nagano: (there's a painting inside)
Kaito Nagano ([personal profile] nagano) wrote2022-07-03 01:09 am

inbox — hello yes this is cat speaking



"—Nagano here. Actually, I'm not here. Leave a message."

TEXTAUDIOVIDEOACTION
craters: (Screenshot 2022-09-16 194335)

[personal profile] craters 2022-11-05 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
You got it! 🤝
craters: (Screenshot 2022-09-16 194403)

DIDN'T! EVEN! NOTICE!

[personal profile] craters 2022-11-05 03:07 am (UTC)(link)
Take care of yourself! Call me if you need anything, okay?
windsongs: (Default)

jailbreak aftermath

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-11-23 07:45 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Everything hurts. It's true that she didn't fight capture (much, and not physically), when she arrived at the Gallows, when they ripped everything from her, oh. She fought. Has physical proof of that beneath the tatters she wears. That's all they left her; even the ring she wore at all times is gone. And while it hasn't served its purpose since she got her (hasn't been necessary, which feels weird and unsettling), Hibiki feels incomplete without it. The last gift her mother left her, gone.

The physical pain is bad, but the emotional is much, much worse. Both of which she makes sure to block from the connection she shares from Kaito, a wall erected around it.

Galloping at a full gait for what feels like forever, Hibiki holds the reins of the aqua equine tightly. Her ab muscles tightened in an attempt to not twinge in pain as her passenger holds on, they've long since put the Gallows behind them. But it's not enough. She needs to put more distance between them and that horrible place. She needs to blow its stench from her, break the shackles she can still feel on her wrists and ankles and be free.

But intellectually she knows that that will never happen. No matter how far or how fast they go, she will never fully break free. That place has its hooks in her. Once the Gallows is only a memory, Hibiki tugs on the reins, slowing the stead down to a trot. Forcing herself to keep her eyes forward, they ride in heavy silence for a few more moments. ]


...We should probably decide where to go. I can't go back to Stygia, and I don't know if there's a way to get to the Shadowlands from here.

[ It's not just a can't, but a won't. Not now. Possibly not ever. ]
windsongs: (35)

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-11-24 04:04 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Hiding as much as she does is a futile effort, she knows, but it gives her something else to focus on as they ride. The pain, the bloodshed; seeing others fight for those who had been captured, to set them all free... They don't tell you how brutal being a hero can be in stories. Hibiki isn't squeamish, but she knows dwelling on anything that happens would make her sick to her stomach.

She has to hold it in. She has to hold everything in.

Feeling him place his chin on her shoulder, his cheek warm near her neck, Hibiki adjusts slightly to rest her head carefully against his. Is it to comfort him or herself? Who knows (and who cares) at this point?

Slowing the horse down to a stop, the small blonde carefully discounts before offering Kaito a helping hand. If she were in a better place mentally, she might insist that he doesn't have to worry about it. She could offer her place (again).

Hibiki doesn't protest when he offers his own, don't act surprised at all. She's also tired and in pain, and arguing would only deplete the stores so close to running on empty. ]


Can you do that right now?

[ They're both basically spent, she doesn't want him collapsing from exhaustion. ]
windsongs: (194)

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-11-24 07:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[ She knew that he was in bad shape, but she doesn't quite grasp the full extent until she sees him lean into her summon. Hibiki knows better than to protest right now, and as she reaches out to steady him, Kaito snatches her hands up as they begin to slowly sink into the earth.

As they resurface, Hibiki squints a bit, her eyes needing a moment to adjust to the light. But she forces herself to keep her eyes open, to take in the sight of this domain in full. A simple meadow, existing under a cloudless blue sky. A building in the distance. And speckled shade overhead that feels incredibly familiar despite never having been here before.

A giant tree.

Her senses dulled with everything else, Hibiki feels the tug a little too late. She could try to disengage, to keep from falling, but... she just lets it happen. Landing on top of him, she can't hide the sudden mental keysmash that happens behind the scenes. Her head resting against his chest, her own frozen mid-breath, when she feels him sigh, Hibiki exhales as well.

He's warm. Maybe it's the bond that they share, or the fact that she can't remember the last time she's been this close to anyone, but instead of flustering and trying to take command of the situation, she readjusts. Laying her head against his chest, feeling a lifetime of tension begin to slowly unwind, Hibiki looks out toward the horizon. ]


It's beautiful.
windsongs: (Default)

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-11-25 07:34 am (UTC)(link)
[ She doesn't move when he wraps his arms around her waist, but instead lets out a long, heavy sigh through her nose. Tired both physically and emotionally, being held like this temporarily eases the turbulence churning in her head. Shifting to hook her arm under his, she just barely holds on to him, bloodstained fingertips tracing tiny masterpieces near his shoulder blades.

It's the first time since move back to Tokyo that she's had a moment to breathe. Resting against him, feeling Kaito's chest rise and fall against her as his words are practically murmured into her skin, she can't remember a time when she's felt more at peace.

Her free hand finds the back of his head and rests there, as she resists the urge to caress it. Just barely. ]


So that place is just for you, then. Wish I could see it. [ His own slice of paradise. Hibiki smiles gently.

One day, they would go back home, hopefully to those places where they truly felt like themselves; but the fact that those homes were on completely different Earths doesn't occur to her right now. All that's on her mind is how warm he feels and the way he rests his head in the crook of her neck. Tipping her chin upward, Hibiki rests her head against him.

If it were anybody else...

(She wouldn't want it to be.)

Giggling silently, she opens her eyes. ]


I think it's a prerequisite for sacred trees.

[ Jokes the woman with a giant cherry blossom tree behind her own door, but she's at least self-aware enough to draw the similarities. ]

We have something like that, at the family shrine. I don't know the full story, but I believe it was planted as a gift when part of the Fujiwara clan left Tohoku for Chubu. A wisteria tree was planted on the shrine grounds, in honor of their joining with another clan. It's been there for generations, and blooms every summer.

I'm not sure if there's a kami connected to that tree, I honestly wouldn't have been able to tell while I was alive, but I wouldn't be surprised. It has to be a couple hundred years old, at least. But it's the symbol of my family.
windsongs: (Default)

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-11-26 03:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[ M̵a̴k̵i̷n̵g̷ ̷e̷m̸p̶t̷y̸ ̴p̸r̵o̶m̶i̶s̵e̶s̴ ̶n̴o̴w̴?̵ ̴W̷e̵ ̷a̴l̴l̵ ̴k̴n̶o̶w̸ ̸t̶h̸a̶t̸ ̸i̷s̴n̶'̵t̸ ̷p̶o̴s̴s̵i̴b̵l̴e̸.̴

She doesn't care; they'll find a way. When everything is said and done and they go back to their worlds, they will find a way to see each other again.

O̵p̸t̵i̸m̵i̵s̸m̶ ̸w̷i̶l̴l̶ ̴o̴n̶l̸y̴ ̵g̵e̶t̶ ̵y̴o̷u̶ ̸s̵o̸ ̷f̵a̷r̶,̷ ̴y̴o̵u̷ ̴k̸n̷o̸w̸.̴

The only evidence of the conversation going on in her head is a vague ping of indignation, directed internally at her shadow. As Kaito shifts, she shifts with him, continuing to block the pain she feels. Moving hurts, but not as much as she thinks it should. Thankfully, she has something else to focus on, and as she leans back against him, Hibiki closes her eyes peacefully. ]


It's possible. If it holds some significance to your family, then it's possible. A kami protecting the space maybe? Or protecting your clan in general.

[ Her eyes open when she feels his arm move, eyes following the line he draws from where they sit to the small, brick building in the distance. It's disappointing that the library isn't there, but-- ]

And you'll have to take me to that restaurant, and to meet your grandfather. He sounds like an interesting guy, I'd love to pick his brain when it comes to technique.

[ Leaning forward and reaching for his outstretched hand, Hibiki cups hers around it before slowly attempting to draw it back toward her. A quiet smile spreads across her lips. Take him to the shrine, huh? What would grandfather say--not that it matters in this moment. The blonde takes a deep breath before exhaling. ]

Consider it done. I think you'd like it. It's near the base of Mount Fuji, the last stop for some trails heading upward. We get a decent number of travelers who make it a stop on their hike, to pray for safe travels. The wisteria tree is pretty easy to find, and I'll have to show you my tree too. [ A beat, before she smiles meekly. ]

It's not actually mine, but you know what I mean. And we'll go out to Ginkoya so you can see what it's really like. I'll make sure everybody gives you the five-star treatment.

[ It's all wishful thinking, she knows, but he's become an important person to her in such a short amount of time that she feels obligated to give him the grand tour. And even if she isn't sure how, Hibiki is determined to find a way. Her main objective will stay the same when she finally makes her way back home... but maybe she'll make this a reward, for cracking the mystery.

Turning her head slightly, Hibiki tries to look back at him. ]


Maybe that's it. If your clan has such strong ties, that could be a potential lead. You never know.
windsongs: (057)

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-11-26 04:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Of course not. Between the two of us, I know we'll figure it out. We're way too stubborn not to.

[ Where he's acquiescing to his Shadow's doubts, Hibiki is throwing down the gauntlet. Because yes, it feels impossible, but she's confident that their reuniting once they leave the Netherworld is a non-zero chance. If that much is true, then she will find a way. Tell her no and she will fight even harder to make something a reality.

Feeling the breeze begin to pick up, a glimmer of warm rose gold radiating from his hand, the blonde's eyes widen in surprise. He explains and she listens, but as petals wink into existence from the particles of light swirling around them, her attention is split between the spectacle and... something else. It's hazy, and she doesn't see it as much as she feels it, distant and familiar and warm.

Watching the spell unfold, she feels it working its magic, each petal depositing that same warmth as it mends what's been beaten or battered. Her eyes briefly draw to the side, to try to look at him. ]


...Cherry blossoms are my aesthetic? [ That's the first time she's heard that. ]
prozaic: (Default)

delivery (nightfell)

[personal profile] prozaic 2022-12-03 12:40 pm (UTC)(link)
[there's a delivery of a small mason jar, just about 290mL, with a simple note-- even if the writing is anything but simple. in fact, it's downright elegant, a cursive only seen in people who went to expensive, fancy schools or had special tutoring. no signature, except the "S" in spiced tea is stylized specifically to be a snake, larger than the rest of the writing, and eye-catching.]

Spiced tea, but with a little kick! (Don't drink too much in one go, please.)

As a small token of friendship, may it keep you warm even for just a moment in this snowy weather.


[inside the jar itself is a light brown liquid, still with a bit of the ingredients used to make it-- a thin slice of lemon, zest from an orange, so on and so forth. as for the kick? it's rum.]
windsongs: (28)

no-kill Nagano huh...

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-12-05 07:11 am (UTC)(link)
[ Her sacred tree, he says. It isn't in the literal sense, there's no kami associated with it to her knowledge (her family would know, right?), but it still feels different to her. Maybe Hibiki can interpret it like that, something sacred and special to her specifically, rather than in general.

That thought thankfully isn't given any room to grow, and as Kaito takes her arm, the blonde stills. Winces, not out of pain thanks to his healing, but... shame maybe? Or the unsettling knowledge that's been branded in every sense of the word, that she's somehow disfigured. Those thoughts circle in her head for the brief instant before he places a gentle kiss on her arm.

On her end is complete radio silence, but not because she's blocked the link between them. Frozen in that moment, her mind goes blank. If it weren't for him foolishly apologizing to her, she might have stayed that way. ]


...Kaito, you don't...

[ It usually takes a lot for her to get emotional, but hearing him blame himself for this before placing another kiss on her branded arm sets Hibiki over the edge. She takes a ragged breath, gripping the arm he has wrapped around her with her free hand as she bows her head. She's tired--so, so tired. Even before she died and showed up here, she's been holding so much in, and his guilt-ridden apology is what finally pushes her past her breaking point.

A single sob escapes her, filled with so much emotion. Anguish and anger directed at no single target, but at everything all at once. The fact that he feels like he has to apologize for any of what happened... ]


...This isn't your fault...

[ Please, don't say anything else, Kaito. She doesn't want to cry, not in front of him like this. ]
windsongs: (Default)

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-12-05 10:11 am (UTC)(link)
[ After forcing herself to be strong for so long, it's difficult to remember what it's like to be vulnerable. So maybe it's a good thing that she's forged a bond with an empath, especially one that won't let her hide those difficult emotions behind a bubbly smile and other unhealthy coping mechanisms.

He doesn't need to say a word, pulling her closer to him and nuzzling into the curve of her neck serving as an effective one-two punch against a lifetime of learned behaviors. Her anchor, her soulmate; her partner. The one person in this twisted Hellscape she has who can keep her grounded.

Her grip tightens on his arm as she finally lets herself feel the weight of what she had just been through. Of what she's been through since arriving... and the events leading up to her arrival here. Hibiki clamps her mouth shut, lips pressed tightly together as slowly lets herself cry. It's like a deluge--once the spasms start, Hibiki can't control them, shaking against him as she still desperately tries to rein it in.

Don't think any less of her for this moment of weakness, please. It just feels like he's the only thing that hasn't been taken from her at this point, and having him see her as anything other than perfectly put together makes her afraid of losing that precious bond they share as well. ]
windsongs: (123)

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-12-05 04:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[ This isn't like her at all. Never the one to be a sobbing mess, to need someone to hold her and whisper quiet assurances as her body is wracked with pain and anguish. If she cries (when was the last time...), she does so alone. She's the strong one, she can take any burden with a smile and a few reassuring words. Someone needs to full of light in this dark place.

But when was the last time she was comforted like this? When was the last time someone held her like this?

Her shadow surprisingly quiet as she trembles against him, Hibiki takes a few stabilizing breaths as he starts to sing. His voice surprisingly soft, quiet and a bit uncertain, it helps pull her back into herself. Flickering in the distant like candlelight, the storm of emotion that wracks her body begins to abate as she focuses on the sound. Whether it's their shared bond or the way he's naturally drawn her in without her realizing that's causing the warmth she feels in her chest is hard to say... but it's nice. Nice in a way that feels comforting and a bit dangerous. ]


...You have a nice voice.

[ Her voice still feels strained, but she feels like she needs to say at least that much. Tilting her head to rest delicately against his hand, she continues to take a deep breath. She isn't putting a cap on this as a defensive maneuver, not completely, but because something about this feels overwhelmingly warm. ]
windsongs: (Default)

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-12-05 08:10 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Why does this feel so natural? Coming down from that burst of emotions, feeling him rest his head against hers as he threads his fingers in her hair, normally Hibiki would cut this off before this point.

But she's exhausted in every sense of the word, and he's so incredibly warm. Like ocean waves gently crashing on the shore, something about his presence relaxes her. Should she be worried? Or should she just give in to that feeling and let it wash over her...

Her hand hanging there near his cheek as he lets go, Hibiki blinks a few times. She doesn't turn her head to look this time, not wanting to bump hers into his again. ]


Hmm? Dropped something?

[ Sorry, she isn't following. ]

Page 2 of 4