BUNNY 。００１

[selfmotivations]

Who: Barnaby and YOU. maybe. hopefully.
Where: A street in Somni's business district.
Style: I'll follow!
Status: Open!

Comments

ONLY BEFITTING

[selfmotivations]

[A home. He almost smiles, sardonic and bitter as can be, at those words. He needs a place to stay, he'll concede that. But even Maverick's kindness and hospitality never made a home. The only home Barnaby ever had was razed to the ground when he was four years old, and what did he have to show for it? A photograph, a toy robot, and the nightmares.

(Candlelight catching on the carpet and flaring suddenly, spidering along the rug, and a little voice saying don't let it touch father don't let it hurt him)

The obnoxious enthusiasm in Tiger's voice drags him from that dark doorway and back to the now, though a shiver spiders along his nerves like he's caught a sudden chill.

His flat expression is marred when he narrows his eyes at the other man, though it's a more calculating expression than angry this time. He's not sure he believes the old man when he says he doesn't know why he chose that place. It's not like Wild Tiger to plan ahead, but it is just like him to obnoxiously meddle in someone else's affairs

oh go ride your tiger home B|

[selfmotivations]

I don't see anything to be excited about.

[He deadpans, because Kotetsu most certainly does not know best. There's an edge to his voice, terse - he can't bring himself to adapt to this, not yet. He's powerless to change this, just as he was powerless for such a long time before.

And of all the people, it's Tiger he's stuck with.

(But then, the list of people Barnaby could put his trust in was short indeed.)

He has to think, but he has no idea where to begin. And besides, the old man has a habit of throwing off sensibility.]

Is that meant to say something in its favour? [He retorts, dryly - though he concedes privately that the building looks nice, if nothing else. The area is good, and ironically not far from where he woke up.

Stepping inside, his steps slow as he starts looking around.]

[fiveminutefail]

Oh, you will!

[He's so overly confident in his choice, and it bleeds into his voice. He really hadn't noticed all the building's features at first, his only brilliant idea being the one in which he decided to get one of the largest suites available.

But the building had a gym, and other bonuses, and only after having taken up residence had he learned that it was one of the higher end apartment complexes in the city.

His first choice had been the best choice. That's instinct, for you.

At that dry retort, he huffs his overly dramatic huff.]

If my word isn't enough for you, then take a look for yourself.

[selfmotivations]

[And for once he does what the old man says without argument. Perhaps the distraction is welcome. He starts to wander. It's not as swanky as his own apartment building back home, but it could be from Stern Bild, and that is at once unsettling and comforting. He almost wants to pinch himself to make sure that this is real, but that's much too childish, and he focuses on checking things out once more. It seems to be, well, a good choice. With good facilities.

Damn it.

Still, something else has occurred to him, and when he faces Kotetsu directly again, he lowers his voice.]

There are people already living in this city, aren't there?

[fiveminutefail]

[And Barnaby's curiosity, perhaps even his irritation at realizing that his partner had actually made a good, non-arguable choice for once, doesn't go unnoticed. It makes him smile, a proud and gloating one, and that carries over into a short laugh.

He's snapped out of his prideful moment by the question, and he turns to blink at the blonde, the point to the question flying over his head.

He gives the other a strange look, caught between confusion and questioning his colleague's eyesight.]

Well, we're definitely not the only people living here, Bunny... didn't you see the other people?

[selfmotivations]

[Rolling his eyes at that laugh, he scowled again, suppressing the urge to fold his arms and snap at his partner. The dubiousness in Kotetsu's expression only serves to make that struggle more arduous, and his voice is terse:]

Don't be so obtuse. I can see that, old man.

[With a minute sigh, he cools somewhat.]

We came here from our home. There are others that have done the same. But not everyone. Some of these people are from here.

[fiveminutefail]

[He pauses, taking the time itch curiously at the tip of his nose. That would make sense, but how could they even know?]

You mean they're native?

[He takes the time to look around at the mix of people in the building lobby, all of which look relatively normal. Not unlike the people he's spoken to during his few days, all of which were from other worlds as well.

He lifts the hand at his nose to rest on his forehead, and he exhales heavily.]

I'd rather not think about that. It's all weird enough as it is.

[selfmotivations]

How can you not think about it? [He was still speaking with a low, hushed tone, but urgency is spiking in his words.] Who are these people, old man? What is this place? We're trapped here without knowing anything, and you're just sticking your head in the sand and disregarding it?

[fiveminutefail]

[And that little outburst catches him off guard slightly, and he offers a renewed quizzical look. He lifts his hands up and down, a gesture meant to hush his partner up, keep his voice down further.]

You need to stop worrying so much. No one knows anything, okay? [A pause, before he tacks on:] You'll just drive yourself crazy thinking about it.

[He places a hand on his partner's shoulder, his grip firm and grounding.]

We'll figure something out somehow.

[selfmotivations]

[He shuts up abruptly, but it's clear that he hasn't stopped worrying. His expression is still tense, as is the very way he stands there, shoulders drawn, hands fisted at his sides. No one knows anything, and what does that remind him of?

But he concedes that losing his temper isn't going to help matters. His face becomes an impressive picture of calm, but his words remain a little curt, as he all but bites each one out.]

Why don't you finish showing me around, old man.

[fiveminutefail]

[And none of it goes unnoticed, the tense expression, the physical cues and even when it all seemingly melts away, Kotetsu knows better.

And so he takes that harsh tone in stride, but the frown remains as he begins walking toward the elevator, gesturing for the other to follow with a lazy swipe of his hand.]

We're going up, then. [He clicks the button, the elevator arrives, and he boards, expecting his partner to follow.]

[selfmotivations]

[He does so, and for all his preoccupation he is sure to check the elevator out too. There's a certain level of suspicion remaining in his curiosity, like he's still waiting for the trap to set, the line to be pulled, the punchline of the joke to come tumbling out. Even when he resigns himself to the reality of it, he still wants to believe it's anything but what he's been lead to believe.

He lapses into silence again, albeit a hevay, weighty sort of quiet.]

[fiveminutefail]

[Cue silent, awkward elevator trip. Thankfully, it's a short one, and with a ding the doors open for them, and Kotetsu makes his way into the corridor.

Another short walk and they're at the apartment door, and the older hero slides his key in and swings it open. Before anything, he closes it behind them and removes the extra key from the holder just off the the side. He turns, takes his partner's hand palm up, places they key there and closes it.]

Here. This one's yours. [He then steps back, and makes his way to the living area, seating himself on the couch.]

[selfmotivations]

[The eighth floor, he notes without much thought, still intent on their surroundings. He follows Kotetsu inside out of curiosity beyond anything else. What he finds is a nice enough apartment, rather more generously furnished (cluttered) than his own, comfortable and practical and spacious, and -

a keycard, being pressed into his hand.

He gawks at it for a moment, blinking in apparent confusion. Wild Tiger handed it over so casually, so unceremoniously, that he only now, staring at it, realizes the implications, hears what he said.

By this point, Kotetsu has already sat down. Barnaby hasn't moved from standing by the (closed) door, but after a moment he looks up from the card, looks over to his partner with a look that manages to be surprised and frustrated all at once.]

What are you giving me this for?

I told you I had no intent on living with you, old man! [he protests, card still in his hand.]

[fiveminutefail]

[He glances over his shoulder, looking expectantly at the blonde, like he just knows that he's protesting for the sake of protesting. He'd have thrown the key right back by now. He's spent a lot more time with the other, time his partner doesn't seem to remember, but he's learned of the quirks and cues, and would like to think that he knows how to deal with them.]

I know that, but I want you to have it anyway.

[He shrugs, expression serious for once. He truly means what he's saying, and he wants to convey that.]

Incase you change your mind, or just feel like visiting. [Bunny will always be welcome here, and that goes without saying.]

[selfmotivations]

[I want you to have it anyway.

Whatever premature retort Barnaby was been putting together to cut Kotetsu off with, it dies in his throat at those words and he quiets, holding the older hero's gaze for a moment as though expecting him to elaborate. And his partner does, though once again in that pseudo-casual way of his that leaves Barnaby feeling at something of a loss. A loss for words, a loss for footing - he glances away, averts his gaze, and when his hands move for a moment, belying his uncertainty, he slides the card into his pocket.

He doesn't understand this, doesn't understand how Kotetsu can so easily reach out to him, not after their last encounter, not after all that happened. He has to remind himself, once again, that Kotetsu doesn't trust him, and without that trust, their partnership --

he shouldn't have to remind himself, and the fact that he has to, that Tiger has so easily insinuated himself as an important part of his life again makes him feel foolish