imeeji_frontstage | post-hearts

Who: Sleepyheads
Where: Honmachi Sakura Park
When: Day 326

[ After a long, long, long night, you wake in the dead zone, having slept more deeply than you've ever slept before.

Perhaps more restfully than you've ever slept before, even—do you remember your dreams? Is it all coming back to you, now?

For certain dreamers, the flower markings have disappeared, though if you wake early enough you can catch them glowing bright before burning away painlessly. With that, it feels as though maybe a weight's been lifted off your shoulders—maybe you really needed that sleep.

For certain dreamers, you may find yourself waking up with something new—was that always in your hands? Where did you get that from? Do you remember?

And, for a certain few unlucky dreamers, you may find yourself waking with pain, wounds or scars that remind you that what happened last night was not entirely a dream.

But then, who could ever believe it was a dream anyway?

The sun shines bright; Heaven's chain shines brighter. In the distance, white clouds roll toward the city, threatening rain.

-

Please note: Characters may not fully remember their romps in other characters' hearts immediately. This is so that if you're still backthreading hearts, you can have your character not remember what happened or otherwise not be affected by the changes in the run until later.

Heart Game channels will be up until mid-February, although they may close sooner/later at runner request. If you're finished with your run and don't want any more pings, just remove the role and it'll be gone from your sidebar ✨ ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Good. So long as you know.

[curling her fingers in his hair and looking at him steadily]

And you should know... you're important. And that we can do things, together.

... thank you.

Don't thank me. Tell me you know it.

...

It's not that I don't believe you. I want, very much, to believe that it's possible. That you and I can achieve great things together. But I... am so used to feeling useless. I am awed at the things you can do, and if I can support you and make you feel strong and powerful, then that... is incredible, and makes me feel like I'm strong, too, just a little bit. It's just... difficult to wrap my head around it, sometimes. And coming off of... failing Nero, it's... it feels like a faraway dream.

...Mm.

[she thinks about that for a moment]

And what exactly do you think I can do? What have I accomplished? I haven't managed to protect the people close to me... I've hurt them myself plenty of times. I don't have any particular power. I've never even really had... control of my own life.

My main skills are stubbornness and endurance. Staring horror in the face and refusing to back down. Believing I can do something in the face of all evidence to the contrary.

If I have to believe that for you too, I will. But... I need you to at least trust me that it's possible, and not give up before we start.