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Post by Namine Joy LeBeau on Nov 27, 2012 10:17:41 GMT -5
I stop, look at... oh for god sake, what is his name?
"I need your name and number, that was beautiful," But then shake my head as I glance to Neku. "He is right, Neku..." Per usual I allow him to come to own conclusion, his own ends.
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Post by Neku Sakuraba on Nov 27, 2012 14:21:44 GMT -5
He was right.
God, I was such an idiot. I still didn't think I should be running the Network, I still didn't think I had any right to be who I was and still be the Head, but Lea was right. He wouldn't have been nearly so pissed off at me if I'd told him. He was my best friend. I was so. So. So. Completely. Stupid!
Of course, I had this nagging feeling that the reason I hadn't told him what was going on and why I was doing what I was doing was that I knew he'd try and talk me out of it.
"Lea," I said, looking up at him, "can you deck me? I think I deserve it right now."
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Post by Lea on Nov 27, 2012 14:41:04 GMT -5
"No. Need."
The voice was angry, dangerous, and female. It came from the door leading into the rest of Veil's back hallways, which had just flung itself opened.
Then a raging bundle of Tifa slammed all of her weight into a running punch at Neku, which sent him flying.
"Tifa! I can-"
He was cut off as she suddenly was standing next to him, eyes flaring furiously. "Neku Sakuraba you are a complete and total moron and I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU!" she yelled as she picked him up by the collar, spun, and threw him fifteen feet across the room, where he slammed into the opposite wall, putting a dent in it.
I winced.
"You are in big trouble young man!" she yelled, picking him up by the collar again and jrking him to his feet. "Do you know how much I worried about you?!" And Neku was thrown into the adjacent wall on the accent of 'worried'.
"Tifa, I swear, I'm sorry-"
"Sorries won't cut it! You dropped us all like a brick and you dropped leadership like a ton of bricks on Lea! Do you understand how irresponsible that was? And how upset I am right now? We had no idea where you were and for all we knew you were dead or hurt or captured or something! You could've been draw through again! NEKU SAKURABA! I AM DISAPPOINTED IN YOU!"
I watched in sympathy as Neku shrunk smaller and smaller against the wall as Tifa delivered her rant, fists clenched, eyes narrowed at my errant friend. I vaguely wondered if she'd even realized Neku wasn't exactly himself anymore.
Then Tifa's glare softened and she grabbed Neku a third time, this time by the shoulders. He winced, but instead of delivering another blow, she pulled him tightly into a big hug.
"Don't ever make Aqua, Lea and I worry like that again!" she scolded, squeezing him. "So now why don't you tell Momma Tifa everything, okay, Neku?" Her hands reached behind his horns and stroked his hair gently. "I can tell there's a long story involved and I'm betting Lea only got the summary. It's okay, honey - you'll always be my little Neku, no matter what you look like on the outside."
Neku's startled expression when she hugged him had been priceless, but now his face crumbled and I saw him trying to hold back tears as he hugged her tightly back. "Tifa, I'm so sorry..."
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Post by Namine Joy LeBeau on Nov 29, 2012 17:35:17 GMT -5
I watch in slight horror before smiling at the heart warming scene. And then look to Lea, beaming, and the other guy nodding while beaming. This is exactly how I thought things were going to go. And guess what? They did... Good.
I don't want to ruin the moment, so I just watch. Neku needs this, needed this. This is his family, this is who he is and where he belongs. Now... I hope he realizes it, remembers it...
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Post by Neku Sakuraba on Dec 31, 2012 13:55:48 GMT -5
I was shaking, I realized vaguely as Tifa hugged me with every bit of.... well, Tifa-ness I could remember her having, despite everything.
"I'm an idiot," I said to her shoulder, and she nodded.
"Yes, you are," she told me. "You shouldn't have run away. I understand the need ofr a vacation after something traumatic, but you could have at least given us your two weeks'!"
I rolled my eyes and extracted myself from her grasp.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," I grumbled, rubbing at my bruised shoulders. "Let's just hope nobody heard the ruckus and decided to come investigate... I don't really want to have to explain myself to anybody else today, and I really hope to keep the whole thing on the down-low as much as possible."
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Post by Aqua on Jan 1, 2013 1:04:30 GMT -5
Of course as Neku finishes that Aqua clears her throat. She had been present for the better part of this confrontation and now waits for everyone to take notice of her. Once they do she waves, "So... I assume I am not part of this count then?"
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Post by Neku Sakuraba on Jan 1, 2013 1:06:19 GMT -5
I froze.
"Oh, no...."
The last person I'd wanted to know.
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Post by Aqua on Jan 1, 2013 1:13:24 GMT -5
Aqua sighs and then smiles softly at Neku, "So... Is this the reason you had us all up in a huff? Not to shabby of a reason... Although... You could of at least told your family." She waves a hand at Lea and Tifa.
"And if you felt comfortable enough, me... I understand, Neku... Its okay."
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Post by Neku Sakuraba on Jan 1, 2013 1:23:09 GMT -5
I collapsed back down into a seat, looking up at the two moms, my best friend, and my girlfriend-slash-fiancee-slash-its-complicated.
And Rin.
"I just don't get it," I said quietly, looking back and forth between everyone I cared about standing in the same room. "You're all acting like this is the most perfectly natural thing in the world. I mean, Lea was shocked, but only a tiny bit, Tifa barely batted an eyelash, and Aqua.... reacted less than that. How was I supposed to tell any of you? Who I am is a lie, and always has been..."
I shook my head again.
"And it's not like you're even looking at the me I usually am... whih is easier to deal with even for me... you're looking at the me with no filters and no restraints to keep you at arm's length from the truth. And all you want is... to have known? Even though I left to protect you all from this secret?"
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Post by Aqua on Jan 1, 2013 1:32:27 GMT -5
Oh, Neku...
Calmly she crosses to the orange haired boy and bends her knees so she's on eye level with him, her eyes bright and smile gentle, "Well, that's what happens when people care about you... If we would of thought something had happened to you we would be all raging and ready to throw ourselves on the line for you, right?" She reaches out with one hand not being used to help brace her weight on her knees and ruffles his spikes with a kindest and loving giggle. "We will stand beside you and always accept you... You're Tifa's son, Lea's brother, Namine's one true love, and my son as well... With that said you should of never expected anything less... We really do love you, darling..."
She pulls her hand back and watches him a moment before shaking her head. Then she stands to her full height, "But, if space is what you need... I will gladly give it..." Aqua sighs, thoughtful and peaceful. "Although as your mother I do advise otherwise."
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Post by Neku Sakuraba on Jan 1, 2013 1:37:44 GMT -5
I looked up at her, feeling a smile creep across my face, then stood and hugged her.
"Thanks, Aqua. You really are... a great mom."
I let her go and looked away.
"I don't really need space... I kinda had enough of that. And this guy needs help. I need to do my job, even if it would be bad for the Network if everything came out about me. And... I need you guys' help to do it. I can't do it by myself, I understand that." I nodded. "So... will you guys help me keep my secret, and do your best to help me with the Network? I need people like each and every one of you. And someday, we'll build a future where... the next me won't have to worry about things like this."
"That's wonderful, Neku!" Tifa said, her own face sporting a huge grin as Lea nodded, but then her face turned serious. "However, don't thnk that inspiring speeches will get you out of telling us what happened. I'm sure Aqua would like to know as well....?" She looked over at the blunette Mom 2.
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Post by Aqua on Jan 1, 2013 1:44:10 GMT -5
Aqua nods, "Preferrably before you can slip away again." Its just a suggestion and at most a prompt. She knows better than to push someone into telling something... she got enough of that from Namine... and she's quite sure Neku gets enough of that from the other three family members in this room...
After a moment, and a sheepish smile at Neku, she turns her blue gaze onto Rin, "Welcome to the family... I'm Aqua... If you ever need anything just let me know."
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Post by Neku Sakuraba on Jan 1, 2013 2:06:19 GMT -5
He grabbed her hand and shook it vigorously; I noticed that his tail had crept out of wherever it was hiding and was 'wagging' back and forth just as emphatically. I chuckled.
"Thanks, I'm Rin. I'm glad somebody is okay with helping me... But yeah, you should listen to Neku's story! Its actually pretty interesting!"
I sighed.
"Okay, okay, I get the message," I said, rolling my eyes.
ANd then I told them everything. About Izaya and my mom, the flashback I'd been having; the deal they'd made, the man who I still couldn't remember; how I'd found out... the choice I'd been given, and the one I'd made.
"....so, yeah. That's... why I'm this way now. I was never supposed to be human in the first place... in fact, to be honest, I really wasn't ever supposed to exist."
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Post by Aqua on Jan 1, 2013 2:19:44 GMT -5
She smiles at Rin before looking to Neku.
Aqua listens intently, frowning at the appropriate times and giving a small smile when Namine had moved to link her arms around Neku's waist. The mother now sighs and nods to the boy, "I do believe you've made the right choice."
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Post by Neku Sakuraba on Jan 1, 2013 3:25:46 GMT -5
"Thanks, Aqua," I told her. "That really does mean a lot to me."
I smiled up at Namine, hugged her closer. I still hadn't gone back to my human form; for some reason... I liked it like this. Being open and honest with the people I cared about most. The ones who had come to mean the most to me in my everyday life, and... me. The real me, the complete me. It was a bit scary, to realize just how quickly I had come to accept who I really was, but when everyone was gathered her like this, maybe it wasn't quite so scary.
"Anyway, guys, we need to figure out what to do with Rin," I said, nodding to him. He looked up at me. "And what to do with the chapter Heads who... let's just say there's going to be some personnel changes in the Network."
I quickly explained RIn's predicament to the others.
"Any ideas, guys?"
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