[ closed ] simmer for seven days

[seafloor]

WHO: kaito and pals
WHAT: post-surgery and mid-month event shenanigans
WHERE: around town
WHEN: from april 12 to the end of the month
WARNINGS: potential discussion of body horror; will update as things Go On

Comments

[plagiarists]

[ Sooyoung, blissfully unaware of the reason behind Kaito's radio silence for the past few days, notices his broad back in one of the hallways of the main base and catches up to him.

Locking her elbow into his side is a form of greeting, right? Right. ]

Hey, about the story... I need some more time. My turnaround used to be better a few years ago.

[ That's a lie, actually. The story is mostly ready, but she's going through it again and again, rereading the words she wrote, looking for imperfections she could improve. ]

[seafloor]

Where is that stupid vending machine...

[ A dark aura shrouds Kaito as he stands in the middle of the cafeteria in his pajamas, trying to figure out where the hell the painkiller machine was located. They had a painkiller machine on base, right? ...Right?

Anyway, his irritated grumbling is cut painfully short as something hard jabs him a little too close to the stitches from his surgery. An uncharacteristically high-pitched howl precedes him falling to the floor, clutching his side and stomach. ]

Ugh... Who the fuck...

[ Glazed golds flit up to see Sooyoung's face. He squints. ]

...What are you going on about... idiot...

[plagiarists]

[ Since he asked, she's happy to provide an answer to that who the fuck. ]

Genius Beautiful Girl Writer, that's who.

[ Her smirk changes to a deep frown and that isn't because he seems to be in pain. ]

The story. Stop messing with me.

[seafloor]

[ Kaito groans as he pulls himself up, making particular note to grab Sooyoung's shoulder to help him on his way. But his brow lifts when her voice sharpens. ]

You're saying words alright, but I don't get it. Ngh...

[ He pauses to clutch the back of his head and screw his eyes shut. ]

Sorry. I might have... forgotten. The doctors said I'd be forgetting a lot of things.

[plagiarists]

Idiot… you went through one of the procedures? Just get some items instead, you bastard…

[ The temptation to kick his shins isn’t something she can easily ignore this time around. And yet, miraculously, Sooyoung holds herself back. ]

Is it temporary or did you forget things for good?

[seafloor]

You don't have to care so much. [ He flashes a warm smile. ] But I appreciate it.

[ Kaito shakes his head—slowly. It still hurts. ]

It's only temporary. A week at most. I remember some bits of our conversation last night. Then I forget them, and a few other details fill in the blanks.

It was really bad, the first night. But March helped me out. I'm doing a little better now.

[ 'Little' is very subjective, if you look at Verg thread. ]

[plagiarists]

Okay, then I won’t.

[ She says, caringly, as she cares deeply. ]

You’re doing a little better but you look like shit.

[ Sooyoung is just saying what she sees, okay. ]

What are you looking for anyway?

March, 4/12, Evening

[seafloor]

[ Kaito slaps his hand over his mouth for the umpteenth time, choking back his bile. He's fairly confident that his pain tolerance trumps a good majority of the other Outsiders (die enough times and you'll believe anything I guess), but echoes of the agony he felt during his recent surgery continue to return in sickening waves. He's been left wandering the base for the past few hours, fumbling his way through each of the other teams' dorms before finally remembering that his halls should have shades of yellow trim...

Despite reading the nameplates next to all of the dorm doors he's passed so far, he has yet to find his own. Frustratingly, he's already passed it three times—but he's either forgotten what he was doing or immediately forgotten the sight of his name under the number 9. They'd warned him that the memory loss would be troublesome, but, well. He either didn't realize just how troublesome... or he'd forgotten.

Eventually, he just starts walking laps up and down the Everlight hall, stopping only when he catches a mop of pink hair outside someone's (read: his) door. ]

Ah... March? Is that you?

[ At least he hasn't forgotten his friends.

Well, most of them. ]

[bowtography]

Kaito?

[ The look she gives him is one of relief but also she's not looking any better than he is. Rather, her pain tolerance is much lower, most likely, so she looks like she should have been off her feet like three hours ago. She's not really managing to stand up straight, kind of leaning off to one side. ]

... Wait, that means I got the wrong wing again--

[ Chagrined, even though. It's yellow-ish. She should have realized that. ]

[seafloor]

[ Kaito immediately takes note of her physical state. She looks a bit like he did after the battle against those Yamadenki. Worse, maybe. Without giving it much thought, he hobbles over to her and hovers his hand near her weak side shoulder in a silent invitation to lean. ]

Yeah, this is Everlight's wing. Were you looking for someone? Malkuth's not...

[ Malkuth... Her name brings up a foggy, blurry memory that prompts a frown. He looks around, trying to find her door in the hall. After a few seconds of counting doors, he gives up—and notices March standing right in front of him, near his outstretched hand. ]

Ah... March. Looking for Malkuth? She's...

[ He trails off again, and the process begins its second loop. If she doesn't stop him, he will repeat himself. ]

[bowtography]

[ She doesn't stop him at first, a little confused but also having taken his silent invitation to lean by now, and when he repeats-- ]

... Ah, no, I'm trying to find my room. Are you... okay?

[ he'd been hobbling too, she'd seen that. And what's with his... distracted-ness? ]

[seafloor]

I've been better, and you're in the opposite wing. You're Redemption, remember? [ A beat. Kaito squints. ]

Say, you didn't happen to take a trip to the medbay recently, did you? You look paler than a...

A...

[ He trails off, unable to find the word he wants to deliver. Seconds later, there's a bleary blink accompanied by cloudy golds. ]

Hm?

Have you... been here this whole time, March? Or did I wander my way into Redemption's wing?

[bowtography]

No, this is Everlight.

[ What is happening-- ]

Wait, did you also go to the medbay? Or do you... need to go? Something... seems off with your memory.

Vergilius, 4/13, Early Morning

[seafloor]

[ It's a good hour before dawn at base, and Kaito's sitting all by his lonesome at one of the cafeteria tables. You wouldn't be blamed for thinking he had company, though—because the whole surface is covered in trays of cafeteria faire. Miso soup, grilled fish, rice, pickled vegetables... He's got a good twenty servings of breakfast all to himself, and yet he hasn't touched a single thing on any of the trays.

Instead, he's clutching his forehead and glaring down at the singular empty tray that's sitting in front of him.

...What the hell is happening??? ]

[immortalpoet]

[Vergilius wanders in. He almost wonders if he's still dreaming, because..]

[All this food, and one Kaito. And the man looks frustrated, an expression that's new to him. The Fixer moves in, glances over all the dishes...]

[Before he fixes his gaze on the man, a little curious, a little vaguely concerned.]

...

Indecisive morning, or what?

[seafloor]

[ Kaito glances up at the sound of a familiar voice, and history is made as the first instance of him not greeting Verg with a smile is recorded. ]

Oh, fuck... Can you pretend you're not seeing this? I've been...

[ He looks down at the trays. Grimaces. And then... nothing. The empath just stares dully at his empty dishes.

After a beat, he looks up—and reels back a few inches, shocked. ]

Shit. How long have you been there, Boss? And how'd you sneak up on me...?

[immortalpoet]

....





[Okay, this is. Weird. it's weird. Vergilius blinks, eyebrows furrowed - this doesn't feel like he just got out of bed on the wrong side, here.]

I've been...standing here the whole time. What's going on?

[seafloor]

Ah...

[ Kaito frowns, scar-riddled hand slipping over his mouth. He looks at all the trays and deflates a little further. ]

Short-term memory loss. They told me it'd potentially be... bad. Ugh.

[ That groan is followed by a flinch as he grips his head. When he looks up again, there's a foggy glaze over his eyes. ]

...Hi, Vergilius.

How many times have I greeted you today?

[immortalpoet]

They...?

[And there he goes again. Saying hi.]

[There's something that tugs in his chest - a familiarity, digging a little close to home - before he addresses him again.]

Three times, now. What happened? Who did this to you?

Malkuth, 4/21, Dusk

[seafloor]

[ If anyone asks, Kaito's only been standing outside the brunette's room for a few minutes, not the last hour. Most of Everlight has seen him staring and wandering blankly around the halls by now. This shouldn't be such an odd sight. Nevermind that he's recovered. Kaito's tuned out his psychic abilities—mostly due to nerves.

A text goes out. ]

Are you in your room?

[ignoreher]

[ oh, that's

unusual. no, it's really not actually; it reminds her of a time when he'd asked the same, when he could have just knocked, and malkuth sets aside her small cat carving in favor of going to the door and pausing.

... couldn't he tell? it feels like he always did, and certainly he should given what she's seen in and out of battle. ]

I am. Just doing some wood carving is all, though I'm running out of bandages.

[ ... ]

Do you wanna hang?

[seafloor]

[ Kaito almost turns and bolts the instant he gets that text. Can she see hin outside? Is there a camera? With his abilities, he's never paid attention.

He chews over her words. Frowns. Grips the bag in his hands a little tighter.

But eventually, there's a knock at the door. ]

Please.

[ignoreher]

[ there it is. malkuth's smile grows and she opens the door, waving her cute bandaged fingers at kaito before her gaze drops to the bag. ooh? ]

Make yourself at home! Just... mind the mess, I guess.

[ mess, in a way. there's stuffed animals strewn across her bedding. a box of shelves needing to be put up on her walls remains grounded, small animal figurines carved carefully from wood taking up the surface; they aren't well-made but they're made anyway. there's some containers of beads, organized by color, leaned on a wall, and on her desk is wood scraps and a small, unfinished cat born from them, along with some nail polish and a framed photograph.

... all in all, malkuth's truly made the room comfortable for herself.

she'll go to sit at her desk though, pushing the small cat aside and her carving knife with it carefully... books, naturally, remain ever in spots throughout her room, like playing i spy to catch a glimpse of their spines. ]

What's in the bag?

[seafloor]

[ It's a slim paper bag—though the top has been wrung out a few times over. The kind of wrapping you'd drop some books in.

It has a bit of weight as Kaito lays it down on her desk. His eyes roam the room—it looks much more lived in compared to the last time he was here, and it would be easy to catch him staring at the center figure in that photo.

His gaze flashes with the briefest hint of curiosity before he nudges some of the stuffed animals sidelong and takes a seat. His voice is quiet. A little unsure. ]

...Making progress with a new hobby, I see.

[ Yeah, state the obvious. ] I, uh. I used most of the pages in your notepad, so I figured I'd just get you some new ones.

[ Gesturing to the bag. If she opts to look in, she'll find a bright orange and pitch-black spiral notepad set. Hardcover. The latter appears to be completely unadorned, while the former is full of drawings of comically simple ducks. Its pages are white with orange lines and even more duck sketches.

Her old notepad is also included, but it's been completely stripped of its contents save for a few (presumably) blank pages. ]

[ignoreher]

[ ... oh. she flips through both, giggling at the ducks (they're so cute!) and lays them one after the other on her desk, turning back around in her chair once she's done. ]

Thanks. I'm just happy it was useful for you, honestly... Or I hope it was if you ran me out of paper.

[ just a tease, resting her chin on her arms, arms on the backing of the chair. it's... fine, it's still comfortable even alone, and malkuth is truly relieved about that. the last thing she wants is not to be able to look forward to his company. ]

Make sure you thank Sooyoung too. For the caretaker she provided you, even if you never asked.