[open + closed] lately i have wronged you

[happydreamed]

WHO: Kantera and you! With special starters for friends, Saya, and Russell.
WHAT: Kantera deals with complicated emotions by ignoring them and stress baking.
WHEN: Early April
WHERE: Around
WARNINGS: Unreality talk, other warnings to be added as they come up.

[Russell being here is something Kantera never expected. Never dared dream of. It is a good thing: this is a kinder world than Russell has ever known, and not falling apart like the dream, but at the same time. At the same time, his feelings on Russell are complicated and overwhelming and he does not know what to do.

So he falls back onto what he learned in Imeeji: he stress bakes.]

[A: existing cr, their house]
[His first impulse, of course, is to bake for his friends. That's what he does best, is dote on other people. (Even if he wasn't good enough to Russell when he had the chance - or when his original self had the chance-)

He doesn't know if he wants to talk about his obvious distress, so he ends up leaving packages of his friends' favorite baked goods on their doorstep, and then retreating.

Of course, nothing is stopping them from catching him in the act, at which point he jumps like he's been caught doing something bad.]

Oh! Oh, you're home. Hello.

[Please ignore him vibrating nearly out of his skin.]

[B: open, around]
[So delivering food to friends was a bad idea if his plan is to not talk about feelings. But he still has stress to bake off, so...]

Excuse me, but do you have any food allergies?

[He approaches random people in the street, carrying a large wrapped box of cookies and brownies.]

[C: existing CR, text]
[Eventually, someone convinces Kantera that it's probably a good idea to talk to his friends about his feelings. He sends a text to his friends.]

This is by no means an emergency, but if you would like to come over for tea at some point soon, I would be grateful for the company.

Russell is here and I've no idea what I should be feeling right now.

[Not all of them know who Russell is, but he can get to that.]

[D: open, game store]
Excuse me, but if you have a moment, do you know some video games that are good for beginners?

[He knows that Russell likes video games. He'd like to talk to him about subjects that are slightly less heavy than what they're used to, so this seems a decent place to start.]

[E: Saya, home]
[Naturally, Saya doesn't need any invitations to visit for tea. Instead he curls up closer to her in the morning, holding her gently.]

...I'm considering taking the day off for mental health.

[F: Russell, text]
How are you finding Ellipsa so far?

[His feelings may be tumultuous, but that's no excuse for not checking in.]

[G: wildcard]
[Encounter him at work at the clinic, or anywhere else? I'm flexible!]

Comments

Press F to pay respects

[guilt_trip]

[Russell leaves you on read for a bit, sorry Kantera. Eventually, though, he replies with two short messages:]

It’s fine.

Big.

[happydreamed]

[If there's anyone Kantera would expect to leave him on read at random points, it would definitely be Russell.]

Have you been to the arcade?

[guilt_trip]

There’s an arcade?

[That answers that question. Oh, but…]

I don’t have any money.

[happydreamed]

Then, shall we go together? I'm not very good at video games myself, I could use your tutelage.

C is for Coming Right Now Immediately

[bluediligence]

I'm coming over right now immediately unless you reply "WAIT NO" within five seconds of receiving this text

[ True to her word, unless she receives a WAIT NO, there will be a knock at his door in seven seconds. Thanks, teleportation! ]

[happydreamed]

[He isn't expecting it to be literal seconds, and it shows on his phase when he opens the door.]

Goodness, I thought you were exaggerating.

[bluediligence]

Of course I wasn't! I know this is super important to you, and it must be extra super important if you've reached the point of actually reaching out to people!

[ Reaches! For! His hands! ]

Now, how can I help?

[happydreamed]

[Squeezes her hands.]

Ah, well... If I could talk about my feelings, while you pat my shoulder and say 'there there'...

a

[roundandaround]

Kantera-san!

[Rinku happily grabs his wrists since his hands are occupied with the tray of baking. She smiles widely, practically radiating sparkles.

(In the background, Mecchan is briefly seen climbing up the pantry door again before he turns invisible.)]

How come you didn't ring the buzzer? I'm really glad you're here, come on in!

[happydreamed]

Ah, erm... That's very kind of you.

[MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY]

Of course I'll come in, how are you?

[roundandaround]

Great!

[She's always great. She backs up so she can pull Kantera in.]

I just bought some stuff and I got back this fancy dress from home. I think it'll be great for parties and stuff! What about you? What've you been doing? I guess baking, huh?

[happydreamed]

Mostly baking.

[He'll put the cookies down on the nearest table.]

Someone from my home arrived - home, not Tokyo-F. So that has occupied most of my thoughts.

C

[hellborndreamer]

Oh my gosh. I don't know who Russell is but this sounds totally serious and I am absolutely available for coming over to keep you company!

I'll be there in about twenty minutes, okay?

[ True to her word, Charlie sure is there and knocking on his door because this was something that couldn't wait. If one of her friends was upset she couldn't ignore that. ]

[happydreamed]

Thank you so much.

[When Kantera opens the door, he looks... stressed, mainly. There's a nervous energy in him that isn't usually there.]

Thank you for coming on such short notice. Come in, I've put some tea on for us. -Ah, is green tea fine?

[hellborndreamer]

[ When she saw how stressed he seemed to be when he opened the door, Charlie just looked a bit more concerned with her brows narrowing just a touch more. At least until she waved a hand to dismiss things with a smile soon replacing her earlier frown. ]

Oh, it's nothing. I really don't mind when it comes to helping out my friends.

[ She nodded without so much as missing a beat, even as she stepped in so he could shut the door properly afterwards. ]

Absolutely! I'm not super picky about what kind of tea it is or anything, don't worry.

[happydreamed]

That's a relief. I should have asked your preference earlier, but I've had so much on my mind...

[He lets her inside and leads her to the living room, which has several comfortable couches and seats.]

C

[noodleboi]

[It isn't even two minutes after Kantera sent the text that there is a rapid knocking at the front door.]

Knock!

Knock!

KNOCK!KNOCK!KNOCK!KNOCK!KNOCK!KNOCK!KNOCK!KNOCK!KNOCK!KNOCK!

[happydreamed]

Goodness, hold on a moment, I'm coming-

[Door opens! A stressed-looking Kantera blinks at him.]

-MK?

[noodleboi]

[Mk wastes no time in just hugging Kantera the moment that door is open.]

...I got you. I got you.

A

[wroughtandtempered]

[ ...maybe he shouldn't have tried to drop and dash at the house with the newly paranoid individual with really good senses. Eve opens the door mid-baked goods delivery in a significantly more scaly version of her human form— she's even got a hint of a muzzle going on, as well. ]

Oh— Kantera? Hi?

[ a beat, during which she squints at him a bit, then not-quite-asks: ]

Is that stress-baking I smell...

[happydreamed]

[Yeah that might have been a mistake, but also Eve deserves some treats, so here he is.]

It is absolutely stress baking.

[wroughtandtempered]

Well, fuck.

...is it stress you wanna come in and talk about? I can make tea.

E (is for Exceptionally Late)

[sangreine]

[ Saya's been... not distant, but muted. She will have explained by now that it's nothing to do with him, that she's sorting through some memory flashes she's been getting. That's not the extent of it, but that explanation strikes a balance between the truth (hooboy) and not telling him anything, which she knows would worry him. ]

[ That said, she has been exceptionally physically present, and will continue to be as long as he needs her. ]

Oh? Of course I encourage that if you need it, but I had hoped things were going well enough... [ Has she not been paying enough attention? GUILT GUILT GUILT!! She really needs to stop her brain from cracking open like an egg it wrecks everyone's business. ]

e is for exactly on time!

[happydreamed]

[Saya has her own things going on, and he certainly can't ask that they conform to his schedule. That she's here physically is more than enough.]

Mmm. Things are... certainly better than they could be, and nothing has happened as such... But I have a number of worries plaguing me lately.

[He should be grateful! Things could definitely be worse!]

[sangreine]

[ I mean things could always be worse, that doesn't mean one doesn't have a perfect right to complain or get support. ]

[ She pets through his hair and tries to be soothing. ]

Would it help to tell me about them? [ She's going to try her best to focus on the present and not the past(?). ]