002 - Audio

[iamtetsuo]

[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?

Comments

That's why he spent so much time cleaning that up, right?

[iamtetsuo]

Huh? The hell's that supposed to mean?

it will be his pillow

[burnmetwice]

[Kazu flaps his hand in a 'forget it' gesture.]

Nothing. Not everyone's built to handle crazy powers, is all I'm saying.

I can just imagine the next morning of even more awkwardness

[iamtetsuo]

[Kazu, if you only knew how true that was.
Tetsuo sinks back down onto his bed fully, hands over his head again.]

Ungh. Try making some sense.

/JUMPS OUT THE WINDOW

[burnmetwice]

[Kazu settles with his back to the wall near the busted window, toying with the rim of his beanie.]

Just think about it. Normal people aren't made for risking their lives... America just grabbed a bunch of random people and asked them to fight. Getting powers doesn't mean you're suddenly a hero.

Weirdest sleepover ever award

[iamtetsuo]

Maybe they should have thought about that before they started TAKING PEOPLE! America deserves whatever it gets outta this, is all I'm saying.

[burnmetwice]

America's probably going to be fine either way. Did you see that old guy [sorry Rick] on the network talking about overthrowing the system? Never gonna happen. It's the people they screwed over by bringing them here who are gonna get the worst of it.

[iamtetsuo]

It SHOULDN'T be fine! Not after what they di-aAAAGUH!

[We interrupt this rant against America to bring you yet another stab of audibly painful migraine. Which might be more pleasant to listen to than Tetsuo being angry.]

[burnmetwice]

H-hey! You're making it worse!

[What else was supposed to be good for headaches? Something cold to the head? Was that a totally stupid and untrue thing he just read in a manga?

Well, it was worth a shot.]

Just—stay here, I'll be right back.

[He grabs the dustpan full of glass while he at it and hurries (quietly) downstairs]

[iamtetsuo]

[Stupid head. Stupid America. Stupid everything!

It's not like Tetsuo's gonna go anywhere. The most he's gonna be able to come up with to do is thrash around and maybe pull a pillow over the back of his head as hard as he possibly can. Then throw it violently at the wall when that predictably doesn't do anything.]

[burnmetwice]

[This is all kind of alarming, but Kazu is 95% sure any suggestion of a hospital isn't going to go well. He finds some frozen peas or something and a clean dishrag to wrap them in and (again, quietly) hurries back up.]

Here—Try this. And stop screaming!

[iamtetsuo]

[Those peas wrench themselves out of Kazu's grasp the second he brings Tetsuo's attention to them. He'll stop screaming when he wants to stop screaming. Which is when it stops feeling like someone's compressing his head in a vice and stabbing needles into it all at once.

It does eventually abate enough that he shuts up, though.]

[burnmetwice]

[Well Kazu's not going to be the one to point out that the screaming probably isn't helping his migraine. He hovers anxiously near the door, listening for any other sound of movement in the house. It is going to be really awkward if one of his roommates walks in and asks what the hell they're doing.]

1/3 THREADJACK-A-LACK

[rassera]

[Kaneda wasn't gone long, out on a late night drive around town when no one would be on the streets (the nightlife was his home, honestly). It'd certainly cleared any remaining fogginess about Tetsuo, walking back now with somewhat of a plan for himself here.

Maybe he and Tetsuo could at least co-exist.

Softly humming, he lets himself in and throws his jacket over his shoulder, and heads towards Tetsuo's room, noticing the crack in the door.

Figuring that they were at least on good terms for him to check up on the guy, he grabs the knob and holds the door open.]

Tetsuo? I'm back, just thought I'd check before I went to--

[Oh.]

2/3

[rassera]

[Looks at Tetsuo.


Looks at the STRANGE TEENAGE BOY THAT IS IN HIS ROOM.]

...


[Looks back at Tetsuo.]

3/3

[rassera]

[Oh man.]

[iamtetsuo]

[Tetsuo didn't hear Kaneda get back; even though his bike wasn't overly quiet the roar in his head was more than enough to drown out ambient sounds. In fact, he had no clue until he heard his own door creak fully open.

Oh no... He freezes, blood turning to ice in his veins as he very carefully doesn't look back at Kazu.

No. Of all people that could possibly be, let it be anyone but Kaneda. Truth told, he hadn't really thought much about what was going on here. He's too out of it to care. Kazu shows up, fine, he's being helpful. Though he'd never once admit it, it's a little nice to not be in pain and actually alone at the same time. But this...

He can see that look slowly growing on Kaneda's face and he just knows then and there that his life is officially over. No... No, Kaneda, please no. Don't do it. Don't go there. You didn't see anything...

If he doesn't say anything, he'll never hear the end of this, but he can't get his mouth to work.]

[burnmetwice]

[Kazu, after a lifetime of growing up with Ikki, instantly understands the situation for what it is. He looks despairing at the window—it's too late to jump. ]

[rassera]

[Sorry Tetsuo, but he was there the moment he saw Kazu. Those black eyes of his glisten as he leans against the door, soaking in this beautiful image as if it would melt away if he didn't.

He knew Tetsuo inside and out, and that meant knowing about his...attachments back home. But still, a little teasing never hurt anyone right?]

Hey Tetsuo, aren't you going to introduce me to your--

[There's a soft gesture to Kazu. You know JUST the word he wants to use.]

special friend?

[Oh you sly dog]

[iamtetsuo]

Speci-...

[A little teasing could do a lot of damage. Story of Tetsuo's life.]

THERE'S NOTHING SPECIAL!! He was just-!

[A flailing gesture.
Yes, Tetsuo, wake the whole house while you're at it. That's a good way to not make this worse.]

[burnmetwice]

[Kazu smacks a hand to his face, dragging his beanie down slightly. He was definitely thinking about the rest of the house.]

I'm not actually here.

[He attempts, weakly. Because the actual explanation for why he was here, let's be honest, was not really better.]

[rassera]

[That's a risk he's willing to take. What's Tetsuo gonna do? Blow up--oh.]

Uh huh.

[There's a glance around the room, it suddenly looking...MUCH cleaner than it was earlier.]

Aw, you even taught him how to clean for you~

[iamtetsuo]

Kaneda...

[burnmetwice]

—Fuck you, I already knew how to clean!

[Kazu no, this is not what you're supposed to be protesting.]

[rassera]

Well I wouldn't want to get in the way of more 'cleaning'.

I'm sure Tetsuo's very dirty

[OH MY GOD GET OUT KANEDA.]

1/3

[iamtetsuo]