ]

[Y'know, she didn't expect this. But she should have.]

[And it's not at all what she came here for, but it's so nice, and it... it just hits on something she didn't know she needed. So instead of going on with what she wants to say and ask, she just catches her breath and leans into him, taking comfort from his nearness.]

[ Words are hard and need time to be thought over. Knowing what the right thing to say is, knowing what to do next- that's not Goku's strongest suit. But he's good at action. It feels like the right thing to do, so he does it without a second thought. ]

'm sorry, that sucks.

[ Simple words, but they're true. He lets his free hand hang loosely by his side, just letting his other one rest gently on her head to steady her. Maybe it helps him too, with everything that's going on, to have her be so close.]

Mmm. [Okay, no more soft little girl, Nia. She reaches up to put her hands on his shoulders, the better to lean back and look him in the eyes again.]

I'm going to be assigned a new god because of that. That's how it works. But you know... I'm already named by someone.

[Not even speaking the name out loud. Somehow it feels better not to, like she isn't admitting to something openly. All this is to protect Votelli, after all.]

[ Goku's hand drops and he shifts back a little too. Not pulling away, but they're talking business now. ]

Maybe they won't set ya up with anyone. Maybe they can tell you've gotta name without knowing who it came from?

[ Goku has no idea how Heaven keeps track of this stuff. So many shinki are nora now and even if no one's supposed to admit it to Amaterasu's face, she must know. No one's tried to assign anyone to Gojyo, after all. ]

Maybe, but I don't think so. And if they did, that'd raise a lot of questions once people around here started wondering who my god is. [And she doesn't trust anyone except Goku, and by proxy the people he trusts. Even then, she's not sure his trust is wisely placed, but... well, he seems to be a smart guy with good instincts.]

So, whether I get someone new or not... [She swallows, because -- this could ruin everything. It really could. Just as she's finding happiness, and trust, and a place for herself.]

I want you to name me.

I guess that makes sense.

[ Nia should meet Chikusa, who also has doubts about the people Goku puts his trust in. But, then again, Goku trusts Chikusa. So maybe he has a point. ]

... You want me t'do it? [ Goku looks uncomfortable for a second. He doesn't like naming shinki. Having shinki is mostly fine and effects his life very little. But naming them isn't fun. ] Are y'sure?

[Nia thinks Chikusa is all right, so -- yeah, questionable judgment right there on her part too.]

Well. I don't want it. I don't want to be named by anyone. But if I don't get assigned a new god, I can just say you're it. And if I do -- if you're my god too, you can help me if they want to use me against her. The last thing I want is for my power -- is for me to be used against someone I was trying to help and protect.

So yeah. I trust you, Goku. More than anyone else here. And I need your help, to protect someone we both want to protect.

[ Chikusa is probably more baffled by this judgement than anyone, to be fair. ]

I get that, it's just- [ Goku runs his hand through his hair anxiously, hesitating when he brushes against his diadem. Losing control of her power and hurting someone she wanted to protect... ]

... I don't think anyone could make you do somethin' you didn't wanna do, Nia. Even if they were your god. You're too tough. [ This God job is seriously overrated, in Goku's opinion. ] But if you want me to help, I'll do it.

I'm glad you think so... but if they call my shinki name, I change and they get what I can give them. I can't get around that simple fact of the Far Shore. So this -- this is how I make sure they can't make me do something I don't want to.

[He isn't wrong, in his way. It just takes a means like this to be certain, because Nia WON'T let herself be used in a way she can't tolerate. It goes against every grain in her body.]

There's gotta be some way of stoppin' that... You can't just make someone do somethin'...

[Well, if there is some way for a shinki to resist their god calling for them, no one here is going to know about it. Goku nods.]

Alright, I'll do it. Maybe you'll turn into something awesome to fight with too.

[They can make this into something fun, rather than just something desperate and miserable.]

Why do you think I hate being a shinki, Goku? This whole damn system.

[More than that -- she's said before one shouldn't date one's god. But this is different. They dated first, before it happened. The relationship started out fine. She's willingly doing this.]

I've been my Blade form for both Shizuo and Votelli. So I'm guessing you as well? But just in case, d'you mind if I thank you ahead of time?

You don't gotta thank me. I'm only doin' it 'cause I wanna.

[ He wants to help Nia and Votelli, sure, but it's still what he wants. Look, it makes sense in his philosophy. ]

S'good if you are, right? Then you can move and fight on your own. [ This is one area where Gojyo's dramatics probably pay off. No chance anyone can hear Nia in their head over his bitching. ] But maybe you'll turn into a giant, badass sword or somethin' instead! It doesn't really matter.

[Now he just has to think of a name.]

Goku -- look, just don't talk for ten seconds, okay?

[Since he's completely missed what she was getting at, not that she's even surprised, she decides to take a more direct approach. So before he can get all lost in coming up with a name, she steps right up, plants a hand on his neck to keep him from moving, then leans right up and in to kiss him.]

[THAT kind of 'thanks', you big doofus.]

What d'ya m- [ Goku's question is cut off both by Nia's lips and by the squeaking noise he makes in response to it. At first he's just frozen, hands awkwardly hovering by his sides and brain suddenly even emptier than it normally is.

It's weird to look at Nia's face while this is happening, Goku realises. She's so close, she's kind of just a light blur. He can feel himself going cross-eyed. There's a slight nudge against his diadem when Nia's forehead gets too close to his and her bangs brush against his cheeks and-

After a few seconds of that, Goku relaxes just a little, puts his hands on Nia's hips and kisses back. Still not closing his eyes though.]

[There we go. Nia palpably relaxes as he rests his hands on her hips, letting some of her tension go. She does trust Goku. She likes him. She cares about him. And she's sure that's all true the other way around. He'll help her protect Votelli... and he'll be a good partner to her in turn.]

[Somehow, she's finding herself not quite inclined to hold herself to that ten-second duration she promised.]

[ It might be a little much to expect any kind of complicated thoughts from Goku while this is happening. Actually, it might be too much to expect uncomplicated thoughts either. There is not much thinking going on, even by Goku standards.

He's certainly not keeping track of the time. He's far too busy getting the hang of this kissing thing. He's still not totally confident, but something in him wants Nia to be as close as possible and that's the kind of uncomplicated thought that Goku can understand. One of his hands creeps around Nia's waist to rest on the small of her back and pull her a little closer. His other hand moves up to rest on the back of her head and get tangled in her hair. ]

[Oh, whoa, hello. He's getting a little more into this, and Nia suddenly appreciates what a nice strong boy can bring to a relationship. He's so sweet that even him pulling her close like this doesn't feel like a threat. Just the opposite, really, like she's wanted, like she belongs.]

[She slides her fingers into his hair and cups his cheek with her other hand, pressing quite happily into him as they kiss. Bloody hell, they're going to be that kind of couple, aren't they?]

[ Goku still hasn't thought to close his eyes, so how good they'll be at being that kind of couple is still up in the air. This is still a weird thing to do, as far as Goku is concerned, but it's nice. Comforting, with everything else that's happened recently. He can almost forget everything else.

However, eventually Goku does feel the need to break the kiss. He ducks his head down shyly, hidden in the crook of Nia's neck while he still holds her close. ]

... Nia, you feel really nice. [Just. In general.]

Yeah... you too. [She can't help but be a little red. Quite aside from kissing a boy for -- well, a while, honestly -- this kind of talk is still a little new and hard to handle. But she's smiling, and she's happy, so definite plusses.]

[She slides her hand off his cheek to twine her arm around her neck, content to just hold him for a moment and marvel at how things had all fallen out.]

[ He's nuzzling her hair a bit at this point. He can't really help it. ] ... Smell nice too. [Goku, stop saying weird shit.

After a moment of just holding each other, Goku knocks his head against Nia's to get her attention.] Hey. You wanna do it now?

Mmm. [She doesn't mind, honestly. Compliments like that, they're few and far between. How can she complain when he's being sweet? Even if it's a little weird.]

Yeah, we should. Though I'm smarter than I thought, now when you start feeling what I'm feeling it'll all be good.

Mm, that sounds nice.

[ Gojyo so rarely gives him good feelings. If Nia feels like how Goku feels right now, he won't have any complaints. They're still kind of standing in the temple entrance, so Goku finally steps away from Nia and leads her further inside by the hand. ]

You don't care what I call ya, right?

[Yeah, that's smart thinking. No sense in naming her right in the doorway. Nia lets herself be led... and if she hadn't just kissed Goku very sweetly, that question might worry her. Troublesome boy!] You name me what you think you should.

I dunno a lot of kanji, but I think I know something...

[ Give him a minute to think it over. Goku may not have a great vocabulary and his grasp on kanji may be elementary school level, but he has the soul of a poet. He can figure something out. By the time he's done leading Nia into the living room, Goku's nodding. ]

Right, I think I got it! You ready?

Been ready for a bit now. [But the breath Nia takes, like a swimmer about to take the plunge, might belie the truth of that. This is something she never thought she'd do.] Bring it on.

[ Goku squeezes Nia's hand and smiles reassuringly before starting the incantation. The first part of the spell rolls off the tongue without much thought; his name, bind thee here, vessel to sound, etc etc. He's more focused on thinking about the name he's picking than the rest of it.

(The name and not what comes after. He doesn't want to think about that. He wants to pretend it's nothing at all.)

The name isn't a big deal, really, but it should be something that suits her, right? Nia's so great. She's strong, she's nice, she's pretty- everything about her seems to glow a bit, a soft, cool light no matter what form she's in. ]

-I call thee as my divine instrument. The name, Teru. The vessel, Shou. Come, Shouki!

[ 照. A shining light. Nia's cute when she's embarrassed too. ]

[The memory that flashes through his head is mercifully brief.]

[A frenzied battle against a monster the size of a city block, like a dinosaur with three heads and any number of slashing talons. Great furrows cut in the ground, explosions of fire and ice and light crashing through the air. Nia calls out to Rex -- and then a brief spurt of pain, before it ends. She never even saw what happened.]

[Her shinki form is no surprise: her existence as a Blade has imprinted itself far too strongly in her subconscious. It is the form she takes to give her power to another. That power lurks in the blade he holds now, and around him like an aura waiting to blaze into brilliance.]

[ Goku really should be used to this by now.

He knows the vision is coming and at first it isn't so bad- a monster of some sort, a battle already started, a team fighting together. All that is practically familiar to Goku. If it weren't for how it ends- a name called out and then someone silenced- it would almost make him smile.

The hand tightly gripping the blade's handle trembles slightly and Goku had to blink away tears. It's not as bad as Gojyo or Ayumu's. It's not even as bad as Hokuto's. And unlike with either of them, when Goku opens his eyes again he can look straight at Nia's face.

But he still doesn't want what he saw to ever come true.]

... Hey.

You all right there?

[Nia steps in slightly to bump his chest with her shoulder. Giving him a hug or some soft gentle sort of thing probably would've been a good idea, but she's not quite up to speed on doing that sort of thing all casually yet. So he gets a little rough physical affection that also puts her up close to him, which -- has its merits too, you know?]

Help Me, God! [Closed]

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