The dolls back off when Héctor approaches, easily letting go of Nekane's hair. The detective raises their head to look at him. Their eyes are unfocused and the cracks on their face have opened up just a little bit. Not enough to make a mess fortunately, given their cleaning supplies are down the fucking tubes right now.
They do nod when he says they lost and Nekane's willing to admit they lost because logically they know there's no way they could have gotten everything up there without their shadows.
"Yeah, let's fucking call it." They sound hazy. Namely because all of the shit they pulled today was simply doing something rather then thinking about it. They only realized they were on the couch when the dolls started playing with their hair.
"And lay it on me. I still haven't fucking figured it out."
He reaches out, smoothes his hand over their hair in a half-pat. He's reminded of those times when Coco would dance and dance and dance until she was so tired she simply fell over. Even if they hadn't admitted defeat, the cracks in their face give it away.
"Nothing," He says. "The prank was nothing. I thought leaving you to guess would do more than the prank itself."
He waits. He wonders if they have the energy left in them to attack him.
They lean into his hand for a moment before dropping their head back against the couch.
"Smart move." Playing on their paranoia was a legitimate strategy and has worked well in the past. It's an easy mindset for them to fall into. But. "Please don't do it again."
Nekane says it much more gently then they would to a stranger, where they'd be cursing out the poor bastard for trying. For one, they know that Héctor wasn't doing it to be a dick or anything like that and for another it's clear he's already gearing to beat himself up for it. He doesn't magically know all of Nekane's problems and how it works in their head, or how it will manifest.
But they've also hurt people in the past when their paranoia was at an all-time high. So it's for the best that doesn't happen again.
"And I'm sorry for messing with the food. I'll switch it back tomorrow so it'll be normal again. I'll have to get all your shit from the roof down tomorrow, though."
They think about it and sort of try to throw up their hands.
"Fuck it, let's go camping. Haven't gone since John took me."
It takes a moment but they do drag themself into a sitting position. They'll have to stand up but they need a minute longer. It gives them time to elaborate a little.
"Grab all of our comfy blankets and shit. And a tarp if we've got one. And wood. Campfire."
He breaks into a grin. From their weak gesture to their suggestion, he knows Nekane's forgiven him.
"My first camping trip. Sounds like fun," He says.
He helps them to sit up, supporting them with an arm, then just a hand. He imagines they'll be passing out the moment they hit a pillow, but they'll manage until then.
"I'll be just a moment," He assures, before heading towards Nekane's room. Only to pause. "You had fun though, right? At least at first with the game?"
They snicker for some reason when he says that. Nekane just realized how much this sounds like when John first took them camping.
The detective leans back against the couch when Héctor says he'll be back after a moment. But despite how tired they are, answering Héctor's question comes easily.
"Yeah, it was fun. You're pretty fucking good at that." They wave a hand. "But it turns out we're both stubborn idiots when it comes to pranks."
Like anything else about either of them wasn't stubborn anyway.
He beams back at them. He didn't mess this up. They're happy and he's relieved.
"Would have to be, to keep up with you," He says.
He takes off then, going to gather this thing and that. He doesn't entirely want to take apart their fortress and he knows his things are already out on the rough, so he comes back with a modest amount. He's soon off again to the garage, pulling a tarp outside. He's not sure what Nekane intends to use the tarp for, but he's got his own ideas. He spreads it out for them to dump the gathered blankets on, right by the roof edge. He can see his bed up there and all his things.
If they don't follow him out, he goes to collect them himself, guiding them to that tarp too. He turns to them, then opens his arms for a hug.
Nekane snorts but doesn't argue Héctor's point. Their stubbornness is their defining trait. Without it they probably wouldn't have survived for as long as they did.
The tarp's mainly so the blankets don't get dirty. Nekane doesn't follow Héctor out immediately but they do come out eventually with some pillows. Just because.
He turns for a hug and they oblige. It's not a hard choice. "Your guitar and photo's in my room, by the way." Even in the heights of paranoia, Nekane didn't forget how important those things were to him. They're not sticking it on the roof where it can break.
They're not going to explain the box's label but that's tomorrow's problem. Everything is tomorrow's problem right now.
He hugs them tight. His arms wrap around under their arms, pulling them close. He says softly, "Thank you." But he doesn't make a move to get them. In fact, he grips them tighter.
"Hang on and don't let go."
They get no more warning. His knees bend. His wings flare. They go up and he kicks off the ground while holding them, wings beating once to push from the ground then again.
And he drops them to their feet on the rooftop, letting go to stumble, off-balance, with his own momentum.
They're not really surprised when Héctor hugs them tighter. It's just what he did and Nekane didn't mind it because he knew when to let go. But when he grips even tighter their brows furrow for a moment.
"Wh-"
Nekane doesn't get any farther. When they see his wings flare out they promptly grip the man and brace themself as best as they can. Possibly for impact. But it's a fairly smooth ride up, all things considered. When they see him stumble Nekane sends out a shadow claw to grab the back of his shirt. Nope.
He's caught by their shadow. A high laugh slips out.
"I've been giving it my best," He says. His breath is a little uneven, whether from the effort or the nerves. "Though, that's as high as I can really go."
A really big jump. At least for now. But it would do because now he can tell them what he had in mind.
"What do you say to sharing my bed up here for the night?" He asks, gesturing at the mattress and frame that have been set to balance on the rooftop. "I was thinking I could hop down and throw everything up to you."
"Ain't bad for someone who's new to this shit." It's actually better then what Nekane had managed when they first tried flying. It probably helps that they both weigh next to nothing but still. Good fucking effort.
His idea is an amusing one because of just how weird it is and Nekane snickers when they picture what some people might think if they walked by right now. Then again, the bed was up here for awhile so it's probably moot in point.
"Eh, why the hell not? We'll get a good view." And it's not like they have to worry about rain or other shit like that. "Hop down and start pitching shit. I'll try not to drop it on you."
He looks surprised at that, then proud. He beams with it.
Their snickering doesn't discourage him. If anything, that was a solid sign they were willing to go along with it.
He moves to the edge of the roof, leans over the edge like he's going to jump, only to sit down there before attempting to push off. His wings flare again and mostly stop the fall from being to hard on his feet. From there he can ball up each bit of fabric and toss it up, sometimes getting one of them caught tangled in a mess of blankets. He can't help laughing with it all.
They watch him go back down, keeping an eye on the way his wings flare out. Yeah, it looks like he's getting the hang of it. Héctor probably can't fly that far but at least he can get up and down easily enough.
Catching the blankets is a chore into itself, but that's mainly because they're both being stupid about it. Nekane isn't against dropping the blankets on top of him with their shadow claws, just to see his reaction.
But once everything is settled and Héctor is back up on the roof, Nekane does a few tests on the bed just to make absolutely sure it won't fall off the roof before flopping on top of it.
"I wonder what people are going to think when they stumble across this shit." They don't care in all actuality but it's fucking funny to think about.
The reaction mostly consist of squaks and splutters. Sometimes a moment of detangling and sometimes a pillow lobbed at Nekane's head.
But soon all is set and he joins them in flopping down. He's still wearing a grin.
"They'll think us loco. Worthy of the madhouse yet again. Then they'll go home to their beds and plain ceilings and they will wish they had been so crazy too."
Who wouldn't envy them? A fool, that's who. He looks to the sky.
"No stars," He muses, "But we can just as well spy pictures in the ash clouds and see light in the sparks. It would be its own sort of beauty."
"Completely crazy." Their grin is lazy. "But that's fine."
While Nekane isn't exactly eager to go back to the hospital any time soon, it's fine if this makes people think they're both off their rocker. It's Hell. Who gives a shit?
Not them.
The detective sets about burying themself in the blankets before looking up at the sky. Like Héctor says, there ain't much to look at. But that's what their imagination is for.
"And we can make up constellations and shit. Better then whatever Heaven's up there I'll fucking bet."
He shifts about, turning slightly. It gives more blankets to them but in the warm summer of Hell, that's fine. And besides that, he's stretching out a wing and folding it over. It goes past him and lays slightly atop of Nekane, a small sort of enclosure that doesn't block the "view".
"A better Heaven in Hell," He muses. "Now there's irony for you."
They smile a little and blow on one of the feathers. Nekane doesn't actually mind and for a moment brings one of their own wings up simply for the contrast. But they can't keep it there forever and return it to normal before snorting at his remark.
"It sure is some fucking irony. But it's got a better view then Nu does."
They didn't know what they were expecting when they went there for a case, but it was quite literally a waiting room with a long queue. After that they stopped wondering why some opted for resurrection over reincarnation.
Still wasn't worth going through. But they get it.
He watches, noting that contrast. His, fully feathered and new, but awkward. Theirs, bare and battered, but fluid and beautiful.
"I don't think you told me what the view in Nu is," He says, though he imagines they're right. He vaguely remembers it being described as a sort of limbo, not a place to stay.
But then, Hell wasn't a place to stay anymore either, not for everyone. He turns his gaze up.
"I figure this will almost be like sleeping in the sky. The one thing no creature can do." Not even the flying sort.
"Ain't much of a view since it's just a waiting room. No water or anything since everyone's already kicked it. I didn't see it because I wasn't dead when I went but apparently the pit people jump in to reincarnate is pretty cool."
But they had no choice but to take that guy's opinion on it. Nekane had been there to investigate a case, not for sight-seeing and they both decided that the detective should stick to that. Better to get in and then out when it came to Nu.
Nekane turns their own gaze skyward when he does. What he describes is something Nekane could answer because airplanes exist in their time, but they don't. No need to ruin what he's imagining.
Instead Nekane rummages around in their pocket to pull out their phone to take a picture of the sky.
"Nope. Besides, I don't think I could sleep if I was up there. Too much to look at. Say cheese."
Maybe it's life's last give to someone. Just something pretty to look at before oblivion takes you into another life. Nekane's heard the process of reincarnation is painless so that helps. Really, it just sounds like the fear of something new causing people to slide into resurrection.
"Yup, cheese." They grin at his sputter because it'll never not be funny. And save the photo. "One last fucking trick from me."
Logically these photos mean nothing. When they go back home then it'll all go away. But they'll hold onto these memories until they end, until it's stretched so far that it threatens to snap and break the detective.
It's how they've remembered everyone in their life and they won't stop now.
They save the photo and put their phone away. Nekane's half tempted to start an 'argument' that by technically they win because it didn't involve magic but it's pointless. And they're tired. The warmth of the blanket and Héctor's wings are not helping. As much as Nekane liked the cold, warmth was pretty fucking good too.
So they bury themself a little more before finding Héctor's hand to hold onto. Under Hell's idea of a night sky and the wing of a weird not-angel, Nekane closes their eyes.
"Yup. Another day with you."
They're asleep before they can ponder what exactly they mean.
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no subject
They do nod when he says they lost and Nekane's willing to admit they lost because logically they know there's no way they could have gotten everything up there without their shadows.
"Yeah, let's fucking call it." They sound hazy. Namely because all of the shit they pulled today was simply doing something rather then thinking about it. They only realized they were on the couch when the dolls started playing with their hair.
"And lay it on me. I still haven't fucking figured it out."
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"Nothing," He says. "The prank was nothing. I thought leaving you to guess would do more than the prank itself."
He waits. He wonders if they have the energy left in them to attack him.
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"Smart move." Playing on their paranoia was a legitimate strategy and has worked well in the past. It's an easy mindset for them to fall into. But. "Please don't do it again."
Nekane says it much more gently then they would to a stranger, where they'd be cursing out the poor bastard for trying. For one, they know that Héctor wasn't doing it to be a dick or anything like that and for another it's clear he's already gearing to beat himself up for it. He doesn't magically know all of Nekane's problems and how it works in their head, or how it will manifest.
But they've also hurt people in the past when their paranoia was at an all-time high. So it's for the best that doesn't happen again.
"And I'm sorry for messing with the food. I'll switch it back tomorrow so it'll be normal again. I'll have to get all your shit from the roof down tomorrow, though."
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He shuffles closer and leans in. He rest his head against them.
"Don't worry about it. Had that coming. I'll sleep on the couch. Though sleeping outside might be cool for a night."
It's a joking tone that slips in there, lighter. He shifts again and his wings rustle.
"Want me to help you to your bed?"
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"Fuck it, let's go camping. Haven't gone since John took me."
It takes a moment but they do drag themself into a sitting position. They'll have to stand up but they need a minute longer. It gives them time to elaborate a little.
"Grab all of our comfy blankets and shit. And a tarp if we've got one. And wood. Campfire."
They're thinking about what else they'll need.
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"My first camping trip. Sounds like fun," He says.
He helps them to sit up, supporting them with an arm, then just a hand. He imagines they'll be passing out the moment they hit a pillow, but they'll manage until then.
"I'll be just a moment," He assures, before heading towards Nekane's room. Only to pause. "You had fun though, right? At least at first with the game?"
no subject
The detective leans back against the couch when Héctor says he'll be back after a moment. But despite how tired they are, answering Héctor's question comes easily.
"Yeah, it was fun. You're pretty fucking good at that." They wave a hand. "But it turns out we're both stubborn idiots when it comes to pranks."
Like anything else about either of them wasn't stubborn anyway.
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"Would have to be, to keep up with you," He says.
He takes off then, going to gather this thing and that. He doesn't entirely want to take apart their fortress and he knows his things are already out on the rough, so he comes back with a modest amount. He's soon off again to the garage, pulling a tarp outside. He's not sure what Nekane intends to use the tarp for, but he's got his own ideas. He spreads it out for them to dump the gathered blankets on, right by the roof edge. He can see his bed up there and all his things.
If they don't follow him out, he goes to collect them himself, guiding them to that tarp too. He turns to them, then opens his arms for a hug.
no subject
The tarp's mainly so the blankets don't get dirty. Nekane doesn't follow Héctor out immediately but they do come out eventually with some pillows. Just because.
He turns for a hug and they oblige. It's not a hard choice. "Your guitar and photo's in my room, by the way." Even in the heights of paranoia, Nekane didn't forget how important those things were to him. They're not sticking it on the roof where it can break.
They're not going to explain the box's label but that's tomorrow's problem. Everything is tomorrow's problem right now.
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"Hang on and don't let go."
They get no more warning. His knees bend. His wings flare. They go up and he kicks off the ground while holding them, wings beating once to push from the ground then again.
And he drops them to their feet on the rooftop, letting go to stumble, off-balance, with his own momentum.
no subject
"Wh-"
Nekane doesn't get any farther. When they see his wings flare out they promptly grip the man and brace themself as best as they can. Possibly for impact. But it's a fairly smooth ride up, all things considered. When they see him stumble Nekane sends out a shadow claw to grab the back of his shirt. Nope.
"Christ. Guessing you've been practicing, hun?"
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"I've been giving it my best," He says. His breath is a little uneven, whether from the effort or the nerves. "Though, that's as high as I can really go."
A really big jump. At least for now. But it would do because now he can tell them what he had in mind.
"What do you say to sharing my bed up here for the night?" He asks, gesturing at the mattress and frame that have been set to balance on the rooftop. "I was thinking I could hop down and throw everything up to you."
no subject
His idea is an amusing one because of just how weird it is and Nekane snickers when they picture what some people might think if they walked by right now. Then again, the bed was up here for awhile so it's probably moot in point.
"Eh, why the hell not? We'll get a good view." And it's not like they have to worry about rain or other shit like that. "Hop down and start pitching shit. I'll try not to drop it on you."
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Their snickering doesn't discourage him. If anything, that was a solid sign they were willing to go along with it.
He moves to the edge of the roof, leans over the edge like he's going to jump, only to sit down there before attempting to push off. His wings flare again and mostly stop the fall from being to hard on his feet. From there he can ball up each bit of fabric and toss it up, sometimes getting one of them caught tangled in a mess of blankets. He can't help laughing with it all.
no subject
Catching the blankets is a chore into itself, but that's mainly because they're both being stupid about it. Nekane isn't against dropping the blankets on top of him with their shadow claws, just to see his reaction.
But once everything is settled and Héctor is back up on the roof, Nekane does a few tests on the bed just to make absolutely sure it won't fall off the roof before flopping on top of it.
"I wonder what people are going to think when they stumble across this shit." They don't care in all actuality but it's fucking funny to think about.
no subject
But soon all is set and he joins them in flopping down. He's still wearing a grin.
"They'll think us loco. Worthy of the madhouse yet again. Then they'll go home to their beds and plain ceilings and they will wish they had been so crazy too."
Who wouldn't envy them? A fool, that's who. He looks to the sky.
"No stars," He muses, "But we can just as well spy pictures in the ash clouds and see light in the sparks. It would be its own sort of beauty."
no subject
While Nekane isn't exactly eager to go back to the hospital any time soon, it's fine if this makes people think they're both off their rocker. It's Hell. Who gives a shit?
Not them.
The detective sets about burying themself in the blankets before looking up at the sky. Like Héctor says, there ain't much to look at. But that's what their imagination is for.
"And we can make up constellations and shit. Better then whatever Heaven's up there I'll fucking bet."
Maybe they're a little bias though.
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He shifts about, turning slightly. It gives more blankets to them but in the warm summer of Hell, that's fine. And besides that, he's stretching out a wing and folding it over. It goes past him and lays slightly atop of Nekane, a small sort of enclosure that doesn't block the "view".
"A better Heaven in Hell," He muses. "Now there's irony for you."
no subject
"It sure is some fucking irony. But it's got a better view then Nu does."
They didn't know what they were expecting when they went there for a case, but it was quite literally a waiting room with a long queue. After that they stopped wondering why some opted for resurrection over reincarnation.
Still wasn't worth going through. But they get it.
no subject
"I don't think you told me what the view in Nu is," He says, though he imagines they're right. He vaguely remembers it being described as a sort of limbo, not a place to stay.
But then, Hell wasn't a place to stay anymore either, not for everyone. He turns his gaze up.
"I figure this will almost be like sleeping in the sky. The one thing no creature can do." Not even the flying sort.
no subject
But they had no choice but to take that guy's opinion on it. Nekane had been there to investigate a case, not for sight-seeing and they both decided that the detective should stick to that. Better to get in and then out when it came to Nu.
Nekane turns their own gaze skyward when he does. What he describes is something Nekane could answer because airplanes exist in their time, but they don't. No need to ruin what he's imagining.
Instead Nekane rummages around in their pocket to pull out their phone to take a picture of the sky.
"Nope. Besides, I don't think I could sleep if I was up there. Too much to look at. Say cheese."
But even if he doesn't, they take a photo of him.
no subject
As if they'll see each other again when either one of them returns to their place. But he allows his own foolishness for the moment.
Nekane gives in to their own bout of it and he looks at them with an expression of confusion.
"Cheese?" He repeats, not at all understanding. And then the photo snaps. He splutters.
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"Yup, cheese." They grin at his sputter because it'll never not be funny. And save the photo. "One last fucking trick from me."
Logically these photos mean nothing. When they go back home then it'll all go away. But they'll hold onto these memories until they end, until it's stretched so far that it threatens to snap and break the detective.
It's how they've remembered everyone in their life and they won't stop now.
no subject
He's huffing and making face until they suggest it as one last trick. He squints them a moment longer and then sighs.
"Oh, fine, that's fair play. A win to you."
But despite all that huffing and puffing, there's a slight grin at the corner of his mouth.
"We'll both rest and tomorrow will be a new day..."
no subject
They save the photo and put their phone away. Nekane's half tempted to start an 'argument' that by technically they win because it didn't involve magic but it's pointless. And they're tired. The warmth of the blanket and Héctor's wings are not helping. As much as Nekane liked the cold, warmth was pretty fucking good too.
So they bury themself a little more before finding Héctor's hand to hold onto. Under Hell's idea of a night sky and the wing of a weird not-angel, Nekane closes their eyes.
"Yup. Another day with you."
They're asleep before they can ponder what exactly they mean.