thekillerwhale | IC Inbox

No, it's okay. It's kind of nice to actually talk about this to you now? Yeah, he's our leader. HE'S THE BEST LEADER!

[He laughs again when he starts getting excited about his leader again.]

When he comes here, I'll definitely have to meet him then.

It's all really interesting, you know? Hearing about all of these different kinds of people with different abilities from different worlds. And even if we're from the same country, it's still very different.

Yeah. When I -

Okay, uh, to backtrack a little ... I wasn't entirely truthful when I said friends helped me through the transition period coming here, that first time. I mean, they did, but ... this isn't the first time I've done this kind of thing. Time travel and alternate universes, I've dealt with those before, even visited one. Like, before I got here even. Anyway... something that's been bugging me, I've been wondering if... maybe we're all actually from the same world after all - just different versions of that world, or that universe. Maybe there's a Gokudera Hayato somewhere in your world, and maybe there's a Tachibana Makoto somewhere in mine, you know? Space is infinite, and always expanding.

Anyway, when I got sent home it wasn't ... exactly the same as my world. That's how I knew I was probably coming back here. I was, uh. Starting to see if maybe I could find you there, just to test the theory, but I didn't get very far in looking before I was yanked back.

[Makoto listens to the explanation, trying to wrap his head around it. It sounds like something straight out of a science fiction movie or a video game, but there is probably truth behind it. The fact that they are all here proves some of it.

When he heard that he went looking for a version of him when he went back, he couldn't help but feel his heart warm at that.]

Really? You went looking?

Haha...Japan is really populated.

If you get sent back next time, try Iwatobi High School.

[He then makes a humming noise in thought.]

What if that version of me is different? What if he's really short and is good at art? Hahaha!

Yeah? I will. That'll make the search easier. [Oh good Makoto wasn't weirded out by it.]

Then he's really short and good at art, if he's Makoto I'm sure he'll be a good friend.

[He smiled brightly at that even though Gokudera couldn't see it. He was glad that Gokudera could find such a good friend.]

Maybe the Hayato in my world is really tall and has bad aim. Hahaha!

I bet he's super tall. Like, a giant. Two hundred thirteen centimeters even!!

[He's probably always a short chainsmoker actually. That's been pretty consistent no matter where he goes. Goddamn it. Even 24-year-old-him seemed to be ... well, taller, but still the shorter one among his companions, aside from Tsuna. WHO HAD THE HEART OF A GIANT SO IT DIDN'T COUNT.]

Eh?! Really? That tall?! Maybe he'd be a basketball player at that height. But if he has bad aim, then it would be really sad.

[He laughs at that.]

I'd invite him to join our swim club, that way he can just reach out and hit the other side of the pool.

Ha, maybe tall Hayato can swim, too. Yes, he totally can. He's an amazing swimmer. [Because it's Gokudera's fantasy and he can be as cool as he wants to in it.]

I wonder what tall Hayato's specialty stroke would be...

Maybe it would be the doggy paddle. Haha! He's number one in Japan for the doggy paddle.

Hey, normal Hayato happens to be alright at that one too.

Can you not swim well?

I can be dropped in the water and not drown but that's about all I've got goin' for me.

If you wouldn't mind learning, I could teach you some techniques when it warms up. We're going to try to restore the abandoned pool that's here.

If you don't think it'd be too tedious to teach a beginner, yeah, that'd be fun. [... Shit, then Makoto will have to get his shirt off. SHIT, NOW GOKUDERA WAS THINKING ABOUT IT.] SO, uh, you know pool restoration, then?

Not at all! One of my friends, Rei, he joined the swim club and didn't know how to swim at all. He...he actually sank like a rock. But now, he's really amazing at the butterfly stroke! I'm the captain of the swim club back home, so I could get you swimming well in no time.

And yeah, we had to restore the pool at our school back home. It was full of weeds, grass, and cracks. It'll be more complicated for the one here, but I think we can do it.

Where there's a will there's a way, right?

Oh, before I forget, there's something I wanted to give you. I was able to get some supplies when I went back, a little bit anyway. Tried to keep it to things easy to carry, you know? So no icebox full of convenience store food or nothin.

Right.

Oh yeah? I guess you can bring it when you come over, right?

[He laughs a bit.]

But that's too bad, I was looking forward to convenience store curry.

[Right. Boots on, he's heading over.]

Yeah? Ha, well, if it happens again, I'll make sure to grab some of that. Dunno if you'll like this but I'm sure you can regift it if you don't.

I'm sure I'll like it. Anything from civilization would be like a breath of fresh air.

I know right? Everything was kinda weird though too. I had some cup noodles in my apartment cabinet, I almost threw up after eating them, they tasted so damn salty now. [Also his stomach was already upset from smoking half a pack of cigarettes nonstop.]

It's because everything here is pretty bland, huh...

Though even cup ramen sounds really good right about now. My mom cooks really good food, so I only went to convenience stores after school or when I visited my friend's house.

Ah...now I'm getting hungry thinking about it. Hahaha

Ha, sorry. She cooked a lot? Uh, your mom? [... He likes to hear about people's families, when it comes to people he cares about. So sue him.]

Yeah. She would make my bento for school and cook dinner and breakfast. Sometimes, she'd even make my best friend's bento if he ever spent the night. It was always really delicious.

That sounds really ... nice. Really traditional. [Normal. He can't quite keep the hint of longing from his voice as he wonders if that's the kind of life the Gokudera that lived in the world he went to was able to have.]

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