[CAMPUS/IC] II

[fluffydeathdealer]

[This is a general post for threads that can't go anywhere else, to prevent making closed posts for one or two characters.

Threads here are 100% IC for the_campus.

11/02/14 - An Unexpected Guest
21/02/14 - Finally, No More Pantomime!
21/02/14 - Trial of the Heart: The Truth About Bakura?!
24/02/14 - Just Die Already! Sibyll Versus the Ring
17/03/14 - Tiny Trials With Bakura
21/03/14 - The Soul Alternative! Inside Harriet's Mind
23/03/14 - Bonds Between Men! A Reluctant Tolerance


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Another day, another soul visit!

[whiterosefoes]

[A jolt brings Harriet out of her nightmare, and for a quarter second she is disoriented, before her memories of the place flood back and the feeling of being inside of her soul room calms her slightly. Unfortunately, it does not bring comfort with it, as her body is still tied up in the tape like a kidnapping victim. By now, she does not bother to struggle.

It's been regular visits from Bakura now, since Ryou started leaving the ring with her. Harriet tries not to think too hard about that. But if she's awake, then he's probably come back now, hasn't he? She'll go and meet him, simply appearing in the pavilion.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Yo, Harriet. How many years has it been?

[Bakura's inappropriate cheerfulness is obvious as he reclines in one of her pavilion's chairs, leaning as far back as he can.]

You look stressed! Something the matter?

[whiterosefoes]

That isn't very funny. [years... don't say that! She doesn't have any concept of time in this place. In the dream, she can keep track, but she's not sure how it matches up with the real world, the one that Bakura lives in.

Though, if this goes on any longer, she's going to start to doubt that that world is the reality. If the only tie she has to it is this Room... no wonder she looks stressed. But she'll confess to it, since she doesn't have anything else to talk about really. Comas aren't very exciting.]

It's nothing, really... just that my dream's getting worse. It feels more real than this place, sometimes.

[fluffydeathdealer]

It's hardly so surprising... this room isn't 'real' after all. No one is ever meant to reside in it consciously long term. Even when comatose, usually you'd be sleeping constantly here.

It's only because of Malik and I that you're awaking from your dreams at all. But if your dream is going on in such a realistic manner... That's unusual, isn't it?

[Not that he knows anything about dreams. He doesn't really dream the way other people do. Or sleep, really. It's only when in Ryou's body and resting there that he experiences anything close to actual sleep. In his own soul container there's only silence and darkness. It's not a place for dreams or rest. 'Sleeping' there is merely letting his mind drift, forgetting the outside world for awhile.]

[whiterosefoes]

I'm not sure. [Harriet floats over and delicately slides onto one of the other nearby chairs.] I figured it was because my mind has nothing better to do with itself. But we already know this is strange. My body is still in stasis, right?

[magical coma. She's still kind of puzzling that one.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

That's right. You haven't changed even a little since I found you. Not even your hair has grown... it's almost creepy! [Chuckle.] Though I suppose it's for the best, either way. It means less embarrassment and discomfort when you eventually wake up.

[He leans his head on his hand, watching her. She's getting pretty good at this floating stuff.]

[whiterosefoes]

I wonder why it's like that... but you're right, I can't complain. As long as that kind of coma is something I can still wake up from. Stasis...

It's a little scary. My condition isn't getting worse, but what if it means I'm also not improving? The only thing I've gotten better at is controlling things in my soul room.

[fluffydeathdealer]

...

[Hah. She's technically in the same condition he is, isn't she, if that's the case? If she can't wake up from it, and her body won't change, she doesn't even have the luxury of death. His shoulders shake with silent laughter.]

Then if you don't improve, I guess I get to keep you forever!

[He's joking... right?]

[whiterosefoes]

[SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW ANYMORE.]

Wh-what kind of answer is that?!

[fluffydeathdealer]

What? You'd rather I tossed your sleeping body out into the woods or something? At the least I could use you for decoration.

[...it seems he really is joking. Hope that he is, at least, Harriet...]

[whiterosefoes]

And at most is what, a coat rack?

[well, she's joking back, that's something.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

I was thinking more like a doll... but I guess you could be used for something like that.

[He laughs, amused.]

Though I guess I could also move your soul into a new body and see if that works...

[whiterosefoes]

...You're sliding dangerously into serious answers territory there, Bakura.

[she says on the generous assumption that everything before it was a joke]

I feel bad enough for Ryou, without doing that to somebody else.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Serious? Don't be ridiculous. I like your body too much to suggest that seriously.

[Good assumption! ...possibly wrong, possibly right, either way he isn't going to clarify.]

[whiterosefoes]

[somehow she didn't expect that kind of joke here, so it actually makes her laugh.]

You're the one who's ridiculous ... flirting with my soul.

[fluffydeathdealer]

...what? Why is that ridiculous?

[He stares at her.]

I could kiss you right here and you'd never know the difference between it and a 'real' kiss.

[whiterosefoes]

Cause my real body isn't- [ghjklfgh] I think I would know!

[fluffydeathdealer]

...

Want to try it and see?

[Yes, he is in fact serious.]

[whiterosefoes]

[Harriet blinks, looking at him for a moment.]

Well, I guess there's no harm in it...

[Which is unusually honest for her, but it's her soul. It wasn't 'real'. And her time outside of these visits was a living hell, she could use a bit of fun.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Hoh...?

[He didn't really expect her to take him up on it, but... he's not going to turn it down. Even if Malik might get a little jealous if he sees. Honestly, that boy... His 'don't you dare do exactly what I do' stuff was kind of a pain. But souls are free reign.

Letting the legs of the chair hit the ground again, he gets up from it, strolling over to where she's sat. He seems entirely at ease, his hands tucked into his pockets as he approaches.]

You're sure? There's no taking it back, you know...

[whiterosefoes]

[he seems to be pretty easygoing about it. That's good, she thinks, but she'll still look up at him with a little caution.]

I don't know. Are you going to make a big deal out of it?

[fluffydeathdealer]

Why would I do something like that if it wasn't amusing to me?

[There's a lot of ways to do something like this. But it might be overthinking it to debate it too long. She's right, after all. Making a big deal of it is pointless. And all of that bullshit doesn't matter anyway. It's just a kiss.

So, rather than bothering with anything ceremonious, he casually lifts his hand to cup her cheek. Her skin feels warm against his hand. It's as if she's 'real' instead of merely a soul taking on the form of its' outer body. Would it bleed, if he cut it? He's never tried to do something like that before. He supposes he won't try it later, either. But it's still a thought that intrigues him. As much as he knows about souls, there's still always that endless level of knowledge just further enough away to be unreachable.

He blinks, realizing he's staring at her. That's probably not good, but it was only for a second or two. Probably not enough to weird her out.]

Don't worry. I won't bite.

[It may be a joke, but she hasn't seen those tiny fangs of his up close. They might be too small to be actually dangerous, but they can sure hurt.

Leaning down, he hesitates slightly, almost imperceptibly, his breath hot against her lips, before pressing them together. And just like that, the mental barrier of 'do not touch' has been broken.]

1/2

[whiterosefoes]

[Harriet smiles slightly.] That's about what I expected.

[It was only for kicks that she agreed, and he should understand that. Harriet's really not sure when she'll wake up, if ever... it's frustrating to the point where it's hard to care about anything else. But when he holds her cheek, her eye follows his hand there. She's almost surprised by its warmth as well, but not entirely. He was also fairly warm when he carried her around on the first day he visited. She looks back into his eyes when she feels that they've been on her for just a little too long - what was he thinking? His expression was strange. It almost looked surprised. The line he delivered next didn't really suit that look, and she laughs at it for the joke it was.]

I'm afraid you've been reading too many vampire novels, Bakura... just go on.

[Harriet encourages him teasingly. If the things he had done in the past and his crazy laugh didn't scare her, his teeth certainly wouldn't. She hasn't seen them up close before, though, it's true. She supposes that's just another way he changes when he takes over Ryou .... wait, no. This is still just Bakura, so she doesn't have to worry about that, even if she is still taking on the same shape. It's made quite a difference talking to him all this time without that barrier in the way. She's become comfortable with him in a way she hadn't been before, especially with consideration to the care he's been taking of her. Still, when he draws in close, she shuts her eyes in anticipation. The hesitation is felt because of that, but ... ]

[whiterosefoes]

[...feeling his breath for just that second gives her a last second to prepare her thoughts as well before their lips touch.

She expected warmth, the surface feeling. What she didn't think her soul could replicate was the tingle, the strange shock of pleasure that came from intimate contact. But there it was... wasn't it all in her head? She didn't think she was attracted to Bakura that way, so why would it be? Maybe he'd cheated or done something to her... but he always said that she was the only one who could control things in here. There was just too much that she didn't know. She'll just have to figure it out by kissing him back. ]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Warm. That's his first thought. He can feel the heat of her body from being this close, the warmth of her skin, and it's almost comfortable. Letting his eyes fall shut, he relaxes, just feeling for a moment. Her lips are softer than Malik's, and he can feel the difference in their heights more easily. It's nice not being the shortest one for once. His hand leaves her face at last, idly drawing down her throat to rest on the front of her chest, fingers pressed against her shoulder.

It's interesting, in a way. He's no stranger to either men or women, and yet his contact with them in ways like this has been so scattered wide across time that it almost surprises him every time. After becoming used to Malik's initial awkwardness and later confidence, this is almost strange. Not in a bad way; that feeling of intimacy is still the same, the casual pleasure of it too - but definitely different. Despite that, his confidence never falters. She can probably feel his grin against her lips. The thing he hated the most in this world or any other was being uncertain. So why let such a thing exist when you could drive it out by action?

He presses her back into the chair suddenly as he takes on a more forceful role, his mouth pressing back against hers in a demanding manner. If he's going to kiss her, he might as well do it right. And right means that he isn't going to hold back even a little. Test or not... this isn't something he dislikes doing. Rather, it's something he's thought about in the past, offhandedly. Never seriously. The mere factor of being denied touch in that regard was enough to make him want it. And now he's getting a taste of it.

He's almost thankful to the other Malik for giving him this chance.]