these zombies in the park, they're looking for my heart, oh oh oh

[psychofailed]

WHO: Kogami, Aerith, Tetsuo
WHERE: Nonah #6
WHEN: Idk now?
WHAT: Kogami and Aerith's date has an unintended guest
WARNINGS: Nothing I can think of. Will update if any come up.


[It's not exactly a "traditional" date, gardening with your girlfriend, but really nothing about their relationship so far has been traditional.

He still doesn't really know anything about flowers, but she's good at giving him instructions, and he's--if not a natural green thumb, at least a fairly quick study. At the moment, he's helping pull weeds, which requires, uh, less of a gentle touch. But it's not unenjoyable, honestly, and the weather is pretty nice. He stops briefly to wipe the seat from his forehead, when he notices something out of the corner of his eye--

A flash of color, a Hue. Someone else is here.

...Someone he recognizes, actually.]

Tetsuo, right? Aerith went inside to refill the watering can. She'll be right back.

Comments

[iamtetsuo]

[At 5'4", he's not exactly one able to loom over a fence. This is for the best, honestly; there's something about him that he'd much rather keep away from prying eyes. Still, Kogami'll see his head poking over the fence, casually glaring at him.

What does this guy want? He knows who this guy is - he's touched his mind before, so there's no mistaking it. This is that guy from Maurtia Falls who seemed so damn curious about how his powers worked.]

The hell are you doing here?

[psychofailed]

Helping Aerith with her garden.

["I'm her boyfriend" goes unspoken for now, because even though he and Aerith came to that whole understanding about it, he still feels a little cagey saying it.]

Do you also live here?

[So far he's met...Kaworu. And uh, that's it.]

[iamtetsuo]

No, I live there.

[He jerks his head back to his house, on the side of the fence he's on. And, since he can't imagine anyone actually liking gardening...]

What're you really doing?

[psychofailed]

[Kogami, with a fuckin weed literally still in his hand, kind of stares at Tetsuo for a minute.

And then he lets out a resigned sigh.]

If not believing the things I say is going to be a pattern here, why don't you save us both some time and look, already.

[iamtetsuo]

Fine!

[He doesn't seem to even hesitate this time. Tetsuo's head sinks some, eyes locked onto Kogami in deep focus, and he stretches his mind out beyond himself. This used to be so hard for him, and now it's something close to a routine. He will look, thanks.

It takes no time to find Kogami's mind. He could probably find it anywhere. It takes even less work to let his awareness sink deeper into his, listening for stray, unwanted thoughts like this all being about him somehow.]

[psychofailed]

[He's more prepared for it this time than before. He still feels a creeping wrongness when that foreign presence enters, but he doesn't panic or jerk away, this time.

And indeed, Tetsuo will find nothing about him lurking around Kogami's thoughts about why he's here....well, except for a minor sense of annoyance that Tetsuo can't take even the most innocuous of his statements at face value, apparently?? He understood before, because yeah it's pretty creepy to not remember something happening, but this is really just needless suspicion over a goddamn dandelion.

Of course, Kogami won't give him too much time to snoop around in his brain before interrupting.]

Are you finished yet?

[23wishes]

[Aerith can't relax for a single day, can she? She'd planned what she thought was a nice, peaceful day with her boyfriend - time to relax after the stress of the last few weeks, catch up, maybe watch a movie afterwards, make out, who knows. But making plans means very little with friends like Tetsuo.

She's just finished filling up her watering can inside when she feels it: that rush of spiritual energy that comes from being nearby when Tetsuo is using his powers. He wouldn't, right? He wouldn't freak out over Aerith having a guest?

... But it's true Tetsuo's been weird since he was injured...

And it's true he's always a little suspicious and paranoid...

With a heavy sigh, Aerith runs out into the yard to see what all the fuss is about.]

Tetsuo!

[Aaaand the point goes to Aerith. He's causing trouble after all.]

Can you please leave my guests alone?

[iamtetsuo]

[Thought after thought filters through his mind, summarily discarded once he determined they're worthless to him. Not this. This neither. Nothing here indicates that Kogami is here for any reason that he would at all care about. And normally, he doesn't particularly annoy guests anywhere; normally Aerith would be correct in that assumption.

Except this one's already asked questions. He has to be sure.

Aerith's voice cuts through their thoughts like a knife, making his concentration waver. He glares over to her direction, withdrawing away until he's in his own mind again and fixing her with a sullen stare.]

If I feel like it, yeah.

[psychofailed]

[He turns when Aerith appears in the garden, nodding in acknowledgment before he starts to turn to go back in the house.]

I think he'd probably rather talk to you by himself. I'll be in the back patio.

[Aaaaand turning to go that way, unless either Aerith or Tetsuo stop him.]

[23wishes]

[Aerith, for one, will let him go for now. She'll catch up with Kogami later. Right now, she should probably straighten this out.]

... I know you've been on edge since you were hurt, and that's okay, but, just so you know, Kogami's okay. He just... looks stern. He's harmless.

[iamtetsuo]

And curious.

[He mutters, looking a little off to the side to try to keep an eye on both.]

[23wishes]

He's a detective.

[She offers a very small, casual shrug.]

Maybe he could help you out.

[iamtetsuo]

[He hunches a little more, dipping lower against the fence, and gives Aerith a suspicious, but questioning sidelong stare. It's progress enough that he doesn't immediately shoot her down, but he's not asking out loud, either.

He doesn't need help, he's not saying. He doesn't want help, he's also not saying. Like that guy could do anything, anyway...

He doesn't really remember much about Kogami other than the string of questions about what Tetsuo could do. That's annoying; he should probably have tried harder. It makes it a little harder to tell her why she's wrong there.]

[23wishes]

Well... The option's there.

[She does notice all of that, and she appreciates that Tetsuo isn't rudely telling her how wrong she is for just trying to help. It's something. She considers Tetsuo a friend, and has for a while; maybe that feeling is starting to be reciprocated?]

You know what I can do. [She says it wordlessly, not even looking at him.] I can tell you, with certainty, that he's a good person.

[She sighs, out loud this time, and adds on just the same:]

Besides, since we're dating, it would be nice if you could be civil when he's here.

[iamtetsuo]

[He breathes out harder in a soft, derisive snort. They call all kinds of people a good person, that doesn't mean they ARE one.

But Aerith is different, he knows that, and as much as he hates having to rely on her reading of a situation.. she would probably know. At least in the sense that Tetsuo would care about. In fact, he'd almost be willing to calm down.. until she adds something there for good measure that he can't ignore.

Two things immediately come to mind. One is that he really doesn't want to know. The other-]

What?!

[IS LITERALLY EVERYONE ELSE DATING EXCEPT HIM??!]

[23wishes]

Yeah?

[She blinks, bewildered. Honestly, even with all her prodding and reading and snooping, she wouldn't have predicted a reaction like that.]

It's not a big deal or anything.

[Why should Tetsuo even care?]

Is everything okay?

[iamtetsuo]

[He doesn't exactly care that SHE's dating. It's more complicated than that.]

Fine. Of course you're dating someone. Everyone else is.

[23wishes]

--Oh.

[And again for good measure.]

Oh.

[He IS a teenage boy after all. Of course he'd be jealous. Kaneda and Maya, Dorian and Toby being so loud on the network lately...]

Mm. Sorry. We won't be gross and kiss outside or anything like that.

[A pause.]

... Is there someone you like?

[iamtetsuo]

No.

[He says, with just a touch or two of trademark defensiveness. And just a touch too fast.

He's full of it, there's totally someone he likes.]

[23wishes]

That... sounds like a lie. A really bad lie.

[There's really no way to explain this sort of thing to a kid. Their frame of reference for life experiences is so small. Ultimately it doesn't matter who it is and there's no reason to keep crushes secret. That's a good way to end up stuck single and never learning that it's okay to confess these kinds of things.]

A girl?

[iamtetsuo]

[... he looks down, mumbling a 'shut up'. That would be a yes.]

[23wishes]

Here? Or back home?

[Let's crank this can of worms WIDE OPEN.]

[iamtetsuo]

[He shrugs.]

[23wishes]

[Um.]

Both?

[iamtetsuo]

Yeah.