MALIK;

[goalsides]

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w0 friday

[goalsides]

[meanwhile, back at the dorm. it's probably much later but if malik enters the common room again he'll find taichi sitting there despite being scarce before. he seems to be scrolling through the student ids? hm.

but he hears footsteps and looks up briefly.]

For what it's worth, school's usually not like this.

[godcards]

[ of course malik nyoomed out of the dorm this morning the second the doors unlocked, and he's hesitant to come back to the dorms because. what if he gets locked in again.

except he also doesn't want to get murdered so he does come back eventually to see taichi being... like This. ]

Oh? But I'm having so much fun.

[ flat toned, absolutely he is not having any fun. ]

[goalsides]

At least somebody is. [he knows it's sarcasm but it's met with more sarcasm.] So what do you think it is? Were we locked in for protection? Or was it to make sure we didn't meddle with whatever happened out there?

[godcards]

Why not both? We don't know how -- whoever it was -- died, so it could be a whole matter of things... a noble sacrifice? Or perhaps a fight that got out of hand? Maybe us being locked in wasn't even related to whatever happened out there.

[goalsides]

You have a good point with the first half, but I'm not gonna believe us being locked in wasn't related at all. For all of the dorms to lock and the phones to go down at the same time? It's too weird.

w0 sunday

[godcards]

[ So after taking a moment to sit inside and stare at a wall, Malik decides maybe a walk wouldn't be so bad. Outside he finds Taichi, and even though he knows he shouldn't say it, he can't help himself: ]

I'm going to assume that none of this is normal.

[ He's not trying to be funny. He knows things are tense right now. ]

[goalsides]

[he has his soccer ball, but there's no field he wants to use right now so he's just playing by himself to burn off energy in a patch of grass. he doesn't look away from the ball, but he does answer.]

Maybe normal for this place, but nothing I've ever seen. [not really, anyway.]

[godcards]

[ Malik glances at the soccer ball, notes Taichi's focus on it, and stares into the middle distance himself. He's quiet for a minute. ]

...Have you ever seen someone die before?

[goalsides]

[he should have seen the question coming, except he doesn't entirely. he doesn't fumble with the ball but something in his expression flickers to something a little panicked, and then a little angry, and then a little sad before flicking back to angry and then neutral.]

Yeah. Not like this, but something different. Have you?

[godcards]

[ He's pretty good at compartmentalizing his feelings, but the way this pulls at him makes him uncomfortable. Is it something he wants to talk about? Should he have asked? Well, it's too late now that the question is out there and Taichi's answer is hanging in the air. ]

It's the same for me.

w1 sunday

[godcards]

[ What a day. What a mess-- in terms of emotional destruction and the uh, dorm destruction. It's later now and Malik is outside, and oh look, so is Taichi.

He kinda wants to go around him or keep avoiding him like he has been all week but uh it's too late. He has been perceived. ]

Hello.

[ Still kinda keeping his distance like he's some stray cat too wary to get close to a human being. ]

[goalsides]

[everything is a mess! but he's on the ground and he looks up when malik tries to walk past him, but he pauses enough to nod to him.]

Hey. Heading in or heading out? [he was not paying too close attention, but it seems like a decent thing to ask.]

[godcards]

I was going to go in... But maybe not.

[ He's got his backpack for once so maybe he actually was out somewhere. ]

I could ask you the same question though.

[goalsides]

I don't really plan on going in at the moment. May as well take advantage of the daylight, right?

[also the dorm's mess. he does not want.]

[godcards]

I guess... Mostly I didn't want to be in there if everyone else is already back.

[ maybe he shouldn't admit stuff like that but lmao after what happened last week? yeah no thanks. ]

w3 monday

[godcards]

[ You know what? Malik hates snow. It's cold and unpleasant and gets everywhere. He just wants to zip between buildings asap, but when he sees Taichi, well-- ok fine. He'll say hi. ]

Aren't you cold out here?

[goalsides]

[happy monday malik!! taichi actually seems reasonably comfortable, which is wild. but he does lift a hand as a greeting.]

It's not so bad actually. I kinda like it. I'm starting to think I might be the only one though.

[godcards]

Maybe everyone else is from a warmer climate, like I am.

[ o yeah and btw taichi is going to get a memory beamed into his brain. i can't supercut so the cutoff time is 2:05. ]

[goalsides]

[...HM?]

...like...warm like somewhere with pyramids?

[YEAH THAT IS ALL HE SAYS RIGHT NOW, HANG ON.]

[godcards]

[ FLATLY: ] Yes. Pyramids.

w3 friday

[goalsides]

[im not sure if he's even heard about malik yet but:]

hey. are you ok? text me back when you get this

[godcards]

[ we can bend time and space maybe it's late. who knows. ]

I don't know what happened.

[goalsides]

yeah that happens. it sucks
how are you feeling? are you hurt at all?

[godcards]

I don't think so.
There's a bruise on my face that wasn't there before and I'm covered in dirt. I haven't noticed any other injuries.

[goalsides]

dirt.
this keeps happening...
hopefully enough people can account for your bruise tomorrow
...this is a weird question, but did you feel any different than usual this week?