OPEN POST

[placation]

if you can dream it, you can thread it

(you can pm me here or on plurk if you'd like to beforehand, but also if you'd just like to drop something at my doorstep with no preamble please do!!)

Comments

[placation]

[ Uh huh. Sure acting like a kid riddled with maladies... ]

Is that so? Why don't you show me the bite mark, then?

1/2

[enteloki]

[THERE IS NO BITE MARK.

Caught redhanded. Frogtoothed, even. He tugs the sleeve of his arm all the way up - folds it right to his shoulder, and-]

[enteloki]

I lied.

[placation]

[ Uh huh. There it is. ]

Did you lie about your legs and eyes hurting too?

[enteloki]

No.

[He places his grubby nasty little hands on Maruki's eyes. Do Not Perceive his deception. One day he'll kill the prime minster. Today, he's using his toddler saw trap plan for good.]

They hurt a lot. My eyes are - and my legs are - they're going to fall off if I don't lay here with you.

[placation]

[ And– okay, well, it seems his eyes have been forcibly closed again by the power of Child Hands. Maruki doesn't fight it. He's still tired. ]

You don't have to lie to come take a nap with me, Goro. [ It's a very, very gentle scold. ] You know that, right?

[enteloki]

[It's been reiterated time and time again. A lot of things are.]

Yes.

[He will continue to lie. ♥]

But I have to tell you something. Don't get mad. Do you promise?

[placation]

I promise.

[ Maruki has never once gotten mad at him, doesn't plan to.

He gently plucks those little hands away from his eyes now so that he can see him semi-clearly. Wherever he put his glasses before that short, restless nap, he now has no memory. ]

What are you going to tell me?

1/????

[enteloki]

[Akechi's staring so deep into Maruki's eyes. Staring. So much. It stares at you.]

I opened the front door.

[enteloki]

It's still open.

[enteloki]

I think a ghost came in. Or a snake. Or a cat.

[enteloki]

But I put it back outside! I did it by myself - I set it by Shiho-san's door. It didn't bite me.

[enteloki]

Then I walked to the elevator and I left the keys there. I got scared.

[enteloki]

And the front door's open. I tried to shut it - I think there's a ghost holding it open.

[enteloki]

[Right on cue, a bug flies in front of Akechi's face. From the open front door. That's been open for awhile.

Akechi watches the weird fly settle on back of the couch. Nature is beautiful.]

END

[enteloki]

[Oh right.]

Can you shut the door? And get the keys? I don't know - I'm too scared.

this is still art to me

[placation]

[ Immediately, Maruki sits up with a start, Akechi gathered safely in his arms so as not to tumble over, right off the couch and onto the floor. ]

The door–!?

[ Sure enough! When he sits up on his knees, leans over the arm of the couch and cranes his neck to see into the entryway, the front door is wide open.

Their building is safe, but not that safe. Nowhere is. Maruki's heart rattles a horse race pace against his ribs. ]

Goro– hah, okay. Okay. [ Breathe. He's getting up off the couch, Akechi still held in two safe arms. ] Thank you for waking me up to tell me. We shouldn't leave the door open. Strangers could come in.

[ Or bugs– oh, god, there's another one. Rumi's going to hate this.

Maruki pauses as he's toeing on his sandals for their quick jaunt to find the goddamn keys and looks down at Akechi. ]

Was it a snake or a cat that you saw?

im pinacasso

[enteloki]

A hamster - I don't know. It was weird.

[Maybe nothing at all? A ghost? Anyway, there's a rock in the doorway keeping the door from shutting. He used it to, you know, keep the door from shutting while he was on his adventure, but now it's stuck. Incredible.

He points up to the sky dramatically - only an inky blackness visible from their high density apartment hallway.]

Woah, that's Featherman's Alpha Alien Smash Craft! Did you see it? Maybe we can ask them to find the keys. Do you think - they might if we're nice and you're very nice.

[placation]

[ Maruki glances up to where he's pointing, sees nothing, quickly focuses back down on the floor to search for the errant keys. ]

Do you think any of the Featherman Rangers would leave their front door open? What if an enemy got inside?

[ It's phrased as a genuinely curious question so Akechi doesn't think he's frustrated, but by god, he hopes it'll be a teaching moment. ]

[enteloki]

They would beat! The bad guy! Up! And put the enemy in prison!

[SO LOUD!!!!!! RIP Neighbors.]

And I can do that too.

[placation]

[ BOY YOU COULDN'T EVEN CATCH A SNAKE/CAT/HAMSTER. ]

The Featherman Rangers wouldn't leave the front door open in the first place, that was my point...

[ Oh, but speaking of that snake/cat/hamster– key quest can wait for a moment. Maruki pauses at the neighbor's door. ]

What exactly did you leave here for Shiho-san?

[ He's looking... ]

[enteloki]

[It's a cookie, right on her doormat. On a little napkin. There's an ant munching on it. ♥]

A snack.

[placation]

[ ....................................................

Okay.

Yeah.

You know what? Yeah. Okay.

Great. Good. The ghost that was a cat or a hamster is actually a snack. Sure! What the hell, why not.

Maruki continues on toward the elevator, phone flashlight shining to try to spot the glimmer of keys. ]

I think we need to make a new rule about the door. Only Rumi and I should be opening it. You're too little.

[enteloki]

I have to open doors. Don't be mad, but I have to. It's to save you.

[There's a frantic edge to his tone, a stand he isn't going to back down from, no matter how small he is.

He has to open doors, so he will.

And to his credit, Akechi does follow the light from his little prince perch and scan the floor for the keys he dropped.]

But I'm sorry - I'm really sorry. Next time I'll leave the keys, okay?

EVIL OF YOU

[placation]

Save me...? From what, the aliens?

[ Maruki doesn't follow, and his eyes remain tracking over the floor as he sweeps his flashlight back and forth. ]