spoilers: this is gonna end terribly

[wentnuclear]

» WHO? Raleigh and Yancy (sort of) and OTA for main log, closed starters in comments
» WHEN? 9am on the 20th - 9am on the 21st (this lasts EXACTLY 24 hours only though you can tag in whenever)
» WHERE? deck 2 corridors, mess hall, gym, Raleigh's quarters
» WHAT? Raleigh got an action. For a limited time only, a big brother!!! But there are a few catches...
» WARNINGS? massive pacrim spoilers, potential for violence/injury, discussions of death via giant alien monster and severe ptsd, will update if more arises!

[ As much as he doesn't really want to admit it, Raleigh is settling into a bit of a routine. The room he shares with Mako is even starting to feel... like theirs. It's strange, considering Raleigh has lived in many places without ever settling at all, has rented apartments that might as well have just been hotel rooms for all he nested. But the station feels sort of. Not homey but maybe like Shatterdomes used to. They've got pictures on the walls and a sense of camaraderie with their fellow captives. Though he didn't expect it to be the case, Raleigh actually likes most people he's met here.

Mako headed off to poke at the command deck early that morning and Raleigh hit the gym as usual, planning to meet her for a late breakfast after. That's where he's going now, freshly showered and running his fingers through his damp hair as he gets off the elevator on the mess hall deck. It's starting to feel a little longer than he likes to keep it, but it's not like the station has a barber. He ponders maybe asking Mako to try and trim it for him, but is thrown from his thoughts as he turns a corner and spots a jumpsuited figure lying on the metal floor, unmoving, a communicator droning the usual arrival message beside them. Somebody new is about to wake up. Raleigh breaks into a little jog, boots clanging, thinking that maybe he can be helpful. Help ease the stranger into this bullshit. That extra sound is enough to cause the man -- yeah, it's a guy -- to stir, groaning and sitting up. His back is to Raleigh, who notes idly that they have the same color hair. Go figure. ]

Easy, buddy. Take it slow, you'll be okay. Everybody wakes up with one hell of a--

[ He makes it to the end of the hall, slowing to a stop as the newcomer turns to look up at him and abruptly freezing mid-sentence because.

No.

This is impossible.

It's completely fucking impossible so clearly it's just the station fucking with him again, like people's visions and the voices in the walls. But Raleigh can't tear his eyes away, just stares in shock at his big brother, sitting there looking as solid and real as anything he's ever seen. Looking alive, somehow. ]

...Yancy?

Raleigh. [ The ghost's mouth quirks, and Yancy carefully picks himself up off the floor and glances around, moving stiffly but not like he's favoring any injuries. If he were a hallucination, wouldn't he be ripped to shreds? Not in a station jumpsuit looking like maybe he just had a few too many last night and is pissed Raleigh woke him up to enjoy the hangover. But he can't be real. He's dead, he's-- ] What kind of afterlife is this supposed to be?

[ Raleigh's mouth opens but nothing comes out so he just shuts it again, at a complete loss. It has to be a trick, but he finds himself playing along. ]

You remember?

Knifehead, yeah. Got us good, huh?

[ Slowly, he shakes his head. ] No, just... just you. Yancy, how--?

[ Something dark flickers through Yancy's eyes at that news, as it settles. Conflicts. And oddly, seems to resolve. He doesn't ask how he's here now, standing tall and holding a conversation, or where they are, or how Raleigh survived. He just lifts an arm, the same one Raleigh remembers him reaching out as he was torn away. Raleigh, listen to me, you-- and then the terror, the pain, and that terrible void. ] C'mere, kid.

[ Really, he should object. He's older now than Yancy was when he died, technically he's the big brother. Does it work that way? Who the fuck knows but he'd claim the technicality if he were processing this well enough to be casual about it. Instead all he can process is that Yancy is reaching for him and Raleigh just goes, nearly falling forward into his brother's arms and holding on tight. And it sure as fuck feels real. It must be. Somehow, Yancy is here. Tears prick Raleigh's eyes and he squeezes them shut. There's a lot of ground to cover, a lot of questions neither of them are going to be able to answer but some he can. They'll get there, though. Right now... ]

There's somebody you've gotta meet.

[ Anyone is welcome to have witnessed the tail end of this encounter, to hear Raleigh speaking brokenly to the silence of the corridor. No one else can see or hear Yancy, as they're about to find out. The brothers break apart and Yancy does ask something, then, but the simplest of the possible questions. Where are they? Raleigh huffs, then starts walking again, back down the hall towards the mess. The conversation is one sided to anyone around, Raleigh explaining things about the station like he's being prompted but there's nobody there. Who's he smiling at, looking so hesitantly joyful? Has he just snapped? You know what, just go over and ask him. ]

--

(( OOC: Okay so to keep things consistent regarding other characters' perceptions, I likely won't actually be RPing Yancy/describing exactly what Raleigh is seeing and hearing outside of what he tells people he is! You can wildcard catching a different one-sided convo (they're going to start arguing soon enough) or hit me up at cuddlebug to plot a closed starter, I may add something like a semi-OTA gym scene where they're sparring and Raleigh is inexplicably taking damage. ))

Comments

[setpoint]

[Mako is just finishing up on the command deck when she feels a sudden, intense rush of emotions—disbelief and shock, relief and joy, and it's so out of place she freezes for a minute. It's Raleigh, but she can't think of any reason he'd be having such a sudden, overwhelming reaction, so she drops what she's doing and heads out, trying to find him.

When she does, he looks happy. Happier than she's seen him in... maybe ever.]

Raleigh?

[wentnuclear]

[ Oh, awesome, there she is. Raleigh didn't even have to call her to hurry up and get to the mess hall like he thought he might, if she'd gotten consumed by her work. He comes to a stop before her and beams like the sun, because even if this is weird and impossible, it's happening so.

He glances between Mako and Yancy with wide, eager puppy eyes, just waiting for her to recognize him and react. When she doesn't, immediately, he makes an encouraging gesture.

In his perception, Yancy is rolling his eyes a little at Raleigh's enthusiasm. You're so into this chick, little brother, don't embarrass yourself. But at the gesture he offers a greeting, his name, and a hand to her to shake.

But Mako is still only looking at him. ]

It's okay. I was freaked too, but... he's fine.

[setpoint]

[He's fine, Raleigh says. Mako can't see anything except the desperately happy, hopeful look on Raleigh's face, and she's utterly at a loss. She can feel that enthusiasm and excitement too, echoing off of him and she can't parse it.]

Raleigh... Who are you talking about?

[wentnuclear]

[ Wait... what?

No. Raleigh's expression falls, because he'd doubted too but then he'd been so sure... he is sure, this must just be a different kind of weirdness. It has to be. He reaches out and snags his brother's still-extended hand, reassuring himself. Yancy's fingers curl around his, warm and solid, and he frowns in confusion. ]

You really can't see him? It's Yancy.

[setpoint]

[Mako's mouth opens, but she's at such a loss she can't find anything to say. Her eyes flick down to his hand—it almost looks like he's holding something, and it makes her tense, confused.]

I... I can't see him.

[wentnuclear]

[ Together the brothers drop their hands, matching frowns on their faces. Not that Mako can appreciate that. And now Raleigh sounds insistent, desperate for Mako to believe him because of course his first thought was that he was hallucinating so it must be hers too. ]

...he's here.

[setpoint]

[Mako reaches for Raleigh's now free hand instantly, fingers curling around his.]

When did this start?

[wentnuclear]

[ She can have his hand, but he doesn't like the way she phrased that. Not at all. ]

Nothing "started," Mako, I'm not hallucinating. I just ran into him waking up in the corridor, maybe ten minutes ago.

[setpoint]

[It's clear Mako is struggling with it—she doesn't want to crush him, but how could Yancy possibly be here and be... what? Invisible?]

Can you tell him to try touching me?

[wentnuclear]

He can hear you.

[ In his perception they said that together, with Yancy saying "I" instead of he. But Raleigh nods a little, watching as his brother reaches out and touches Mako's shoulder. Seems to give it a little squeeze, and yet she doesn't notice. Doesn't seem affected at all. He tries to shake her and can't, relaying that to Raleigh with some distress. ]

...he's grabbing you, you can't feel that?

[setpoint]

[Mako's heart sinks. Illogical as it might be, she'd been hoping she would feel something.]

...No. Where?

[wentnuclear]

Your right shoulder.

[ He doesn't get it, and it's upsetting all three of them. ]

I don't understand.

[setpoint]

I don't either, but I don't...

[She lets out a breath, her grip on his hand tightening.]

I don't think he's here, Raleigh.

[wentnuclear]

[ Neither Raleigh nor Yancy know quite what to do with that, although Raleigh saw it coming and was half braced for it. The thing is, he doesn't have an argument to present besides the fact that he's able to see and hear and touch his brother, which doesn't hold much water. ]

Okay. I'm not going to argue with you about this. He's here.

[setpoint]

Okay.

[She says it a little shakily, pulling her hand free of his, because what the hell is she supposed to say to that?]

Then why can't I see him?

[wentnuclear]

[ That doesn't help. In fact, that ratchets up the unhappiness factor in this situation, but Raleigh doesn't grab after her. Just rakes a hand through his hair in frustration, looking to Yancy, who is also at a loss. ]

We don't have an answer for that.

[setpoint]

Has anyone else been able to see him?

[wentnuclear]

[ That gets a shrug, because they were heading straight for Mako and haven't stopped to talk to anyone else yet. ]

You're the first person we've seen.

[setpoint]

What is he doing right now, then?

[wentnuclear]

...he's upset.

[ Frustrated and worried, if Raleigh's reading him right. They may or may not be ghost drifting, but the echo is too similar right now to tell. ]

He's not trying to touch you anymore, if that's what you mean.

[ And then his attention shifts, and Raleigh shakes his head. ]

I don't think so -- people do hallucinate a lot, though, that's where she's coming from. [ For Mako's benefit, he clarifies: ] He's asking if this has happened to anyone before.

[setpoint]

[She's obviously struggling with this, not sure how to get through to him.]

But... what makes you think this isn't a hallucination?

[wentnuclear]

You can't touch hallucinations, can you? I don't think that's a thing. And he's... consistent.

[ Raleigh frowns at the air off to his left, and huffs. ]

Dude, you're not helping.

[setpoint]

Consistent?

[She frowns.]

What did he say?

[wentnuclear]

He's just... getting pretty insulted I'm entertaining the thought he might not be real. Which I think is understandable.

[setpoint]

[Mako isn't sure if she should try to talk him through this or what, and she doesn't want to break his heart or make it worse, but...

Well, maybe she should just be honest. Her voice softens.]

Raleigh, you're... scaring me a little.