pslplz | Forget-Me-Nots

[Even if Omi did wander off to look elsewhere, Nagi wouldn't have stopped him. As it stands, he'll move closer to the wall as his eyes skip over the names of each volume.]

Fantasy, horror, sci-fi...I feel like it would be easy to accidentally amass a huge collection of these.

[ Nagi has no idea how many students have found themselves with exactly that problem. ]

Yeah... it doesn't take much. Just following a few series adds up quickly.

Are there any you'd recommend?

[He wants to know what sorts of things Omi likes. Maybe his preferences line up with the ones he used to have...?]

[ The question is a bit of a dilemma to Omi, who wants to avoid directing Nagi. He thinks he can manage this in a way that makes them both happy, though. He walks along the wall, browsing the titles for one he knows Nagi was following intently. ]

Hmm. I don't really know. I don't read many myself... [ He taps the spine of the series he was looking for, as if it were at random. ] I heard this one was pretty good?

[Nagi carefully follows Omi as he makes his way forward, making sure not to get too close to either wall of books lest he accidentally knock into something with one of his crutches. He'll reach out and take the first volume of the series Omi points out so he can look at the cover, and his reaction to it is near immediate.]

The art on this is very nice, even without knowing what the story is about.

[And even if the story wasn't good, sometimes way back when Nagi would just immerse himself in the art.]

[ Omi looks over Nagi's shoulder at the cover. It is rather stylized, with a lot of care given to details. ]

Why don't you flip through? It sounds like it has your interest.

[Nagi will do exactly that, then, taking the manga off the shelf so he can look through it.

He might be quiet for a while, actually...so Omi is free to do a little looking around himself. Or, he can just watch Nagi if he prefers, his friend who is still adjusting to his recovery as well as learning about all of the things he seems to have completely forgotten about his life.]

[ Omi's instinct is to stay right beside Nagi. But it would probably be a little rude to stand there watching him while he's refamiliarizing himself with this series, like Omi is expecting something out of him. So instead he whispers with a smile. ]

I'll be in the mystery section.

[ And slips off to browse the new titles. ]

[Nagi nods, watching Omi for a moment as he walks off before turning his attention back to the manga. Obviously he's not going to have time to stand here and read the whole thing, but just a quick flip through and reading the first few snippets has him intrigued...

Eventually, he finds somewhere to sit, carefully hobbling his way to a cluster of chairs where he can sit with his crutches propped up nearby. There's a non zero chance he'll end up walking out of this store with this book having been bought. Maybe a few of the successive volumes, just so he won't have to come back for a while.]

[ It's not a very large bookstore, so it doesn't take all that long to browse through the titles available for sale. He pulls a couple of them to read the blurb on the back cover, but ultimately returns them all to the shelf and eventually makes his way back over to Nagi sometime after he's found a seat among the chairs. ]

It's piqued your interest?

[Nagi looks up when Omi approaches, but only briefly. His attention is mostly on the manga still as he nods.]

Mmhm...I'm going to buy it, I think.

Did you find anything?

Not this time. [ And he places a hand on Nagi's shoulder as he leans forward to warmly whisper in his ear. ]

Maybe check your collection at home first.

[The way Omi whispers in his ear like that tickles a little...and is vaugely familiar, somehow.]

If I find I already have a copy, you can keep this one.

[ It was just an innocent friendly gesture, but perhaps one too intimate anyway given the situation. Certainly, it had no right to spark thoughts of being anything beyond that. ]

All right. Ready to pay, then?

[Nagi nods, setting the book aside on the table for just long enough to pick himself up again. He could ask for assistance, but he doesn't, seemingly adamant to be able to walk with his crutches on his own.]

I'm ready if you are.

[ Omi waits dutifully for Nagi to get up on his own. It could be hard to find the right balance between mindfulness of challenges unique to using crutches and respect for autonomy, especially with someone that may not ask for help even when it is needed. But Omi knows if he were in Nagi's shoes he would be the exact same way-- not wanting to be treated any differently because of a physical condition.

Once Nagi has paid for the book and they exit the store, Omi considers where they should go next. ]

Want to try the arcade?

[The arcade...Nagi couldn't even remember that the town had one, much less that it was somewhere he might have wanted to frequent.

Curious, he nods.]

Sure...we can go.

[ Once Nagi approves, Omi leads the way to the arcade. Like the bookstore, it's close to the school in order to be a visible and convenient hangout for kids after the final bell.

Flipping through a favorite manga didn't seem to have helped, but video games were more engaging. Maybe that would be different?

The noise easily carries outside the arcade. Music, sound effects, the clinks of coins into slots and the clacks of air hockey pucks, all over a ceaseless rumbling of ambient chatter with the occasional whoop of victory or cry of defeat. Once inside, it's only louder. Not painfully loud, but certainly enough that raised voices are necessary to be heard. Omi accordingly ups his speaking volume. ]

Do you have coins?

[Hm. Arcades sure are busy...and noisy. But since Nagi's perception of what he might have liked is still a bit muddy, maybe he just needs to immerse himself in this place to really get a feel for it. It could very well jog his memory in some way, especially since that was actually how he and Omi first connected: through games.

Of course, Nagi also isn't the loudest person even when he could remember. So having to raise his voice is a little unusual, but...he will since he has no other choice.]

I do.

[His mother made sure he had enough money on hand to get through anything they'd want to do that day, change included.]

[ Omi grins and flashes a thumbs up sign, then points over to a pair of cabinets in a corner where the noise isn't quite as bad.

Leading the way, he comes to a stop in front of the one further over and digs out his wallet for some coins. The game looks like a action puzzler that involves swapping colored tiles to make matches of three or more and an option for the two cabinets to be linked for two gamers to play against each other in a combat mode. ]

What do you think? Do you want to try it?

[Ooh. This definitely seems like something up Nagi's alley. Even moreso when he immediately adds after nodding-]

We should play against each other.

[ That was exactly the response Omi was hoping for. He beams and readies a coin, feeling a rush of energy and joy from this piece of restored familiarity in their bond. ]

Heh. I hope you're ready to lose...

You seem confident. Have you played this before?

[He asks as he carefully positions himself close to the machine, able to angle himself so he can lean on his crutches primarily with one arm while the other is free to work the controls.]

[ Nagi doesn't remember, of course, all of the PvP battles they've had against each other on this machine, so there's no context for him for that competitive banter. They're pretty evenly matched, in truth, so it's a reliable choice for something fun.

Instead of directly answering Nagi, Omi's smile softens, although he still has a look in his eyes like he's got a secret. ]

Just put your coin in. You'll understand in a minute.

[Nagi certainly has no idea what to be expecting here. He hasn't completely lost everything about himself- there are some things that have been coming back, like his interest in manga or videogames- but he distinctly can't remember ever playing this one, much less with Omi.

One thing that is very hard pressed to leave you even if your memory goes, however, is the memory of your muscles. Just being at the machine is enough to give him a sense of familiarity he hasn't quite felt before as he puts his coin in as instructed, causing the game to throw up a ready check for the two of them.]

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crawls in 5 months late...

shhh you are fine <3

<3

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wtf DW didn't send me a notif DX

god its been doing this to me so bad the last few months

HI I'M FINALLY NOT BURIED UNDER RL AGAIN...

HI :>

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