[Thread] Back to the routine...
Characters: AU!Kir, OU!Jing, later OU!Siegfried
Where: Ast-Tessera, then to Ci-Enas
When: After this post, this conversation with Bakura, and this one with Siegfried.
Summary: Aligoté is worried about Jing's state of memories, and thinks that maybe getting him out of the apartment might be good.
Warnings: Can't think of any.
He'd been sneaking anxious glances at the thief for the past week, but Jing seemed completely oblivious to his barely-masked concern. The young man was currently curled up on the couch with a book, absorbed in whatever tale it contained.
How strange everything suddenly seemed! He couldn't believe that only a week or so prior he'd gone to the younger Yuuko in secret. When it had become obvious to him that the other Kir wasn't planning to take his suggestion seriously, Aligoté had decided to take matters into his own hands. He had to implement some kind of safeguard to protect Jing -- and the compound -- if more disappearances came to pass.
How ironic the twist of fate that it had come to pass exactly as he'd been talking to her. For a brief and very panicky moment, he'd almost believed he'd done something to cause it. But there had been little time to think of much else. In that moment, he had altered his contract with the younger Yuuko, paying the heavier price, and taken Jing's memories from him. But he was not heartless, for the memories were not destroyed. Instead Yuuko had given him a small lock and key and told him that to return the memories, he merely needed to unlock them. The cold metal hung from a chain around Aligoté's neck, under his shirt.
And Yuuko's spell seemed to be holding. When Aligoté had, hesitatingly, questioned Jing offhandly about Cassis, Jing had simply smiled and replied that he was sure she was in Shouchu. It was only then that Aligoté had realized the content of the wish. Gratefully, Jing had not forgotten Cassis' existence, nor (judging by the smile he'd shown upon answering) that they cared for each other. But he seemed to have no knowledge that she'd ever been in Econtra, as though his recollection had rewritten itself to encompass their relationship as having happened as though Econtra had not. It was bizarre and yet, seemed to be the right way to go about things.
But Aligoté was still wary, not sure how much poking and prodding his memories could take through the kind-hearted inquiries of his friends about what had happened. He didn't know if their questions could unravel Yuuko's spell, so he'd tried to keep Jing sequestered until he knew the extent of his memory alteration. He knew he owed some people thorough explanations, but he had yet to offer them.
What was strangest to him, however... was that although Jing seemed to remember Cassis, he seemed to believe that Aligoté was HIS Kir, and had even taken to calling him such, although the occasional "Aligoté" still slipped in. It was as though he and his now-absent counterpart had been amalgamated in the thief's mind, and Aligoté hadn't the heart to tell him otherwise, especially not now. So once again, Jing did not know that Aligoté's Jing was dead, and this time, the winged human was determined to keep it that way.
You understand, don't you... he thought of his deceased partner. You know I'm still yours and not his. But there's no one left to take care of him otherwise.
"Kir?"
Aligoté's head jerked up and he found Jing staring inquisitively at him. It was a small thing, and he doubt Jing was consciously aware of it... but although Jing called him Kir, he did not call him partner. Aligoté suspected it was the same as when he'd been transformed back into an albatross; that it was something ingrained so deeply into them that their souls knew the difference even if their minds did not. And somehow, he suspected that breaching that unspoken barrier might undo everything.
"You've been staring at your messenger for a while without doing anything," Jing said.
Aligoté looked sheepish. "Just lost in thought," he said. "Hey, I'm supposed to go and cook for Mr Pinky," he said, joking on Siegfried's wardrobe. "How about you come with me an' keep me company."
"Okay," Jing replied amicably, closing his book. He always seemed agreeable to Aligoté's suggestions and he wondered if that was another side effect of Yuuko's spell. "I still think it's funny you have a job."
"You have no idea..." Aligoté replied.
Where: Ast-Tessera, then to Ci-Enas
When: After this post, this conversation with Bakura, and this one with Siegfried.
Summary: Aligoté is worried about Jing's state of memories, and thinks that maybe getting him out of the apartment might be good.
Warnings: Can't think of any.
He'd been sneaking anxious glances at the thief for the past week, but Jing seemed completely oblivious to his barely-masked concern. The young man was currently curled up on the couch with a book, absorbed in whatever tale it contained.
How strange everything suddenly seemed! He couldn't believe that only a week or so prior he'd gone to the younger Yuuko in secret. When it had become obvious to him that the other Kir wasn't planning to take his suggestion seriously, Aligoté had decided to take matters into his own hands. He had to implement some kind of safeguard to protect Jing -- and the compound -- if more disappearances came to pass.
How ironic the twist of fate that it had come to pass exactly as he'd been talking to her. For a brief and very panicky moment, he'd almost believed he'd done something to cause it. But there had been little time to think of much else. In that moment, he had altered his contract with the younger Yuuko, paying the heavier price, and taken Jing's memories from him. But he was not heartless, for the memories were not destroyed. Instead Yuuko had given him a small lock and key and told him that to return the memories, he merely needed to unlock them. The cold metal hung from a chain around Aligoté's neck, under his shirt.
And Yuuko's spell seemed to be holding. When Aligoté had, hesitatingly, questioned Jing offhandly about Cassis, Jing had simply smiled and replied that he was sure she was in Shouchu. It was only then that Aligoté had realized the content of the wish. Gratefully, Jing had not forgotten Cassis' existence, nor (judging by the smile he'd shown upon answering) that they cared for each other. But he seemed to have no knowledge that she'd ever been in Econtra, as though his recollection had rewritten itself to encompass their relationship as having happened as though Econtra had not. It was bizarre and yet, seemed to be the right way to go about things.
But Aligoté was still wary, not sure how much poking and prodding his memories could take through the kind-hearted inquiries of his friends about what had happened. He didn't know if their questions could unravel Yuuko's spell, so he'd tried to keep Jing sequestered until he knew the extent of his memory alteration. He knew he owed some people thorough explanations, but he had yet to offer them.
What was strangest to him, however... was that although Jing seemed to remember Cassis, he seemed to believe that Aligoté was HIS Kir, and had even taken to calling him such, although the occasional "Aligoté" still slipped in. It was as though he and his now-absent counterpart had been amalgamated in the thief's mind, and Aligoté hadn't the heart to tell him otherwise, especially not now. So once again, Jing did not know that Aligoté's Jing was dead, and this time, the winged human was determined to keep it that way.
You understand, don't you... he thought of his deceased partner. You know I'm still yours and not his. But there's no one left to take care of him otherwise.
"Kir?"
Aligoté's head jerked up and he found Jing staring inquisitively at him. It was a small thing, and he doubt Jing was consciously aware of it... but although Jing called him Kir, he did not call him partner. Aligoté suspected it was the same as when he'd been transformed back into an albatross; that it was something ingrained so deeply into them that their souls knew the difference even if their minds did not. And somehow, he suspected that breaching that unspoken barrier might undo everything.
"You've been staring at your messenger for a while without doing anything," Jing said.
Aligoté looked sheepish. "Just lost in thought," he said. "Hey, I'm supposed to go and cook for Mr Pinky," he said, joking on Siegfried's wardrobe. "How about you come with me an' keep me company."
"Okay," Jing replied amicably, closing his book. He always seemed agreeable to Aligoté's suggestions and he wondered if that was another side effect of Yuuko's spell. "I still think it's funny you have a job."
"You have no idea..." Aligoté replied.