The Adventures of Love and Death (Tomomi)

Tomomi listened, nodding. So, Nadia thought mostly about the concept of dying, not so much about the governments potential involvement in it all? Well, that was just a way of showing that anyone had different things they thought about. Silently, Tomomi took a light drink from the cup of tea, listening and looking at Nadia as he took it in. "Running away... I never really thought about things like, well, death, but... I can definitely relate to that feeling of running away... But, you're right. It's... Nice to have a team. Even if it's filled with anonymity, I know you at least, and that woman from that night with the ghouls. So, I mean... We're fighting literal demons, but, at least we can trust people right? Well, we have those we can trust, I mean. Life definitely became a lot... Scarier though. Because the name Terrorist... God, I never thought a word like that would apply to me. And since the Government hunts us... What would that mean for us if we get caught? Do we die? Torture? Prison? I've... Never heard about what happens to captured terrorists, but, it scares me so much... The idea that I might just disappear, all because I awoke to the power to survive in an alley..."

Tomomi let out a dry, bitter laugh at that, shaking his head. "Ah... I'm sorry. It's a pretty dark conversation, so, um, probably not the nicest to hold over tea, right?"

Nadia listened, taking in his concerns. Somehow, she was facing things she had tried to avoid in this conversation. She was always running from things like this. Heavy things. Only when they started to pull at the seams on her own scars though. Still, she looked up when he apologized, and smiled. "It's no worse than Cecil's brooding." she said. And the tone she said it with was fill with fondness and longing that she didn't know how to repress. It made her think about the night they'd spent curled up on that couch.

She stood up, moving toward the small window that opened up onto the back alley behind her small apartment, and, blowing and sipping her tea, looked out through the blinds. "After hearing about the things the playhouse has seen so far. The destruction...the Canabalism...I'm even more afraid. But I think maybe fate has chosen us to fight this battle for a reason. So I'm all in. Or, I'll follow the path Revenant takes."

At Nadia's suggestion of Cecil's brooding, Tomomi let out a light laugh. Was it mean that he was laughing at that. "P-please don't tell Cecil I laughed at that..." He quickly added, before letting Nadia reply, watching her get up and walk over to the window borderline dramatically. And Tomomi nodded along. He thought similarly, although still wished to verify the rumours himself before acting upon them.

"I know what you mean... It's like there's not even a choice. Although, I'm not as full of um... C-conviction as you in that regard... No, when it comes to that, I'll be honest... I've just been thinking... What would Cecil do? I know, it's stupid, but... I just want to make sure that however I act, it's something he'd approve of."

A sad smile crossed Tomomi's lips at this, as he took a sip of his tea. "God, I can't imagine what Cecil would think if he knew I was a terrorist... Would he report me? It could spend the end of our friendship if he found out... It's funny, and probably um... N-not very healthy, but... The idea of him founding out and hating me? Scares me more than the idea of being found out by the government and killed..."

Nadia turned to Tomomi, wide-eyed and curious. She wanted in that moment to tell him about Cecil, but she couldn't. It wouldn't be fair to either of them. Cecil should tell him. But he wouldn't, she knew. Know their identities was a liability. Nadia cared little for her own life when it came to that regard, but as things went on she was finding more and more that she had reasons to keep living. To really live.

The feeling of wanting Cecil to know, to approve...she could understand that. Cecil had high standards and while Nadia didn t mind pushing at those boundaries, it seemed Tomomi had quite a bit of reapect for them. Nadia crossed the small room and sat beside Tomomi on the couch. "If you do what you think is right, not even Cecil or I can fault you. The course you take is only for you to decide." she laughed a little. "A little presumptuous of me to say, when I follow Revenant around like a puppy. But, it's true nonetheless. Have you considered...asking him what he thinks about it? I don't think Cecil could ever hate you." she asked tentatively.

Tomomi watched Nadia walk over to and sit next to him, a bit puzzled as he just kind of clutched his cup of tea. At her words, Tomomi thought for a moment. Asking him about it. It was crazy that the idea of exposing himself to someone was such a tempting idea, with as much sound logic to him as it held. Being caught could mean death. But to confide...

Tomomi let one of his hands from his tea let go in order to scratch at his head for a moment, before putting it back and taking another sip. "I... I guess I could? A-and I mean, I trust him... But... I mean, it's advertised everywhere what Psyche Terrorists do right? With the whole... Ending of the old world... I... I want to believe Cecil would stick around but, if I say it and I'm wrong... I don't think I'd even live long enough for him to report me to the police..."

A bitter smile crossed Tomomi's face, his eyes seemingly watering at the mere concept of Cecil not accepting him and his identity.

Nadia's eyes softened. "I think you underestimate how much you mean to Cecil." Nadia soothed, reaching a hand up to lightly rest on one of Tomomi's shoulder blades. "you're his best friend. That was what he said to me." she added, rubbing lightly before taking her hand away.

"And If he freaks out about it, be sure to tell him his girlfriend is a Terrorist as well. He'd likely shut down and not even know how to use a phone." She joked. She was sure Tomomi had been there for a couple of Cecil's episodes of blank staring, if they were best friends.

At the mention, Tomomi sniffled slightly and smiled, admittedly surprised by the sudden touch to the shoulder. So... Cecil thought of Tomomi as a best friend too? That was nice to hear. Cecil had said it himself, but there was always that doubt that Cecil was just saying that to be nice.

At Nadia's next bit though, Tomomi's eyes went wide for a moment in surprise, as he pointed at Nadia for a second with a bewildered look on his face. "W-w-wait... You... Cecil... Y-y-you too are dating? I didn't even know you'd kn-known each other that long, w-wow..."

Quickly, Tomomi moved on though. "A-ah, not that there's, um, an-anything wrong with that! I-I'm glad that you two are being h-hopefully happy together? I c-can only imagine how flustered he got when that happened aha, I mean, he freaked out when I um, just joked about something like that, so, um, yeah!" Smiling, Tomomi spoke in a bit of a ramble while nodding, words getting a bit quicker and confused as he went on. So, Cecil and Nadia had gotten that close already? That was a... Bittersweet thought, that he'd keep to himself.

Nadia looked a little surprised, and for a moment, looked sheepish, as though she had said something she shouldn't have. In truth, she hadn't put much thought into it before she mentioned it, but now that she had, she found she was surprised he didn't know. Granted, it had only be..."official" for a few days, but still. "It embarrasses him to think about, and he won't say it out loud to anyone else, but..." she trailed of, considering. Suddenly she was struck with a self conscious flush. What if he hadn't really wanted it, and just did it to please her?

No...she couldn't think that way. There were too many moments like gleaming gems in her mind. It couldn't all be in her head. "I think I mostly help distract him from his troubles. His sorrows are so vast and dark, that when he smiles it just lights everything up. I like making him smile like that. So yes...I think you could say we are happy...maybe most of the time."

At hearing that the two were happy, Tomomi nodded, continuing to smile. "I'm really happy to hear that, like, seriously. Um... So... C-congrats? Is that the correct term to say for things like this?" He added, laughing slightly before taking another sip, seemingly oblivious to how flustered Nadia was getting.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who knows how... How nice his smiles are. His genuine ones. Not like, um... You know, when he's really... Down about himself, I guess? So, uh..." Tomomi raised his glass with a proud but childish grin. "Here's to, um, helping Cecil realise how great he is?"

Congrats? yes, she supposed that applied. Nadia smiled a small smile and sipped her tea. "Thank you." She chimed easily. She was deciding she liked Tomomi. He was easy to talk to and didn't expect too much from her. As much as she enjoyed meaningful conversation, conversations with Cecil always ended up sad, Kendra adored her for whatever reason and had her on a pedestal, and Eryka forced her to choose her words very carefully. With Tomomi it was easy to just chat.

As Tomomi commented on Cecil's smiles as well, Nadia had a fleeting curiosity about just how much Cecil meant to Tomomi. She knew what Tomomi meant to Cecil well enough, but what was the reverse? hmm...How to word that question... "Kanpai!" Nadia jokingly knocked her cup lightly against Tomomi's raised one. "Though for an endeavor that size, we may need something a little stronger than tea to toast with." She commented, offhandedly. Someday she'd be old enough to buy liquor. It was a way off now though, sadly.

As she sipped her tea again, she considered him for a moment. "What does Cecil mean to you?" She asked suddenly, but gently. Curiosity winning out as it always did. In the end, the most direct way to ask a question was always the best way...right?

The suggestion of something stronger than tea made Tomomi laugh a bit. The idea of anything like alcohol was not something he cared for, so he didn't think of it beyond an "eh" moment. Drinking was for other people, not him.

At Nadia's question, Tomomi thought for a moment. What did Cecil mean to him? Tomomi thought harder on that than he had on anything he had previously in any long period. A lot of things had happened, and now he had to face a question that really made him think. After years of being alone, he met Cecil, who stuck up for him when he could have ignored him and moved on. He helped Tomomi and became his first true friend. He talked with Tomomi about things, and was the first person in America to invite Tomomi to their house, and the first person that wasn't fitting equipment or appearing on official business to come around to his place of living. The first person outside of the Orphanage to spend time with him of their own volition, and even more so, the first to want to do so.

Finishing off his tea, Tomomi let out a light exhale. What was he to him? "It'll... Well... S-sound cheesy but... He's everything to me. I mean, before I met him, I was just living for the sake of, well, living... B-but now? I feel like I... I finally have something to live for. Someone to live for. It's why the idea of him not wanting me around anymore after finding out I'm a terrorist scares me so much... I mean, he's the first person that's been as kind to me out of anyone since, well... My parents and that's just... Well... Y-you know... So um... W-when I say take care of him, I mean it okay?" He answered, rubbing at the back of his neck, a blush forming on his cheeks.

Nadia listened to Tomomi, and as she did so, her breath caught in her chest. It sounded like her feelings. She knotted her brows together, watching the boy's face. "I know exactly what you mean. Before I met Cecil I felt like an observer - I still do most of the time. Someone who sits and watches as the world passes by. But Cecil...makes me feel real." she was blushing now too. It was so natural to feel the way she felt,  seeing it reflected on someone else's face somehow made the beat of her heart like sparks of electricity in her veins. "I will take care of him. For as long as I'm breathing." she told him, and the words were probably the most sincere and serious words Tomomi had ever heard her say. It was a mature sentiment. A promise. "No matter what. Even if I have to use this power to do it."

At Nadia's comments, Tomomi continued to smile. It seemed Cecil had that effect on people. But wait... If that was exactly how Nadia felt... Did that mean Tomomi loved Cecil? Well, that thought didn't matter. To Tomomi, it wasn't a romantic feeling, although he could feel that it was a love. Probably unrequited, but there regardless.

At the comment about using the power if needed, Tomomi let out a bit of a giggle, allowing his mask - and his mask alone - to form on his face as he raised the empty cup. "I-in that case! Here's to using our powers for the new formation of what I p-propose to be the! Um... The Cecil defence force? Team Cecil? I-I dunno..."

Scratching his head again, Tomomi lowered his cup. "A-anyways, um... Would you like to exchange phone numbers? S-save me well, you know... R-running around if I need to talk to you." The boy declared, the mask disappearing as quick as it had formed.

Nightingale let her mask pass over her face then, before it was gone, winking through the eye hole at Tomomi. A couple of ideas for names crossed through her head, and she blurted out the one she liked the most. "Cecil's Angels!" she joked, mask dispersing into a scatter of black down.

She took another sip of her tea as he asked her about her number. She nodded, giving him a small smile as she held out her hand. "Sure! No sense running over town look for me, as flattering as it is. Let me see your phone."

Once she had his phone she'd set her tea aside and and put her name and contact info into his device.

At the name Cecil's angels, Tomomi giggled, nodding. That was a funny name to the boy, although perhaps more funny than it should have been.

As he handed over his phone and let Nadia put the details in, Tomomi waited, and when getting it back, sent a message to the phone so that Nadia had his details in return.

Tomomi: hi its tomomi just letting you have my detales

That done, Tomomi flipped his phone shut with a smile. "By the way, um, if you don't mind me asking, what type of tea was that? It was pretty nice!"