#mikan better use some iodine tomorrow

[phantasmalnightmare]

"Ah, I see. I hadn't known it was a story such as... that." He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling awkward. To distract himself from the feeling, he busied himself with the spaghetti in front of him. "Yes, perhaps someday. In the meanwhile, there are many light hearted animes too, such as..." He paused for a moment, trying to think of one. If he was being honest, he'd always preferred the dark ones. "Ah I've heard that 'Kaguya Sama Love is War' is quite enjoyable." He nodded, as he took another sip of wine. "I am not sure if there is any anime available in our meager selection though. Kehehehe."

The dinner felt almost unbearably intimate, as if it was a date between two normal individuals, who hadn't destroyed half of the world. He tried to ignore the twinge of guilt he felt as he let go of her hands finally. The breeder was merely doing this to provide comfort, nothing more, even though his racing heart said otherwise. He knew though, that he didn't deserve these heart fluttering moments.

"At first... I thought that I wanted more. The pink haired ignoramus constantly poked at me, even though I wished to be accepted. Even still, our fellow remnants have been more or less courteous since we awoke, and if they were to extend a hand to me, I would no longer be so quick to reject it. But even if I continued to be entirely alone, as long as you are the one being by my side, then I would be okay." Even with his trauma from being a remnant.

It seemed Sonia was done eating, and he finished off the rest of his food quickly. "That does depend on your country." He agreed between bites, as he finished the last bit of pasta. "I am certain they will need time to grow accustomed to having at least one remnant around. And yet, I worry about you venturing forth on your own. What if.. they decide to execute you? What if just one citizen decides to take up revenge on their own? I should be there to protect you. And to fight to rehabilitate the makango."

It seemed he had similar ideas. After parting once as remnants, lost to the pits of despair, and then once more in the simulation, he had no desire to be parted with her any longer. He meant it: Even if he was all alone otherwise, as long as she was with him, he'd be perfectly fine.

"I insist, allow me-" He began as he rummaged through the cupboard, but he immediately stopped what he was doing when he heard the sharp gasp of pain. He spun, his eyes widening as he saw the blood pooling from where she'd cut her finger. Gundham rushed over and knelt before her, gently taking her hand in his own, in order to examine the cut.

"You fool, don't pick up shards with your bare hands." He chided gently. Moving her finger around, he made sure that there was no glass still stuck in it. He wasn't as good at these things as Mikan, and he had more of an old school approach, so despite there being a perfectly good sink nearby, he took her finger in his mouth, if she allowed him, and gently sucked some of the blood out. He did believe this would get the bacteria out, despite the fact that there were so many more inside of a human mouth.

After lapping at her injury for a few moments, he finally let go, and rummaged through his pockets. Shit, he realized. He was in a dress suit and not his usual coat, so he didn't have the bandages he always kept on him. Without hesitation, he ripped the sleeve off of his shirt and wrapped a piece around her finger, tying it snuggly. "You may want to have the nurse look at that in the 'morrow, but that should do for now."

Only out of ignorance, Sonia thought, could he have suggested watching a Gundam anime at a time like this. Yet she didn't hold it against him: he couldn't have known, she realized as she gave him a sad smile. "I doubt the Future Foundation would keep such titles available in the library," She remarked between sips of wine. "Considering the prevailing theme is how children respond and react to war. It might not be the best anime to watch, if being reminded about such things is...is too hard. We were terrorists, after all."

But the look in her eyes she gave him didn't correspond with her words. She called them terrorists and yet her gaze towards him was warm, gentle. It always was, always had been, save for when she'd been a Remnant of Despair and upon the conclusion of the simulation's fourth trial, when she'd sobbed like a child and he'd told her not to cry.

"Maybe another time," She suggested, "Once the world has begun to heal. In the meantime, I think happier stories are worth consuming right now. Or at least, they won't remind me of...of everything."

It was kinder to spare him the gruesome details. Sonia didn't know how much he remembered of his time as a Remnant of Despair, and she didn't exactly remember how much their paths had crossed then, either. Her tyranny was wholly focused in Europe while his...well, she could only guess that his reach spanned wider, to rally all of the most fearsome beasts on Earth under his control.

They'd continued to eat, in bouts of silence followed by questions that felt far too deep, far too vulnerable, far too dangerous with the addition of alcohol and candlelight. And she was the furthest thing from a lightweight, yet the haze of a fresh-cooked meal and his tender words had settled heavily around her. She gasped softly as he reached for her hands, and she made no move to pull away from him. Being touched so tenderly...it was a feeling she'd forgotten as a Remnant, one she struggled to remember until he held her and her heart beat a little faster. "I just didn't kn-know," She uncharacteristically stammered as her knuckles brushed his lips. That was the effect he had on her, the intensity of his multi-colored gaze, his words, his touch. "If it was enough, that I was the only one who never believed you to be poisonous. If you wanted someone else to befriend you, to see you."

Once he'd let go, she too moved her plate away: eating anymore seemed impossible, not while her stomach was doing somersaults at the fact he'd kissed her knuckles and how much she yearned for his kiss elsewhere. Her lips would be a start, a thought that brought a blush upon her cheeks and shame in her heart. From what she could remember of Hope's Peak, she could recall that Gundham had always been unique, his own brand of eccentricity that everyone complained they couldn't understand and often asked Sonia to translate. He'd only wanted to reassure her, and yet her thoughts had immediately wandered into far more romantic, intimate territory. Something unwanted, she felt: she wasn't the princess she used to be, one worth loving. She was a queen and a monster.

At least she could give him some comfort and support. In spite of all the horrible things she'd done, she could at least offer a kind word. Until they weren't, when her words reminded him of something far more melancholy. "I am sorry, I did not realize," She replied quickly, shaking her head. "I should have considered that your ties to Japan would not be as robust as mine to Novoselic. But yes, you are right: the makango are endangered now, or so I have been told. I imagine my country would be grateful for the help, if they can be accustomed to your presence there. One former Remnant is apparently a lot to take in, according to the newspapers."

Not that she opposed him being there. That had been her selfish wish since she'd awakened and learned the truth of The Tragedy: she'd watched over his pod and the farm first with the hope that he would wake and be all right, and second that he might share the same desire she did: to never have to say goodbye again. Even in a simulation, it was far too painful the first time.

Sonia stood as soon as she heard the sound of breaking glass. "Come on, let me help clean up," She insisted, striding over to the mess on the floor. "As long as you assist, I should be capable of using the right cleaning products and- OW."

She winced, sitting back on the floor and away from the scattered shards: one had pierced her index finger, Sonia clutching her bleeding hand to her chest. "Oh no...I don't think it is too deep but it hurts!"