[It's just one of those rare quiet nights that the two of them had a moment to breathe- though frankly, as rare as it seems, it still feels more frequent than it had been in the past.
Most people have gone to bed at this hour but not them. Even with there being the two of them to take turns staying up, sometimes it just ends with both of them being wide awake without any trouble. Going to sleep is a lot more difficult than staying up nowadays.
Luna sighs as he closes his book for the night, even he eventually gets tired of reading for too long. The night air in Koriko is freezing thanks to the current climate and it easily seeps through the old employees living quarters, but it's tempting to head out from their room than just sitting around.]
Mallory, I'm going to the bathhouse.
[He gets up from where he's sitting before nodding at his friend. It's a silent invitation to come with him.]
[Sleeping never used to be an issue for Mallory. Work out and then pass out, that always worked for him. That was before his nights were plagued with nightmares while he slept and regrets as he lay awake; before sleeping with one eye open was the only way to survive. Even this peaceful new life isn't enough to ease him into restful slumber most nights, not even now that he has a familiar presence to look after him. If anything, it's worse now that he's the one who's determined to do the looking after.
On this particular night he's just sitting with his back to the wall, arms crossed and head bowed into his chest. He glances up when Luna speaks, catching that look, and after a moment he rises to his feet.]
Great idea. I could use a soak, myself.
[Maybe it'll be relaxing enough to help invite some sleep for both of them. They really should take full advantage of the luxurious facilities they're living right over, now. He grabs a couple of towels and yukata from the storage closet and dutifully follows after Luna.
If nothing else, at least it's some nice downtime to spend together.]
[What was that? Did Mal visit the library a lot to visit a certain someone that wasn't her? Well, she was here anyway. She was right at her desk, surrounded by her own books as well as a neat pile of customers' checked out books.
But she wasn't actually reading today, which meant there wasn't a book to cover her entire face so she could phase out of existence. At least not that way. She was instead very focus, furiously writing in a notebook. Her eyes never left her pages as she seemed to take this downtime to really hunker down on this particular project she came up with.
[Hey, it wasn't like he was just wasting all his time in the library like a lovesick puppy or anything! But he clearly wasn't showing up to satisfy some hidden bookworm tendencies, either. Look, it's just... He knew Luna didn't sleep well, and that he was used to having someone else around to take care of him - and with that special someone absent, Mal's taken it upon himself to at least make sure his bestie doesn't die of exhaustion or anything.
And while he's making one coffee delivery, there's no harm in surprising Riye with a little something either. Being a bit of a violently jumpy guy himself (emphasis on violent), he's not going to startle her on purpose or anything. But if she's so absorbed in her work that she doesn't notice his approach until the paper cup is heavily placed on the table beside her, well, whoops.]
[The day has been surprisingly very well for Luna. Even with him handling most of the shift for that day and skipped out on guard duties, it passes by quickly and almost without a hitch that he isn't exhausted the slightest by the time evening arrives.
He slides open his and Mallory's shared room with probably the widest smile he has ever had in recent years.]
[At least someone had a good day. Sure, Mallory got to end the evening with a bit of good company in the form of similarly lonely and bitter Riye, but at the end of the day, he's still just so ready to succumb to sleep and wake up to the holiday being completely over.
He's lying on his futon, hands behind his head, legs crossed and foot tapping impatiently in the air. His gaze flickers from the ceiling to Luna as he makes his entrance, and some of his own frustration melts away just seeing that smile.
You're so beautiful. Good thing he's sobered up enough by now to keep that one to himself. But his eyes do light up with earnest curiosity as he sits up.]
Hey... Someone's in a good mood.
[Which is actually kind of weird, considering what day it is and the fact that Chisa isn't--
wait-
IS SHE HERE? He holds his breath in anticipation.]
[He's still pretty wound up by the time he receives the note, but at least he's managed to work off most of the excessive rage in his system. Of course it just flares up again when he reads the note, directed at himself, because that was a pretty stupid asshole move to do. The gym is a sacred place and he fucked it up.
Like everything else!!
Whatever. He crumples the note up and throws it away.
. . .
And then an hour later he finally shoots a note back:]
[It's a good thing the little spirit messengers can find their target no matter where they are. Less good that they flit about through the planes of existence so he can't just follow one back to Riye and save time.]
That big study hall What's up? If it's urgent tell me where to meet you
[It was probably around the last night or so they would be there, but it was a few days of further introspection and talking to Eiji that brought her to this point. The chocolate, Valentines' Day, this whole situation...it was quite a thing for her to go through. She noticed she hadn't seen Mal around, but knowing what she does now; that doesn't surprise her at all. She had a feeling he was there still, never leaving him. It was probably hell, in which some people would say how """romantic""" it was.
She wasn't about that. No act of genuine kindness came from nowhere, not when she felt people deserved it. Besides, Luna would probably eat solid food by now.
When she arrived at the nurses' station with a big paper bag, the nurse told her they were sleeping. They. The nurse went further to say That Guy was there too. Can you leave this for them then, she asked. She didn't want to disturb them. So she explained to the nurse some more just so they knew what it was and they said it was fine.
Whenever they woke up, there was a big bag and there were two sizable bowls of nikudon for them both. Stapled to it was a note.]
It doesn't matter where you are, hospital food will kill you.
[Luna's day always ends longer than his best friend does, half of the time, he's usually greeted by Mallory after his guard shift finally ended. Too exhausted for anything, now they've gone to a habit of just falling into each other's arms before sleep takes over. It's comforting in a way, he finds that there's a significant drop to the night terrors he usually experiences.
Today... well... today had been different than most.
He slides the door open with more strength than necessary, pulling it back to close with just much power. He's just standing there near the entrance of the room, unsure how to speak about what happened.]
[After the chaos that was the world they left behind, it's really nice to have a sort of routine going, as loose as it is. Luna may come back to the dorm late (ha, always), but Mal's figured out the approximate time to be ready and waiting for him. He's always been eager to see his return just to know that he's safe, but now that their relationship has become something (platonically!!) physical, he's been looking forward to the evenings more and more.
He perks up when he hears the door, snapping shut the book in his hands (yet another field guide to supernatural entities). He's here! It's time for the best part of the day, that makes everything else worth it!
[ Back in room 001, whatever time it is that Mallory decides to come in, he'll be greeted with the same thing: one teenager smelling a bit too much like alcohol sprawled on the floor in a sleepy stupor, snoring and drooling on the wood surface rather than the futon of his a few steps away. Looks like he missed it by a hair.
Maybe Luna will have something to say about it, he was here earlier last night to witness more than one thing that's imprinted as one of those "fuzzy" memories. If it still happens to be night somehow, he might be a tad bit tipsy still if you manage to wake him up. Not enough sleep time was had to get it all out of his system. That liver is young, but not bionic. However, morning will be a killer. Please be easy on the head of it's morning.
Observation: his hoodie is very, very bloody. soaked mostly on the sleeves, a bit on the collar . . . But would you look at that: no wounds. ]
[Whatever time Mal returns to the dorm is somewhere in that indistinct area in-between officially being either night or morning. The darkness just before true twilight that is usually associated with a silent and lonesome world, but out in the city streets the spirits are just as rowdy as ever, feasting and drinking and gambling. Hosting shady fight clubs.
Mallory's a little bloodied up himself, but it's nothing he'd consider too alarming. Only some of it's his anyway. The droplets on his shirt are little trophies of a match won, and the jingling in his pockets is the reward. He's sore and he's exhausted, but it's a good feeling, and he can't wait to dispose of the evidence before Luna gets back and pass right out in bed.
He's not two steps into the room before a stronger stench of blood hits him, and that good feeling vanishes immediately. There's a body.
Luna!?
No, that's not him. It's that stupid kid! Or... was? Did Luna have to kill him? Mal squats by Ethan's 'corpse', letting his eyes adjust more to the darkness of the room. He's snoring...?? Ah, right. Just like when he witnessed Eiji's shattered skull reform before his eyes, whatever damage killed Ethan must have healed some time ago.
At least that means it'll be a lot easier to solve the murder mystery. Time to rise and shine and answer for all of this. Mal tenderly SLAPS HIM ACROSS THE FACE.]
[What the hell is this chicken scratch. An... apology? Oh, right. Last night's wacky misunderstanding. You'd think after a bit of sleep Mal would be less irritable. And he is! But he still crumples the note up.
And just kind of holds it for a while, sitting there with his arm resting on his knee, gazing off at nothing in particular. Well, he gets the nightmare thing at least. He probably hasn't done the kid any favours in getting him to relax or feel safe. Ugh... he'd better not have spooked him into thinking he has to avoid the room again. At least his clothes are still here, so he'll be back, right?
[Tucked into his mailbox were two things. A notebook filled with a bunch of copied notes, what she promised. Then in a small folder is something else. If he were to open it up, it would a nearly written bundle of papers. There was a note on the top of it.
Thanks for your help earlier. I hope this covers our little promise, and it isn't god awful. I haven't thought of a title yet, but here it is.
-Riye]
The Knight chased the dragon to the ends of the earth, at least that was what he planned. Through the ashes of the villagers, the wreckage of homes, and the graves of those who felled before, he fought with the might he had. Sword in one hand and strong in spirit, he pressed on. Injuring the dragon more within each encounter.
One fateful day, the dragon stopped his fire breathing. He stopped his devouring of the ashes of those he killed. His wounds were too great. So when the Knight appeared again, the dragon laid before him. He was too weak, but not weak enough that he wouldn't soon recover. The dragon knew he had few options, and even fewer moments.
The Knight stood in front of the dragon, sword in hand held tightly. Just because he stopped, doesn't mean his stance necessarily halted.
"If you had anything else to say, foul beast, say them with haste; for neither I nor my blade had tired."
The dragon pulled out three orbs and offered them to the Knight. "Your strength is impressive, your spirit had been un-wavered, and your mind sharp. You have surpassed every other Knight I have faced. You are destined for greatness, and I offer you what will make you stronger should you spare my life."
The orbs shone with red, yellow, and blue individually. One danced in fire, the other glistened like the roaring waves, the other sparked like a lightening storm.
"The one in flames shall entrust you with power, passion. Power in strength and soul, since you are surely to find a wife to wed and to protect with all your might. The one with the ocean's waves shall give you wisdom, you shall be wiser than your peers since your mind will be able to see farther. The one that sparks with life and excitement will give you courage, to face every single fear you could ever have-"
The dragon's words was cut short as the Knight drove his blade into the dragon's chest. The sword would sink into his scales with every breath the Knight would take.
"You offer me power and passion, when you have danced in the ashes of my loved ones and allies I swore to protect. You offer me wisdom, when there would be no one to hear any words in the ruined villages. You offer me courage, when I have chased you across the land to end what I started."
The dragon's words turned into whispers, as he soon felled to the cold and dead ground. It would stare into the eyes of the Knight, who had shown pain and anger. There was nothing that relented, and he was going to be sure the dragon heard each word before he passed.
"Do not patronize me with a promise of perfection. I am no man without sin, or regret. But you do not deserve to speak of mercy to me, cowardly beast. Your gifts matter none in a world you sought to destroy."
As the dragon closed his eyes, the Knight stared down at the fallen creature.
[What's this...? She actually did it. Good for her! He still can't believe that he of all people gave a pep talk, and that it actually inspired something. Time to see what this future award-winner's like.
. . .
He never cared much for the reading assignments in school. Yeah, he did them, filled out the response questions, but they were all just words to him. Yet the mere words on the papers in front of him now paint a vivid image in his mind: a knight with hair as silvery white as the blade he wields, silhouetted against a blood red sky in his relentless pursuit against a black and white dragon. Never losing sight of his goal no matter what he's lost or what he's offered. Making no compromises.
Mal finds himself reading it over once more, a small smile tugging at his lips. If he put his heart on display for his loved ones when he fought in the ring, then is this a similar display from Riye? He's flattered.
He's not sure how to write a review of it, so maybe he'll just. Go hand it back in person in the library the next day.]
[ With Mallory back and Eiji in the clear— time to carry on with the daily business! Luckily, Ethan's found a hobby right where he works; who knew farm animals were so relaxing, even while your hands got dirty and your muscles labored. He has to admit, it's much better than the clattering and beeping of construction sights and heavy machinery— horses were great.
If he could, he'd bring Switch (a feisty little filly) back to the rooms with him. This evening, like every evening, he only returns with a napsack of his belongings, laundry needing a good wash and body ready to check out for the day with a shower— he also comes with something fresh! A few fruits from the first April harvests wrapped carefully in homemade containers: strawberries and miniatures papayas.
Coming back to the rooms is no longer dreaded, and what's new is the content smile playing his lips. There're no traps to dodge (and/or die from), there's hardly even that awkward, heavy air that came with avoiding Mallory, or upsetting Luna. Because now there's Peony, and Peony's an angel. In fact— the fruits are brought with the bubbly roommate in mind. He got enough for everyone at least, and if it's ever needed he can always snag more, but . . . Peony tho.
Here he comes, sliding the door open to their room with a honey sweet smile and closing it behind him. ]
Hey— [ A small wave, his attention everywhere else but a resting Mister Mal, searching their quarters for something much more interesting to give proper hellos to. ] Is Miss Peony around?
[Sorry, kiddo, it's just Mister Mal today. At least the limited mobility makes him a limited threat, right? He's actually been relatively mellow, too. Still not friendly, but a lot less snappish than he'd be if he felt trapped in the infirmary or something. Now he is only a prisoner of his own emotions in this room of increasingly awkward living conditions.
He glances toward Ethan, cocking an eyebrow suspiciously.]
Hn? No, she's out. [What, has he taken a liking to her or something? Not all that surprising, honestly. His gaze falls immediately to the containers. Did the kid bring something home from the farm that's finally more appealing than the smell of manure?]
Want me to pass something along to her? [She'll forgive him if he takes a berry or two. Probably.]
[ AT SOME LATER POINT, possibly after Ko has been chased off or went to look for her somewhere else or I don't know but please don't have killed him, Peony comes back to the shared room.
She walks carefully, keeping her steps as light as possible. Even if there's no real way Mallory would be able to hear her approach when the door's closed, there's some superstitious little part of her that expects him to be... what? Lurking? Ready to jump her at any moment? She'd seen the state of his leg; that man wasn't going to be up for much jumping at all any time soon.
(Or rather, he'd better not be trying. Awkward as things are right now, she's entirely prepared to yell at him as much as she needs in order to make sure she's heard.)
...At the same time, there's still a part of her that sort of hopes the room will be entirely empty when she opens the door and pokes her head inside. It's not like she isn't happy to see them (even now, even after everything), but with how strained things have been, she's always grateful to have some time to herself.
[Hey, everyone got out of that alive. In the end, at least. Mal's still a little shaken by the experience, enough so that he tenses up when the door open, but he's greeted with the sight of much more welcome company instead! Sort... of...? This haven't stopped being awkward, and try as he might to convince himself to trust her like he used to, there's still a quiet whisper in the back of his mind that keeps warning him to prepare for the worst.
That voice can kiss his ass, though. Right now, he's choosing to be glad for her company, and that she's not immediately backing out of the room again. So he can pretend nothing's wrong and that something in his life at least resembles happier times.
He settles back, putting his arms behind his head, and snorts lightly.]
I've been careful about only getting up to trouble when you're not around. Hey.
Okay, he cracked a grin and then tried it on at once. A little snug around the tidday, but he's used to that. He'll be wearing it during the next coffee delivery.]
[Even with most of the powdery snow gradually disappearing, the chilly air hadn't be too kind that the flowers would bloom. But eventually, spring rolls in on one sleepy morning, the sky finally clear and the weather warm enough for the cherry blossoms born anew for this year's Easter.
Luna finds himself mesmerized at the rain of soft petals in one windy morning. It feels his heart with melancholy, remembering where it had been the end of an innocent beginning and the beginning of a darker end. ]
The cherry blossoms aren't bad either. Lively pinks and white dominate the town in a much warmer kind of flurry than would blow in every so often during winter. Even the river runs pink with small petals floating along its peaceful surface, and even hair that's normally a dark greenish colour has taken on a pink tint for the season. Mallory has given up on trying to pick the petals out of his hair while he's still outside. There are worse things he could be putting up with.]
Pretty nostalgic... I feel like I'm in high school all over again.
[Don't mind him if he just leans against the nearest tree, Luna. His focus is, of course, more on the other man than it is on the flowers, but even he can't deny that seeing so much life around him is really refreshing.]
[ There's a folded letter on Luna's pillow, with a partially-open peony blossom resting on it. There's no signature, but the handwriting is familiar, and coupled with the flower, the writer's identity should be obvious. ]
Good news!!
I was asked to tackle some deep-cleaning for some of the unused guest quarters with the new season. I'll probably be gone for a few days! Please don't forget to rest and enjoy yourself!!
[ There's another line under that, so small that it's barely more than a smudge of ink on the paper. ]
[For every small shred of happiness Mallory gets to experience, a wave of Despair always follows closely after it, it seems. Melodramatic? Perhaps. But matters of the heart always are, and now that he's finally exposed what he denied for so long, everything's going about as well as he expected it to. There's a reason he tried to keep his feelings to himself.
Luna didn't abandon him over it, which is a huge relief. But Peony's gone and run off somewhere (he knows she'd love to announce a big job in person) even though she was the one who pushed him to make the move in the first place. And now Luna's been called away by the Witch not a day later for who knows how long, which might as well be an abandonment of its own. Either way, it's only Mallory and his own regret to keep himself company.
The one-man pity party largely takes place in 1-01, where Mallory has switched his bedding out for Luna's and spends a fair bit of time gazing at the ceiling. But it's not like he's gone and become a hermit or anything-- he still attends to work, goes through his workouts in the mornings (without destroying the sand bags!), feeds himself (a little less than usual), and responds when spoken to, however half-hearted. He's also taken to spending his evenings in the bars around Koriko, not getting shit-faced or anything, but looking appropriately broody.
At least for as poor as his mood is, he isn't particularly snappish for the time being. Sullen, yes, but his aura says is a little more like leave me alone instead of I want to smash your face in, so that's something.
[The rest of April had been an interesting time for opinions on Mallory even if like every single one of those threads was still in process at this point. From settling into some sort of wary acceptance out of necessity, to being angry at him all over again, learning he apparently had some sort of sob story... Everything was just all over the board, but what remained was that he was still mad that the boxer kept punching people he cared about, and no amount of harsh backstory was going to change Emi's mind on that.
That didn't mean the blond wouldn't be surprised to see the older male sitting at his bar that evening.
The Boar's Nest wasn't the most brooding of bars, and Mallory seemed more like a brooder than a sportsfan. Then again, the constant buzz of noise was good when you didn't want to give your thoughts a chance to really form full depressing sentences. Which... given the way he was holding himself, Emi could only assume it was low thoughts on his mind. It was out of place with everything else Emi had come to know about him.
(Unless it had something to do with that.)
It wasn't like Emi actually cared. He didn't. Even still, it was almost... intriguing was close, though callous, and that led him to stand in front of Mallory's seat at the bar. That and the fact that, you know, getting the man a drink was his job.]
[ Raiden went to bed very early, and woke up very, very early. By three AM he's already getting to work at setting up The Thing. He'd make his sensei proud. He'll get an A+++++++++++++ on this mission. He's a very capable boy with a very capable imagination.
By the time Mallory gets up and out his door, he'll already be met with something good. Look down at Peony's name tag and you'll get more than a hint. By the time he comes into the gym at five, it's all done, ready and sparkling with life. Literally.
This is what the boy has done. This is what kind of destruction your smol disciple is capable of. Look at that fucking pizza. It never goes cold.
In the middle of it all is a bundle of black, nestled in his high school jersey and taking a snooze after all that zoom. He's drooled up quite the puddle under his arm, serving as his pillow, hair caked with gold glitter and hands akin to those of very excited pre-schoolers that get their paws on paste and shinies.
You'll get the bill by the end of the day, sir. Don't kill him. ]
[ If you haven't gone to sleep yet it's still the same day!! or something!
Whether or not the conference with Icarus and Maera ends well or not, whether he stays in the room or goes off to sulk by himself, at some late point, Peony will find Mallory, approaching him carefully, the way one might a wild animal. Her tail is tucked close to her legs, mostly out of sight, and she's got a couple of those peony flowers he gave her this morning tucked in her hair.
Is he upset? Is he angry? Is he both? Or is he relieved for -- for whatever reason, but something about not having to be responsible about her anymore? She's not sure herself. Her voice is small when she calls out to him. ]
[Sulking? Huh- What- No!! Look, he had somewhere very important he needed to be this late in the evening, and the clone army needed a bit of a rest after having such a big and confusing day, so everything worked out. And now Mallory is doing his very important job of leaning against a tree down by the river, hand in his pocket, and watching the rippling reflections of scattered lantern light on the surface. This is serious work, Peony. How dare you interrupt it.
A few seconds pass in which he tries to decide how he should greet her after... everything... but he quickly gives up on just settles on turning his head to look at her.]
Peony, yo...
[Oh, she liked the flowers. That's good, at least. He was almost worried that it was a little too lame to get those ones in particular.]
You look ...cute.
[Right?? Nope, still a weird thing to try to say out loud. But maybe that will save him from any wrath she has leftover from the Raipocalypse. He wonders if this is about that, or if she's just too distracted with Icarus and Maera to even remember any of it happened.]
Eiji was not one for squandered opportunity. There was a reason he'd agreed to a labourious task like managing the volleyball team, organizing people's schedules, going the extra mile to arrange sales at work to improve their sales quota. He kept track of it all, of course - and all of that was fully documented as evidence of his qualifications when he made his job application. It certainly seemed more than Management had expected him to turn in, or maybe they were so ready to throw a new body at their HR problem that they were willing to hire him on the spot. Either way, that happened.
The butcher's wasn't going to lack for hands with him gone, anyway. But he left with a few favours still tucked in his pocket and a slew of frequent customers who were sure to miss him. Goodbye blue collar, and hello to that white collar position Eiji had been working so hard to get.
He didn't want to screw this up. More accurately, he wouldn't allow it. He needed it.
There was a knock on Mallory's office door towards the evening. Probably with a good 15 - 20 minutes before they closed, just in case the boxer was the type to skip out early on a slow day. Out of courtesy, he waited to be called in.
He absolutely was the type to skip out on a slow day. Mallory was pretty diligent about getting work done when assigned to him, but he also got restless in a hurry when there was nothing to do but sit on his ass and wait for things. The only reason he was sticking around this late now was because he was already on the Witch's shit list for his little murder spree during the storm, and now that both Icarus and Luna wanted something that Mal's HR position could help make a reality, he wasn't going to risk losing it now.
So he actually welcomed it when he heard the knock, no matter how close he was to finally being free from his monotony. It probably wasn't even a complaint - those usually came as reports delivered by soot sprites who crept in from the shadowy corners of the too-large room. Maybe Maera was dropping by to shoot the shit again. Maybe someone was bringing him supper.
"Door's unlocked," he called from his desk, gruff but not as unwelcoming as he could be when he meant to.
[For all your misc dog needs. Including but not limited to:
-Anxious pacing out in the halls or outside in the dead of night -Chewing on all of his pens at work -Who made a fist-shaped dent in the wall? HM I WONDER -Laughing alone with salad except there is no laughter here, only tears -??? -Erotic panting in the summer heat]
[THE SCENE: it's a hot summer night, around 2 AM; Maera worked today and got off shift around 7, came home, threw together an easy cold meal because fuck the heat, took a cold bath because fuck the heat, went out for ice cream because fuck the heat, and went to bed earlyish because fuck the heat. And then he couldn't sleep, half because fuck the heat and half because fuck PTSD. Around 2 he wakes up from a very light doze with a jerk and realizes this isn't working out, so outside he goes, in his underwear. Who cares, right? Hopefully Chou isn't having a rough night too.
But someone else is. The unmistakable pacing figure catches his attention right away. Maera strolls over, wiping his sweaty bangs back out of his face.]
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Action;
Most people have gone to bed at this hour but not them. Even with there being the two of them to take turns staying up, sometimes it just ends with both of them being wide awake without any trouble. Going to sleep is a lot more difficult than staying up nowadays.
Luna sighs as he closes his book for the night, even he eventually gets tired of reading for too long. The night air in Koriko is freezing thanks to the current climate and it easily seeps through the old employees living quarters, but it's tempting to head out from their room than just sitting around.]
Mallory, I'm going to the bathhouse.
[He gets up from where he's sitting before nodding at his friend. It's a silent invitation to come with him.]
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On this particular night he's just sitting with his back to the wall, arms crossed and head bowed into his chest. He glances up when Luna speaks, catching that look, and after a moment he rises to his feet.]
Great idea. I could use a soak, myself.
[Maybe it'll be relaxing enough to help invite some sleep for both of them. They really should take full advantage of the luxurious facilities they're living right over, now. He grabs a couple of towels and yukata from the storage closet and dutifully follows after Luna.
If nothing else, at least it's some nice downtime to spend together.]
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But she wasn't actually reading today, which meant there wasn't a book to cover her entire face so she could phase out of existence. At least not that way. She was instead very focus, furiously writing in a notebook. Her eyes never left her pages as she seemed to take this downtime to really hunker down on this particular project she came up with.
You could sneak up on her. If you cared to.]
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And while he's making one coffee delivery, there's no harm in surprising Riye with a little something either. Being a bit of a violently jumpy guy himself (emphasis on violent), he's not going to startle her on purpose or anything. But if she's so absorbed in her work that she doesn't notice his approach until the paper cup is heavily placed on the table beside her, well, whoops.]
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hahahahaha actions;
He slides open his and Mallory's shared room with probably the widest smile he has ever had in recent years.]
kill me
He's lying on his futon, hands behind his head, legs crossed and foot tapping impatiently in the air. His gaze flickers from the ceiling to Luna as he makes his entrance, and some of his own frustration melts away just seeing that smile.
You're so beautiful. Good thing he's sobered up enough by now to keep that one to himself. But his eyes do light up with earnest curiosity as he sits up.]
Hey... Someone's in a good mood.
[Which is actually kind of weird, considering what day it is and the fact that Chisa isn't--
wait-
IS SHE HERE? He holds his breath in anticipation.]
i'm ready at last
1/2
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after chocolate-making disasters
Human mouths contain enough oral bacteria that bites can cause serious infections if untreated
then after 15 minutes
sorry
then another five minutes
then half an hour
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some asshole dumped sand all over the place
jsyk dude
—raiden
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Like everything else!!
Whatever. He crumples the note up and throws it away.
. . .
And then an hour later he finally shoots a note back:]
I'll help clean a little
if you need it
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DURING YOU KNOW WHAT; private message
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That big study hall
What's up? If it's urgent tell me where to meet you
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3:05AM
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3:20AM it's done
3:22 AM
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Back to the Clinic Days
She wasn't about that. No act of genuine kindness came from nowhere, not when she felt people deserved it. Besides, Luna would probably eat solid food by now.
When she arrived at the nurses' station with a big paper bag, the nurse told her they were sleeping. They. The nurse went further to say That Guy was there too. Can you leave this for them then, she asked. She didn't want to disturb them. So she explained to the nurse some more just so they knew what it was and they said it was fine.
Whenever they woke up, there was a big bag and there were two sizable bowls of nikudon for them both. Stapled to it was a note.]
It doesn't matter where you are, hospital food will kill you.
-Riye
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AFTER. YOU KNOW.
Today... well... today had been different than most.
He slides the door open with more strength than necessary, pulling it back to close with just much power. He's just standing there near the entrance of the room, unsure how to speak about what happened.]
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He perks up when he hears the door, snapping shut the book in his hands (yet another field guide to supernatural entities). He's here! It's time for the best part of the day, that makes everything else worth it!
...So why is he just standing there?
God damn it, something's happened.]
Hey... What's up, Luna?
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the hangover
Maybe Luna will have something to say about it, he was here earlier last night to witness more than one thing that's imprinted as one of those "fuzzy" memories. If it still happens to be night somehow, he might be a tad bit tipsy still if you manage to wake him up. Not enough sleep time was had to get it all out of his system. That liver is young, but not bionic. However, morning will be a killer. Please be easy on the head of it's morning.
Observation: his hoodie is very, very bloody. soaked mostly on the sleeves, a bit on the collar . . . But would you look at that: no wounds. ]
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Mallory's a little bloodied up himself, but it's nothing he'd consider too alarming. Only some of it's his anyway. The droplets on his shirt are little trophies of a match won, and the jingling in his pockets is the reward. He's sore and he's exhausted, but it's a good feeling, and he can't wait to dispose of the evidence before Luna gets back and pass right out in bed.
He's not two steps into the room before a stronger stench of blood hits him, and that good feeling vanishes immediately. There's a body.
Luna!?
No, that's not him. It's that stupid kid! Or... was? Did Luna have to kill him? Mal squats by Ethan's 'corpse', letting his eyes adjust more to the darkness of the room. He's snoring...?? Ah, right. Just like when he witnessed Eiji's shattered skull reform before his eyes, whatever damage killed Ethan must have healed some time ago.
At least that means it'll be a lot easier to solve the murder mystery. Time to rise and shine and answer for all of this. Mal tenderly SLAPS HIM ACROSS THE FACE.]
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WHEN YOU WAKE UP
[ Hopefully, you can read that crazy handwriting. ]
Crazy dreams
I was going to tell you earlyer but you were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you up.
—Ethan
[ The "h" in Ethan is also squished in between the "t" and "a" last minute. He can totally write his own name. ]
my heart is suffering
And just kind of holds it for a while, sitting there with his arm resting on his knee, gazing off at nothing in particular. Well, he gets the nightmare thing at least. He probably hasn't done the kid any favours in getting him to relax or feel safe. Ugh... he'd better not have spooked him into thinking he has to avoid the room again. At least his clothes are still here, so he'll be back, right?
So he leaves a note on top of them.]
Don't drink so much
-Mal
ps: you have a good hit
:)))))
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Later in the Month
Thanks for your help earlier. I hope this covers our little promise, and it isn't god awful. I haven't thought of a title yet, but here it is.
-Riye]
One fateful day, the dragon stopped his fire breathing. He stopped his devouring of the ashes of those he killed. His wounds were too great. So when the Knight appeared again, the dragon laid before him. He was too weak, but not weak enough that he wouldn't soon recover. The dragon knew he had few options, and even fewer moments.
The Knight stood in front of the dragon, sword in hand held tightly. Just because he stopped, doesn't mean his stance necessarily halted.
"If you had anything else to say, foul beast, say them with haste; for neither I nor my blade had tired."
The dragon pulled out three orbs and offered them to the Knight. "Your strength is impressive, your spirit had been un-wavered, and your mind sharp. You have surpassed every other Knight I have faced. You are destined for greatness, and I offer you what will make you stronger should you spare my life."
The orbs shone with red, yellow, and blue individually. One danced in fire, the other glistened like the roaring waves, the other sparked like a lightening storm.
"The one in flames shall entrust you with power, passion. Power in strength and soul, since you are surely to find a wife to wed and to protect with all your might. The one with the ocean's waves shall give you wisdom, you shall be wiser than your peers since your mind will be able to see farther. The one that sparks with life and excitement will give you courage, to face every single fear you could ever have-"
The dragon's words was cut short as the Knight drove his blade into the dragon's chest. The sword would sink into his scales with every breath the Knight would take.
"You offer me power and passion, when you have danced in the ashes of my loved ones and allies I swore to protect. You offer me wisdom, when there would be no one to hear any words in the ruined villages. You offer me courage, when I have chased you across the land to end what I started."
The dragon's words turned into whispers, as he soon felled to the cold and dead ground. It would stare into the eyes of the Knight, who had shown pain and anger. There was nothing that relented, and he was going to be sure the dragon heard each word before he passed.
"Do not patronize me with a promise of perfection. I am no man without sin, or regret. But you do not deserve to speak of mercy to me, cowardly beast. Your gifts matter none in a world you sought to destroy."
As the dragon closed his eyes, the Knight stared down at the fallen creature.
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. . .
He never cared much for the reading assignments in school. Yeah, he did them, filled out the response questions, but they were all just words to him. Yet the mere words on the papers in front of him now paint a vivid image in his mind: a knight with hair as silvery white as the blade he wields, silhouetted against a blood red sky in his relentless pursuit against a black and white dragon. Never losing sight of his goal no matter what he's lost or what he's offered. Making no compromises.
Mal finds himself reading it over once more, a small smile tugging at his lips. If he put his heart on display for his loved ones when he fought in the ring, then is this a similar display from Riye? He's flattered.
He's not sure how to write a review of it, so maybe he'll just. Go hand it back in person in the library the next day.]
Yo.
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Late Evening April 2nd - Mail
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[She already did, didn't she...]
But I'd be in the same state if I was in there or not so I guess so
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ACTION - I'm so ready
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If he could, he'd bring Switch (a feisty little filly) back to the rooms with him. This evening, like every evening, he only returns with a napsack of his belongings, laundry needing a good wash and body ready to check out for the day with a shower— he also comes with something fresh! A few fruits from the first April harvests wrapped carefully in homemade containers: strawberries and miniatures papayas.
Coming back to the rooms is no longer dreaded, and what's new is the content smile playing his lips. There're no traps to dodge (and/or die from), there's hardly even that awkward, heavy air that came with avoiding Mallory, or upsetting Luna. Because now there's Peony, and Peony's an angel. In fact— the fruits are brought with the bubbly roommate in mind. He got enough for everyone at least, and if it's ever needed he can always snag more, but . . . Peony tho.
Here he comes, sliding the door open to their room with a honey sweet smile and closing it behind him. ]
Hey— [ A small wave, his attention everywhere else but a resting Mister Mal, searching their quarters for something much more interesting to give proper hellos to. ] Is Miss Peony around?
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He glances toward Ethan, cocking an eyebrow suspiciously.]
Hn? No, she's out. [What, has he taken a liking to her or something? Not all that surprising, honestly. His gaze falls immediately to the containers. Did the kid bring something home from the farm that's finally more appealing than the smell of manure?]
Want me to pass something along to her? [She'll forgive him if he takes a berry or two. Probably.]
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coming in like a wreeeeeeeeeecking baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall
She walks carefully, keeping her steps as light as possible. Even if there's no real way Mallory would be able to hear her approach when the door's closed, there's some superstitious little part of her that expects him to be... what? Lurking? Ready to jump her at any moment? She'd seen the state of his leg; that man wasn't going to be up for much jumping at all any time soon.
(Or rather, he'd better not be trying. Awkward as things are right now, she's entirely prepared to yell at him as much as she needs in order to make sure she's heard.)
...At the same time, there's still a part of her that sort of hopes the room will be entirely empty when she opens the door and pokes her head inside. It's not like she isn't happy to see them (even now, even after everything), but with how strained things have been, she's always grateful to have some time to herself.
No such luck, but a girl can dream. ]
--Ah. Look at you, being a good boy for once.
homewrecking ball
That voice can kiss his ass, though. Right now, he's choosing to be glad for her company, and that she's not immediately backing out of the room again. So he can pretend nothing's wrong and that something in his life at least resembles happier times.
He settles back, putting his arms behind his head, and snorts lightly.]
I've been careful about only getting up to trouble when you're not around. Hey.
but which one's the homewrecker
junko :(
ok tru
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April 15th - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY4Y6G_dAFE
Happy Birthday.
- Riye]
perfect
Okay, he cracked a grin and then tried it on at once. A little snug around the tidday, but he's used to that. He'll be wearing it during the next coffee delivery.]
kiss kiss fall in love, probably after bodyswaps
Luna finds himself mesmerized at the rain of soft petals in one windy morning. It feels his heart with melancholy, remembering where it had been the end of an innocent beginning and the beginning of a darker end. ]
kiss my ass
The cherry blossoms aren't bad either. Lively pinks and white dominate the town in a much warmer kind of flurry than would blow in every so often during winter. Even the river runs pink with small petals floating along its peaceful surface, and even hair that's normally a dark greenish colour has taken on a pink tint for the season. Mallory has given up on trying to pick the petals out of his hair while he's still outside. There are worse things he could be putting up with.]
Pretty nostalgic... I feel like I'm in high school all over again.
[Don't mind him if he just leans against the nearest tree, Luna. His focus is, of course, more on the other man than it is on the flowers, but even he can't deny that seeing so much life around him is really refreshing.]
gladly
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Sometime April 21st-ish. Early!
Good news!!
I was asked to tackle some deep-cleaning for some of the unused guest quarters with the new season. I'll probably be gone for a few days! Please don't forget to rest and enjoy yourself!!
[ There's another line under that, so small that it's barely more than a smudge of ink on the paper. ]
Congratulations.
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22-25ish; Open
Luna didn't abandon him over it, which is a huge relief. But Peony's gone and run off somewhere (he knows she'd love to announce a big job in person) even though she was the one who pushed him to make the move in the first place. And now Luna's been called away by the Witch not a day later for who knows how long, which might as well be an abandonment of its own. Either way, it's only Mallory and his own regret to keep himself company.
The one-man pity party largely takes place in 1-01, where Mallory has switched his bedding out for Luna's and spends a fair bit of time gazing at the ceiling. But it's not like he's gone and become a hermit or anything-- he still attends to work, goes through his workouts in the mornings (without destroying the sand bags!), feeds himself (a little less than usual), and responds when spoken to, however half-hearted. He's also taken to spending his evenings in the bars around Koriko, not getting shit-faced or anything, but looking appropriately broody.
At least for as poor as his mood is, he isn't particularly snappish for the time being. Sullen, yes, but his aura says is a little more like leave me alone instead of I want to smash your face in, so that's something.
APPROACH...?]
you pick a day
even if like every single one of those threads was still in process at this point. From settling into some sort of wary acceptance out of necessity, to being angry at him all over again, learning he apparently had some sort of sob story... Everything was just all over the board, but what remained was that he was still mad that the boxer kept punching people he cared about, and no amount of harsh backstory was going to change Emi's mind on that.That didn't mean the blond wouldn't be surprised to see the older male sitting at his bar that evening.
The Boar's Nest wasn't the most brooding of bars, and Mallory seemed more like a brooder than a sportsfan. Then again, the constant buzz of noise was good when you didn't want to give your thoughts a chance to really form full depressing sentences. Which... given the way he was holding himself, Emi could only assume it was low thoughts on his mind. It was out of place with everything else Emi had come to know about him.
(Unless it had something to do with that.)
It wasn't like Emi actually cared. He didn't. Even still, it was almost... intriguing was close, though callous, and that led him to stand in front of Mallory's seat at the bar. That and the fact that, you know, getting the man a drink was his job.]
Need something?
this day
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also a day that you pick
that day
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whatever day.....
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MAY 3RD
By the time Mallory gets up and out his door, he'll already be met with something good. Look down at Peony's name tag and you'll get more than a hint. By the time he comes into the gym at five, it's all done, ready and sparkling with life. Literally.
This is what the boy has done. This is what kind of destruction your smol disciple is capable of. Look at that fucking pizza. It never goes cold.
In the middle of it all is a bundle of black, nestled in his high school jersey and taking a snooze after all that zoom. He's drooled up quite the puddle under his arm, serving as his pillow, hair caked with gold glitter and hands akin to those of very excited pre-schoolers that get their paws on paste and shinies.
You'll get the bill by the end of the day, sir. Don't kill him. ]
SOMETIME LATE MARCH 3RD. I GUESS.
Whether or not the conference with Icarus and Maera ends well or not, whether he stays in the room or goes off to sulk by himself, at some late point, Peony will find Mallory, approaching him carefully, the way one might a wild animal. Her tail is tucked close to her legs, mostly out of sight, and she's got a couple of those peony flowers he gave her this morning tucked in her hair.
Is he upset? Is he angry? Is he both? Or is he relieved for -- for whatever reason, but something about not having to be responsible about her anymore? She's not sure herself. Her voice is small when she calls out to him. ]
Mallory...?
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A few seconds pass in which he tries to decide how he should greet her after... everything... but he quickly gives up on just settles on turning his head to look at her.]
Peony, yo...
[Oh, she liked the flowers. That's good, at least. He was almost worried that it was a little too lame to get those ones in particular.]
You look ...cute.
[Right?? Nope, still a weird thing to try to say out loud. But maybe that will save him from any wrath she has leftover from the Raipocalypse. He wonders if this is about that, or if she's just too distracted with Icarus and Maera to even remember any of it happened.]
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Mid-June, after the heatwave
The butcher's wasn't going to lack for hands with him gone, anyway. But he left with a few favours still tucked in his pocket and a slew of frequent customers who were sure to miss him. Goodbye blue collar, and hello to that white collar position Eiji had been working so hard to get.
He didn't want to screw this up. More accurately, he wouldn't allow it. He needed it.
There was a knock on Mallory's office door towards the evening. Probably with a good 15 - 20 minutes before they closed, just in case the boxer was the type to skip out early on a slow day. Out of courtesy, he waited to be called in.
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So he actually welcomed it when he heard the knock, no matter how close he was to finally being free from his monotony. It probably wasn't even a complaint - those usually came as reports delivered by soot sprites who crept in from the shadowy corners of the too-large room. Maybe Maera was dropping by to shoot the shit again. Maybe someone was bringing him supper.
"Door's unlocked," he called from his desk, gruff but not as unwelcoming as he could be when he meant to.
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DOG TIME [July]
-Anxious pacing out in the halls or outside in the dead of night
-Chewing on all of his pens at work
-Who made a fist-shaped dent in the wall? HM I WONDER
-Laughing alone with salad except there is no laughter here, only tears
-???
-Erotic panting in the summer heat]
mid-July
But someone else is. The unmistakable pacing figure catches his attention right away. Maera strolls over, wiping his sweaty bangs back out of his face.]
Yo.
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mid-Julyish
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Late Nya-ight
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