bountyfull | IC INBOX

[Nostalgia and longing for comforts of home have never suited him. It's easy to bury under long sessions on Sleepr or investigations around town, but-

Far be it from Akechi Goro to not invite his bizarre roommates with him to one such outing to it. A strange compulsion to give into a sliver of nostalgic, sentimental shit - the moon pissing him off enough to fuel memories of Tokyo. It doesn't matter both worlds have puppet masters making them writhe and dance in tangled string - only one has his ultimate goal and-

He misses it.

And it's a part to play. An image to maintain. Be kind, thoughtful and invite others. It's suspicious to do otherwise.

With a smile - relaxed and content, he slides into the piping hot water.]

I'm shocked this town has a place like this and such a well maintained one at that. It's fortunate the whole building wasn't completely destroyed by those vines or warped animals.

[ How he was convinced to do this with the two stray (mostly) adult men he's adopted is anyone's guess. He's never been one to go to public baths on purpose, but here he is. Unlike Akechi, Vash has padded over to a bench near the large bath, and is currently tinkering with his prosthetic, pressing several points with his flesh and bone hand to release the device from its attachment with a wince. ]

Mm... It's funny how this place works sometimes. With magic and everything else, things can wind up back to normal sooner than you would think.

[ He sits there, still donning clothes at this point like some kind of unhinged weirdo. At least he's not wearing shoes. The prosthetic is set on the bench, wrapped in one of the spare towels he's brought with himself as he falls quiet again. ]

I would have been more worried the water was strange. Like the lava in the lake.

[ But no, no bath house lava. Vash laughs a little as he stands, minus one appendage. ]

Edited 2024-05-15 01:53 (UTC)

[ At any given time, on any given day in Somnius, Maruki's mind is comprised of 70% cognitive psience therapy psychobabble and 30% missing Tokyo so much that it's almost a physical ache. He has a better relationship to sentimentality than Akechi does, but still: Nostalgia can dig long fingers into his throat sometimes. He never thought he'd yearn for a place so badly. He never left long enough to let it happen.

So these little comforts are paramount. Cobbling together familiar meals, even with ingredients that aren't quite right. Reminiscing with Akechi or comparing notes with those who have resided in other Tokyo realities. And against all reason, a bath house, not exactly the same as any he'd go to at home, but similar enough to scratch an itch.

There is, of course, the suspicion that this is yet another cognitive manipulation meant to pacify. But that's not a thought for the moment; it's one for him to scribble down in the gifted notebook as he tries to fight sleep to avoid another night of his subconscious running him ragged in that liminal counseling office.

Maruki is doing great, by the way.

So anyway! This is a nice respite. He is shutting his brain off. The doctor is, for once, Out. ]

Like the lava in the–? Actually, no, I think I'd rather find out for myself. Or avoid finding out entirely.

[ He has absolutely none of Vash's hesitation and is in that water as quickly as possible, sinking all the way down to his chin at once. He draws in a deep breath and lets out a long, low sigh.

Then he cracks an eye open to look at Vash, details blurry without his glasses but general shape easily readable. ]

We can look away if that would make you more comfortable?

[ Surely this is about cultural differences. He has sensitivity training! ]

[You know who doesn't have sensitivity training?

Students turned detectives don't get the same degree of education as his full police counterparts, with a penchant for absorbing interesting information after signing off on required SOPs.

In a tone light and airy, voice warm as the water surrounding them - ]

No need to worry. If it were lava, our blood would have started to boil or our skin would have ignited the second we appeared in this room without protection. Did you know it's actually slow burning rock? Even if we managed to make it past and tried to jump in, we would simply explode due to the high percentage of water in the human body and flash vaporize into steam. I learned that some time ago and found it interesting.

[Though he doesn't know about Vash - alien in nature, damaged in whole, judging by the amount of work he's doing to take off parts of his body.

Regardless, it's not lava! There's your fun fact.

And Akechi, helpful detective prince he is, does look away - turns his back to his undressing companion and leans against the opposing wall.]

But I visited our new lava lake, and I'm still alive. Only its color has changed - it's all quite fascinating.

[ Vash's hand is at the hem of his shirt, mid motion to pull it up and over his head when he stops dead, bright blue eyes focused laser sharp on Akechi, his expression very purposefully crafted, neutral despite the wide eyed expression.

Well, he's not wrong. Vash exhales a laugh, airy and a little awkward as he spares Maruki an appreciative expression after a moment. Akechi is a little strange, but it's not that alarming, just... scientific? ]

It's fine. It's not me I'm worried about.

[ He pulls the shirt up over his head, knocking his sunglasses askew for a moment before those too, get put on the bench next to his arm. He's fairly unceremonious about the state of his scared up body, jagged stitched up skin and healed bullet wounds. Without the prosthetic arm, the little bits of metal and wiring that litter his frame almost seems out of place but he shrugs. ]

There are still fish in the lake, actually. So I'm not surprised. I guess a lot of what's going on is harmless... it still worries me though.

[ Oh.

Maruki has tact to spare and a nature predisposed to be inoffensive, so he doesn't stare. He doesn't even give Vash more than a glance. But that's a glance that will stick with him!

He hasn't gotten to know this benevolent stranger with a soft spot for Tokyo transplants. He has zero concept of what Vash's reality was like. Based on his experience with every other dreamer, and without any other context at all, he would be able to safely assume that Vash's reality was – is – a brutal, unjust, torturous place.

Assumption confirmed, in a violent fashion.

He hums at Vash's words. There is much he could say on the topic of harmless manipulations to a person's cognition, let alone a cognitive world, but he is relaxing and enjoying his time at a bath house with his two kindly housemates. Work over. Clocked out. Head empty. Only steam now. ]

I wouldn't be surprised if the fish turn out to be the most harmful thing in Somnius. Don't you think it's strange how many oddities revolve around fish?

[ And then he looks at Akechi, tone brightening into a good-humored tease. ]

I... don't suppose you have any fun facts about deadly fish-borne diseases and their effects on human physiology that you'd like to share with us?

Edited 2024-05-15 04:17 (UTC)

[There's a soft 'Hm as he slinks shoulder deep into the not so lava hot water. His love of sushi kept him away from seeking information on zoonotic diseases involving fish - no need to add unnecessary stress while he ate from a conveyor belt.]

Nothing that isn't obvious. Disease from consuming old fish come to mind - a problem we may have if the fish rain doesn't stop. I wonder how long it will take for those in town to start serving us rotting meat.

[The wall a boring sight - he starts to envision fish the steam that bubbles across it. A stupid activity for his brain to focus on, but better than sinking into a void of the off-white barrier.]

Though in saying that, you should worry about yourself in all these matters, Vash. You may not have the same problems as humans, but it's almost irrelevant in this world. Our captor can do whatever they want and exploit any part of you using the means available to them. With fish, lava or otherwise.

[Isn't that great?????? He doesn't even sound mad - the water acting like a weighted blanket around his wrath. Calm, relaxed and content, despite the words out of his mouth. He slinks a bit deeper - that sweet, sweet heat stroke vibe something he's seeking.]

That reminds me - I have a question for you. I know where Maruki-san stands on the matter, but what's your plan in this place?

IC INBOX - LABYRINTHUM

💣BATHOUSE. HEAVEN. NOW. 💣[MAY]

why BOMBS?

no subject

no subject

no subject

god he's so hot. this is caitlin speaking. loudly. he's so fUCKING HOT

SPRAY BOTTLE LAVA BOTTLE BABY BOTTLE POP