Two ota, one closed

[powertotearer]

Who: Eiji Hino (powertotearer), you, and maybe that Ankh guy (notsogreedy) too
When: About the end of Event 33
Where: Around town
What: Event shenanigans meet plot shenanigans
Rating/Warning: None so far

---

1.

Eiji's been having fainting spells lately, ever since the implants first started shorting out. He knows this, and he's promised to stay away from heights until they resolve themselves.

But the problem is, the safest way he can get to work is by crossing the sky bridges.

As soon as he notices the vertigo start, he starts reaching out, trying to find a wall to grab onto. But it's happening too fast, and he drops before he can completely catch himself--he's slumped over the edge of the wall, losing consciousness, and he definitely needs help.


2.

If you're in the gardens at any point, you might see Eiji frantically stomping out small fires around him.

Unfortunately, that only seems to promote it. Seems like someone isn't used to his element flaring up like this.

"Stop, stop! Just stop, please!"

As the grass and flowers start burning more, he looks desperately for anyone to help.

"Water, please? Someone? I promise, I'm not trying to do this, I just want to put it out!"


3. Closed to Ankh

He's used to nightmares, as much as he hates to admit it. Most of the time, he can deal with them, even if he wakes up in the middle of the night.

A dream so good that he wakes up crying? That's new, and he buries his face into a pillow, hoping he doesn't wake up Ankh and have to explain himself.

How exactly would he explain it?

Comments

[notsogreedy]

Eiji didn't wake him up. He's awake all on his own, though Eiji does catch his attention with the quiet sounds of waking up from a dream upset. Ankh is familiar enough with Eiji's nightmares, having shared a room with him for so long. The way he's reacting to this, whatever it was, means something struck harder than usual.

For now, he hasn't decided whether he should say anything or not, but the sound of him moving to look down at Eiji from his perch might be clue enough that he noticed.

[powertotearer]

Eiji freezes as soon as he does hear Ankh. Great. That's exactly what he was trying to avoid.

He sits up, his shoulders sagging as he wipes his eyes.

"I'll be fine. It's not a nightmare."

There, he's telling the truth. That'll be a nice change, right?

[notsogreedy]

Not a nightmare. And yet there's Eiji, reacting like that.

"What was it, then?" Because he's not even going to try to pretend that that makes sense.

[powertotearer]

"I don't know. It's stupid."

Incredibly stupid, that he's feeling so awful about it. But then, he has no idea how to make himself happy, so of course his mind's punishing him for it, right?

[notsogreedy]

Much as he likes to call him an idiot, Ankh isn't sure he believes it when Eiji says it about himself.

"You dreamed about something." He can at least assume that much. The question of what is inherent in the statement, if Eiji's claiming that it wasn't something bad enough to set him off like that.

[powertotearer]

He sighs. Ankh's going to want the whole truth, of course.

"Yeah. About home. And everything was perfect."

There's just resignation in his voice. Go ahead. Tell him that he doesn't know how to want anything and he can't just be happy. He'll wait.

[notsogreedy]

Maybe he would have reacted that way, if not for the reason he'd been laying there awake in the first place. Something similar, though mostly he'd just been wondering at it. He so rarely has vivid dreams like that in the first place. His was brief, and not something to cry over, but if Eiji's had felt just as real, then... maybe he can understand. A little bit.

"...You too, huh."

[powertotearer]

Eiji looks up at him in surprise before realizing just what it means. CERES, somehow. Always.

"I hate this place."

It's not the first time he's said it, but it's the most he's ever meant it. It's bad enough they're stuck there, being farmed for energy, but do they have to rub it in how much better it would be to be home?

[notsogreedy]

"Yeah." He doesn't blame Eiji one bit for that. He hadn't thought about it at first, just having a strange and unusually pleasant dream. But now that he recognises it as something that was somehow inflicted on them, it's infuriating.

[powertotearer]

For a minute, Eiji just pushes his face back into the pillow. The dream had been too perfect, he should have known. Going home, having everyone okay with the scar on his arm and his eye color, everything just being fine--it was one of the reasons he didn't let himself dwell too much on what he wanted.

[notsogreedy]

Ankh just watches him, not really sure what else to say or do. Eiji isn't falling back asleep, he knows that much. And Ankh at this point honestly doesn't want to. Not for a while, anyway. Maybe after a little time passes whatever's affecting their dreams won't be an issue anymore. It's unlikely, but he can hope.

In any case, just laying around thinking about all this while not sleeping at all isn't going to do either of them any good.

"Eiji." Time to get his attention and try something else.

[powertotearer]

He looks up. He's not crying this time, but he's still burnt out.

[notsogreedy]

Yeah, that's about the expression he expected. He replies to it by tossing a set of TaJaDor medals onto Eiji's bed. He'll just give Eiji a second to process that that's a suggestion.

"Not like either of us are going to get back to sleep, anyway."

[powertotearer]

Well that's a surprise, considering his fainting spells earlier in the month. But it's a welcome change, and he nods.

"Okay. Maybe I can clear my head a little."

[notsogreedy]

The fainting thing hasn't been an issue for the past few days, so he can at least hope it's over. He'll just have to pay closer attention on the off chance something happens.

He hops down from his perch and over to the balcony, wings appearing as he does, and waits for Eiji at the door. He'll let Eiji lead again. He really doesn't care where they wind up.

[powertotearer]

At least now, there's a hint of a smile as Eiji transforms and takes off. He doesn't know where to go either, but he'll find something soon enough.

[notsogreedy]

He follows, keeping close as they fly. Amazingly, nothing manages to happen to wreck it. Eiji doesn't faint. Ankh's wings don't spontaneously stop working. Nothing in the city below seems to be blowing up. It's surprisingly peaceful. Ankh really hadn't been sure that was going to be the case.

[powertotearer]

The fact that nothing's actually going wrong this time gets Eiji to finally start to relax.

"It's a nice night, isn't it?"

[notsogreedy]

Ankh notices that, even without being able to see Eiji's face. It seems like this was a good idea, after all. He nods.

"This really isn't a bad time to do this." Not that he'd usually be inclined to fly around in the middle of the night without some reason to be awake in the first place, but right now, it's nicely quiet.

[powertotearer]

"Mm-hmm."

He knows sooner or later, his body's going to give out and they'll have to find a place to stop and rest. For now, he'd be happy just to fly around.

[notsogreedy]

Ankh is just as happy to keep flying for a while, too. He keeps an eye on Eiji to make sure he doesn't end up pushing himself too hard with the combo, but what else is new?

Outside of that, he can relax a bit, too. And since maybe he doesn't have to watch too closely...

He takes the lead for a minute, only to fly a circle around Eiji and come back.

[powertotearer]

"Huh?"

Eiji stops and hovers for a bit when Ankh suddenly flies around him.

"What was that for?"

[notsogreedy]

Flirting like the hawk he is.

He shrugs slightly. "I felt like it."

That's about it, really. He wanted to see what Eiji would do, though that result was kind of boring.

[powertotearer]

Missing it like the idiot he is.

"...Okay."

Eiji nods, though hesitant.

"You're...you're sure those effects on us are over, right?"

[notsogreedy]

"Who knows? It seems like it, anyway." That's all he can really say.