the one where makima pops bocchi the rock

[overlies]

Who: makima & co! that could be you!
What: a few closed prompts for housemates and random open prompts for any wanted run-ins! also open to plotting and wildcards!
When: post mob's explosion, throughout the rest of march + april
Where: the dog house (you can't tell me that's not what house makima is called), the entertainment feed, other locations to be determined!

Content Warnings: psychological & emotional manipulation, devil contracts, gaslighting, victim blaming, body swapping, zombie dogs, violence, more tba if/as they come.

Comments

[good_mourning]

[In the midst of this, Sunny feels something reach out to him. It isn't from deeper within, this was external. There was something there earlier that was easy to ignore underneath his own emotions, but now it was unmistakable. Concern, worry, panic.

His eyes go up, searching as though the secret was somewhere in this room. It wasn't from Makima, he knew that. This was different.

The bond that Mob and Robby share doesn't even occur to him. Though it might, given time.

But he's pulled away from those feelings by his own unease. Makima crouched and watching him closely- fixing little things about him to be neat and tidy. He doesn't understand. He doesn't know what she wants. Not right now and not from Mob in general.

She's being so soft, like she cares, like she actually wants to make things all better just as she says.

There's a long instant where Sunny says nothing, hesitant to speak when he could leave- should leave, while he still could. But he wants to know something-]

Miss Makima... what do you feel when you look at me? [He couldn't tell and he wanted- needed- to know. Makima could simply lie to him about it, of course, but perhaps that, too, would be telling.]

[overlies]

[ “nothing” was unfair and inaccurate. she feels pity. and if she doesn’t feel that, she almost felt a little more than pet-directed affection, but— who was to say it was anything more than favoritism? shigeo, above else, was human, and humans would always have an innate fear toward her no matter what. was he a different case, welcoming control rather than fearing it?

maybe that’s why she’s getting a bit attached. but she does have plans for his abilities. they will serve a greater purpose than the one he knows today.

control was the next best thing. she knew what was best for them, and there’s nothing better than filling in that role. but why is mob asking? makima’s lips fix and twist oddly as the accommodate a smile she places, as if masking a bite of her lip at something quite cute. did he need validation? plenty of teens did, as they grew. did she love him? was he being a good boy?

so, it’s without further ado that she throws him a bone. her hand goes to his head, throw his hair, and smooths it down gently.

the room is still off, twisted. only now does the dimensioning of tables and floors seem to straighten out, and the space of the kitchen returning to normalcy. the sound from it is still dulled— as if they were stuffed into a padded room with muffling headphones. ]

Peace.

[ it was a strange answer. it was twisted in meaning, but it wasn’t a lie. she did feel at peace. it was as comforting as killing country mice. soothing as a warm cup of tea. controlling his power was one step closer to controlling more than that.

control was peace. and peace for humans is more than enough of what she wants.

(but that is a lie, even if she didn’t see it herself) ]

Do you feel the same way?

[good_mourning]

['Peace' wasn't the answer that Sunny expected. Not at all. He doesn't know what to make of it, of whether that was a lie or not. Maybe it wasn't a lie, but the true meaning of what she was saying with that word was lost on him.

Even so, Sunny feels his chest ache. The way Makima smiles and the way she pats his head and even the way she speaks- it all still makes him like her. He's angry with her, and he's afraid of her and that's why it's so stupid that he doesn't think he can hate Makima.

At least not now, not yet.

Maybe part of it was his own issues, and how Makima was not his sister but so like her in ways. She was affection with him and made him feel cared for. He doesn't want to say 'loved' because that was absurd, particularly after what she'd done to Mob and what she was doing to him right now.

He's sad. And torn. And he truthfully has no idea what to do about Makima, or if he could even do anything.

He does answer.]

You make me feel like I'm at home.

[It was true. It had been true for the past few months he'd lived here and maybe it was still true even now.]

[overlies]

[ makima’s eyes go half shut as she goes from staring to watching down below from her crouched height. she makes him feel like he’s home. home can only be peaceful, safe, and wanted. her hand on top of his head at this point has shepherded him closer to her, but they extend away from him and open in a way that invites him to an embrace. ]

Shigeo.

[ it is time. hug. she want. ]

[good_mourning]

[An invitation for a hug was not what Sunny expected. It makes the entire situation more confusing. He still doesn't know what she truly thinks of Mob, or himself for that matter.

But maybe for just a moment that wasn't important. It would be again, soon, and he would be hurt and angry and saddened all over again. But for now-

Sunny leans forward, wrapping his arms around Makima in a hug.]

[overlies]

[ there's still something missing. it wasn't because it wasn't shigeo, if she had even realized that. there was just something else. no matter how much makima closes her eyes into this awkward embrace and dips her head into a sleek black mass of hair—

it still felt like she was hugging something more complicated than tiramisu or creampuff. her real dogs aren't afraid of her. humans always will be. would she be able to feel something more, perhaps, if this were one day mariana? or would she be another disappointing means to make this world better for her pets?

no matter.

she always brushes it off. she hardly realizes it herself, what it is that she feels, until that scene burns in her mind's eye, of a mother hugging her war-bound son before he leaves her again.

the room's warping has come to a stop. in what felt like a few cloudy blinks, reality has righted itself. some things are still on the floor, broken and a mess, but petting "shigeo's" head and stuffing a void that wouldn't be filled was at the top of her priority. ]

Don't worry about the bowls. I'll clean them up.

[good_mourning]

[Sunny may have been more complicated than Tiramisu or Creampuff, and he may have been afraid of Makima, but perhaps that would someday make their connection more special. Sifting through his conflicting emotions to arrive at the fact that Sunny still cared about her despite everything.

Humans were capable of that. Sunny was capable of that.

But he wasn't quite there yet at the moment, even if he was hugging her and not hating it, in truth. Sunny lifts his head when she speaks.]

Okay. [That was fine, he supposed. Essentially his cue to leave.] Thank you. [Said though he was feeling far from grateful to Makima right now.]