... You care about someone, and you never told her that you're dead, but something happened where you think it might have been better to tell her before?
I should probably have expected that from the person who sacrificed himself in the first place, but could I maybe get a more selfish answer from you? Hypothetically?
[ ... God, she is the last person who can give romantic advice ever, but Minato is so troubled and so earnest that she can't not say anything. ]
Okay.
[ Maya breathes this out after a minute, running a hand through her hair. Ulala could have handled this. Or Yukino. Or Lisa, if Lisa had known who Maya was-- well, that's not important right now. She'll just have to wing it. ]
Minato-kun... I can tell you what I think, but it's going to have to require you to be brave. And I know you are, but that bravery's going to mean some people might be hurt.
[.... Right. That's... true, isn't it? In the end, someone's going to be hurt here. And he'd rather be hurt himself, but either way, he's in too deep for that.
One way or another, Shiho will be hurt.
And...he doesn't want to betray the trust she's put in him.]
Because that's just how you are, Minato-kun. As much as you don't want to hurt her, you still care about her a lot. And when you do care to that extent... you end up feeling terrible if you have to hide things from them. Even if you have the best of intentions about it.
... So yes, I think you should tell her. Anything that happens after that should be a choice the two of you make together.
[ Maya can't entirely hide the flash of wistfulness in her eyes, because it's been... way too long since anyone's called her that. Certainly no one here. And if Tatsuya is leaving... then no one back home, either. ]
Calling me that means you're officially family, Minato-kun. Careful.
Of course it's okay with me. [ softly, which is probably at odds with her usual bright and outgoing personality, but... this is something a little more personal to her. ]
I think someone like you could stand to have a really cool big sis anyway.
[ And she definitely misses her little brother figures. ]
[ There's no warning, just a tiny noise lodged in Maya's throat, and then she's wrapping her arms around him for a tight squeeze. A slightly watery laugh escapes, but she's just going to ignore that.
[ She may have needed it more than she thought-- or more than she wanted to think.
She hadn't let herself think about it too much when the memories had come surging back. The blonde girl, a member of some idol group. The pale boy who wore more makeup than she ever had, first proudly talking about a band, then trying to save his friend-turned-monster. The soft-spoken boy in the museum who had been caught up in the fire and the subsequent blimp escape, who had also looked at Tatsuya as though he ought to know him. Who had looked at her the same way.
Lisa-chan. Eikichi-kun. Jun-kun.
And Tatsuya.
The memories weren't allowed to come back for them. And she'd accepted that. But hearing "Maya-nee" again, from someone else who'd done everything he could to stop the world from ending...
Maya wants so badly to do things right this time. To protect this-- him.
Of course, being Maya, she says none of this out loud, but she rests her cheek against Minato's hair and sighs. ]
You're already coming to me about your crushes, so... I'd say you've got a pretty good idea already.
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... He looks fine, hands shoved into his pocket, and just...a little, uh. Frazzled around the edges.]
Hey... Maya-san.
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[ Maya, down. ]
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Um, it's...
[SHUFFLES... IN PLACE AWKWARDLY.]
... It's kind of hard to talk about now that I'm here...?
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[ And she won't beat anyone up. ]
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Um...
I think I might've messed up a little. I... really care about someone here a lot, but I never told her that I'm...
[YOU KNOW.]
And now... [UH.]
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[FAR MORE COHERENT, THANKS BIG SIS.]
I don't want to hurt her.
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Ideally-- forget about everything else for a second. What's the best scenario for you here?
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... [He'd be able to kiss Shiho again--]
I'm not really sure... I think, for me... if she's happiest, then that would be the best scenario for me too.
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I should probably have expected that from the person who sacrificed himself in the first place, but could I maybe get a more selfish answer from you? Hypothetically?
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That's...
[UM.]
... I really like her, Maya-san.
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Okay.
[ Maya breathes this out after a minute, running a hand through her hair. Ulala could have handled this. Or Yukino. Or Lisa, if Lisa had known who Maya was-- well, that's not important right now. She'll just have to wing it. ]
Minato-kun... I can tell you what I think, but it's going to have to require you to be brave. And I know you are, but that bravery's going to mean some people might be hurt.
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One way or another, Shiho will be hurt.
And...he doesn't want to betray the trust she's put in him.]
... You think I should tell her.
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[ gently, but firmly. ]
Because that's just how you are, Minato-kun. As much as you don't want to hurt her, you still care about her a lot. And when you do care to that extent... you end up feeling terrible if you have to hide things from them. Even if you have the best of intentions about it.
... So yes, I think you should tell her. Anything that happens after that should be a choice the two of you make together.
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Minato pauses...and then rubs the back of his head sheepishly.]
When you put it like that... I guess there's really no other way I can do it.
[...]
That was pretty sensible, Maya-san. Very big sibling-ish.
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[ Even here. Even now. Maybe especially now. ]
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It almost feels like I should be calling you Maya-nee when you talk like that.
[He's teasing but... not entirely.]
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[ Maya can't entirely hide the flash of wistfulness in her eyes, because it's been... way too long since anyone's called her that. Certainly no one here. And if Tatsuya is leaving... then no one back home, either. ]
Calling me that means you're officially family, Minato-kun. Careful.
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I... think I'd really like that, honestly.
If... if it's really okay with you.
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Of course it's okay with me. [ softly, which is probably at odds with her usual bright and outgoing personality, but... this is something a little more personal to her. ]
I think someone like you could stand to have a really cool big sis anyway.
[ And she definitely misses her little brother figures. ]
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It's a big deal to both of them, then. And tentatively:]
I... would really like to have more family, I think.
[Gently:]
So... thank you, Maya-nee.
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Sorry, Minato. ]
What are sisters for?
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Oh.
It seems...Maya's needed this, huh?
Minato just leans into her arms, lifting his own arms quietly, slowly, for a hug.]
...I've never had a sister, but... I think this feels right.
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She hadn't let herself think about it too much when the memories had come surging back. The blonde girl, a member of some idol group. The pale boy who wore more makeup than she ever had, first proudly talking about a band, then trying to save his friend-turned-monster. The soft-spoken boy in the museum who had been caught up in the fire and the subsequent blimp escape, who had also looked at Tatsuya as though he ought to know him. Who had looked at her the same way.
Lisa-chan. Eikichi-kun. Jun-kun.
And Tatsuya.
The memories weren't allowed to come back for them. And she'd accepted that. But hearing "Maya-nee" again, from someone else who'd done everything he could to stop the world from ending...
Maya wants so badly to do things right this time. To protect this-- him.
Of course, being Maya, she says none of this out loud, but she rests her cheek against Minato's hair and sighs. ]
You're already coming to me about your crushes, so... I'd say you've got a pretty good idea already.
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Minato misses a large chunk of that sentimentalism because then Maya has to go and be embarrassing.
He... freezes, and then clears his throat awkwardly.
UH.]
It...wasn't about my crush, exactly--
[KIND OF, BUT--]
It was complicated, so...
[Help.]
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