Resume Play

[foundationmods]

After the collapse of the Winchester house, everyone will have some time to regroup. The dead can be given bodies, everyone can have the remnants of the miasma washed away, and the 2000's group can be brought up to date on what's been happening for the last twenty years. It's been a long day, and taking time to process it all is probably in everyone's best interests.

But they won't get to rest for long. About an hour after the house's collapse, several all-black vehicles will roll up on the site of the former Winchester house. Most people present should recognize the uniforms and logos plastered all over everything: this is a cleanup team, the kind sent in after a successful containment to make sure the locals don't talk about what happened. It must be nice to have a somewhat-positive reception for once, huh?

But along with the group, a certain misty-eyes O5 will make their grand entrance. And as they step out and look over the group, they have something important to say.

"You did it. I...thank you. Thank you for saving them."

There's still details to handle and paperwork and interviews to do, but that is easy compared to what's already been done. With everyone's efforts, a potential XK-class SCP has been neutralized, saving the world itself, all without any permanent Agent casualties.

You all have exceeded Foundation expectations.

Congratulations.

Comments

[kaliedoscopes]

We don't need covers, I'll keep you— [ His mouth is running away again miles ahead of everything else, until the break in contact causes him to trip up a bit. A blink, blink and the lay of the land beyond what he's touched (and claimed) comes into focus. He totally didn't lose sight of where they were at all, nor did he just notice that the waitress is right there and has been there for some time. Oops indeed. ]

...ah, yeah we-right. [ There's no way he can manage smooth now, and there's more than a sprinkling of embarrassment on his cheeks and in his voice. Okay, he can push aside all the thoughts that are threatening to come back for the immediate ones which require moving which is an ordeal on its own. He just needs to pick a point, focus on it and-failed step one because while they're still this close his physical desire overrides everything else. Might as well roll with it so after one more brief kiss he pulls back.

There. Several seconds of fumbling through the menu later he orders the first item on the entree section, the tori soboro don because reading is kind of hard now too. ]

I don't remember what's outside but I could—[ Gestures vaguely with his hands which probably isn't doing either of them any favors in the distraction department but what is finding the right word for memory reading someone right now. ]

[noneforall]

[True to predictions he has not managed to get his color back to anything close to normal in between the toast and Hikage running his mouth and himself running his mouth in every possible way and in an increasingly mutual spiral; if this goes on much longer he's in danger of just accepting the new feverish state of his thoughts (or lack thereof) and all of his impulses.

(This particular pace won't and shouldn't last, but he vaguely kind of wants it to. Instinctively he's already filing it away for later, because flinging himself headfirst into the unknown is kind of a character trait.)

No matter how much they're stumbling and tripping over each other and the rest of society that nominally still exists it all feels a whole lot better than anything has felt in a while. A long while, really. And it certainly helps that he's not alone in this ridiculous downward slide into debauchery here.]

Right. [there's the softest flicker of amusement because Subete is distracted again now and getting more distracted by the minute; there's no resistance to the last minute kiss, he sinks into it readily and it takes moment or two of staring and Hikage actually getting on with his order for him to remember his own suggestion] ... Right. Niku kimchi don to go. And the sake, please.

[Things that he can apparently do on the fly while drunk: mind his manners for no good reason and remember inconsequential skim overs of menus from what seems to be at least a few hours ago. Now that they're rid of the waitress he spends a few more idle moments getting led in circles by Hikage attempting to talk with his hands before he starts fumbling in his pockets--]

Phone, phone... Ah. [the house probably fell on it but he's too busy giving up which just means capturing Hikage's wayward hands with his own again] You really probably could.

[Does he know what they're even talking about or--]

[kaliedoscopes]

[ Surprisingly the phone situation is something Hikage has done a precursory consideration for, but only because he told a few people that he'd try to keep in touch. Try being the ideal word and also an incredibly high bar at the moment, but he can help clear that up at least. ]

We can get new ones tomorrow, better ones with stickers. [ Because yes that's still his priority in the chaos of everything. Or it was until Subete grabs his hands and he flusters more somehow. You'd think having his hands held would be less intimate than kissing, and while it is sometimes his particular hangups pop right up to the forefront. ]

Ah—? But I need my hands, or at least one of them. [ Gestures with his head toward society outside their bubble, because his hands are currently occupied and he's making no move to take them back even with his increased flailing. ]

[noneforall]

[You'd really think Subete would have considered the lack of cellphone at some point given his particular generation -- but he's spent so long incommunicado and then such a long time taking cellphones for granted that it's turned into some kind of perfect storm where he literally just doesn't remember to think about the device until he needs it, rather like a muscle or a limb.

And unfortunately his thoughts are currently scattered to the four winds, anyway, and they're not going to be productive anytime soon with the touches and the expressions Hikage is allowing through. There's a small cock of his head, questioning as he tries to parse several ideas at once, only one of which he understands with any clarity.]

All phones have stickers... kaomojis... the whole package. [all of his phones, anyway, and he's still rolling along in the 2015-2020 mindset of taking these particular things completely for granted] But since we don't have them right now...

[There's a slice of mischief in the smile he flashes while they're waiting -- he's really not normally one for this much impromptu contact, public or not, but here it's much more like catching what they've built just now in both palms and keeping it with him, like trying to drink from your hands; about that level of drunken shenanigans, and then some.

He stalls for a moment though when the waitress returns with all of their carefully-packaged goods, because now they really might need some way to carry things.]

... Hmm.

[Briefly he moves both of his hands to one of Hikage's, considers them... before apparently remembering that he also can prioritize with each hand; which, fine, he can get the package. Dining and dashing? It's fine, they were never here in the first place. The waitress has already vanished.]

[kaliedoscopes]

[ It's maybe at this point that Hikage realizes just exactly what he's gotten himself into in several directions: technology and otherwise. Experience is both a boon and a bane but he's made his decision and won't be turning back so onward he goes. More like fluttering considering his state of inebriation but it's the forward movement that counts, probably. ]

Oh, that'll make things easy. For tomorrow. [ Specified and broken up because their current predicament is a bit more challenging. He smiles back of course, though his own is lax and more of an acceptance of his life right now. The good thing about being thrown off at least is that he's able to claim some of his thoughts back, enough to prioritize their needs before his wants.

One hand is good enough because he'll brush his free hand against the waitress' arm when she drops off their order with that spark of red in his eye. Apparently he can be more selective in several ways with how he's reading when he's not trapped in a miasma mansion, or maybe it's something to do with line of sight or both. Either way he now has the layout of this neighborhood and other random bits about dining and San Jose in his mind, all at the small cost of adding to the killer hangover he'll have tomorrow. ]

...there's a hotel a couple of blocks...that way. [ Pointing with one eye closed because it's not like his hands got him into some of this mess in the first place. He tussles his bangs to recenter himself, immediately sees more purple than he should because the whole world is kind of wobbly and just sighs. He already did a drunk stumble back once, how much worse can this be? ]

Remind me next time to wear better shoes. [ Ones that are easier to slip on, though at least these aren't the worst. Heels still mandatory, though. But okay off they go and Hikage will just try to deal with being smashed, holding Subete's hand, guiding them to the hotel, and settling into his new lifestyle. (Judging by the ease at which next time was said, it's more than a welcome change even if he doesn't understand it himself yet). ]

1/2

[noneforall]

[Fluttering and forward momentum paired together is considerably more coordinated and graceful than Subete is capable of at the moment -- he's still fairly steady at the table, a lifetime's worth of table manners sunk into his very spine and all of his sloshing wayward sensibilities just at the moment, but in between contemplating phones while not at all contemplating tomorrow and following that familiar flash of scarlet in Hikage's stare he loses track of a little more time.

So there's a soft laugh once they get upright and he gets a good look at Hikage's new sheepdog look -- he has no free hands but he's all about making his amusement known all the same, and he's swaying a little where he stands, somewhat stumbling when they get moving but by some miracle keeping himself on track by reeling himself in by their joined hands. See, there are several practical reasons to be holding hands right now, even if he keeps forgetting that's what they're doing while navigating the strange waters of San Jose on sake.

There's a hum as he reorients both his vision and sense of balance away from red and black and purple and back towards the rest of the world, and tries to account for the extra weight of a bottle of sake and two donburi.]

A hotel... For tomorrow and, I can probably-- [it's his turn to gesture, but once again: zero free hands so what he does manage to do is swing their hands a little before shaking his head and shrugging, look, he tried] --and the shoes, too.

[It's completely unclear what he's supposed to be doing about the shoes, or anything, but it's probably an agreement. That's pretty much the mood for the rest of their ridiculous trip to this hotel -- keeping hold of or leaning on each other at intervals, doing their best to keep out of the street, being a little too loud at who-knows-what o'clock and basking in the warm glow of streetlamps and what is probably not just drink. The long-absent hints of stars beyond the city lights don't light the way, but they're a silver lining on the evening all the same.]

2/2

[noneforall]

[It's surprisingly tiring trying to navigate a mostly-strange city in the dark while drunk, carrying things, and after an entirely-too-eventful day and come to think of it they're in new bodies too: it's certainly one way to break the gigai in, there's nothing quite like stress testing. They've definitely put themselves(?) through their paces at this rate.

There's probably still some leftover fatigue from ghost battle royale too, but that's not scientific nor is he able to separate it from the general cloud of fatigue and sleepiness slowly descending around his shoulders so Subete just rolls all of that together and tries to stay on track. There were probably some kanji-related mishaps in the course of trying to drag themselves into a hotel incognito and undetected and entirely smashed (there's at least one new fir tree by the hotel's entrance and possibly some of the hotel staff will be invisible to outsiders for a few hours, let's not talk about what happened at the restaurant while no one was looking), but there's still a sigh of satisfaction and relief once the door finally closes behind them.

It's tempting to just slide down to the floor and curl up but only a little -- sleeping on the floor just isn't a thing where he comes from and he's still carrying food and Hikage's hand and both of those are keeping him upright, just about. Instead he leans against the door and yawns briefly. Contemplates searching for the light switch.

It's not too bad coming in from the night lighting, though so...]

I should probably... put Verbalism to bed for the night too. [a little joke because it's been a while since he's used his powers with such reckless abandon and never with this much alcohol in his system, but since reckless abandon is the mood of the hour he takes advantage of their hands to tug them closer together again.] Hey.

[For one, he hasn't gotten to steal a kiss himself yet so that's what he's doing now, clumsy as all hell after everything but there's something to be said for the cozy vibe of the room that they've barely even looked at yet.]

[kaliedoscopes]

[ Hikage tells himself he would have protested more about their joined hands if it didn't have a practical use, because pragmatism > everything else, or so it usually is. That's decidedly not the case tonight, but the sake gives him the ability to use logic only when he likes, and no ones keeping score or has the ability to do so at this point. Still there's some residual huffing regardless because even amidst the glow and warmth there's room for butterflies.

By the time they arrive at the hotel (stumbling and fluttering into the place), the length of the day on top of the liquor has really caught up to him. They're not drinking anymore, but the last few drinks of sake ripple through his mind unfettered; the fir tree got a light laugh and a hand running through it because it's just as likely that he could have just imagined it existing at this point.

There's an equally pleased sigh of his own when the door clicks shut and they're in their own little bubble once again, away from all the distractions except the ones that matter. A few thoughts tumble in (light, sleep, shoes) before his attention sparks in the direction of the joke and what would have likely been him running his mouth because almost anything can be played with now. Except he's still trailing behind reality a beat or two, and by the time he goes to do so his mouth is suddenly occupied.

A soft startle later he's fallen into the kiss as messy as it is (and does his best not to fall into the door) without complaint. He's in no hurry to pull away, but he does mumble when he gets the chance with a gentle squeeze of their joined hands. ]

Hey. Bed? [ That was not included in his prior list but that's fine, the night is ever shifting. Who needs a light anyway when there's just enough from the city filtering through the partially drawn back curtains, which will be a problem in the morning but not right now.

He makes to tug on Subete's other hand for emphasis but mn there's a bag there. Better clarify. ] With just me.

[noneforall]

[Even at this point in the night some things are capable of pausing him a little and then making him turn a bit redder than drink and kisses can manage under the cover of late evening, even if it is considerably sneakier without any lights or much talking to give him away. But he's already made a mistake: the proximity and the tiredness and everything else is making it really hard to want to be away from their bubble, and even if he's going to regret a few things in the morning (he can vaguely list them now, but he won't, they're not the important things) it's still not morning yet because neither of them is carrying a watch nor paying attention to timekeeping devices when they're all tangled up like this.

The fir tree outside sure is going to be a thing at some point, but at least it means there will be more shade once the sun is out -- for now Subete puts it all away and squeezes back reflexively with one hand while he stumbles around trying to find the fridge with the other; it's a good thing he's been reminded that takeout doesn't actually mean take to bed, at least not in most of this case, so:]

Ahh, this room... [he could complain about the room being too big, ridiculously, but he finally finds the mini-fridge with his knees instead and huffs before shoving their no-longer-dinner in and kicking the door shut; the only thing left to do is try to knee-navigate his way over to the nearest bed, which he tumbles onto while trying his best not to just flat out flop across it] Found it.

[Instead of repeating words or anything else at this point he keeps himself semi-upright with their hands (still useful!) and blinks sleepily a couple of times, reaches for Hikage's other hand after a moment when he remembers that was a thing, possibly.]

[kaliedoscopes]

[ It's debatable whether Hikage meant it quite that way (even if the other reading is intimate too), but he manages a lazy smile anyway when they start to move in search of proper sleeping arrangements. He's fine with being tugged along because if he was to stumble into anything with his footwear and current state there'd likely be no saving it.

At least their not-dinner is saved, even if it takes them a while to find the bed (is this place that big or is he that drunk?). ]

Good. So then-[ Subete may have avoided flopping onto the bed but all it takes is the slightest tug (or in this case the tiniest momentum from having his other hand grasped) for Hikage to tumble forward into Subete and the bed. They're probably not even close to laying on it properly but it's good enough. ]

Bed...you...ah, shoes. [ Can't sleep with shoes on, so he has to wiggle them off which has the beneficial side effect of getting them both further on the bed in the process. Also likely more tangled up with each other but that's pretty much been their entire MO all night. ]

[noneforall]

Oof. Hey.

[No one knows whether that's supposed to be a protest or yet another interjection in their drunken and aimless but oddly engaging back-and-forth, but maybe it doesn't matter at this point -- there's something between a laugh and a wheeze at the jostling but he's mostly half-asleep already and more coherent reactions or keeping track of his limbs at this point is asking a lot.

On the bright side somewhere in the wriggling he does manage to lose his shoes (the upside of a somewhat simpler fashion sense, really); they might not find all the pillows or the comforter or even the right side of the bed but it's a damn big bed, just like everything else in here. That might be the only reason they haven't rolled right back off again. Once his feet are free Subete just curls a little closer into the warmth and his eyes are closed before he realizes it.

He's fast asleep too quick to even say good night but what few dreams manage to flow through the warm and sake-soaked seas are certainly a nice nightcap to this long, long day.]