January and February Catch-All

[good_mourning]

Who: Sunny and others
What: Catch-all for events in January and February
When: January and February
Where: Throughout Trench

Content Warnings: No warnings yet. Will put warnings in the headers of individual threads as they come up.

Comments

[overlies]

[ oh, what a good boy. she could very well take advantage of that, but such a card could be used for a better day. besides— the dishes are so messy it just wouldn't do. she'd swallow it all down like frogs. ]

The same goes for you. [ mutual concern: important to upkeep. ] Why don't we make something together?

[good_mourning]

Alright. [Sunny easily agrees, even though he's a little worried the smell of food cooking might turn his stomach.

He'd just have to excuse himself if that happened.]

We can make anything- [Even if he couldn't eat it, it wouldn't be a big deal] But I think the only thing I might be able to keep down is toast.

[overlies]

[ there’s something possibly even better than toast, if food is difficult to keep down . . . makima, with certain caution, retrieves the pans to set upon the stove. ]

Not even soup?

[good_mourning]

Oh. I forgot about soup.

[It's not clear whether Sunny forgot soup was good for when you were sick or just completely forgot the concept temporarily.]

Are we making it from scratch? I've only ever heated up canned soup before.

[overlies]

From scratch is the only way to have good soup.

[ anything less just . . . shouldn’t exist. like bad movies. you don’t need canned soup in a perfect world! ]

You could grab the vegetables from the fridge. I’ll get the pans.

[good_mourning]

[This was news to Sunny, but it sounded right. He always thought canned soups were too salty, anyway.]

Okay. [Easy agreement as he goes to the fridge to retrieve the vegetables. He stares for a moment or two, not sure of which ones to grab. He ultimately grabs them all and heads back over, as a wave of fatigue and general sick unpleasantness hit him.

He pushes through it to put the vegetables on the counter, determined to help make this soup. An aura with colors halfway between sparks and scribbles dimly appears, clinging close to his skin, but Sunny doesn't seem to notice yet.]

Are these alright? I'll put back any we don't need.

[overlies]

[ —huh. she seems to smell the crackle of energy first, turns around from the kitchen counter only to see the remains of the aura. it couldn't be her seeing things. she doesn't "see" things. ]

All of those are fine.

[ potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and leeks of all sorts would make a cozy broth that she'll certainly hint with some dried chicken.

makima doesn't say anything either, but she does watch more intently. she hands sunny a dull-pointed knife with a thin, sharp body, perfect for the task she's about to give him. ] You can start peeling when you're ready.

[good_mourning]

[When Makima hands him the knife, he stares down at it for a few seconds longer than strictly necessary without taking it. It wasn't like the knives he used as Omori- those were more like steak knives- but there was an odd sense of familiarity to it, anyway.

He reaches out for it and in the second their skin was close enough, there's a sharp snap of yellow energy that travels like the spark between Sunny and Makima.

Sunny startles, hand now properly around the knife, able to recognize that he had just done something accidentally. Like how he had with Mob not that long ago.]

Oh, no. I'm sorry Miss Makima, I didn't mean to-

[overlies]

Ah—

[ and— what was the feeling that blistered around with that crack? she couldn’t recognize it. she didn’t know what it was.

but for the first time in her life, she feels something reputably satisfying. something with zest and baggage, with a weight that embraced her and made her pale, isolated world colorful. she felt . . . good, about something.

she felt happy. she has never been truly happy. the spark comes and goes as fast as lightning strikes, for this bliss seeps right out of her before she could latch onto it. standing there with her lips agape and her golden eyes unexpected, makima stares down at the boy.

a sour odor wades through the air, and makima seems to shine, both with beads of sweat and darkblood glitter. ]

This—?

[good_mourning]

[There's anxiety in Sunny's eyes as he watches her. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened, only that it didn't appear to have been as drastic as it had with Mob.

He swallows after a moment or so, before going to grab some clean hand towels to hand to Makima as he notices the sweat and... blood?]

Are you alright?

[overlies]

[ she’s trying to gain her control and it flees from her. she squeezes her blood magic and it uses more than what she has— she was ill. it’s obvious this wouldn’t work out well.

(yet it’s what she does as if a natural habit)

makima is stunned, but the smile she bares is different. one who has felt a high for the first time may feel similar. ]

Don’t worry, Sunny. [ she should get cleaned up; it’s the first thing that comes to mind when her pristine clothes are stained. she places a hand on his shoulder to placate his worries, and schemes behind her eyes. ] You should do that more often.

[good_mourning]

[That was not what Sunny had been expecting to hear. His eyes go wide as he regards Makima.

It hadn't... turned out bad then? She was bleeding, though. Maybe that was only because she was sick?]

I- okay. [He swallows and nods.] I haven't learned how to control my powers yet, but once I understand them better I'll do it more often. [He'd do it whenever Makima asked, really.]

[overlies]

Good boy.

[ the stroke she gives his head is gentle and sweet. she has that feeling. he would do just about anything she asked at this point— she’s so glad.

(she wasn’t happy. now she knows what it feels like to be happy. she want that.)

she’s drained and . . . blood-sweaty, she’s dazzling and looking like she’s popped some sparkles on her skin and it smells acrid. she takes a step back to wind down and clean herself off. sunny has the work space, now. ]

Why don’t you tell me about it while you peel the vegetables?

[good_mourning]

[He would. In this moment Sunny really would do just about anything she asked of him.

The stroke of his head... it reminded him so much of his sister. When he'd sleep leaning against her and she'd pat his hair.

He nods and goes to the work space to start peeling the vegetables.]

I think I can trigger different emotions in people. Earlier I accidentally made Mob sad. [Which he felt bad about, still.]

[overlies]

Did you, now . . .

[ it’s more filler talk as she sits in an empty chair legs crossed, facing him and cleaning off her face. she can rest her smile now, into a passive expression of little emotion and more thought. ]

Have you made things well between you two?

[good_mourning]

Yes, he wasn't upset with me. [Which was a relief. Sunny did feel quite guilty about it. It was a bad feeling making someone so sad they cried.]

And we talked about some things after. [A pause.] He said we were friends. [Which even repeating makes the faintest hint of color form at Sunny's cheeks.]

[overlies]

[ interesting....... ]

I see. Sunny, [ gently, and once she's done tending to herself and cleaning her hands, she returns to sunny's workstation to stroke his head. ] Mob's right. It's important to have people you can count on here, no matter the difficulties you go through. I'll be here for you, too. Just like you are for me.

[ her watchful eyes are expecting— "right?" they ask. ]

[good_mourning]

[The head stroke certainly seems to soothe Sunny. The anxiety he had been feeling from accidentally using his powers on Makima was gone. He was comfortable there, with her.]

Yeah, it isn't good to be alone. [He pauses for a moment.] I'll be there for the both of you. Whenever you need me. [A promise and a reassurance to himself that he wouldn't let himself fall back into old habits.]

[overlies]

Good boy.

[ "as will i" and all of that. from stroking his hair, makima inspects his work thus far and seems to approve with a small, hummed "mmhm". onto the other stuff! ]

Has there been anything else regarding abilities that you need help with, Sunny?

[good_mourning]

[The approval feels nice. All of this feels nice. It felt so much like the times he'd help Mari out in the kitchen.

Makima would never be Mari but- but this was still so comforting.]

There's another thing I can do. Once I was able to send Mob and I to- [He pauses, considering how to explain this.] A place that exists in people's heads.

[overlies]

Is that so?

[ abilities not native to her own world was truly interesting. it’s be even more interesting in her pocket, but considering how the boys may as well be—? she’ll consider it a win. food is almost ready to be ready. makima takes what was skinned, cut, and places that in a pan to cook with water, spices and freshly sliced herbs. ]

And how is that like?

[good_mourning]

[Explaining White Space to someone who didn't know anything of it was unusual to Sunny. It was a place that had become so inherent to who he was for so long, that it takes him a few moments to think of what to say.]

It's quiet. The place we went to is mostly blank. For me there are a few things in the middle of it laying on a picnic blanket. I think that would probably be different for other people, though.

There's nothing there besides that. It's supposed to be a place where you don't... really have to think about anything else.

[overlies]

A safe place.

[ she adds, and once they only have to wait for the broth to cook, only stirring from time to time, makima leans on the counter to rest her hand under her jaw. ]

It looks like your abilities are made to help people.

[good_mourning]

Yes.

[That was exactly what White Space was meant to be. But he'd relied on it far too much. Staying there and trying to forget about what he'd done. Ignoring his problems rather than dealing with them.

He blinks when Makima says his abilities were made to help.]

You think so? [He thinks for a moment.] I guess having a place to escape to would be good for people here. Since it can get overwhelming.

[overlies]

It can.

And you know, Sunny, [ she folds her hands neatly into her lap and crosses her legs. she still has that in-office habit. ] It’s okay to acknowledge something is too much for you to handle. The stress of choice is harder than any other.

When that happens, what would you do?