Welcome to the jungle

[byanyother_name]

Who: Kurama and YOU.
What: Catchall.
When: Multi-prompt, 5/27, 5/31, 6/2, and generic
Where: All around.
Warnings: Malboro. Other warnings as necessary.



5/27, between the station and the forest somewhere

[Between the reef and Akira getting sick and being stubborn about it, Kurama's been a little tied up lately. But things are settling down now, so... time to experiment some more with these vials of strange plant parts he found.

He's learned his lesson, though, he's not doing this in the magic lab anymore. Outside should be a bit safer and less messy all around. He also changes into his other form before starting, since he ended up needing it last time. So instead of the station's familiar redhead, it's a less-seen tall, silver-haired, gold-eyed man with fox ears and a tail, all in white.

And shortly thereafter? Also a goddamn Malboro blowing reek into the air and waving tendrils aggressively. It's fine. He has this under control.]

You stay right there and no biting!


5/31, kitchen

[On the bright side, Kurama is not hung over the day after Adult Night. He's back to the redhead and moving around the kitchen normally as he cooks what looks like some kind of venison stew that's bubbling on the stove. It smells really good, actually, and it's a very big pot. Despite the signs of normality?

He Has Regrets.]

I am never drinking that much again, dear gods.


6/2, early in the day, roof

[Kurama is determined to get this right today. He's been working on it for a bit now, with not quite as much effect as he would like, but he knows he's close. He's supposed to distract Goro today, and he's fairly sure this will do the job nicely.

If he can make it work.

Vulpes Cantus, the giant Noise fox that is one of his other forms, sits in front of him, green tails curled neatly around his paws as the two bodies look at each other. Until suddenly it's something very close to his Youko form sitting there. His tail is still two-dimensional and green, but it's otherwise a nearly exact copy. Both the redhead and the fox speak at the same time:]

Perfect!

[Then a small, thoughtful hum and a sentence broken into pieces between the two bodies.]

Ah, this might-

-take some getting used to.


6/3 on, whenever, wildcard it up

[Kurama also goes about his usual routine. He can be found taking care of the plants on the farm level or his orchard on the cliffs. Sometimes he's in the kitchen or the library, cooking and reading and occasionally napping, because he's part of the Insomnia Squad.

He can also sometimes be found outside, practicing, either without a sparring partner, in which case he is very, very skilled, or against his other body, in which case he is clumsier as he's still adjusting to trying to control both of him at once with Vulpes Cantus in this new shape.]

Comments

goddamn malboro | CW: trauma, murder, etc

[coagmentatio]

[ The fun thing about being here? Seeing the different kinds of beings. He's starting to adjust to life here, and he's actually... liking it way more than he liked even the school. And, he's very slowly getting used to the fact that there are people who apparently give a shit about him on a genuine level...

Thoughts for another time, really, since all of his thoughts come to a loud, screeching halt, just as soon as he makes his way outside.

He doesn't remember what he even came out here for.

Everything in his mind is a combination of something akin to white noise and... memories. So many memories swarm his mind, all at once. He doesn't notice his heart is racing nor that he's holding his breath. Not until he has to take in a deep breath, which isn't even steady. And he doesn't even realize he's making a move until it's already too late.

Though, really, he's not moving. The magic is moving, responding directly to his unstable mindset and acting with a desire to immediately eliminate a threat. In other words, a black, wispy cloud engulfs Kurama for a single second; if not for his already being dead, it would be sapping him of all of his life force right this very second.

And when that's over, if he wants to find the threat? Aiden is standing about ten feet away, not looking like he's even entirely there. His eyes are widened, and he's... definitely paler than normal. ]

[byanyother_name]

[Kurama can feel it, seeking something that isn't there to find. And yes, his first reaction is definitely to find the threat, because someone just tried to murder him. He looks furious as he spins towards the source-

Except he knows that look. Fuck. Kurama is starting to think they need the SHITlist posted up on the wall, too, marked by who which triggers apply to.

But for now, his first priority is damage control. He forces the malboro back down into a seed before reverting to his usual appearance. The attack was on him, not his new pet, so he can only assume something about Youko was the trigger.

He lifts his hands in a clear gesture of being unarmed even though he isn't, the palms of his hands deadly weapons in their own right now. Kurama is careful to pitch his voice to the most calming tones he has.]

Aiden? It's only me, Kurama. You're safe, you're just outside Keystone Station, no one is going to hurt you.

cw: the reason for the earlier cw + abuse + kids...

[coagmentatio]

[ Even as he's looking at someone he's never seen before, the memories are vivid. Those creatures are murdering innocent humans on the streets, children are screaming in horror - or worse.

He's still stuck in that place, even a couple of seconds after silver turns to red and the gold turns to green. That voice, however, has him blinking. His eyes remain widened as he stares at the familiar face. His voice is a little breathless as he speaks. ]

You're... still alive...

[ But, beneath the clear shock, there's genuine relief. Relief that eases quickly into actual horror as it sinks in. ]

Shit... shit...

[ He's taking a step back, looking ready to bolt, one hand tangling in his hair. ]

It was you, and I nearly--!

[ Deep breath... He holds a blink, forcing his hand from his hair. His forehead is a tiny bit clammy, but at least he looks like he's managing to keep himself from totally losing it all over again? ]

Guess... I owe you an explanation.

[byanyother_name]

[Still alive... Not exactly, and while Kurama is staying calm outwardly, he doesn't know Aiden is an empath. So that sharp twist of awkward and the dark humor that accompanies it isn't hidden.

Kurama keeps his movements soft and unthreatening as he steps a little closer.]

It was me, and I'm fine. We're probably lucky it was me. That...sort of magic doesn't work on me anymore.

[Kurama shakes his head slightly. He reaches back into his hair and pulls out a bottle of water, offering it to Aiden. His concern is very genuine.]

If you're ready to talk about it now, I'll listen. If talking about it now will push you into another flashback, it can absolutely wait. Focus on now. Will you feel safer inside or outside?

5/31

[hairpincurves]

[She came in just soon enough to hear the comment about drinking and freezes in place. She shakes her head soon enough, then wanders over to the fridge to grab some of the Second Maid in there.

Of course, she can't resist the smell of food for very long--]

... That smells really good.

[byanyother_name]

You're welcome to some, if you'd like. It's almost done and I've gotten used to adjusting my amounts to feed two Wildcards and a revolving door of people with pleading eyes.

[There's a soft humor to the explanation, though he also noticed her freeze and can take some educated guesses why.]

[hairpincurves]

[Freeze, what freeze, there was no freeze hahaha she's fine.

She chuckles sheepishly, then nods.]

Thank you, I appreciate it. [She's not entirely sure she feels particularly up to cooking...]

[byanyother_name]

[Right. 'Fine'. He's heard that one before. But he doesn't have any right to call her out.

So he just gets down two bowls, one bigger than the other, and sets them down with spoons.]

It's no trouble. How are you settling in?

6/2 bc it's me

[beguiledcard]

[ Perfect!

That's the first thing Akira hears, and he initially thinks he might have lost his mind - that sounded like two of Kurama, only with one voice belonging to the form he's encountered more rarely.

Buuuut... maybe he's not going crazy (or, if he is, he's going crazier than he thought)?? His eyes widen a little as his steps slowly come to a pause. ]

Oh... That's...

[ He blinks a couple of times, his face slowly darkening as he gives a small smile. ]

Going to function as one hell of a distraction.

[byanyother_name]

I thought it might, yes~

[It's a playful, smug purr, but again, it comes from both of him at once. He's definitely going to have to work on that. The redhead closes his eyes to focus and the Noise-youko moves to catch Akira up in his arms, smiling.]

It looks like you might like my new trick, too.

[beguiledcard]

[ Noise version of boyfriend earns a slightly darker blush. Congrats on being the only Noise to ever fluster this guy, honestly! ]

Hmmm...? Whatever gave you that idea? [ said with a playful grin as he reaches up, curiously touching the Noise's face ] Okay, so I miiiight like the idea...

[ There's a pause as he slowly looks between the two... and then he quietly clears his throat and admits: ]

A lot.

[byanyother_name]

[Akira... honey... Your experience with Noise is basically Yotsuyu's, Goro's, and Kurama's Noise forms? There isn't a ton of competition. But he always enjoys flustering you.]

Probably the color of your face, treasure. [And the Noise will nuzzle into Akira's touch in an entirely familiar way, golden eyes closing for a moment as green ones open.

This is better than mirrors, sue him.]

Mm, now that I've figured it out, I can do this whenever I want... Or should I say, whenever we want?

6/3 ish? The goddamn giant plant

[founderinglight]

[The downsides of giving Astolfo warping are that Izunia now needs to find somewhere safe enough to teach him - one without other parties interfering with a very distractible beginning warper. Since the beaches have this annoying tendency to be occupied by Ardyn and company, it's out in this direction that he goes.

Which of course results in him coming face-to-face with a particular very large, notorious plant. Chances are Kurama will see the flash - not just Armiger blue, but a touch of elemancy fire igniting the rapier after, because Izunia's not an idiot - ]

how the hell did one of these things even get here, I thought the forest was stable...

[byanyother_name]

Wait, this comes from your world?!

[Kurama sounds surprised, and a little like he's been exerting himself, but not like he's been fighting for his life. The malboro rears back from the ignited sword and opens its toothy maw, the telltale dark gas of a Bad Breath attack starting to roil out...

Except Kurama's hand snaps out, catches one of the plant's tendrils, and pulls sharply, almost like jerking on someone's ear for misbehaving. His fox ears are folded flat against his head in an open display of displeasure.]

No!

[It's snapped out sharply, and clearly directed at the malboro rather than Izunia.]

[founderinglight]

[Don't worry - it's with a clear familiarity that Izunia warps out of the way of where that breath was going to go before he even fully registers the question, his mind way more on the fight for a moment than on the words.

And it's at that distance away that he pauses and blinks, the rapier lowering a fraction but neither vanishing nor going out.]

It's called a malboro, they're native to swamplands on the Niflheim-Tenebrae continent and a particularly nasty invasive species other places.

[For reasons Kurama has probably noticed.]

[byanyother_name]

[He has noticed a little, yes. It's very stubborn and he's having to pay quite a bit of attention to keeping it under control.]

'Malboro' was what the vial said, yes. I'm not surprised it's an invasive species, it's been very aggressive and belligerent in general.

[Now that Izunia is out of range, Kurama is letting the horrifically dangerous and poisonous plant monstrosity coil grumpy tendrils around his arm? It looks terrifyingly like someone's actions towards a pet they just had to discipline and are reassuring.]

It's surprisingly bright, though.

6/3 library

[nojohnyouare]

[Sorry, were you napping, because there's the sound of metal plodding around and then scratching at a nearby table leg. And... vacuuming it? Yep, there's a little robot bear with a vacuum in its mouth, trying to destroy the table. Mai, for her part, walks up as if nothing is wrong.]

Library. Loud.

[The bear whines and tries to... vacuum more quietly? Mai turns to Kurama and bows.]

Sorry.

[byanyother_name]

[Kurama jerks awake at the sound, straightening up from the book he was slumped over. He blinks at the robot bear and it takes him a second to connect it to the noise before Mai speaks.

He rubs at his eyes a little and offers her a slight smile.]

It's alright. I didn't mean to fall asleep in here to begin with. Perhaps I should be carrying a blanket in my inventory, as well.

[nojohnyouare]

Oh. You store things? Like the Armiger. ...s.

[She crouches down to pet Bear-san, who's used to this treatment by now.]

Kitchen

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail snickers, looking unfairly fine for someone who drank as much as she did.]

Yeah, we've all heard that one before.

[She's sitting on the counter, sipping... something, out of a mug. The liquid is extremely dark and unsettlingly viscous, and smells strangely of ginger. It appears to be working surprisingly well as a hangover cure, but you have to wonder if the taste is worth it.]

[byanyother_name]

[A bottle of water and a good constitution is all it takes, right? Kurama makes a small sound in the back of his throat, sounding thoroughly disgusted with himself.]

I'm sure, but I genuinely mean it. This was the first time I've been willing to lower my guard so much and after the way I embarrassed myself after I got home, it's going to be the last.

My boyfriends have very justified issues with people drinking to excess, anyway.

[nor_iron_bars]

See, there's your problem- you're supposed to embarrass yourself out in public, not wait 'til you get home. That way nobody can call you on your shit, 'cause we're all drunk and acting like dumbasses, too.

[Jail is a source of great, if highly dubious, wisdom.]

6/8

[makejapangreat]

[With the heat backing off for the evening, Shido finds the idea of going outside as a human a little more bearable. And after having walked around for awhile inside and not finding Kurama, he's considering just sending a message— until he sees him out one of the Station's windows.

So he comes outside and approaches him, gaze flickering over the different trees before it lands on the young man himself. He offers a little nod in greeting.]

Kurama. How have you been?

[byanyother_name]

[Kurama's hair is pinned up with a faintly glowing glassy flower but that seems to be his only real concession to the weather. One of the eternally blooming sakura trees seems to be actually fruiting, and he's pulling cherries from the lowest branches and dropping them into a basket.

His eyes are quietly thoughtful as he turns his head to look at Shido directly.]

Busy, but that seems to have become my default over the last couple of years. And you?

[makejapangreat]

A good kind of busy at least, I hope.

[A small bit of a chuckle, there, before he shakes his head.] I've been... tired. That's why I came to you, actually. [His gaze and tone soften a bit.] Akechi told me you have... a cat capable of producing honey that makes you have a dreamless sleep.

[He gives another little nod, maybe just slightly tentative.] I was wondering if perhaps... I could trade you something for some.