(no subject)

[sleazeoverstyle]

Shit.

Shit. It's pretty much all he can do to follow through this dark nothingness at Axel's heels, and he ain't so fond of the way this feels. He's been in worse situations before, of course, and he's about 99% sure he will be again, but this place can kiss his ass. It's like drowning in a nightmare and his Electro-Mag rod's buzzing and giving off the occasional nearly-invisible spark in his left hand and yeah, he's moving as fast as he can, even though he doesn't know where the hell he's going.

Every friggin' sense is on high alert, and because sight is low on the availability scale he does what he's trained to do: ignores the pounding of his own heart, lets himself adjust to the surroundings however he can, and shuts the hell up. If this is that Void he heard about, it ain't a place he wants to stay.

In the darkness he nods to Axel in a get us the fuck out of here now kind of way.

Comments

[sleazeoverstyle]

There is something about it and he has to give the guy that much: it's cool. Cool in a hot kind of way, but he still wants to see this... door to the bar just appear out of nowhere if that's what's gonna happen. He's all about the watch-and-learn aspect of whatever way it works.

He likes the way the lava meets the water with a steamy hiss and he likes the way it glows orange against the backdrop of black. With their faces lit only by the stars and the lava, he nods to Axel.

"Nice job there, partner. And I could go whenever you're ready." Yeah, paradise might be great, but it ain't for him.

[killitwithfire]

Axel laughs again, and rolls up to his feet.

"All right, all right. Come on, let's find a door."

He heads back to the middle of town, where there are a whole lot of doors to choose from. Open, locked, unlocked...

"Pick a door, any door."

[sleazeoverstyle]

"Any door?"

This probably ain't a contest, and Axel did say any door. So he doesn't take a whole lot of time to consider. Instead, he just points to one that's got the number seven on it 'cause... that number actually means something to him in a half-assed kind of way.

"That one."

His left hand's at the ready for his Electro-Mag Rod, just in case this works out in what they might call an "unexpected way."

In the distance, the lava flows on. It doesn't give a shit if they stay or go.

[killitwithfire]

"All right," Axel agrees. He checks the doorknob - it's unlocked - and pushes it open, displaying the entryway of the building. He closes it again, and then concentrates very hard on Milliways. The spoon is in his pocket, so it should work, since any door can lead there.

Next time he opens the door, on the other side is The End Of The Universe.

"Ta-da."

[sleazeoverstyle]

Now that makes him do one hell of a double-take.

"That door. At first it was just... and then you... and it... what the fuck did you do to get it to open here?" His hand meets the door like it's some sort of friggin' special lifeline, but it feels just like any other door he's ever laid a hand on.

And then he steps through, and just like that, he's in a whole other world. He turns to Axel and gives him a Look, capital L and everything.

"You gonna join me, or you still too in love with mooning over your fiery handiwork?" A smile breaks out on his face, though: that was really something.

[killitwithfire]

Axel follows him through, and leans against the wall.

"All you have to do is really really want it," he explains. "It's metaphysics."

[sleazeoverstyle]

"And the stolen silverware has nothing to do with it, right?" But he grins and smooth as anything, lifts a clean butter knife off a nearby table. It meets the Phoenix Down and ID card and money in his pocket and he pats it from the outside.

"Hey. That was cool. Thanks." He might be every bad thing everyone's ever accused him of being -- he probably won't even argue the point -- but he knows how to be appreciative when it's due.

And now when he's back home, he's got something new to practice.

Metaphysics: gotta love it.

[killitwithfire]

"The silverware just makes it easier," Axel says. "As far as I can tell. I don't usually use the door."

[sleazeoverstyle]

Then he's gotta thank his less stellar but more incendiary twin for showing him how to do it. Hey, he ain't without gratitude where it's due. He even says thanks to whatever woman he wakes up next to in the morning... usually. Nope, he's only an asshole by a short shot, not the long one.

"I'll let you know how it goes for me gettin' back here. One way or another, you'll hear about it." Again, he pats that knife in his pocket -- he's sure the cost for it'll get on his tab even though he tries to keep a zero balance -- but if it don't, he'll just consider it a sign the place wants him back.

"And thanks again for the little excursion. You do good work." And that's about enough of that: he knows what guys like him get like after too many compliments, so he won't do it. Besides, he sure as fuck doesn't want Axel expecting them from him. "See ya."

It's time to see what's shakin' back in Midgar, so without waiting any longer he heads for the front door and opens it up. Outside, it's still late afternoon, just like it was when he left. Score one for metaphysics, and score another for the whole concept of not looking a gift horse in the mouth. It's something he never does anyhow.

"Hey. Rude. There you are. Going up to Healin with me next time, right? The boss needs someone to beat at cards."

If his partner notices a door closing, he doesn't say anything about it. Then again, he never talks much anyway.