middleofsomewhere | Conclusion

Thank you.

For those inside the system the voices of the Great-Seasons ring out around them once the red mass has vanished and the blue plinth it was smothering is freed once more. They don't have all that much time to reflect on that before they find themselves waking up once more in their bodies around the tree trunks.

Or at least, around the tube that is the Great-Season they entered through. All illusions have vanished now, all that is left are pipes and metal.

The Great-Seasons allow them passage out from the centre, no sentries or pipes attack them this time. Everything seems to have been put to rights, the walls in the Autumn sector have stopped moving, there is no strange weather effects in the Summer Sector, no engineering problems in Winter and all the camaloid creatures in Spring are calm. Any Helpmates they come across are doing their jobs and no longer malfunctioning.

After a small amount of time, enough to check that all is well, their SCA's light up. All Passengers are to return to the Voidtrecker Express.

Considering the vast distances involved it is probably best that they use the evacuation function to return to the Luggage carriage.

Once all Voidtreckers have returned the train returns to the Void once more.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nita raises a hand once Inigo settles himself in - landing it gently on his shoulder, trying to summon a smile.

"It was. But I've been through it before, so I know I'll be able to bounce back better next time. If there's a next time."

Which, sad to say, it's likely there will be.

Her other hand gets held by Inigo, and she lets the warmth of his hands sink in.

"... Me, too. But you weren't alone, either; you were helping people, and they needed your help too."

Just so Inigo doesn't forget that!

He laughs, softly.

"I don't know, it sounds like even more people needed my help than expected." Like Nita. He does feel kind of genuinely bad that he wasn't there for her, even though it isn't full on devastating or anything. But still - it feels a little like letting down an important friend, huh.

"Clearly I need to find a way to multiply myself so everyone can have their own personal little Inigo with them at all times."

Nita drops the one hand from his shoulder, to join the rest of their hands in the clasping.

"... Not sure if I want that to be literal or not."

On the one hand, more Inigo, but on the other-

"How would you be able to coordinate all those selves?" There's a genuine smile on her face as she asks it, though.

"How?" He echoes, but it's with a smile on his face. Like he's more than willing to entertain this little notion, no matter how weird or hypothetical it is. Anything that can distract Nita's thoughts for at least a moment from the mission and what happened during it are fine with him, after all.

"What, are you saying I couldn't do it?"

He pulls back one of the hands from their little hand clasping pile, but just so he can form a fist with it and pound it against his chest - over his heart.

"I know how much I care for my friends, so I just know every single one of those versions of me would do their utter best for whoever they were with at any given moment!"

Nita shakes her head.

"Nah; if you're not trying to run all of them with one mind, you should be good."

Is she taking this at least semi-seriously, logistics-wise? Perhaps!

But Inigo's strategy is working, and that's arguably more important anyway.

That's definitely more important to him here! Who cares whether what he's saying makes sense or not, as long as it's keeping Nita happy and her thoughts occupied with things he'd rather have her think of.

"How about running them all with one heart?" He makes sure to say it in the absolute most cheesy way, a grin plastered on his face.

Nita snickers, before it bubbles over into laughter. Part hysterics, part joy.

"That'll do it for sure!"

It's a minute or so before she settles down again; shoulders relaxed, she smiles right at him.

"... Thanks. I really needed that."

"Good," he simply replies, slowly letting go of her hands. But he's not standing up and walking away yet or anything. Inigo lingers where he is, kneeling there next to her, staring up at her with a smile.

"You know you can always come to me when you need that, right? Just look for me. I always have time for you." Especially after a mission, when so much can have happened. When one can have so much to talk about. "I, erm.."

He suddenly seems a bit less confident, blushing slightly as he rubs the back of his neck.

"I don't know if you're much the type for it, but I am also available for comforting cuddle naps whenever."

Nita's eyes widen noticeably, though she doesn't let go.

Inigo's fluster is felt... and accepted for what it is.

"I- well, I mean, I'm not exactly tired now, but-"

Time to head off her own awkwardness!

"If you want to... sit with me... I, ah, wouldn't be opposed."

Reading/writing cuddle time? Reading/writing cuddle time!

There's a moment where Inigo is quiet. Not because he minds the way she bends the offer, but more just since his brain is having a slight panic moment over here. Does Nita mean that sitting in the same way he meant the cuddle naps? Aka: are cuddles still involved? Or is she trying to downplay this into just them sitting, without much physical contact?

He searches her face for an answer, trying to see if that awkwardness is just flustered, or if it's her trying to get out of the situation.

Inigo can't be sure, but...

He moves to sit next to her.

Pretty close. Their sides are touching.

It's experimental, but--

".. Like this?" Is this fine?! Oh, sweet Naga, please tell him he's not crossing a boundary like an idiot, just because he likes being physically affectionate with his friends.

Nita can tell he's feeling his way into this, worried about potentially reading too much into things -

So she leans into him, sighing a little as she does.

"... Yeah. Cuddling and sitting."

She smiles.

"As long as I can still write, basically I'm game."

That admission, just her saying it's okay, makes his shoulders sag. Like the tension in them fades away all at once, leaving him just exhaling for a moment.

Then he shifts, like he's trying to find the most comfortable position to sit in - for both of them, considering he doesn't want Nita to have to twist her body in any strange ways just to be able to lean on him!

"Alright. Let's stay like this then."

Because he sure enjoys it. Inigo always enjoys being physically close to the people he cares about.

Nita almost seems to relax more into him as he does - it's hard to be nervous when you're comfy, after all!

"Sounds like a plan. And, ah, feel free to speak up about mission events or anything like that; I know I didn't see everything either..."

"You want me to talk for a few hours about how I've never been more annoyed at walls?"

At least he says it with some humor now that whole ordeal is over.

(Though seriously. Screw those walls.)

"But sure. Um, let me start with.."

And so he does start talking about the mission. Just so they can spend a little while like this. Just sitting there together.

Conclusion

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Wrap, or nearabouts?

we can wrap it here, yeah!