Everyday Young Life
May. 21st, 2016 10:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madimpossibledreamerI was looking back through the stuff I've written and then through this site and am pretty sure I never posted this. In which case, well...WHY NOT IT'S NANAKO BEING SNEAKY AND ADORABLE WHAT WERE YOU THINKING PAST!SELF
~Dreamer~
Main Points:
Persona 4 Arcana Life
Chapter Summary: Nanako just wants her big bro to be happy.
Word Count: 760
Rating: gen?
~Dreamer~
Main Points:
Persona 4 Arcana Life
Chapter Summary: Nanako just wants her big bro to be happy.
Word Count: 760
Rating: gen?
“Yosu-niisan!” It’s impossible to mistake that excited squeal for anything else. Yosuke grins and cracks his neck. It’s been a long shift, but a certain little bundle of adorable can always make his day better. She even seems to have adopted him, which could only fail to warm someone’s heart if he or she didn’t have one.
“Hey, Nanako-chan. What are you looking for in the fine, fine world of Junes today? The sushi’s on sale if you’re willing to wait an hour.” He’s stopped reflexively checking for Souji every time she shows up and says hi, too; come to terms with the fact that shy Nanako-chan will actually seek him out.
“Actually, I was looking for you, Yosu-niisan.” She hugs him, and he quickly puts down the crate full of soda. It’d be really, really bad, as in Dojima might actually shoot him, if the heavy box somehow ended up crushing her. “You really still think I could work at Junes when I’m older?”
He can’t help the smile as he ruffles his hair. “Of course you can! I’m shocked you’re still surprised about it. Hell, you might end up being better advertising than Arcana Life.” Oops, he’s not supposed to swear in front of Nanako. Hopefully she knows better than to repeat it.
…Knowing how much of a sponge Nanako is, he’s doomed.
Given that smile that lights up the world, though, it’s probably not much of a stretch. “Arcana Life is the best!” It probably shouldn’t surprise him that she knows every word of the songs, given how much she loves even the stupid Junes jingle. (It’s way too catchy. That’s fine, but it gets stuck in his head. He’s thought about lengthening it and turning it into an actual song, maybe even just marketing it as a single, just so that there’s more to it than just one line repeating over and over.)
The idea that even though he’s treated as a nuisance at school, an outsider, until he puts on that makeup and everyone starts cheering…
Well, it can hurt. But then he hears stories about how Arcana Life has made people like Nanako smile with their songs, brought people through their depression.
He wishes he could properly communicate that to Rise. She needs it. But as usual, when it’s not Velvet Room inspired lyrics, he has no idea how to say anything important.
“But, actually, I’m…” She picks at the hem of her skirt, biting her lip, and Yosuke’s instantly concerned.
“Hey, if it’s anything I can help with, I’d love to.” A thought occurs to him, and he stands up fully, dusting off his hands. “Do you want to talk about it in the break room, Nanako-chan?”
Instantly she shakes her head, plastering on a cheerful smile. But the plaster’s cracking, and maybe Yosuke’s been spending too much time in the Home Improvement Department if he’s coming up with metaphors like this. “I’m just worried about Big Bro.” Whenever she doesn’t attach a name, it’s always Souji. “He’s always stressed, and he’s not sleeping enough. He says he’s fine, but Dad and I know he’s lying.”
Yosuke frowns. He understands why in a way Nanako couldn’t, shouldn’t ever, but still…what kind of a friend is he if he hadn’t even noticed? “Well, thanks for telling me. I’ll figure out what’s going on and try to help, okay?” …Okay, when, exactly, he’s going to do that is an open question. He doesn’t exactly have all the time in the world, between work and school and the band and the whole Investigation Team thing, but some things are worth making time for. He’ll make it work, somehow. He always has.
There’s that blinding smile again. “Thanks, Yosu-niisan! He talks about you a lot, so I think even just spending more time with you would make him happy!” Yosuke can’t help himself. He’s happy to hear that. But still—the Team Leader needs help, and none of them had stepped in to lift a finger.
She skips off, and when she’s far away enough she ducks around a corner and glances back. Yosuke’s just standing there, staring into space, a troubled look on his face and a few fingers on his lips, until a passing employee snaps at him to “do his job already!”, and he slides into motion, a sheepish smile on his face like nothing at all’s wrong. He’s a lot like Big Bro. She’ll have to wait for more evidence to show up, but as far as this first step goes…she giggles. Success.
“Hey, Nanako-chan. What are you looking for in the fine, fine world of Junes today? The sushi’s on sale if you’re willing to wait an hour.” He’s stopped reflexively checking for Souji every time she shows up and says hi, too; come to terms with the fact that shy Nanako-chan will actually seek him out.
“Actually, I was looking for you, Yosu-niisan.” She hugs him, and he quickly puts down the crate full of soda. It’d be really, really bad, as in Dojima might actually shoot him, if the heavy box somehow ended up crushing her. “You really still think I could work at Junes when I’m older?”
He can’t help the smile as he ruffles his hair. “Of course you can! I’m shocked you’re still surprised about it. Hell, you might end up being better advertising than Arcana Life.” Oops, he’s not supposed to swear in front of Nanako. Hopefully she knows better than to repeat it.
…Knowing how much of a sponge Nanako is, he’s doomed.
Given that smile that lights up the world, though, it’s probably not much of a stretch. “Arcana Life is the best!” It probably shouldn’t surprise him that she knows every word of the songs, given how much she loves even the stupid Junes jingle. (It’s way too catchy. That’s fine, but it gets stuck in his head. He’s thought about lengthening it and turning it into an actual song, maybe even just marketing it as a single, just so that there’s more to it than just one line repeating over and over.)
The idea that even though he’s treated as a nuisance at school, an outsider, until he puts on that makeup and everyone starts cheering…
Well, it can hurt. But then he hears stories about how Arcana Life has made people like Nanako smile with their songs, brought people through their depression.
He wishes he could properly communicate that to Rise. She needs it. But as usual, when it’s not Velvet Room inspired lyrics, he has no idea how to say anything important.
“But, actually, I’m…” She picks at the hem of her skirt, biting her lip, and Yosuke’s instantly concerned.
“Hey, if it’s anything I can help with, I’d love to.” A thought occurs to him, and he stands up fully, dusting off his hands. “Do you want to talk about it in the break room, Nanako-chan?”
Instantly she shakes her head, plastering on a cheerful smile. But the plaster’s cracking, and maybe Yosuke’s been spending too much time in the Home Improvement Department if he’s coming up with metaphors like this. “I’m just worried about Big Bro.” Whenever she doesn’t attach a name, it’s always Souji. “He’s always stressed, and he’s not sleeping enough. He says he’s fine, but Dad and I know he’s lying.”
Yosuke frowns. He understands why in a way Nanako couldn’t, shouldn’t ever, but still…what kind of a friend is he if he hadn’t even noticed? “Well, thanks for telling me. I’ll figure out what’s going on and try to help, okay?” …Okay, when, exactly, he’s going to do that is an open question. He doesn’t exactly have all the time in the world, between work and school and the band and the whole Investigation Team thing, but some things are worth making time for. He’ll make it work, somehow. He always has.
There’s that blinding smile again. “Thanks, Yosu-niisan! He talks about you a lot, so I think even just spending more time with you would make him happy!” Yosuke can’t help himself. He’s happy to hear that. But still—the Team Leader needs help, and none of them had stepped in to lift a finger.
She skips off, and when she’s far away enough she ducks around a corner and glances back. Yosuke’s just standing there, staring into space, a troubled look on his face and a few fingers on his lips, until a passing employee snaps at him to “do his job already!”, and he slides into motion, a sheepish smile on his face like nothing at all’s wrong. He’s a lot like Big Bro. She’ll have to wait for more evidence to show up, but as far as this first step goes…she giggles. Success.
