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
[ March jolts a little, equally surprised, but it's only a few minutes before understanding kicks in. Oh, so it works better with... earnestness? Affection? Is that how it goes?
But poor Kaito's ears are beginning to turn red and it's easier to start giggling now that the pain's beginning to ease. ]
Well, the feeling's mutual, but we're not doing a sleepover. [ Because Kaito is a friend and Malkuth? Likes him? Maybe?
Well, she also apparently likes Ishmael's boss, and you know, she's still trying to understand all of that, but all the same, anything that's going to lead to a clear misunderstanding isn't going to be a good idea. ]
I'll just have to borrow you for a little while, then.
[ Kaito quirks a brow, unsure as to where March's deliberation is leading—and then he suddenly has a Cool Amnesiac hugging him. A wave of relief brought on by the nanobots washes over his chest.
...Geez. Smiling warmly, Kaito tugs himself just a short ways away so he can swing his legs up on the bed. Opting to settle them on either side of her rather than yoink her into his lap, Kaito finally returns the hug, planting one hand over the back of her head (specifically, over that first incision) while the other splays out along her back.
There. Now it feels a bit more even. A little warmer than he'd anticipated, but even. ]
Maybe. My little brother and I had sleepovers all the time. He was such a a scaredy cat when we were kids.
[ Guess Yukito's coming into the conversation after all. ]
[ Appreciated for the lack of lap yoinking, what would our invisible audience think--
There's a little sigh of relief beyond the initial flinch, the tenderness of the incision fading after a few seconds. Yeah, healing really does go a long way here, and March lets some of that earlier tension drain out of her. Maybe she's missed this kind of contact--not this, specifically, but the ease that came with a friendship that allowed you this sort of thing without doubts. She's really only been able to do that with Malkuth and Yuji. ]
Your little brother... that's the one that's also got something to do with ice, right?
[ The fic writers are disappointed, but the rest of us will survive.
A side of Kaito he isn't too comfortable with acknowledging appreciates this contact, too. The side that misses being confident enough to share his hurts and burdens with his friends, rather than shoulder them all alone.
A little shifting allows him to rest his cheek atop March's head. Up close, his heartbeat is actually quite slow compared to a regular person, despite how warm he is. Contradictions. ]
Yeah. Yukito. A Yuki-onna's son. A race of ice creatures. They're often conflated with ice demons.
He's basically a walking ice cube with a hot temper and absolutely no courage when it comes to spooky stuff. We grew up attached to each other's hips.
It feels like I've run into a few people with siblings here. I'm a little envious.
[ It's said lightly, though. She doesn't want to dwell too hard on whether or not she has a family, especially when the Astral Express crew pretty much qualified unequivocally for the role. ]
So does that mean you've got, uh... ice in your blood, too? You didn't feel all that cool to me, though.
[ Which doesn't mean everyone is like her, but if Yukito's a walking ice cube... ]
Trust me, the grass is always greener on the other side. But he's over there while I'm stuck here, so I've gotta make the most out of a potential found family as I can. [ He sticks his tongue out. Is that a suggestion? Hm. ]
We're half-brothers. He's an ice cube and I'm a pool noodle. [ Okay, now he's speaking in code. ]
I think you'd like him. He enjoys photography, too. I'm more of a drawer.
[ Seen? Does he turn into an actual dragon? Does his hair get long and his eyes get all glowy and does he get horns because he and Dan Heng could absolutely bond and oh the amount of fascination just seeping out of this girl-- ]
My lips are sealed. [ solemnly. ]
So your mom's a dragon and his mom's an ice creature...
Your dad really has an interesting taste in ladies, it sounds like.
...You're free to ask questions if you're so curious. [ He can't help but call that fascination out juuuuust a little bit. ]
It's a strange story. My dad's marriages, I mean. When I was really young, my mother disappeared, and everyone but me thought she had died at sea. Father eventually moved on and married my step-mother... And then a good twenty or so years passed before we were reunited with my mom.
I don't think about it much. I don't think they think about it much. They're just happy together. The simplicity of it makes me jealous.
You may be able to fool others, but I'm a wise ol' dragon.
[ A laugh shakes his frame. He's also a cheater. #empathprivilege ]
I was the only one who believed. At least, that's how it felt. The truth of the story's a bit more complicated, but we got our happy ending, and life goes on.
[ Softer: ] ...I hope you'll get yours, too. Whatever that entails.
[ There's a swirl of conflicting emotions, honestly. Gratitude and fondness, but also something like dread and fear and sadness wrapped tightly in determination and hope. ]
[ Honestly, it's a very familiar blend of emotions.
Kaito's embrace pulls just a bit tighter. A touch of hesitation follows, but he eventually begins combing his fingers through March's hair in a soothing motion. ]
You will.
I don't know exactly how terrifying it is to think about it, but I've had a tiny taste. I can at least empathize.
I'm in your corner, no matter what—even after we return to our worlds.
[ He's really perceptive, isn't he? March has gotten so used to keeping those thoughts deep down to the point that she's almost surprised that he feels the need to comfort her, though maybe she'd inadvertently worried him?
The last person who'd combed through her hair like this had been Himeko, soothing and reassuring. It's a little different when the gesture is being done by someone else and it takes her a few seconds to debate how she feels about it before she ultimately decides it's fine and snuggles closer. ]
How did this become about me, exactly? [ With a little laugh. ]
I'm a big brother. Fussy, protective, and loyal. It was only a matter of time before I found an angle to worry about you, y'know?
[ He's more than a little relieved to feel her settle in rather than shy away. Kaito's gentle touch is a solid contradiction to the roughness of his fingers. He nuzzles his cheek in before smiling brightly. ]
Malkuth knows that I'm a bit of a hypocrite, but let me have my moment. It's good to lean on people, even if only for a short while, and even if they don't have the full picture.
So, while we're both tender and vulnerable, maybe we can enjoy a brief respite to lean on each other. Sometimes it's all you need to recharge, y'know?
Can't argue that. [ A little quieter. The full picture... even she's not sure how to explain it. Is she happy she learned a little more about the nature of her lost memories? That it wasn't just a bonk to the head? It's more than she knew.
But them being sealed to protect her? For her own good? She doesn't think about it on the daily. She has other things to focus on. But she doe think about it sometimes, jerking awake in the middle of the night, heart pounding, dread a rock in her stomach.
What kind of terrible dark thing do her memories hold that an Aeon--a god had to step in to separate her from them? And if she ever finds it out...
... What will the people she cares about think about her then? Who will March 7th be, at that point?
She closes her eyes against these thoughts. Moves on, as she always has. ]
If you've got a dragon form, can I see it one day?
[ Kaito can only attempt to fathom what manner of thoughts are running through March's mind. They are not his to worry over, nor does he have the right to eavesdrop. He already listens plenty with his empathy.
So he waits; and when she's finished, he nods into her hair—and yawns. Come to think of it, he's fairly certain he hasn't turned off his healing powers since they locked in. Sustaining it almost feels... effortless. Maybe it's because of the position. Perhaps it's the friendly affection.
He'll have to ask around later. ]
Of course you can. Why don't we plan to train together during the next simulation, if you're free? I want to be able to better back you up when things get real, y'know?
Sounds like a plan to me! Malkuth got to borrow you way too much during the last mission, I've got to get my fight time in!
[ As though anyone was focusing on bonding during a mission.
She's noticed much the same thing--that she doesn't have to concentrate hard to maintain the healing right now, that she does feel much better, actually. Weird. ]
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No, it's okay, really. [ Golds flit to meet her gaze as he smiles. ] I wouldn't mind spending more time with you.
[ —Oop. A much stronger pulse of restorative energy begins to flow in, warm and tingly. Kaito's brows lift. ]
I... see...
[ That's almost a little embarrassing. The tips of his ears brighten. ]
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But poor Kaito's ears are beginning to turn red and it's easier to start giggling now that the pain's beginning to ease. ]
Well, the feeling's mutual, but we're not doing a sleepover. [ Because Kaito is a friend and Malkuth? Likes him? Maybe?
Well, she also apparently likes Ishmael's boss, and you know, she's still trying to understand all of that, but all the same, anything that's going to lead to a clear misunderstanding isn't going to be a good idea. ]
I'll just have to borrow you for a little while, then.
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That's fine. Guys and sleepovers don't exactly match up. [ A beat. He thinks of Malkuth, and the Domain, and Rumba. ] ...Most times, anyway.
Luckily for you, there's a seasonal special going on all rental Kaitos: free ninety-nine, with no tax. Ha—ough.
[ The joke is dumb, as per usual, but his laugh is interrupted by a slight pang in the chest. Slow down, noodle man. ]
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And the only real helpful thing she can do in this very moment is try to ease the pain as quickly as she can, so she gently releases his hand--
And then leans in to carefully wrap both arms around Kaito instead, head plunking against his chest. ]
"Most times", huh? Speaking from experience?
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...Geez. Smiling warmly, Kaito tugs himself just a short ways away so he can swing his legs up on the bed. Opting to settle them on either side of her rather than yoink her into his lap, Kaito finally returns the hug, planting one hand over the back of her head (specifically, over that first incision) while the other splays out along her back.
There. Now it feels a bit more even. A little warmer than he'd anticipated, but even. ]
Maybe. My little brother and I had sleepovers all the time. He was such a a scaredy cat when we were kids.
[ Guess Yukito's coming into the conversation after all. ]
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There's a little sigh of relief beyond the initial flinch, the tenderness of the incision fading after a few seconds. Yeah, healing really does go a long way here, and March lets some of that earlier tension drain out of her. Maybe she's missed this kind of contact--not this, specifically, but the ease that came with a friendship that allowed you this sort of thing without doubts. She's really only been able to do that with Malkuth and Yuji. ]
Your little brother... that's the one that's also got something to do with ice, right?
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A side of Kaito he isn't too comfortable with acknowledging appreciates this contact, too. The side that misses being confident enough to share his hurts and burdens with his friends, rather than shoulder them all alone.
A little shifting allows him to rest his cheek atop March's head. Up close, his heartbeat is actually quite slow compared to a regular person, despite how warm he is. Contradictions. ]
Yeah. Yukito. A Yuki-onna's son. A race of ice creatures. They're often conflated with ice demons.
He's basically a walking ice cube with a hot temper and absolutely no courage when it comes to spooky stuff. We grew up attached to each other's hips.
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[ It's said lightly, though. She doesn't want to dwell too hard on whether or not she has a family, especially when the Astral Express crew pretty much qualified unequivocally for the role. ]
So does that mean you've got, uh... ice in your blood, too? You didn't feel all that cool to me, though.
[ Which doesn't mean everyone is like her, but if Yukito's a walking ice cube... ]
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We're half-brothers. He's an ice cube and I'm a pool noodle. [ Okay, now he's speaking in code. ]
I think you'd like him. He enjoys photography, too. I'm more of a drawer.
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[ What. ]
It does sound like we'd get along, though. Since you're apparently adopting me.
[ Was that a suggestion? ]
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[ Kaito shuts his eyes, snickering. ] Y'know, in case he falls for you and actually has a chance.
—Pool noodle is my silly way of saying sea dragon, by the by.
[ THAT'S the afterthought? ]
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--Also what? Sea dragon?
[ Why does she know so many dragons actually-- ]
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[ From her emotions, too. Which seems to spark joy. ]
I haven't told anyone else, and Malkuth is the only one who's seen, so you've gotta keep it a semi-secret, okay?
My mother's a dragon, so her side of the family has dragon blood.
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My lips are sealed. [ solemnly. ]
So your mom's a dragon and his mom's an ice creature...
Your dad really has an interesting taste in ladies, it sounds like.
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It's a strange story. My dad's marriages, I mean. When I was really young, my mother disappeared, and everyone but me thought she had died at sea. Father eventually moved on and married my step-mother... And then a good twenty or so years passed before we were reunited with my mom.
I don't think about it much. I don't think they think about it much. They're just happy together. The simplicity of it makes me jealous.
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[ March, please! Tone it down!! ]
I'm glad your mom turned out okay, though... twenty years is a long time to be missing, but it sounds like you never gave up on her.
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[ A laugh shakes his frame. He's also a cheater. #empathprivilege ]
I was the only one who believed. At least, that's how it felt. The truth of the story's a bit more complicated, but we got our happy ending, and life goes on.
[ Softer: ] ...I hope you'll get yours, too. Whatever that entails.
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[ There's a swirl of conflicting emotions, honestly. Gratitude and fondness, but also something like dread and fear and sadness wrapped tightly in determination and hope. ]
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Kaito's embrace pulls just a bit tighter. A touch of hesitation follows, but he eventually begins combing his fingers through March's hair in a soothing motion. ]
You will.
I don't know exactly how terrifying it is to think about it, but I've had a tiny taste. I can at least empathize.
I'm in your corner, no matter what—even after we return to our worlds.
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The last person who'd combed through her hair like this had been Himeko, soothing and reassuring. It's a little different when the gesture is being done by someone else and it takes her a few seconds to debate how she feels about it before she ultimately decides it's fine and snuggles closer. ]
How did this become about me, exactly? [ With a little laugh. ]
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[ He's more than a little relieved to feel her settle in rather than shy away. Kaito's gentle touch is a solid contradiction to the roughness of his fingers. He nuzzles his cheek in before smiling brightly. ]
Malkuth knows that I'm a bit of a hypocrite, but let me have my moment. It's good to lean on people, even if only for a short while, and even if they don't have the full picture.
So, while we're both tender and vulnerable, maybe we can enjoy a brief respite to lean on each other. Sometimes it's all you need to recharge, y'know?
no subject
But them being sealed to protect her? For her own good? She doesn't think about it on the daily. She has other things to focus on. But she doe think about it sometimes, jerking awake in the middle of the night, heart pounding, dread a rock in her stomach.
What kind of terrible dark thing do her memories hold that an Aeon--a god had to step in to separate her from them? And if she ever finds it out...
... What will the people she cares about think about her then? Who will March 7th be, at that point?
She closes her eyes against these thoughts. Moves on, as she always has. ]
If you've got a dragon form, can I see it one day?
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So he waits; and when she's finished, he nods into her hair—and yawns. Come to think of it, he's fairly certain he hasn't turned off his healing powers since they locked in. Sustaining it almost feels... effortless. Maybe it's because of the position. Perhaps it's the friendly affection.
He'll have to ask around later. ]
Of course you can. Why don't we plan to train together during the next simulation, if you're free? I want to be able to better back you up when things get real, y'know?
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[ As though anyone was focusing on bonding during a mission.
She's noticed much the same thing--that she doesn't have to concentrate hard to maintain the healing right now, that she does feel much better, actually. Weird. ]
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Fight time, huh. Are you secretly a battle junkie, March? I won't tell anyone else.
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