[ ic // demi voicetesting ]

[unfoggedlotus]

Man, whatever happened to a good night's sleep? Is the first thought that crosses Ren's mind. One moment he's tossing and turning in bed, trying to get to sleep, and the next he's staring up to the ceiling of the Velvet Room. He closes his eyes after he processes the bare minimum to get his location down. Can't a guy go a week without getting dream-DM'd by the fake-powers-that-be?

It's not entirely fair, he knows. He's just feeling blergh because Goro hasn't texted him back for a few hours and he was starting to get worried when Morgana batted the phone out of his hand and said he'd come home when he wanted to. But. Well. If he really had to do something in the realm of the subconscious involving chains tonight, he'd really rather be in Goro's dreams.

Maybe the chains would even be fun for once.

He lets himself stew for a few moments before shaking himself out of it. Might as well see what the "wardens" and "Igor" have in store for him this time. Ren grumbles to himself only a little bit as he opens his eyes again, and...

...What?

Ren blinks, taking in his surroundings with wide eyes. This is definitely the Velvet Room. There's the desk, the structure is vaguely similar, and he. Well. He just sort of knows it. The vibes are incredibly Velvet Room. 100% blue, 100% weird music, 100% cognitive prison.

Except.

There's no prison decor. He isn't even in a cell. There are a few doors scattered around. Peeling himself off the floor, he realizes he isn't in a prison uniform (he's in his daytime clothes) and there aren't shackles wrapped around him either. And the weird music isn't grating in his chest like the world's worst rendition of Prison Hallway Salsa silently beamed into his soul, it's just kinda...smooth. Jazzy. Soothing. A bop.

The Velvet Room actually feels...

...Nice?

...He doesn't buy it. (Something in him wants to, though.)

Ren turns around a few times, trying to find answers. What's going on here?

Comments

[fogbornphantom]

"One day." He takes Ren's hand, giving it a small kiss. "We do have a few options for food. The Junes food court has various options, and there's Aiya if you favor Chinese food. Souzai Daigaku for steak croquettes and skewers..."

[unfoggedlotus]

Ren giggles when Goro presses a kiss to his hand. "Such a gentleman thief, stealing my heart -- metaphorically," he grins, rubbing his cheek against Goro's. "I'm not feeling too picky right now, so I'll take your recommendation. You know the area better."

[fogbornphantom]

"Junes might be more efficient. It has just about everything, so if anything else tickles your fancy, we can grab that on the way home." Ah, a part of him just wants to stay here a little longer, but he very reluctantly rises to his feet. "Under other circumstances, I'd try to prepare a nice dinner for you, but I suspect Magpie would growl at me if I so much as tried."

[unfoggedlotus]

"Magpie's territorial about the kitchen, huh? You wouldn't be cooking tonight, anyway," Ren flicks the side of his head. "After I meet everyone we're going right to sleep and you're not waking up before noon tomorrow."

[fogbornphantom]

"Magpie is territorial, period. He's a lot like a feral cat." Well, at least it's a pleasant day as they stroll down the hill. The compressed distances should make Junes creep in relatively fast as well. Still, he frowns a little at that remark. "And if I sleep that long, I won't be able to make breakfast. Or ensure that the kids are behaving themselves."

[unfoggedlotus]

Hmm. "Winning him over won't be as easy as shying away in Leblanc's doorway, huh?" Ren hums, half-jokingly. This Magpie might be a tough customer...he's never really dealt with a prickly Akechi before, but the basics should still apply. "Sounds like he means a lot to you."

He'll have to consider a plan for Optimal Alternate-Universe Akechi Terrorizing Bonding in the future...he smirks a bit to himself as a few options cross his mind. "And isn't it good that you've got a boyfriend who can make breakfast and look after the kids, now? You get the option," they both know it's not an option, "to sleep in and I'll handle things."

[fogbornphantom]

"He means a lot to me, but contrary to what Raven will tell you, we are not married. My heart has already long been stolen by a certain Joker right here." He gives Ren's hand a little squeeze, followed by an exaggerated sigh. "Not that I don't trust your judgment, but four children are a lot to take on immediately. Your negotiation skills may work with Shadows, but little kids are an entirely different beast."

Well, at least Junes is starting to come into view now. That's a promising sign.

[unfoggedlotus]

Ren-- okay, Ren has to laugh at that one. "Two Ake-chi Go-ros, sitting in a tree. K-i-s-s-i-n-g," he singsongs with a smirk. "The thought of someone else taking you from me didn't even cross my mind." Okay, maybe it did once or twice, but...yeah, his boyfriend wouldn't be this touchstarved if he'd been getting dates from anyone else.

"You're just making me more and more curious about Magpie, y'know," Ren comments as they walk into the mall. Gay chicken, acting like a married couple... "Has Yu found competition for your best man?"

[fogbornphantom]

"...Now there's a thought. A one on one cage match between Yu Narukami and another me for the right to be my best man. Though I can see Kanji being a third contender, followed swiftly by Ryuji, and soon we'd be seeing an all out brawl."

They reach the doors and step inside. There's an elevator to their left that'll lead to the food court, so he'll go ahead and move toward the-

"What the fuck?"

On the community board to the right of the second elevator, a movie poster hangs. It displays a blushing, gasping Akechi on the top half, divided by the movie title. Beneath the title? A snake sticking out of the zipper of a pair of pants.

The title is: Serpent Below the Belt.

"...I am going to have a serious word with Igor about this."

1/2

[unfoggedlotus]

...He may have found his boyfriend, but the realm of the subconscious is definitely on that "throw him as many firsts as possible" kick.

2/2

[unfoggedlotus]

After a moment, he glances over to his boyfriend's crotch area. "I've heard of having a snake in your boot, but this is ridiculous."

[fogbornphantom]

"...I made an overly pretentious euphemism one time, and this world decides to taunt me." Despite the tight smile, he sounds just a teensy bit peeved, though thankfully not at Ren. "I was trying not to be too crass, so I said 'when the serpent below the belt rears its head.' Now, I suppose, it'll haunt me for eternity."

[unfoggedlotus]

"Yeah, I'm gonna say you deserve that one," Ren snorts. "Serpent below the belt...good thing you have a snake charmer here now, though, right?" He grins.

[fogbornphantom]

S—Snake charmer... Fuck's sake.

So he might be blushing a little, but he'll not be so easily outdone! Watch him smirk and try to keep his cool, even raising an eyebrow and leaning in to poke Ren's chest. "Hmm... You'll have to give me a demonstration sometime."

[unfoggedlotus]

Ren chuckles and nudges Goro forwards, away from the poster. "Not with the kids around," he advises. "And how do you think your not-husband will take it?"

[fogbornphantom]

"He already advised us to get a 'love nest.' I think he anticipates the impending loss of my virginity as some big, momentous event that'll happen any day." With a press of a button, the elevator opens. He'll go ahead and lead Ren inside. "Obviously, we should save that for when you've settled in and, more importantly, are ready. But Magpie assumed we were already quite proactive in that respect when he learned I had a boyfriend."

[unfoggedlotus]

"Well...someone's jealous," Ren comments. "He's not in a good relationship with his Ren, then? ...If that's something you can share."

[fogbornphantom]

"I can't go into too much detail, but what I will say is that his relationship with his Ren seems... complicated? Not wholly negative, but likely much messier." He'll press the button leading up to the food court. "I think I might have broken his brain a bit when I mentioned I'm in love with you."

[unfoggedlotus]

"Huh," Ren blinks. "Curiouser and curiouser..." another opportunity to flirt comes to him, and oh, he's gotta take this one. "Well..." he puts a hand under his chin, imitating the Akechi Stance. "Maybe I could come around to the idea of taking two at once. Especially since it's just the way you like it," an obnoxious Detective Prince wink.

[fogbornphantom]

"Ren!" Holy shit, that's... well, that's about what he expected during the first game of gay chicken. That Ren would say something as absurd as that. Doesn't stop his brain from short circuiting a little, though.

Then the elevator opens.

"...Am I going to have to warn him about you?" He gives a playful little nudge at that.

[unfoggedlotus]

"Maybe," he grins. "Offer's open, at least on my end." And if his boyfriend consents, of course. "I can't say the thought of two of you isn't appealing. After we get the kids figured out, though."

Ren steps out to the food court. Huh, the people here seem...he can't put a finger on it. He squints at them.

[fogbornphantom]

"If it's all the same to you, I'd like our first time to be special. Private." He figures it's at least partially a joke. There's no ire in his voice. Just an odd mix of amusement and exasperation. "...Ah, and I see you've noticed the resident cognitions."

[unfoggedlotus]

"I'm definitely not saying for our first time. It was mostly a joke." Shrug. "And...is that what they are? Cognitions? Are we in a Palace?"

[fogbornphantom]

"I figured. Though I do wonder how Magpie would even take such a proposition..." It might be funny. In fact, it most likely would be. Hmm... well, he'll lead Ren past the tables and over to the various food stalls. "And they're effectively the same as Palace cognitions. I wouldn't call it a Palace so much as an extension of the Velvet Room, however. Everything is free as well, so you can have your fill if you so choose."

[unfoggedlotus]

Everything smells pretty good..."Well, what does my Inaba connoisseur recommend?"