inbox;

[stressors]

● "Hey, it's Shiro." ●

"Sorry you missed me. Leave me one and I'll call you right back. Thanks."

☏ call. ✉ text. ⌨ video. ☄ action.

code over at pagans

Comments

CH. 4, BACKDATED A LITERAL MONTH BECAUSE YOU TOOK TOO LONG

[impulsors]

hey

[ sent at some godawful hour of the morning (read: probably six). and then, because who the fuck knows how this companyman makes friends, let alone tracks them - ]

it's keith

I DON'T NEED YOUR LATE HATE

[stressors]

[ . . . this is odd timing.

but he's all right. he'll act natural. it's easy. just respond with something casual. ]

Good morning, Keith.

This is pretty early. Are you in some kind of trouble?

. . . it's fate, mate. ):

[impulsors]

[ ??? ]

i wouldn't start texting you just when i needed something

i'm irate by your bait, date

[stressors]

I'm just used to texts before sunrise being all about business.

Or emergencies.

Is this either?

let's not debate, how can i placate you, delicate chordate. ):

[impulsors]

no

[ a trifle belatedly - ]

were you sleeping?

wait

[stressors]

Here I thought you learned my schedule by now.

/ accelerate(s)

[impulsors]

that was a while ago. i'm pretty sure they aren't giving you the same assignments every week

[stressors]

[ no, they're not.

but keith doesn't need to know that. ]

I was already awake. Don't worry about it.

What did you need?

[impulsors]

nothing

[ in rapidfire sequence - ]

i don't know

i just started thinking about you

1/2

[stressors]

[ . . .

well, after a substantial pause, there's: ]

Oh.

I see.

Me too.

[stressors]

I mean

[ except a rapidfire sequence doesn't really?? give him much room to make necessary edits and put together coherent responses. welp. ]

I dreamt about you last night. Is that strange?

[impulsors]

[ . . . ?????????????????? ]

kind of

[ because it is. this whole thing is fucking weird. ]

do you remember what happened in it?

[stressors]

[ well, we slept together in one, and you straddled me in another. ]

Not really.

But I think I know what you mean when you say it feels like you know me.

[impulsors]

[ a sharp, quick lull. ]

i saw someone with the fever a few weeks ago. remembering you doesn't feel anything like that. but it still doesn't make sense

[stressors]

Have you checked the network recently? Some people reported having weird dreams.

[impulsors]

weird how?

[stressors]

I don't really know. Like they're memories, I guess.

[ but that sounds crazier and crazier by the minute. talking about it anonymously was one thing. ]

Think there's a chance we're both sick?

[impulsors]

the sickness wasn't just dreams. the people who had it started hallucinating during the day, thinking people they'd never met were really there. some of them couldn't even move. this is different

[impulsors]

[ . . . ]

do you feel like you're sick?

[stressors]

[ . . . ]

No. I'm all right.

I'm sure this will pass, whatever it is.

[stressors]

But thanks.

I don't know why, but I really wanted to hear from you.

[impulsors]

[ . . . ]

probably because you just woke up

[stressors]

[ . . . ]

Well. I missed you.

[impulsors]

did you feel a draft or something?

[stressors]

[ a laugh, not that keith can hear it. ]

Yeah, that's probably it.

Nights are getting colder.