CARLOS;

[crashout]

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WEEK 0, SUNDAY

[crashout]

[At some point after the break-in, and some point after he leaves Beck, Junpei has one goal in mind. Carlos. He has to find Carlos. He has to find Akane. No, Carlos, Akane's not here, why isn't Akane here, how did this happen.

The shift. The shift got fucked up somehow, everything got fucked up.

The hallway sways a little as he slowly walks through it...he doesn't even know if Carlos is home? God, he hopes his roommate's not in. He finds the room because he's figured that out, and he knocks on it with a loud bang of his fist.]

[tricycles]

[LUCKILY FOR JUNPEI, Polly is not in the room right now. Not so luckily for Junpei, with all that racket? Carlos wastes no time in opening the door... Which means it might be popping open just as Junpei moves to knock again, should he go for a second attempt. It's fine.

Either way, have a very startled beef—]

—Junpei? [IT'S A SMALL HOTEL... MY DUDE??] Where have you been?

WEEK 0, MONDAY

[tricycles]

[can't believe it's only w0 and junpei is stressing the fuck out of carlos already

which is to say-- hi. hello. it's check-in time, buddy. carlos is just gonna slide in next to him once he spots him sometime during monday. probably in the lounge.]

Hey. [casually.] How are you feeling?

[how's life after getting your ass haunted, ig.]

[crashout]

[It's fine!!! From his angle at the door it might be hard to see but Junpei's curled up on one of the couches with his head against one of the arms. He's also staring at a painting but uh. It's fine. Carlos drops next to him and he's greeted with the sight of this dumb bitch....in an outfit Carlos straight-up has never seen before. He's ditched the blue puffy vest, thank god, but the capris/flannel/gray sleeveless hoodie combo is probably more color than Carlos would have imagined Junpei would ever wear.

But his focus seems to shift immediately. Thanks for being casual as always, Carlos.]

Better than yesterday. [...annnd he had the grace to look a little sheepish.] Sorry about that.

[Sorry about barging into your room and drunkenly yelling about timelines and sex demons.]

w0, wednesday post-event

[crashout]

[OKAY WELL. He has had a really wild-ass couple of days and it's when he's busy trying to locate someone sane who might help ground him. It takes time, but eventually he tracks Carlos down in the kitchen.

It's maybe a little different, but he approaches from the side and nudges him lightly to get Carlos' attention.]

You drink coffee, right? [He's at least attempting here.]

[tricycles]

[HELLO, JUNPEI... Carlos looks somewhat ill today, but that's probably because of the symptoms that seem to be plaguing everyone. It's fine. He blinks when Junpei nudges him, before smiling down at him.]

'Course. How else would I survive in the mornings?

[Fun fact! Firefighter shifts can range from anywhere between 10 hours to 24 hours. Please save his sleeping schedule.]

W0, Thursday pre curfew I'm going to kill you.

[crashout]

[This week has been one of the most taxing of his goddamn life, but...sometimes you just have to see if things are true for yourself. With new information on hand, Junpei wastes time on Thursday trying to convince himself that this plan will work and nearly backs down. But. Unfortunately he's stubborn and curious and...well. He has to know.

It's why he knocks on Carlos's door for like the third time this week and waits, stance jittery and nervous. He doesn't even wait for Carlos to speak when he opens the door, just glancing to make sure they're alone before forcibly pushing on his chest to back him into the room and shut the door.]

I need to talk to you. And maybe a favor.

laughs at you forever

[tricycles]

[Well.

This is off to A Start.

Whatever greeting he had for him dies on his lips as he's backed into the room. The fact that Junpei is ready to get down to business is... a little alarming, actually? And Carlos looks appropriately caught off-guard.]

What's wrong? Did something else happen?

["Something else," because everything happens so much in this hecking place.]

W0, Saturday

[crashout]

[So Carlos and Polly leave and Junpei immediately follows. He just runs straight after them, yeeting himself into the other elevator and pounding on the panthouse button.

He's also just knocking on the door once he gets there, frantically slamming the door? HEWWO????]

[tricycles]

[HI, JUNPEI.

Carlos opens the door for him! Though he looks super duper pale when he does. Hi. Hello. What's up.]

w0, sunday.

[tricycles]

[Haha.

So, like. Assuming there's a moment in time when Junpei is by himself in his assigned room, he will suddenly hear the sound of something large crashing in the kitchenette. The floor will vibrate briefly from the impact.

This was not preceded by any indication of the door being unlocked by one of his roommates.

Should he go investigate, he will find... Carlos. Intact. Flesh surprisingly unmelty. He's bent over the mini-fridge, which seems to have been knocked over for some reason or another. He blinks owlishly at Junpei, like he's not 100% sure what the fuck just happened here.]

... Uh. Hey?

[damn bitch you slip into the mortal realm like this?]

[crashout]

[His first two attempts didn't work, so, haha, when the third attempt does and Junpei hears that crash, he jumps like a startled housecat, letting out a yell. But he's quick to move, entering the kitchenette and thanking whoever the fuck is listening that Escha and Dick are out--

--and he just. Stares for a moment.]

What the fuck. [Says Junpei, who is still shirtless and holding the clamshell.] That worked?

[Good thing he worked out all of his emotions prior to this because now he's back to just being annoyed!! And relieved.]

w1, wednesday.

[tricycles]

[The next time Junpei walks through a door, he'll find himself tripping and falling into an entirely new location. Specifically — an empty hospital wing, devoid of all signs of life save for the steady beeping of a heart monitor in the distance. It looks like the only way to go is down the corridor, but Junpei won't have to walk for too long before he stumbles across the only open room in the entire hallway.

... In fact, he won't even have to go in. Carlos is waiting for him right outside of the room. He lifts a hand in greeting once he sees him.]

Hey, I got your picture.

[crashout]

[...well. This is a little spooky and when he enters this place he finds himself falling. He doesn't yell out in surprise or anything, but he's quick to freeze and try to track the source of the sound.

Hospitals creep him out a little, admittedly, but as he walks he finds Carlos there.]

...hey. [Literally everything he had to say to him went out the window.] Where are we?

w1, saturday.

[tricycles]

[Wherever Junpei is? Carlos is suddenly showing up behind him, like the world's shittiest jumpscare. NORMALLY HE WOULD CONGRATULATE HIM ON A JOB WELL DONE but instead Junpei gets—]

—Really?

[you tell a guy his nipples are nice during a mental breakdown once and this is what happens wtf]

[crashout]

[Junpei is definitely somewhere very alone but also very shirtless still because Carlos just shows up without warning? There's no warning but there's an almost amused look at the response.]

I can put my shirt back on if you want. [He's definitely just fucking with him but also...he kind of feels good. It's a weird situation and tomorrow they're executing a teenage girl, but they're kind of saving her, too. He didn't pin anyone innocent. He did something right and it's almost like rolling three ones again. Inevitable, but still damn pleasing.]

w2, saturday.

[tricycles]

[Back to the hospital again! Carlos is waiting for him inside the room this time, sitting on the bed next to the active heart monitor. He's... staring at it when Junpei arrives, and doesn't pull away for a moment longer. When he finally glances his way, he's obviously unhappy.

But Junpei must be feeling worse.]

... I can move us out of here in a minute. You can sit down in the meantime.

[Sorry, bro. But he just spent six hours on the living side, so. Let the void claim him for a second longer.]

[crashout]

[...nah. Somehow it puts things into perspective so he approaches and just sits on the floor near Carlos's feet, staring at the underside of the bed. There's probably a chair that he just ignored, it's fine.]

No it's...okay. I think it's fine to stay here.

week three, monday.

[tricycles]

[JUST. Popping up wherever Junpei is. And immediately rolling his eyes at him!! Hewwo.]

In my expert opinion, your camera angles need some work.

[crashout]

[His pants are in the process of being buttoned up and they're in his room. Enjoy the conspiracy wall and everything. Hey.]

Gonna give me some pointers then? I'm not the one who has to look. [Is he outright flirting with Carlos this time? Who the fuck knows.]

...figured you could use a break from your usual office for a while.

week four, monday.

[tricycles]

[The next time Junpei walks through a door, he'll find himself in the hospital again! Carlos will be leaning against a wall, and will give him a highly bemused smile once he sees him.]

Pull myself away from what?

[crashout]

[He's just. Kind of pouting up at him as he enters the hospital and shrugs lightly. He's been having a Time, Carlos, please forgive him.]

Whatever you're doing with Polly, I guess? Sorry to interrupt your beach day. [Hm. Assumptions are Great.]

week six, monday.

[tricycles]

[HE............ REFUSES TO THINK ABOUT DICK PICS WHILE IN MARIA'S HOSPITAL ROOM, SO!!! Carlos will show up wherever Junpei is after a few minutes, scratching his neck.]

... Heard last week was rough.

[Sure, let's start with that.]

[crashout]

[Junpei is in his room and Dick is, thank god, elsewhere but he's also being an asshole and lounging on the bed. Since it's right after the fact, he hasn't bothered doing up his jeans again. Hello himbo. ]

Out of everything that's happened here I don't think I expected to become an actual furry. [Dryly.] ...I wanted to come see you last week but it kinda felt like bad timing. Plus the whole zombie thing...

[So yeah. It's been rough.] Figured you might need some time to yourself, too. [After Junpei accosted him and yelled about flirting, sure.]

week six, wednesday.

[tricycles]

[Welcome back to the hospital, Junpei! He'll find himself transported to Carlos' "office" the next time he walks through a door, but... Carlos isn't in the hallway to greet him. Hm.

The retching he'll hear coming from the direction of the customary hospital room might explain that, though.]

[crashout]

[What the fuck?

This is already such a bad day and he's only half-holding his shit together, but he hears that and he immediately runs in that direction.]

Carlos? [HIMBO?]

week six, thursday.

[tricycles]

[So, like. What if Carlos casually shows up after Junpei sends the nip pic

and immediately plops himself down on the couch in OT2 room, leaning all his weight against the backrest.]

I'm over here.

[Himbo is fine. Probably.]

[crashout]

[No apologies for immediately yeeting this back because, like, Junpei barely bothers fixing his shirt before he's walking from the area where the bed is and heading for the couch. Himbo are you truly fine...? He approaches with caution and immediately looks him over.]

I could've just come to you, you know.