#GOD I /NEED/ THEM TO HAVE CANONLY HAD THIS CONVO. We didn't see it but that's fine it happened off-screen bc I say so ADJASDGHSAJ

[yeonban]

Unprompted.

@ofdraiocht asked: He manages to borrow Tatsuomi’s personal kaleidoscope for this task, but he only has it for a short time. Only has a brief moment to send something and wait for something in return before he has to return it and get back to work. He fiddles with it for a second before holding it up to use it, hoping Naotora is on the other end to get it now, and not later.

[Naotora] [It’s Naoe] He sends through first so the other knows it’s not Tatsuomi again and waits a beat before sending more. [I miss you] He adds. [How’s your wound?] [I'm sorry I can't be there]

The prolonged wait after Tatsuomi's last message grows and grows, as does the pit in Naotora's stomach while he anticipates another sparkle coming through the kaleidoscope, and for a while the blue soul wonders whether that had been all that his friend had wanted to convey to him. It doesn't add up to what he knows of the yellow soul's usual self, but when one takes into account the man-made disasters that have befallen the Uesugi as well... perhaps Tatsuomi has suddenly found his hands full of urgent issues to solve during their discussion. Hopefully not with a second black dog strike.

The distressing thought that surfaces in his mind about how something else might have happened for their conversation to be cut off at an inopportune moment is thrown off once Naotora's eyes perceive an incoming light, then another, and another, and his fingers are quick to receive and listen to them in order. Hues widen in surprise at the first message, however, and suddenly everything makes sense. Tatsuomi must've taken the time to talk to his love about the Takeda band's situation, before somehow being convinced to hand over their means of personal communication for a quick check-up.

[Naoe?] [How are you holding up?] [Are you alright?] [I miss you too] From what Tatsuomi has briefly informed him of, Naoe shouldn't have suffered any critical injuries, but he cannot help himself from asking for an answer directly from the source. Hearing it from his beloved is bound to soothe his worries more than any third party ever could, after all, regardless of how trustworthy he has deemed it. It's only after his own anxieties are put into words that he replies to Naoe's concerns as well, and the pain throbbing in his immobilized arm mockingly spikes once he notifies the red soul about his condition. [I can't use my left arm anymore] Still... he cannot go and needlessly worry Naoe more than he already has. Not after his love has already shown remorse for not being there for him, and has likely beat himself up over it.

[But I'll figure something out] [You don't have to worry about me] [I promised you I won't die, didn't I?] A pause to gather his thoughts, and he shifts the focus onto the Uesugi band. [Tatsuomi told me you were hit as hard as we were] [Just focus on your band] [I'll be fine] Though every inch of his upper body pangs and stings, a fact that his best friend is deftly aware of, Naotora attempts to squeeze out the last few remaining bits of humor he can find amidst the growing tragedy in a last ditch attempt to ease Naoe's tensions about his circumstances. He can be a crybaby to Tatsuomi all he wants, but he would never forgive himself for knowingly worsening Naoe's day when he could avoid it. [Are you sure you still want me with one less arm though?] [I mean they didn't get my face so I'm still handsome] [And my return date expired a while ago] [So actually you'll just have to make do with this current me]