(Closed) A Simple Errand

[seekerofjustice]

(Locked to devilKira)

It's been some time since Akira arrived at Dove's balcony, and Dove has taken it upon himself to make certain Akira recovers smoothly.

It's a small and quiet place. There's plenty of sunlight coming in through the balcony door and windows, and the view is actually quite nice from it. It's just nice and cozy.

But that's how it's been, no particular excitement or ventures for Dove. He's been too worried for Akira, keeping close in the event something happens. He hasn't minded a bit, enjoying the time with his dear friend, and getting things done around his apartment.

He even prepared his spare room for Akira, rushing to get the clutter out of the way so he can rest easily. In fact, Dove walks up to the door of that room right now, and gently knocks.

"...Akira? Are you awake?"

He doesn't want to disrupt Akira, but... he has a couple of things he needs to do, and it's important he gauges how Akira is feeling.

Comments

[thedevilinyourdetails]

Akira lets out a small noise, blinking awake. "Yeah...what time is it?" Brushing aside the sea of used, gunked tissues, he feels around for his glasses, doing a remarkable impression of someone who actually needs them to see. As soon as he finds them, he pops them on. God, it's been a rough night...puking up bits of soul would do that to anyone, probably. He shuffles towards the edge of the bed. "I'm up..."

[seekerofjustice]

Dove peeks through the door as he opens it, hoping to minimize the noise from it.

"It's close to ten A.M. I hope this isn't too early for you-- or too late for that matter."

He steps in a bit more appropriately, noting the amount of tissues that has already been used. Oh dear, he may need to restock on tissues. It's a good thing he was considering going on errands today rather than waiting a bit longer...

"How are you feeling?"

[thedevilinyourdetails]

"Like I just threw up half my soul?" He jokes -- or tries to, anyway. It falls flat, even to him. "I do feel much better than yesterday...I don't usually sleep past 7 AM, but I think I deserved a late morning."

He shuffles out of bed, shirtless but wearing the PJ pants Goro let him borrow. In the morning light, some of the scars on his skin become dappled.

"What do you wanna do today? And can I borrow some of your clothes to do it?"

[seekerofjustice]

Right. Of course, Akira would still feel rather terrible... but even so, it seems he has improved. That's enough for Dove to smile, a bit of a weight off of his shoulders.

"I'm glad you're feeling even slightly better."

Dove blinks when he hears Akira ask about possibly joining him today.

"I have some errands I was meaning to run. If you'd like to accompany me, I can certainly provide you with something to wear, but..."

...Is Akira up for it? He's a strong individual, but with how he was just the night before...

[thedevilinyourdetails]

"Of course. Takes more than that to wear me out!" He grins at Goro's smile, seeming a bit more like himself. "...Getting out helps me with this," he gestures at the used tissues, "kind of thing, anyway."

He hums and moves to collect the gunked-up tissues; from this angle, Goro can get glances of his scars. They're far from the most intense scars in the world -- but still, they're there. And Akira doesn't let just anyone see them. Most of the time he falls asleep in his daytime clothes.

He gathers up a handful of tissues before pausing. "I guess I should tell you this. C'mon over here."

[seekerofjustice]

The relief on Dove's face is palpable when Akira says that. It's good to see that he's even remotely close to being his usual self.

...But as he listens to Akira, his eyes trail to his torso. The marks-- no, scars. To think, there was a time Dove wouldn't have recognized them as such. That he wouldn't have understood the weight of even a single scar.

...The pain that must come with every single one...

Dove can't help but feel that he's seeing something deeply personal.

He's snapped back to reality when Akira speaks up again. He approaches, just ask told.

"Hmm? What is it?"

[thedevilinyourdetails]

"Smell anything?" He shouldn't -- nothing more than a faint scent of smoke or extinguished candle. And maybe whatever Akira smells like. "That's how you can tell the difference. Between...the types of black oozes. Mine doesn't smell like much."

[seekerofjustice]

It's so strange, he can barely smell anything... and yet, there's just the smallest traces. Smoke. The remnants of a long extinguished candle. Vague scents.

"So this is the difference between your situation and a mental shutdown..."

The images of it are still fuzzy in his head, but it's not causing him anywhere near the level of distress as before. He can think about it now without the static and headache.

...Honestly, now that they're both in a better mindset, he definitely feels more at ease knowing that there is very much a difference between Akira's case and a mental shutdown.

"...Though that does beg the question; exactly what does it smell like in the case of a mental shutdown?"

It's not like Dove has a reference at this point, so he can't help but muse on it.

cw // puke does not smell nice lol

[thedevilinyourdetails]

"It smells like death," he chirps. "Like someone threw up every last inch of their intestines and then died, even."

With a little hum, he returns to cleaning up the bed he borrowed, throwing tissues into his bucket and generally tidying up. "Just thought you'd like the reassurance. And, well...if you find any gunk that smells like that, now you know."

...Huh. He looks down at his bucket. The layer of shadow gunk down at the bottom is still relatively thin, although the surface has tacked up a bit. "I don't...think this stuff is a biohazard. Like real puke is. Can't say I usually stick around to figure out what happens to it...I'll strip the sheets just in case?"

[seekerofjustice]

It takes Dove a few seconds to consider the idea of it. Such a gruesome mental image, one that his imagination simply won't allow him to conjure... but even without that mental image, it doesn't take a genius to know that someone would not survive what was described.

As Akira explains that it was an act of reassurance, Dove's expression levels once more, and he actually lets out a quiet exhale.

"Thank you. Having this knowledge... It puts me at ease, knowing that there's an easily determined difference."

Although they're left with the question on whether soul goop is a biohazard. Frankly, as curious as Dove is on the matter, he would rather not take any chances.

"Perhaps it's for the best."

[thedevilinyourdetails]

"Yeah...gimme a few and I'll be right out?"

[seekerofjustice]

"Of course. I'll bring you something to wear, and set it outside the door.l for you."

Dove smiles again as he says that, and turns to leave the room.

With a small click of the door, Akira has privacy to handle whatever else he needs to do.

Dove, meanwhile, goes to fetch the clothes... and he finds himself staring at the laundry basket of soot-covered clothes at the end of the hall.

[thedevilinyourdetails]

A few minutes later, as promised, Akira emerges, clad in lent clothes with one of his hoodies from yesterday thrown overtop. "Hey, Goro! I'm decent. You got coffee beans in here somewhere?"

[seekerofjustice]

When Akira steps into the living room, he can spot Dove in there as he places the aforementioned laundry basket beside the couch.

It's so odd... Dove almost doesn't realize he's the one being referred to one Akira calls him Goro... It's not often anyone calls him that. The only person he can think of is his mother?

But he turns to look at Akira properly, and smiles.

"Yes, I should have plenty in the pantry. If you'd like, I could prepare some?"

[thedevilinyourdetails]

"I've got it..." Akira smiles as he hefts his own basket of gunk-filled laundry over towards Dove. "Been on some Mementos runs recently?"

[seekerofjustice]

Dove makes certain there's room for Akira to place his basket down before sitting on the couch. It's not like they need to leave immediately, after all... especially not when Akira needs some coffee.

"Yes, I have. Drake-san requested that I gather various supplies for the battle party. I've been venturing through Mementos as well as Tartarus and the TV World."

It honestly is a bit good to be back in the swing of things now that his arm has recovered. While it was mending, he hardly did anything at all, and he fell into something of an emotional black hole in the process.

"In the process I've amassed quite a collection, as you can see. I'm hoping to trade them in today."

If he recalls correctly, he's heard they carry a couple of interesting little trinkets and other products when you trade in old clothing. It's probably not necessary in the Velvet Room, but... well. What else is he going to do with all these clothes he doesn't need?

[thedevilinyourdetails]

"Some good ol' bartering...I can get behind that. Money isn't necessary but there are things money can't buy." Stretching, Akira lets out a yawn. "You sleep alright last night?"

[seekerofjustice]

Dove nods in agreement with Akira's point, but he's a bit surprised by the question of how he slept last night.

"I did. It's strange... I tend to struggle sleeping, but it didn't feel difficult at all this time."

Could it be... that he feels more at ease with his own self?

"In fact... I feel great."

And that's the truth.

local cryptid realizes he does not know how to be un-cryptid, more at 11

[thedevilinyourdetails]

"Well, at least one of us slept ok!" Akira sets his bundle of clothes down and wanders over to Dove's kitchen. "Someone once said something about that being important, right? Would you like any coffee?"

[seekerofjustice]

Dove simply nods, still happy as a clam.

"Yes, I would very much like a cup. Thank you."

Dove watches as Akira walks into the kitchen, musing a bit... They also need to consider breakfast, don't they?

"We could also get a meal while we're out, if you'd like. It can be something light if you're still feeling under the weather."

[thedevilinyourdetails]

Akira takes a moment to poke his head inside Dove's cabinets. "Wow, your pantry is even more barren than mine. I'm happy to stop somewhere for breakfast."

[seekerofjustice]

It's true, Dove's cabinets are absolutely barren.

"Perhaps I should take this as a sign to go grocery shopping as well..."

He's still not good at cooking, and he's usually busy with his routine so... he tends to neglect his food supply.

"In all honesty, I don't usually eat at home. I always find it more convenient getting something for myself while I'm out."

A multitude of reasons for it. He's not a good chef, he's used to being busy, he enjoys being out and about instead of sitting around at home, there was always his food blog to consider...

[thedevilinyourdetails]

"Yeah...no money to worry about here anyway." Akira closes the cabinet and returns to tending the coffee grounds with a chuckle. "I forget about food a lot."

[seekerofjustice]

Dove turns his head towards the kitchen when he hears that last bit.

Dove is guilty of that himself at times, but to imagine Akira forgetting it, well...

"If you'd like, I could send you some reminders now and again."

[thedevilinyourdetails]

"Honestly? It'd probably help." Over goes the water, and...boom, two mugs of fresh coffee, one for each of them. "How do you take your coffee?"