♛ A knife in my heart couldn't slow me down ♛

[devouringdeep]

Who: Childe (and the rest of you wildlings)
When: All of October
What: An open Catch-all for the Bastard (bc I feel he's gonna need it this month)
Warnings: Mild self harm (as in, "exclusively just to trigger the dimension shift" kind of mild), brief mentions of gore, suicide mention

Comments

10/18 | All Day | Open

[devouringdeep]

[The first school day after the return from the exchange program, Childe is noticeably absent from his classes. It's apparent that he's arrived back to Yogen, as his bunk has been clearly slept in from the night prior, and the observant may have seen him around the grounds a few times since. He's not actively going about hiding himself, or being secretive.

He's simply skipped school.

Those that go looking for him would have a relatively simple time discovering where he's holed up; early morning hours find him seated in the pool house, where he remains until the afternoon. Sleeves rolled up to his elbows, notably wearing his own personal gray attire as opposed to the usual Yogen uniform. The usual bandages he utilizes to hide his tallies are gone for the moment, although he's got his arms folded across his lap in such a way that the marks are not easily visible, regardless. His legs dangle over the rim of the pool, occasionally splashing water droplets up onto the concrete when he gives them a few lazy kicks. Seated on the deep end, peering past his knees into the bottomless maw below.

Noon finds him over by the track field, laying on his back in the spongy grass beyond the track itself. Bandages securely wrapped around his forearm once more, his arms are tucked beneath his head as he lets his eyes drift across the clouds above. His posture could be mistaken as relaxed from afar, though drawing closer reveals the impassivity on his face, and the hardness in his eyes.

Clearly pensive. But not at all serene.

Later still, if one is still searching for him around sunset, he has parked himself up on the roof, where he will remain until midnight strikes and drives him back into the dorms. In his hand he has one of his hydro constructs, shaped into dagger form. He flips it almost compulsively between his palms, spinning and tossing it back and forth. Occasionally, it disperses into a light sprinkle of mist, only to be re-summoned mere minutes later so that he can continue to fidget with it.]

i want him AT SUNSET

[commences]

( the rooftop is no longer a secret place, ever since they gained access, anyone has been able to meander their way up to the very top. it has all sorts of uses though, but today, komaeda's curious on whether if he takes one jump will it be his final one — he can only do this alone, there's too many people that... watch after him, and he's always been the type to test his luck. death has betrayed him far too many times, and it's a plan that he has seated in the back of his mind until the moment he comes up top to see a familiar person in his midst. )

Chakkun! Is this where you've been hiding for... a week or two? Maybe three...

( he doesn't know, he hasn't kept count, but despite them not being as close, komaeda speaks as if they've been the best of friends ever since the meeting and game of hangman. part of him wonders if he should keep a game on hand for someone so competitive, but something comes to mind as he walks closer. )

I was starting to think you were avoiding taking me out to dinner.

( his eyes fall upon the dagger that disappears, and reappears, eyes blinking with interest. )

the romantic atmosphere of sunset... iconic

[devouringdeep]

[He doesn't outwardly respond right away, tilting his head just a bit to acknowledge Komaeda's presence. Childe holds the dagger up, turning it over to inspect the edge, and then lets it rain away once more.]

I'd never avoid you, Kochan. [While not exactly deadpan or monotone, his voice is detached enough to be notable, like he's not quite bothered to put that veneer of charm back on just yet. He turns then, just enough to shoot the other a glance over his shoulder.] Not intentionally, at least. I only returned yesterday, so I'm still... Getting my bearings.

two bros chillin on the rooftop five ft apart bc theyre not g

[commences]

You must have left on the exchange, hm... everyone seems a little disheartened every since coming back.

( komaeda crosses his legs as he sits down on the edge of the rooftop so that his legs dangle, and he looks down at the top wondering what the splat would sound like. too bad all he hears is their voices. he has to listen considering the other's voice is off, and that's all komaeda has to go off is his observation of how to read people. )

Crona-san told me how horrible it was for them, especially with a just as pathetic companion... what is it for you, did you take along someone unbearable?

( he settles his hands in his lap, looking towards the other curiously now since the blade is gone. )

you cant sit directly beside your future bdsm dom w/o askin anyway its illegal or smthn

[devouringdeep]

[There's the slightest hint of a smile that plays across his lips, and he's humming out a no in response.]

Didn't take anyone along, actually. Just me on my lonesome.

[Probably a good thing, if he was being honest. He's got such a good reputation here in Yogen so far, and he would have hated to ruin it by involving a witness. Resting his chin on his closed fist, idly watches Komaeda out of the corner of his eyes.] You didn't sign up? I'd have thought that you would have enjoyed some time away to enjoy a change of scenery. [The dagger is slowly reforming in his palm once more, mostly so he can properly watch Komaeda's reaction this time.]

its like a rite of passage into the money and the physical aggression (pos)

[commences]

Aw... you should have taken me, maybe it wouldn't have been... ( he lifts one hand, reaching up to almost touch childe's locks of hair before pulling away, teasing in a manner ) so lonely.

( his hands drop back down to the seat of his lap, and maybe he's fooling himself, but he thinks he would have went along to somewhere different. simulation is one thing, some place where a person can make weapons out of water would have been uniquely different. )

...There's nothing for me back home.

( that's where some people went, and then others piggybacked to an entirely different environment. the only thing he has back home is a corrupted world due to his actions along with others, and a place where he's not exactly wanted. though, it's a short-lived thought as his eyes migrate to the weapon again, eyes trained like a cats that's been baited with a light for him to be drawn to. he makes no vocal reaction, but childe can watch komaeda's sickly, pale green eyes that lack a thought behind them peer curious once again. )

beat up (affectionate)

[devouringdeep]

[He doesn't pull back from Komaeda's advances, a brow arching in equal parts curiosity and amusement.] Had I known you were interested and available, I would have asked. [His expression sobers up moments after the words leave him, however, and he gives a small hum of acknowledgment.]

Wasn't much there for me either, truthfully. Just a bunch of false platitudes. [He lifts the dagger a bit higher, slowly waving it back and forth. Exactly like he's playing with a cat.] You asked if it had been a week or so... Has it really only been that long?

[mermaidcursed]

( nene doesn't go near the track- not deliberately, anyways. but childe is over there and he hasn't been seen in some time now, even with the exchange program. if it wasn't nene, maybe his posture would fool an onlooker- but it's her, so it doesn't.

one thing this school's done for her is really hone her emotional insight, truly.

so, uneasy, and carrying a bottle from the vending machine, nene tiptaps across the track to the grassy center, and stands over childe for a moment, blinking those red doe-eyes at him slowly... before pressing the bottom of the bottle of juice against his forehead, as a childish distraction. he can't get caught up in his thoughts if he's being pestered now, can he? )

[devouringdeep]

[He hadn't expected to have company around now, especially not when the others gave the track field such a wide berth. The moment Nene's face obscures his view of the sky, a look of genuine surprise flashes across his eyes. Blinking up at her, brow arching just the slightest bit as he watches the bottle slowly descend upon him.

He stays perfectly still, not wanting to knock it over, or anything of the sort. It's almost enough to crack a smile out of him, though not quite.]

Hi.

[mermaidcursed]

Hi. ... You seem... ( a lot of things. ) Tired. ... I take it the exchange wasn't great for you, either?

( nene leaves the bottle there, but she thinks it'll probably slide off to the side eventually. instead, she sits down beside him and tucks her arms under her legs. )

[devouringdeep]

[His eyes cross a bit to carefully consider the juice now seemingly permanent upon his brow, remaining as carefully still as he possibly can. He clocks it as a challenge of some sort, one he intends on winning. Which means remaining a table for as long as he is still able to do so.]

Either, huh? I take it a lot of people returned unsatisfied then?

[mermaidcursed]

I don't think I saw a single person come back completely happy. Or at all. ... Stephanie-chan went straight to her room and stayed in bed for a long time. Lucifer's been more upset lately...

( nene looks at him, the way his face shifts, the way he distances himself from others while he adjusts to being here again. 'even you', goes unspoken. )

[devouringdeep]

Makes sense. Given the uh...

[He can feel her gaze burning against his skin, and he pointedly continues to do his best to avoid it. Nene's always struck him as the type to be a little more perceptive than some of the others, and he's not overly fond of getting perceived. Especially not when he's feeling particularly raw.]

Return parameters. [He clears his throat and tries to sound a bit more cheerful as he continues.] I tried to bring you back a shell, like you wanted. It didn't seem to work though, unfortunately.

hyung.......

[silentabyss]

[Noah appears on the roof that evening, just happening across Childe while he's poking around as he normally does. And, because Noah has been waiting for Childe to get back quite eagerly, the tippy tap of running feet can be heard long before Noah comes to rest at Childe's side.]

Welcome back. Did you get to celebrate Krsnik Noc?

[Noah knows that it's a summer solstice thing, he was told that, and assuming time lines up appropriately, there's no way that would've happened... so if Childe says yes Noah will know to beat the doppelganger to death.

Anyway, perhaps more pressing,]

...is that a water dagger?

he's coping I swear

[devouringdeep]

[The pitter-patter of running Noahs causes him to stiffen up just a bit, although once he registers who it is his posture relaxes once more. Childe tears his eyes away from the grounds below, turning slowly to regard the boy.

He'd smile if he felt capable. As it stands, nothing comes of the attempt.]

Didn't quite stay long enough to participate, no. [He registers the inquiry as an attempt on Noah's part to confirm his identity, so after a moment's pause he adds more onto the end of the statement.] I didn't spend much of my time in Morepesok, so even if I had been there long enough I doubt that I would have been able to, anyway.

[The dagger is tossed up high, rotating a few times in midair before he's catching it again.]

Sure is.

is he????

[silentabyss]

[Childe is clear. Listen, when you disappear for a week, Noah has to double-check. Anything can happen in a week. Fuck it, anything can happen in a day around here.

If Childe is upset, distracted, or otherwise, Noah doesn't seem to register it, too distracted is he by the tricks. There's also the small fact that Noah isn't great at registering other people's emotions unless they're super obvious — he spent fifteen years of his life around approximately zero people unless they were experimenting on him, so.]

Did you have fun, at least?

oh totally, he’s fine. can’t you tell??

[devouringdeep]

[The question causes him to pause, dagger held in a slashing grip before he’s spinning it to adjust his hold into one more appropriate for stabbing.]

Not really.

[His tone has a sort of flat quality to it, monotonous and unfeeling. Almost as if he’s listing out a mission report, and not discussing the trip he had formerly been quite excited to go on.

For someone usually so boisterous and loud, the quiet tone is a bit... Different. To say the least.]

How’d things go here?

[silentabyss]

[It's definitely different. Noah looks mildly taken aback, but he's quick to sort of wipe the expression away and focus on what's important.]

Nothing happened, really? I-I mean... no one died, and I went to classes, and Nene and I still hang out a lot...

[Like they are literally sleeping in each other's beds but instead of this being something sneaky and not safe for Yogen it's actually just two trauma-bonded teenagers not being able to leave each other alone.]

...s-sorry you didn't have fun. Do you wanna talk about it...?

[devouringdeep]

[Childe's eyes remain on the grip of his dagger, squeezing it tight enough that his knuckles go white and his fist shakes just a bit. He holds the action for several seconds longer, inhaling and holding the breath trapped in his lungs. Then he exhales, the tension escaping with the air, and releases the dagger, which evaporates into a controlled spray of mist.

It's almost like a switch is flipped, and Childe's reaching out to lightly ruffle Noah's hair. Instantly that cold aura is replaced with a bright warmth, and when he calls for a smile to shoot in the boy's direction this time it comes. It's one of the manufactured ones, the one he's specifically tailored to Noah himself. A little bit sheepish, a dash of affection. That open sincerity that took a lot of trial and error to get just right.

It doesn't reach his eyes, but they rarely ever do.]

Ah, don't trouble yourself with it, kiddo. It's fine, honest! I'd much rather put the whole ordeal behind me, to be frank.

[He withdraws his hand from Noah's head, that grin molding into a more playfully toned smirk.] When are you going to pluck up the courage to ask that girl on a proper date, anyway? From the outside looking in, you two may as well already be a married couple with the way you get on.

Pool Time w/ Da Bois

[redoutlaw]

[He hadn't exactly been looking for Childe, but he couldn't deny the pleasant surprise of finding him here. He had been mostly exploring the school, something he had become more of a habit in the early morning hours now. He'd seen Childe now and then since the exchange program, and he's spoken to Lucifer about his experience so he could only imagine the look on Childe's face meant that he met a familiar fate.

He's not wearing the uniform, instead, he wore a hoodie on and some sweats. He makes his way over to Childe, dropping down beside him and peering over the edge of the pool to the darkness below.]

Heard there was a pool monster in here or somethin'.

[He glances over at Childe now. It was a shitty attempt at getting a smile out of Childe, and considering who he was it was not only a shitty attempt but a dumb one.]

Been wonderin' where you've been.

[devouringdeep]

Supposedly. I've never seen it myself.

[His head tilts in Jason's direction to acknowledge his presence, though he doesn't take his eyes off of the pool below. He's already putting himself in danger, after all. Might as well not make it ridiculously easy for this thing to eat him because he wasn't paying attention.

Regardless, his words are monotone and dry. A bit detached.]

Well. You've found me. We seem fairly adept and bumping into each other recently.

[redoutlaw]

Yeah, that's a bit of an understatement.

[Eesh, definitely the same thing happened to him.

Things had gotten pretty bad if the usually bright Childe looked more like Bruce.]

Guessin' things didn't go so well?

[Should he even be bringing it up? What if he just pushed Chidle into the pool and called it a day? That way he didn't have to try and comfort him. God knows he probably didn't want it, and Jason couldn't do it to save his life.]

[devouringdeep]

[He pauses, thinking over his options and wondering if it's right to bother Jason with his thoughts. They're... While Childe wouldn't say they're not friends, he wouldn't exactly consider them all that close either. They haven't known each other for terribly long, but Childe enjoys the way Jason thinks. Likes having him around for companionship.]

More or less, though I suppose they went about as well as they could have, all things considered.

[He gives a lazy little kick in the water, letting out a slow breath.] Could have been better, of course, though that's nothing new. Personally I would have settled for at least one person remembering who I was.

[redoutlaw]

[Ah.

Yeah, that makes sense.

He was starting to see a pattern here.]

Yeah... I know how that is.

[He pulls his knees up to his chest, unlacing his shoes and rolling his sweats up to his knees. He set his shoes to the side before letting his feet dangle in the water. If there was a monster in the water, he wondered how fast it would come to eat them with two pairs of bait now.]

[devouringdeep]

[He does glance over then, idly watching as Jason joins him in the leg soaking. He himself has left his boots and pants on, as if a little water could damage either then he really shouldn't be wearing them.]

Yeah? Been forgotten before, Stripes? You seem fairly unforgettable to me.