[OPEN] You're not really sure what you're doing this for...

[bisection]

WHO: Sinistra & Anyone
WHAT: Mulling about, quests, Soap Search 2018
WHERE: Bluo and elsewhere
WHEN: All of October
WARNINGS: None yet



ONE.

[ The stressful ebb and flow of this village upheaved any chance of Sinistra having a normal sleeping pattern. That might be why he's sleeping beneath a few books in the library, strewn like a fallen bird in a chair. His sleep even looks clumsy, head drooped to one side so he's leaning partly off the chair and arms laying limp and open. He's snoring ever so softly. He's never been able to breathe well in his sleep.

He has a few fairy tale books open in his small lap. None of these books were factual or direct, but if he'd learned anything during his religious upbringing, it was that truth could be found between the words of fables. He's got a mission, now, to succeed in the seemingly impossible task his brother has given him. He is rife with the fear of dying again or being left all alone.

Luckily, despite all of this, he is still a light sleeper. It'll take little for an interested party to stir him back to the waking world. ]

TWO.

[ Like a hoverhand on prom night, Sinistra is lingering an odd distance from the Bluo group home his brother is currently living in. He's still afraid to go in, though the residents have started to approach him on occasion. He can't blame them for their hesitance. He can't seem to bring himself to enter it or even get close to the door.

Instead, he's sitting on the ground, digging a small hole with a stick. He's not sure what to do with himself while he waits for his brother on the occasion where he feels brave enough to stop by to see him during the day. Being with his brother is still awkward as it is. Waiting near the house where he betrayed him so terribly is... far, far worse.

He'd rather sit quietly. He'd rather be left alone. If someone comes to bother him, he'll look up, meet their gaze with deadly seriousness and ask: ]

Do you know where I can find soap?

WILDCARD.

[ Lemme know if you want a special starter. I'll be adding threads below as the month goes on. For plotting, you can dm or add me on plurk @ nautical ]

Comments

one.

[messianic]

[Honestly, once Minato realized most of what was in the library was just all fairy tales, he didn't have much reason to go there. But every now and then he wants a refresher, to poke his nose in again and see if he can find anything useful, and it's during one of those times when he spies Sinistra there.

... Oh...

Part of him wants to let him keep sleeping, but... it doesn't look that comfortable, does it?]

Sinistra-san... [He reaches out to gently nudge his shoulder.]

[bisection]

[ That's all it takes to wake him. He used to be an incredibly heavy sleeper when he and his brother were attached. His body was so exhausted all the time. Now that he has his own heart, its like this new body wants to make up for years of lost time.

Sleep has become alien. Especially this week.

His dim blue eyes crack open and he looks up at Minato with a groggy frown. ]

Brother...? No... Minato.

[messianic]

[Oh, that was easy... Minato just offers Sinistra a small smile, nodding.]

You might be pretty uncomfortable if you sleep like this for too long.

[bisection]

[ Lucky for Minato, not as lucky for Sinistra. A part of him misses sleeping like a genuine dead man. All he needed was to be sleeping less, not lighter. His usual luck.

He sits up slowly and the books slide off of him, hitting the floor with a sturdy thump. ]

Mn... Iss okay... m'used to being sore... but thank you.

Two

[inheritance]

[Now that Izuku can pick out the differences between the two brothers, of course he'd approach Sinistra once he spots him from afar, too. It's a bit of a surprise when Sinistra's the first to speak this time, though.]

Soap...? [Taken by surprise, Izuku just echoes Sinistra at first before his expression settles into his usual smile again. He doesn't think it's a coincidence that Sinistra's lingering here, near his brother's house, though experience tells Izuku that he might not be too willing to talk if Izuku just flat out asks him. So, he settles down beside Sinistra, just close enough to keep him company without crowding him.] I have some that you can take if you'd like.

two

[spiria]

[ Still trying to keep herself busy so that she doesn't have the time to think about home, Kohaku was out and about in the Bluo neighborhood just trying to clear her head.

That was, until she saw someone sitting over there. She couldn't very well leave him alone, not the nosy teenager she is.

Kohaku had opened her mouth to greet him, but before she could get a word out he asked that question.

It was so sudden that it caught her off-guard for a moment. She had to think for a moment on how to respond. ]

... What kind of soap? Like, for baths?

[bisection]

[ Ah, it's Izuku. He's someone he doesn't mind sitting near. Sinistra stays still as Izuku joins him on the ground. He seems to understand immediately. He's relieved.

He looks surprised when Izuku offers to just... give him some. ]

Are you sure?

[ Was it really that simple? ]

[bisection]

[ Oh. He's never seen this girl before. He braces for her to address him as if he is his brother or ask him if he is his brother. That's been the case with nearly everyone but Kisa.

Something in him is relieved that he managed to speak before her. He doesn't have to have that talk again.

He nods, looking comically serious about it. ]

Yes, for baths.

[spiria]

[ Well, she hasn't met your brother yet, so ... You're safe from that for now at least? She shakes her head in response to his question. ]

No, I don't know where to get any. If you do find out, though, I'd like to know that as well?

[ And she'll be sure to let you know if she does find any. ]

one.

[rerevale]

[ Ah, gentle dreamer. It seems like such a shame to wake up someone who seems at peace with where he is, what he's seeing behind those closed eyelids; Momo looks over Sinistra's shoulder and reads a few sentences of an arcane fairytale, wonders if this stranger is dreaming of princes-turned-birds or people in high towers.

He can't help but smile.

Unfortunately for Momo and his good intentions, trying to tiptoe around the chair Sinistra is sleeping on results in him jostling a stack of books just to his side. The flutter of pages and the thud of spines hitting carpeting isn't exactly subtle.

His shoulders hike up to his ears (the very picture of a boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar), and he glances backwards over his shoulder at the stranger who he hopes— prays— is still sleeping. ]

...Oops...

[bisection]

[ Oh, she wants to know too? He thought he was the only one who didn't know. He maybe feels a little better. He doubts she's also never taken a real bath, but at least he's not the only one with a soap mystery on his hands.

He nods at her. He can do that. ]

I can tell you when I find out. My brother mentioned it before, so it should be here. What is your name?

[bisection]

[ No such luck. Sinistra startles awake and sits upright with a gasp, looking around. He's a little teary-eyed, but looks to be okay. His hazy blue eyes are calm soon after. He seeks out the source of the noise.

It's ... a person he's never seen. His eyes narrow a little, guarded but curious. ]

Who are you?

[rerevale]

[ Those narrowed eyes are an immediate signal for Momo to bring both of his hands up, palms outward and fingers splayed in that silent message for "I come in peace". ]

No one dangerous! I promise.

[ His voice is a low whisper, but his lips eventually curve into a too-friendly smile. Open and waiting. ]

Sorry, you were sleeping so cutely, too... I didn't mean to wake you up.

[bisection]

[ 'Cutely'? He's pretty sure he's never heard the word pointed this way. He's rarely heard it at all in his life, but especially not towards him or anything he does.

He doesn't look particularly happy about it, but mostly because he can't process it. His face is a little red from an unknown feeling, but he's frowning.

Why was he poking around him? What was he even in here for? He already doesn't trust him. His voice is small but firm. ]

I'll decide that... who are you? I won't ask again.

[rerevale]

[ It's not difficult to read the room; Momo can tell that he's talking to someone that's cagier than he is (it's not difficult, to be honest). So he eases his smile, dials it down from a 10 to a 7, and tips his head. ]

—I'm Momo. My birthday is November 11th, I'm 25, a Scorpio, and I'm 5' 8"!

[ A little exhale-laugh, and he wiggles his fingers from where they're still held up. ]

I can even give you my measurements, if you want. ☆ Just for you!

[bisection]

[ ... Now he just looks confused. His ruffled look turns dull and spacey, nose wrinkling as he tips his head at Momo.

Who is this? What is this? Is this how people greet each other? He hasn't been greeted like this yet, not even once. He's only recently had the chance to socialize, sure, but he'd have heard this at least once. ]

Why would I need your measurements?

[ He bends over in his chair to start picking up a few of the books. ]

I only wanted an identifier for you... if you did not mean to wake me, why were you so close?

[rerevale]

Ah... I know I don't have much of a chest, but what a rejection...

[ Under his breath, mock-distressed. It's a way to buy time as his mental cogs are turning, trying to figure out how best to approach this situation without making the other party feel put-upon.

His hands finally fall down to his sides, while he hovers near Sinistra's bent frame. He doesn't offer to help, not yet. ]

—Well, I wanted to see what you were reading. That, and you looked so peaceful there... [ A thoughtful hm, a rock on his heels. ] ...It was nice just watching you, you know? ...Is that creepy?!

[bisection]

[ Sinistra doesn't mind doing it on his own. He's been doing a lot of things on his own lately, but only because he wants to. He starts stacking the books back up.

He only looks at Momo again when he speaks clearly. ]

It is creepy... but I'm used to it. Being watched while I sleep.

[ He fails to mention he was in a hospital much of his childhood, so of course the doctors and nurses watched him while they cared for the brother attached to his side. Though, maybe the detail wouldn't make it sound any better. He shakes his head. It doesn't matter. He speaks again, and his question is more earnest than accusing: ]

Do you usually watch people while they sleep?

[ He bends again. It's not a big mess to pick up, but his skinny arms can't heft many books up at once from this position. ]

[rerevale]

[ "I'm used to it." That cuts deeper than the "it's creepy", so Momo uses the moment afforded to him while Sinistra is looking downwards to turn his brows down just a touch, contemplative.

After that breath of silence, he also bends down. Crouches a respectable distance away to help with the heavier books, and piles them on the crest of his knees. ]

Mm, sometimes! Someone I know is pretty terrible at waking up in the morning, so I see him sleeping when I go to pull him out of bed— that's most of it.

[ An innocuous story, traded for a more heavy one. ]

It always feels bad, waking someone up when they look happy resting.

[bisection]

[ Sinistra sits back in his chair once he has his share of the books back in his lap again. He looks at Momo, listening carefully. ]

Well, that's normal, isn't it? My brother did the same when we were small... I used to be a very heavy sleeper. I grew out of it, I suppose.

[ He lets out a sigh, rolling his shoulders to crack his neck. He's a little stiff now. ]

It's... fine. I should not sleep here.

[rerevale]

[ The mention of a brother tempers Momo's smile even more; he's always been bad at keeping his fondness from reaching his eyes. ]

You were tired! It's fine, but you should probably find somewhere more comfortable to rest.

[ He offers a hand, to take some of those books off of Sinistra's lap. ]

And even if you're a light sleeper now, you're still a super cute one! It really must've broken your brother's heart to snap you out of it.

[bisection]

[ He shakes his head. It doesn't feel like a good excuse. He was supposed to be looking for something useful, not napping. He frowns. ]

It would be a waste of daylight if I go back now... but, soon.

[ He furrows his brow and curls his fingers against the spine of one of the books. ]

Your ... compliments aside, that statement holds more weight than you realize. It really would have broken.

[rerevale]

[ Ah. Get your shit together, Momose Sunohara... He laughs weakly, hands back up and waving again. ]

—Sorry, sorry! Did Momo-chan accidentally step on a landmine...?!

[ Sometimes he forgets that so many of the people here have had lives and experiences that he can't even imagine. To people like that, he can appreciate how the things he says could be trite or insensitive. ]

I guess it's not just about you and your brother being really close... ah, you don't have to talk about this if you don't want to!

[bisection]

[ It's not Momo's fault really. Even Sinistra knows that. This is why he doesn't talk to people. His existence from start to finish seems to be a source of discomfort for more than one person here. It's not an easy life to talk about, as short as it was.

He shakes his head. He has to learn to hold back a little. He has to learn to extend his patience out beyond his brother. ]

It-- It's alright. It doesn't bother me to talk about it and I'm not upset. But I don't think it would be pleasant to hear.

[ He puts a hand on the book in his lap. ]

From here on, if I can find some things out, I am hoping it will be better. For both of us. I'm trying to remind myself that that is the most important thing.

[rerevale]

[ A deep breath— inhale, exhale. Momo puts his palms on his face, pats at his own cheeks once, twice.

Once he's done, he digests those simple but pressing words. They're earnest and heartbreaking and Momo can't leave it well enough alone. ]

—If you're doing your best and meeting him head-on, there's no way things won't get better. Especially since you seem to care so much about it, and especially since it's so important to you.

[ Shifting, Momo sits fully on the ground with his elbows on his knees. ]

You really don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but if you want a backdrop while you talk out loud... I'm here! Don't worry about it being 'pleasant' or 'not pleasant'— sometimes saying the things you want to say in actual words helps a lot.

I won't say a thing! Promise.