maskormenace | 002

Entry tags:

002 - Audio

[It's time to play the 'who's awake at 1 AM' game! If you're not, Tetsuo's talking softly enough that it might not wake you. If you want to see or answer this later in the day ~~when normal people are awake~~, feel free, but please specify.]

Everybody's got powers, right? That's why they want us to stick around...

[You can just hear how much he likes that prospect. He all but spits those last two words out like it's a curse.]

So anyway, I'm curious.

How many of you have 'side effects' from them? Anybody know? I know there's gotta be more than one... but it's not all of you, is it?

I - nnghh. I wanna know why that is... why's it only some people?

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[You'd be surprised, Tetsuo. You're not the only one running on maybe 4 hours of sleep a night. Lying awake at night wondering if one of Tetsuo's screams would be the breaking point. Reaching for a laser rifle that isn't there, and then hating yourself for it.

Having to constantly divide your friendship with what you have to do.

But if Kaneda heard anything specific, he certainly doesn't tell it.]

I was just worried.

Worry about yourself!

[He's so tired of being scared. He's so tired of being tired. And he's tired of Kaneda's fucking worry because he can handle this himself.

Except... he's not sure he can. He knows what's going on now, or he thinks he does, and it's not a trade he can afford to make. He's not really thinking about how to fix anything, just how to deal with it in the immediate future. But, whatever, it's HIS deal to worry about, not Kaneda's. This, this right here? This is happening to him, not Kaneda, him. It's not Kaneda's problem.]

...it's not...

[His eyes divert from him, like a dog trying to avoid eye contact with another to not start a fight. Because honestly...he doesn't know right now. Leaving Tetsuo alone isn't working, unless he wants to completely question himself every night when he hears that scream. Question himself more when he wakes up from his own wanting a gun in his hands.

But giving in is costing them both a lot of pride. And pride is one of the only things they have left.]

Tetsuo...

[And the worst part is? He doesn't want to say anything, he doesn't want to hear himself say it because he'll hate himself all the more for it later. But it's hard to stop the sentence; it's been bothering him for a while now and the injustice of it all is only piling up further, and now Kaneda had to keep pestering him and]

It's not fair! I can finally do something... and it doesn't matter...

[Because everyone else is already better at doing something, too. He doesn't hear screams coming from anywhere else in the house. Who else has to suffer?
The longer he stays here, the more he's come to realize. It's just him.]

What would you understand about that? You're just like all the others!

[It's as if a light switch just flickered on in his head. As if suddenly a single lifeline of communication was between them. It was light--feather light at that--and flickering like a dying flame, but it existed.

He doesn't say anything at first, actually waiting for Tetsuo to finish before he starts to make a move towards the kitchen. A hand tunnels its way out of his pocket and opens the fridge, grabbing a bag and some ice to put in it.]

So you didn't get an easy power.

[The icecubes drop in the back softly, one by one, before he starts making his way back. His fingers pinch the sip and seal it before holding it out to Tetsuo.]

'When you go into a turn, lean in suicidally.'

[It's like learning to ride a bike, Tetsuo. That's the point he's making.]

[Tetsuo watches him slowly, warily, all the while trying not to do so obviously. He doesn't protest, though, when Kaneda holds out the ice bag. He quietly takes it, holds it up against the side of his head. It's at least something he hasn't really tried yet; he tends to equate ice bags with burns and the like.

Leave it to Kaneda to just brush that off. He's got all the answers, doesn't he? Always saying how to do something or what he should try..]

Easy for you to say. You've still got a bike.

[Seeing Tetsuo take the bag is like when a cat acknowledges your existence. You don't make it known, but there's a small leap in your stomach that you did...something right.

This was definitely Tetsuo. His friend.

And while it was hard to separate the two he knew, he knew which he had to deal with.]

It's...you know, one of those metaphor things.

[His hands stuff themselves back in his pockets, giving a shrug.]

I doubt it helps but...I can't control my powers either.

[THAT gets Tetsuo's attention.]

Like hell you can't. I've seen you.

You mean my bike.

[There's a shrug. Not even Kaneda can excuse that one.]

Okay, okay, you got me. So I can control one of them.

[Tetsuo's attention strays pointedly anywhere but Kaneda, settling on the wall between them.]

So? What else you got?

[He hunches his shoulders a bit, thinking. Before he finally straightens up, that smirk as wide as day.]

Heh, none of your business.

[Yep. He just pulled that shit on you.]

Kaneda!

[Can dish it out, can't take it back. What can you do.]

Just tell me!

[Oh, Tetsuo. You have much to learn still.]

Put that ice to work, Tetsuo. I still got some stuff to do.

[Brb walking out.]

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002 - Audio

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