(no subject)

[evowhisperer]

"Each of your Eggbabies has a built in computer which registers the amount of care-- or lack of care-- it's given. These readings will determine your grade. As you can see the babies exhibit a wide range of emotions and expressions in need. It's your job to fill those needs."   How to: ✦ Leave a comment with your character's name and fandom. Others will reply ✦ Congratulations, the two of you are now in charge of an Eggbaby. You can pretend it's for class or, for those who aren't in school, you can assume the baby is some sort of important mission. It is your job to take care of and keep the baby happy. If you drop the baby, you fail. You can not turn it off. Remember, this is a joint effort. This is a very important assignment that determines if you pass/fail the class or save the world. ✦ You can RNG a number between 1 and 8 to find out what kind of situation you're in. ✦ Good luck! Options: 1. Other plans. You had other plans but now you aren't sure if you can do them because of this baby. Try to convince your partner to do you a favor or else you'll have to drag the baby along with you. 2. Broke baby. Something is seriously wrong with this baby. It won't stop crying no matter what you do and you really wish this thing had an off switch. 3. Lost baby. What do you mean where's the baby? Don't you have it? Wait, you mean, you don't? FU-- WHERE'S THE BABY?! 4. Perfect baby. Your baby never cries. In fact, it doesn't really do much of anything. Wow, this project sure is easy! . . . Dude, it keeps staring at me. 5. Not my baby. This isn't your baby but you're watching it for a friend until they get back from that super important meeting. They've been gone all day and you hope they'll get back soon. 6. Twins. You're taking care of your baby and someone else's baby. (bonus option: you're taking care of another baby and another and another and another. . .) 7. MY BABYYYY! What the hell did you do? Your baby is broken. You've failed your assignment. Maybe you can put it together and no one will ever notice or try to steal someone else's baby. 8. Crack baby. Roll again, combine prompts, or make up your own scenario. ( code。)

Comments

[pineapplesalmon]

[Caesar pauses for a moment, then slowly raises an eyebrow. Then, deadpan:]

Since you started hallucinating. ... Hmm, it seems that your fever is worse than I had thought.

[evowhisperer]

It's not worse.

What? *Cesar continues to fix that slightly-wild stare on his brother, clearly 'listening'.*

*After a few seconds, he looks away, expression dimming unhappily.*

I don't know.

[pineapplesalmon]

[It is. Caesar reaches out to feel his forehead. It's far too warm and slicked with sweat. Even if Cesar is looking away, he's still going to feel his forehead.]

You don't know what?

[He wants an idea of what you're hallucinating.]

[evowhisperer]

Where everything started going wrong.

*He turns his head away a little at the touch, before staying that way for a long silence. His eyes grow distant, and track things around the room that he may or may not think are moving. Listlessly, he stirs under the covers before falling still again. He looks back over to Caesar.*

*All at once it's obvious when he sees something different this time, like an electric shock passing through him. Instead of making him surge into movement, however, he freezes, as though needing every single ounce of thought power in his brain to process whatever it is his eyes are telling him.*

Papá?

[pineapplesalmon]

[Caesar's breath catches; a slight breath in that is then held. He's moved from auditory to visual hallucinations. And this particular hallucination....

His hand falls from his double's forehead, and he can only stare back. Dios mío, Cesar thought he was... Caesar swallowed, then whispered weakly.]

I'm... not Dad. You're hallucinating visually now.

[evowhisperer]

I'm hallucinating? But that doesn't make sense--you're here! *Cesar's hand reaches out and snags Caesar's sleeve before it can get too far.*

Como es esto posible--Caesar and I thought you weren't ever going to arrive here! Not after...

*Cesar's eyes are suspiciously brighter than before, and grief fights to twist his face now, even as he tries to fight it back. He's in no condition to win against it, and soon his grip on Caesar's wrist is weak, but desperate, like a life-line.*

[pineapplesalmon]

[Caesar's own face twisted then, but he otherwise remained frozen. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think. His other self thought he was Papá, but he wasn't. Caesar was only Caesar.

It was something Cesar would realize eventually; he'd be losing his father for a second time. Caesar had to correct it, fast.

He swallowed, his voice thick.]

I-I'm Caesar, not Papá. [He closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see Cesar's expression. His own eyes sting.] I'm not Papá. Just a visual hallucination....

[evowhisperer]

*There is a small silence, before Cesar nods slowly, letting go of his wrist. This isn't a good thing: rather than crestfallen, his face has smoothed in understanding, and love and reassurance are practically pouring out of him.*

It's okay, Papá. There's nothing to forgive.

*Cesar leans back into the pillows again, looking as though the deliberate small distance is costing him greatly.*

We're just glad you're alright.

[pineapplesalmon]

[His throat constricts. His chest tightens. It's not... working. He can't be heard. Caesar opens his eyes after Cesar speaks, but then squeezes them closed again just as quickly.

That face, that hope--it's going to be crushed. It's false. Their parents. They're... dead. They're likely staying dead, never to appear in this place. Caesar has to believe that, or else every day will drag slowly and painfully by when they don't appear. But he can't believe they're dead. That would require him to.. give into grief. To grieve. He's not ready to believe it yet. So he simply forces a stalemate by not thinking about it. It's the only way.

But he wants them there so badly.....]

Stop it. I'm not Papá.

[evowhisperer]

Why do you keep saying that?

[pineapplesalmon]

[Caesar opens his eyes again. He has to make his double realize it, somehow, no matter how horrible. The longer it goes, the worst it'll be. He needs some sort of proof. Something tangible. Visually isn't working. Voice isn't working. The other senses.

... touch.

He reaches out for his other self's wrist, then slowly pulled it up until Cesar's fingers brush above his upper lip. Caesar's voice is choked as he speaks.]

B-because I'm not.

1/2

[evowhisperer]

Papá, what are you--

Huh?

*That seems to get Caesar farther than any of the other tries. Cesar's mouth falls open, and it's obvious he's straining his exhausted, feverish mind to understand why what his hand isn't coinciding with what he sees. He can almost feel the ghost of a mustache, just from hoping for one as much as he is, but--no. It's not there. But it has to be! He can't be wrong, because then his father's words would start taking on a horrifying new kind of sense, and he can't handle that. Not when he's this exhausted already, but also not ever.*

[evowhisperer]

*Cesar frowns, eyes wandering over his father again, before he smiles again, a little desperately.*

You shaved?

[pineapplesalmon]

[He had been close, so very close, but he had run up against a wall of... not wanting to believe. But he can't let that happen. He can't pretend to be Rafael for him. He just can't.

Caesar breaks the contact of fingers on his face and shakes his head. No. He's not--

The scientist pulls the hand a bit roughly to the collar of his vest. He has to know what this is. It gets straightened every morning after he puts it on...]

[evowhisperer]

*The smile falters, and when he realizes what it is that Caesar's trying to get him to notice it disappears altogether. The wrong material--there's no tie, there's no labcoat lapel, there's no neatly folded collar--Cesar's hand almost spasms as he snatches it back.*

What's going on?

[pineapplesalmon]

[Caesar can't speak at first, his throat tight again, but he croaks out:]

I'm Caesar.

[He breathes in shakily. His face seems to be a bit wet. Just.. two tracks, slowly.]

I'm sorry.

[evowhisperer]

Caesar...

*The name is quiet, barely more than a breath. Wide, disbelieving eyes stay on him while he shakes head, before he stills. Strength seems to escape him all at once, and he looks away in defeat, but not before Caesar might catch a glimpse of a crumbling expression.*

*There are no words. Just the back of his head, and a fruitless sniff that doesn't repeat itself audibly.*

[pineapplesalmon]

[Caesar, without having to think about it, moves to sit on the bed instead of the chair and leans forward, pulling the other into a tight embrace. It's easier to make sure the other can't see his face that way.]

[evowhisperer]

*Cesar doesn't resist, and after a moment he finds himself hugging him back, clinging to the younger Caesar as though he were the only raft in a storm.*

*They stay that way for a long time, and when Cesar's grip finally loosens, it's not because he's pulling away, but because he's falling asleep.*

[pineapplesalmon]

[Caesar's face was buried in his other's shoulder, and Cesar's face was buried in his. The need for comfort was mutual, although Caesar could argue that Cesar needed it more. He had thought he had seen Dad, after all. Papá. He's gone. They're both gone.

He holds his other self tighter, forcing himself to notice the fabric more than his own thoughts. He's not ready to go down that road yet. Mourning them would mean he'd have to come to terms with their deaths. He's not ready for that, yet. Possibly not ever.

But the tears come anyways. They both shake and cling to one another, unable to stop. When Cesar finally falls asleep, Caesar doesn't let go immediately until he can breathe more normally.

It's then that he separates slowly from Cesar, leaning the other man back into the pillows. Cesar's vest is damp. Caesar's vest is damp and a little snotty. He doesn't notice it yet, instead tilting the other's head back to rest more peacefully.

It's a long time before he's composed himself enough to return to his chair. He eventually notices the snot and wipes it away. Then, Caesar gets back to work.]