goddamngrenades | RP Open Post

"She's a shared hallucination right now. Expectations can change the nature of a delusion, even one that's been inherited." Carolina looks affronted to be called a 'delusion' and York just. Stares into his juice. He wants this over.

"We done here?"

"It could be that I just haven't seen the full range of the hallucination yet. I'd like to remind everyone in the room that all of this happened only hours ago, and some of that time was spent asleep. Everything's going to be banging their pots and pans around for a good deal longer."

"...Yeah we're done here. See you later doc." York sets his empty glass down and pushes himself off the sofa, nudging Malcolm with his shoulder on the way out. Leave. Leave now before they make you stay.

...What is going on? "York?" Didn't he want to do this together? Didn't he find the suggestion of doing this separately strange?

"We're leaving Mal." He curls his hand around Malcolm's wrist and tugs, leading him into the hall. Only when they're further away does he relax enough to mumble. "It's never gonna be a good session when she opens with 'Carolina is just a delusion.' I don't wanna deal with that today."

"She barely even spoke to me. I thought you wanted me there. So we could talk things out. I suppose I can just stay there and listen to you when you're there." He tugs his wrist from York's hand.

"I have no opinion on you being there or not. It's your call." He lets go, slinging his hands in his pockets. "What's there to talk about? We drifted. Yay. We are, in fact, compatible. World is still ending and I'm still crazy."

"Then I thought you wanted to go. Just...hold on a moment, I'm...very confused here."

"I went because my continued presence in the dome is now dependent on seeing that therapist at least once a day." It wasn't until he sat down and spoke with her and now it's mandatory. He's just THAT special. "I went. I'm good for the day."

"Once a day." He knew it was regular but... "There is no way in hell I am going once a day. There should be no reason you have to."

"It's as much to help me recover as it is to study my brain." He shrugs. "You probably won't have to."

"Then they can stick you in an MRI and take some scans every now and then if they want to study your brain."

"...You're getting angry about this. Why are you getting angry about this?" It's less invasive than the shit he went through in the other shatterdome.

"Because you're not a lab experiment, Taylor!"

"..." York just, blinks at Malcolm for a long moment, Carolina is the one that steps around him to break the silence.

'Not anymore, at least. He doesn't listen to me'.

He's about to say something else, because what is that face for, when there's movement. Like a blur, a ghost, an afterimage. It coalesces into Carolina, and he steps back, swatting at thin air in front of him, as if she's vapor to beat away. "Good lord, I don't need that right now... Look, you were part of a project before, and it went wrong, and that's terrible, but you're not a science experiment, and nobody is continuing this project on you."

"Wow, rude." Even if he's trying to make a point that's nice- he'd clung so hard to Carolina, been so good about seeing her during the drift and right after this is- a little unexpected. Then again Mal's got his own brain. Maybe it is too much. Still York's taking a half step back, Carolina following after.

"What makes people drift compatible, in theory? Brain chemistry. Mine is kinda fucked up. Maybe they're trying to salvage it, I dunno. I don't care. THey aren't sticking needles into my spine so it's no skin off my back if I just have to talk to someone every day."

"Okay. Fine. Whatever you want. Whatever is normal to you. Whatever you think helps. Why did you have to drag me out?"

"Oh. Uh. You seemed like you were getting irritated? I'll just..." There's no way to salvage this, is there? No. No there's not. Time to bail.

"I'm gonna. Go." And he turns on his heel to head down the hall. His room sounds like a good idea. SLeep for the next few days. yeah.

"You were being--" Rude, obnoxious, irritating? But York's walking away. Fine. Let him walk away. Time apart will be good for them. He turns, and Carolina seems to be doing that leaning on a wall thing again, watching York leave. Malcolm stalks past. Should've just stayed in the mess and maybe tried to weasel another dessert out.

Room. Sleep. That's the plan, that's what he does- and she actually doesn't follow him. It's- lonely and it's nice. To actually be able to sleep without her being there.

Of course that doesn't mean D isn't there to try and jabber at him about this that or the other but he's gotten used to tuning him out.

He'd go to his room, but what would he even do there, sleep? Already had some, thanks, not looking forward to dreams tonight. Gym, then. Beat at a punching bag. Ignoring anyone else there who might stop to look at him. Get energy out. Practice. Move. Kick.

When stances, moves, motions that aren't his seep in, he gets unbalanced and ends up on the floor from someone else's footing that doesn't work on his body, his reflexes. Huffs on the floor until he picks himself up and goes again. He will keep going until he's sure he's himself. Or at least reasonably sure he's himself. At least he's got some energy out.

WIth d bugging him he can't sleep so he leaves. Goes for a run around the dome, see if that helps. Sits and stares at the ocean for a long while and considers getting a boat but- that's not him. He never thought about sailing before, it didn't matter. It wasn't a thing.

Calls his mother, that usually helps. She's proud. Worried and proud. Talks to his dad. Takes his medication. Goes to the gym to lift weights because sparring isn't happening today. And there's Mal, falling the fuck over using Carolina's stance.

Wow.

He has to slowclap from where he's sitting, weights at his side.

Great, and now someone's mocking him. That's great. That's totally what he came here for and absolutely what he needed, and he's going to shoot a glare full of daggers at that person and it's bloody York. Are they just subconsciously drawn to each other now or what?

"Give it a day or two. That'll go away." It's just been one drift- they haven't even run a sim yet. It'll get easier on Malcolm he's sure.

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