IDEK
Yuffie demanded post-camp sap and I am easy like an easy thing and then Stelas threatened to write more, so!
They're holding hands as they step through the barrier. She's squeezing Kamina's hand so hard she feels she might break it, and while he's not holding hers quite as tightly, he can feel a certain pressure that definitely makes up for it.
Neither of them says a word as they keep on walking.
*****
For something that was put together in the span of two hours, Kamina's welcome party at Dai-Gurren is pretty impressive. Decorations, music, food (both of the edible and the Nia-made kind), and laughter fill the place. Despite having never talked about it, it suddenly makes a lot of sense that Simon was in such good spirits after he came back from what the soldiers refer to as "that place." The same place where their former leader just returned from.
The Great Gurren Brigade demonstrates how good they are at living by their own philosophy. They barely spend any time questioning how come Kamina is alive when they, themselves, buried him at the feet of a majestic volcano chain. Instead they listen attentively to all of his stories about the Camp Brigade and the people who came from worlds with no beastmen or underground villages. About "ninjas," and "mages," and baby-eating "contractors," about sleeping on top of a fuzzy hat, and turning into a grape-hippo often enough that he's sure he can understand them now (it is around that point that Yoko has to shoot him to make him talk about something else). Everyone cheers, and praises him, and calls him a huge idiot all the same.
Leeron can't take his hands off Kamina's Air Trecks, and Simon can't take his eyes off his brother.
"He's really here," Yoko says as she sits down next to him, a glass of punch in her hand. Simon smiles and nods, quickly wiping his eyes with his jacket's sleeve.
Kamina, who may or may not have had too much to drink already (it's a bit hard to tell), is currently pushing Rossiu in Kinon's general direction while Kiyoh and Kiyal attempt to restrain their older brother.
"Thanks, Yoko."
"Eh...?"
Simon is blushing, and this is definitely not the alcohol. "For bringing him back."
Yoko blinks a couple of times, then shakes her head. "He came back because he wanted to, Simon, because we all wanted him to," Yoko sighs. "To tell you the truth, this still feels like a dream. Like if I look away for just one second, he will disappear and-"
"He won't." Simon interrupts, firmly. "We won't let that happen again."
"Yeah." She nods, feeling her eyes well up once more. But the feeling doesn't last very long, since the whole Brigade is laughing again. Simon and Yoko turn to the center of the room to find Nia delicately placing Kamina's hands on her waist, while he looks flustered and babbles something incomprehensible.
The celebration ends on a high note, with Leeron announcing that they will most likely reach Teppelin in a day or two, and they should all start making preparations for it.
*****
He opens the door without knocking and finds himself greeted by a high-pitched scream and a pillow to the face.
"O-Oi, oi, th' hell's yer problem?!"
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Yoko wraps the towel tighter around her body. Amongst the yelling, Kamina is pleased to find that the minuscule towel doesn't really cover up that much, and the pressure only serves to accentuate certain features even more.
He closes the door and steps inside the room.
"Y-You have your own room, idiot!"
"Aa, I know, but that ain't th' reason why I- wait! Don't!"
There is a loud crash and then then the room is in complete darkness.
"... yer threw a fuckin' lamp't me."
Yoko sputters. "I-It was the closest thing I- ...A-Are you okay?"
Kamina mutters something under his breath.
"Kamina...?"
"'Course I am, yer dumbass. Takes more'n a stupid night lamp t'bring this Great Kamin- what yer laughin' at, now?"
Yoko shakes her head, realizing too late that Kamina can't actually see her right now. "No, it's nothing." Her tone is warmer now, though.
"... So."
"So?"
"Ergh, guess th' mood's already ruined, anyway."
"Mood?" Yoko swallows, hearing him step closer, but all she receives for an answer are Kamina's arms draping over her. She lets out a startled yelp, which makes him chuckle.
"Yer seriously can't 'spect me ta go an' sleep by myself in a room where I can't see no fuckin' stars."
"You'll have to get used to it." Yoko shifts, making sure the towel is still in place, and returns the embrace. "... At least the part about the ceiling," she adds, shyly.
"Hehn."
Yoko smiles, resting her forehead on Kamina's chest. "You still haven't answered my question."
"Thought tha'was obvious."
"What?"
He tilts her chin up and leans close, to the point where their lips are almost touching. Yoko shivers.
"I ain't forgotten 'bout that. Ten times better's what I said, aa?"
It's a good thing Kamina has a strong grip on her right now, because Yoko can feel her knees almost giving. "Ahh. Y-Yeah, but there's. Um. I mean, we're supposed to be reaching Teppelin tomorrow or so an-"
Kamina finally kisses her.
There is a tiny little squeak before she starts kissing back, all objections forgotten. She melts into his arms and they kiss for a long while, until they have to pull back in order to catch their breaths.
He props his chin atop her head. "Ten times won't do."
"... You could still find a better way to phrase that, you know?"
But he keeps going, determined as ever. "It'll hafta be a hundred or a thounsand, at least."
"K-K-Kamina?"
"Ou!" In one swift movement, worthy of the founder of the Great Gurren Brigade, he has her pinned down on the bed. "Tonight, this Kamina-sama's drill will be th' one ta pierce yer heavens!"
"KAMINA!"
*****
The morning after, Nia walks up to Simon with a very serious face. "Simon, there is a question I'd like to ask."
"Yeah?"
"Will you pierce my heavens with your drill?"
They're holding hands as they step through the barrier. She's squeezing Kamina's hand so hard she feels she might break it, and while he's not holding hers quite as tightly, he can feel a certain pressure that definitely makes up for it.
Neither of them says a word as they keep on walking.
*****
For something that was put together in the span of two hours, Kamina's welcome party at Dai-Gurren is pretty impressive. Decorations, music, food (both of the edible and the Nia-made kind), and laughter fill the place. Despite having never talked about it, it suddenly makes a lot of sense that Simon was in such good spirits after he came back from what the soldiers refer to as "that place." The same place where their former leader just returned from.
The Great Gurren Brigade demonstrates how good they are at living by their own philosophy. They barely spend any time questioning how come Kamina is alive when they, themselves, buried him at the feet of a majestic volcano chain. Instead they listen attentively to all of his stories about the Camp Brigade and the people who came from worlds with no beastmen or underground villages. About "ninjas," and "mages," and baby-eating "contractors," about sleeping on top of a fuzzy hat, and turning into a grape-hippo often enough that he's sure he can understand them now (it is around that point that Yoko has to shoot him to make him talk about something else). Everyone cheers, and praises him, and calls him a huge idiot all the same.
Leeron can't take his hands off Kamina's Air Trecks, and Simon can't take his eyes off his brother.
"He's really here," Yoko says as she sits down next to him, a glass of punch in her hand. Simon smiles and nods, quickly wiping his eyes with his jacket's sleeve.
Kamina, who may or may not have had too much to drink already (it's a bit hard to tell), is currently pushing Rossiu in Kinon's general direction while Kiyoh and Kiyal attempt to restrain their older brother.
"Thanks, Yoko."
"Eh...?"
Simon is blushing, and this is definitely not the alcohol. "For bringing him back."
Yoko blinks a couple of times, then shakes her head. "He came back because he wanted to, Simon, because we all wanted him to," Yoko sighs. "To tell you the truth, this still feels like a dream. Like if I look away for just one second, he will disappear and-"
"He won't." Simon interrupts, firmly. "We won't let that happen again."
"Yeah." She nods, feeling her eyes well up once more. But the feeling doesn't last very long, since the whole Brigade is laughing again. Simon and Yoko turn to the center of the room to find Nia delicately placing Kamina's hands on her waist, while he looks flustered and babbles something incomprehensible.
The celebration ends on a high note, with Leeron announcing that they will most likely reach Teppelin in a day or two, and they should all start making preparations for it.
*****
He opens the door without knocking and finds himself greeted by a high-pitched scream and a pillow to the face.
"O-Oi, oi, th' hell's yer problem?!"
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Yoko wraps the towel tighter around her body. Amongst the yelling, Kamina is pleased to find that the minuscule towel doesn't really cover up that much, and the pressure only serves to accentuate certain features even more.
He closes the door and steps inside the room.
"Y-You have your own room, idiot!"
"Aa, I know, but that ain't th' reason why I- wait! Don't!"
There is a loud crash and then then the room is in complete darkness.
"... yer threw a fuckin' lamp't me."
Yoko sputters. "I-It was the closest thing I- ...A-Are you okay?"
Kamina mutters something under his breath.
"Kamina...?"
"'Course I am, yer dumbass. Takes more'n a stupid night lamp t'bring this Great Kamin- what yer laughin' at, now?"
Yoko shakes her head, realizing too late that Kamina can't actually see her right now. "No, it's nothing." Her tone is warmer now, though.
"... So."
"So?"
"Ergh, guess th' mood's already ruined, anyway."
"Mood?" Yoko swallows, hearing him step closer, but all she receives for an answer are Kamina's arms draping over her. She lets out a startled yelp, which makes him chuckle.
"Yer seriously can't 'spect me ta go an' sleep by myself in a room where I can't see no fuckin' stars."
"You'll have to get used to it." Yoko shifts, making sure the towel is still in place, and returns the embrace. "... At least the part about the ceiling," she adds, shyly.
"Hehn."
Yoko smiles, resting her forehead on Kamina's chest. "You still haven't answered my question."
"Thought tha'was obvious."
"What?"
He tilts her chin up and leans close, to the point where their lips are almost touching. Yoko shivers.
"I ain't forgotten 'bout that. Ten times better's what I said, aa?"
It's a good thing Kamina has a strong grip on her right now, because Yoko can feel her knees almost giving. "Ahh. Y-Yeah, but there's. Um. I mean, we're supposed to be reaching Teppelin tomorrow or so an-"
Kamina finally kisses her.
There is a tiny little squeak before she starts kissing back, all objections forgotten. She melts into his arms and they kiss for a long while, until they have to pull back in order to catch their breaths.
He props his chin atop her head. "Ten times won't do."
"... You could still find a better way to phrase that, you know?"
But he keeps going, determined as ever. "It'll hafta be a hundred or a thounsand, at least."
"K-K-Kamina?"
"Ou!" In one swift movement, worthy of the founder of the Great Gurren Brigade, he has her pinned down on the bed. "Tonight, this Kamina-sama's drill will be th' one ta pierce yer heavens!"
"KAMINA!"
*****
The morning after, Nia walks up to Simon with a very serious face. "Simon, there is a question I'd like to ask."
"Yeah?"
"Will you pierce my heavens with your drill?"