[ There are the lyrics, and his gaze softens in remembrance of bunched up bed sheets and his chosen side of the bed, safe and warm with the wall on one side, his sister on the other, mumbling "neko"s half asleep and never being able to make it through the entire song because he would always fall asleep first.
As if he were a preschooler again, Minato adds the "neko"s in this time too, the only words he knows for sure, but that's as far as he gets before— that's undoubtedly a name, not part of the song- why?- and he stops singing immediately, mouth dry and throat closed up.
He wants to say "sorry." Or "bye." Or anything that would give him the excuse to get up and leave, breath held as if that would put a pause on his hammering heart as well, but Minako holds his earphones in her hands, keeps him tethered there, and he-
can't move. can't speak. can't dare raise his hopes because he'd already given up on all three of these things; he can't. ]
no subject
As if he were a preschooler again, Minato adds the "neko"s in this time too, the only words he knows for sure, but that's as far as he gets before— that's undoubtedly a name, not part of the song- why?- and he stops singing immediately, mouth dry and throat closed up.
He wants to say "sorry." Or "bye." Or anything that would give him the excuse to get up and leave, breath held as if that would put a pause on his hammering heart as well, but Minako holds his earphones in her hands, keeps him tethered there, and he-
can't move. can't speak. can't dare raise his hopes because he'd already given up on all three of these things; he can't. ]