closed

[bighand]

Who: dragon nerds (Kija and Jae-Ha)
What: honestly, this is a log about legs,
When: some weird hour of April 9 after Jae-Ha returns from boozing
Where: Eos' temple
Warnings: they are idiots

[After Kija is convinced to stay home from Jae-Ha's exciting drinking outing (it's surprisingly hard to do, even after one sip knocked him down before), he quickly realizes he has nothing to do but putter around the temple and make sure everything looks neat. Everything sure does look neat.

Hmm.

This total boredom continues on for the duration of Jae-Ha's outing, and it's not like Kija purposely waited up for him, except for the fact that he most certainly did. He's up waiting for him now, whenever he comes home, just because! He needs to be sure that his second most important person comes home safe from his wild night out.

He also poured some water, but it's been sitting there for like two hours now.]

Comments

[razzledazzles]

[Somehow, Jae-Ha survives this night of meeting with strangers from the internet. He returns pretty late... probably because he hadn't expected that anyone would be waiting up for him. He blinks when he steps through the doorway just to find Kija sitting there, stopping in place just a few feet away.]

You're still awake?

[bighand]

[He's known Kija for a whole few days, technically, and he doesn't expect this?? At least he hasn't been sitting up because he's angry, or anything - it's close to concern, but honestly at the moment he looks like he's been nodding off for a little while. He straightens up when Jae-Ha comes in, trying to look more awake.]

Of course! Wide awake!

[razzledazzles]

[Jae-Ha looks surprised for a moment before his expression softens. Yes, the more he thinks of it, the more it does make sense for Kija to be awake. But now he's just wondering things like—]

Have you eaten?

[He hopes he hadn't inconvenienced him or their god by being out so late. Had he been too selfish, wanting to get out and distract himself from things like that? Maybe.]

[bighand]

[Jae-Ha... stop feeling bad and come over here before Kija really falls asleep sitting up.]

Yes— together, we washed the dishes. [lowkey godmodes Yona retroactively sorry beans

Anyway, he reaches for the glass of water he set out and holds it up.]

This is for you.

[razzledazzles]

[Water, because he is so thirsty??

He's honestly touched by that. And glad to hear that he and Yona were able to enjoy a meal together. He wonders how that went... But for now, he'll finally cross the room and accepts the glass.]

Ah... Thank you. [Why water...? Well, it's not a bad idea after how much he drank, so he'll take a long sip right now!]

[bighand]

[Because what else is Kija supposed to give him... It could be his excuse for still being up, if he weren't sleepy and felt the need to give an excuse. Or maybe he spirit-googled and learned water is good to drink while... drinking!! Or both!

Anyway, sorry it's kind of room temperature.]

Jae-Ha... I want to talk to you.

[razzledazzles]

[Talk to him...? What could that be about? He takes his time drinking this room temperature water as he tries to think of what it might be. Could Kija have recognized feelings for Yona while he was gone? Or maybe, someone was giving him trouble...

Jae-Ha puts the glass down on the table, looking at Kija more seriously.]

Yes? What is it?

[bighand]

[It's been a few days, give him time for those serious things. He was only tricked into stealing school supplies once, he's not in trouble...]

Jae-Ha, we're comrades, aren't we? Do you trust me?

[razzledazzles]

[Kija is so pure, he could have been taken advantage by anyone!]

Of course! [He places a hand on his own chest. You can tell me anything, Kija, so please, let me know what's troubling you!] As I've already said, we're comrades.

[bighand]

[Maybe, BUT somehow his purity saved him... Anyway, he's very glad to hear this, as usual!! Although his bright and cheerful reaction is more muted, since it's a weird hour of the late night/early morning.]

Then you wouldn't mind doing something important for me?

[razzledazzles]

[Something important...? What could that be? Kija has come to him in his time of need, and Jae-Ha can't simply turn that down!!]

Yes, of course. What is it that you need?

[bighand]

[Jae-Ha!! What a good man! Kija sways sleepily for just another moment, before he leans forward to grasp Jae-Ha's wrist very tightly. Good morning.]

Let me see your leg.

[razzledazzles]

Uh— whoa!

[Wait, that's what this is about!? Jae-Ha half leans back, even if he doesn't pull his wrist out of grip.] Wait a minute, that's—

[NO??]

[bighand]

[It sure is about leggies. Kija leans forward to compensate, tugging his wrist closer. Come here. Come here and take off your shoes.]

Consider it a demonstration of trust! I will tell no one what I see!

[razzledazzles]

[Ah... he's so serious about this. Jae-Ha looks stunned for a minute. Well, it's not that he wants to hide its existence, necessarily, but he doesn't like how it looks...]

Kija... [He'd refuse this more, but the more he thinks on it, the more he can understand. If Kija didn't openly show his hand, he'd be curious as well. Is he feeling lonely? Not trusted? Hmm. His cheeks flush a little, mostly out of shame for agreeing to this!!]

Could we at least do this where Yona will not wake up and walk in?

[bighand]

[Well, Kija just wants to see the leggie, but whatever makes Jae-Ha feel better... or more guilty, whichever. He perks up again, tugging more insistently on Jae-Ha's wrist now to get him to follow. It's a small mercy that he isn't picking him up over his shoulder and is doing this comparatively normal thing instead.]

The bedroom! Come, come!

[LET'S GO]

[razzledazzles]

[ALRIGHT, alright. He's pulled along and follows into the bedroom, assuring the door is shut behind them before he steps inside. He does a little half spin in the center of the room... and then pauses.]

I haven't stripped for anyone like this. I'm starting to feel a little shy...

[bighand]

[Kija, meanwhile, has seated himself primly on the floor already, hands on his knees, waiting expectantly for Jae-Ha to get on with it.

When he doesn't get on with it, Kija leans forward, reaching for his pant leg...]

I will do it for you, if I must.

[razzledazzles]

[Why is he offering something like that so freely... Even Jae-Ha can't take advantage of it.]

No, that's alright. [He sits down on his bed, taking off his left boot first before he slips off the right. Even with his pants on, the scales are immediately visible. A dark green scaly foot is in place of his right foot, with claws for nails and all.]

[bighand]

[Oh- fine!! Kija sits back again, staring intently as Jae-Ha finally gets to the point. Looking at it, it's already visibly the same as his own hand - as much as a green foot and a white hand can be the same, anyway. Kija can feel it like a grip around his heart, which to anyone else would seem silly, looking at someone else's foot... but this is Kija.

He's going to get emotional over a foot. He's already just staring, unable to decide if he knew!! or if he's surprised enough by seeing the same scales as his own to get emotional right now.]

[razzledazzles]

[Oh... Kija seems touched. Carefully, Jae-Ha rolls up his right pant leg all the way up over his knee before he folds that green leg over his other knee. This seems like such a serious moment that he has to joke a little.]

I know these scales aren't very beautiful, but if you stare silently like that I'll get self conscious.

[bighand]

[It's real... It isn't a trick of the light, or a few scales out of place on his foot— it's as real and complete as Kija's arm, but even that thought gives him pause. Jae-Ha has one leg that is somehow connected to Kija's one arm, but is that... it? Are they complete, like this?

The question itches at the back of his mind as he looks at Jae-Ha's leg for a long moment, then looks down. He's... not going to cry over a leggie... not yet!!]

They are. [beautiful... leg... he lifts his hand to curl into the fabric of his shirt-cape-whatever, over his heart. He has no memory that can explain the pain in his chest that's both overjoyed to have found Jae-Ha here, and also— something melancholy.

Hmm.] Jae-Ha, how do you feel...?

[About this, about right now, about so many things. There are so many things he wishes he knew—!]

[razzledazzles]

[Kija isn't the only one experiencing emotion, of course. Jae-Ha has always been an emotional person, or at least it feels like he has been, to continue this so easily here, with his memory gone. Just revealing his leg to someone else— not just someone else, but someone clearly connected— it feels strange. Warm and comforting and right, but also like there's pieces that are missing.

The question just causes him to glance down at his own leg.]

My chest hurts. [He can be honest with this, since he sees Kija gripping at his own, as well.] To think that we're tied together in some way I don't understand is... sickening, in a sense. As happy as I feel to learn that someone is here in the same position as me, I wonder if it's more of a curse than a blessing.

And I wonder if it's possible that we're the only ones. [Doesn't it feel like there have to be more...?] How about you?

[bighand]

[It's not the answer Kija wants, but it's somehow the answer he expects to hear. Expecting anything is strange, even knowing that they're connected, that they had to have known each other before all of this if their connection is this strong even now in death. Still, Kija feels like this is what he should expect from this man he's known for all intents and purposes for only a few days— an answer that is like his, but different in precisely enough ways to challenge what he's already firmly decided is the truth. The right thing.

Jae-Ha still isn't completely comfortable with this. Kija hadn't assumed he would be, exactly... he might have assumed Jae-Ha would get used to it, and maybe do that more quickly, but that's not exactly the same. It twists something in his heart to hear again that this isn't as remarkable for Jae-Ha as it is for himself. Wouldn't Jae-Ha be happier, if he accepted it...?]

It does hurt. To see you, and to be here... [They are dead, after all. If that doesn't mean they've already left others behind, he'd be shocked.] I feel like just we two are incomplete.

[ha ouch his feelings. ...still,] You are not cursed.

[razzledazzles]

Don't get me wrong.

[So he feels it, too, then? The pull of others that isn't really a pull right now. It's an emptiness in his chest where there should be a pull, he's sure of it. He can only hope that it means these missing links are still alive and doing well, without them, and coping with the same emptiness themselves.]

I love this power. [He smooths his hand across his leg and then drops it back onto the bed.] I want nothing more than to jump and fly through the skies whenever I can.

[His gaze moves over to Kija slowly, and though he's still terribly sad that he can't remember a thing, and in horrible pain from how much he wants to know—] And I'm glad you convinced me to stay here.