7th Contraption [CLOSED] Family Reunion

[pineapplesalmon]

Who: César, Johnny, Rich, Watson
When: November 1st, 6 AM and after
Where: Mostly Cabin 102
Summary: REUNION, death aftermath, Family GAYYYYYYYYYYYYY

There will be hugging involved.

Comments

[pineapplesalmon]

"A long story, mijo. But you're with us, now." César's sitting cross-legged on the couch bed beside him, voice gentle. "How are you feeling?"

If he opens his eyes, he'll see the concern and relief on César's face.

[firewalled]

Rich can't help but open his eyes at that voice. Even while his head is spinning, he's forcing himself up from his position on the... couch? (he's at the other cabin, it seems. Watson and Johnny are on the bed, looking rattled. What is going on?) to look at César. He looks exhausted, but happy. Probably a normal reaction after Rich assumedly died in that pathetic way, but... something still seems off.

"Jefe..." He still stammers out that title, and his confusion is tossed aside so he can scoot across the couch and slump on his favourite human-shaped pillow. When he's settled in his lap is when he finally answers, "Like ass. Feels like I've had a month of insomnia and narcolepsy at the same time." He gets that being brought back from death probably involves a cost to your health, but this still feels bizarre.

[pineapplesalmon]

It's Rich. César knows it's Rich. He can hear Watson and Johnny in the other bed. Watson is himself, too. They're both back, and it makes César's eyes glassy to be called Dad by Rich once more.

Once Rich has settled properly, César wraps his arms comfortably around his son, holding him tight. The way Rich is hugging him... César knows his son is truly back.

"It's probably because it's 6AM, and it's against the natural order of things for a teenager to be up this early." César teases a little.

[firewalled]

It is Rich. Who else could it possibly be? Rich frowns as he sees César's eyes start to get misty, wondering once again if this is a natural reaction to your son getting killed by his own stupidity.

He isn't going to say no to the affection, though, nuzzling into his dad's side with an exaggerated pout.

"It's six?! Why are you all already awake then? This has got to be like a hate crime or something! Can I nap more?"

He grumbles as he hears his phone buzzing on the side table, and he weakly fumbles for it while taking care not to untangle himself from his position basically koala-ing onto César.

[pineapplesalmon]

Well. That and a few other things, but César would've gotten all misty-eyed on Rich even if it had been just a death.

César, through sheer force of will, manages not to crack up until the end. "You can nap more if you'd like."

He hums, his smile falling a little, maybe even a shred of worry going through. "Probably a friend checking up on you. Avoid spoilers if you can; it's best we catch you up in person."

[firewalled]

Rich snatches up his cell phone and glances at it. "Ah, yeah, it's Darcy, asking if I'm okay. I can tell her to- waaaait."

He squints at his phone closely, and then... goes back to scrutinizing César. Yeah, he notices that stress. Something really weird happened. "Do the spoilers have anything to do with, uh, it suddenly being November 1st even though I'm pretty sure I banged my head back in early October?"

He groans and mutters under his breath, "No wonder that nightmare seemed to go on for a fucking month."

[pineapplesalmon]

César winces. "... Yes. It does. You banged your head back on October 8th. And things went incredibly downhill from there."

The bags under his eyes are much larger than usual for a reason.

He glances over to Watson and Johnny, his smile fading. "... I'm guessing you were unaware of all of what happened. Were you in the Nothing the entire time?"

[firewalled]

Rich looks to Watson and Johnny as well. They both look alright, but he's pretty sure they must be just as exhausted as César is. He can tell from how close they are that they must not want to be separated right now... like they're afraid even the smallest bit of distance could result in one being ripped from the other's grasp.

From the way César is clutching onto him, he's wondering if his jefe feels the same way. The strange question only confirms that.

"The Nothing, huh...? Good way to put whatever that hellhole was. I definitely was somewhere, but I couldn't really describe it to you. Mainly because I couldn't really... use any of my senses. I was just... there. Aware that I existed, without any other... data points to make that existence worth... anything."

He picks his words carefully, but honestly, even describing the place in the loosest of terms makes his body feel like it's been doused in ice water.

[pineapplesalmon]

César shifts his arms around Rich for a bit, turning to look at him as he talks. The fact he's too exhausted to be overjoyed at Rich's return says quite a lot. He's still happy he's back, but... he's tired.

"That... unfortunately is what we were told. Once you're a little more reoriented, I or we can explain everything. But the first thing you should know is that another boy was inhabiting your body until last night, when he died."

He tries to say it gently, but there's no good way to say it.

[firewalled]

Rich immediately stiffens in Cesar's grip. There was no good way to say it, but of course, Rich can't comprehend that his father tried to lessen the blow.

"...I... what? Was I... who was the kid? Was I possessed?" Was he fucking SQUIPped again? No, if he was, he should have remembered it.

[pineapplesalmon]

"... Yes, you were. Your soul and his traded places. His name was Omori. He was twelve. And... he had access to your memories. We... chalked up the behavioral changes due to your concussion, that'd be yourself again soon, but...."

César hugs Rich tighter. There's more to it than that. Something off about his voice.

[firewalled]

"Traded places? You're saying... he was in that weird place first?" Well, that might explain why he took his body, even if it still makes Rich feel queasy to think about.

He looks at César carefully. "What else happened? What was he trying to do?"

[pineapplesalmon]

"He was. He was one of many people who possessed others." César replies quietly.

"At first, he did it to save you from drowning. And then he took care of your body while you were.. away. While trying to figure out how to get his sister back. But he told us that after we discovered his ruse."

No, that's not quite right. "Well... not 'us'. Exactly."

César closes his eyes. He has to tell Rich before someone else does. For a moment, he hugs Rich tight.

"I wasn't there."

[firewalled]

"There was more than just me? Oh fuck..." He looks pale as César explains. What was going on that suddenly made so many ghosts show up? He gets it was a spooky time of year, something about the veil between the living and the dead being thin... but since when was that a reality that he'd have to deal with?

"He was trying to take care of me, huh... would have been nice if he asked first." But he can tell there's a lot more to explain about that... he clings to César tightly in turn, but looks him properly in the eyes.

"You can stop being so cryptic, jefe. I know you want to protect me, but I'm going to have to find out eventually."

[pineapplesalmon]

César looks mildly deer-in-the-headlights when Rich confronts him directly, the rest of the conversation truncated. He doesn't want to upset Rich, doesn't want him to suffer. But it's important he knows the truth from César's mouth.

"I died." No, no, that's not how César wanted to start the explanation; he stumbles over his next words. "I-It was an accident but wasn't. Broken from his previous voyage and the nothing, and just—"

No, this is all coming out wrong.

"—I knew he wasn't you moments before, but I—he stabbed me in the heart."

[firewalled]

He doesn't want to upset Rich, but there's really no way to avoid that, especially when he states the truth so bluntly. Rich inhales sharply to hear that his father has died, and that's bad enough, but when César starts explaining excuses for the child that had been inhabiting Rich...

He can't help it. He pulls away, nearly falling off the bed in his hasty scrambling.

"He... I killed you?" He stares at his hands, as if he might still see blood. There isn't any, but he shudders all the same.

[pineapplesalmon]

César lets him pull away. Rich needs the space. This is about Rich, not him.

... the narrator would like to point out that he should have waited and didn't have to do this alone. God damnit, César.

"He. It's not your fault." There's no wavering in that voice, even if César looks heartbroken.

[lightconductor]

Watson has needed to reassure himself that it is Rich that he's hearing, but the schedule on that has been moved up a little given what he's hearing. He briefly touches César's back as he comes over, and then sits on the bed, on Rich's other side.

"He's right. It really isn't your fault, not remotely. We've missed you terribly, actually."

[firewalled]

Rich tries to avoid contact with the both of them, afraid that he might hurt them just by breathing the wrong way. God, he's not sure what's worse. Being controlled and knowing everything your hands are doing, or being controlled without a clue what you could be made to do.

He covers his face for a moment, and Watson's gentle voice at least makes him try to force out something aside from fear. "I... I missed you too. I missed both of you. I didn't want to hurt you, more than I already have... fuck. Why would he do that?"

[pineapplesalmon]

César looks up to Watson with an aching amount of gratitude when he touches his back and sits down with them. No room for guilt. He needs the support.

"Mijo...." César wishes he could throw his arms around Rich in a hug, but that would make it worse. "He didn't understand it would kill me. ... But that doesn't make it much better if at all, considering what you've been through."

The SQUIP.

[lightconductor]

"He was a very troubled boy, who was frightened and desperate."

Watson will avoid pointing out, at this point, that the last thing he clearly remembers is Omori stabbing him. "And I mean he was a boy, a child. Younger than you. We had him holed up safely for a little while, and I managed to get some of his story out of him. It was... rather terrible, actually. He was, I think, trying to impersonate you for as long as possible, but he couldn't maintain it."

He reaches to rub Rich's back reassuringly, if Rich doesn't move away.

[firewalled]

"How young do you have to be to not know stabbing someone kills them? God..." He sounds more upset than angry, though. It doesn't exactly sound like the kid was evil... just messed up. And Rich and his family had to get stuck in the crossfire.

"Why was he trying to pretend to be me? I just... I super don't understand why I'd be unlucky enough to get some ghost following me, but why would they even bother pretending?" There are too many gaps in the story for him to follow.

[pineapplesalmon]

"Fairly young." César admits. "Twelve, but I'm afraid my death was the one that conceptualized death for him."

He wants to reach out for Rich's hand or something, but keeps himself from bothering him.

"The ghosts wanted to keep a low profile. They wanted to take over our bodies as it was the only way to be freed from where you were. ... they failed, obviously. A-And I don't know the full story. I..."

He frowns and looks up at Watson next to Rich, looking exhausted. "I.. wasn't there when the party went south. But should we even cover that now? You both just came back...."

[lightconductor]

"I admit that I'm not sure what happened to Omori at the party," Watson says, carefully. He's still trying to avoid saying what happened to him. "He did try to warn us away, even if César is the only one sensible enough to listen."

He lets out a little sigh, and reaches to put an arm around Rich, squeezing his shoulder. "But my God, have I ever missed you, my boy. We all have, so very much."

[firewalled]

"Jesus. That doesn't seem like it's that young..." But it sounds like there was a lot going on with him. Rich carefully scoots back towards César as he explains more, especially when he notices how exhausted his jefe looks.

"It sounds like they were in a tough spot. The ghosts... I guess." Doesn't excuse him being possessed, but... "I mean, even a month in there... It was a lot. I mean..." He takes a deep breath. "I mean, even hearing myself breathing is new after this long. It's... everything is way too much stimulation."

He's averse to it, but he craves it in equal measure, getting closer to both of his fathers. "We can... talk about the rest of it if you want. But it sounds like the important part is... Omori died. That's gotta be why I'm back."