Title: l
Prompt: |
Character/Pairing: Okabe, Mayuri, Kurisu, Daru
A/N: My take on the characters might be a little rusty
Summary: l
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"These are wire-tapped." Okabe gently tapped one of the tree ornaments. It clinked softly and he moved on to shaking it. No sounds, ok, all clear.
"Give me that." Kurisu grabbed the box of ornaments from him, swiping the one in his hand as well. She scowled at him, a hand on her hip. "These are ordinary decorations. For the dollar store."
"That's what they want you to think," he countered, taking another one before she could stop him. It was understandable, of course, that she wouldn't believe him, she hadn't experienced the agency herself, after all. "Be glad that you live such a carefree, innocent life."
Kurisu stared at him for a moment, as though contemplating whether it was worth arguing with him, before giving up with a sigh. Turning on her heel, she returned to the Christmas tree in the corner of the lab. "Why are we even having a Christmas party? You guys don't even like parties."
Despite her grumbling, her white lab coat sported festive red candy canes. Mayuri's handiwork, no doubt, he found his own lab coat similarly decorated last week. Inspecting the lab for any other tracking devices, he argued back, "A Christmas party is important! It's gives us the perfect cover to meet up and plan."
"Plan what?" Kurisu asked dryly, hanging up the tree ornaments. The light glinted off them faintly, reminding him of headlights.
"It's not bad to have a party," Daru admitted, looking up from his computer. He had a headband with antlers on, forced on him earlier by Mayuri.
Nice guy Daru! Okabe shot him a thumbs up for coming to the rescue.
"Faris and Ruka are coming. In costume." He grinned slyly, adjusting his glasses. Now he looked like a perverted reindeer. "I'm betting sexy Santa."
And with that, whatever goodwill Kurisu had gained was demolished. She grimaced, staring at them with disgust. "I see."
Of Daru destroyed what he'd created. He should have known better than to rely on him. Turning to Mayuri, he silently pleaded for a better response.
As though sensing his stare, she looked up from the couch. Brown fabric spilled over her lap and onto the cushions, her hands stilling as she considered them. Mayuri cocked her head, blinking as she turned from one friend to the other.
A last chance, a final save. Desperate, he held out an imaginary mike to her. "Hostage, what are your thoughts?"
"Mayusii is making them deer costumes," she corrected, smiling sunnily at them.
Kurisu's expression softened and Okabe shot Mayuri a thumbs up. He should have picked her from the start. Picking up a reindeer ornament, Kurisu smiled. "So that's what you've been working on."
"Mayushii has one for you too," Mayuri added and if there was one person who could make Kurisu dress up, it was probably her.
"Reindeer." Daru frowned, before stroking his chin. "That could work too."
Kurisu's expression was even more disgusted, if possible. With a sigh, Okabe sank into the couch next to Mayuri. She shifted the fabric away from him and now it looked like she had deer pelt on her. "Okarin's done?"
It was hardly worth the effort to keep up the persona but he nodded. His eyes scanned the room as he stage whispered, "The agency has left no signs—trackers, listening devices nothing. We're clean." Dramatically, he narrowed his eyes, squinting into the distance. "At least for now."
"Because there were none in the first place," Kurisu muttered.
"That's good." Mayuri hummed brightly, looking at him. "The party's safe."
"Yes, the party's safe." Okabe agreed.
"Then Okarin can relax too." Mayuri turned back to her stitching. "Mayushii's alive and Kurisu's alive and everyone's safe, so Okarin can rest now."
"Huh?" He stared at her, flushing a light red. Somehow, she always saw through him, even when she shouldn't, even when she couldn't. The others never knew what had happened when he time travelled, the extent of what he saw. The fact that he changed it all meant that they would never know what happened in those erased weeks.
Maybe it was better that way. He didn't want to remember it himself either.
Dreams, Mayuri had told him once, she saw it all in dreams. Did she see them still in this timeline? To what extent? Watching her stitch, humming happily, he remembered the car squealing as it hit her, her body slowly arcing through the air. Maybe it was better not to ask, to know.
He had always been a coward, after all.
"I will," he said instead. Daru played a mindless game, his expression giving away just what he was watching. Kurisu grumpily strung lights on the tree. Soon Ruka and Faris would come and they'd have a full house. "Mission accomplished," he reported to her.
She saluted back, giggling. "Mission accomplished."
"You know, you need to put the star at the top." Kurisu called him, glancing over her shoulder. "I can't reach."
Okabe got up. "You need to drink more milk."
"I cannot possibly get any taller." Kurisu rolled her eyes, holding out the star. Despite her irritation, there was a wry smile on her face.
Yep, they'd definitely made it to the right timeline.