Being stubborn can only get you so far, take a deep breath and go.

[weiss_tank]

[Morning, Action for the house]

[Ken wakes up, and thankfully before he's awake his muscle memory forces him downstairs to make breakfast before he thinks of anything.  His drone mind somewhat rationalizes it by doing it as a treat for poor, over worked Miakis instead of being self defense from her cooking.

Wait, treat? He always cooks.

No, that's the wife's job sport, now go call the kids.]

[Afternoon house and outside]

[After his conversation with Nina, he goes to the one thing he can't rationalize away. He fights to remember where they are and the fact that they exist, but he does eventually make it to the cupboard that holds his bugnuks.

Deal with that drone Ken. You own claw gloves, you can't explain that. 

His hands shakes, and he heads outside to study them in peace, trying to keep a hold of him self as Ken Hidaka, Siberian, instead of Ken Hidaka, retail clerk and father to two. He's fought off Sister's killer programing, he can fight this off.]

[Night time watching any and all public fireworks]

[Ken loves fireworks, the bright lights and the sounds, but part of him is twitchy and he can't keep the association with gunshots and blood out of his head. He knows he's a murderer, but he's never killed anyone....has he?  He's starting to loose it here.]

[[ooc: Ken is at 50% droning and it's setting him on edge. Feel free to poke and drive further off the deep end.]]

Comments

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Ken drops his gloves now, reaching out for her.]

Don't be like that, I'm only teasing you...tell me the story, I just wanna hear it again.

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

[As she watches his gloves fall to the ground, a frown flickers across her face very briefly, but she reverts back to her usual smile quickly enough.]

We went on a picnic in the park, remember?

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

I do. Man, I was so nervous...I was so surprised that you agreed to go out with me, especially since I wasn't in your year...I-you packed lunch.

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

You were so cute and so sincere, how could I have said no~? [She giggles.] Ooh, and I spent all day on that cake...

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Ken blushed a bit. Oh yes, and the blushing.] It tasted good. [Wait...didn't she use salt...?

You're hallucinating. Miakis can bake wonderful things.]

The day was so warm, and there were lots of birds.

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

Uh-huh! And it was fun to watch the tournament together...

[She trails off, confused and blinking. Is that right? It feels right.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[He colours a bit at that. That tournament had been humiliating...what with that loss to Zevran because he lost his cool...

Wait. No, Ken didn't fight or play gambling games or anything like that, and Zevran certainly didn't play sports. So why was Ken thinking of having lost?]

The...tournament.

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

[And Miakis certainly didn't spar with people for fun! Sure, she was a bit of a tomboy, but dueling was going a little too far... wasn't it?]

Yeah... We were watching Nagi's match, weren't we? And then Schuldig showed up, and--

[CRINGE.]

My head hurts.

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Ken gathered Miakis up in his arms for a tight hug.]

I know...so does mine. It's getting hard to focus, like flashes in and out.

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

[She returns the hug, though her grip isn't as tight as his -- she's too distracted.]

Did any of that stuff actually happen? It's getting hard to tell the difference...

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

Hold on to me Miakis...you're the only thing I'm sure of right now. [This as much is true.]

I don't know, I can't tell you. Everyone's acting weird.

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

[It's true for her, too, but as comforting as his presence is, it's not doing anything for her confusion.]

I guess the town's up to its old tricks again, huh?

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

You can say that. [That's nonsense, this town is great! What kind of tricks can a town get up to.]

Ah, my gloves...[He turns a bit to pick them up, he knows why they feel so strangely heavy but his mind is refusing to accept the information.]

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

[She blinks and stares at the gloves, wondering why the sight of them makes her uneasy.

Because he uses them to kill people. But that's silly; they're just gloves! Besides, it's not like she's never killed a man, herself...]

Ken? What are the gloves for?

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

Repair work.

No. [He shakes his head.] They're work gloves but not for that. [His fist tightens on them, as if to keep a hold of himself.]

Nina said to find something that couldn't be explained away, that it would help. [His other hand tightens on Miakis.]

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea... Something familiar.

[Miakis hadn't thought of that herself -- her daggers are still tucked away in the house somewhere, and she's not even wearing her clothes from home for once. So, instead, she continues to hold on to Ken and stares at the runes tattooed on her hands.]

Aha~ Can't explain these away, at least~

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Her tattoos...no, runes.

Oh he'd been so angry when she came home with those before the wedding. Girls didn't get tattoos! They almost ruined her hands...her beautiful skin...

But weren't the runes pretty to? Powerful, capable of healing and causing damage...they helped her and entranced him.]

N-no, you can't.

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

How many times have these saved your behind, huh? All the hurts I've had to kiss and make better~

[She'd always been the first one there whenever he got hurt, prepared to cast a healing spell -- no, no, magic isn't real. It was bandages and kisses she'd used, not runes and spells...]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

Your kisses make everything better. [He can't help but nervously joke. She was definitely his nurse in shining armor.

Knight.

Nurse.

Shut it, same difference in his case. He was just so clumsy around the house.]

Miakis. Come on, let's sit under the tree.

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

Okay... I think I need to sit down, anyway. The heat might just be getting to me~

[And she's right; she stumbles a bit as she walks.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[How could he have been so thoughtless. She may have been a tomboy, but she was still a delicate lady.

Wait. Miakis was anything but delicate...

He led her to the shade and sat down with her, still holding her close.]

It'll be fine...tomorrow will be better.

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

[Miakis nods in agreement, though she looks distant, her head still reeling with conflicting memories.]

Tomorrow's another day, yup~ Maybe then my head will stop spinning.

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

...Do you still wanna go see the fireworks? We don't have to go if you've got a headache...

[Ouch, that was tactless. It was just a headache right? No it's not.]

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

No, no, I want to go! [No, not just a headache, but she sounds genuinely upset at the idea.] We've always gone to see the fireworks, every summer, ever since we met...

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Ken laughed.] Yeah, you always look so funny when you're lit up by the green ones...

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

[She sticks out her tongue like the perfectly mature adult that she is.]

You're one to talk about looking funny, mister~

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

Hah, you're my little monster girl. [He'll just kiss the tip of her tongue.]

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

[Miakis takes that as an invitation to kiss him properly~]

...Hmm, are you sure you should be calling your girlfriend a monster?

[pause]

Wife, I mean. Right?

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

It certainly feels like we're still dating sometimes...[His wife, his lovely wife...mother to his two kids...He loved her, stretch marks and all.

Wait. She doesn't have stretch marks.]

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

[YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT SHE DOESN'T]

Doesn't it? You make me feel young again~

[But she is young. Barely 24, certainly not old enough to be the mother of two teenagers...

She sighs and holds her head in her hands.]

No, no, that's not right, either...

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Ken made a concerned noise and her and put his arm around her shoulders.]

It's gonna be ok love...everything is going to be fine. [Partially he says this to reassure himself too.]

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

We're not married! [She all but yells this, as if to convince herself.] We've only known each other for a year. We met when I came back to Mayfield after I got to go home... home. That's Falena, not this place, but I keep forgetting...

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

We're not...of course we...

No. No you're right we aren't! I'm from fuckin' Tokyo, not the states!

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

And we're all being held captive here -- we've been trying to find a way out for ages!

[Oh, don't be silly, why would anyone want to leave Mayfield?]

The town's just messing with us again, right...?

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

Right...[But that moment of certainty is gone and he's back to being unsure. Still, it's pretty nice with Miakis just next to him so he'll make sure to keep a hold on her.]

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

This is so confusing... Why can't I remember?

[But regardless of whether it's her real self or the drone in control, her fondness for Ken is the only thing that stays even remotely the same, so she's okay with staying like this for a while.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

I don't know...I wish I could tell you. [His voice is soft and he leans his head against hers.]

[sting-like-a.livejournal.com]

That's all right~ It'll be better tomorrow, won't it? That's how it always is. Just have to tough it out.

[Her own voice is low, distant, like she's not sure she believes what she says. But she just leans into him, trembling, trying to think of anything but the clashing memories in her head.]