forum “You are terrifying, and strange, and beautiful... something not everybody knows how to love.”// No more people please // OcxOc

Started July 17, 2021 by @michael_rainer_eats_uranium group

tune

Pogo frowned, his brow furrowing slightly. He didn't quite know how to respond, so he initially said nothing, pocketing his phone and staring off into the distance.

"You… know a lot about these places, huh?"

He nodded. “…..mhm……” Ender started feeling increasingly guilty. “…….s-sorry…..I made everything sad again…..”

He shook his head. "I'd prefer you let it out than bottle it all up," he admitted. "I just, uh, don't understand a lot of the things you say."

I do, Kapnos piped up. If he needs to talk to someone who gets it, let me take over for a second.

"Uh, Kapnos said they wanna—"

Not a second passed after their name was said before they took control, looking up at Ender with their bright red eyes.

"Purgatory. You've been there?" they asked, leaning back on the couch and crossing their legs, raising their hands to rest them behind their head. "How'd you get out?"

“……just…..leaned up against a wall one day…….fell through it, and I ended up in a big empty building…….the outside said ‘Sears’ on it……after that, I just ran……then Mothman found me….” He messed with his hands. “Apparently, you can get out the same ways you get in……but the same walls don’t work twice, and it’s a lot harder to find exits than entrances…..”

They raised an eyebrow. "How long were you in there? You ever, hm…" they muttered, their voice trailing off. They fell silent for a moment before they picked their question up again, almost as if debating on whether or not to ask it. "…you ever encounter anyone else while you were there?"

“…..only one….he called himself Key…..I wandered around with him, for a while……then….then we got separated…..he fell through a wall, and I couldn’t go through it with him……I sat there and cried for…..I don’t know how long…..” He didn’t make eye contact with him.
“I miss him.”

Kapnos seemed more disappointed by Ender's answer than sympathetic to his grief, a frustrated grimace contorting their features. "Uh huh. Sucks, but probably for the best. Purgatory is not a place you want to make friends in."

Ender nodded. He didn’t exactly agree, but he didn’t want to test Kapnos’ tolerance. He kept staring at the ground.
“…….what did you want to hear?……..”

It seemed to dawn on Kapnos that their mood was reflected on their features. They turned their head away, but it wouldn't do them much good now.

"Hah. Forgot that I've got a face to show how I feel," they snickered, but it lacked the usual snarky tone. "It's not important. Just… good to know that people who get stuck down there aren't all alone."

“….ah…..I understand.” He fiddled with his hands more. “….again…..I’m really sorry…..for what I said…..just…..he’s the only human that’s ever…..made me feel safe…….I didn’t want him to be hurt……but it turns out that you’re nowhere near as bad as I made you out to be……I’m sorry…..”

Kapnos waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, don't get too soft on me, eyeboy. After a couple thousand years, you get used to it."

They tilted their head so the gleam of their eyes was just barely visible, a crooked smile twisting their features. "Besides, if I'd wanted anything to happen to him, it would've happened a long time ago. I'm just on a contract. Keep in mind that he contacted me first, not the other way around."

He nodded, staying quiet. He stared at the ground.

Kapnos averted their eyes once more.

"Just… remember that he's mortal. All humans are. And they don't abide by the same laws of reality that you and I do. They're fragile."

They grinned wearily.

"And forgetting that fragility…"

Their voice faltered, and they shook their head.

"Yeah, nevermind. All things considered, he's my human, and I'm looking after him. No angel is getting close to him until they have my approval, and you've still got a ways to go, y'hear?"

“….alright….” He didn’t look up at him. “…..just know that I care about him too.”

Kapnos didn't respond, still staring off into the distance.

"… Alright, Al. Take it back."

A few seconds passed, and Pogo broke into a coughing fit, unable to bear the tightness in his throat and water in his eyes.

"Goodness gracious, that got them all worked up, huh?"

He rubbed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Wow. That's almost impressive."

Ender got incredibly worried when he started coughing. “I-is something wrong?”

Pogo shook his head. "Not with me, no. I'm fine. Sometimes they leave my body different than the way it was before I left, so I gotta…" he cleared his throat, "… just gotta get used to it again."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Yeesh."

He nodded. “….sorry about that…..”

Pogo shrugged. "It's just how it is. Uhm… what did you want to do, if anything?"

Ender shrugged. He wasn’t really sure. He wasn’t a fan of all of the people, and the noise, but he wanted to explore.

"Well…"

Pogo pursed his lips. He didn't have many ideas of his own.

"We could always go back to the woods," he suggested. "I wouldn't want to stay there too long, them being radioactive and all, but… if the city's too much…"

He shook his head. “….no, it’s alright…..”

Pogo averted his gaze, again unsure of what to do. He pulled out his phone to glance at the time.

9:34 AM. He was supposed to have been at work around 8:30. His coworkers were probably worried about him.

"Well… listen, I've gotta make a quick phonecall," he said, standing up from the couch. "Maybe during that time, you can figure out what we can do..?"

He hesitated, running a hand through his hair. "Unless… this is a bit wild, but I could probably bring you to work with me?"

He was curious. Beyond curious. “That sounds….that sounds cool….”

"My job isn't really anything special. I'm just a performer," he replied. "We're all performers, each with our own little niche. And the best part is," he added, seemingly having remembered the second he brought it up, "my coworkers are in on my uh, secret. They wouldn't be surprised by you. It might be safe for you if you, uh, lose yourself a little bit."