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Date & Time: Earlier afternoon
Location: Aoba and Ren's room
Characters: Aoba, Ren and Koujaku
Summary: Surprise friend meetings!
Warnings: Nope.

[ It hadn't been a horribly long impromptu mission he'd been sent off on, but a week sure felt like a long time. The fact that he'd come back to the aftermath of a zombie invasion just made him feel like he'd missed out on a hell of a lot. Not that Aoba's particularly broken up over the fact that he hadn't had a chance to experience zombies for himself, but still... it's a pretty big thing to come back and realize you could have come back to everyone a bloody corpse or an undead monster themselves, and to be honest it made him a little leery of going off on single missions anymore.

He's done his best to catch up with everything he missed on his return, but it's left him feeling wiped out and right now he just wants to go collapse in his shitty moon bed right now.

He's not even looking up as he walks through the door. No, Aoba's attention is focused on his feet as he tries to tug off one of the boots the Initiative gave him, hopping into the room on one foot. ]

Ren, I'm back.

[ He's not actually sure if Ren is in the room, but he figures at worst he's talking to the air just just looks slightly stupid. ]

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[Ren is hopping off of Aoba's bed and hurrying over to place his paws against his leg. It's relieving to see his face, even though he knows Aoba was a lot safer wherever he was as opposed to here. It was probably just that he had missed him. But at least he had had Beni and Koujaku to keep him company in some of that time.]

Welcome back, Aoba. Was your mission successful? [There's a short pause before he speaks again.]

Aoba, we have guests. They arrived with the new Transports several days ago.

[Koujaku was busy looking over this new device he got, seeing that it's some sort of social media and network. Maybe this could be very useful in finding out more information about this place earlier. Waiting for Aoba usually is easier, but apparently a good chunk of time had passed so he's anxious to say the least. He went to the bathroom to freshen up and collect his thoughts together again.

He decides to head back to Aoba's room to check up on Ren when he sees a familiar silhouette. He comes up from behind, placing a hand on Aoba's shoulder.]

Welcome back! I wish I could say welcome home, but this is sort of your new home, isn't it? It could use a little decorating and personal touches, though. [He has a big smile on his face and sounds really happy and excited.]

[ Seeing Ren is a pretty welcome sight, a little sense of normality in his otherwise now confusing life. Though he's not exactly sure what Ren is talking about when he mentions guests. ]

Eh? Gues--

[ He's about to bend down and scoop Ren up into his arms when he suddenly feels a hand on his shoulder.

Aoba does the only sensible thing. He freezes in spot, looking vaguely horrified. It's probably for the best only Ren can see his face, because otherwise Aoba might be embarrassed by his own reaction. Especially considering that just a few seconds later he matches the voice to a person and his expression changes completely before he turns his head to the side to get a conformation look in. ]

Koujaku!

[ Sorry, buddy, you probably wanted some banter, but Aoba's just excited to see you here. Complaining about how bare the walls are can wait a minute. ]

Beni and Koujaku arrived while you were away. They have been staying here until you returned.

[Ren doesn't remove his paws from Aoba's legs, just staying propped up there and looking at him. It's natural for Aoba to pay attention to their guests, so Ren isn't too bothered by it right now. Still, he isn't sure if he should interrupt or... For now he remains silent.]

And me too! [Beni says , fluffing his feathers up to look bigger.]

You're safe like Ren said. [He glances over him, taking note of his hair as he pulls his hand back.] Looks like you need to trim your hair a little to even it out. [He reaches out, but instead of touching his hair, he just tugs at Aoba's nose before letting it go.] You have nice hair, Aoba, take care of it better. [EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR ZONE ON THE MOON WHAT PRIORITIES HUH.] Hopefully you've taken care of yourself a little better than your hair.

[ This dick. He sees him for the first time in months and Koujaku's first reaction is to give him a hard time about his hair? He sighs loudly, before tugging his jacket closed so most of his hair is covered. Doesn't do anything about the bangs that in his face more than usual though. ]

It's not like I can do much about it while I'm stuck here. I've been eating and sleeping just fine if that's what you're asking.

[ Acting all huffy for a second, but it doesn't last long when he looks over at Beni, grinning a little. ]

It's good to have you both with us, though...

[ Looking down at Ren again at last. ]

They didn't give Koujaku his own room?

I would not lie about Aoba's safety. [Maybe a little offended? It's hard to tell with a voice that doesn't change.] Aoba's vitals are in a healthy range.

Koujaku has been housed elsewhere. One moment, I will check the map that I made while you were away. [And Ren is pulling up programs and checking!]

Koujaku and Beni are in unit 175 in the south wing, with two other occupants.

Luckily for you I brought some clippers of mine. [And he takes out a red and gold box, offering it to Aoba.] You can borrow them and return them when you're done.

[Beni flies over to Aoba's shoulder, perching there.] I was getting bored of waiting for ya.

[He looks down at Ren.] I never thought that, but seeing it with my own two eyes is the only way to remove any doubt sometimes. [And at Ren mentioning where he lives, he makes a mental note of that information. He looks back towards Aoba.] I wanted to wait for you here until you got back. I also wanted to keep an eye on Ren for you, too.

More like Ren keeping an eye on you. [And Beni looks so proud of himself for that jab at Koujaku. He takes it in good humor, though, laughing once.] Maybe. Ren helped me out a lot, I'll admit that.

[ Koujaku, really? With a sigh Aoba still takes the box. He's not going to cut his hair right now. That can be put on hold, since Aoba's not all that concerned about his hair being kind of long right now.

He does crack a smile again at Beni's comment though. ]

Ah, Ren probably knows a lot more about everything going on here than I do, so it's probably lucky you ran into him first.

[ Though... you know, his friend just arrived, and they do have four beds here... ]

If it's okay with Ren and the others though, it's fine if you want to continue staying in this room for awhile.

[ Glancing down at Ren. Look, be proud he actually did ask, sort of... implied asking. ]

[Asking the wrong person, though, shouldn't he be asking the other roommates? But I guess it's nice because the fourth bed is technically his bed. But it would be a little silly to take up a whole bed as a tiny dog. Koujaku might have to fight the cats for it, though. What if he'd said no though, Aoba, what if.

Ren sits back on his haunches.]

I do not mind, the fourth bed is not being occupied at the moment. It would be polite to ask our other roommates as well, but I do not believe there will be any issues.

He's a loyal and useful companion as usual. [And he glances at Beni briefly who shoots him an angry look before look back at Aoba. He would have gone to pet Ren usually, but he stops himself after remembering the incident earlier.]

You miss me that much, Aoba? I'm flattered, but I'd let down my current roommates if I moved out so quickly. [He teases, and he's actually very flattered and happy. He feels like it's a huge surprise, and to cover up his true feelings, he makes a light joke. He wants to show appreciation and keep the friendly mood, but he has to decline. He hasn't even met them, but still.] Don't worry, I'll be stopping by enough that you won't miss me [He pauses, a smirk forming.] maybe.

[ He was going to ask the others too! It's just Ren's right there and his other roommates aren't around so it made sense to ask Ren first and the rest of them later. Not that it matters, since Koujaku's turning down the offer anyway.

Aoba tries not to look disappointed by Koujaku's comments, but it doesn't change the fact that he is. It's not that he's that interested in making their cramped living space even more uncomfortably crowded than it already is, but just like every other transport Aoba's gone through a lot sense coming here. The idea of having something, or in this case someone, besides Ren that's comforting and safe to be around is a nice idea. It'd be a big, big lie if he tried to claim the offer to let Koujaku stay with them wasn't hugely selfish on his part.

So he frowns slightly, but manages to do a pretty admirable job of not looking too bothered otherwise. ]

Who said anything about missing you.

[ A pause. ]

I didn't realize you'd already met your roommates though.

[ He's kneeling down now so he can work on getting rid of the other boot he's still wearing. What a weirdo, standing here having a conversation with one shoe still on.

Though he stops to gently tap Ren's nose with his finger first, since he's on Ren's level now (sort of...) ]

[At least Aoba thinks Ren deserves to have a say in the matter. It's a step in the right direction! Ren blinks at the nose tap before shaking his head and stepping back. He's had some time to think while Aoba's been away, and after his incident with Koujaku, he's starting to feel more awkward about being treated like a pet. Would Aoba tap his nose if he were human? Ren isn't sure. He's never seen him do it to anyone else before. He remains silent for the moment, staring blankly up at Aoba.]

I don't know, but that cute smile and happy look on your face made it seem like you were glad to see me. [He's just beaming because he's really happy Aoba missed him. Just having such a warm welcome, it makes him feel truly happy. Cheering up and being there for Aoba is important to him, but he's still upset with himself he wasn't there for Aoba when he first arrived here.] And also asking me to room with you... [He pats him on the back as he knows not to tease too much. He makes the transition to focus back on Ren.] And I'm sure Ren missed you while you were on your mission.

[He shakes his head.] No, but abandoning them before giving them the chance, that's pretty cruel. For all we know, it's a chance to make new friends or maybe something more.

[ Aoba stares back at Ren, a little confused by that reaction, but more than anything because he doesn't want to look up at Koujaku while he's still feeling sort of disappointed by the rejection of his offer. ]

I wasn't that happy.

[ He was pretty happy. ]

And ah, I guess that's true. The people here seem pretty nice for the most part. Though there are some...

[ No one outright awful that he's met, but he's run into some pretty rude kids here.

He sighs and holds out a hand to Ren, expecting him to come closer so he can pick him up. ]

.....

[Ren seems to be hesitating. It's pretty typical that he would willingly walk into Aoba's hands, and a part of him wants to. But after his talk with Koujaku, and his time away from Aoba, he has really set his mind to thinking about how he wants to be seen. Still, he's missed Aoba and curling up in his arms would be a familiarity that wouldn't be entirely unwelcome. Blah blah existence problems for not-so-robot dogs.

He doesn't want Aoba to worry there's something wrong with him either, so he eventually approaches his hand cautiously.]

[He watches the exchange between Ren and Aoba, feeling like something is off. Maybe Ren is still acting strange from before, but he's not going to bring that up. He still looks as pumped and excited that Aoba is back.]

So Ren told me you went on a mission. How'd that go? Got anything good out of it? I got told once you went to the beach. Either way, Aoba, welcome home. All of us are glad to have you back.

[ Koujaku's not the only one thinking that Ren is acting a little strange here. Even though Ren does eventually approach Aoba the hesitation already causes Aoba to worry some. This isn't like him, and Aoba has to wonder if something happened while he was gone.

He makes a note to himself to ask about that later. He doesn't want to talk about it with Koujaku here, even if he does trust Koujaku. It still seems like something that should stay between him and Ren.

For the time being though he scoops Ren up, trying to be a little more careful with him than usual (though it's not like he's usually rough with his robro).

He stands up and nods his head once in thanks for the welcome back. He's not sure he likes this place being called home, but he doesn't say that out loud. ]

Un, but the beach was something completely different. This time was really uneventful, but I did get some food and water, so I guess it was a success? There's not a whole lot to say about it.

[Ren curls up against his chest, paws tucked together, and eyes slightly narrowed. As he suspected, this position makes him feel uncomfortable again. He thought it might be different with Aoba, but it isn't the case. Whether it's with the person most important to him, or just a friend, it all leaves him feeling troubled. But he doesn't know how to tell Aoba that, nor does he really want to with an audience.]

It was a success. [Ren agrees mechanically.] There are few provisions here, the Transports and Initiative would welcome anything additional. Thank you for your hard work, Aoba.

You can tell me about the beach next time. [He laughs once entering the room and leaning against a wall. ] But what happened this time? And like Ren said, there's a lack of resources here, so having water and food will make things easier for the all of us. [He smirks.] If you're willing to share, that is.

I wish I had some food or something to drink to celebrate, but it seems this place is about as lively as the old district. [ he would have found some lay away plan for a little cake or some alcohol. ] Hopefully you don't mind I stayed here until you got back -- Ren was the best roommate I could've asked for.

[ He's not letting go of Ren though. In fact, he holds Ren a little closer to reassure himself about Ren's strange reaction earlier. ]

Ahaha, you don't have to thank me for something like that. It's something we all have to do anyway.

[ To Koujaku now. ]

But it's really not much at all. I went out and I spent some time by myself as I gathered food. It took awhile though, since I didn't show up with money in the first place, which made it harder... At least at the beach we got to see dinosaurs.

[ Going to take a seat on his bed now. ]

And I don't mind at all that you did.

[For now Ren doesn't seem to be moving at least.]

Gratitude is warranted in this kind of situation, is it not? Though I do not personally benefit from food or water, other Transports will.

[He hums at the rest of what Aoba says.]

The dinosaurs were very large.

Dinosaurs? [ there's actually a stunned face at first, because he isn't expecting that answer. ] That's certainly something you don't see every day. [he looks at Ren, his face not looking so surprised anymore, but interested. ] Were they? Well, I'd say most people don't tell the tale of seeing dinosaurs and live to tell about it.

[ koujaku has a habit in dropping in mostly unannounced anyway, but still, he uses kind words and politeness to show his gratitude. ] Well, Ren, I'm sure Aoba and I can find a way to reward you, right, Aoba? [ he flashes a playful smile at Aoba. ]

Not all dinosaurs eat meat, you know.

[ Though there's still a risk of being stepped on by some of the bigger herbivores so maybe Koujaku's comment still stands?

He looks down at Ren. ]

Eh? Yeah, if there's anything you want we can get it for you in thanks for taking care of Koujaku. It's a hard job, after all, so you deserve it, Ren.

Ah. [Ren looks a little bewildered.] No, that is not necessary. Koujaku was a polite guest, it was no trouble at all.

[If anything, Ren is probably the one that caused more trouble with his mood swings.]

True, but most are big enough to hurt you, intentional or not. [ at least Aoba is fine and he got to see something most people never get the chance to. ] But that's over with, and I bet you had an amazing and exciting experience.

So modest. [ he instinctual reaches his hand out, about to go pet Ren, but he pulls it back. ] Right, so what are you doing tonight? You should rest up before you do anything crazy. [ he's joking of course. ]

[ Aoba's definitely noticing Koujaku's reaction to Ren. That's weird, right? They seem to be friendly enough, but that's a strange reaction to have. Did something happen between the two of them while Aoba was gone?

He doesn't ask right now though. Instead he snorts at Koujaku's question. ]

Like there's anything crazy to do around here.

[ Except maybe stage a mutiny, but that'll come later. ]

[Ren watches the way Koujaku corrects his hand, and he feels a sense of gratefulness and guilt. For his own selfishness, he's asked Koujaku to change the way he acts around him. Was that really okay? And will he someday do the same to Aoba?

Ren shakes the thoughts off, tuning back into the conversation.]

It was quite hectic while you were gone.

Hey, you never know. People will always find a way to blow off stress and forget the hard times -- you'd be surprised. [ he tries to act like the awkward exchange never occurred, casually talking and acting very relaxed. ]

With all the new people coming, I can't see how it wouldn't be hectic. There's plenty of colorful people here to say the least.

[ For their sakes he'll go ahead and ignore the exchange as well. As best he can, anyway. He does glance down at Ren every so often. ]

That's true...

But the new people arriving isn't usually that hectic for the rest of us. They show up every month, and you get used to it after awhile. Though I imagine this time it was a little different...

[Ren shifts in Aoba's grip, paws resting on his hand, like he's trying to reassure him against whatever it is that he keeps looking at him for.]

There was an outbreak of monsters while you were away, Aoba. I believe they were called zombies, it was very dangerous to wander around.

They all arrive at the same time? Guess this place has a schedule in the midst of chaos after all. [ at least the attempt to be organized is there. ]

Yeah, zombies. They weren't too bad, but I felt like I was in some sort of video game. [ he recalls some things. ] You really do have to double check if they're dead or not.

[ His expression drops right away. Ren's body isn't flesh and blood, he should have been safe from something like zombies, but Koujaku is another story... ]

I heard someone mention something about it. Were they really...?

[ Undead. Trying to eat people? Horrible to deal with? ... Real? This place has had some pretty things happen, but zombies seems way out there. ]

Yes, they came from the agricultural wing I believe. It felt strange to fight them, since they didn't seem self-aware.

Edited 2014-01-06 09:27 (UTC)

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