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 Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 7:58 am
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And in an office —- that resembled a cozy shoebox; if said shoe box was suddenly being haunted by a malicious Gardner — sat a box atop a desk. The box was accompanied by a bevy of sticky notes — older ones layered under the new. Multi-colored common office supply that’d clearly been abused.
Atop that box, lay a fat, googly eyed rock that resembled a ladybug….if one squinted just so. It was orange, for starters, had spots. Could’ve also been a dog?
Atop that rock, atop the box, lay the newest note.
‘Dear Karma, this is a pet rock friend, it’s for your plants! It comes with a whole a** kit!! Really soothing s**t— u can even add googly eyes —- paint as many as you need to keep the plants company.
P.s - I promise it’s not alive, triple checked...*just in case*…
P.s.s — if you don’t respond to this sticky note…..’
The note ended in ambiguous arrow that demanded it be flipped, in order to continue the scrunched together sentence.
Though on the back it simply said ‘*CALLME*’ in text that filled the square whole.
Notes beneath that detailed a phone number — an address — a picture of a pelican carrying mail. A frowny face and scribble that could’ve been any of the bevy of devices agents used to keep in touch. Thick lines indistinguishable between shapes smeared into a mess of dried blue-black that had been oversaturated and left wet enough to make any other papers stick.
All this, done up in a scrawl that any four year old would’ve envied. Splotched and speckled with blotted ink in so many places — because clearly Albite had gotten into Faustites fount of nibbed pens, though really. What better way for a boy to make sure a Christmas present worked then to test it out on someone else’s Christmas present?
Didn’t matter. Somewhere — Albite waited for a response.
*….Ominously….*
Threatened continued kindness if he didn’t get some arbitrary and unknowable ask answered soon.
W a i t e d…
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Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2022 9:08 am
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With the patience of a pigeon — Albite waited. Paced one corridor or another - hoped for a ping. A ring. Tablet, phone, youma rat with a message stabbed into its back by some pissy fire lord.
Ooop wait, wrong guy.
He wondered if Kama was home — if he ever even came to his office anymore - where he lived — if he could gently coerce Faustite into telling him! Except that woulda been rude, and Faustite told him to ‘heel’ - or - some version of being gentle with all the shared trauma friends.
Harped on about something along those lines of softness. All ‘Albite be good’.
N’ he had!!
Absoheckinglutely had! At least he thought so? For awhile — had let weeks go on after. N now? Stood in a hall, leaned up against brickwork that left soot-lines, when he checked. Brushed those off as he continued on braiding locks into thick lines. Turned length into bunches, into bundles, that could be easily trundled up and tied back. Wrapped haphazardly into a cowry shell sash so that he didn’t drag them along with every sweeping step. <******** making Faustite play carrier pigeon. Heh, or Santa, whatd’ya think orbaby? Maybe I should clean it all up n try again…” soft sighs while he pondered. Eyed the floating gloam that popped up in his periphery.
The orbaby in question.
A sentient spirit that seemed summoned to his side outta nowhere. The soft, fat, glorb utterly silent in response. Thought he way it bobbed heavy before bashing itself into the Senshi’s side could’ve been a sign of exasperation.
“Ow!! Alright, enough! Fuzzy little — fhh-brat…” palmed the creature and hissed for the way it buzzed with static. Like holding aeorogel, or dandelion spores, but the angry kind. “….we get in — we get out — we go home. Just, one more time! I promise.” stepped through space and found himself back outside the door he’d stood outside so many times before, and hesitated, because what if Kama was inside? What if he should knock for once? What if..
“You go instead, yeah? Leme know if he’s in there.” scrubbed his thumbs over the spirit, pressed down all the static before letting it loose to phase in and out of places as it would. Soft luminescent bloop of a thing — as the wisp passed between planes — and hovered like a luminescent bubble caught on the wind, bouncing about the center of Kamas incredibly small office space.
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Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:24 pm
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He must have been more tired than he realized. He must have dozed off for a few minutes, maybe longer. When he opened his eyes, there was something in his office. Bright and ethereal and--
Not the only one.
Kamacite blinked as a second small glowing orb appeared beside him, circling him a couple times as though in protection, before moving closer to the visitor’s wisp.
“A friend?” Kamacite wondered out loud as he rubbed at his face with his robes, before realizing that there was someone close by. He didn’t say anything. If they wanted to talk to him then they would either knock or bust inside.
He would consider a heavy duty lock if teleportation wasn’t a thing.
No… he knew the door would probably be opened whether he wanted it to be or not. With grace that he likely wouldn’t have shown as Yuuri, Kamacite rose from the couch so he could approach the door, carefully stepping around the bouncing wisps to open and warily greet--
Ah yes…
“Albite,” he said, sounding defeated. He still couldn’t tell if the other was there to make fun of him or if he was just not understanding Albite’s intentions. “Thank you… for the. Gifts… I was going to call you I just… fell asleep.” Which was true, but he was also trying to avoid the interaction.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 9:44 am
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Kamacite nodded. He was okay. He was alive. He was… there… He was…
He wasn't sure how he could just say how he felt, or if he wasn't okay. He didn't want to look weak. He was used to being underestimated-- played into that, even. But when it came down to the truth of everything, Kamacite didn't know what to do…
"I don't mind them," he said quietly, looking over his shoulder at the little wisp-like orbs. "I've only seen one other… Rosie-- Oh… Lieutenant Roselite has one that stays with him, too. I didn't know there were more."
Kamacite wasn't sure if the wisps would stay around those they didn't trust. Roselite was sweet, and kind, so of course one would gravitate towards him. So if they trusted Albite then…
"I've been unkind to you. I'm sorry," he said quietly, his head hanging low with shame. His eyes felt hot. Maybe it was because he was overwhelmed, but… it could also be because someone was clearly trying to make an effort to check on him, and he had just been avoiding him.
"I'm not… good with people," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "That's not your fault. Just mine. I'm sorry."
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 10:49 am
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Well s**t…
“It’s not you.”
He’d ******** up. Hadn’t he?
It was clear in the way Kama seemed to disappear into his robes. Unable to meet his gaze. The slew of ‘sorries’ that fell forth. Unnecessary apologies, because Kama hadn’t done anything other than…
Hadn’t done anything ever, actually?
Aside from exist, and be busy, and — maybe if Albite’d never learned his name? Though that was kinda an impossible thing to do…what with the bright colors, n the missions, n the singular friend they had shared.
“I’ve been being pushy. Cause enough s**t has gone all the way sideways for enough people, for me, that……well…I should be sorry. *Not you*.”
Knew what ‘No’ was when he heard it. When it was real and meant. Knew boundaries when they were set. Had gone on in and trampled all the hell over Kamas personal space like the guy’d invited him in because. Because he could? Because he cared? Because he was an attention seeking nightmare who wanted to...*something*….
“I’m checkin in cause it’s you, yeah? Cause you’re important to this place, cause people *died*? And that..that’s a thing. But, it’d be a whole a** lie to say I wasn’t checking in for myself, too.”
Good intentions wrapped around a selfish desire. Didn’t make it any kinda right, good or fair. To abuse that just cus he hadn’t been told to ******** straight off.
“Except that’s not..that’s not supposed to be upsetting though. For you. This. I mean. Like - me? So I’m sorry.” All the ways it should’ve been the opposite — annoying maybe — or sweet — a relief? Wasn’t any of those things, alluvasudden, and he wondered how badly he’d trodden, Bull to China shop, over Kamas *everything*.
Just!? Ohgod, had he made Kama cry? Was he crying!?
Albite didn’t know a Roselite from a grape vine; if he was a person, fruit, or flower? He did know that if he snapped his fingers his sweet glrob would come to hand. Even if it took it’s sweet time to settle there so Albite could offer it up. Could crouch down a little so he could better coax his baby into hanging closer to Kama.
He liked the orbs? Right?
“Mmmph, wisp tissue while I clean up the…my mess? Believe it or not they’re really absorbent….like…*terrifyingly so*. Learned that the hard way. Between Headache, Haymitch n the pack of wisps in Faustites office. It’s a whole damn lights-show worth of learning. Got really good at cleaning in there too. That’s — Ah — the least I can do Kama.” softly sincere for all the ways he would’ve rather seen Kamas face, or given him a hug, or — ******** — food, coffee? Something?!
All his usual go-to’s went straight out the window with this one. He’d have to be tactful…
He was ******** class="quote">Guine
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Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2022 10:49 am
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Kamacite nodded quietly at Albite’s counter apology, although he didn’t really believe him that it wasn’t Kamacite’s fault. Kamacite was the one who got overwhelmed easily, who couldn’t take a joke, who wasn’t good with being around people. He only had a few friends. He kept to himself and didn’t like being put into a spotlight, despite his magic.
He visibly flinched when it was brought up how people had died. People had died. Or gone missing. Or just disappeared to never come back.
Faustite came back, he reminded himself.
He didn’t understand why Albite was bothering to check up on him. He sniffled a little and tried to not make it too obvious as he lifted his robe sleeve to dab at his eyes. He wasn’t crying. Not yet. Okay, maybe a little, but that was only because he was overwhelmed and needed to breathe. But Albite didn’t know him, and it was embarrassing to get so emotional.
Although, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to dry his eyes on the little wisp. Not when it was clearly enjoying a moment with one of its own kind.
“Thank you,” he mumbled again, not really sure what else to say. Maybe a few more apologies thrown in because it seemed easier that way. He almost didn’t let Albite into the office to clean things up. He didn’t want to burden him with more, but Kamacite already felt so overwhelmed that he didn’t know where to begin. He took a step back, his head still down as he tried to keep any tears from falling.
“I’m… not good with talking a lot,” he added, because obviously it was pretty boring for someone who liked to talk to deal with someone standing there saying nothing. “I’m sorry.”
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Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2022 10:02 pm
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The wisp swirled a figure eight round Kama, played foxfire on a non-existent breeze; before zipping back around to its other. Lazy gloam that was clearly pleased for playtime, to softly light up the space alongside one of it's own.
“Don’t worry Kama, I can talk enough for the both of us.” he didn't even need an audience half the time. Anything would've done - anyone. A sounding board, a solid brick wall to voice his thoughts at. How many times had his lovely darling wisps played that role? Had Haymitch? Had, ******** - Faustite? Oh, his poor, poor firebrand. Suffering through his endless diatribe of unfiltered thoughts. N' Nembus...which -- 'ow' -- all the ways that ached. Bone deep, center of his chest sorta pain. Knowing he wouldn't hear her again. That she'd listened to him ramble on for what was probably the last time...
N' maybe that was what'd done it? Been 'the thing'. How, whether or not his team turned up anything from her old place didn't mean s**t - Faustite couldn't summon her back - n he hadn't seen her since...
Whatever.
All sorts of nope and bits of braindust that didn't belong 'here'. With Kama, in his space.
Albite nodded when Kama stepped aside, made his way in careful. To pickup where he'd left off. To pick-up. Sticky notes, torn bits of paper, scraps of -- and now he felt bad for turning the guys poor office into a litterbox. All of it got plucked up real careful like. Unstuck and shunted straight into subspace. He'd sort it all out later, straight into a landfill -- or a recycling bin. Somewhere else, because he didn't wanna take up too much of the vibrant eternals time.
Left the rock. Put it like a proper paperweight atop..a space that slowly became a little more organized as he went on. As his mouth moved independent of his brain and body - three whole separate organisms with different ideas about what role they should play in all that was Albite.
“It’s just — and everyone’ll tell me 'it’s not me'. Logically, I know it can’t be, not every time, but? It's like I was saying - how enough things happen over time. Enough people go missing, leave, die. Ahh — or trip the life fantastic onto the other side - n purify”. pauses placed slowly over gaps, while his mind ran on with his ramblings, and his hands made the space more clear. Albite eventually pulled out Kamas desk chair. Shuffled things together. Made the rock kit as a whole disappear, just underneath the table. Shoved it up by a leg, out of the way.
“And then it becomes enough people I know, people I care about and….I start to think that I shoulda checked in more? That I should’ve done something different. Anything. Though a lotta that is just me wanting more..um..time. In this life. Cause I know whatever me crops up next time round the sun, they're gonna do it different, probably. So that means I've got to be greedy right? With all of the 'right now'. Means I need to make the time, especially with people who mean something. Otherwise none of this counts. It becomes so much ******** -- 'nothing.'”
Frustrated whine as he curled where he was. Propped his heel on the seat and arms on his knee. Sat his chin in the crux of that while he watched all the ways he wasn't doing Kama any favors, clearly. It'd all sorta spiraled outa control. Snowballed into this monstrous little thing. He realized he didn't know what to do with all the quiet. Not Kama's kind of quiet. All that reserved, self-sufficient, patience. He knew how to poke, prod, n set loose a firestorm. Liked how that worked for some.
How it worked for him.
How with Faustite, it worked for him. If the firebrand didn't say three whole words in a week and if two of those words were an intricate curse? How it'd taken him months to get sentences strung into paragraphs. Things that later became explanations which existed in more than finger hieroglyphics, scribbles, and sneers that spelled out 'care' in exacting black clawed detail.
How it was all worth it. If it meant he got to spend the time in his space.
Suddenly Albite wasn't sure if he'd ever actually explained to Kama why he'd come to him in the first place. If he'd explained anything that'd made sense at all? Knew he'd laid brickwork, months ago, and how what'd come across 'then' wasn't the same 'now'.
“Kama. You can come sit on your own couch, yeah? I don’t bite. Promise....” and if it’d been anyone else, he woulda tacked on ‘not unless you ask’, but it wasn’t anyone. It was Kama. Guy looked a strong breeze away from fleeing — or — dissolving into the ground?
Something.
He'd ask him. Simple enough thing, to ask the bright orange boy to set boundaries. To hang a 'No Albite's allowed sign' to -- whatever would've made him look less like he was imploding.
"...I do...I do have a tendency to do whatever the ******** I want, though. Unless people stop me. Which means saying something. Or like..putting it in writing? I can actually read....I just...also like to get out of doing paperwork. I'm more about all the 'outside the box' things." soft chuckle that rolled out into a full bodied sigh. Settled enough to shut his mouth and stare after Kama, more subdued than he'd been in minutes - hours - days.
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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 5:25 pm
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Kamacite was glad that Albite left the rock. He actually kind of liked it, even though he wasn’t really sure it was fair of him to say that after getting worked up about everything else.
Again, Kamacite flinched at Albite’s comment of people dying. Or going missing. But he tried to brush it off by paying attention to the wisps as they circled around and explored. The wisp that followed him around seemed content with play time. Maybe it was a good enough reason to be around others more, if only to provide some stimulation for the wisp that kept him company.
He kept his eyes down as Albite spoke, but he listened. He heard each word and processed them, he just didn’t know how to respond to everything. And Albite had already said he didn’t have to worry about talking, right?
Kamacite knew how it was to care about people, for them to disappear suddenly. If they were lucky, sometimes one would show up after being lost to the Rift after years. He didn’t think it was wrong of Albite to want to check up on people. He just didn’t realize he was one of those people Albite wanted to check up on.
He finally glanced up, a bit weary, when Albite suggested he sit on the couch, but he moved over to the small upholstered piece of furniture and sat down. It was comfortable. Old but clean. Not big enough for more than a couple people, but big enough for Kamacite to curl up and nap on if he needed it.
A breath in, and then out slowly. Did he want Albite to stop? He wasn’t sure. Maybe he didn’t understand him well enough to know what he wanted from him, much less what Albite wanted from Kamacite. Albite had been kind enough to help clean up the artful display of sticky notes that Kamacite was sure he would have just stared at for a while, and then cried about because he didn’t know where to start.
“I just need time to process…” Kamacite tried to explain, once again staring at his hands as he sat on the couch. “I didn’t know if you were making fun of me or… but I was clearly wrong. I’m sorry.”
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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 9:28 pm
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"Kay...that's...It's okay, Kama. Really." Small sincere sound, despite how his eyes scrunched while he ran Kama's words through his head. Laid them all out, and still? All the ways he didn't understand what that was supposed to mean. Bit his tongue to keep from asking 'whats', 'whens', and 'how longs?' Knew that wasn't the right way to look at it. Figured that 'process' sounded enough like 'pause'.
That he should take a breath and take his time.
"You can't read peoples minds any better than me. Couldn't've known what I was thinking - hell - I barely know what I'm thinking half the time! N' I'm not exactly 'succinct' when it comes to explaining...uhm..anything?" the sore spot for how all his overture's must've seemed. Come across as, who knew? He hadn't actually asked Kama more than just the one thing. Had taken a look at him and made assumptions of interests based on a preferred color pallet.
Liked oranges, liked cookies, liked...the orbies? That assumption felt solid at least and he felt infinitely better once Kama'd come in and taken a seat. Once he seemed a little more at ease? More content?
They were sharing the same space at least. That was something. A chance, maybe? He could be patient again. He could prove it. Aqua asked him to knock? So now he knocked. If Kama needed time? He could have it. It was fine. A simple, easy request that he didn't have to mind.
"I can wait. M'always around. Easy enough to find." He didn't mean there in Kamas office, but he did mean it. The words. He could wait. A day, a week, a year. However long Kama needed...even if he wasn't sure how long either of them had. Even if the promise of always being around was just a very comforting sort of lie. There weren't any guarantees, no infinite timelines, even if he'd liked there to be.
It felt like the thing to say, regardless.
"Just, whenever you're ready, could you tell me? Preferably before......well. Whatever. You get it. I get that you get it. I should just...." and if he saw the flinch he let it slide. Decided instead he wouldn't mention all the ways one could get gored, beaten, blown up or straight up 'Dead but 'not', because oops! They purified!'.
Nope, he was too tired of apologies given afterwards. From agents who'd turned and couldn't have told him otherwise. From...Okay, he wasn't sure someone could apologize from a gravestone? He didn't want that either, though. "....come back another time."
Looked to Kama, hopeful, looked to where the wisps were entangled gracefully overhead. Then frowned even as he made to stand, because clearly it was past time for him to go. Him and his happy little whirligig. He was sure that the socialization must've been good for something? Maybe? Could've been they needed a break from all the interoffice shenanigans. A whole pile of new team people pooled in - a wisp batting, hydrive, mauvian kitten - Headache flashing neon and Christmas lights all over the place.
The space he kept them was busy. Where Kamas office was calm. Quiet.
"Though, do you think the wisp could stay awhile? Seem's they like you."
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Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 12:38 pm
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The wisp could stay.
Albite smiled soft for that. Sighed some warm thankful note and looked at Kama like he'd done a particularly pleasing trick. Before he stood to snatch his sweet gloam and outta midair. Nuzzled it, until it frizzled with energy enough to squirm free of him. The orbies were something Kama liked.
Good.
The only downside was how it took actual, honest to gods energy. To not immediately flee the vicinity and show back up with --- ******** -- light-up stress balls, star lights on strings, glow in the dark ceiling stickers.
The Works.
He'd promised he wouldn't, though. Promised, swore, believed in himself that he could keep true to that one thing. Until Kama was ready. Even if waiting wouldn't be easy, it wasn't some unbearable impossibility. That Kama might come around sometime, even just long enough to say 'hi'.
Whatever - Orbie playtime was totally a start! He could let his bouncy babies be and trust they'd be safe. That they'd float back home whenever they were ready. In their own odd, magical way.
"You're welcome Kama."
He wished he coulda read the guy better. Coulda stepped inside his mind n' shown instead of told. Not that Kamas expressions weren't an open book. If he took enough time to peel back hair and layers of fabric and the overwhelming aura of 'eternal' that hid it all.
If he crouched down enough to stare, briefly. Like he was looking for a ledger, a map, or a key. A users guide to Kamacites in facial expressions alone.
"N, hey. Don't try too hard for me, yeh? I'm easy as they come. Like...drop cake easy? Or..no-bake cookies? You can't ******** this up. You can't do me wrong. I'm not offended, by anything..so...." did any of that make sense? He was damned sure it didn't. Knew that if he asked Kama not to take too long that it'd be pressure unbearable. That all his endless words probably meant none of the things he actually wanted them to. Compounded the issue into a dense mass of <********>.
It was fine. He just had to keep telling himself they'd have time. That the court was Kamas and so was the ball. To pass or keep, and there was an open door calling his name. N' if he didn't quietly step out of it right then...
Closed it gently behind himself even, as he made his way out. Scuff and clicked hinge. Made himself take steps down a hall. Maybe he'd go entertain himself by flipping off the shadow men?
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