wroughtandtempered | heart game

The touch snaps him out of his stupor. He looks at Rinku with wide eyes.

"I'm trying to save you," He says and shakes his head. "Just...let me grab it. Then...I could use a hug after. It's okay. I can do this. I'm fine."

He was, indeed, not fine.

She gulps. Looks back at him and reaches her hand out to the shard.

"...You, Eve-chan, and everyone else are always working so hard to deal with this stuff. That means I gotta do my best too. I can't sit there while everyone's getting hurt."

Rinku shivers again. She moves to try to touch it.

"We were talking about ambition. That's mine. I can't let you guys get hurt in my place every single time. Because what I want most of all... is to make everyone happy!"

MK moves fast to snatch the mirror piece up first.

"It will make me happy letting me protect you. I'm a hero. This is fine. I can do this. I can, Rinku," MK feels guilt bubbling up. One of his faults, he takes on everything. He tries to hold the world up on his breadstick shoulders but he can't help it.

"This is why she made me. I can do this. I-I won't go too far. Just don't, please, don't get hurt. I-I won't forgive myself if you do. A-And Evangeline will be sad. You being safe will make her happy. Okay? I'll protect you. I'll save you!" He wraps his arms around Rinku in a tight hug.

Rinku clings back. She sniffles and snuggles on him, her voice turning into his just out of instinct.

"Neechan does want me to be safe. And she's probably worried," she says shakily. "But... Someone made you just to get hurt? Why? But you're so nice! You deserve to be happy too! I don't want to let this stuff hurt you when you went through so much of it before."

MK sniffles and looks down at Rinku.

"It's...a long story. But she was trying to save the world. She did. Kinda. This isn't about just me though. If anyone has to find these...I can take it. I know I can. I've taken it before," MK says softly.

He doesn't know how many times...

"I'll save you. I'll keep you safe. I'm the Monkie Kid. Let's have some tea with Yuuka-obaa. And relax."

He won't let her get hurt. Won't hurt Eva again. Won't fail Eve.

He is the Monkie Kid. She made him to be a-

But he isn't going to go that far. This is nothing compared to that.

Rinku's voice cracks and returns to her own.

"...You're worth protecting too. Same as Yuuka-obaa says. I'm still gonna do my best," she says, even as she hugs him tightly to try and keep herself from sounding so scared. "You deserve to get to be okay. We all do."

MK nods. He knows that's how so many others feel. That he deserves to be protected. To be cared for. To be here with them. Does he deserve to be okay? Does he believe that? If his clones are anything to go by, he isn't sure he does.

Another fault.

"Thank you. I...I think I need to hear that more often. I'll try to say it to myself too. Let's take a rest. Maybe we can ask if we can have some cookies?"

"I love cookies!" Rinku brightened. She snuggled him before letting go and looking over the cookie plate, then at Yuuka for permission.

"Can we, can we? Did Eve-chan make these? --Oh, I guess technically she made everything, since we're kinda in her heart, but I mean..."

She gives another one of those gurgling laughs.

"Of course you may. Eve-chan did indeed intend them for any visitors— both the cookies and the tea."

Rinku bows, claps excitedly, spins on her heel, and points in the air.

"Happy Around!" she announces in very confident English. She takes her portion of tea and a cookie and kneels at the kotatsu.

"It's really nice of you! And her too. She must've been really worried. I know we heard her before all this stuff, calling for help. We're gonna do our best, I promise!"

The cookies are chocolate chip, and have a smokey aftertaste to them— not too overpowering in the cleaner air of the kitchen, just enough to make them taste like s'mores without the marshmallow.

"Just tread lightly, chickie. The last room is her bedroom, and she can be very territorial about her space and her things! It's her raijuu blood coming through."

Rinku lights up and smiles despite the warning.

"Okay! I promise not to wreck stuff! I guess unless it's a big sign saying 'I'm the thing that's hurting Eve-chan' or, like, a rampaging monster or something, but I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have that in her house, even though it kinda does look like the whole place was on fire recently? That's okay, we can handle it! --Oh, but I guess I'm not fireproof anymore, I have lightning instead. Are we supposed to use our magic for something? Oh, right, I guess probably."

"Not at all," she says. "The magic you have now is simply a part of how Eve-chan sees the world— all people where we're from have an element, so she expects it of you the way you might see someone and expect them to have a face.

...and electric types do have a reputation for being rather energetic," she finishes, beak gaped in a smile.

"Eh? Really?" Rinku tilts her head and then smiles. "That sounds like me! I have a lot of energy! Usually. I guess unless I'm trying to do something boring that I'm bad at. I really sucked at school." She finishes up her cookie and rubs the back of her head. "Is that also why we have those other forms? They're cute!"

heart game - MK, rinku

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