doku | VISIONS I HAD BURIED UNDERGROUND / RETURNING TO ABUSE US

["Four...four and a half years?" Chroma projects.

"Sounds about right," Izzy agrees.]

Hmm...

[Krieg is quiet as he admires the contrast of their hands together.

"So, uh..."

Chroma looks over her shoulder at Nariko.

"You guys write anything together yet?"]

[His fascination is really the sweetest thing. Good thing she got a decent manicure before they started traveling. Her nails are still a perfect, shimmery red.]

I've been writing pretty consistently, but we haven't had a lot of time to really sit down and do anything together. Nothing good was going to come out of staying in that city.

[They both felt a need to get the hell out of there, after all.]

That and when he told me how long it had been since he saw his sister I almost cried, so, now that we've accomplished both those goals I think we can make time!

[Oh no, that's probably why he's so enraptured. Red is his favorite color.

"It's true," Izzy says. "Vista City's economy is tanking now that the labels were convicted of what they did. Which is fine with me, because the place was stealing talent from everywhere else."

"She's not biased at all," Chroma fake-whispers.

"Look, I saw a lot of good people leave Vegas to go there on contracts I would have never signed."]

So you were lying when you said that you were happy for me?

[The awkwardness in the vehicle becomes thick. Izzy makes a quiet, choked noise, the one you make when you get called out on your shit.

"Yes and no," she finally admits. "It was better than what you were doing, and probably a safer bet than anything else at the time."]

Edited 2016-04-24 15:03 (UTC)

Krieg, it's not like Vergil was very happy to see me go, either, but I'd have run off and done it anyway. Better to be supportive than to disagree and get push back.

[In his situation it was far more serious, of course, but she thought the general point remained. Using her other hand she sort of hugs his arm, as if that'll help quell all of the tension.]

Hopefully everyone else came to their senses and got out of it. For now it's enough that we did. It'll be more difficult in some respects but we've got time, if nothing else.

[So no use in worrying!! They could only work with what they had anyway.]

["It was guaranteed exposure, for better or for worse," Izzy explains. "I mean--Gaige really took off on her own after she got fired."]

Wait, you're following Gaige?

["Chroma is."

Said gamer shrugs. "I keep up with the tabloids more than I should." One wonders how Izzy can stand being in love with such a huge nerd. "So that's why I asked if you guys were working on anything--people are waiting to write about it."]

[There's no wondering about it Chroma is cute! Then again, Nariko read tabloids about actors and such. She tries to avoid feeling a little jealous at the mention of Gaige.]

I suddenly kind of regret almost running some of those assholes over ...

[Nariko hadn't realized some of them might be genuinely curious about any new work, she'd kind of figured it'd be all about her old label and that bullshit.]

Well, when there's something to write about, it'll be there. [She hadn't thought herself capable of writing again and that had been simple once she relaxed, so! No point in worrying!]

[Don't feel bad, Nariko, they were only going in for the scoop.]

We still have a lot of soul searching and sound-finding to do, so I wouldn't hold your breath for anything immediate.

[After all, the two of them come from vastly different musical backgrounds.]

[Nothing immediate ... Yeah, that only made sense, but it meant they'd be stuck in a weird limbo for a while longer. Because she couldn't quite shake the fear that they might not match right, musically speaking. And it wouldn't mean that they couldn't be friends or could adjust as needed but it was just ...

Well.

Are they almost there? She doesn't have too much to add right now.]

[Unfortunately, they're not. They're not even to the strip yet. Krieg notices Nariko's subtle discomfort, squeezes her hand, and leans in to whisper:]

You okay?

Yeah! I'm just overthinking it.

[She still hasn't shown him what she's written and, logically speaking, they really and truly haven't had time for composing or whatever. There's no sense in feeling anxious and yet she's still kind of worried it'll all fall apart. Maybe he'll get rid of her if she can't make it work.]

I just don't want to fail, that's all.

[He lets out a concerned hum.]

You know I do more than just metal, right?

[She's sitting here all concerned that she won't fit his style when the reality is that Krieg does not have a narrow musical style! He'll work with just about everything!]

Have I shown you my collection?

You haven't, but I'm more worried about being a fake, Krieg.

[What if what she's got is shallow or stupid or ultimately unsalvageable? And furthermore, it's not right to expect him to pull most of the weight.]

They pumped so much time and money into me that maybe I'm not any good without any of that.

[Because, in all honesty, that's kind of what the whole thing had felt like in hindsight. They plucked individuals who might fit a certain space that needed filling. That didn't mean she was good at what she wanted to do, just that the talent scouts had been talented in picking out a week link.]

You're not a fake.

[He says it with such confidence, too.]

You have talent, I've seen it. What is it I said to you when I asked you to join me?

[Just to prove he's not pulling it out of his ass.]

'You're awful at pre-planning' except much nicer.

[This is an awful joke, but in truth they had said a lot of things to one another, and most of the conversation had been flooded with relief. She'd been amazed that he was okay with pairing up with her at all!

But that's not the point and she knows it.]

[Did he? ...crap, he doesn't remember that. Memory's still not as good as it could be.]

I said I wanted your voice. I can't pick up anyone off the street and expect them to sing the way you do.

[Well, it's more like he expressed reasonable concern that she uprooted her entire life without any semblance of a plan.

But that has nothing to do with what he's telling her now, and she lets herself mull that over. Is it really okay if she can't do anything else but sing? It wouldn't be right to have Krieg pull all of the weight, she doesn't want to be a pretty songbird anymore.

Maybe if she just starts out with what she knows the rest will come by much easier. That seems like a grown up, very Krieg-like way to think. So clearly it's right.]

Okay. [DEEP BREATHE.] ... And thank you.

[He remembers exactly 0 of the conversation that lead up to "let's start a band together."]

In a way, it's good that you feel that. Because you'll be working your hardest, right? And that's more than I could ask for.

["Kiss already," says Izzy. Chroma balks.]

Right, like I'm not going to constantly put my heart into it as long as it's you and I -

[IZZY PLS.]

I feel like you guys weren't supposed to be listening to all of that.

[She's not embarrassed, but!!!!]

["Turns out Krieg's voice carries well even when he's whispering."

Oops. Well, he's still considering the suggestion, and figures: fuck it.

He leans in and gives her a quick peck behind the ear, in her hair.]

[She's very clearly surprised when he starts to lean in since she's initiated the last few kisses but - It's more like a friend kiss and that's much easier to relax into. Even if she does kind of worry if Izzy and Chroma will still get the wrong idea about them, and hopefully they both miss the way she shivers - the top part of her neck is sensitive, it's a good reaction.]

And to think I was totally thinking of singing for you two!

[Granted, that might have been more of a Chroma thing than Izzy, but still!]

["I didn't say anything!!" Chroma whips around to look at Nariko and protests far too quickly. Realizing that her eagerness to get on Nariko's good side is making itself terribly obvious, she turns around and fiddles with her fingers. Krieg is, uh, busy just looking at Nariko.]

[She can't help laughing, honestly. Chroma's so adorable and she and Izzy are so sweet ... If all it took to make one or both of them happy was a song or two then Nariko would find it in her to sing all night. She sure as shit needed the practice.]

You're absolutely right, and I can't really abandon one of my most loyal fans. I'll sing whatever you want when we get back from.

[With that settled she looks back at Krieg. His voice carries and it's a little difficult to ignore when he's staring, so she looks at him a bit inquisitively, but that's it. Is he okay? He didn't have to kiss her in any way if he didn't feel comfortable! Which would be an odd thing to say out of nowhere, so hopefully he gets it out of her expression.]

[Chroma lets out a relieved sigh, and Izzy chuckles.]

...What?

[He's okay. He's more than okay. Is he not allowed to look at a pretty lady?

...well, yes, but he's not allowed to stare, and the difference is lost on him.]

You're staring.

[Which, yeah, he's allowed to stare! But just not in public or in front of his sister! They've got to work on his situational awareness a bit.]

Is there something on my face?

[She pats at her cheeks and her hair a little self-consciously.]

[But Nariko!! They're not in front of his sister!

They're behind her.]

Oh--sorry.

[He pointedly looks away!]

No, just...lost in thought. [About her, about how her company never grates on him like other people do...]

We've got a lot of work ahead of us. I'm looking forward to it.

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