psl || since the beginning of everything

[unsaid]

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[preowned]

Some things you never forget.

[ he proceeds to accidentally hit the brake instead of the gas, and then laughs when they come to an abrupt stop before he tries again. ]

I hope there isn't much traffic today.

[ for the love of god, even if his concern isn't for the right reasons ]

[unsaid]

[jiji muffles a startled cough behind his hand as they have that hiccup, because he was definitely choked a little bit by his seatbelt. this is what he gets for being safe. stop being such a dweeb, jiji.]

Ah...

Let us hope not.

[they probably have to go through a decently long driveway somehow to get to the gate that releases them into the road but]

Make a left when you are able, please.

[preowned]

Right!

[ i'm so fuckin sorry jiji

well, tsuru isn't. he is so clearly pleased by getting to do this and hopefully the novelty of it will wear off soon, so that they just don't die. ]

I forgot how big your property is...

[ mostly because he. cannot freely explore it. and the experience of driving is different than being a passenger. ]

[unsaid]

[don't you dare apologize to jiji this was his idea - he's just going to move to casually pull the seatbelt a little bit away from him, hooking his thumb into the material and giving it a gentle tug. clearly it's just so that the imprint of it won't be left on his nice clothes.

that's all.]

Ha ha ha, it is far too large for just an old man such as myself, but they would not allow me to simply get a... what is it called? Workshop apartment? [studio apartment]

Though perhaps it may be more enjoyable to roam now.

[with these bodies, and with tsuru at his side]

[preowned]

Maybe we can find something you've never seen before.

[ an adventure on mikazuki's front lawn. the chances of them stumbling on something the caretakers haven't already seen isn't too high, but tsuru likes the idea of it anyway.

... although that makes him think. ]

Depending on how long this lasts, I may need to extend my stay here.

[unsaid]

Ah, that would be quite a surprise, if such a thing existed.

[though he'll settle himself against the seat then, keeping his gaze on the road in front of them even as the corner of his lips edges upward at tsurumaru's next statement.]

But if you wish to stay, there is no obstacle in your path.

There will always be room for you, wherever I dwell.

[preowned]

[ ... he has to tell himself that mikazuki would probably say that to the rest of their longtime friends, because otherwise the odd fluttering feeling in his chest might get too annoying.

but he laughs anyway. ]

You say that now, but soon your staff will be trying to kick me out.

[ he says as if they don't already want him to leave. even as an old man the amount of jokes he has probably pulled makes them want to fist fight him. and it'll only get worse now. ]

[unsaid]

Take me with you when you go?

[he's probably joking - but mikazuki smiles and laughs regardless, because he imagines that in general he'll want to be out of the manor now that he's feeling younger. it's not as though he refrained from the travel bug even as he got older in his years, his regular visits to tsurumaru's farm testament enough for that, but it's... different now

it feels like there's still so much of the world to see]

[preowned]

[ he could point out that his staff would probably grumble about that as well; they can't keep track of the nonsense they get into if they're not around to see it.

but instead he just grins at the question. ]

If I could, I'd take you everywhere with me.

[unsaid]

[wow! gay.

even so, mikazuki's smile stretches a bit at that, warming into something closer to genuine rather than the ever-present amusement that normally rests on his face]

There is a large world for us to explore past these gates. We have our work cut out for us if we are to go 'everywhere'.

[please don't die in a car accident first]

[preowned]

[ they are going to die so i can kill tsuru off twice in one weekend. ]

Well... we may have time now, so we may as well use it.

[ maybe. they still don't know how long this may last, whether it's just for a day or much longer, but

even if it's just for a minute, it'll still feel like an adventure. ]

go to bed binch

[unsaid]

[car crash imminent.

but regardless mikazuki just laughs at that - ]

Was it time that was working against us? Then why did we not go on our adventures sooner than this?

[if time is the great equalizer and they had days regardless... why was it, that they didn't go out and explore the world together?]

A left up ahead.

[but - he will offer the direction, if his question would be a softer blow as a rhetorical one]

no

[preowned]

[ he makes the turn, using it as a buffer before he speaks again.

because... it wasn't just time, was it? eventually, yes-- because time eventually had gotten ahold of them, and made them slower, and more fragile, until the point where tsurumaru had to come visit because he wasn't entirely sure if he'd be able to make another trip in the future.

but there was something else blocking them before any of that was ever factor. and it's something they carefully ignored, for decades, as if never speaking of it would set it neatly out of view. ]

Maybe we got old sooner than we thought.

[ maybe things would have been easier if they weren't forced to be adults by those around them. ]

fuck you

[unsaid]

[did they?

mikazuki considers it as they drive through the city that they both once knew like the back of their hands, that they commanded with the youthful vigor that only young adults without a care in the world could. many of the shops that they used to visit are closed now, replaced with something newer, sleeker, where the walls don't have evidence of their late nights of dreaming and nonsense.]

A lack of surprises, do you think?

[ - that made them age faster. that stole a little bit of that wonder and delight that came with each day.]

Right, at the next stoplight and over the bridge.

[preowned]

Got it.

[ he follows the direction, and takes a moment to look out the window. he wonders, briefly, if any of the people passing by have also received the app. they all seem like they're having an average, ordinary day, but... so does he and mikazuki, from an outsider's perspective. you can't tell that their lives have been so changed. ]

... but most likely. We should be thankful for this surprise, or else we may not have lasted much longer.

[unsaid]

It is a rather extensive one - I suppose it will have revitalized us quite a bit.

[but over the bridge then, they'll be able to approach the museum. mikazuki's pride and joy. he gives tsurumaru the directions to the parking complex, showing his clearance badge to the guard so that they can park in mikazuki's reserved spot. of course, the guard notices nothing.

it's as mikazuki's exiting the car that he reflects - ]

Oh, how fun it would've been if I had this job when we were at this age.

[preowned]

Really? What would you have done?

[ he steps out of the car, easing into this question into of the previous topic. it's a little safer, when tsurumaru isn't entirely sure what this whole situation might mean for their relationship specifically.]

[unsaid]

Pass off one of your Calculus doodles as high art? Or perhaps include a new art installation....

[like this

but he just seems a bit amused regardless, adjusting the coat that rests on his shoulders as he guides tsurumaru out of the parking garage. they enter through the staff entrance with mikazuki's access key card, and head right into the museum itself]

[preowned]

What do you mean by 'pass off'...? They were all high art.

[ he says this with so much confidence that he definitely believes this to be true.

but he follows along, curious. it's not his first time here, but he hasn't been to the museum in a while and, like all things, it changes. ]

[unsaid]

Ah, that's right, my mistake. Perhaps if you create something now with a signature, we can include it in the gallery tomorrow?

[please god no.

but mikazuki will proceed up until they exit, headed into the main hall of the museum itself. at least the architecture looks the same, even though some of the exhibits seem like they've changed. banners drape across everything, advertising the gallery that will be on display for the next few months -

stories in steel: craftsmanship and history of japan's finest blades]

[preowned]

[ i hate you

but he makes note of the banners, but doesn't have much of a reason to dwell on them. ]

What do you have to look at here, anyway?

[unsaid]

[i forgot what i set up and was like why do you hate me

but mikazuki only offers a soft hum at that.]

Decorations, placement of artifacts, in essence giving my stamp of approval of others' hard work.

[he's just final say on what goes]

[preowned]

A lot of responsibility for such an old man...

[ who is not so old anymore, for whatever reason. ]

It must keep you busy.

[unsaid]

Hm...

[he looks thoughtful at that, even as he begins to lead tsurumaru past the area that seems to be roped off to the public. the guards give them a simple nod of acknowledgment, and hold the double doors open to them as they approach.]

At times, perhaps.

[though it's not exactly the kind of busy that he can devote his heart and soul into? he enjoys his work, but there is a certain level of detachment from it that he can't shake.

like all he can do is collect pieces of history, but his hands are tied in creating it.]

[preowned]

[ hm...

he takes note of the security guard as they pass-- another person who doesn't see anything off about mikazuki's current form. at least, this way it's easier to tell who may or may not have that mysterious app, although tsurumaru is hoping they run into someone who sees something wrong sooner than later.

but anyway. ]

And the rest of the time?