re_alignment_logs | Chasing a lie I thought I believed in

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Chasing a lie I thought I believed in

WHO: Kay and whoever stumbles upon her.

WHERE: Junkpile

WHEN: Today

WHAT: Kay's exploring the Junkpile for some items. If you cross her path and talk to her she'll most likely find an item for you.

WARNINGS: She's a little grumpy after being embarrassed in front of Alpha Trion. Feel like cheering her up?

There's nothing worse than being made a fool in front of your idol. And Kay had learned that all too quickly. Cliffjumper had not only pranked her into thinking he'd been turned into a guitar (a guitar that was now gone, whether by Trion's correction or her own disposal), but some things, like your own competence shouldn't be called out on. At least that's how Kay saw it. But bottling yourself up in your room was getting old, so she took it outside, trekking all the way to the Junkpile to relieve some teenage-girl steam. Although this didn't keep her from her promise to Kagerou either. She sent a text to the robot saying she'd meet him there if he was well enough to go.

From pile to pile she leapt, searching for anything and everything. There wasn't much to find that didn't get scavenged earlier, but it provided a great distraction from everything. She sat crouched, examining what looked to be a whisk before tossing it to the side, scanning this pile once more.

"Stupid."

Whether she was talking about the whisk or something else was to be debated. She flipped her hair out of the way, giving a big sigh before hoisting herself to her feet.

Maybe the next pile would have something.

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She reaches out again, rubbing the spot that she placed her lips, right on the cheek.

"It's called a kiss, silly. You robots don't do that?"

He can't help it. He tilts his head away a little when she touches his face.

"I never have."

"Well...to tell you the truth, neither have I. Except from my dad, but that's different."

She removes that hand when he leans away.

"I'm sorry! It was just...you looked so sad."

"Different...?"

He looks at her oddly for a moment, blinking. The next question is hesitant, like he's trying to puzzle it out as he actually says the words.

"And you... do this when someone is sad...?"

"Well, yeah, he's my dad."

The concepts of family are so natural that she doesn't even realize that Kagerou might not know about it.

"Well, you can...they're supposed to show you love someone!"

"So... that makes it different?"

He's trying to understand. He doesn't have anything like a father to match her experience against. Toudou might have been the closest thing -- but even then, he never really got to know the man that well.

"Love..." he trails off again, several conversations flitting back to him. Wing. Vandal. They'd both said... "Just for someone you... love?"

"Yeah, he's family."

She sees his face trying to work this problem out, and puts a hand to her chin.

"Well, there's all kinds of love, Mr. Kagerou. There's family love...friendship love...true love..."

"I don't... have family. I don't know how to imagine something like that."

Unless. Maybe Shadowmaru counted? But if the others were right, and he did -- feel something for him. What did that mean?

And then Kay kept talking. It only made the matter more confusing.

"How do you even keep track of... things like this?"

"It's a different feeling for every kind of love. It's similar, but you'll be able to tell the difference."

She reaches out and touches that face again.

"For starters, I love you like a friend."

"How do you know I will? You're... we're different."

She already has so much more experience than he does. In every aspect of her existence. He watches her, this time not pulling his head away.

"You do?"

"We may be a different people, but we say the same things."

That hand rubs gently along his cheek, by the jaw.

"I do."

"What does that have to do with... any of this?"

It's sort of weird to do, but he tries to look down at her hand, without moving his head. He's only mildly successful. And also silent. For several moments longer than he should be.

Maybe all of them are right...

"I love someone."

He just. Blurts it out. Quickly and sharply, as if he's afraid to lose his nerve before the words fully form.

"Just because we're different doesn't mean that we can't say 'I love you' any different, you know."

That gets a reaction out of her. The 'I love someone' thing. Her hand quickly retreats, eyes wide. Not that she was offended, in fact, quite the opposite.

"Y-You do?"

"It doesn't?"

He looks away, sharply. If he were human, he'd likely have blushed. As it was... all he did was shift in place, wings flicking, mantling.

"Everyone tells me that I do..." he admits, quietly. "... When I tell them about him."

"Of course it doesn't! Love doesn't have any barriers."

When he turns that head away, she leans over again, attempting to pull it back to face her. Which is...about as hard as it sounds.

"Your friend, right?"

"It could. If you weren't... in the same world as the one you loved."

He lets her turn his head. Otherwise, she'd have been struggling with an impossible task the entire evening. Although... he does keep his gaze averted.

"... Yes. Him."

When his head turns, she leans on those fingers like so, smiling at him. Really, she couldn't have been more proud if she tried.

"That's so sweet, Mr. Kagerou."

He makes a huffing noise, close enough to a sputter. He's not sure why this is embarrassing. Maybe because it's something... that's never going to be.

"As you say."

"What, you don't think so?"

She gives a slight giggle.

He shifts again, still avoiding looking at her.

"I don't... know what I think."

"Love isn't a bad thing, though..."

She looks down.

"I've never felt it the way you probably do. So that's something that you know that I don't!"

"Isn't it? In all situations?"

He doesn't think it is -- not with the way things have turned out in his own situation. He doesn't even know if the feeling would be... if he would be right to feel this way.

How does he do anything without his other half's lead?

"I've only recently been told about it," he says, trying to be more... reassuring. "It's not much to compare to."

"But it's something," she reassures back, giving a slight giggle. "It's supposed to be a really exciting feeling! From what I've read."

She starts climbing up that arm, towards his shoulder.

"I don't feel excited."

He blinks, gaping at her a little. What is she doing? That can't be safe. And yet he doesn't stop her. He just keeps perfectly still as she climbs around.

"More the opposite."

"Well...can you explain why?"

She was a little curious as to why Kagerou wasn't happy about being in love. Maybe it was-

"Is it unrequited?"

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