[That devil barely even has legs. What is he going to be stretching??]
[And what does he mean, Aki should know how it feels to sit inside of a bag for an hour-long train ride? Why would he know how that feels? ...Is he comparing this to when they had to take trips in the van at the orphanage and everyone was squeezed into the seats together? That's completely different and also - they all turned out just fine. Even without the seatbelts.]
The point was to bring him on without people seeing him but he looks too ovbiously like a devil like that you dumbass
Stop ruining thigs when I just tell you to try them out
The train ride is like an hour he would have been fine in the bag. You alwyas ruin our stuff
[He's typing faster and hitting too many typos because he's really supposed to get back to work right now but he needs to also tell Denji off about this. The perils of being an older sibling.]
[ Um? The three of them could barely walk straight with how numb their legs were when they got out, and also Power's head went flying forward against the shoulder of the driver's seat during one harsh stop, but yeah, sure, they turned out just fine and it totally doesn't explain why their little sister is the insane punk she is today… ]
no??!? YOU always point the finger at me for ruining our stuff. doesnt mean i always do!!!!
[ This current instance, notwithstanding, sometimes it's Power's fault! ]
dont blame me that you cant think outta the box! dumbhairyjackass aki!!!!!!!
[ A couple minutes of huffy silence later, Denji resubmits another go at fitting Pochita into the bag. It's a little blurry because the devil is circling inside it, but it looks like he's plugged the holes with a round of duct tape. Basically good as new. Ish.
Seemingly aware that his tape-job doesn't exactly do much to reclaim the bag's former glory, he tacks on the following message. ]
its jsut a bag. cant you get another one of these things from the school
[Okay, yes, sometimes it's Power's fault. But how many times has it started from Denji ticking her off? He almost kicks a box before squatting down again and choosing to channel his frustration by ripping the closure open by hand instead of knife.]
[When he finally texts again, he's a little cooled off and ready to snap at him again... but the photo of Pochita in a half-taped-up bag massages that down. Ugh, Denji... He's such an idiot. Yes, he can get a new bag from the school if he asks some of the school staff or maybe he can find one in the student council storage, but that's not the point, here. He's never going to understand that, is he?]
It's fine
[No, it's not, and he knows Denji knows he isn't forgiven. This whole argument is stupid. They're both acting like kids. Only one of them should be doing that.]
[ He asks the question like his brother's earlier flurry of "dumbass" and mistyped messages replacing his barely withheld expletives were all just everyday occurrences. ]
look ill make it up to you and your dumb bag
dinners on me tongiht! ill cook up your favoritest meal in the whole wide world
[ Read: His half-baked assumption of what Aki's favorite food is. ]
[His favorite meal...? Does he even know how to cook anything but instant ramen or heating things up on the stove?]
You're such a dumbass
[Aki isn't even sure he has a favorite meal. Of course there are things he likes more than others, but it's not like Denji is going to go out and buy expensive beef cuts or a party platter of sushi. ...In fact, he better not, because he's not supposed to go outside!]
If you can make something edible with what we have at home, I'll forgive you.
[ Hey, some credit would be nice! Denji knows a few almost-recipes from his several years of watching Aki at laboring in the kitchen. He may not have certain techniques fully down, nor does he remember every single ingredient, but he can get something hot and fresh on a plate to welcome his brother with at the end of the day. Surely.
The real challenge will be making sure Aki can keep it down after the first mouthful. ]
fine youll forgive me AND youll eat all of it. then you have a deal
[For both him and Power, this is a caveat he has learned from long ago, way back when they first made cookies and used salt instead of white sugar and dirt instead of brown sugar. Power had been the most upset that he didn't appreciate their concoction, but how the hell was he supposed to eat something with rocks in it? So, the edible point stands.]
[The rest of the job goes by normally, except for them asking if a few people can stay an hour later to break down boxes - paid, of course - and after a quick text delaying his return by an hour, Aki is finally on his way home. A few thousand yen burns warm in his pocket, but it's dark out, cold, and he thinks tonight will definitely be the first time he plugs in the heater for real, lets them sleep with it at the foot of their beds, warming their bodies through the night. The very idea is so alluring that he almost forgets what he's headed home to when he stops habitually at the convenience store. Denji wouldn't really make something inedible, right...? He hesitates, then slips through the automatic doors and grabs a few cup noodles just in case. As he begins to leave a man in a suit asks him where he's going and sounds almost alarmed about it. Aki thinks he's trying to sell him something before he flashes his public safety badge and offers to walk Aki to the station. He wants to decline the offer, but realizes - this could be useful. Maybe he can get some info that hasn't been shared to the news yet.]
[But the devil hunter is tight lipped about it. He won't say what kind of devil it is, even when Aki mentions a "rumor" that it's some kind of zombie or humanoid thing. He doesn't have an answer for when schools are scheduled to re-open. And when Aki asks if they're planning on setting up a curfew, the hunter gives him a thin-lipped smile. "Devils aren't just active at night, you know," he says, like Aki is some dumb kid who thinks devils are like monsters under the bed. Insulted, he shuts up after that until they reach the station. He thanks the man and heads to the train, shooting off a text - Home soon.]
[There's no public safety offering to accompany him at their home station, the two people in suits chatting with one another casually all but ignoring him, one resting her hand on the sword at her hip. Which is fine. He doesn't need to be walked home like a kid. Like that guy said, devils don't only show up at night. It's not like they're bogeymen or superstitious creatures. Heading home under the glow of the streetlights, he scrolls through the messages from this morning, hovering briefly on the link to the news article about the other victim. Killed alone, on his way home just like Aki. School bag in tow. Though Aki's is plain, unlabeled. He raises his eyes to see the apartment steps coming into view down the road.]
[He'll be fine.]
[Shoving the key into the lock, he pushes the door open and kicks off his shoes, calling out,] I'm back. [A simple statement, but it's also a sort of victorious thing, a mocking thing. Nothing's going to take him down that easily.]
[ He's not sure which it is he's more disappointed by, that Aki stops entertaining his jabber, or that the news eventually succumbs to the run-of-the-mill. Stuff like weather forecasts, sports commentary, the imperial family's latest vacation spot — who gives a crap about any of those things?! But as Denji surfs through the channels, skipping past all types of shows and commercials, there's no new information circulating, which if he stopped to consider it for just one second, he would realize that nothing would get done if Public Safety spent every invaluable moment providing statements to the press. Buildings would burn, people would die, and yet that's not his concern as he returns to the online discussions on his phone, the search results only turning up the same circumstantial evidence and jokes he'd giggled over hours earlier.
Man. Aggressively sighing, he flops over next to Power, who seems to be too deeply asleep to sense him joining her. He can tell because, otherwise, she'd shoving his arm aside and sidling in closer to reap some of his body warmth for herself — it is getting to be that time of year. Idly, he reaches a hand over, twirling a few of her fly-away hairs around a finger.
Ah, I really wish someone else would hurry up and die.
— It's the kind of intrusive thought that'd get him scolded for thinking aloud. Maybe that's why guilt clocks him in the chest, and even though there's no one around to reprimand him, he hastily amends himself, internally. Almost. I almost wish someone would. Anyone other than Aki.
Speaking of.
The kitchen very quickly devolves into chaos before Denji has even flicked the induction stove on. For some reason, he drags a bunch of their produce and proteins out to take full inventory of what he has at his disposal, clearly not having much of a plan in mind. What does Aki like again? He's always sucked at paying attention to those sorts of details, but his brother is always talking about the importance of balanced meals, so…
He pauses. Stares at everything that's spread out, cross-referencing the ingredients with the limited amount of meals he knows for sure that he can make, then with the even more limited amount of meals he thinks he could maybe wing, before his thought process is suddenly disrupted by a fresh-faced and well-rested Power marching into the kitchen. Seeing what he's up to, she briefly stops in her tracks, after which she swings around to stampede toward their bedroom. Eventually, she comes back with a huge, plastic-wrapped wad of unidentifiable ground meat under her arm. Grinning proudly, she tells him that, yesterday, while he and Aki were "slacking off on their servant duties," a neighborhood butcher gifted her a marvelous treasure in thanks to her heroic deeds (coaxing his cat down from a tree). And that she's been keeping the meat inside their closet since yesterday. Unrefrigerated. How did they not smell that…?
Denji's gaze floats over to the counter. On it are a bag of onions, their half-full carton of eggs, a huge thing of radish…
After a moment, he nods at her.
Hours later, when Denji hears the sound of the door clicking open and Aki's baritone drifting out in greeting, he shouts to him from the kitchen, sounding incredibly stressed and out of breath. ]
Wait, don't come in yet! [ Sitting in a line on top of the kitchen counter are three plates heaped with a juicy patty of hamburger(?) steak(?). Strangely, there's an large mound of daikon radish grated to the side of one plate, a normal amount on another, and none on the last. regardless of whether Aki's made it far enough down the hallway to see that or not, he should be able discern the scent of cooked meat. In a much hushed voice, Denji hisses to someone else unseen: ] Powy, what the hell didja do to the sauce, stupid —
[ Some light skirmishing can be heard, and then Denji stumbles out of the kitchen, kicked in his literal ass by what can only be Power's foot. ]
Ouch, you bit —
[ Catching himself with a grab at the wall, Denji stiffens oddly the second he spots Aki. ]
…Welcome back home.
[ Thinking fast, he pitches forward, tightly embracing Aki to make sure he stays still, doesn't get too far in. ]
[Aki stands with his shoes half-off in the entryway, staring down the hall with trepidation as Denji stumbles out and seems uncertain looking at Aki. Like he really doesn't want him to be home yet. His trepidation only mounts when he suddenly grabs him around the waist and hugs him close.]
...What are you two doing in there?
[Aki doesn't try to move at first, staying still with Denji wrapped around him, mostly because he seriously, seriously doesn't want to find out what's happening down the hall. God. This was so stupid of him. What the hell was he thinking? He could have just asked him to get delivery or be patient until Aki got home, or...]
[Finally he leans down and lifts Denji slightly off the ground, his hands under his armpits as he moves forward to try and get to the kitchen. A nice benefit of him not being finished growing and being thin as a reed. Attempting to scoot his way toward the kitchen, he calls out with a note of fear in his voice.] Power...?
[Please no cat hair. Please no bleach. Please no cleaning detergents with their caps off on the counter that suspiciously look like they've been used for more than cleaning...]
[ There is an unrelated canister of firmly capped rat poison outside on the table that with one good whack could easily fall on top of their dinner, but, other than that, doesn't appear to have a single thing to do with their steaming dinner. ]
What?! Don't pick me up! Ahhh, abort, abort —
[ The trim of his socks slip down his heel as he vainly tries to stretch his toes out to the ground and hinder Aki's progress. Denji's wriggling around also doesn't seem to be contributing much to the effort. How humiliating.
"Have some respect and cease your sniveling, Denji! The whelp may advance." An evil slyness enters Power's expression. "If he dares."
The two of them now fully crossed inside the kitchen threshold, he shakes off Aki's hands to spin toward Power, glaring her down in annoyance. ]
Shut up. 'm not — sniffling. Or whatever it is you said.
[ After some trial and error, they'd managed to divide and transform Power's meat wad into a medium-well hamburger lump. The likeness of one, at least. Neither of them have taken a bite yet, of course, so whether it satisfies Aki's standards for edibility (or only approaches it) is something they've yet to test. He wasn't too adventurous this time, each patty stuffed with the typical seasonings and ingredients like onions, panko, tofu, egg, potato chips, raw instant noodles, and whole cloves of garlic. Pretty normal.
At Power's insistence, he'd left the ponzu sauce to her, which as she steps away from the stove, looks… exactly as a sauce of its kind should. It may be bubbling and fizzling more than he's ever seen before, but it could be okay? With a hand to Aki's shoulder, Denji nudges him forward, almost as if he's using him as a human shield. ]
It's a dinner made for you. The guest of honor should taste test it!
[...They actually made something that looks edible? And it's cooked?]
[Aki tells himself not to be this shocked. It's a hamburger. All you have to do is beat the meat into a patty and then fry it, then stick it between two buns. Hell, even if they didn't tenderize it or mash it, it would still probably be fine. Aki steps further into the kitchen once he sets Denji down and studies their concoction a little closer, his eyes only flashing to the rat poison for a moment before remembering - Right, it was under the sink behind a few extra things he bought in case they ran out. And it looks like they used up the panko and broke open the new box.]
[...There is a slight smell of something, but it's well-masked by the cooked oil in the pan, so he assumes they just burned something at some point.]
You guys really made a whole meal.
[Despite telling himself to calm down, he still sounds shocked. He peels off the bun on one and spies an entire clove of garlic stuffed into the patty and thinks - Is that as bad as it is? That's hardly anything. Hell, that's nearly normal. They really made a whole meal.]
[He slowly raises his head, looking up at the ceiling for a moment. And it's not immediately clear what he's doing - if he's going to cry or what - but after a long pause he finally says...]
[The relief is mixed with something like pride as he turns his head and looks at them both. Power looks pretty damn happy with herself, urging him to try their handiwork and reminding him to dip it into her special sauce, she made it herself and cursed it with a special curse that will prevent Aki from going bald for ten more years. Aki picks up one of the burgers that doesn't have an entire onion wedge or garlic clove in it and spoons a bit of the sauce on the meat, then raises it up to take a bite.]
[And then almost immediately spits it out straight into Denji's face.]
What the - What - What meat - Where did you get this?! [He coughs and sputters as he speaks.] This is - It's sour! [It tastes like a mix of sour milk and sweaty socks. He gags on the flavor and coughs harder, dropping it back down on the counter.] You - goddamn idiots, what did you do?!
[ Gratitude is nice. Feels even better, since he's pretty sure he deserves it.
Still, the feeling of receiving it tends to make his ears flame up. Makes him forget that he was doing this to get something out of it, but now it feels like he's gotten more than enough. The gentle glimmer in Aki's eyes has nothing to do with how bright the lights are in their apartment — no, it's an unguarded expression of his Denji knows well. Possibly because he can never force himself to look away when he thinks Aki might be about to bring a hand up to his face, block of his view of what could be unshed tears. He stands at one side of him, grinning from ear to ear, inching closer to see. He's impatient for him to take that first bite, tell him he did a job well done, admit that he can rely on Denji, after all.
Power, on the other side of Aki, also presses inward to watch. Probably, she just likes to see him cry. Or maybe it's because she's aware of what's about to happen… ]
[ Denji's speaking when Aki spits into his face, so, of course, the giant splotch of regurgitated food (questionable) catches on his lips. A good chunk winds up in his actual mouth, and it's — slimy and fatty and stretchy, but when he really bites down on it, he feels something crunching? And not in the good way, holy crap, what is this? Why does it taste like a cockroach crawled into pickle juice and got fermented inside —
Gagging, he clings to the countertop as he hunches over, a hand slapped over his mouth to swallow the taste down. After a moment, a short belch rumbles from him. ]
Hurk… Hurgh… How could you…?
[ The accusatory question's pointed at both Aki and Power. ]
[Aki is still recovering, heaving in deep breaths and trying to pull the fridge open to find something to wash out the taste with, but before he can he sees Denji grab the edge of the counter, hand over his mouth, and he starts to panic.] Don't swallow, don't swallow, don't - !
[There's the gulp. And the burp. Aki feels pale as he looks from him to Power, who finally can't hold it in and roars with laughter, clutching her stomach as she mocks them both and their feeble stomachs, unable to handle her magic and witchcraft. Aki feels heat rise to his face. His cheeks red and eyes wide, it takes him a long moment to formulate anything to say over her laughter and cackles.]
You're - not going to the beach!
[That makes her stop on a dime, looking at him like he's insane. Not going to the beach? What is he talking about, it's a family trip, of course she's going to the beach with them. "Don't speak such foolish - " she begins, but Aki interrupts her.] No! You're staying here! You're - You're banned! From the trip!
[He has such little power over them at times that he has to pull out the heavy punches. That's what he tells himself as Power stares at him in shock, waiting for him to take it back. Because he always does. Not this time, he tells himself, hurrying forward to grab their mess of a food and shove it into the trash.]
[ Once the shock of her punishment wears off, Power bellows back that Aki can’t just flout their family rules as he pleases. Apparently unaware of how righteous that sounds coming from her. Though Denji's slid to ground, hands buckled at his stomach to keep its contents pushed back, he can't seem to keep quiet at her crimes. ]
Isn't… poisoning your brothers not just breaking a rule, but a real-life law? Murderer! [ Another burp. Ugh, he's really got a bad case of gas now. ] Gonna… report you to the police — later.
[ Later, because Denji chooses that moment to fall on his side and hobble toward Pochita. He needs something warm to use as a heating pad to help settle the boiling acids in his stomach.
In the meanwhile, Power stares at his fleeing form, mouth hanging open as cold sweat openly pours down her face. She's researched this for recreational enrichment before: Murder is punishable by death in Japan if the case is severe enough. It's true that Denji is a skin-and-bones weakling who can't even lift five pounds for five minutes without getting tired, but…
Suddenly, an idea bursts to her mind.
"Hmph, another prime example of your ignorance, Dummy Denji. What would you do without the Great Detective Power to deduce who really killed you?" Power jabs a finger at Aki. "The one who feasted with such gluttony and then splattered his fill all over your ugly face — 'tis he who murdered you!" It's certainly not due to the fact that he's the only other person there. "If I have to stay back, so does this criminal!" ]
[It's bad when they both get to the point of threatening the police on each other, but it's not often that Power claims Aki is the ultimate culprit. It's so uncommon because it never succeeds - especially not with the withering look he gives her, his eyes pinned on her as Power starts to instinctively shrink back to avoid a slap.]
You're the one who fed me this shit - And I bet it was you who came up with this! [Power immediately begins to insist that Denji put her up to this, but Aki knows that's not the case, because - ] Denji never wastes food! Look at this mess of a kitchen, you wasted a whole week's worth of groceries on this! [More sputtering about how she learned this recipe years ago and that they simply aren't trained enough to accept it.] You can't even make an omelet, let alone cook meat properly! Where did you even get this meat, I hadn't bought any ground beef recently at all...!
[After scoffing and telling him that she is occasionally offered sacrifices from the village and that this was one such offer, Aki goes from furious to confused to outright stumped. Someone from the building gave her spoiled meat? Did she take it from a trash can? Did Meowy or Pochita find it while outside? ...But he told them not to go outside today, and Denji was watching her, so surely she was inside. How the hell...]
[For now, he ignores her continued lecturing about the serfdom of the apartment complex they live in (she's the landlord apparently) and forces her into the kitchen to clean up or else she doesn't get any food at all. And when he unveils his purchases from the convenience store and Power realizes exactly what she might be missing out on... She deflates impressively, grumbling something under her breath about how his serf payments are being doubled this month. Aki ignores her and moves over to Denji, kneeling down next to him and setting a hand on his side.]
Where'd she get that meat from...? Did you guys go out today? [A bit of a warning tone in his voice as he asks that, even with the gentle hand on his side.]
[ With much effort, Pochita squeezes his head through the crook of Denji's arm to nudge his cheek against the hand Aki has set on the younger boy's side. It's the thumping of his cable-tail against Denji's face that prompts his eyelids to thinly slide open, a pout forming at his lips. He doesn't shift to look back at Aki, instead staring ahead at their ajar balcony. Before the disastrous welcome, they'd opened the door and few windows to help vent out the apartment of the sizzling oils and aromatics and… whatever witch's brew Power polluted their mouths with. They'll have to close everything up soon, it's starting to get chilly, but for now, he's glad just to have some fresh air to help cleanse his mind, body, and soul of all that bad juju. ]
Not me. Or her, probably. [ He kept an eye on Power, of course, but he can't discount the possibility that she managed to creep outside his notice, what with all his excitement over the news today. It's unfortunate, but she can be quite the sneakster when she isn't loudly spinning her tales. ] She said — [ He winces at a cramp in his abdomen. ] Mnngh, somethin' about gettin' it from a lowly peddler and keeping it in her bag while we were out yesterday. So maybe she was tryin' to get revenge on us…? Ugh…
[ He's probably going to need to go to the bathroom eventually, but his stomach's still figuring out which bodily system it wants this strange invader to come out. But before that, there's something else pressing on him. ]
Didja really mean it? That Power won't be coming with us? She always goes where we go, y'know.
[ When it comes to big trips and transitions, that's always been the case. The three of them, together. Sure, he wants her arrested, but that doesn't mean he won't feel the teensiest bit bad if she gets left out of going to the beach. ]
[Pochita starts nudging at Aki's hand and he very nearly swats the devil away, still uneasy around him. It would be one thing if he only acted like a dog, but the massive powertool sticking out of his head and the way he's seen it spin to life has him always a little unnerved by the thing. Especially when he's squeezing through Denji's arms.]
Revenge for... Ugh, she's such a brat... [He raises his eyes to glower at her across the room where she's dumping things into the trash while muttering curse spells under her breath. She better not get rid of any of their cookware...]
[But when Denji asks if he was serious, he looks down, brow pinching. Yes, he was, in the moment, but now he recognizes he was just angry. Which, obviously, but... Should he really make her stay home for their first non-grave visit trip in a year? He frowns and sits down on the floor, still mindlessly rubbing his hand over Denji's side.]
...I'll figure something out, but she still needs to be punished somehow. And you can't arrest your sibling for feeding you bad food. [So that idea is out. Keeping his voice low, he mutters,] Maybe I won't get her an ekiben. Or make her sleep in the hall tonight. It has to be something she'll remember.
[But when he says the bit about the hall, he looks up and around, realizing the windows and sliding door have been left open. No wonder it feels so cold in here. He frowns and adds, mostly to himself,] Guess I'll turn on the heater...
Seriously, one night in the slammer would definitely do the trick…
[ The endless motion of Aki's hand actually does help to soothe his unsettled insides. His throat bobs as pockets of gas exit and pop in another series of burps, and that really feels nice as some of the discomfort in his stomach alleviates. ]
If we can't put her in real jail, what about fake jail? You know how psycho she is. It's gotta be by her made-up rules, or else she won't even see it as a punishment. So if Powy put a spell on our food, that makes her a witch. And what happens to bad witches?
[ He sneaks a look at Power, who appears to be tying the the opening of their trash into a knot, then pitches his voice down into a whisper. ]
They get burned at the stake!
[ Or at least that's what remembers happening in a western movie he watched once. ]
Basically, it's just playin' with her. But she'll treat it like it's the real deal, 'cause she's a weirdo.
[Aki doesn't love playing along with her delusions, but unfortunately he knows Denji is right. If they don't play by her tune, she won't actually internalize anything he tries to teach her. And this is kind of a big deal. You can't feed people rotten meat.]
How do you suggest we burn her at the stake, then? [He's also keeping his voice low, leaning down to talk to him. Like this is some secret meeting.] Make her put her ankles up to the floor heater...? I don't want her to actually get burned. [She can't be arrested for feeding them bad food but Aki can probably be arrested for hurting her. Double standards.] Maybe we can hang her upside down for a few minutes.
Yeah. [ He furiously nods, his enthusiasm seeming to catch Power's attention, earning them a suspicious look from over the kitchen counter. ] Upside down, and we gotta sneak up on her and tie her up. We'll probably have to pretend we're like villagers and stuff.
[ Denji's not one to get into character for the roles Power tends to arbitrarily assign him to. He's not an actor. Doesn't really know how to be anyone other than himself. But if it's to wreak justice on his mischievous little sister, then, sure, that's as worthy a cause as any. ]
I think if we tape a flashlight to Pochita and make him spin in a circle, that should look fire-like enough, right?
[So they are burning her at the stake. This isn't really how he planned to spend his evening, but he also thought he'd be eating dinner right now.]
[Speaking of. Passing a look at Power (which she responds to with her own pout), Aki gets up to grab his bag and find the convenience store food he bought. He definitely doesn't trust her with that, and instead brings it back over to Denji, offering them out to let him pick what flavor of ramen he wants to eat.]
We can do it after she finishes cleaning up. I read something about how you're supposed to do something neutral after you punish someone, so she can eat dinner afterwards. [He read that in a book about problem children that he found maybe five years ago, but it probably works for Power.] I think if we tie up her ankles and I flip her over, you can grab the rope and pull it over the top of the door. [So long as Denji doesn't let go, this will work fine. No concussions.] ...And let's leave Pochita out of it, in case he does something weird.
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no subject
how can you not want him to stretch out his legs????
[ …It just doesn't make a lick of sense to anyone other than him. ]
so i FIXED it. hes gonna get all cramped inside there the whole train ride!!! you know how sucky that feels
plus hes gotta be able to run on his own in case a worm devil comes blastin outta the ground
if we wanna hide his paws so bad ill just bring a blanket to cover em up
[ This doesn't fix the bag, but consider: Does the bag really need fixing? Isn't it their mindsets and morale that need improving? Not the bag? ]
so dont call me a dumbass
[ Three times in a row, at that?! ]
cuz YOUR the dumbass for not thinking bout pochitas comfort!
no subject
[That devil barely even has legs. What is he going to be stretching??]
[And what does he mean, Aki should know how it feels to sit inside of a bag for an hour-long train ride? Why would he know how that feels? ...Is he comparing this to when they had to take trips in the van at the orphanage and everyone was squeezed into the seats together? That's completely different and also - they all turned out just fine. Even without the seatbelts.]
The point was to bring him on without people seeing him but he looks too ovbiously like a devil like that you dumbass
Stop ruining thigs when I just tell you to try them out
The train ride is like an hour he would have been fine in the bag. You alwyas ruin our stuff
[He's typing faster and hitting too many typos because he's really supposed to get back to work right now but he needs to also tell Denji off about this. The perils of being an older sibling.]
no subject
no??!? YOU always point the finger at me for ruining our stuff. doesnt mean i always do!!!!
[ This current instance, notwithstanding, sometimes it's Power's fault! ]
dont blame me that you cant think outta the box!
dumbhairyjackass aki!!!!!!!
[ A couple minutes of huffy silence later, Denji resubmits another go at fitting Pochita into the bag. It's a little blurry because the devil is circling inside it, but it looks like he's plugged the holes with a round of duct tape. Basically good as new. Ish.
Seemingly aware that his tape-job doesn't exactly do much to reclaim the bag's former glory, he tacks on the following message. ]
its jsut a bag. cant you get another one of these things from the school
no subject
[Okay, yes, sometimes it's Power's fault. But how many times has it started from Denji ticking her off? He almost kicks a box before squatting down again and choosing to channel his frustration by ripping the closure open by hand instead of knife.]
[When he finally texts again, he's a little cooled off and ready to snap at him again... but the photo of Pochita in a half-taped-up bag massages that down. Ugh, Denji... He's such an idiot. Yes, he can get a new bag from the school if he asks some of the school staff or maybe he can find one in the student council storage, but that's not the point, here. He's never going to understand that, is he?]
It's fine
[No, it's not, and he knows Denji knows he isn't forgiven. This whole argument is stupid. They're both acting like kids. Only one of them should be doing that.]
Don't ruin anything else today And stay inside
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[ He asks the question like his brother's earlier flurry of "dumbass" and mistyped messages replacing his barely withheld expletives were all just everyday occurrences. ]
look ill make it up to you and your dumb bag
dinners on me tongiht! ill cook up your favoritest meal in the whole wide world
[ Read: His half-baked assumption of what Aki's favorite food is. ]
so dont be mad
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[His favorite meal...? Does he even know how to cook anything but instant ramen or heating things up on the stove?]
You're such a dumbass
[Aki isn't even sure he has a favorite meal. Of course there are things he likes more than others, but it's not like Denji is going to go out and buy expensive beef cuts or a party platter of sushi. ...In fact, he better not, because he's not supposed to go outside!]
If you can make something edible with what we have at home, I'll forgive you.
[There. That should solve two issues.]
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The real challenge will be making sure Aki can keep it down after the first mouthful. ]
fine
youll forgive me AND youll eat all of it. then you have a deal
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Only if it's edible
[For both him and Power, this is a caveat he has learned from long ago, way back when they first made cookies and used salt instead of white sugar and dirt instead of brown sugar. Power had been the most upset that he didn't appreciate their concoction, but how the hell was he supposed to eat something with rocks in it? So, the edible point stands.]
[The rest of the job goes by normally, except for them asking if a few people can stay an hour later to break down boxes - paid, of course - and after a quick text delaying his return by an hour, Aki is finally on his way home. A few thousand yen burns warm in his pocket, but it's dark out, cold, and he thinks tonight will definitely be the first time he plugs in the heater for real, lets them sleep with it at the foot of their beds, warming their bodies through the night. The very idea is so alluring that he almost forgets what he's headed home to when he stops habitually at the convenience store. Denji wouldn't really make something inedible, right...? He hesitates, then slips through the automatic doors and grabs a few cup noodles just in case. As he begins to leave a man in a suit asks him where he's going and sounds almost alarmed about it. Aki thinks he's trying to sell him something before he flashes his public safety badge and offers to walk Aki to the station. He wants to decline the offer, but realizes - this could be useful. Maybe he can get some info that hasn't been shared to the news yet.]
[But the devil hunter is tight lipped about it. He won't say what kind of devil it is, even when Aki mentions a "rumor" that it's some kind of zombie or humanoid thing. He doesn't have an answer for when schools are scheduled to re-open. And when Aki asks if they're planning on setting up a curfew, the hunter gives him a thin-lipped smile. "Devils aren't just active at night, you know," he says, like Aki is some dumb kid who thinks devils are like monsters under the bed. Insulted, he shuts up after that until they reach the station. He thanks the man and heads to the train, shooting off a text - Home soon.]
[There's no public safety offering to accompany him at their home station, the two people in suits chatting with one another casually all but ignoring him, one resting her hand on the sword at her hip. Which is fine. He doesn't need to be walked home like a kid. Like that guy said, devils don't only show up at night. It's not like they're bogeymen or superstitious creatures. Heading home under the glow of the streetlights, he scrolls through the messages from this morning, hovering briefly on the link to the news article about the other victim. Killed alone, on his way home just like Aki. School bag in tow. Though Aki's is plain, unlabeled. He raises his eyes to see the apartment steps coming into view down the road.]
[He'll be fine.]
[Shoving the key into the lock, he pushes the door open and kicks off his shoes, calling out,] I'm back. [A simple statement, but it's also a sort of victorious thing, a mocking thing. Nothing's going to take him down that easily.]
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Man. Aggressively sighing, he flops over next to Power, who seems to be too deeply asleep to sense him joining her. He can tell because, otherwise, she'd shoving his arm aside and sidling in closer to reap some of his body warmth for herself — it is getting to be that time of year. Idly, he reaches a hand over, twirling a few of her fly-away hairs around a finger.
Ah, I really wish someone else would hurry up and die.
— It's the kind of intrusive thought that'd get him scolded for thinking aloud. Maybe that's why guilt clocks him in the chest, and even though there's no one around to reprimand him, he hastily amends himself, internally. Almost. I almost wish someone would. Anyone other than Aki.
Speaking of.
The kitchen very quickly devolves into chaos before Denji has even flicked the induction stove on. For some reason, he drags a bunch of their produce and proteins out to take full inventory of what he has at his disposal, clearly not having much of a plan in mind. What does Aki like again? He's always sucked at paying attention to those sorts of details, but his brother is always talking about the importance of balanced meals, so…
He pauses. Stares at everything that's spread out, cross-referencing the ingredients with the limited amount of meals he knows for sure that he can make, then with the even more limited amount of meals he thinks he could maybe wing, before his thought process is suddenly disrupted by a fresh-faced and well-rested Power marching into the kitchen. Seeing what he's up to, she briefly stops in her tracks, after which she swings around to stampede toward their bedroom. Eventually, she comes back with a huge, plastic-wrapped wad of unidentifiable ground meat under her arm. Grinning proudly, she tells him that, yesterday, while he and Aki were "slacking off on their servant duties," a neighborhood butcher gifted her a marvelous treasure in thanks to her heroic deeds (coaxing his cat down from a tree). And that she's been keeping the meat inside their closet since yesterday. Unrefrigerated. How did they not smell that…?
Denji's gaze floats over to the counter. On it are a bag of onions, their half-full carton of eggs, a huge thing of radish…
After a moment, he nods at her.
Hours later, when Denji hears the sound of the door clicking open and Aki's baritone drifting out in greeting, he shouts to him from the kitchen, sounding incredibly stressed and out of breath. ]
Wait, don't come in yet! [ Sitting in a line on top of the kitchen counter are three plates heaped with a juicy patty of hamburger(?) steak(?). Strangely, there's an large mound of daikon radish grated to the side of one plate, a normal amount on another, and none on the last. regardless of whether Aki's made it far enough down the hallway to see that or not, he should be able discern the scent of cooked meat. In a much hushed voice, Denji hisses to someone else unseen: ] Powy, what the hell didja do to the sauce, stupid —
[ Some light skirmishing can be heard, and then Denji stumbles out of the kitchen, kicked in his literal ass by what can only be Power's foot. ]
Ouch, you bit —
[ Catching himself with a grab at the wall, Denji stiffens oddly the second he spots Aki. ]
…Welcome back home.
[ Thinking fast, he pitches forward, tightly embracing Aki to make sure he stays still, doesn't get too far in. ]
G-Gimme a hug! I missed you! Yeah!
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[Something terrible is going on in the kitchen.]
[Aki stands with his shoes half-off in the entryway, staring down the hall with trepidation as Denji stumbles out and seems uncertain looking at Aki. Like he really doesn't want him to be home yet. His trepidation only mounts when he suddenly grabs him around the waist and hugs him close.]
...What are you two doing in there?
[Aki doesn't try to move at first, staying still with Denji wrapped around him, mostly because he seriously, seriously doesn't want to find out what's happening down the hall. God. This was so stupid of him. What the hell was he thinking? He could have just asked him to get delivery or be patient until Aki got home, or...]
[Finally he leans down and lifts Denji slightly off the ground, his hands under his armpits as he moves forward to try and get to the kitchen. A nice benefit of him not being finished growing and being thin as a reed. Attempting to scoot his way toward the kitchen, he calls out with a note of fear in his voice.] Power...?
[Please no cat hair. Please no bleach. Please no cleaning detergents with their caps off on the counter that suspiciously look like they've been used for more than cleaning...]
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What?! Don't pick me up! Ahhh, abort, abort —
[ The trim of his socks slip down his heel as he vainly tries to stretch his toes out to the ground and hinder Aki's progress. Denji's wriggling around also doesn't seem to be contributing much to the effort. How humiliating.
"Have some respect and cease your sniveling, Denji! The whelp may advance." An evil slyness enters Power's expression. "If he dares."
The two of them now fully crossed inside the kitchen threshold, he shakes off Aki's hands to spin toward Power, glaring her down in annoyance. ]
Shut up. 'm not — sniffling. Or whatever it is you said.
[ After some trial and error, they'd managed to divide and transform Power's meat wad into a medium-well hamburger lump. The likeness of one, at least. Neither of them have taken a bite yet, of course, so whether it satisfies Aki's standards for edibility (or only approaches it) is something they've yet to test. He wasn't too adventurous this time, each patty stuffed with the typical seasonings and ingredients like onions, panko, tofu, egg, potato chips, raw instant noodles, and whole cloves of garlic. Pretty normal.
At Power's insistence, he'd left the ponzu sauce to her, which as she steps away from the stove, looks… exactly as a sauce of its kind should. It may be bubbling and fizzling more than he's ever seen before, but it could be okay? With a hand to Aki's shoulder, Denji nudges him forward, almost as if he's using him as a human shield. ]
It's a dinner made for you. The guest of honor should taste test it!
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[...They actually made something that looks edible? And it's cooked?]
[Aki tells himself not to be this shocked. It's a hamburger. All you have to do is beat the meat into a patty and then fry it, then stick it between two buns. Hell, even if they didn't tenderize it or mash it, it would still probably be fine. Aki steps further into the kitchen once he sets Denji down and studies their concoction a little closer, his eyes only flashing to the rat poison for a moment before remembering - Right, it was under the sink behind a few extra things he bought in case they ran out. And it looks like they used up the panko and broke open the new box.]
[...There is a slight smell of something, but it's well-masked by the cooked oil in the pan, so he assumes they just burned something at some point.]
You guys really made a whole meal.
[Despite telling himself to calm down, he still sounds shocked. He peels off the bun on one and spies an entire clove of garlic stuffed into the patty and thinks - Is that as bad as it is? That's hardly anything. Hell, that's nearly normal. They really made a whole meal.]
[He slowly raises his head, looking up at the ceiling for a moment. And it's not immediately clear what he's doing - if he's going to cry or what - but after a long pause he finally says...]
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...Thanks, guys.
[The relief is mixed with something like pride as he turns his head and looks at them both. Power looks pretty damn happy with herself, urging him to try their handiwork and reminding him to dip it into her special sauce, she made it herself and cursed it with a special curse that will prevent Aki from going bald for ten more years. Aki picks up one of the burgers that doesn't have an entire onion wedge or garlic clove in it and spoons a bit of the sauce on the meat, then raises it up to take a bite.]
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[And then almost immediately spits it out straight into Denji's face.]
What the - What - What meat - Where did you get this?! [He coughs and sputters as he speaks.] This is - It's sour! [It tastes like a mix of sour milk and sweaty socks. He gags on the flavor and coughs harder, dropping it back down on the counter.] You - goddamn idiots, what did you do?!
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Still, the feeling of receiving it tends to make his ears flame up. Makes him forget that he was doing this to get something out of it, but now it feels like he's gotten more than enough. The gentle glimmer in Aki's eyes has nothing to do with how bright the lights are in their apartment — no, it's an unguarded expression of his Denji knows well. Possibly because he can never force himself to look away when he thinks Aki might be about to bring a hand up to his face, block of his view of what could be unshed tears. He stands at one side of him, grinning from ear to ear, inching closer to see. He's impatient for him to take that first bite, tell him he did a job well done, admit that he can rely on Denji, after all.
Power, on the other side of Aki, also presses inward to watch. Probably, she just likes to see him cry. Or maybe it's because she's aware of what's about to happen… ]
…Yeah. I tried really hard to get it right —
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Gagging, he clings to the countertop as he hunches over, a hand slapped over his mouth to swallow the taste down. After a moment, a short belch rumbles from him. ]
Hurk… Hurgh… How could you…?
[ The accusatory question's pointed at both Aki and Power. ]
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[Aki is still recovering, heaving in deep breaths and trying to pull the fridge open to find something to wash out the taste with, but before he can he sees Denji grab the edge of the counter, hand over his mouth, and he starts to panic.] Don't swallow, don't swallow, don't - !
[There's the gulp. And the burp. Aki feels pale as he looks from him to Power, who finally can't hold it in and roars with laughter, clutching her stomach as she mocks them both and their feeble stomachs, unable to handle her magic and witchcraft. Aki feels heat rise to his face. His cheeks red and eyes wide, it takes him a long moment to formulate anything to say over her laughter and cackles.]
You're - not going to the beach!
[That makes her stop on a dime, looking at him like he's insane. Not going to the beach? What is he talking about, it's a family trip, of course she's going to the beach with them. "Don't speak such foolish - " she begins, but Aki interrupts her.] No! You're staying here! You're - You're banned! From the trip!
[He has such little power over them at times that he has to pull out the heavy punches. That's what he tells himself as Power stares at him in shock, waiting for him to take it back. Because he always does. Not this time, he tells himself, hurrying forward to grab their mess of a food and shove it into the trash.]
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Isn't… poisoning your brothers not just breaking a rule, but a real-life law? Murderer! [ Another burp. Ugh, he's really got a bad case of gas now. ] Gonna… report you to the police — later.
[ Later, because Denji chooses that moment to fall on his side and hobble toward Pochita. He needs something warm to use as a heating pad to help settle the boiling acids in his stomach.
In the meanwhile, Power stares at his fleeing form, mouth hanging open as cold sweat openly pours down her face. She's researched this for recreational enrichment before: Murder is punishable by death in Japan if the case is severe enough. It's true that Denji is a skin-and-bones weakling who can't even lift five pounds for five minutes without getting tired, but…
Suddenly, an idea bursts to her mind.
"Hmph, another prime example of your ignorance, Dummy Denji. What would you do without the Great Detective Power to deduce who really killed you?" Power jabs a finger at Aki. "The one who feasted with such gluttony and then splattered his fill all over your ugly face — 'tis he who murdered you!" It's certainly not due to the fact that he's the only other person there. "If I have to stay back, so does this criminal!" ]
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[It's bad when they both get to the point of threatening the police on each other, but it's not often that Power claims Aki is the ultimate culprit. It's so uncommon because it never succeeds - especially not with the withering look he gives her, his eyes pinned on her as Power starts to instinctively shrink back to avoid a slap.]
You're the one who fed me this shit - And I bet it was you who came up with this! [Power immediately begins to insist that Denji put her up to this, but Aki knows that's not the case, because - ] Denji never wastes food! Look at this mess of a kitchen, you wasted a whole week's worth of groceries on this! [More sputtering about how she learned this recipe years ago and that they simply aren't trained enough to accept it.] You can't even make an omelet, let alone cook meat properly! Where did you even get this meat, I hadn't bought any ground beef recently at all...!
[After scoffing and telling him that she is occasionally offered sacrifices from the village and that this was one such offer, Aki goes from furious to confused to outright stumped. Someone from the building gave her spoiled meat? Did she take it from a trash can? Did Meowy or Pochita find it while outside? ...But he told them not to go outside today, and Denji was watching her, so surely she was inside. How the hell...]
[For now, he ignores her continued lecturing about the serfdom of the apartment complex they live in (she's the landlord apparently) and forces her into the kitchen to clean up or else she doesn't get any food at all. And when he unveils his purchases from the convenience store and Power realizes exactly what she might be missing out on... She deflates impressively, grumbling something under her breath about how his serf payments are being doubled this month. Aki ignores her and moves over to Denji, kneeling down next to him and setting a hand on his side.]
Where'd she get that meat from...? Did you guys go out today? [A bit of a warning tone in his voice as he asks that, even with the gentle hand on his side.]
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Not me. Or her, probably. [ He kept an eye on Power, of course, but he can't discount the possibility that she managed to creep outside his notice, what with all his excitement over the news today. It's unfortunate, but she can be quite the sneakster when she isn't loudly spinning her tales. ] She said — [ He winces at a cramp in his abdomen. ] Mnngh, somethin' about gettin' it from a lowly peddler and keeping it in her bag while we were out yesterday. So maybe she was tryin' to get revenge on us…? Ugh…
[ He's probably going to need to go to the bathroom eventually, but his stomach's still figuring out which bodily system it wants this strange invader to come out. But before that, there's something else pressing on him. ]
Didja really mean it? That Power won't be coming with us? She always goes where we go, y'know.
[ When it comes to big trips and transitions, that's always been the case. The three of them, together. Sure, he wants her arrested, but that doesn't mean he won't feel the teensiest bit bad if she gets left out of going to the beach. ]
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[Pochita starts nudging at Aki's hand and he very nearly swats the devil away, still uneasy around him. It would be one thing if he only acted like a dog, but the massive powertool sticking out of his head and the way he's seen it spin to life has him always a little unnerved by the thing. Especially when he's squeezing through Denji's arms.]
Revenge for... Ugh, she's such a brat... [He raises his eyes to glower at her across the room where she's dumping things into the trash while muttering curse spells under her breath. She better not get rid of any of their cookware...]
[But when Denji asks if he was serious, he looks down, brow pinching. Yes, he was, in the moment, but now he recognizes he was just angry. Which, obviously, but... Should he really make her stay home for their first non-grave visit trip in a year? He frowns and sits down on the floor, still mindlessly rubbing his hand over Denji's side.]
...I'll figure something out, but she still needs to be punished somehow. And you can't arrest your sibling for feeding you bad food. [So that idea is out. Keeping his voice low, he mutters,] Maybe I won't get her an ekiben. Or make her sleep in the hall tonight. It has to be something she'll remember.
[But when he says the bit about the hall, he looks up and around, realizing the windows and sliding door have been left open. No wonder it feels so cold in here. He frowns and adds, mostly to himself,] Guess I'll turn on the heater...
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[ The endless motion of Aki's hand actually does help to soothe his unsettled insides. His throat bobs as pockets of gas exit and pop in another series of burps, and that really feels nice as some of the discomfort in his stomach alleviates. ]
If we can't put her in real jail, what about fake jail? You know how psycho she is. It's gotta be by her made-up rules, or else she won't even see it as a punishment. So if Powy put a spell on our food, that makes her a witch. And what happens to bad witches?
[ He sneaks a look at Power, who appears to be tying the the opening of their trash into a knot, then pitches his voice down into a whisper. ]
They get burned at the stake!
[ Or at least that's what remembers happening in a western movie he watched once. ]
Basically, it's just playin' with her. But she'll treat it like it's the real deal, 'cause she's a weirdo.
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[Aki doesn't love playing along with her delusions, but unfortunately he knows Denji is right. If they don't play by her tune, she won't actually internalize anything he tries to teach her. And this is kind of a big deal. You can't feed people rotten meat.]
How do you suggest we burn her at the stake, then? [He's also keeping his voice low, leaning down to talk to him. Like this is some secret meeting.] Make her put her ankles up to the floor heater...? I don't want her to actually get burned. [She can't be arrested for feeding them bad food but Aki can probably be arrested for hurting her. Double standards.] Maybe we can hang her upside down for a few minutes.
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[ Denji's not one to get into character for the roles Power tends to arbitrarily assign him to. He's not an actor. Doesn't really know how to be anyone other than himself. But if it's to wreak justice on his mischievous little sister, then, sure, that's as worthy a cause as any. ]
I think if we tape a flashlight to Pochita and make him spin in a circle, that should look fire-like enough, right?
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[So they are burning her at the stake. This isn't really how he planned to spend his evening, but he also thought he'd be eating dinner right now.]
[Speaking of. Passing a look at Power (which she responds to with her own pout), Aki gets up to grab his bag and find the convenience store food he bought. He definitely doesn't trust her with that, and instead brings it back over to Denji, offering them out to let him pick what flavor of ramen he wants to eat.]
We can do it after she finishes cleaning up. I read something about how you're supposed to do something neutral after you punish someone, so she can eat dinner afterwards. [He read that in a book about problem children that he found maybe five years ago, but it probably works for Power.] I think if we tie up her ankles and I flip her over, you can grab the rope and pull it over the top of the door. [So long as Denji doesn't let go, this will work fine. No concussions.] ...And let's leave Pochita out of it, in case he does something weird.
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