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[ if anything happened to it she'd like. die. but it's no big deal?? and it being cute is obviously the most important part of it. she beadazzled it once (and got yelled at for doing it). ]

It's okay! I take very good care of mine, nothing will happen to it.

[ she won't comment on whether or not shoving katze's into her was safe though. because it definitely was not, and she actually had no idea on whether or not that would work. hajime wasn't even completely confident that they wouldn't have just taken over her body after the fusion happened? but it worked out. everything is Fine. ]

Number Two...

[No, now he's worried about her. He tilts his head, meeting her eyes with a frown.]

Really. If Katze-san isn't... if they're not here, shouldn't you... put that back?

[he shifts as if he might tap her chest, then pauses, thinks better of it for obvious differences between her chest and his, and just lets his hand drop back down between her shoulder blades.]

I can't do that. [ she frowns, her voice losing that slightly whimsical tone that usually accompanies her words. ]

I can't take it back out on my own. And what if something happens, and I could have saved someone if I had my powers? That wouldn't be very Gatcha of me, Hajime-kun.

[Her use of his first name instead of the dumb nickname makes him pause, looking up to meet her eyes. Then he sighs quietly, glancing toward her notebook again. It sounds absurd. Totally crazy. But he'd seen what she'd been able to do with her NOTE, and... he knows he could never do anything like that.]

You're... a really admirable person. I wish I could be as strong as you are. I just... don't want to see anything happen to you. That's all.

I'll be okay. I'm very tough!

[ although even if she wasn't okay she probably wouldn't say anything? as much as she likes to listen to other people talk about their feelings, hajime never actually talks about her own. whoops. ]

I didn't tell you this to worry you though! It's something important about my life, and since we're friends I just figure you might want to know.

I'm... glad you told me.

[He stares up at the ceiling, exhaling a quiet breath through his nose. It's easy to forget that everyone here has their own stories; Hajime has always been so cheerful, so impossible to keep down, that it's easy to assume she'd never had to struggle for anything. But that's obviously wrong.]

I know you're tough, I just... didn't realize just how tough you really are. To go through something like that, and keep your optimistic outlook... you really are strong.

So I'll try not to worry.

You probably will worry anyway, right?

[ it's one thing to try not to worry, but actually managing it is something else entirely. ]

I'm very careful though! [ no she's not. ]

Maybe not.

[He laughs quietly, giving her a small, almost rueful smile. He's just lost too many people he cares about not to have a nagging fear in the back of his mind, that one day he's going to wake up and she'll just be gone. Or she'll go on a mission like Faize and Lymle had, and never come back.

But he will try not to show it. Which is... progress, or something. Right?]

Just keep being careful, then. And take a mechanic with you next time.

I'll bring Souda-kun along!

[ because that seems like the obvious choice? she can't get stuck with any of the other mechanics because they actually do useful things for the base, after all.

sorry souda. ]

Ah, he... gets motion sickness...

[The reason Souda hasn't taken a single vehicle anywhere in the time he's been here.]

Really?! How does he leave base?

[ besides swimming? since... a lot of the places are kind of too far away to swim to unless you are REALLY determined. ]

I, uh... don't think he's really gone anywhere that he couldn't reach by swimming...

[Clearly they just need to sedate him or knock him out.

But bringing up Souda reminds him of something else, his expression sobering again.]

Hey... when you guys were out there, you... didn't happen to run into Sonia, right?

Ah, Sonie? No. We didn't see anyone until we came back to the base.

[ she frowns, looking at him quizzically. ]

Is she missing?

...Yeah. My classmates and I always meet up for breakfast and dinner, but... none of us have seen her for a few days now. URSULA says she left the base, but... that's all we know so far.

[He exhales and closes his eyes. Way to ruin a light-hearted moment, Hinata-! A real champ.]

It's part of why I'm so glad to see you guys all made it back.

[ that's concerning. people vanish from the base all the time, but hajime figures it'll probably feel a little different if someone you knew from back home was one of the ones who vanished. ]

We'll figure it out.

[ it probably would have been better to say "we'll find her" but hajime would rather not make a promise she isn't positive they can keep. for all they know sonia might not even be on the planet anymore; it's hard to say when they have no idea how everything here even works. ]

I know. We're going to solve the mystery of this planet.

[He appreciates her saying so, honestly, more than he would an empty promise to find her. Because he's well aware that they have no way of knowing what happened to the people who've truly disappeared.]

But that doesn't mean I won't miss the people who are gone.

No, you should definitely miss them. They're your friends, after all! When you care about someone then they're going to be on your mind a lot, especially when they aren't around.

[ at this, she does finally move to get off of him. ]

It hurts but it isn't a bad thing.

[Oh, she's getting off. He almost doesn't want her to, she's soft and warm and he's comfortable like this? But he does move his arms so she can get up, shifting back on his elbows.]

Yeah, you're right. It doesn't really get easier, losing someone, but... we can't give up.

[ if it helps, she isn't going far. hajime just rolls on her side, facing him and still close enough that they could touch. ]

You sounded very inspirational there!

Haha, do you think so...?

[He rolls over to face her, lifting one shoulder in a shrug. If it sounded inspirational, that's good! It seems like that's about all he can do.]

But... you're probably tired, right? The floor can't be a comfortable place for you to sleep.

[And the Countess has taken up her usual spot right in the middle of Hajime's bed. Because cats.]

Maybe a nap would be good.

[ she lifts her head up to look over at her bed and... yes. there is the cat.

LOOKS LIKE HAJIME WILL JUST SLEEP ON THE FLOOR THEN. it's fine. ]

Ah...

[Countess, why...]

You can sleep in my bed, I don't mind. Until we can train the Countess that it's not actually her bed.

Are you sure?

[ she wouldn't mind sleeping on the floor... ]

Yeah, it's fine. I just washed the sheets the other day.

[In... case she's worried that his sheets are gross?? He gives her another smile and a nod. This has nothing to do with his crush on her, this is literally what he'd offer to just about anyone.]

[ hajime slowly rises to her feet and stretches, before looking back down at him. ]

If you get tired too you can nap with me. Since it's your bed.

inbox - subnautica

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