Livin' it up when I'm goin' down

[erogappa]

Who: Gojyo and Mikan
What: Stuck in an elevator!
When: October 9th
Where: A Near Shore mall, somewhere
Warnings: Certainly discussion of body horror stuff (amputations, etc)


[ Some days, he thinks he misses being a god.

He doesn't remember being a god, of course, but if he has to be dead and stuck playing a role for little Amaterasu and her lot, then why couldn't he at least be playing the role that gives him teleport powers? If he was a god he wouldn't have to walk all over the city to find the things he needs. If he was a god he wouldn't have to then haul all his shit around with him from store to store, and he'd probably have, like, money from offerings and the like so he wouldn't have to be buying things with his meager tips.

(And yes, okay, he's stealing most of what he's "buying", but that's not the point!)

He's got one bag over his shoulder and three more in his hand, bulging with clothes and boxes of all shapes and sizes. Even with that load, when the door opens and he sees who else is in the lift, he considers very seriously taking the stairs instead.

This is really just not his day, is it?

He slouches into the elevator and leans against the wall opposite of Mikan, careful to keep her in sight the whole time. ]

So. Stolen any hands lately?

Comments

[discerp]

[Mikan's no stranger to being on her own. Contrary to one might expect of the hypersensitive nurse, she enjoyed being on her own and not burdened with the expectation to cater to someone else's whims; when shopping, like now, she could go where she wanted and look at what she wanted, and not quietly hope to steer things towards the destinations she wanted in favor of someone else.

In all, it was actually kind of relaxing. She only has one bag with some clothes in it, but she's pleased anyhow-- it helps that most of the crowd tends to just ignore her and leave her in peace (which is something she tries not to think about, both upset and pleased at the same time about being overlooked or ignored).

So she doesn't even look up at first when the doors open, just staring in thought at the floor as her mind flips through her day and what her plans might be for the evening. Until his voice registers as something familiar, an acknowledging her. Mikan looks up, confused, and then squeaks in alarm, jumping back against the wall of the elevator with wide eyes.]

U-um...! [There's a strangled little noise and she shakes her head furiously] I-I haven't! I didn't! [UGH. How many times did she have to explain this!! Her shoulders slump slightly as she sighs.]

It was re-attached successfully, and Komaeda-san has better use of the hand now... If you were really interested...

[erogappa]

[ Setting his bags down in a landslide of plastic, Gojyo shakes his shoulders free of the lingering weight (who knew clothes could be so heavy?) and just stares at her. She can't be more than twenty, barely more than a kid, but here she is, an accomplished body thief and, if she can be believed, doctor.

Of course he doesn't believe her. ]

How stupid do you think I am? [ Stupid enough that he hasn't yet realized that he didn't hit the floor button, apparently. ] You can't just cut somebody's hand off, carry it around all day, then sew it back on!

[discerp]

[Mikan flinches a little, fingers curling tighter around the handle of her bag as he speaks up]

W-well, it's not that hard...And I kept it on ice, m-mostly! Y-you have to, um, l-line up the muscles and the nerves, and make sure they all connect properly. The bone too. Everything else... I-I don't know how to explain.

U-Um, I'm... I'm a god associated with the healing process, so... So maybe that's got something to do with it? [She doesn't know. Her shoulders slump a little.] Th-there's so much magic and other weird things, b-but you can't believe something like that? I-is it because it's me? Do you just hate me...?

[erogappa]

[ He hates to admit it, but she's got a point, and the realization is written all over his face. ]

You're serious. [ The soft muzak version of a ten year old pop song hums gently in the background. ] You really put his hand back on? That hand?

[ He's being careful not to reach over and cradle his stump, but his fingers twitch at the thought.

Instead, though, he reaches for his phone in his back pocket. ]

What's the guy's name again?

[discerp]

[Mikan nods quietly in answer to both. She's serious and yes, that hand. Her gaze wanders to his amputated arm, wondering if that's why he seems so invested in all of this, before going back to his face.]

Um, it's... Komaeda. Komaeda Nagito. His god name is, um, Averruncus. [What a mouthful. She tilts her head curiously] Are you contacting him?

[erogappa]

[ He is, actually. ]

Aver... Aver... [ He's scrolling through the god list, and thankfully, being an A-name, it doesn't take long. ] Aver-runkis?

[ And he's dialing. ]

He's gonna confirm what you're saying, right?

[discerp]

Y-yes! He definitely will!

[...Right?? Mikan's pretty sure of that, but suddenly his questioning it is making her question it. There's no reason Komaeda would lie and say otherwise. But what if he does, says the anxiety goblins in Mikan's head.

Yeah, is this Komaeda? The guy who got his hand cut off? Jesus Gojyo. Mikan winces a little. That's sure one way to get the convo rolling.]

[erogappa]

[ Gojyo pulls the phone down away from his mouth (things he misses about having two hands: being able to just cover the damn mouthpiece). ]

Oi. Are you Tsumiki?

[discerp]

[A hurried nod] Y-yes! Tsumiki Mikan. [She won't add in her Ultimate Nurse title this time. Komaeda himself may or may not bring it up as a reference to her credentials here.]

[erogappa]

[ Whatever Komaeda's saying has Gojyo frowning... but this time, when he stares at Mikan, it's more of a considering look. ]

Hey, plug your ears, I've got to ask him somethin' and I don't want you turnin' into an ayakashi in here.

[discerp]

[Mikan looks startled a moment, then sets her bag down and carefully covers her ears. She feels a bit silly, but she looks around to try and occupy her time until it seems like Gojyo will want her to stop.

This isn't the worst of orders she's had to take before, so it's fine, if it'll get him to believe her.]

[erogappa]

[ It's only about a minute later that he hangs up and sticks the phone back in his pocket. That Komaeda guy sure gave him a lot to think about! If his arm was really reattached by Mikan's skill, and not because Komaeda's actually a plant or something, then...

Shit. He doesn't even want to hope, but is it possible? Could she give him a new arm too?

She might still be lying -- they both might be in this together -- but what would be the purpose? Just to fuck with him? To trick him into a situation where they steal his other arm?

Aren't all those things worth the risk of being able to carry two things at once again?

He has to try. He's been thinking about this since they met, he realizes. His mind's been made up for days now. ]

What do you need?

[ If she just did surgery on Komaeda then she's got to have access to a lab, right? So what else would be involved in something like this? Blood, probably, and medicines. Alcohol for cleaning.

And, of course, an arm. ]

To do something like this?

[discerp]

[She lowers her hands and looks surprised at the offer. Need? For what? Oh-- Her gaze wanders to his arm again and she purses her lips, twisting her fingers together in anxious thought.]

To... do that? Um, well... Either some of your blood so I can find a matching type, or the arm of someone with Type O-negative blood. And lots of it. [Blood loss is no laughing matter, after all.] I... have a lab, a sterile place to do work, and all the tools for it, so that's not a problem.

R-really, all I need is the blood and... an arm, of course.

[erogappa]

[ Of course.

There's a little voice in the back of Gojyo's mind yelling at him that this is the stupidest idea he's had to date, but his desire to be whole again (and the disturbing fact that the voice sounds like that asshole Blondie Sanzo) make it easy to ignore.

He reaches past Mikan, and finally hits the button for his floor. ]

Then tomorrow, me an' you are going arm shopping.

[discerp]

[She looks extremely startled by this sudden addition to her calendar that she'd never known about. What if she was busy? What if she had things to do!!

...She doesn't, but still.] We-- We are?! I, um, I suppose it's fine, but...

[Actually she can't think of any good excuse so she falls quiet as the elevator rumbles to life again] Where do we even begin...? It should be, uh... as 'fresh' as we can get...

[erogappa]

[ He's not thinking about what a bad idea this is, and she's not thinking about saying no. This is happening, let it happen. It's fine. ]

Yeah. I figured. [ They're going to steal somebody's arm, it's fine.

He reloads his arms with his pile of bags, just as the elevator lurches to a stop. ] Tomorrow morning, right at dawn, Jinkei General. You know where that is?

[discerp]

[Mikan thinks a moment, then nos lightly.] Y-yes, I know. Isn't it in a rough neighborhood...?

[She considers this some more and nods a little.] I'm a little relieved... I-I thought you were going to say something c-crazy, like actually hunting someone down or g-grave robbing. [Clearly stalking a hospital and waiting for someone to kick the bucket is much better.]

I can blend in well as a nurse, i-if there's anyone that could see us there. [She has a uniform and everything!]