LL cont’

[markofkaine]

[Bad ideas. That’s what Rafael was famous for. Sometimes those bad ideas would pan out into groundbreaking technologies. Other times it would blow up spectacularly in his face - and by extension, all faces adjacent. Not that it ever stopped him from coming up with more.

This one, though. A bridge too far.

Aracha - if that really could be called his name anymore - sat, hunched over, cycling a trinket between his fingers as though in a trance. It felt like the slow, tactile motion was the only thing still keeping him grounded to reality (again, questionable). His mind was… far, far away, in a place that might not even exist anymore, lost. But more than that, alone, in a vast, empty field of deaf, silent rage. And that cold silence seeped into every crack in his brain, filling the folds of his thoughts, the hollow space in his bones, the pockets in his lungs.

He wasn’t real. He wasn’t real. None of this was real. He knew that now.

At some point, his fiance was going to walk through the door and find him sitting at the foot of their his bed. And one way or another, this lie would be shattered.]

Comments

[intelligent]

[ The last thing he gets are some coupons for free breakfasts; it won't be anything amazing, but it's a start. Turning around, he hands half of them to Kaine. Who—wow.

...he can't help it.

He thinks he's cute. It looks like he's pouting. He's seen this face before, on most of the people he's dated in the past—those assholes who injected these memories into him? At least they got something right. A little thing. ]

I'm done. Want to go check it out?

[ Holding up the keycard, indicating that he wants to go to their room. ]

[markofkaine]

Did you really have to flirt with them?

[Kaine just sounding SO offended instead of just saying yes like a normal person. He means yes, though - anything to get out of here - and heads toward the elevator.

(Miguel wasn't even really flirting, he realizes - he was charming them, but the effect was still the same.)

In his annoyance though, he forgets what the single pair of keys means. After all, they'd spent years(?) sharing a bedroom without issue. Old habits die hard.]

1/2

[intelligent]

[ ... ]

2/2

[intelligent]

[ FOLLOWING!!!! ]

I wasn't flirting. Hold the door for me—

Re: 2/2

[markofkaine]

That receptionist was twirling her hair.

[DOESN'T HOLD THE DOOR FOR FOR HIM!!!]

Re: 2/2

[intelligent]

I was being charming to—hey!

[ that hey is muffled, as the elevator door is now shut and the punished Miggy is left on the ground floor, banished to taking the stairs............. ]

Re: 2/2

[markofkaine]

[ ...]




[Kaine doesn't know what floor their room is on.

After a second of idiot isolation, he is forced to push the open door button.]

Re: 2/2

[intelligent]

[ knowingly: ]

You missed me?

Re: 2/2

[markofkaine]

Shut up. What floor's the damn room?

[Just get in the damn elevator]

Re: 2/2

[intelligent]

[ GETS INSIDE FIRST. ]

Fourth.

Re: 2/2

[markofkaine]

[Smartass son of a bitch.

Hits the 4 button.



Now we have a lovely 8 seconds of awkward silence.]

Re: 2/2

[intelligent]

[ Jeopardy music... Miguel is mostly wondering, the whole time, if his charming was embarrassing or something... it clearly worked, but this man is especially sensitive...

The sound of the doors opening is a welcome break in the silence. ]

Number eight. Should be... here.

[ He's swiping the keycard. It doesn't work. Again, and it doesn't work. Uh oh.

He swipes once more. This time it does work. ]

...almost thought we were getting pranked there.

Re: 2/2

[markofkaine]

[The tension is palpable. You could not only cut it with a knife, you had to hack through it with a mental machete just to put one foot in front of the other. Thank god the door opened because Kaine wasn't sure what he would've done if it didn't.

Tore it off its hinges, maybe.]

Jesus @#$& Christ.

Re: 2/2

[intelligent]

Yeah.

[ Inside... is a room. It's clean and bright, but nothing extraordinary. A small bathroom, a tiny kitchenette, a loveseat... and one queen-sized bed. Without considering the implications of One Bed, Miguel walks in and immediately flops on the loveseat, groaning.

And then he starts laughing. ]

I don't feel waves. We're not on that shocking boat anymore.

Re: 2/2

[markofkaine]

[Kaine doesn't move from where he's standing in the doorway.

He sees the bed. He looks at Miguel, wondering if he sees the bed. When will be see the bed.

The bed is a problem.]

Miguel.

Re: 2/2

[intelligent]

No more performances! No more murder! No more weird bonding games! No more meatballs!

[ he's in bliss give him a moment. ]

Re: 2/2

[markofkaine]

[Mutters,]

No one else had a problem with meatballs.

Re: 2/2

[intelligent]

[ nodding solemnly. ]

They were definitely just screwing with me. But that's over now. It's... over now...

[ sighing, satisfied, his crops watered and skin clear and his gaze is falling on the bed........ ]

Oh.

Re: 2/2

[markofkaine]

Oh?

[I AM WAITING FOR YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR GRIEVOUS MISTAKE]

Re: 2/2

[intelligent]

Huh.

[ I'M NOT ACKNOWLEDGING MY GRIEVOUS MISTAKE. ]

Re: 2/2

[markofkaine]

[YOU BIIIITTTCCHHHHHH]

I think they forgot t'include something in this room.

Re: 2/2

[intelligent]

Yeah. Wine.

[ breathes out. ]

It's fine. You can have the bed.

Re: 2/2

[markofkaine]

[Curtly,]

Fine. I will.

[In a show of dominance to lay claim to his new territory, Kaine proceeds to walk over to the bed and flop down into it. It's the pissiest way anyone has ever laid down in a bed.]

Re: 2/2

[intelligent]

How do you manage to make every move you make so mad looking?

Re: 2/2

[markofkaine]

Because I am mad. At everything.