MAILBOX!

[rockhop]

mail time!
ic contact for nagisa hazuki, #1482 holly heights ★

Comments

[gnasher]

[what if I flushed my phone down the toilet, thinks Rin]

so? everyone's going to be there! don't say pointless stuff!

[rockhop]

yeah but thmblnbffknkvnk
that reminds me have u told anyone yet

[gnasher]

[oh god and would you look at that Nagisa wins the "thing Rin wants to talk about least today" contest]

about what

[rockhop]

[ here's another trophy ]

about us

[ is there an "us", he has no idea it just made sense to phrase it that way which. he's a little nervous about 2 b honest with u. ]

[gnasher]

[fuUCK]

[let's deal with the immediate issues first]

you didn't ask me out. you cried and then i hung up on you.

[rockhop]

ya it was rude
should i ask u out????

[gnasher]

[...]

[ RING, RING ]

[rockhop]

[ OH GOD

WHAT

SHIT

NO?? OH SHIT WHAT OH GOD WHY IS HE CALLING ME WHAT GOD DAMN IT SHIT WHAT FUCK FRUFIRICL

frickle. ]

... hello?

[gnasher]

Shut up.

[well this is going well]

Just, just shut up for like half of a minute, okay?

[rockhop]

[ fucker all i said was hello. he gets out half a syllable and actually falls silent. says nothing. the apocalypse is here. it's happening. ]

[gnasher]

[and Rin proceeds]

[to say nothing for the longest time]

[mostly because he's at a loss for how to say I'm fucking terrified without sounding ten years old or maybe starting to cry]

[gnasher]

[eventually, like two sharp bullets fired off;]

I. I.

[gnasher]

[and then messily, earnestly]

I can't fuck this up again.

[rockhop]

[ he actually waits, for a moment, before saying anything. how long was he supposed to shut up for, was that half a minute? there's no petulance in his voice now, not like there usually is. ]

What do you mean? You haven't messed up.

[gnasher]

[is he fucking kidding]

It's -- there's --

[I'm already so worried about fitting in and building back up all those bridges that I first burned down and then came back four years later to grind my heel into the ashes]

I already messed up by -- ...liking you.

[and telling you about it, like a MORON]

I'm going to screw everything up and I -- I just want to swim with you guys, and.

[jESUS CHRIST he feels like he's going to puke]

[rockhop]

[ he almost starts to feel a little hurt by that, before he stops to think about it. then it doesn't take him long to realize what Rin is getting at, and it's not hurtful at all. it's actually kind of endearing in a sad, kinda awkward way. ]

But you can't help that kind of thing, Rin-chan. Besides—no matter what happens, whether we're a couple, or you get involved with anyone else or... whatever! You'll still always be our friend. Nothing could ever change that! Not ever. So you don't have to worry. Okay?

[gnasher]

[and even though Rin spends most of his time doubting things Nagisa has said, this time, it's hard not to believe him]

[he's never been able to tell his heart what to do, and when he tried, he was miserable and friendless and frustrated]

[the thing is: he doesn't trust himself, but he trusts them. he trusts nagisa]

...O-okay.

[rockhop]

You don't have to do anything special... we're all happy just to have you back. It's not just me! [ ahem ] But I guess I'm a little biased, ehh, right now...

[ a "little" he's going crazy. and the fact that Rin is actually listening to him isn't making it any easier. ]

If you don't wanna, you know, be a couple and stuff, that's okay. As long as you know that you'll always be able to swim with us whenever you want, because we want you to. That's what's really important.

[gnasher]

[he's silent again, and he's mostly trying to wrangle all the feelings in his chest]

[how did he get friends like these? how did someone like Nagisa end up liking him? he feels like he doesn't deserve any of it and he can't figure any of it out, but]

...Don't talk about being a couple so casually and then back down. You still haven't even asked me out!

[it would actually be easier to deal with this, than to deal with you'll always be able to swim with us and we're happy to have you back]

[rockhop]

That's because you called me and told me to shut up before I could say anything!

[ butthead. but he's got that teasing tone to his voice so evidently the heavy stuff is taken care of. Rin being a Huge Baka is also a good sign. ]

And I was just about to say, "Hey, Rin-Rin, wanna be a couple?" too. But now I have to come up with another line because that's too "casual." Who knows how long that'll take me!

[gnasher]

[snaps, as if he's saying something nasty]

Fine! I'll wait!

[gnasher]

-- And oi, don't call me Rin-Rin right now! Or ever!

[rockhop]

[ i'll wait.

you said the secret word. you win the prize. the prize is delighted giggling. congratulations. ]

Just say yes already!

[gnasher]

[oh. the giggling is -- kind of really really nice]

No way! I said I'll wait!

[rockhop]

But I want to be together right nooooow!