planet earth turns slowly

[missleadingquestions]

WHO: Maya Fey and probably you
WHERE: PLACES! Multiple ones, in fact!
WHEN: All over the course of January.
WHAT: This is a catchall. For catching all these threads I can't hold.
WARNINGS: None yet!

A catchall for threads in January, since I have many planned. If you want a starter from me or want to start one for me, contact me on plurk at gueyprince. A reminder that Maya will be ported out for a power update from the afternoon of 1/12 to 1/13!

Comments

Phase 2; Kaneda (with Tetsuo Ego stroking)

[missleadingquestions]

[It's finished. It's a success, as far as Maya Fey is concerned, after having toweled off Tetsuo's hair (and her own, which... is going to remain damp for so, so much longer...) and sees it all dry on him.

He looks better. Brighter. More awake.

Of course, she's forgotten to account for when Kaneda's getting home, so by the power of serendipity, she's still checking over it in the upstairs common area when Kaneda gets home.]

Y'know, I think it looks awesome.

[She can't help but reach out to fluff one light-blue-tinged lock, a bit fluffier than it was before from the effects of the bleach.]

What do you think?

[iamtetsuo]

[All it takes is catching sight of himself once in the mirror, and for the first time basically ever, he can't not keep staring.

That's him. That's really him. With eyes that aren't sunken in, alert and alive, hair that's a medium distance between his severe crop and his rat's nest... and bright to look at. It's hard to adjust to it at first. He doesn't even flinch this time when she reaches out too him, too engrossed in the complete stranger in the mirror opposite him.]

Is that gonna be what it looks like now??


[That guy staring back at him almost looks like he's got his shit halfway put together. It's mostly white, too... he's not sure what prompted that, but the hue overall gives it an unreal quality. His own hand runs through it after hers does, almost as if he can't quite believe that's what's on his head now.

Pause. He's not at all thought about what other people are going to think seeing this. He still isn't. Tilts head again, that's really him..??

She's gonna have to wait a bit more for an actual verdict, but she gets one. He's just gonna have to get used to this now, isn't he? And man is this gonna take some getting used to.]

Weird... Maybe you're right. It's different, but it's not too bad.

[rassera]

Oiiii!!

[Ah, there it is, Kaneda calling out upstairs at he gets home. It's not too different from the norm, maybe he'd wait until the door officially shut before he lets the house know he's back, but this is a special case. With war going on with Russia, Kaneda's been out doing what Kaneda does best--gathering as much of a force as he can. Bull's gone, which means Kaneda's got run of the house, whether the residents like it or not.

And Kaneda? He wants to get Bull back.

It doesn't take him long to get upstairs, skipping up a few, putting his feet on the railing and pushing himself to the top bar to pull himself up. Why walk when you can parkour that shit? From there, it's a swing of his legs, hopping down and entering Tetsuo's room.

Their room.]

Hey I was just--

...


[What did he walk into.]

[missleadingquestions]

[What Kaneda has walked in on is a damp-haired galaxy-print medium and a snowy-haired Tetsuo. A party, of sorts. A party Tetsuo may not have wanted to go to, but much to Maya's surprise, isn't throwing a fit about.

She's grinning at Tetsuo when he speaks, because he's looking at himself differently-- it's nice. Maybe she's right. Maybe there really is a much softer kid deep, deep, deep.... deep deeep deep. deeeeeeep deep deep down. Deep down. So deep down.

But that's not her first concern when Kaneda walks in. Her first concern is the Tetsuo from a few days ago who showed how sensitive he is to Kaneda's words.

Whipping around to face Kaneda, she stares at him as though mentally willing him not to freak out.]

Oh-- hey! You're back!

[iamtetsuo]

[Aaaand the moment's over.

Tetsuo turns, that interested look vanishing instantly at the sound of Kaneda entering in. Kaneda gets a much more blank one in its place.


What're you gonna say, Kaneda. He's not even going to try to do anything yet - he can't hide this.]

[rassera]

[Kaneda doesn't say anything at first, eyes wide as his gaze goes from Maya's gradient hair to Tetsuo's snow white, tipped blue at the very ends. Almost instinctively, his hand reaches up when he works his way over, removing that glove and running through the now-bleached locks atop Tetsuo's head.

It was fluffier now, thanks to a good wash, a decent cut...

The white, it did wonders, too. His forehead didn't look so pronounced now, and it matched the gentler eyes that Tetsuo like to hide so much. They thread through his hair for a second longer, inspecting it.]

You did this?

[missleadingquestions]

--I asked him if he'd do it cos I didn't wanna be the only one.

[She blurts. She's not really lying-- that kind of was her motivation-- but she's also trying not to get defensive again. Kaneda isn't exactly condemning the job, after all.

She does, however, give Tetsuo a bit of an apologetic look.]

It looks great, right?

[iamtetsuo]

[Initially, as Kaneda keeps staring, Tetsuo quietly reaches for that hoodie Maya gave him, snatching it in his hands. It's not his old blue one, but it's got a hood.

Just before he starts putting it on, Kaneda's taking off his glove, making him pause. He meets Kaneda's eyes questioningly, not really sure what he's about to do ... then blinks in surprise as Kaneda runs it gently through his hair, playing with it.

No...no comment?

His eyes dip back down, followed by his head, trying to get out from under Kaneda's gaze. He didn't feel this exposed before this. Even with the nails, it'd come off right away. Tetsuo doesn't venture an opinion about it right away.

Too late to do anything about it. All he can do now is wait for a verdict.]

[rassera]

[Thankfully, he doesn't have to wait long for one.]

It suits you!

[His voice is as clear as a bell when he says it, continuing to inspect it as he looks at the blue tips on the end. Blue was his favourite colour...

Or the one he hated the least.]

Hey, Maya, think you can do me next?

Not like this--something...I don't know...redder.

[missleadingquestions]

[Maya lets out a breath that she didn't know she was holding, a bit surprised-- and then she grins.

Better than expected.]

Well aren't you lucky? I got red, too.

[iamtetsuo]

[There's not quite a smile, but the edges of one find his eyes just a little. It's gone in the next minute as he pulls on the hoodie anyway so he didn't look too awkward holding it, then heads back to the chair where he'd slung the jacket to collect it. Like if he left it off too long it might go away.

But Kaneda liked the hair. He affords one glance backwards, getting it back on over the hoodie.


That was what mattered. He liked it enough to get something of his own, even.]

[rassera]

[His smile brightens the room, giving Tetsuo one last ruffle of that hair before he walks away.]

Maybe not the whole head, though. I kind of like the black...

Something like his--[A point to Tetsuo with one hand and tugging on his hair with the other.

His gaze meets Tetsuo's for that split second, watching him put that jacket back on, his heart swelling]

[missleadingquestions]

Oh-- I know! We could do like, a chunk of red, like, like the Dragon Warrior from the St---

[...Wait, no one's gonna get that reference, she realises.]

...From my favourite show!

[She, too, watches Tetsuo move away to put on the hoodie and the jacket and-- huh. She didn't think he was actually gonna wear it.]

See, Tetsuo? I told you! It's like we're starting a fad or something.

[iamtetsuo]

[Pulling the jacket hard enough to hang correctly over his frame, he rejoins the conversation a bit.]

I didn't really have much to do with it.

[rassera]

Don't be modest, Tetsuo!

[He flops down in the chair, looking at Maya albeit nervously.]

You're the one with the bosozoku hair!

[missleadingquestions]

Bosozoku...

[Maya nods in agreement, shoving her hands into the pockets of her skirt and watching them talk. That's right-- that's what they were, huh?]

It is, isn't it? Guess who's the real trendsetter now!

[Clearly they should all have bosozoku hair.]

[iamtetsuo]

[Must resist urge to mess with hair again. Must resist.

He just barely manages to shove his hands into jacket pockets first. That's not something he's ever been. He didn't stand out much, he didn't set anything. Even when he was off exploring, he didn't do much of anything that made him stand out.

Being considered a trendsetter... he honestly has no words.

But that vague hint of a smile's slowly showing back up]