thenearshore | tmw you remember you have a dog now

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tmw you remember you have a dog now

Who: Chikusa and Ken
What: Time for bonding over how a decent modern house feels way too nice for a pair of amnesiac garbage teenagers.
When: The night after the event logs
Where: Hestia's Temple

[With how much he'd worn himself out training at Bishamon's sprawling estate, Chikusa had admittedly thought twice about going to also investigate the recent string of incidents on the Near Shore. However, in the end, he'd gone anyway- things that got the Heavens' attention are worth investigating, and he'd had a hope that he might find out something to do with the mystery which is the Far Shore as a whole.]

[Yet work like that, unsurprisingly, takes forever, and it's late when he finally gets back even on the Far Shore. There's no more energy in him- with his glasses still on, he collapses onto the nearest couch and immediately falls asleep.]

[Normally, after using up every last reserve of his energy, he'd be completely out for hours, a lifeless corpse recharging. However, it's only a couple of hours before his eyelids drag open, and Chikusa blinks blearily into the dark living space. There's a tuna can digging into his hip.]

[...Right. He should go to one of the bedrooms, or else Axel might worry if he sees him in this state in the open. A couple of hours is enough for him to get to his feet, although it takes a lot of effort to do just that, and he shuffles his way through the halls. There's a bedroom near, that should do just fine.]

[However... when he opens the door, he has to pause, swaying a little.]

[It's the new shinki. Curled up on the floor.]

[....He's too tired to come up with any other reaction besides staring.]

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[Ken is a light sleeper. This is probably partly due to his animalistic nature, certainly, but it's just as much a paranoid adaptation of living a life in dangerous, run-down places alongside the only people he cares about, with the whole world arrayed against them.

Paranoid might not be the right term after all, considering. Nothing is paranoia when the whole world is out to get you, as the saying goes. But 'justifiable hair-trigger alarm' doesn't really have a ring to it.

As it is, Chikusa's barely got time to stare before Ken is twitching in his sleep, and then suddenly jerking straight up, eyes narrowed and teeth bared even while his eyes are still furiously blinking sleep away. The effect is less visually intimidating than he'd like.

Some of the aggression drains away when he realizes it's Chikusa, and he huffs.] What're you doing in my room, byon? [Technically, Chikusa's not in the room, just standing at the threshold, but really, Ken isn't the type of person to make that kind of fine distinction. But there's a tiny touch of pride to the words 'my room'. However Ken might feel about the temple, having his own room is immensely exciting. Some part of him, uncoupled from his conscious memories, knows he's never had his own room before. Or at least, if he ever did, it was when he was so young that he'd lost those memories even while he was alive.]

[For all that he's half asleep, Chikusa's body has its own instincts to follow when the mind isn't at the wheel. His hands are in his pocket before he has time to consciously make the action himself. It's definitely his mind that keeps him from lashing out, however.]

....It's not like I could have known this was your room...

[Ken huffs as he sits up, rubbing at his eyes; he wants to argue out of pure half-awake cussedness, but he can't help realizing that actually no, Axel mentioning it to Chikusa seems less likely than him not thinking to. Which is less a measure of how well he knows Axel, and more his unthinking acceptance of the idea that it'd be weird for anyone to take that much interest in his well-being or accommodations. He'd be more surprised if Axel had even bothered to make sure Ken had a room.

Not that Ken is literally thinking all of this, so much as intuitively feeling it. A lot of Ken's thought processes are more felt than consciously articulated.]

What're you doing in anybody's room in the middle of the night, byon? [It occurs to him, suddenly, to wonder why Chikusa is wandering around at all.]

The only other person that's usually in the temple is Axel-sama....

[There's a whole explanation there, in that Chikusa isn't used to other people being there and so didn't think to worry about it.... But you know what?]

[Words are too much energy right now. And, frankly, so is the concept of shuffling to find another empty room, even though there is probably one literally right next door. So, sighing, he starts to shuffle further into the room.]

[If Ken doesn't stop him, he is going straight under the bed.]

Well, I'm here now, byon! [Ken huffs. And then stares, as Chikusa shuffles further into the room instead of leaving.]

Oi, what're you doing?! [He's more aggravated than actually angry, although the volume level is roughly the same for both. And he unfolds a leg from under him to kick at Chikusa's shin.] Don't you have your own room?!

Too tired.

[And that's all the answer Ken will get before Chikusa just sort of.... wobbles at the shin kick. And thunks to the ground because fuck walking honestly???]

There was too much...

[Ken promptly kicks Chikusa's hip while he's down, because no one ever taught this feral child that it's not okay to do such things. Luckily, he's not nearly as hostile as he could be, so it's not a very hard kick.] So what, byon?! You're just gonna sleep on the floor? My floor?

[To be fair, Ken, that's what you were doing before you were interrupted. Although that may explain Ken's level of objection; maybe sharing a floor is as intimate as sharing a bed, in his mind.

(In actuality, letting anyone near him at all when he sleeps is intimacy, in that it implies a level of trust and Ken trusts next to no one. He barely knows Axel enough to trust him, although he does so instinctively and without complications.)]

[No doubt to Ken's disappointment, much like Hibari's was the first couple of times, Chikusa doesn't really react to being hit. He just sort of grunts, as an acknowledgment, but he doesn't seem to really be hurting.]

....Under the bed, actually.....

[In fact, he guesses he should start to sort of crawl that way, shouldn't he? With that kind of safety in place, Chikusa can manage at least a little better.... With his back to the wall and something over him, he's a least a little safer, as far as he's concerned.]

Nuh uh! No creepy kappa's crawling under my bed! [And Ken drops down to pin Chikusa to the floor with his own weight, scowling at him.] Go crawl under your own bed, byon!

[Then, after a pause, he glances under his bed himself.] What do you wanna be under there for, anyway? It's probably dusty. [Something that doesn't concern Ken on the front of cleanliness - Ken could care less about staying clean - but anything that interferes with his nose can be a pain. Likewise, he doesn't crawl under a bed because if he has to fight or channel suddenly, being stuck in a cramped space would be a disadvantage.

Plus it feels claustrophobic, like being trapped.]

[A grunt, and then Chikusa just lays there sourly. On one hand, he should probably kick Ken off. He… probably could, or at least make an attempt. But he’s already so tired… Is it really worth it? And Ken is really warm, too… Maybe it would be fine....]

[So, in the end, he just lays there, sighing underneath Ken’s weight. He’s prepared to just fall asleep as he is, but then Ken’s voice is breaking through the silence of the room again.]

...Even if it’s dusty…. It feels more secure… [And he could leave it at that, but…] It’d be harder for people to find me, and there’s less ways for me to be attacked….

[One could ask why he’s thinking about something like that, because it doesn’t seem to fit with Axel’s temple- all polished domesticity and comfort. But the truth is, Chikusa isn’t sure himself. It just… feels right. Like something he should be thinking of.]

[Ken glances between Chikusa and under the bed, looking more thoughtful than Chikusa's yet seen him. This is because Chikusa's logic, right now, makes a lot of sense to him - maybe not his conclusion, but the angle he's approaching the question from. Chikusa is clearly thinking in terms of "what happens if someone tries to kill me while I'm sleeping", and Ken thinks very much the same way.]

Yeah, but if someone does find and attack you, you don't have anywhere to dodge. And you wouldn't be able to defend yourself 'cause there's no room, byon.

[It never even occurs to Ken to ask why Chikusa thinks like that. He'd find people who don't think like this a lot weirder.]

[That Ken is actually discussing this kind of thing sensibly, with thought put into it and yet like it's normal, has Chikusa stir slightly from his near-sleep state. This... is a little surprising.]

I can still create a borderline....So that will be enough if I just have one direction to focus on.

Can't those be broken? [Ken's still got that unusually thoughtful look on his face.] If someone broke it, you wouldn't have any other options, byon. And you'd be trapped if someone just waited for you on the other side of it.

They can.

[A thing he has experienced more than once, now, and which actually earns a quiet note of displeasure in his murmuring voice.]

But… that’s why I’m getting better. So long as I have my phone and can hold them off…. That will be enough.

….What about you?

Beds are too soft and weird, byon. I sleep on the floor. But out in the open so I can channel anything I need to. [Ken says this with the pride of someone who's convinced of the soundness of his strategy.] Besides, I'd know if anyone was coming, byon.

[He yawns, mouth opening impressively wide to do so. He's still lying across Chikusa, but the other boy is warm and marginally more comfortable than lying on the floor. Plus, Ken is tired. The fact that he's comfortable enough to be sleepy around his complete stranger breezes past him without notice, despite the fact that it's highly unusual.] Under the bed is dusty, byon. It'd screw up my nose.

[Of course Ken wouldn't care about dust on the subject of cleanliness. But it interfering with his ability to smell...that's something he takes seriously.]

[Too soft and weird... Blearily, still exhausted himself and unsure if it's a sign of how tired he is or how easy it is to fall in sync with Ken, Chikusa blinks down at him.]

[That's the exact same sentiment which had flickered through his head, after that first day when he'd practically passed out in the shower and had to be relocated to one of the many rooms in the temple. Too soft, too strange, too...]

...It's too nice.

[Said softly and carefully, experimentally, and Chikusa pays close attention to what might come as a reaction. He's told Axel of his feelings on the temple before, so it's not exactly a secret.... But he's never told anyone else, either.]

You think so too, byon? [Ken gives him a curious look. He's a lot less thoughtful than Chikusa, not as inclined to wonder about their surprising similarities, but he is at least aware that it's rare for someone else to share his reservations about comfort and luxury.

He thinks for a moment, mulling the matter over. Then he volunteers a little more.] It feels like a trick when it's too nice, byon. Or a trap. Nobody just gives you nice stuff. [A pause.] I guess it's not so bad when it's Axel-sama, 'cause we're his shinki. We do stuff for him so he takes care of us, byon. [Another pause.] ...but it's still too nice.

There’s always a reason if they’re trying to give you nice things…

[A soft agreement, and Chikusa begins to ease up more than he already had been. Before, he would have never said he needed anyone beyond Axel. People are exhausting, and Ken has already prove to be that and a whole lot more. But right now, in the dark, the weight on him warm and grounding, more grounding than he thought it could be… It feels- right? Comfortable? He doesn’t move, but he does let his eyes drift shut for once. Something deeply ingrained in his entire self says it’s fine.]

People do that so much here, it’s weird… I wish they’d stop.

[Ken likewise makes himself comfortable. Instinct tells him that, even though sleeping around Chikusa means being vulnerable around someone he barely knows, he's perfectly safe. To be fair, his observations back this up; hurting or killing him would probably be too much effort for a guy like Chikusa to make. It goes deeper than that, but Ken's examination of his reaction certainly doesn't. He has a superficial reason and that's more than enough for him.]

I guess heaven's supposed to be a nice place... [He closes his eyes.] Dunno if I like it, though. There's still bad stuff, byon. So the good stuff... [The concept he's trying to convey is 'lulled into a false sense of security', but he's not well-spoken enough to know how to articulate this.] ...feels like it's just hiding more bad stuff.

[That's fine- Chikusa can supply the wording for him.]

False sense of security... And then people forget how to fight.

[That's silly, isn't it? Even without taking into consideration whatever nonsense is going on in the Heavens, there's always the ever present threat of the ayakashi. People's fighting skills will always be kept sharp by those, so long as they hunt them down- and with the prayers that come to them, there's no doubt about that.]

[But... They still trust other people. Still think that there's a good chance they won't turn on them, and yet all Chikusa can think is that no matter how much help others have offered.]

[Something else is brushing against the back of his mind, now, and he soon gives voice to it.]

...Is Heaven a place you think you belong?

[It's something he's wondered, as so many insist on how great it is, and how kind others try to present themselves as. Even if not everyone believes it, there's enough who d that the idea of the kind of people who should be here is prevalent.... and Chikusa is blindingly aware that he isn't anywhere close at his core.]

[If Ken already feels uneasy about the bed, or how nice things are... Does he feel the same way about this, too? Or maybe that's too complex an idea... Well, it's out in the open now. He really should be quiet when he's this level of tired...]

...dunno, byon. [Ken's eyes open again slightly, a frown furrowing his brow.] I didn't really think it was a real place, and I didn't think people who don't believe in Heaven are supposed to be able to get in...

[He shifts a little, so that he's lying less across Chikusa and more on top of him, head resting on his chest.] If Heaven really was a perfect place, I don't think I'd belong. But since bad things happen in Heaven, there must still be bad people in it. So...probably anybody's allowed in here, right?

[Ken doesn't necessarily consider himself a bad person, but he knows he's not good. At best, he figures, he's somewhere in between.]

Either way, I'm here, and if Heaven doesn't know what it's doing then it's not my problem. [What a weirdly pragmatic point of view.]

[A more than welcome pragmatic point of view, actually, and Chikusa doesn't even complain as Ken makes himself more comfortable on top of him. Exhausted as he is, he lets himself fall into habits his body and soul know more than his memories, allows how right this feels to lull him further to sleep.]

All that matters... is Axel-sama...

[But that's enough for today. Immediately but so naturally that his normal dead fish existence and his sleep practically blend, Chikusa slips into sleep...]

[...And somehow, despite what should be all evidence to the contrary, it feels the easiest out of any he's had so far.]

Yeah. [Ken nods, closing his eyes again. Maybe Chikusa's own sedentary nature is contagious, but he finds himself relaxing at the sound of Chikusa's breathing, dozing off quickly on top of him without the slightest hesitation.]

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tmw you remember you have a dog now

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