AN: Wow, Chap 36 is out! I can't wait to see where it goes, so this may be debunked in a week or so if the forums are correct. Kinda sad and it's meant to be written how it was.
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The smell of pine trees took some getting used to and smoke hadn't settled with her since the explosion but in stride everything could get used to. Nami didn't think she picky but seriously, living in the woods for days on end was enough to annoy and disgust anybody.
That wasn't a boy, since Taisuke and Yuuta seemed completely unconcerned with the mud in their hair and general sweat marks running down their legs. Or maybe it would be better to say that Taisuke didn't care and Yuuta did his best to emulate the moron he'd taken as his new older brother.
It was chilly that night and none of them were really all that against sharing the tent. It was going to be a tight squeeze but then again the heat would be welcomed. She knew the brisk cold was only good for fighting- not for constant living. They'd have to find a real shelter soon but that would give others a way to find them. There should be plenty of empty summer homes in the middle of fall.
"Hey, Nami? You asleep?"
"Obviously not you moron." Nami was glad that they weren't lying next to each other or she doubted she'd have the restraint to not stab him in his thigh. Yuuta curled between them but both could clearly see above his head.
"It's just that… no, nothing. Never mind me." Taisuke smiled and turned over into sleep. Nami sighed and looked over at the blooming flowers.
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"Hey, Nami? You asleep?"
"What's wrong?" Nami was glad that it was her and Yuuta in the tent during the chilly night with Taisuke standing guard outside of the tent flap. Middle of the autumn was not to best time fore camping.
"Have you ever really thought about what happens after this whole heart thing? Once you get Kannon and I save Megu and Hirose? After the others end themselves?" He wasn't looking directly at her and she scoffed.
"Go to sleep you moron." He smiled and laughed before turning to look away, fiddling with something in his pocket.
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"Hey, Nami? You asleep?"
"I'm on guard, so obviously not." He and Yuuta were curling against each other in the cold while she stood on guard. Nami was glad that she didn't have to deal with his all over sprawl during his sleep. She might have just stabbed him.
"Do you want me?" Nami blushed and whipped around to stare at him only to see his eyes glazed over.
"Excuse me?!" There was a shing of moving metal and Taisuke pulled a knife out of his pocket and cutting the blooming flowers the tent was perched on.
"Anything. I can be anything that you need. I mean I think I'm a good brother, and an awesome friend if I do say so myself. I might be a good boyfriend and I know I can be a hero. Nami, do you want me?"
"Shut up and go to sleep you moron!" Nami was still blushing and didn't trust herself to say anything else. She might answer him. Taisuke smiled and turned over and into the pillow.
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"Hey, Nami? You asleep?" Nami was curious about how warm Taisuke could be even in cold weather. Yuuta was sleeping on her other side, their backs pressed together, but it was Taisuke's arm that was burning around her.
"N-no."
"Ever think… that maybe we should die? I mean, we were supposed to during the Nightmare Week. Have you ever felt it, like it would be better than anything we could ever feel again?" There was something sharp in his hand and she knew it was that knife. And that he was right, she wondered sometimes.
"I know. But Yuuta…" Taisuke leaned over and smiled wider at the boy.
"He'd be safe enough. One of our families would take him in without a question. How about it?" Nami felt herself smile stupidly like the boy in front of her and brought an ice blade to his throat like he had to hers.
"Three."
"Two." She listened to him say the last number and kissed him, lights flashing behind her eyelids.
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"Nami? You're awake at this time at night? NAMI!" Nami's eye flew open and she saw the window above her kitchen sink and pitch black night, with the dead trees and flowers of autumn.
Her mother rushed over and wrestled the kitchen knife away from her neck before screaming.
"What are you thinking?! Nami what's wrong, tell me please?" Her mom was sobbing now.
"Wh-hat? B-but Taisuke…" She stared crying when her mother gasped.
"Nami, that boy died a year ago! You still haven't told me why you left with him in the first place. Have you ever wondered how I've felt about this? Have you ever wondered?!" Her mother was shaking her shoulders but all Nami could do was sob and clutch the knife tighter.
"Trash gets thrown out, mom. We've all been laying here since then, why isn't he? WHY IS HE FREE AND NOT US?" She pushed her mom and ran out into the backyard, collapsing against the wall.
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"Hey, Nami? You awake?"
"What Taisuke? What could you need to tell me in the middle of the night?"
"Don't be sad. I know that guy said our sadness and shit makes us powerful but it's not worth it. I mean, we're all just going to look back and laugh at this, right? Oh! And maybe by then you'll figure out how to make curry." He started laughing a deep laugh from his belly and she struck him in the stomach, smiling.
"Go to sleep, moron."