Days dissolve into the ether, condense like clouds and come raining back down…

[nowinprint]

In the halls of the Kashtta Tower - one rather rusted-out and old-blood-stained hall, to be particular - something is happening.

That "something" happens to be a door splintering apart and a ranting pseudo-Angel of Knowledge stumbling through the broken bits.

Dmitri Lang is gripping a pickaxe which shines faintly with clean gold light, and thus

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[jiiiii]

Matoi is also in the Conrad basement. This is not surprising because there's an Owen there, after all. She's not exactly sure why they are here.

But she's even less sure why she's invisible. She can be invisible if she pleases, more or less, but not literally.

"Owen?" she says after a moment. She kind of needs someone else to confirm her invisible state.

[der_weevilkonig]

Owen is not surprised to hear Matoi around. She tends to be around. It's one of those things one just gets used to.

He is a bit surprised when she's nowhere to be seen.

He puts down the magazine he was reading, standing up to take a better look around the place. No. No Matoi. Which is a little creepy, even for her.

"...yes?"

[jiiiii]

"Am I invisible?" she asks forlornly. In retrospect, she feels like this is a ridiculous thing to ask. How else was she supposed to ask, though? Being invisible is not really okay. It is not okay at all. She likes her Owen being able to see her when she wants her Owen to be able to see her.

"I don't want to be invisible."

[der_weevilkonig]

...oh, and this is exactly what Owen needs.

"Uh." Owen tries to hone in on the source of the noise. It doesn't go too well. "I assume you're standing somewhere where I should be able to see you?"

Nope. Still no Matoi.

"...then, yes. Yes, you are invisible. And have you tried..."

He grinds his teeth for a moment.

"You haven't been touching anything in Tosh's lab, have you?"

[jiiiii]

"No!" Matoi says, sounding hurt. Although, really he's right not to put it past her. That is probably a Matoi leaning against you now, Owen. She's trying to figure out if she's a ghost. Which she is not, she's decided, as she can very much feel the Owen against her. This might not be so bad after all.

"I just woke up and I couldn't find myself. But I'm right here."

She's making a pouty face. It really is a pity you can't see it, Owen. Actually, it's probably a good thing, considering your deathly attacks of sympathy, lately. That just might lead to some horrible, horrible things.

[der_weevilkonig]

Owen jumps at PRESSURE OUT OF NOWHERE, but it's only Matoi, and he's relatively sure that Matoi isn't going to use her newfound powers to assassinate him. Or, if she is, he's not sure flailing and elbowing her in the chest will help that much. The girl's invisible.

...what the hell is he supposed to do with an invisible girlfriend?

"Right then." He looks over through her, squinting, blinking - no luck. ...right, then. After a moment he reaches over, encountering a clavicle and a shoulder before he awkwadly pats her on the head. "Would you like me to... run some tests?"

Invisibility, he thinks, may or may not be a medically-diagnosable condition.

[jiiiii]

Matoi has many answers of what one could do with an invisible girlfriend; however, the narration does not want to list them.

She can't help but laugh at the awkward patting. Awkward is definitely a word for this situation.

"I would like that very much," she says, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her head against his chest. Although, it's very nice to be able to assault him with physical affection he can't see coming.

Still doesn't outweigh the whole being invisible thing.

[der_weevilkonig]

WAUGH and it's attached to him. Okay. He should have seen that coming.

He exhales.

"Have you tried changing clothes?" he asks. "I assume you are-" He moves his hand. Yep. Cloth. "Right. So your clothes are invisible. New ones might not be. Which isn't really a permanent solution to your problem, but people might be able to see... something..."

Still attached.

"On the mean time, we can... that way." He motions in the direction of the infirmary. Sure, it's been ages since he worked there, but he still knows where everything is, and if anyone gives him lip, he'll just tell them he's trying to help an invisible girl.

...because that totally always works.

[jiiiii]

"No, but I was invisible before I put the clothes on, I think," Matoi says, detaching herself from the Owen. She has complete faith in his uninvisibling skills. If anyone can uninvisible her it will be her Owen.

Hopefully someone can uninvisible her. Well, she could get used to this if she has to.

"I'm walking towards the infirmary," she says helpfully because she's pretty sure he can't see her walk towards the infirmary, being invisible and all. "I am glad I do not live here, and instead live under your bed."

[der_weevilkonig]

"You-?"

She-?

What.

Owen can deal with the food and the booze and the sex, but this is a bit much. He starts trudging after her - or before her, or beside her, he can't properly tell, and sighs.

"Right. Could we have that be in my bed or in your own room, please? Under my bed is... a little creepy, thanks."

[jiiiii]

Score one for Matoi!

"Sorry," she says, walking next to Owen. "If you'd prefer, of course I can."

Now she has permission to share his bed and watch him sleep. Matoi doesn't do much of that sleeping thing herself. It's overrated.

[der_weevilkonig]

Owen is beginning to suspect that he may not get out of this week with his sanity intact.

"I'd prefer if you weren't creepy," he says, but it's mostly under his breath. And like he can talk about creepy. At least she's not using alien pheromones on him.

...and just like that, a sudden sense of empathy floods him, and he hisses and stops in his tracks. God. ...he wishes it would stop that.

"Are you-?" He grits his teeth. Really. He's a doctor. He's going to do doctorlike things. Things like "caring" are not included. "...I'd just imagine that being invisible sucks bollocks. Is there anything else you needed?"

[jiiiii]

"It's not creepy," Matoi says, sounding mildly distressed. "I just can't stand it when I'm to far away from you because I love you and--" Just because she's invisible doesn't mean she can't hear you, Owen.

Right now, though, she's wondering who the hell you are and what they did with her Owen.

She stops walking, just staring at him, not that he can tell.

"Are you sick?" she asks, standing on her tiptoes to check for a fever. "Maybe you could go back home and lay down. I'll make you some tea."

[der_weevilkonig]

"I might be," Owen says, pressing the heel of his palm to the centre of his chest. "I have this horrible feeling like I've appreciated you entirely too little, and I don't like it at all."

He grimaces, then starts walking toward the infirmary again. Maybe science will make it go away.

[jiiiii]

"Oh, no," Matoi says, sounding positively horrified. "I've heard of women forming unrealistic sensations of attachment after sex, but I've never heard of it happening to a man. How do we fix this?"

He can hear her shuffle after him as he starts walking towards the infirmary. "You don't need to appreciate me any more than you did! I'm perfectly happy being just exactly what you need. You don't have to worry about that. Really. I love you. I'm sure we can make you better."

[der_weevilkonig]

Owen looks in her general direction. "I've never heard of men or women turning invisible after sex," he says. "I don't see why the shagging has to be held responsible."

And then, of course, he feels positively horrible for being mean to her, and sucks in a breath.

"...fuuuuuuck."