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

["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.

[This is one of those rare cases where 'in front' also means behind, okay.]

No, it's okay! You're allowed to look at me.

[Sometimes he's so unintentionally cute that it could appear utterly surreal.]

We do. [Nariko looks out the window briefly as if it might possibly tell her where they are, because:] You know, now that I've even barely mentioned I can't wait to sing again.

[Chroma might be lucky to make it out of the restaurant without being serenaded in some form.]

[Krieg looks at her again.]

So I'm not in trouble?

[He's got a small smile on his face because he knows that it'd take an awful lot to get him in 'trouble' with her in the first place.

Meanwhile, Chroma looks over her shoulder to grin at Nariko, then at Izzy. Her very own personal performance!! So cool!!]

No.

[He's pretty much on the dot there. The guy could outright feel up her ass and he wouldn't be in trouble - if only because she can't ever see Krieg doing that kind of thing. And if he did, then it just couldn't be as inherently perverted or gross as the usual instances.]

Just try to avoid doing it in front of anyone else or they'll really get the wrong idea.

[Said as she adjusts her arm so that when she leans on his side they can continue holding hands. He's comfy and they've done a lot of running around, and she's beginning to need the food in her system. So sue her.

So it's a real good thing that lunch goes without a hitch. It's animated, if only in part because Nariko finds a bunch of questions to ask Izzy and Chroma, and she gives the latter a healthy amount of playful teasing. The closer they get to heading back the more excited Nariko is - she's promised to sing and she's holding herself to that! Nariko all but hops out of the van when they get back into the garage.]

Just let me get what I need, I'll be right back!

[You know that saying, 'lit up like a kid at Christmas'? Nariko is so elated that she makes that proverbial kid look like a night light. She just has to get her guitar and her notebook from their trailer, first ...]

Edited (rewrite! lmk if you'd rather I change it back, I'm good either way) 2016-05-18 04:47 (UTC)

[So it turns out that Krieg is really, really quiet when he's in big groups.

He just listens in on most of their conversations with almost nothing to add, speaking only when spoken to. It's hard to tell if he's actually listening, because most of the time he's staring off into space. He's having a good time! Honest! He just...really, really likes to keep to himself, apparently.

When they get back home, Krieg practically disappears when no one is looking. If Nariko chooses to start looking around for him while Izzy and Chroma are busy preparing for their personal performance, she'll find him on the opposite side of the trailer, making the phone call for that appointment he said he'd make earlier.]

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no dis gud. real gud