For Joe and Marvey.

[goodbyesempai]

I've been waiting to meet Joe Gibken. It's a strangely evocative name. Any mention of him has begun to provoke memories that weren't quite there before; soft skin, silky hair, full lips. Tragedy. Parting. Soldiers, boots, coming towards us. I have no idea how much of this is real (though none of it in this current existence of mine) and how much is fancy brought on by the idea of his being my fated love in every lifetime but this one.

Marvelous wouldn't hear of my meeting him alone, so we've arranged for it to be the three of us. I need to see Joe.

I need to know all about him.

Comments

[goodbyesempai]

I stretch out an arm, ready to catch him if he falls, "I ran away from Zangyack to be with a pirate. You think I'm too worried about myself?" He doesn't yet know that I did that in this timeline, "I did do that," I clarify.

[gibken]

I notice his arms come out, it's like a reflex, but I know that this reflex isn't meant for me. It's meant for some other Marvelous.

Ran away from Zangyack. To be with a pirate. So this is what would have happened to Sid-sempai if I hadn't gotten in the way. I shake my head and back away, stumbling a bit but managing to stay upright.

"Yeah, well, that... That must have worked out for you, but this won't. Me, I won't. Okay? I'm dangerous."

[goodbyesempai]

"Don't you think you're being a little dramatic, Joe. I am used to danger. I agreed to come here to help you, so please, let me be the judge of the risks I take." I look back at Marvelous, then take another step towards Joe, "would you like us to take you home?"

[gibken]

"Dramatic?" I scoff, more of a harsh single-note laugh than anything, and shake my head. "I don't know who brought you here, or why, but they can't have any idea about... About everything that I'm trying to deal with." I take another step away from him, noticing the way he glances almost in deferment to Marvelous before he tries to follow me. "I can get home on my own."

[goodbyesempai]

I think Marvelous is on the edge of doing something rash; and Joe, clearly, has his own problems at the moment.

"Very well, Joe, but won't you accept my contact information? You may want it." I hold out a sheet of paper on which I've written my details. It's folded so as to conceal the letter I wrote to Joe, asking to meet him privately.

I won't hide from Marvelous where I'm going, but Joe and I need to speak together alone. The letter expresses some of the details of my meeting with Ryoutarou and the others; that I was summoned from time to support Joe and help him with anything he may need. I explain on the pages that I am eager to know him and to hear about our love.

[gibken]

I almost refuse even that much. It's not that I don't need him around, or want him around, or anything other than the fact that I know, somehow, if he gets himself involved with me, he's going to end up hurt. Maybe dead. Again. And it will be my fault, just like it was the first time, or times, or whatever. Just like with Gai.

I glance at Marvelous again, then shrug and take the offered paper. "Fine."

How is my life so thoroughly screwed up?

[goodbyesempai]

"Thank you. Just think about it, please, and you know where we'll be if you want us." I rejoin Marvelous and bow my head slightly to Joe.

[marveychan]

"Well," I say, my voice flat. I cross my arms over my chest, and stare blankly at Sid. "That went well."

[goodbyesempai]

"Give him some time, Marvelous. He's frightened and alone." I pet Marvelous's arm awkwardly, "come along. I'm buying you lunch."

[marveychan]

My stomach rumbles at the mention of food, and I spend maybe a handful of seconds staying irritated before I soften, reaching for Sid's hand and gripping it tightly

"Curry?" I ask, hope in my eyes.

[goodbyesempai]

"Why not? We'll find a restaurant." I clasp my fingers around his and lead him along the street. I do hope we can find one of those 'all you can eat' deals. We may need it.

[marveychan]

I am feeling better now that Joe isn't around. I'm not sure why I wanted to be there for that awkward scene (yes I am, I wanted to make sure Sid wasn't going to run off into the night. ...he's done it before). I'm sure I'll be feeling even more better once I've got a plate of food in front of me.

"Are you happy?" I glance at him, then pause, then decide to add to that question, since it was pretty vague and I want to be more specific. "Now that you got to see him?"

[goodbyesempai]

"I wouldn't call it happiness, any more than I would be happy to see you in such a condition. He's scared and alone. I wouldn't wish that on anyone." After a moment's reflection I continue "but yes, I'm glad we met him. I hope he'll come to us if he needs something."

[marveychan]

I soften slightly, feeling oddly... I hesitate to say humbled, since I will still fight this Joe Gibken if ever he tries to disrupt what I have with Sid, but I...

I also felt drawn to him. In a weird way. It has me curious.

"Sid..." I hesitate. Chewing my bottom lip for a moment. I'm so much better at deep conversation once I've gotten a few plates of food in my stomach.

[goodbyesempai]

"Yes?" I squeeze his little hand reassuringly. I know he didn't mean to upset Joe. I'm sure that over time, Marvelous will want to know Joe better; he's a good kid. I'll find somewhere nice to take him for lunch.

[marveychan]

I hum thoughtfully, returning the little hand squeeze. "I just... he seemed like he knew me?"

I chew my lip a bit more, though I manage to stop before I make myself bleed. "It kinda felt like I've met him too."

[goodbyesempai]

"Don't eat yourself, Marvelous. We'll buy food soon." I drape my free arm around him.

Oh, that's an interesting thought, "perhaps you have. If you know me in this lifetime, you may have known me in another, and perhaps through me, Joe."

[marveychan]

I lean into him when his arm flops over me, feeling a bubble of happiness well up inside me because he still loves me. He does.

"Will you..." I groan, because asking this would mean I give him 'permission' to see Gibken again, and I just... I don't want to lose him.

"Nevermind," I shake my head firmly, then nod, then look at him with a smile. "It's not really important. Just please feed me."

[goodbyesempai]

I fuss over him some more and eventually find a place that does curry. Five or six plates for him, and one for me is enough to start with. It's just as well we have plenty of plunder.

I don't want him to feel pushed out by Joe. They are both beautiful, both very special to me. But Marvelous thinks like a pirate; like I'm some very precious jewel he must protect from any interloper. I'm honoured that he values me so highly, but I don't want him to intimidate Joe.

[marveychan]

I feel much better after a few plates of curry and rice, all happy and warm. And it's not just the good food, it's having good food with Sid. He makes meals even more enjoyable.

I love him very dearly. I am not going to give him up. Not to Joe Gibken, not to anyone.

[goodbyesempai]

Marvelous is lounging around all dozy and satisfied, and I chuckle to myself, "Enjoy that? I'll have to bring you back here sometime. There are plenty of restaurants around here for us to try out."

[marveychan]

"At least this timeline and planet have good food," I nod once, scraping the last few bits of rice of my current plate. "I would have had serious words with the powers that be if we'd been stuck somewhere with bland food."

[goodbyesempai]

"I'm sure you would." I reach for his little hand under the table, "is that enough or do you want more?" I know he's still going to eat a full dinner later.

[marveychan]

I have a brief impulse to pull my hand away. If he thinks he can placate me into forgetting all about the googly eyes he was making at that Gibken character with food... well okay, even I can admit that it's a valid tactic.

I don't pull my hand away though, instead I squeeze it. Hard. Possessively. This is my treasure.

"Enough for now," I nod. Humming for a moment before sitting up a bit in my chair. "What about dessert?"

[goodbyesempai]

"What kind of dessert were you thinking of?" If it's any more than this place's pudding menu, he'll have to wait until I can get him back to our current base.

I didn't overlook the significance of that little squeeze. Or rather not so little. I guess he's still feeling low over the appearance of Joe.