(Prompts mostly from the recent archive list at oneword. The drabbles get kind of progressively darker...? xD;)

1. Trench

There's a trench dug between them that wasn't there before the whole mess with the Game. They've never been the best of friends, but neither has Joshua been this distant since he first became Composer- since Sanae still couldn't help wincing at the thought of how that came to be.

2. Punishment

Their punishment is unexpected. They aren't stripped of their powers or positions. They aren't put under watch for an undisclosed amount of time. Their "punishment" is to keep working together.

(It worked well enough once, the higher-ups probably reason; no need to bring in any uncertain variables now that things have settled down. Let them sort things out between themselves, and we'll step in only if absolutely necessary.)

Which, ha, little do They know that that's not an issue. There was never anything to forgive, from either end; the two of them understand each other too well for that.

3. Flour

Sanae's cooking may not be the greatest, but at least he gets an A for presentation and it's saying something that he doesn't poison his customers.

See, there's a reason Joshua doesn't cook- and Sanae doesn't know what's made him attempt it this time, but the result is a disaster. "...Do I want to ask how you got flour everywhere?" he asks slowly, calculating exactly how much work this is going to take to clean up if Joshua doesn't decide to wave the mess away.

The kid does that pouting thing he always denies making and turns away. "...Shut up."

Sanae chuckles, and grabs the Composer's shoulder in a vicegrip the moment before he zaps away.

4. Vines

There was a time they watched Tarzan together- with the English voices, before Joshua was fluent in the language. The kid couldn't make out more than every other word, but he was real young then, young and in desperate need of a distraction. Sanae remembers how Tarzan swinging around so easily on the vines enthralled him, and how he thought that Joshua liked it so much because of how free the wild man seemed.

Funny how he still thinks the Composer envies him.

5. Bagel

The Composer doesn't look so mighty right now, face planted firmly on the table in front of him, arms hanging loosely at his sides. The light streaming in from the window is probably bothering him; Sanae pulls the curtain before walking over and setting a plate in front of him. "Here. Eat."

Joshua looks up, groggy, bags under his eyes and a miserable look on his face. If Sanae didn't know better, he might think 'hangover.' It takes a second, but then Joshua asks, "...What's this?"

Sanae snorts. "It's this new invention called a bagel. Not many people have heard of it, but it's decent enough."

Joshua doesn't dignify that with a response. But at least he eats.

6. Smudge

Joshua prefers music to art, Sanae knows that- but watching him draw is fascinating. The focus he pours into it, the thoughtfulness in his movements. The way he doesn't realize he has graphite smudged on his cheek from where he went to push his hair behind his ear.

"Josh," Sanae says, when it starts bugging him too much, and when Joshua looks up, all curiosity and no walls, he doesn't even think before licking his thumb and wiping the smudge away.

Joshua wrinkles his nose, but doesn't throw a fit like he might have years ago. He opens his mouth- probably to say something derogatory- but in the end just shakes his head and turns back to his drawing.

7. Fabricated

And at the end of it all, he has blood on his hands and a wild gleam in his eye. This is it, this is what he's been working for, what he took so long planning- but when he meets Sanae's gaze, his eyes aren't so much triumphant as they are panicked.

"I did it, Sanae," his mouth says.

What have I done? his eyes scream.

8. Plague

The nightmares weren't so bad before. Now, they plague him. Maybe it's guilt, maybe it's bad memories dredged up again- but Sanae sighs, brushes the hair off his forehead and eases him out of the nightmare, tweaks his frequency, adds some lightness that has definitely been missing in Joshua lately. Maybe it won't turn his dreams around, but crazy is better than filled with fear.

At least he can do this much.

9. Fabricated, Take Two (KH3D-related)

It's not perfect, but it's getting there. Soon they'll be able to go back. Soon his debt will be lessened, just by that much. Maybe things will be better, who knows, even if he'll have just as much work to do even once Shibuya wakes. He can see light now, though, not simply perpetual darkness, can hear a muted melody, the echo of Shibuya's song coming back to him.

And then his eyes shoot open, and he gags at the stench of rot around him. There is no Traverse Town. There is no Shibuya. There is only death and nothingness as far as he can see.

10. Lies (suggested by an anon on Tumblr)

Joshua comes in to the cafe half covered in bandages again, and Sanae smiles tightly, nods him to his usual table, and slides him some coffee- "On the house," he says, when Joshua rolls his eyes and goes for his wallet. That gets him a small, genuine smile, at least, but one that trembles and fades as the kid wraps his fingers around the mug.

"Hey, Josh, chin up. It's gonna be okay. You hear me?" He squeezes the kid's shoulder, wishing he could stay and chat, but he's actually got customers today. He only steps away when Joshua nods at him.

"Liar," Joshua says quietly as he goes.