Specimen T-04

Part 12~Sorting the Thoughts

"So, Nagisa, where's your leader?"

Nagisa paused, frowning. "I am the leader." His eyes widened as he realised what she meant. "Yeah, you mean Keiji, don't you? He's in the closet."

"Why?"

Nagisa shrugged. "Problems happened."

"Dude, I can hear your thoughts from here." Esumi turned to Eriko, smiling as she lifted her off the counter. "Eri, why don't you go back to Jin? I'm sure he'll appreciate your company."

Eriko left without a word.

"Not much of a talker, huh?" Nagisa watched the girl go as Esumi shrugged.

"We're not actually sure she can talk. Not that it's a problem. We'll just find another way to talk to her. But we were talking about your clan. So, what problems got your M-kid hiding in a closet."

Nagisa shrugged. "Nothing important."

Esumi slapped him. "I can hear your thoughts; don't make go in there."

Nagisa sighed, leaning over the counter. "I screwed things up." Esumi motioned for him to continue. Nagisa took in a breath, explaining everything that happened since he first got a response from Esumi in one rushed monologue. He gasped, groaning as he rubbed his eyes. "Now I don't know what to do."

"Do you like Karma guy?"

Nagisa shrugged, rubbing his arm. "I think so. Before I ran away, he always looked after me, and I liked him a lot. Then the labs happened, and I met Keiji and... I don't know. I just don't want to choose either of them."

Esumi paused. "But you want both of them." When Nagisa didn't respond, she sighed and skimmed over the guy's thoughts, getting her answer. "Then tell them that."

"What? No."

Esumi didn't look impressed. "Listen, you little shit, we are lucky to be alive. You have a chance of happiness, you fucking take it, moron. If they don't like your answer, they don't deserve you. Plus, it's the best way to resolve a love triangle. Now, you won't have any guilt." Nagisa almost looked dumbfounded as Esumi pulled the pot off the stove. "You're welcome." She walked away, letting Nagisa think over her words.

~~~

Keiji left his closet approaching his bed. The other clan were sleeping in another room, and he couldn't see Nagisa. He sighed, lying down with Viola.

"I was starting to think I would have to drag you out of there, kicking and screaming." Nagisa smiled, appearing from nowhere as Keiji jolted.

"H-Hey."

Nagisa gave him an unimpressed look. "What a response, Keiji. We're really going to have to work on your vocabulary." Keiji pouted as Nagisa hesitated. "Do you want to be alone?"

Keiji hesitated. He didn't voice his answer, shuffling over and patting Nagisa's spot on the bed. Nagisa smiled, climbing next to him, or more exactly, Viola, who lay in the middle.

"Do you think you can get up early tomorrow?"

Keiji looked confused as Nagisa cleared his throat.

"I think we need a proper talk after a good night's sleep." Keiji shifted his gaze before nodding. Nagisa let out a sigh, nuzzling closer to Viola. "Good. Sleep tight, Jiji."

Keiji struggled to fall asleep when he started to hear a soft melody, the same one Esumi would always sing when they were in the lab. Yawning, he whispered back to her. "This is why everyone calls you the mum."

Esumi didn't respond, continuing her song until she knew Keiji was asleep. "You think I care?"

~~~

The next day, Nagisa and Keiji were up early. They left a note for the other clan before Nagisa dragged Keiji out of the building to school.

"If you were to drag me to school, I wouldn't have woken up."

Nagisa gave him a glare, continuing to drag him up the hill.

"Why aren't you using your tentacles. It's too early for a hike when you have the cheat sheet." Keiji leaned against Nagisa as he shook his head.

"Because we're not alone."

Keiji jolted as Nagisa stopped. Before them, Karma walked out. He looked nervous, shuffling his foot as he refused to look at Nagisa or Keiji. Keiji frowned. "What's going on?"

Nagisa let go of Keiji, walking halfway to Karma. "Thank you for coming."

Karma laughed nervously. "No problem. I guess I'm getting my answer earlier than I expected."

"Answer?" Keiji frowned, getting more and more confused.

Nagisa nodded, leaning against a tree. "I promised Karma an answer after I asked to kiss him. I wanted to know if I didn't like Jelavich or if I just like anyone, and then I ran away. It was not my finest moment." Nagisa scratched the back of his neck, resisting the urge to play with his tentacles. He should have brought Octavia. "I talked to Esumi-" Nagisa paused, looking to Karma- "a friend from the streets. She helped me a lot, and I know I like guys now... or rather, I like two guys, specifically." Nagisa grew more awkward as Keiji and Karma shared a look.

"You like us both," they asked together as Nagisa nodded.

"I thought I had to choose, but I can't. I know it's not normal or-" Nagisa couldn't finish when Karma burst out laughing. Even Keiji snickered a little as Nagisa looked bewildered. "Karma? Keiji?"

Karma took a breath. "Is that it? I thought I put you off dating anyone. You had me scared I was that bad a kisser. Nagi, I don't care. I just want to be with you."

"You won't care. I'm dating another guy at the same time?"

Karma paused, looking Keiji up and down. "I mean, I can see the appeal. Nagi," Karma walked forward, taking Nagisa's hand, "I really like you. I want to be with you, and I don't want to lose you again. Besides, neither of us can know what's going to happen. I think I can come to like this moron too, and if not, we'll be friends, and you can have us both."

"Are you sure?"

Karma nodded before he hesitated, looking at Keiji. "If that's okay with you?"

Keiji hesitated, walking forward as he hugged Nagisa, laying his head on Nagisa's shoulder. "Of course."

Nagisa smiled, wrapping a hand around Keiji and keeping the other in Karma's. "Let's see where this takes us."