001 ☀ Stahn Aileron, Otome Yanagiya

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[he'd missed her every single day. every day, even through the rest of his journey, even when facing the end of the world, and especially in the nights where he lay awake, thinking back on experiences nobody else could remember—leon wasn't even around anymore for him to confirm it with—he remembered and thought of otome.

she wasn't just a friend, she was family, and no matter how strange and distant those things seemed, they were a part of him.

so seeing her now, seeing her in front of him... it's so shocking, but so relieving at the same time.

and while she may be blinking back tears, stahn isn't. he can feel his throat closing, he can feel the sting at his eyes—but he doesn't push them back. instead, he just presses forward, abruptly hugging her even though other people are watching.

awkward. probably.

but his head dips and he sucks in a breath, and all he can really say to her is the thing he's most curious to know.]

How...? [how is she here? he knows... he knows it's her. he knows this is real, she's someone he can feel in his grasp, and everything from her tone to her expression confirmed that this was the very same person he'd been missing all this time.]

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[ Oh. She has just enough time to see his expression crumple before he's rushing forward, and even if Otome's knees almost buckle from the sudden embrace, she's just as quick to wrap her arms around him. Stahn is still family, and this is still so familiar, that before she realizes it, she's moving a hand up to stroke his hair and press it gently against his head. ]

... I don't know. [ softly, and honestly-- has he grown? Has she shrunk? It feels as though he's taller than she remembers, but it's certainly been a while. ] It's something I'll have to figure out.

But I'm here.

[ And she's not willing to let him go anytime soon. ]

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[things have definitely changed a bit, though it won't be as easy for her to tell until they get past the initial shock of things.

he's not willing to let go either yet though, the murmurs from others something that falls so completely deaf on him right now; it's almost like nobody else is there, like he's forgotten just where they are.]

I'm glad. I thought... I wouldn't see you again. [there's a lot to figure out, like how she got here and why, and what to do because she's obviously not supposed to be there, in his world like this. but he can't be worried about those things when otome is right here, right now.]

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I know.

[ Otome says it gently, because she'd thought the same, for as much as she'd scolded herself for thinking that maybe this was truly it. She'd never see anyone again. But she's survived (sort of) three world resets, and seen some pretty impossible things in her rather young lifetime. Arriving in a different world, Stahn's home-- it probably hadn't been entirely implausible, and she draws back a little to look at him. ]

But Stahn, we're family. I could never abandon you completely.

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[when she draws back, it'll be easy for her to notice a couple of things right off the bat. the first is obviously that he's a bit teary-eyed, even still.

but despite that, there's a small smile on his lips, and he looks very obviously less broken down and tired than he had in the past.]

I know... You're not that kind of person at all. Family... is always family, no matter how far apart we are.

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That's right.

[ And because Otome is still very much a mother-type, she's pulling a handkerchief out of her coat pocket to get to work delicately dabbing at Stahn's eyes. ]

I may not know how I got here, but I'm glad I was able to see you again. It's been far too long, hasn't it?

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[she dotes just as much as he remembers her doing, and it only makes him smile a little wider, relieved that some things never change.]

Yeah... it's been a really long time. Close to a year, I think...

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Mm... I thought you'd grown.

[ He seems like more of an adult now, even if he's always been taller than her. ]

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...Have I?

[he sounds a little puzzled as he asks that, because... well, if he has, he sure hasn't noticed it.]

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Just a little. Rather... you look like you've been through a lot.

[ He's probably had quite the journey. ]

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Yeah... that's true. A lot of things really did happen.

[he has a lot to tell her.]

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... Did you want to talk about it?

Er-- [ and she pauses, glancing around as she finally realizes people are staring. ]

... In a bit?

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Ah...

[he'll draw back a bit more, gaze shifting before letting out an awkward laugh. he sure is going to have a lot of explaining to do later.]

Ye... yeah. I'll take you back to my house, and we can talk more there. [clearly, he's forgotten about his errands already. which were going to be useless anyway since he dropped the list when he say her.

(lilith is going to be pissed, but it's fine.)]

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Sorry to intrude, [ and she says it automatically, with a rueful smile. Stahn probably didn't expect his day to include a doctor from another world making a surprise appearance, and she can only imagine what his family will think. ]

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You're not intruding. You're family, Otome... you're always welcome here.

[where else would she even go? he could never dream of turning her out.]

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... Thank you. I have to admit, it's a lot better than thinking about trying to camp outside or in a hay bale tonight.

[ Even though she would have done it. ]

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You won't have to do anything like that. There's always room for you here.

[though she'll have to deal with a staredown from lilith, probably.]

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[ She can handle staredowns, she's Otome. ]

Well, for as long as I'm here, please don't treat me like a guest. I'd be happy to help out around your home where I can.

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You're a guest, Otome... We can worry about that if it changes, but nobody's going to want you to pick up and start doing work. We have a lot to figure out before that, don't we?

[like how she got here, if there's a way back, how to even explain this to his family...]

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You mean how to send me back home after figuring out how I got here in the first place?

[ the hardest questions of all, considering she can barely remember a change in the air. ]

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[he nods.]

Yeah. I'm happy I can see you again, but... we still need to figure those things out. [maybe there's some way they can control it, so they can see each other sometimes—wouldn't that be nice?]

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That's fine. I'd like to meet your sheep, too.

[ His family is hopefully a given. ]

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[the sheep are family, otome.]

Mm, mm! You can meet Jonathan and all the others too!

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Do they all have names?

[ Is she going to have to memorize an entire flock? ]

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Uh-huh! It wouldn't be right if we didn't name them all. Jonathan's just the one I spend the most time with!