Hi! This is Charlie. Do you have plans this morning?
This is like the 4th inbox I've christened with dumb shit
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proprietrix
- 2024-05-09 14:34 (UTC) - Expand[Eren's adheres to a pretty strict routine, designed to keep his mind off of anything other than What He's Currently Doing, which always must be something, lest it be nothing, and he ends up alone with his thoughts. When that happens, he shifts into one of his animal forms. He'd tended to favor his bird form for a while after he first discovered it, but with the state of the world now (fish falling from the sky, etc.), he's back to relying on the tried and true Wolf of Escapism and Avoidance.
[It's just easier not to think so much this way...
[Most people don't blink an eye at him wandering the edges of town, even if he does venture close to the shops or houses. A docile wolf is hardly the strangest thing people here have to worry about (though, after all of the wolf attacks last month, he's a little more careful, at least).
[He picks up Maruki's scent before he sees him, which is weird. Must be out and about, Eren figures - shopping or something like that? Eren sees him come into view. He knows Maruki won't recognize him, but he can't really help himself; see friend, go to friend - his brain operates half on canine instinct. So, over bounds a very large brown wolf, eyes somehow even wider and greener than usual.
[He stops a few paces away from Maruki, though his large tail gently swishes, betraying affection he isn't even full conscious of. He barks.]
[It's just easier not to think so much this way...
[Most people don't blink an eye at him wandering the edges of town, even if he does venture close to the shops or houses. A docile wolf is hardly the strangest thing people here have to worry about (though, after all of the wolf attacks last month, he's a little more careful, at least).
[He picks up Maruki's scent before he sees him, which is weird. Must be out and about, Eren figures - shopping or something like that? Eren sees him come into view. He knows Maruki won't recognize him, but he can't really help himself; see friend, go to friend - his brain operates half on canine instinct. So, over bounds a very large brown wolf, eyes somehow even wider and greener than usual.
[He stops a few paces away from Maruki, though his large tail gently swishes, betraying affection he isn't even full conscious of. He barks.]
[ You know, Eren might be onto something there. While waiting for his business license to clear and failing to find a decent place to live, Maruki is completely unmoored from any semblance of a schedule that he had before, and it's beginning to make him a bit stir crazy. There's only so much sleeping and dreaming counseling one can do, especially when it only serves to wake him up more tired than before. He would like to at least enjoy this free time and catch up on his variety shows that were always on at his favorite late night cafe, but this world has neither variety shows nor late night cafes. It's essentially hell.
For want of anything better to do, and despite his distrust of the suddenly violent locals and other bizarre phenomena inherent to this place, he forces himself out to go for walks. Usually he ends up looping in circles and drawing the ire of some goblin, or getting rained on by fish, so it's not, like, a pleasant experience. Ever. But he does it anyway just for something to do at all.
And this walk is no exception to the rule: Just as he's managed to unstick himself from a loop and try making his way back to the housing district, there is a fucking wolf heading straight for him.
Are you supposed to make yourself big and scary with wolves, or play dead? He has never done a day of wilderness survival training in his life. He's going to die here. He'll get to experience Inferna like Maki threatened, because a fucking wolf mauled him to death.
He ducks down, covering his head with both arms and yelping out a panicked litany of ohgodohgodohgodohno until– ]
... O-oh?
[ He peeks out from beneath one arm. Takes in the sight of the wolf just staring at him. Blinks. Tries to remember how to breathe. ]
Um... hi. Are wolves friendly here?
[ Who is he asking? THE WOLF? He's losing his mind. ]
For want of anything better to do, and despite his distrust of the suddenly violent locals and other bizarre phenomena inherent to this place, he forces himself out to go for walks. Usually he ends up looping in circles and drawing the ire of some goblin, or getting rained on by fish, so it's not, like, a pleasant experience. Ever. But he does it anyway just for something to do at all.
And this walk is no exception to the rule: Just as he's managed to unstick himself from a loop and try making his way back to the housing district, there is a fucking wolf heading straight for him.
Are you supposed to make yourself big and scary with wolves, or play dead? He has never done a day of wilderness survival training in his life. He's going to die here. He'll get to experience Inferna like Maki threatened, because a fucking wolf mauled him to death.
He ducks down, covering his head with both arms and yelping out a panicked litany of ohgodohgodohgodohno until– ]
... O-oh?
[ He peeks out from beneath one arm. Takes in the sight of the wolf just staring at him. Blinks. Tries to remember how to breathe. ]
Um... hi. Are wolves friendly here?
[ Who is he asking? THE WOLF? He's losing his mind. ]
[They meet on the crest of a hill, beneath a shady tree. Eren is clearly Eren, but he appears much younger, leaning back on his hands in the grass. He watches birds circle in the sky; doesn't seem to notice Maruki yet.
[The landscape of the dream doesn't quite make sense. No matter which direction one looks, they'll find themself staring downhill to the city below. Sometimes it's Somnius, and sometimes it isn't. 50-meter stone walls surrounded them on all sides, not an exit in sight.
[Green eyes find Maruki.]
Did I fall asleep again? [His voice is young too; unlike the Eren Maruki knows, too, in that there's easy life to that voice - not so dull, not so dreary.]
[The landscape of the dream doesn't quite make sense. No matter which direction one looks, they'll find themself staring downhill to the city below. Sometimes it's Somnius, and sometimes it isn't. 50-meter stone walls surrounded them on all sides, not an exit in sight.
[Green eyes find Maruki.]
Did I fall asleep again? [His voice is young too; unlike the Eren Maruki knows, too, in that there's easy life to that voice - not so dull, not so dreary.]
[ It's probably the curse of his own obsessive knowledge of and experimentation with the cognitive world that makes him so aware in these dreams within dreams. Even back at home in Tokyo, he always remembered his dreams vividly, but this sort of lucidity is unique to Somnius.
A transparent attempt to manipulate his own cognition by some unseen force. Wear him down, wear him out. Force him to give until he has nothing left of himself to fight back. It won't work. People here think him weak, but his battle won't ever be physical.
Still: Sleep takes him, and when he doesn't find himself in that office, it's such a profound relief that he doesn't know what to do with himself at first.
The tree, the walls, the shifting mirage of a city– and the boy, instantly familiar from the eyes alone.
Maruki grins down at him, wide and genuine even as another fissure forms in his heart. ]
Eren-kun. I think you did.
[ He sits next to him on the grass, knees pulled up in front of him and forearms draped loosely around them. ]
Is this your home?
A transparent attempt to manipulate his own cognition by some unseen force. Wear him down, wear him out. Force him to give until he has nothing left of himself to fight back. It won't work. People here think him weak, but his battle won't ever be physical.
Still: Sleep takes him, and when he doesn't find himself in that office, it's such a profound relief that he doesn't know what to do with himself at first.
The tree, the walls, the shifting mirage of a city– and the boy, instantly familiar from the eyes alone.
Maruki grins down at him, wide and genuine even as another fissure forms in his heart. ]
Eren-kun. I think you did.
[ He sits next to him on the grass, knees pulled up in front of him and forearms draped loosely around them. ]
Is this your home?
Edited (what the fuck are words) 2024-05-15 07:41 (UTC)
( SPECIAL DELIVERY. There is a box waiting for Maruki that is almost comically heavy when he lifts it. Inside are countless notebooks filled with pages of notes started the day of Lioriley's arrival back in February, all the way to about two days ago when she wrote about more odd shit happening around town and the locals weird behavior when she tried to buy a dress from a pig in a peacoat.
Everything is dated and labeled appropriately and her handwriting is immaculate; swirling script perfectly aligned despite there being no lines to write on. She did not leave a letter, if only because it seemed obvious what this was about, but she did leave a diagram of where her cottage is located so he could visit if so desired. )
Everything is dated and labeled appropriately and her handwriting is immaculate; swirling script perfectly aligned despite there being no lines to write on. She did not leave a letter, if only because it seemed obvious what this was about, but she did leave a diagram of where her cottage is located so he could visit if so desired. )
[ he and akechi are going to stay up all day and night reading these, thank you, this is the worst possible thing someone could have done for them and vash literally made them roommates so that's saying something
HE WILL FEEL EXTREMELY BAD LATER AND REPAY HER SOMEHOW. TIME WILL TELL HOW ]
HE WILL FEEL EXTREMELY BAD LATER AND REPAY HER SOMEHOW. TIME WILL TELL HOW ]
Oh! Thank you!
If you could please get more eggs, that would be great. I took most of ours over to Maki-san's house to try to teach her how to make tomato egg... it didn't go well...
Buy whatever you'd like me to make! I'm open to anything.
If you could please get more eggs, that would be great. I took most of ours over to Maki-san's house to try to teach her how to make tomato egg... it didn't go well...
Buy whatever you'd like me to make! I'm open to anything.
[The irony isn't lost on him. In their easily fallen into routine, upheld without effort, the city comes up more often than it doesn't. Missed food, stores, different areas neither had explored on their own. Casual. Nostalgic. Too grossly sentimental for Akechi, but a welcome topic all the same.
How kind of this goddamn shithole to give them a taste of it again.
In a way, he's happy. The monsters are shadows - a great value reaper in disguise. They're large - bigger than anything he ever fought in a palace, but there's an unshakeable thrill in new danger, new battles, and from being too long settled from the destruction in last month's dungeon.
No, he's having a great time, except-
The Maruki situation. A gross representation of a teammate. An appearance needs to be kept, even as short bursts of muffled cackles escape him when a particularly volatile enemy falls. Robin Hood made an appearance immediately - megidola and kouga don't make quick work of creatures - sometimes they don't even die, but the attacks manage to knock down, distract, kill, on occasion. Robin Hood is weak. Weaker than normal. It pisses him off.
The Maruki situation is unfortunate. Keeps him from raining havoc across this amalgamation of a city, from blowing up buildings (he only blew up one to block their path) to throwing himself into every battle possible. It's image, appearance and maintaining the vision of a perfect prince.
And princes don't let people fall into danger or die under the heel of a monster. Princes don't seek volatility and rage against monsters - they assess, fight when necessary and back off.
It's so goddamn annoying.
He maintains his composure the whole time - surprise and concern feigned at critical moments, though the words never reach his wild eyes. Manic energy crushed - buried and trampled with nails dug into his palms, steady breathing, staring at Maruki as a reminder this isn't meant to be fun. That the blood coating his palms, splattering his outfit, stuck on the edges of his hair isn't a reward. At a certain point, it's a mixture of his own injuries and monster viscera. He doesn't really care. Nothing hurts, even as he plucks his shirt away from a gaping slash on his arm. Like he's trying to peel water soaked clothes from skin.
The first day ends with them in a pseudo-safe room, stuck between two aisles of unknown snacks, unorganized and strewn around. The only remaining light from a barely functioning drink shelf nearby. The earthquake-esque sensation of creatures who feel nearby, but aren't. The Maruki situation continues to be a baffling ordeal even now. Especially now.]
Well-
[He starts. They've barely had room to breathe since walking through that door, let alone hold a solid conversation.]
Perhaps you should bring a bigger knife next time. [A pause. He leans against a shelf of potato chips - the crunch overbearing under his weight.] This was certainly unexpected.
How kind of this goddamn shithole to give them a taste of it again.
In a way, he's happy. The monsters are shadows - a great value reaper in disguise. They're large - bigger than anything he ever fought in a palace, but there's an unshakeable thrill in new danger, new battles, and from being too long settled from the destruction in last month's dungeon.
No, he's having a great time, except-
The Maruki situation. A gross representation of a teammate. An appearance needs to be kept, even as short bursts of muffled cackles escape him when a particularly volatile enemy falls. Robin Hood made an appearance immediately - megidola and kouga don't make quick work of creatures - sometimes they don't even die, but the attacks manage to knock down, distract, kill, on occasion. Robin Hood is weak. Weaker than normal. It pisses him off.
The Maruki situation is unfortunate. Keeps him from raining havoc across this amalgamation of a city, from blowing up buildings (he only blew up one to block their path) to throwing himself into every battle possible. It's image, appearance and maintaining the vision of a perfect prince.
And princes don't let people fall into danger or die under the heel of a monster. Princes don't seek volatility and rage against monsters - they assess, fight when necessary and back off.
It's so goddamn annoying.
He maintains his composure the whole time - surprise and concern feigned at critical moments, though the words never reach his wild eyes. Manic energy crushed - buried and trampled with nails dug into his palms, steady breathing, staring at Maruki as a reminder this isn't meant to be fun. That the blood coating his palms, splattering his outfit, stuck on the edges of his hair isn't a reward. At a certain point, it's a mixture of his own injuries and monster viscera. He doesn't really care. Nothing hurts, even as he plucks his shirt away from a gaping slash on his arm. Like he's trying to peel water soaked clothes from skin.
The first day ends with them in a pseudo-safe room, stuck between two aisles of unknown snacks, unorganized and strewn around. The only remaining light from a barely functioning drink shelf nearby. The earthquake-esque sensation of creatures who feel nearby, but aren't. The Maruki situation continues to be a baffling ordeal even now. Especially now.]
Well-
[He starts. They've barely had room to breathe since walking through that door, let alone hold a solid conversation.]
Perhaps you should bring a bigger knife next time. [A pause. He leans against a shelf of potato chips - the crunch overbearing under his weight.] This was certainly unexpected.
[ There is only so long one can exist in a state of sustained fear and anxiety.
The sight of the city made them both laugh at first, sardonic and paranoid in their disbelief that the labyrinth would so conveniently show them something they'd been openly yearning for – and that lasted all of thirty seconds.
Since then, Maruki has experienced more action than ever in his relatively uneventful life. Running for his life despite the burning in his lungs and permanent stitch in his side and desperately searching for a safe haven is one thing, but watching Akechi and Robin Hood destroy these monsters is another thing entirely.
He hasn't had any ability to process it. At some point throughout the day, the constantly escalating fear for their lives leveled out into a sort of mental numbness. All of his panic and confusion dulled down to only the most basic of instincts: Escape danger, find shelter, survive.
It's only here, now, safe in a fucking convenience store of all places, that the fog of fight or flight clears from his mind and everything he's witnessed begins to slowly, slowly sink in.
He stares at Akechi, breathing hard in the silence of the abandoned shop. The Detective Prince who's anything but. Maruki has already seen tiny glimpses of his true personality here and there, just little slips from being in such close proximity to one another for nearly a month. Nothing major. Nothing out of line with an ordinary high schooler from Tokyo, celebrity status or not. But a phenomenal power over a creature of his own, a fire in his eyes that couldn't be completely smothered despite his best efforts – that's new.
It doesn't scare him. It only intrigues him further.
He drops the dagger in question and his satchel, scrubs both hands over his face and through his hair, laughing helplessly. Even though he couldn't help in a fight, he couldn't exactly entirely escape its consequences either – there's blood splattered across his clothes, his shoes, even his face. This is so deeply surreal, what else can he do but laugh? ]
Yeah. Next time I'll be sure to bring my grenade launcher. Good god.
[ Then he drops his hands, adjusts his glasses, and stoops back down to pull the first aid kit from his satchel. ]
Take a seat. You're bleeding.
The sight of the city made them both laugh at first, sardonic and paranoid in their disbelief that the labyrinth would so conveniently show them something they'd been openly yearning for – and that lasted all of thirty seconds.
Since then, Maruki has experienced more action than ever in his relatively uneventful life. Running for his life despite the burning in his lungs and permanent stitch in his side and desperately searching for a safe haven is one thing, but watching Akechi and Robin Hood destroy these monsters is another thing entirely.
He hasn't had any ability to process it. At some point throughout the day, the constantly escalating fear for their lives leveled out into a sort of mental numbness. All of his panic and confusion dulled down to only the most basic of instincts: Escape danger, find shelter, survive.
It's only here, now, safe in a fucking convenience store of all places, that the fog of fight or flight clears from his mind and everything he's witnessed begins to slowly, slowly sink in.
He stares at Akechi, breathing hard in the silence of the abandoned shop. The Detective Prince who's anything but. Maruki has already seen tiny glimpses of his true personality here and there, just little slips from being in such close proximity to one another for nearly a month. Nothing major. Nothing out of line with an ordinary high schooler from Tokyo, celebrity status or not. But a phenomenal power over a creature of his own, a fire in his eyes that couldn't be completely smothered despite his best efforts – that's new.
It doesn't scare him. It only intrigues him further.
He drops the dagger in question and his satchel, scrubs both hands over his face and through his hair, laughing helplessly. Even though he couldn't help in a fight, he couldn't exactly entirely escape its consequences either – there's blood splattered across his clothes, his shoes, even his face. This is so deeply surreal, what else can he do but laugh? ]
Yeah. Next time I'll be sure to bring my grenade launcher. Good god.
[ Then he drops his hands, adjusts his glasses, and stoops back down to pull the first aid kit from his satchel. ]
Take a seat. You're bleeding.
Edited 2024-05-28 02:30 (UTC)
[Eren is rarely nervous to face people, but he’s nervous as fuck about this! Hates that. Maybe hates Maruki a bit by association, but that won’t stop him.]
Hey.
Instead of bringing you your normal meal today, I have something else. You won’t like it, though.[Poison?]
Hey.
Instead of bringing you your normal meal today, I have something else. You won’t like it, though.
text @glowbug [the thread where lior finds out hes a horribly injured liar idiot]
invigorates
2024-06-05 11:27 am (UTC)(link)
Hello, Maruki. Are you in your new office by chance?
[Happy 2:30 AM, Maruki. He knows the man will wake up to this text because of his insane 24/7 on call policy.]
My apologies, I hope this doesn't wake you. I had a thought about your persona.
Do you have a moment to talk? Through text is fine. I only need a confirmation or two for my theory.
My apologies, I hope this doesn't wake you. I had a thought about your persona.
Do you have a moment to talk? Through text is fine. I only need a confirmation or two for my theory.
[ Two buzzes. One eye open. A singular blue-toned light in a dark room.
Maruki rolls onto his right side, newly healed from Azathoth's overeager caretaking, and stares at the wall that connects their rooms. Why can't he just come in and talk? Or better yet, wait until breakfast? Dear god.
Well, whatever. ]
yep
Maruki rolls onto his right side, newly healed from Azathoth's overeager caretaking, and stares at the wall that connects their rooms. Why can't he just come in and talk? Or better yet, wait until breakfast? Dear god.
Well, whatever. ]
yep
[Eren texted Maruki before closing in on the Green Knight, just like he promised. After that, he had other things to worry about.
[Now that things have settled down...he thinks to give at least a couple of people an update. Maruki is one of them.]
I'm here.
Are you alright?
[Now that things have settled down...he thinks to give at least a couple of people an update. Maruki is one of them.]
I'm here.
Are you alright?
[ A seemingly simple act, remembering to send that text message, but it's one Maruki won't forget. Eren can't possibly know how anxious the whole ordeal made him; any little bit done to allay that, by anyone, was so deeply and profoundly important to him.
And now... well! Every message received is a bit of a jumpscare, but at least this one turns out to be a welcome sight. ]
I'm alright too. Everything worked out in the end.
What about you? How are you doing?
And now... well! Every message received is a bit of a jumpscare, but at least this one turns out to be a welcome sight. ]
I'm alright too. Everything worked out in the end.
What about you? How are you doing?
[It's not lost on him how new routines settle easily in Somnius - the bathhouse ritual occupies the same mental space the train schedule, the jazz singer's weekly routine, Sae's meetings. It's natural. Consistent. Maruki doesn't need reminders and joins him again when the world returns to a relative state of calm.
Sometimes it's quiet, other times it's not. Today erring towards the former by how their murmurs turn to silence the longer they sit in their usual spots. Close, but not.
Today -
Is a little different. Akechi sinks to almost eye level in the water, billows of his own hair moving forward and in the water's steamy haze, his own mirrored reflection shifts into a fuzzy image of-
No one. Not her, him, or anyone. It's only a distortion in the water - a vision he chose not to remember, so he didn't. A regret that's stupid when his heart was set years ago. Why he tried, or what he expected from it-
Who knows. It's impossible to recreate now and heaves himself back up - normal and proper to their typical arrangement.
A comfortable silence follows that splash of movement. One Akechi intends to let linger until they leave at the same normal time they always do, except-]
How many people have you saved in your profession?
Sometimes it's quiet, other times it's not. Today erring towards the former by how their murmurs turn to silence the longer they sit in their usual spots. Close, but not.
Today -
Is a little different. Akechi sinks to almost eye level in the water, billows of his own hair moving forward and in the water's steamy haze, his own mirrored reflection shifts into a fuzzy image of-
No one. Not her, him, or anyone. It's only a distortion in the water - a vision he chose not to remember, so he didn't. A regret that's stupid when his heart was set years ago. Why he tried, or what he expected from it-
Who knows. It's impossible to recreate now and heaves himself back up - normal and proper to their typical arrangement.
A comfortable silence follows that splash of movement. One Akechi intends to let linger until they leave at the same normal time they always do, except-]
How many people have you saved in your profession?
[ Thank god the bathhouse was spared from the damage wrought to the town. After everything, if they hadn't had this routine to fall back into, Maruki would have been more perturbed than he'd ever let on.
It's a comfort in a way that little else is, even compared to other daily routines both independent and shared. In the water, steam fogging his glasses and permanently tensed muscles going pleasantly relaxed, between quiet half-conversations, it's almost easy to imagine being back in Tokyo.
Almost.
Maruki looks over at him, smiles curiously. ]
Saved? That's a pretty tall order...
[ He leans his head back against the cool stone wall, considers it. ]
I don't think that my profession alone can be credited with saving anyone. All I do is let people talk through their troubles and try to give them the tools to work on solutions.
[ Yoshizawa's grief-stricken expression smoothing out into one of pure contentment with her new lease on life. ]
If someone is "saved" [ and both hands do lift out of the water then to make air quotes before sinking back in ] then it's because they were given the opportunity to save themselves.
It's a comfort in a way that little else is, even compared to other daily routines both independent and shared. In the water, steam fogging his glasses and permanently tensed muscles going pleasantly relaxed, between quiet half-conversations, it's almost easy to imagine being back in Tokyo.
Almost.
Maruki looks over at him, smiles curiously. ]
Saved? That's a pretty tall order...
[ He leans his head back against the cool stone wall, considers it. ]
I don't think that my profession alone can be credited with saving anyone. All I do is let people talk through their troubles and try to give them the tools to work on solutions.
[ Yoshizawa's grief-stricken expression smoothing out into one of pure contentment with her new lease on life. ]
If someone is "saved" [ and both hands do lift out of the water then to make air quotes before sinking back in ] then it's because they were given the opportunity to save themselves.
christ god yeah just blanket cw suicide/murder/death/grief this whole thread
placation
- 2024-06-24 22:54 (UTC) - Expand[A couple of days later, Eren arrives at Castle Vash the same time he'd normally show up at Eyn Sof. Maruki likes Jean's stew, mundane as stew is, so Eren asked him to make that today. It's a wonder Jean still does anything for him at all, considering what an asshole he's been, but the Hell shows no sign of stopping, so...Small blessings.
[It feels weird to knock. He doesn't at the office. He wonders idly if Akechi is somewhere inside. He should have told Maruki he wanted to talk with him alone.
[But this is just a friendly meeting. So, he knocks.]
[It feels weird to knock. He doesn't at the office. He wonders idly if Akechi is somewhere inside. He should have told Maruki he wanted to talk with him alone.
[But this is just a friendly meeting. So, he knocks.]
[ Despite their previous conversation and a lovely afternoon of unskippable trauma cutscenes, Maruki has been looking forward to seeing Eren again. Everything that happened in the Forest of Dreams was a nightmare. A little normalcy wouldn't go amiss.
And he really has missed their daily lunches. So it's nice. It'll be nice.
Unless he brings up creating realities. Then it won't be nice for Maruki, but he's relatively certain that he's fortified his spirit enough to handle it.
Eren is in luck, though – the castle is empty. It usually is during the afternoon, something Maruki has actually been enjoying during his forced downtime. Akechi has his routine out in the town, Vash avoids them all if at all possible, and Zazie keeps to themself so much that it's actually impossible to be certain if they're home or not.
Like every other afternoon so far, he has all the windows open, letting in as much sunlight and fresh air as possible after such a dark, dismal time. Every room has been cleaned within an inch of its life, reorganized and touched up. He has a fresh pot of coffee going and a windchime pattering gently in the breeze through the kitchen and–
Oh, he looks like shit. Just absolutely wrecked with exhaustion still. The break is very, very necessary.
But he's smiling so broadly when Eren shows up, gesturing him in like a proud host. ]
Ah, you're a sight for sore eyes! Come on in, it's far too quiet here.
And he really has missed their daily lunches. So it's nice. It'll be nice.
Unless he brings up creating realities. Then it won't be nice for Maruki, but he's relatively certain that he's fortified his spirit enough to handle it.
Eren is in luck, though – the castle is empty. It usually is during the afternoon, something Maruki has actually been enjoying during his forced downtime. Akechi has his routine out in the town, Vash avoids them all if at all possible, and Zazie keeps to themself so much that it's actually impossible to be certain if they're home or not.
Like every other afternoon so far, he has all the windows open, letting in as much sunlight and fresh air as possible after such a dark, dismal time. Every room has been cleaned within an inch of its life, reorganized and touched up. He has a fresh pot of coffee going and a windchime pattering gently in the breeze through the kitchen and–
Oh, he looks like shit. Just absolutely wrecked with exhaustion still. The break is very, very necessary.
But he's smiling so broadly when Eren shows up, gesturing him in like a proud host. ]
Ah, you're a sight for sore eyes! Come on in, it's far too quiet here.
momentarily mixing up which muse has ocean trauma and which muse has garden trauma
wintolive
- 2024-06-26 06:48 (UTC) - ExpandI can't recall if Eren's ever actually said the name of his Island before
wintolive
- 2024-06-26 07:17 (UTC) - ExpandI suppose we should be grateful no one requested a shooting range.
[Another month, another day, another corrupted world more akin to palace than reality. Every outing has unpredictable consequences and explorations with Maruki have become the norm. Loathe as he is to admit the value of two sets of eyes, another person to bounce ideas off, someone who can hold their own without Akechi's supervision. It's necessary. Not unenjoyable.
He waves the HP bar above his head away with a sip of his coffee - a flickering set of numbers distorting from 2,200 to 582 to 5,000 in random spurts. Random times. It comes and goes when he consumes any item. It's fucking ridiculous, actually!
But it's amicable. They don't talk about the conversation left lingering at the bar - simple discussions between them bordering on teasing to serious, all relating to the world. The arcade.]
I wonder if every request will be be distorted and thrown back into our faces.
[Another month, another day, another corrupted world more akin to palace than reality. Every outing has unpredictable consequences and explorations with Maruki have become the norm. Loathe as he is to admit the value of two sets of eyes, another person to bounce ideas off, someone who can hold their own without Akechi's supervision. It's necessary. Not unenjoyable.
He waves the HP bar above his head away with a sip of his coffee - a flickering set of numbers distorting from 2,200 to 582 to 5,000 in random spurts. Random times. It comes and goes when he consumes any item. It's fucking ridiculous, actually!
But it's amicable. They don't talk about the conversation left lingering at the bar - simple discussions between them bordering on teasing to serious, all relating to the world. The arcade.]
I wonder if every request will be be distorted and thrown back into our faces.
[ Maruki watches the health bar above his head with mild interest – his own is similarly glitched, keeps maxing out beyond its capacity, what's up with that – but the teasing smile on his lips quickly turns to a grimace at Akechi's postulation. ]
It seems that way, doesn't it?
[ He's seen the Kozume boy's apology on the network. But then, he has to weigh that against Night Sky's experience with the Green Knight, and what he recently learned of Alice and her dreams. ]
Things we wish for, things we don't wish for – both are fair game. Nothing is off limits. I suppose it would be boring otherwise.
[ Openly sardonic on that last part. He has no reason not to be around Akechi. The strange taste left over in his mouth after their conversation at Club Quartz has never fully faded, but it was easy enough to ignore after a couple days of normalcy.
He sighs, sips his own coffee. At least the cafe goers no longer fight each other at random. Although, the drama was indeed interesting to witness... ]
It seems that way, doesn't it?
[ He's seen the Kozume boy's apology on the network. But then, he has to weigh that against Night Sky's experience with the Green Knight, and what he recently learned of Alice and her dreams. ]
Things we wish for, things we don't wish for – both are fair game. Nothing is off limits. I suppose it would be boring otherwise.
[ Openly sardonic on that last part. He has no reason not to be around Akechi. The strange taste left over in his mouth after their conversation at Club Quartz has never fully faded, but it was easy enough to ignore after a couple days of normalcy.
He sighs, sips his own coffee. At least the cafe goers no longer fight each other at random. Although, the drama was indeed interesting to witness... ]
[Listen. She should actually be winning a self-control award right now for not responding to this in public, but Kenma doesn’t need that in his notifications.
[Hi, doc! Thanks for saving Aubrey’s life and being cordial about the alcohol incident. This is the thanks you get:]
Hey. I saw your reply to Kenma.
”Well, I think we learned a valuable lesson in being careful what we wish for, didn’t we?” <- Is Akechi using your phone or something? The fuck.
Jean and I moved back into the big bedroom.
It doesn't feel right. There's too much room.
[About this, Maruki is the only person Eren feels he can truly talk to.]
I miss her.
[It's the first time he's said that.]
It doesn't feel right. There's too much room.
[About this, Maruki is the only person Eren feels he can truly talk to.]
I miss her.
[It's the first time he's said that.]
[It's been a little more than the few days Li Lianhua had promised Maruki for settling into his new home. The ingredients and good health necessary for a two-day mooncake baking spree weren't easy to come by and he went through two batches of ruined dough and at least three batches of unsatisfactory fillings before he got it right.
And then, of course, everyone else had to get their fill. Maruki is last on the list, but on the list he is indeed, and Li Lianhua even made use of the annoying little device to announce himself first. He had to make sure that man actually had time to prepare that strawberry treat he'd been promised, after all. He's not taking this walk a second time.
Li Lianhua is accompanied on his walk by his dog Huli Jing and ambles up to the castle, basket in hand. If he has to wait long after knocking on the door, he's going to start investigating the front yard for what the planting situation is around here.]
And then, of course, everyone else had to get their fill. Maruki is last on the list, but on the list he is indeed, and Li Lianhua even made use of the annoying little device to announce himself first. He had to make sure that man actually had time to prepare that strawberry treat he'd been promised, after all. He's not taking this walk a second time.
Li Lianhua is accompanied on his walk by his dog Huli Jing and ambles up to the castle, basket in hand. If he has to wait long after knocking on the door, he's going to start investigating the front yard for what the planting situation is around here.]
[ The warning is appreciated, especially considering the state Maruki is still in after the labyrinth.
Luckily, what he wanted to make isn't so involved. A simple dessert, but a delightful one, and hopefully to Li Lianhua's liking. Even with his dominant arm in a sling, he can still beat cream and sugar together, can still slice strawberries.
Bread is the main issue – by design, it isn't what he would be able to buy or even make in Tokyo. He compromises by going out as soon as he receives Li Lianhua's message and purchasing the freshest loaf of soft bread he can find. It still isn't truly comparable, but it will do in a pinch.
It's not that he makes Li Lianhua wait on purpose, but he's upstairs when the knock comes – has to warn Akechi about his presence and then get into a minor polite disagreement over castle guests – has to make his way down while he's still moving slowly – so by the time he finally makes it to the door, he sees the man poking about their landscaping.
Maruki shuts the door behind him. They can do this exchange outside. Even before Akechi bitched, he didn't want Li Lianhua inside the castle, so this works. ]
Hi there, I'm sorry I kept you waiting! You– ah, wait, you have a dog?
[ He grins, wide and genuine, and shifts the small brown paper bag into the crook of his arm. When he moves closer, it's slow and cautious, just in case.
Aside from his right arm in its sling and the stiff way he moves, every visible inch of Maruki's skin is covered in still-healing cuts, scrapes and bruises, including the left hand he extends for the dog to sniff if it would like. ]
How cute! What's its name?
Luckily, what he wanted to make isn't so involved. A simple dessert, but a delightful one, and hopefully to Li Lianhua's liking. Even with his dominant arm in a sling, he can still beat cream and sugar together, can still slice strawberries.
Bread is the main issue – by design, it isn't what he would be able to buy or even make in Tokyo. He compromises by going out as soon as he receives Li Lianhua's message and purchasing the freshest loaf of soft bread he can find. It still isn't truly comparable, but it will do in a pinch.
It's not that he makes Li Lianhua wait on purpose, but he's upstairs when the knock comes – has to warn Akechi about his presence and then get into a minor polite disagreement over castle guests – has to make his way down while he's still moving slowly – so by the time he finally makes it to the door, he sees the man poking about their landscaping.
Maruki shuts the door behind him. They can do this exchange outside. Even before Akechi bitched, he didn't want Li Lianhua inside the castle, so this works. ]
Hi there, I'm sorry I kept you waiting! You– ah, wait, you have a dog?
[ He grins, wide and genuine, and shifts the small brown paper bag into the crook of his arm. When he moves closer, it's slow and cautious, just in case.
Aside from his right arm in its sling and the stiff way he moves, every visible inch of Maruki's skin is covered in still-healing cuts, scrapes and bruises, including the left hand he extends for the dog to sniff if it would like. ]
How cute! What's its name?
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