INBOX

[fretless]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, IBUKI.

FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 000.03.313.33

*** IBUKI has joined 000.03.313.33
<IBUKI> hello!! ibuki mioda here!!! ﾟ.+:｡(≧∇≦)ﾉﾟ.+:｡
<IBUKI> if you're here to talk to ibuki, leave her a message!! okay?
<IBUKI> she'll make sure to get back to you as soon as possible! ♪(ﾟ▽^*)ﾉ⌒☆

Comments

[manuscripture]

Sometimes, friends don't want to be bothered.

[ He doesn't swat her paws away if that means anything. ]

Do you understand what's going on now?

[fretless]

[That means a lot, actually. She actually does smile a bit at it, though she obviously tries to stifle it.]

Mhm. Jotaro-chan and Josuke-chan are gone, like you said. Like how Ibuki's classmates all left before she got here, too.

[She doesn't know much beyond "they're not on the peninsula anymore", though.
But she does pause for a second, her ears going back as her gaze drops down to her hands on his scales.]

... U-unless, um - unless they're gone like Gundam-chan and Fuyuhiko-chan, you mean. But...
You'd be a lot more upset if it was like that, right?

[Hopefully he knows what happened to them, or at least understands her tone, because it's exactly as she's implying.
They're dead. Very much so.

She's kind of unsettlingly blasé about it.]

[manuscripture]

[ Rohan doesn't go into the semantics of it because he doesn't want to, nor does he have to. He'll go pray later or something. ]

I don't know, Ibuki. How or what isn't what I'm having to parse right now.

They are all I had left from home.

[ like, even Jotaro TECHNICALLY even though he was Weird Busted Timeline Jotaro. ]

They weren't the only positive things I had. Obviously. [ He motions VAGUELY to her. ] We worked... Really hard.

[fretless]

...

[Even though it was vague, it was still at her - and though she doesn't let herself smile, her tails still start to sway a bit to show that she caught it.
Still looking at her hands, though, she rubs one against his tail a bit... before climbing over the loop of scales, settling with her arms around his stomach.

For once she doesn't know what to say. Well - she knows what she wants to say, but at the same time, she really, really doesn't want to get deep and philosophical with him.
Sure, maybe it'd be impressive, but it took a long time to trust Hinata with that side of her, and Rohan's not... there yet.

So, instead.]

... Ibuki's sorry you're the one who's gotta deal with all this. I... I know it probably really seems like Ibuki doesn't understand, or maybe doesn't care, but, like - I do!
Ibuki gets what's going on here, and...
I'm here if you need me.

[manuscripture]

I don't think that you don't understand. [ He shakes his head, surrendering some of the icy edge in his voice. ] I wouldn't insult you like that. You aren't stupid. Just strange.

[ That HAS to be a compliment??? Right?????

He brings up a hand and pats the top of her head. RUFFLING HER HAIR A LITTLE... ]

I will be fine. Having setbacks get me down has never been my style. [ Yet he hasn't said that he can't draw. ] You believe me, right? Of course you do. You're one of my biggest fans, aren't you?

[fretless]

[To Ibuki, that's a huge compliment. So, yes. It's also got her tails thumping against his with some sort of cheer or excitement.
And she can't help bonking her head against his hand with that hair ruffle, her expression stretching out into a big smile.]

BZZZZT - wrong!

Ibuki's not just "one of" your biggest fans! She is the biggest of Rohan-chan's fans!
After all... Rohan-chan is one of Ibuki's best friends!

[That's said without an ounce of hesitation, even followed with a little, fox-like laugh.
Almost like he's instantly drawn all that cheer she's been trying to stifle right out of her. Huh.]

[manuscripture]

[ He's still upset and very tired but Ibuki has her way of bringing these things out of him. By the tiniest of margins. ]

Ah... My mistake. [ His lips do pull into a little smile. ] I won't forget that next time. Forgive me.