Fitting Back Together

Yesterday's Child

A/N: so I mentioned a while ago that there was supposed to be another chapter set when yumagna were dancing but I couldn't get the draft finished in time. I've split that chapter up into different segments and will be inserting them as flashbacks to sort of help tide you over until Yumiko and Magna reunite. First part of the flashback will be in this chapter and the flashbacks take place in between chapter 5 and 6. Fair warning, some shameless flirting on Magna's part here.

[Trigger Warning: OCD, self-destructive behavior, implied child abuse]

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songs mentioned in this chapter:

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"I can't go back to yesterday, because I was a different person then."

- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

. . .

"Do you remember. . ." Tomi murmured, eyes on their hands as he moved a thumb over her knuckles, "when we were children, that clapping game you used to play?"

It wasn't a game.

"Yes."

"Used to drive me insane. We'd always end up half an hour late to things because you wouldn't get in the car until you'd finished."

"Well, that was entirely for our benefit," Yumiko defended, with a humor she didn't quite feel. "I thought it would crash if I didn't."

They shared a small smile.

Fleeting in existence.

"The thing is," Tomi sighed, releasing her hand and leaning back against the wall, "you don't do the clapping anymore, but you still have that same fear. That belief that you're responsible for everything. That something you do, something you don't do, will tip the scales of the universe into ruin or salvation. It's egotistical as hell," he added in a lighter tone. "You're not responsible for anyone but yourself. And even that you don't have full control over. Never have. . . so ease up a little. The world's not going to fall apart if you let go of the reins just for a moment. Longer than a moment." He leaned forward slightly, bopping her on the nose. Yumiko's eyes widened at the liberty. "Relax. And sort things out with your girl. Or, I don't know, open your own bakery. Do something that will make you happy. Because I don't think this is it. And I swear you're going to get a backache from carrying the world around on your shoulders like you do. And unfortunately we don't have any chiropractors here."

"Tomi-"

"A real oversight, I know. Terrible luck. You'd think that at least one would find their way here. Well," he sighed, shrugged. "I still hold out hope. Mostly for your sake. You could use a few good cracks."

Her expression didn't twitch. "You should have become a comedian instead of a baker."

From the twinkle in his eye, Yumiko knew he was remembering the not-so-brief 'phase' she'd gone through when they were children, in which she'd been absolutely convinced that stepping on a single crack in the sidewalk would break their mother's back. So she'd avoided each and every one she could. Any time she'd slipped up, she'd had to stop and perform the 'clapping game' Tomi found so amusing.