消えるな。

"Hey, Watanuki? Can I ask you a strange question?" Following up on his invitation for tea, Lilli had brought a few snacks along, as well. She sat cross-legged, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

".. you're quite right. We've never had the time to discuss it, have we?" it wasn't entirely a surprise, considering what they'd been through already; yet Watanuki clearly felt somewhat bad for not divulging into the subject sooner, as his own sheepish smile came across his expression. "Forgive me, Lilli-san. I should have told you sooner-- though I'm glad I have the opportunity to see you more now, so that we can continue to learn about one another."

"It's as the name states-- it is a shop that grants wishes. In my own world, I inherited a shop of the same nature from my mentor, Yuuko-san. I had been tasked to take over her duties in her absence; and though it is not the same here.. it was important for me to continue my work, even if I was in another world. So, I decided to open my own."

His fingers traced the porcelain of the cup handle, almost in quiet contemplation.

It also didn't hurt that he was given a nice discount for his hard work. Sephiroth quickly picked out a few gift accessories for his friends and stepped out of the store with shopping bags hanging off his arms. He paused when he noticed someone looking at the mannequins and immediately recognized the man from the wedding months ago. He had never come face to face with Shadow's guardian before. He either sneaked his way into the wish shop or met Shadow in the dead of night.

".. yes, I am. And you are--" Shadow had never purposefully mentioned his name, but with all the whisperings going on at Vanth's wedding, it wasn't difficult for Watanuki to have picked it up amongst the chaos. ".. Sephiroth-kun, correct? Shadow-kun's.. friend."

.. he wasn't sure what other term to use, all things considered. Perhaps he would just leave it at that for now.

He turned to face the boy proper now, offering him a somewhat apologetic smile as he attempted to collect his barings.

WATANUKI KIMIHIRO

He watched the other man eat the fruit, and while it seemed completely fine.. well, there were just some things done to food that the shopkeeper would never completely understand. Still, there was something in him that could not deny Vanth's request; taking the strawberry from him and apprehensively taking a bite of it.

...

❝ ... You ever so bored you skin a strawberry. ❞

But Watanuki was someone that, from his own perspective at least, he barely knew. Even if he had seen him at his most vulnerable, a memory that's vague to Dys now but definitely somewhere there at the back of his mind. A trauma that clings to him.

His weight shifts from foot to foot before he moves, a little rigid in stature, throwing some wood into the makeshift fire pit and avoiding the other's gaze for the time being.

"I'll light it. It's not a perfect solution, but it keeps some wildlife at bay, at least." Lest they run into trouble out here, although most of the time Dys hadn't had too much issue with it. He just hadn't exactly chosen the safest place to camp after ditching his original site in Cotes and mostly refusing to stay in his home there.

He arranges the larger pieces of wood neatly, adds some kindling twigs on top, and crouches as he carefully lights it with a couple long matches.

He tips his head to the side as he watches flames dance to life slowly as he works, then side eyes Watanuki with his brows furrowed now instead. He's got tea of his own that he could brew, but not made out of anything he'd want to feed someone else.

But before he can ask what type Watanuki has brought along, he's distracted by the continued conversation at which point he can't hold back his deepened frown.

"This isn't a casual visit." Dys mumbles at first, stretching out before standing up. "...Whatever this is about, I'd rather get it over with now then delay it. I don't want to have to dance around anything or feel like I'm walking on eggshells." Voice still quiet, but at least properly audible now. He's definitely not fully above avoidance still considering how long he'd lasted without contact with people he knew from here, but he also knows realistically it'll get him nowhere at a certain point, even if he feels like his whole body is screaming at him to run away by this point. To put distance between himself and... this. To put a stop to it before he ends up hurting someone who seems to care in the same way he'd unintentionally hurt people countless times before.

Waiting.

A realization he remembered having as Dys' life slowly slipped through his fingers. Watching, waiting, as each breath slowly left his chest for the last time. Watanuki had spent the last decade of his life sitting, waiting, watching-- praying for the one person he could no longer have to come back to him. It was his fate to do so, something he'd accepted long ago; to remain stagnant, standing still in time, never aging, never changing.

But he had, here. So much had changed for him every time he was brought to this world-- yet this time felt as if it had more weight than the rest. A realization that if he changed, if he aged, if he no longer waited.. if he filled his days with other people, with living like a human, she would not be disappointed in him. She would not think he'd forgotten her.

He was always allowed this-- to take up space in other's lives, to be among the living with them. He didn't have to wait anymore-- not for this.

".. it isn't, no." It didn't surprise Watanuki how quickly the other man caught on, his expression near placid as the flames before them danced within the reflection of his glasses; obscuring the look in his eyes. The shopkeeper had no intention of pretending that the oncoming conversation would have no weight to it, however; no longer hesitating as he spoke. "My apologies. For some time now, whenever we managed to cross paths.. I worried what my presence might do to you. How uncomfortable I might make you, considering the last time we saw one another. After what happened to you, I did not want to put you through any other painful interaction-- yet I believe I've been doing that, unintentionally. I'd like for that to end today."

It was then that Watanuki fully turned to face Dys after he'd stood, baring to him an expression without a mask; no smiles, no coy remarks, no hidden intentions. It was simply Watanuki who sat before him now.

"I do not regret granting your wish. It is what you wanted from me at the time, even if in the end, you had to endure something horrific. I regret that time-- after you'd died in my arms, remaining stagnant as a spirit. Something that this world should have had no capability in doing to anyone. To watch you, to be unable to do anything but keep you company-- regardless of how little we knew one another at the time, it still brought me great pain."

He hadn't been able to step foot in that room in the shop since. He was grateful that Hanabi and Shadow chose to occupy other spaces-- to walk through the doors there, to stand where this life was lost.. no matter how much time passed, Watanuki was certain he would feel the weight of that day for a very long time.

"But I do not want to dwell on what happened forever. I want to accept it wholeheartedly. I accept my part in it, and even if I wish I could admit otherwise.. I accept that I could do nothing to help you. I do not want to let the air between us remain this way-- uncertain, trepidatious. I've gone out of my way to make sure I am never a burden to you again, yet it feels wrong to continue to avoid you. To live on, acting as if what happened never did."

It was then that Watanuki paused briefly, to unscrew the cap of the thermos in his hands. He poured a singular cup, steam rising into the air as the warm liquid rippled quietly; a faint scent of ginger wafting between the two. Before he began to speak again, he found himself back on his feet; now fully facing Dys, as he handed the cup towards him.

Waiting.

"I want to know you, Dys. Even if you feel more comfortable keeping me at arm's length, even if you do not want the same.. I want to take the chance to reach out to you. I want to hear how you feel-- whether you can accept this from me, or whether you want nothing to do with me. I will respect your choice, no matter what you say. But I.."

It seems a little intimate for strangers to be doing this sort of thing to him, but he’s also the person who didn’t know what matches were, so what does he know? Besides, he’s seen some friends do a variation of this ritual with lighters, so it’s probably fine, right?

Till approaches the man a little hesitantly, but that’s quickly forgotten as the tip of his cigarette lights up cherry red.

He takes a long drag before breathing out the smoke in a long, exasperated sigh.

“So…” He starts after a quiet pause, the nicotine working to calm him.

He, too, took a drag before he spoke; allowing the smoke to pour from his lips with one, quiet breath.

"Quite the opposite, really.. things have been wonderful as of late. So much so, it doesn't seem my body is used to it," he spoke with a bit of a chuckle, nearly unnoticed as his hand returned to his mouth; passing a glance at the other male. "In a few less words.. I believe I'm just a little tired."

He should have definitely expected that too.

Dys inhales a deep breath, crossing both arms instead now as he eyes Watanuki with each movement. Very briefly his gaze drops onto the basket he’s got with him, before his eyes narrow as he looks up to search his face.

“You’re not… wrong?” He mumbles, rubbing at his mouth and nose clumsily in something of an uneasy response to hide the small twitch of his lips that almost betray too much emotion. Some part of him is still trying to figure out a way out of this.

What has happened since he got thrown back here though? When he tries to think about it, it’s mostly a weird blur of things at the moment. He can’t think, let alone gather his thoughts back together.

“I’ll level with you though: I’m not hungry. You can eat.” Half a lie. He did just manage to scarf something down, but part of it is in… distrust is too strong a word, maybe. More like he was simply guarded at the moment. He does point at his makeshift firepit, tacking on: “So… I can start it up. If you want to heat food or something.”

Something he did not want to face, perhaps. Something he'd rather forget.

But Watanuki had not expected this visit to go off without any hiccups. He expected the uncomfortable air between them, the uncertainty in Dys' eyes-- wondering what exactly Watanuki wanted with him, why he decided to come around at all.

He hoped to answer that, of course.. but it would take some coaxing, he was beginning to realize.

"Then I'll wait until you are. This was my attempt at a peace offering, if that wasn't obvious-- I made the food with you in mind. It'd be wrong to eat it without you."

He looked towards the fire pit, however; noting a small stump just off to the side of it. The shopkeeper walked towards it, taking a seat before pulling a silver flask out of his bag.

"At the very least, would you have some tea with me? It's in a thermos, so you won't need to heat it up. But perhaps the fire would be nice to have, anyways."

He removed the detachable cups from the thermos, waiting for Dys' answer before he poured. Yet even as the honest side of Watanuki began to bleed through, there was still hesitance in him lingering; the tips of his fingers lightly tapping against the warm metal in his hand.

Anya's been worried lately. Bond, Loid and Yor must be missing her... and there's no sign of them coming at all. She misses her friend, and her toys and her room. But, she's happy with Gregor, so she feels guilty for being homesick, so she keeps it to herself. But it's been weighing on her, leaving her a little more sluggish than usual.

And that's what's on her mind she, while she's out with Gregor, she notices it.

The store front is so strange. It doesn't quite fit with the surroundings, and she honestly isn't sure what to make of it. Gregor normally doesn't like her to wander away, but... the building is so curious. No one else around her seems to really notice it, their thoughts on other things and problems, as if the place doesn't even exist.

Anya doesn't really know why, but it feels important.

She casts a look down the street, not seeing her temporary guardian, and then hurries for the front gate, pushing it open and slipping inside. Her hands nervously curl around the strap of her penguin bag as she approaches the front door, and steps inside.

Or, in some small part, help them find what they were looking for.

It was no surprise then, when the chime at the front of his door quietly rang; echoing throughout the long halls of the shop. Around his neck, Mugetsu perked up; beady eyes looking beyond the kitchen and into the corridor as Watanuki stroked the back of his head without looking up from his task.

He had no idea who would be arriving that day-- only that someone was coming.. but for some reason, Watanuki had a sense that a healthy amount of snacks would be necessary for today's meeting.

Walking towards the table in the other room, Watanuki placed down a tray of freshly baked cookies; only then looking towards the young girl who had found herself inside his home. The pink in her hair immediately reminded him of someone he'd left at home, the expression on his face already fond as he smiled her way.

"Perhaps not. But what matters is that you've found it now, hm?"

Of course, she knows exactly what he should try first. "The soup! Let me know if it's too spicy. I used less of the spice, so hopefully not." She handled spice very well, but she never knew if Watanuki was able to handle it as well as her....or Shadow, even.

The bowl sitting before him was a beautiful, stark shade of red; a clear indication of the flavours he was about to experience, and that was without mentioning how wonderful it smelled. Taking his spoon, Watanuki soon tried the dish made by Hanabi; and although the spice was powerful, it was pleasant, and not at all overpowering.

"It's perfect," he reported happily, taking another spoonful into his mouth before he continued on. "You used the exact right amount, I think. It still has its bold flavour without burning too hot-- it's delicious."

Next was the okonomiyaki! The crust on the outside was a beautiful brown, and Watanuki could see cabbage and seafood peeking from its sides, inviting him to take a bite. It tasted just as amazing as it smelled, and it was obvious from the look on his face that he was very impressed by Hanabi's efforts.

"Very well. I'd be happy to explain it to you. Please, follow me."

Eventually, Watanuki led the boy into the threshold of the shop; still carrying the dog in his arms until they reached a certain point. He whispered something to the creature, perhaps asking it to tell a certain someone they had company, before allowing it to jump out of his hold and trot away. He opened the sliding doors to the sitting room, a pot of tea already brewed with cups waiting to be poured.