silicone | 🎧 homophonic | pcs

[ hi, we're just vibing at the mcdonalds with a mccafe and like picking at a mcdonald's cinnamon roll. he's lazily doodling on a sheet of receipt paper while a little white stoat is just snoozing in a blue pile that looks like a jacket.

when he sees someone walking in, he does wave a little. ] Hey. How goes it?

Could be worse.

[hi, what's up. he takes a second to acquire a coffee, then slides into a seat at eiden's table, glancing at the paper he's doodling on.]

[ it's just a bunch of wiggly ferrets in various wiggly positions, little harmless guys. and then one more, pretty good realistic doodle of topper sleeping. he doesn't move it away, just continues poking at it. ]

Yeah, it's kind of quieter than I thought it would be. Fire outside the McDonald's the other day aside...

Guess it's not that surprising, though.

[he takes a sip of the coffee.

then he makes a face and nudges the cup away with a sigh.]

[ well it is mcdonald's coffee. ]

Not a fan of the taste?

I never really got why my coworker makes such a big deal about it until now...

Did you just get it plain?

[ taking a sip from his own cup. ]

Yeah? Didn't see whatever it is that he usually makes.

[i know in my heart that when chesed makes netzach coffee it's got alcohol in it. they do not serve this at the mcdonalds.]

[ im sorry he doesn't have booze netzach. but like maybe— ]

Do you want to try it with a little cream and sugar? I don't really have more than that.

I guess it's worth trying, right...?

[hit him with the sugar, my dude.]

[ that's the spirit (?) he will grab his coffee and then carefully open the top to both of theirs and...

pour them back and forth into the other until they are equally milky and sugary, less so than eiden had it, but he kind of likes his drinks really sweet. ]

... Give it a shot?

[ said as he pops the lid back on and hands it over. ]

[hm... he takes it, and takes an experimental sippy.

...hmmmm.]

...it's sweet, but it isn't bad. Tastes more like the stuff Chesed makes.

It's not the best coffee in the world, but... it'll hit the spot kinda. Drinking it without stuff in it is... definitely like drinking watery jet fuel.

[here we are back at the mcdonalds!

where netzach is sitting here with... a beer that he's sipping on. nice.]

This place is better already.

[ hello! he joins him pretty easily and settles in, topper squeaking a little hello. ]

Oh yeah? How come?

[holding up his beer!]

Finally found some.

[ it takes him a minute because he has to sort of sniff a little bit of what wafts from him holding it up and immediately understands ]

Beer? How!?

Bought some off one of those Reapers. You want a drink?

[he offers him the bottle.]

I guess they need money too, hah.

[ he blinks ]

Wait, really? You sure?

Yeah. I'm sure.

[take a fuckin sip babe.]

Man, thanks Netzach.

[ he will take this beer and clink it before giving it a sniff. hello? light beer? dark beer? what's it smell like? bottoms up! ]

[it's beer flavored idk. i didn't specify, tbh.]

Cheers~ ...little weird without two bottles, but.

[it's fine. the sentiment stands... after eiden has a drink, he takes the bottle for another sip of his own.]

It's about the spirit of it, right? Heh.

[ he hums ]

Thanks. Beer your favorite...?

Most of the time. I like absinthe, too.

[of course he does.]

Absinthe!? That stuff's kinda hardcore, isn't it?

It's a drink with a legacy tied to art, you know? So as the librarian in charge of the Floor of Art...

[he's got some interest.]

Legacy... [ it sounds like he's remembering something as he trails off and then. ] Whoa... yeah, your profile mentioned that thing. The Floor of Art.

What's that all about?

It's my job in the Library. I'm supposed to collect and organize books about the arts.

Whoa, so you're kind of like a... literary curator? That's really cool.

Edited 2023-06-12 09:07 (UTC)

People keep saying that it is...

[tfw they don't know]

Guessing it's not exactly that glamorous?

I don't think it's glamorous at all.

Huh. [ his expression shifts, something a little more serious ] What's it actually like...?

... just a lot of work that I never asked for, or wanted to do in the first place.

Sounds familiar, to be honest. I'm sorry... sounds like they put a lot of crap on you.

[ we're vibing at the park with some mcdonalds coffee and some receipt paper, letting the dulcet tones of a lofi girl playlist lilt from his phone as he doodles. topper is just racing up and down the park and is maybe up in the lone tree right now. the minute that netzach is SPOTTED, however, eiden waves. ]

Hey, Netzach! Come on over and sit with me!

Hey.

[eiden gets a little wave in return, as he makes his way over and finds a spot to plop down. it is time to vibe... 'it's always time to vibe' yes, and.]

What are you drawing...?

[ if one cannot vibe, what is one supposed to do!? ]

Nothing really, just... something I started early this morning and wanted to finish before maybe asking one of the reapers for a sketchbook or something. I feel kind of [ ??? ] bad for stealing the paper, and it's not that great for sketching half the time anyways.

[ he's gay it's a picture of yakumo sleeping and he is Angelic. ]

...it's cute.

[he likes it... he just likes art in general.]

Is it really stealing if nobody else here was gonna sell it, though...? You might as well just keep stuff.

You make a really good point, Netzach...

[ he pauses and then points the end of his pencil at him. ]

Actually... Could I draw you? Would you sit for me?

You want to...? Yeah, sure.

[just give him a sec to get comfy-- once he does, he gives eiden a thumbs up. all set. he can chill exactly like this for a while.]

[ oh! yay! he grins. ]

Yeah, I do. I'm trying to sketch people when I can. I mean... [ he shrugs ] Maybe it's dumb, but I'm hoping we can all go back home. And I'll have to tell my clan members about everything and everyone.

[hi. what's up. here's what's up with netzach: he's on the ground somewhere, arms folded behind his head, staring up at the sky.]

[ oh... he...

joins him on the ground somewhere and just flops beside him quietly. ]

This blows.

No kidding, man.

[he doesn't really move, when eiden flops, and the slightly distant tone of his voice is possibly something of a tell about how high he currently is.]

[ oh good for him honestly. eiden just smiles a little in amusement, resting his head on his arm. he kind of pauses for... a while before speaking up: ]

Can I do anything to help?

[ he has no idea. he reaches a hand out and plucks at whatever he's wearing at his elbow. ]

...dunno. Usually there's just... nothing you can do.

[it's how this always goes, right? people you're supposed to help will die, and you can't do anything about it.

he's still wearing his usual green jacket, so that's what eiden is plucking at. he'll just shift his arm a little closer.]

Doesn't stop me from trying, usually.

[ closer means that he will crawl a little closer than that even and will slowly sit up, readjust, and then just...

come back down and hug him from where he's laying down. ]

[oh. how long has it been since somebody actually hugged him-? a while, he thinks. he's not sure he remembers.

he's silent, there, kind of caught off guard by it, but-- he does relax into it, after a few moments.]

[ eiden thinks about pulling away, but when he relaxes into it, he just sort of squeezes a little longer and then shifts back to flop close by. ]

Sorry.

I just. You looked like maybe you needed one.

...it's fine. Just- been a while, I think.

[they're just flopping and vibing now... time to chill.]

[ oh huh. ]

How long's a while...?

...pretty long. I'm not really sure how to measure the time.

... huh?

[ he's not moving away he's just ??? huh??? ]

Long enough, then. I mean. I think everyone could use one after bullshit like today.

It's... complicated.

[how does he even explain that situation. he doesn't think there's an easy way.]

...you're probably right, though.

... You'd be surprised...

[ a beat ]

I mean... I get things being complicated. [ a small smile. ] I have no idea how I'd even explain a place like this to anyone if I end up getting back.

Yeah. It's going to be a mess... Angela's not going to be happy about it, either.

[pretty sure she will Not like one of the librarians getting brought here instead of her deciding what happens to them.]

She your boss...?

[ that's going to actually suck, damn. he picks at some of the grass with his fingertips. ]

Usually what happens after I die is up to her, so...

[she won't like it!!]

[ usually... and die... don't usually belong in the same sentence when talking about yourself so like. sweats a bit inside. but frowns a little on the outside. ]

... What happens... usually...?

Anyone who dies in the Library becomes a book. If it's us, though, she just brings us back after.

[you know, normal library stuff]

This sounds like a really weird library, Netzach...

I guess...? It's the only library I really know, though.

Just never heard of one like that, hah, sorry... [ people becoming books... help... ]

...it's okay. I've been getting the impression the way things work for everyone else is... pretty different.

[everyone sounds so alarmed when he explains literally anything.]

It sounds kind of scary, if you want me to be honest.

I think it's like that for a lot of people... it's a little strange for me too, honestly, hearing you guys talk about the way things are where you come from.

Yeah, everyone's worlds are... really different. The way things work. It feels like it's right out of a book too.

Couldn't even dream half of 'em up.

Neither could I. Some of them sound like... places I'd hope would exist though, you know?

[ he nods quickly and makes a face. ]

I'm already trying to get back home, [ are you? he hesitates ] so now I'm kind of twice as far away as I was before.

[hi eiden! netzach is up in the eiffelfe tower today, vibing here as he just... chills and enjoys the view.]

...it's nice up here, right?

[ oh yes we are up here enjoying the view of the efflielfelf tower. eiden smiles over at him, giving a quick nod. ]

It really is—man, I'm learning so many things today...

Yeah? Like what?

[hit him, he's curious.]

Like your fear of heights doesn't go away just because you're dead.

[ while the rest of him is calm, his grip on the rail is white-knuckled. ]

...okay, c'mere, man.

[just. taking hold of one of his hands so he can let go of the rail and still have something to hold on to.]

I think you should get away from the edge.

[ oh—he shifts and lets him take his hand, stepping back from the rail with a sort of defeated sigh. ]

I was hoping the view would maybe help, but I looked down...

Maybe start with just being up here at all...

[and work your way up to looking down. he's just tugging him back and away from the window.]

[ he allows himself to be tugged back away and smiles at him. ]

Guess I thought maybe I could handle it. Wouldn't know if I didn't try.

Thanks, though. What're you doing up here? Just enjoying the quiet?

More or less. I like the view... I might try to draw it, later.

[come here, let's sit. that'll probably help.]

Don't usually get to see things like this, so I want to remember it.

[ oh... he looks to him as they sit down, the look of pale fear on his face from being so high up now gone. instead he rests his chin in his hand. ]

Good idea. Heh. [ he hums. ] Do you like to draw too, Netzach?

Yeah. I've been practicing painting... never really got to try it, before, but I figured if I was running the art floor of the library I should give it a shot.

[turns out he likes it.]

Oh...

Could I like. Hang with you when you do next time?

Sure, if you want. I'm gonna see if I can get some supplies... don't have anything to work with, yet.

[hewwo. he's in the museum right now, on the floor as usual... this time he's propped on a blahaj, at least, though he glances up when he spots eiden.]

...gonna be another bad weekend.

[ hi im late latches onto you. eiden is just flopping down beside him with a hot tea in a to-go cup. he eyes the shark with a small smile. ]

You know it. It was a mess of chairs all over the Ikea... the place made me so damn anxious.

[welcome to the library! netzach's out here.

his baseline emotions are more or less a deep-seated resignation, something a little listless and sad. not overpoweringly so, but present regardless. over that he mostly just feels curious, a little confused, though his feelings brighten slightly when he gives eiden a little wave. hewwo, good to see you.]

Weird place, huh?

[ WHAT THE FUCK WHY DID I NOT SEE THIS AUGH feel free to eek this over to tuesday if you want chomps..........

when the feeling brightens as soon as eiden is in proximity to the effect of the week, he returns the feedback without even thinking, warmth and delight. netzach~ ]

Tell me what's weird about it? [ genuine curiosity? ]

[dfkgh help yeah it's tuesday now]

It feels so... small, I guess.

[a little shrug, there.]

Ours has a floor for every subject.

Every subject? But there's like... hundreds of those...

Well... for every category, I guess. We just have about ten floors or so, but some of them have a lot filed under them, like Art or Natural Sciences.

Ten floors... that's huge, damn. I'm used to maybe two floors at most.

And you've got a co-worker on each floor...? Seems like you'd need a lot of hands on deck with all of that.

[cool! that happened. cool cool cool.

anyway, rang's text can't stop him because he's chosen not to read so eiden can find him basically anywhere, probably more active than he's literally ever been here because this idiot is looking for matsui anyway. the vibes suck. they just fuckin suck.]

[ the vibes are stinky, they're so rank. eiden is here though taking a walk and somehow during that walk he'll just end up running into netzach. they can now be in a bad mood together. he tries to tamp down the awful feelings, but he's not exactly great at it, so it just. mutes him a little. ]

Can't find him...?

No.

[there's a definite edge of helplessness to his particular mix of bad vibes. it always ends this way, right? not even being able to save the people closest to you.]

[ yeah. the helpless vibes are all too familiar, and he shakes his head, hands stuffed into his pockets as he stares downwards at the ground, like maybe it will open up and suddenly reveal all the clues they need. ]

Probably doesn't want to be found just yet...

[ the sentiment inside: i know that's unhelpful. ]

He's going to turn up... [ quietly hopeful. maybe. please matsu. ]

...maybe.

[there's a pretty good chance he won't, though, but what else was he supposed to do? for once, sitting around just--

he didn't feel like he could.]

How are you doing... after that...?

[ a quiet frown. ]

[hewwo. it's memshare week which means wherever they are: pig happens, and before netzach can do anything about it--

eiden gets to see this, after which netzach just... exhales a sigh, slumping to the ground. man.]

[ man these pigs are such a pain in the ass. eiden is witnessing this memory and as the conversation goes on... everyone wants to live. doesn't matter if it's a saint or the scum of the earth. he slowly just closes his eyes and will flop to the ground with him. ground solidarity. ]

Well. That's not what I expected it to look like at all.

[ it's... surreal-looking from what he saw, the library, or at least the wing that netzach is in charge of. he shifts a little bit to set a hand on his shoulder gently. ]

You okay...? I know that's like always the worst question to ask around here, but.

...yeah. Yeah, I'm all right.

[as much as he can be. he leans into the hand on his shoulder a little, though.]

It's just how things are.

[ he's allowed to, absolutely, and just slings the arm around him to give a soft side hug. ]

Who was the guy with you? He a friend?

He's more of one now, I think. Angela's assistant, Roland... he got pulled into our work after he wandered in.

hey netzach where r u

...hey, man.

[sup eiden. how is the... everything.]

You okay?

[ haha how is the everything. he looks like of... far-off for a moment until netzach's voice cuts through and he has to. slow blink and shake it off. ]

Netzach... I...

[ haha. he just. nods quietly. ]

I think so. I... [ squints ] No. I... I don't actually know.

-yeah. Kinda figured, if... you were where I'm pretty sure you were.

That place was weird as hell.

[ nghh ]

We kept... looping... and dying and looping... over and over again.

And you remembered it-?

[THAT'S EVEN WORSE. fuck.]

Yeah. I did. We all did and we couldn't mention it or...

[ yeah. ]

Alex told us that her Sephirah killed her when she said that she remembered.

I lost track of how many times we tried to finish working with each of the Abnormalities.

...she ended up with Malkuth, huh.

[yeah he... he knows how malkuth used to be.]

You shouldn't have remembered. Usually we were the only ones who did.

Yeah. Kaveh was with this guy named Chesed... Welfare? And I had you. Safety...

[ he rubs his head a little bit. ]

I can definitely see why you wouldn't want to remember dying to... any of that.

[ the hairs on his good arm do be prickling. eugh. goosebumps. ]

Well, at least Chesed's not bad.

[his old self, though? nah. not great.]

And... yeah, it's pretty much... people already went insane all the time, man, I don't know how much worse it'd be if they remembered all their previous deaths.

Yeah, the three of us remembering was like... I guess good, but also awful.

We at least could commiserate, y'know.

[ rubbing his hand slowly. ]

But the fact that some of those things... they make you outright want to hurt people. They get into your head... Netzach, that place is a shitshow... [ not said in a way that implies he doesn't know, rather—just astonished, and tired... really tired. ]

...yeah. I know. It's just... that's how they are.

They come from humans, so it's not so surprising that they reflect parts of humanity.

There was some insane bird too, I just...

[ his voice shrinks a little bit, and he closes his eyes for a second because wow he's. a little overwhelmed. ]

That makes sense... considering some of the things we saw.

That's just-- how things were there. What you saw... it doesn't sound like it's out of the ordinary, for what I know, except for the fact that you remembered going through all of it.

The fact that they were able to just take us there...

[ he kind of just shudders inwardly. because that sucked. ]

It's the sort of place that really makes you feel helpless. The other employees there... it just felt like we were cannon fodder.

...yeah. That's... more or less why I was like that, back then. You stay there long enough and it just feels hopeless, you know? There was no point in trying to save anyone. If they are saved, they're just going to die later, and at some point you're going to do it all over again.

It's easy to get worn down and start thinking that way.

[ he looks down for a moment because yeah, he had that feeling. and it's still seeping deep inside of him now. he just quietly grabs onto the necklace, feeling the edges of the teardrop just dig in a bit more. ]

Yeah... towards the end... I met someone else just like that...

[ well eiden is out here and dressed up for winter! currently, he's sitting with his sketchbook inside the reindeer stables. he's just sitting on a bale of hay with topper curled up around his feet while one of the reindeer has its head shoved into a bag of oats. ]

Heh, having fun with the snow, Netzach?

Yeah, actually. It's pretty nice... been a while since I've seen snow.

[he's just taking a seat on the hay bale too and propping his crutch against it, dressed similarly comfortably in a coat and oversized sweater.

Guess it's a little hard to get around here, but it's worth it anyway.]

[ cozies in. he's just drawing a couple of the reindeer who have been taken out and about. some are walking out led by indistinguishable people. one of them is flopped on its side because it's being stubborn and doesn't want to go out. ]

Heh, if you want, I think you can take the reindeer out? We could get a real bird's eye view if you want...

[ as he goes back to drawing a bit, but i do like it here too, it feels kind of safe. ]

Edited 2023-07-24 18:08 (UTC)

🎧 homophonic | pcs | netzach

wknd 0, saturday

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wk 0, monday

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w0, saturday (the second one)

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w1 tuesday

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