on several events in Z and her feelings on the day...

[heartboobs]

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

...I'm in kind of a new place now. It's not even on our world, I think. But I'm doing okay. My friends are here. Ulala just showed up... I've been so fortunate to meet so many other nice people, too. [Her cheeks color with a happy flush.] It gets...really tough, sometimes, really tough, sure--for more than a few reasons. Still, I'm doing well. I think you'd be proud of me right now... Really proud.

[Maya brightens up visibly.]

I started a magazine, Dad! The first of its kind here! I'm helping out a lot and spreading the truth and giving the best stories a voice-- [...And dampens again, but it's bittersweet. Good bittersweet.] --exactly like you would've wanted. It's been wonderful so far. I'll keep working to make my dreams come true. Don't worry.

Thank you for always being with me.

Comments

[watch]

[ father's day, huh...

he bets maya's father would be very proud of her. what kind of dad wouldn't be, when she works so hard and makes so many people happy?

it's an unfortunate reminder to himself that he is a subpar son in every way, but perhaps the least he can do today is not dwell on a past that can't be changed and instead look towards the future. ]

...

[ should he ask what kind of guy her father was? he doesn't recall her talking about him much, but then, they had all been rather mum about their parents, and for good reason. and he knows when people ask him about his father—his real father—it's a source of happiness and sadness too. happiness because he'd been so kind and taught jun so much, and sadness because jun had succumbed to childhood foolishness and taken that for granted. maybe it wasn't all his fault, but as far as he's concerned, it might as well have been. ]

I'm sure he must be very happy and proud, because you work so hard.

[heartboobs]

[He could; ask her, that is. She wouldn't really mind. She knows the parts to keep back, as well as the parts to share. Truth is, he's similar and different from Maya herself in many ways. It's been a long time since she's last seen him, and--truthfully--almost half of the premises that make her her were built on top of the words of her father; not necessarily what he said and did in practice. Not necessarily at all.]

That's nice of you to say, Jun-kun. If I work hard, it's because it's a job worth doing.

[watch]

[ he nods in understanding and decides to go for it. after all, he's talked about his own family enough to last everyone else a lifetime, and very little of that would put a smile on anyone's face. it's always sounded to him like even though maya's father was gone, he must have loved her very much, despite dying for his own dream. ]

What was he like? Your dad, I mean...

sorry for so late! feel free to ignore!

[heartboobs]

[He did love her, that much is for sure. Still, in the back of her mind she wonders if Jun remembers the scene in Xibalba fully; how even just the memory of him again was enough to make a woman who hardly cried cry.]

...He was great at his work.

[.........]

[gentle]

[he's not sure what to do other than sniffle and hug the woman, so he does just that. N sometimes forgets maya is only a few years older than himself, and still a human being as well. how she manages to shoulder such purity all by herself in a hopeless place like zodion, he isn't sure, but her words remind him of how gentle she really is. she really is just an ordinary human who loves their father and wants his approval, no matter how wonderful she may be.]

sorry for so late! feel free to ignore!

[heartboobs]

[An ordinary human being is indeed what she is, and what Maya thinks of herself as in every moment. It isn't often at all that she ventures to declare she's done things others would be very proud of. She doesn't expect anyone, including N, to think more of her, but of course she won't turn them away when they do...and when they rediscover or perhaps discover for the first time the reality of who she is: someone like them, someone whose supposed "purity" and "gentle"-ness and whatever else is within their grasp as well.

She smiles into the embrace, returning it with comforting arms around his back.]

...Thank you, N-chan. It means a lot.