unpocoloco | Daybreak IC Inbox

[He's just stepping out, papers and books in one hand, cane in the other with a pencil behind his ear. He stops to blink at Maverick. Then snorts.]

I am making time for you.

[He turns back inside and dumps everything back onto his desk. He won't get into trouble. He couldn't control when he woke and the higher-ups knew that. He can fudge time however he likes.

He comes back and points at his own sunken features in mirror of where Maverick's bruises sit.]

The hunt?

[Yaaaaay. No wonder Kano made demands all the time, it was a huge surge of power and happiness when people went along with it. His wide grin slips a little at the question, but he's more...awkward than anything else, even getting a pink tint to his cheeks.]

Uh, yeah.

[Sure. Sort of. It was definitely...fueled by that. But!! He waves the topic off, because he came here to discuss a different can of worms than that one.]

You okay to walk around? Or do you wanna sit somewhere?

[He's a people pleaser like that.

He notices the flush, lifts a brow but doesn't ask.]

I can manage. I'll let you know if I can't.

[And more likely that'll be because of him being jumpy still than any pain that is or isn't lingering in his bones. Probably afforded them more privacy anyway.]

Any particular destination?

[thank fucking god]

Nah. Just wanna walk out some energy, get fresh air, or something. It was a big day, school fucking starting, everyone trying to act normal. A big day.

[A big day that he had texted Héctor about several days ago, after confirming it was when Akechi wanted to confess. His good mood probably spoils the outcome of that, oops.]

So let's get those old bones moving, Esqueletío!

Ay, they're moving, they're moving.

[His grin is too present to make any preformed huffiness seem real. It's nice to see someone around here actually happy instead of traumatized.

He starts for the doors, opening them for the kid and following after. He waits until they're actually outside.]

So. What's rattling around in that head?

[Haha, yeah. That sure was the Daybreak mood, huh?

Once outside, he stretches his arms up, then folds them behind his head. He'd had a lot of time to figure out how he was going to phrase it in a way that wouldn't be too suspicious if they were being watched.]

You know that class my guy was having a hard time with last year? He fucking did it, just went and talked to Jail. I'm not gonna be the only one helping him anymore, and -- and you don't gotta mess with your shit trying to do it, either. God, I can focus on my own fucking shit again!

[He snorts.]

Ah yes, that class.

[He gets what is meant here. He plays along, like he does so often now with, "My Illness..."]

I'm glad to hear that. I was a little too booked up with guitar lessons and tutoring as it was. Pretty sure you're booked up with things here too.

You feel better?

Yeah. I do.

[More than he thought he would, really. Good thing he god all his happy, relieved tears out before coming here. He's cried enough around Héctor for both of their lifetimes.]

Still don't know how the fuck this semester's gonna go...but who gives a fuck! Gonna get back on track... I fucking came here because I just wanted to fucking graduate, finally. That's all. So I'm gonna do that.

[which might sound a little like NO MORE FRIENDS!!! and really who can say that isn't a good idea, given his history with people?]

[Maverick could shout "no more friends" from the rooftops but he's sure the kid would end up with some. Cares too much to help it.

He laughs light.]

Ha! Sounds like a good plan to me! Don't listen to what anyone else says about teen years being the best, things go way better after you graduate.

[Says the guy who barely got past his teen years.]

But seriously, I'm sure you're way smarter than I am but if you need anything I can help with at all, you know where to find me.

[Thanks for letting him believe in a peaceful life for a little bit longer, Héc. You're a real bro.]

Oh, for sure. No fucking doubt I'm smarter than you.

[despite just...having gone a long time making stupid decisions, okay]

I know where to find you. That's why we're here.

[He tries. But he's laughing and giving Maverick a slight shove to his side.

There were different kinds of smart and stupid anyway.]

That's true. I think this might be the first time. We're usually just running into each other in places we're not supposed to be.

[In Imelda's hallway, hiding in the woods...]

Proud of you, by the way, taking care of that all. But you knew that.

What is this "we" bullshit? Pretty sure it's always me finding you creeping around, old man.

[Aside from, you know, that whole land of the dead thing.]

Yeah. 'Course I knew that. [But now he's smiling in a different way, softer, because he might have known it but it doesn't mean he doesn't like hearing it, too.] Turns out not all your advice sucks! Which is a fucking relief. You're a proud parent, after all.

Oh so, we're only a team when something good happens, I see how it is.

[He's joking of course.

He laughs even louder then.]

That's right! The proudest parent in the world. Good to have it recognized.

[Proud to be a parent. Proud of his girl. Proud of the kids who aren't even his. Not a deadbeat anymore but someone worthwhile. It feels... really good.]

Hey, no one wants to be on a team with the suspicious guy...

[It better feel good. Mav doesn't hand out these pleasant words for his health, or anything.]

Um. So... [Awkward again... Because it's no longer about the rush you get from good news or making progress at stuff.] Covered that I know where to find you... Problem is I was thinking about maybe changing where people find me? With all the shit that happened... Do you, uh. Do you think that would be a good idea?

[He laughs, but as Maverick loses the teasing note, so does he.]

I think, mijo, that you should do what makes you comfortable. And honestly, after that scare, I think you being in a different room is a more comfortable thought for me.

[And if he feels more at ease with it, he can't imagine Maverick wouldn't. He just might also have doubt and guilt in there.]

It might give you space at the very least. Whether you're still together or not, in some cases that is the right thing.

Where were you thinking to go?

[He gives the slightest nod as he listens and thinks. It had felt like the right thing, but as blatantly as he goes "fuck it, I do what I want" every day of his life, Héctor was right that there was doubt there. There was doubt in most things Mav did. He was just usually better at hiding it.]

Mama's got an apartment in town, but it... I dunno. Maybe it's because it wouldn't really be getting space, or just it feels like a fucking step back? Plus it ain't exactly private, I mean, my room doesn't even have a fucking door. [Anyway.] I was thinking the inn? Long as Mama's cool with it, I can fucking work when I'm not in school to make up for taking the space. Can't imagine she wouldn't let me.

It's not a step back to know your limits. Or to make it clear that he's got to earn back your trust.

[Imelda could tell him that.]

But having a door does sound better. Probably feels more independent that way too. And I also can't imagine your Mamá would say no.

You going to tell people where to find you or keep it more hush?

[Isn't it funny how quickly Mav forgets when the situation is turned back around on him? Still, with the reassurance his voice picks up a bit again.]

I was thinking about keeping it quiet, but then I fucking thought, hey. If I tell people, I can fucking make 'em help me move my shit out, and depending on what floor my room's gonna be on, that would be fucking hilarious. You're exempt, you literally have no muscles.

[He smiles again, glad to hear Maverick's not completely closing off. Even if he's guising it in taking advantage of them.

He barks a laugh.]

You don't think these guns could handle it?

[He holds up an extremely skinny arm.]

But alright, if I get out of helping you move, I'll bring the pizza and drinks, how's that sound?

[He sees that arm. It earns a mocking snort of laughter.]

I ain't gonna be doing it under the cover of night, guided only by the light of the fucking moon, you know. Not that I won't take late pizza and drinks. Of fucking course I'll take pizza and drinks, who the fuck do I think I am?

[So rude. Even if he's apparently amused by it.]

I think you're the kind of guy who will take late pizza and drinks. [He says with a pointed grin.]

Tell me what you want on it and all that. It's not like you'll be sharing with me so don't hold back. Oh, and where to go of course. You can text me the address when you figure that part out.

[but who wouldn't, really????]

Sure -- hey, speaking of which, what the fuck happens when you eat? I've seen you drink, so it can't be impossible.

[He makes a face.]

Ah. Yeah. I don't like to do that.

[Just thinking about it... Eugh.]

I can. Especially if I need to fake it, you know. But, well, put it like this. If you leave a drink in the open it usually just evaporates. If you leave food in the open it uh. Well, it rots. And if it's with song that's already sort of off it rots really fast. Eventually, I get sick. Extremely sick. Like second to my death, sick. It's horrible. I learned the hard way.

[For once, it's him that's shuddering. He shakes out his head.]

Anyway! I find I can manage if it's something really small that doesn't rot. Like, say, bar peanuts. And on the flip side, any drink with dairy is a big no. And juice. Juice is bad. I tried like a spoonful of ice cream once with this girl who went here, Orihime, and it didn't go too bad but I also mostly choked on it and called it quits. So, no food. Unless it's a kind of... spirit... thing. You only find that stuff in the Outlands though.

Edited 2019-09-30 14:10 (UTC)

Ew. Fucking gross...

[His face also says "ew". Ew??? Ew to all of that. He's never going to hang around an eating Héctor. Oh, but...]

Spirit thing like maybe some hawk kid went around giving food offerings to corpses of his prey, and then somehow, somewhere else all Outlandsy some weird transitional shit happens...?

Yeah.

[For once he agrees.

He lifts a brow.]

Toby's offerings? I... huh. I don't know.

Whenever we did find anything it wasn't a whole set up deal, just weird plants, occasionally something else... well, you could tell, because if we picked it up, it got this kind of glow to it. We could eat or drink it, even skeletal, and it'd just be gone. But we could taste it somehow. It was pretty cool. But, ah, I don't know about it all being offerings for us. You have to remember, mi familia and I, to this world we were just missing. A couple of posters around a bus stop if that, probably forgotten after a few years. No grave, no shrine or offrenda, no offerings. Never really tested it out.

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