first breath ✧ action

[musubi]

[There's a pale, shirtless figure walking through the woods just outside town. His footsteps are silent, and the book he holds in one hand remains unopened. The only article of clothing he found at the scene when he awoke was his hat, which he's returned to its rightful place on his head. He'd be normal looking if not for the face-like growths covering the upper portion of his body.

Despite his attempts to go unnoticed, Isamu's presence is announced by the occasional bit of wildlife fleeing from his presence.

At one point he stops and glances around apprehensively.] ...Naoki?

[If you're not Naoki Kashima, he will have very little interest in you. Feel free to attempt conversation anyway, however.]

Comments

[Action]

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

[Naoki looks at him closely for a few moments, before nodding.] Okay, then. [He leads the way into the village, heading towards one of the tall community buildings.]

[Action]

[causeblocked.livejournal.com]

[Isamu follows, sticking closer to Naoki than he'd like. Yellow eyes dart about, taking in everything as they pass it. This is all upsetting up, but he says nothing.]

[Action]

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

[Naoki glances over at him as they walk.] Everything here in the shops you can just take—it's free. The apartments, too. [He steps inside the building, making his way up the stairs.]

[Action] *upsetting HIM. orz

[causeblocked.livejournal.com]

[Still following, despite everything.] Apartments? There's no private housing anywhere?

[Action] I was thinking, if you want Isamu to move in, you can! The roomie might just be B| IC.

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

Well, there's houses, but I'm not sure how many of them are free. [Looking at him as they make their way upstairs.] The apartments aren't so bad, really. They're quiet, and there's electricity now.

Re: [Action] We'll see. I don't know if Isamu would want to stay with 2 others.

[causeblocked.livejournal.com]

Now? There wasn't before?

[Isamu is becoming a bit winded as they climb. Lack of electricity would explain the lack of elevator. Still, he was in better shape than this. It was just the damn thin air...]

[Action] Yeah, up to you!

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

Just got it a week or so ago. I think it was a reward for the fighting.

[Naoki glances over once in a while, his eyebrows furrowing slightly in worry. Eventually, he climbs up the last stair and steps towards one of the apartment doors, pushing it open.]

[Action]

[causeblocked.livejournal.com]

[Isamu stops in the hall, panting, his hands on his knees. The faces on his skin seem to be opening and closing their mouths as well, as though trying and failing to suck in air.]

[Action]

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

[Naoki turns to him, pauses, and steps in closer.] Are you okay...? [His gaze roams over the faces on his skin, frowning slowly.]

[Action]

[causeblocked.livejournal.com]

I'm fine. [It's spoken a bit quickly, and Isamu straightens up. He's a little dizzy, but he'll manage. He doesn't need help.]

This it?

[Action]

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

[Naoki looks at him once more, but nods after a moment. He turns towards the apartment door.]

Yeah, come in.

[Action]

[causeblocked.livejournal.com]

[He takes quick stock of the place, focusing on anything but his current difficulties. Eventually, he glares at Naoki.]

You're not the only one that lives here.

[Action]

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

[And Naoki blinks, as though he just remembered that. He rubs the side of his neck.]

…Oh yeah. I’ve got a roommate.

[Action]

[causeblocked.livejournal.com]

You should get rid of them. [Casually said as he looks for a sofa or something to lay down on.]

[Action]

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

Get rid of—er, well, he was the one that let me move in… [Shifting a bit as he trails slightly behind him, waving a hand to indicate the sofa.] Do you want anything? Something to eat?

[Action]

[causeblocked.livejournal.com]

[Isamu sits, bouncing in the seat as a way of testing out whether the sofa is comfortable enough. Naoki's question catches him off guard.]

Something to...? Ah... [He hasn't eaten since arriving in the vortex world, so the thought of food hadn't even entered his mind given everything else he was trying to take in. He doesn't even know if he's hungry.]

[Action]

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

[Naoki holds up a hand as an indication for him to wait.] If you want to--I'll see what's there. [And he wanders to the mini-fridge tucked away in a corner, digging through it.] Hmm--just sushi, and rice balls. I could make something.

[Action]

[causeblocked.livejournal.com]

Do that. [The more Isamu thinks about food, the more he realizes he wants some. Anything. It's not in him to be polite about it, though, and he makes himself comfortable on the sofa in the meantime.

Even if Naoki doesn't remember, that doesn't mean he can't still take advantage of him.]

[Action]

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

Can do.

[Unbothered, Naoki disappears into another room, and not too long later—after the sound of clinking and sizzling—returns with a dish of curry rice. He plops down on a chair by the sofa, holding it out to him with a spoon.]

[Action]

[causeblocked.livejournal.com]

[The smell has Isamu peering over the back of the couch and, once Naoki's finished, following the bowl with his eyes until it's handed to him. He all but snatches it out of his hands, sitting back and digging in immediately.]

[Action]

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

[And Naoki watches him with a blink. Well, at least he has an appetite. He scratches his hair and settles back in his chair.]

When you’re done, I’ll tell you the rest of the stuff about this place.

[Action]

[causeblocked.livejournal.com]

[Isamu nods in the middle of the meal, his attention completely focused on the food at the moment. He gets himself to slow down about halfway through in the hopes that he won't make himself sick, but still finishes the bowl off fairly quickly. When he's done, he hands it back to Naoki, trying not to appear disappointed that there isn't anything more.]

[Action]

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

[Naoki brings the bowl to the other room before returning and plopping into the chair.]

Well, where to start. Okay, the journals. [He brandishes his own.] You can communicate through them, by talking or writing. Everyone has one in this place. They’re good for keeping track of things, and you can filter things to yourself, or to specific people, by writing variations of symbols before you make an entry.

[Action]

[causeblocked.livejournal.com]

This thing. [He pulls out his own. It had only been on a whim that he'd held onto the damn book to begin with.

Symbols he could do. He didn't know what point there was in talking with anyone else here, but at least he'd be able to get a hold of Naoki whenever he needed.]

[Action]

[denyingreasons.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Not too hard to get the hang of using.

Next--the Malnosso. They're a bunch of crazy scientists or something who've got us trapped to perform experiments on us. They've got a big barrier around this whole place to keep us from breaking out. Sometimes the experiments are meant to affect the whole village, sometimes they kidnap people individually. There's also a power cap. I'm about half as strong here as I am back home.