[ 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]

How is my avatar getting a better treatment than me, you bastard?!?

[ She might need to reconsider that KICK IN THE SHINS. That’s easier than accepting his words about her avatars being important. ]

It doesn’t have to be any important memory. She’s mostly made of… [ Wait a second. ] Right, I forgot.

[ She has to absorb her to remember. Also she omitted the fact that she’s getting her avatar’s memories once she goes back. ]

[seafloor]

[ Kaito laughs, continuing to spoil the avatar. ] Hey, if you want this treatment too you can just ask! Idiot!

[ He sticks his tongue out. He has no idea what's gonna happen at the end of the week. ]

Still, a memory is a memory. I'm sure brushing your teeth last night doesn't sound really meaningful, but...

[ He trails off, shrugging. Taps his head. ]

I hope this week passes quickly. This kind of constant memory loss is...

[ Scarier than any kaiju. ]

Annoying as fuck.

[plagiarists]

Oh, Kaito, please poke my cheek…

[ This might be what she’s saying but her eyes say you won’t get your memories back ever again if you do that.

Maybe if he wasn’t clearly going through it because of the memory loss, she would have told him about that one time she gave one of her avatars too many memories. ]

Don’t go through the procedures ever again.

[seafloor]

[ He's so tempted to take that dare. But he doesn't—instead, he drapes himself over the avatar's shoulders. One hand finds hers and points towards the original. ]

Can't promise. Power is power, and I'm the type of greedy person who's always looking for an edge.

...I picked up the healing augmentation. I don't want to be useless when my friends get hurt.

[ To emphasize his point, Kaito loops his arms around the avatar's neck and squeezes gently. Warmth flows out of his body and into hers. ]

[plagiarists]

[ It feels so weird to see him drape over, well, herself like that. And it’s even weirder to decide to connect with her avatar now of all times.

It’s a bit tricky to hold a conversation while switching point of views constantly, but she’ll manage. ]

Just tell me that you’re a self-sacrificial bastard on top of everything.

[ She’s going to beat his forgetful ass. And then she’ll fight him again when his memories are back. ]

Ah—

[ Switching back and forth is one thing, but she tapped in just when he started using healing touch. Fuck, if he figures out what she’s been doing— ]

Just don’t let them get hurt.

[ Skill issue… ]

[seafloor]

...Han Sooyoung, are you doing what I think you're doing?

[ Kaito lets go of the avatar, smiling like a cat who's just caught a mouse. ] I can tell when you're looking through your avatar's eyes, y'know. I'm that good.

[ His aura perception is that good, he means. ]

It's cute that you won't just ask for the attention. Maybe you're more cat-coded than I thought.

[ A beat. He squishes the avatar's cheek. ] I'll be careful, I promise. If anything bad happens, then you can kick my ass from here to Neo Korea and back.

[plagiarists]

[ Fuck, she didn’t take that into consideration. ]

Hmph. [ No more cheating for her. ] I’m getting plenty of attention.

[ She doesn’t switch in when Kaito squishes the avatar’s cheek which only proves her point!!! That’s what she’s going to tell herself, anyway. ]

You’re so dumb.

[ In other words, Sooyoung knows he wouldn’t let anything happen to her avatar. ]

Okay, I need to go. [ That story won’t write itself. ] She’ll follow you and listen to your commands. Text me if there are any issues, bye.

[ And she scrams, leaving Kaito with the avatar. ]

[seafloor]

[ Wow. She's just. Going. Kaito's a little impressed with how quickly she vamooses.

A beat passes. Then two. Three.

He slooooowly looks to the side at Sooyoung's avatar. ]

...So, uh.

I guess we're roommates for a week.

[ Hup. Kaito proceeds to toss the avatar over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. ]

Alright, let's get breakfast...

[plagiarists]

[ If Sooyoung were in her avatar's place, she definitely wouldn't make this as easy for him. Her avatar is chill, though. ]

What are we eating?

[ Even if she's a sack of potatoes right now, it doesn't mean she won't say anything. ]

[seafloor]

...This is so weird.

[ Kaito gives the avatar's thigh a poke. Will she even respond? ]

Do you know how to make ramen? I'll show you how to make ramen.

—Oh, and if I start talking like I've forgotten who you are or mistake you for your original, please remind me why I'm stuck with you.

[plagiarists]

I can't. Teach me.

[ Sooyoung wasn't kidding about the fairly limited conversations. The avatar nods and recites: ]

I'm stuck with you because you're a stupid bastard who decided that healing someone else is worth messing with his brain. Is that correct?

[ That is the original speaking. ]

[seafloor]

[ Kaito offers the sack of potatoes a headpat. ]

Okay. This could be fun—

[ —And then he feels a shift in the avatar's aura. That's definitely Sooyoung speaking. Glowering, Kaito lifts his hand again... This time, it's to SMACK the idiot right in the ass. ]

Don't dirty your avatar's mouth with foul language like that, dumbass.

[plagiarists]

[ Sooyoung is gone without a word. Maybe she just wasn't ready for spanking. And since he can sense her aura, she won't be able to mess with him through the avatar. ]

I'll remind you whenever you forget, so leave it to me. What kind of ramen are we making today?

[seafloor]

Sooyoung's such a troublemaker, isn't she...

[ Once she's gone, Kaito kinda awkwardly sets his hand on the avatar's butt, squeezing. Wait, why the heck is he groping her in the halls—

Healing energies flow from his hand to the affected area. This is healing practice. It's justified. ]

Shio ramen today. It's a simple recipe. I think you'll like it.

[ Off to his room!

If he can find it. ]

[plagiarists]

I'm Sooyoung.

[ She reminds him with an amused tone. There's not a hint of mockery in her voice, which might make it sound a little strange.

Him groping her ass right in the middle of a hallway is also a little strange, so they're even. ]

Do you need directions?

[seafloor]

...Yes, you are Han Sooyoung. Kami, this is a trip...

[ Kaito huffs a laugh before setting her down. ] Everlight, room 9. I'm sure I can remember.

[ So he says, having brought the two of them to Brimstone's halls. ]

...

Maybe I could use a hand.

[plagiarists]

This is the Brimstone block, though.

[ She points that out as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Well, maybe it was to her—Sooyoung made sure to create her avatar with a memory of walking through the main base building to run errands.

And since Kaito said that he could use a hand... ]

Here. Take mine.

[ The avatar extends her hand towards him, waiting for Kaito to grab it so they can walk to his room. ]

[seafloor]

...Yeah.

[ He's glad Sooyoung 1.0 isn't watching. This is embarrassing. Well, she'll get to see all this when she reabsorbs the avatar, but.

Kaito looks down at the proffered hand, frowns a bit, but begrudgingly takes it. The tips of his ears are pink.

Going around like this with March the other night was fine. They were on equal footing, sort of. This is... ]

...Geez. I feel like a little kid.

[plagiarists]

[ The avatar looks up at him from the tip of his head to Kaito's toes. ]

You're taller than me. [ A simple remark. ] I don't feel like a little kid just because I don't have most of Sooyoung's memories.

[seafloor]

...Most of us are taller than you, yes. [ She gets a headpat. Cute. ]

I suppose that's a good point to make. I just feel... Weird. More vulnerable than usual. I don't like feeling weak, y'know?

[plagiarists]

It's ironic that you can't forget worrying about feeling weak, don't you think?

[ At least they're out from the Brimstone block, all they have to do is to get through the commons area. ]

Are you worried that someone will take advantage of that? Or you just don't want to be perceived that way?

[seafloor]

[ She has a point, but Kaito rolls his eyes. ]

It's only short term memory loss. I've been worried about being weak since as far back as I can remember.

[ They're bound to attract a few stares holding hands like this, but Kaito is electing to ignore everyone else besides her right now. ]

It has nothing to do with appearances or what other people think.

If I'm weak, I can't protect everyone.

If I can't protect everyone, I'm worthless.

[plagiarists]

[ The avatar ignores the stares completely. Actually, she even asks two staff members to move away because they need to go through. At least they weren't the Outsiders. ]

Who's everyone?

[ She's frowning. ]

[seafloor]

Everyone is everyone.

[ Replied simply. ]

I'm aware of how ridiculous that might sound, but that's my standard. Impossible, so I'll never slack off.

[plagiarists]

[ She doesn't say anything for a longer while, thinking about his words. Everyone is everyone. ]

Is your whole body covered in scars?

[ That might seem to come out of nowhere, but to her, it's a somewhat natural progression. If he protects everyone, he gets hurt for everyone's sake, and therefore scars are scattered all over his hands. ]