ic contact for maskormenace

[pillz]

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[pillz]

[blanket burritos make people tiny, and in a world of tiny people, joseph kavinsky feels more powerful!! a perception and experience that is, for once, not totally gross of him.

he stops trying to pry josh's golden love handles after a few minutes, settles instead for squeezing him in a two-man dogpile of a bearhug, whilst also low-key chomping his head -- hair? -- and roaring in his ear. he only manages to bellow for about a minute before he, too, dissolves into laughter.

joseph kavinsky sounds like a maniac when he laughs, though. a jackal sending peals across the savannah, heralding death and disease and and buoyant stench. maniacal car wrecks and deranged magic. that's what that laugh means.

but josh is on drugs, so he might be forgiven for missing that.]

Gold-plated retriever, [he informs josh, without letting go.]

[goldtoxicity]

[ the kid hails from comic books, where villainous laughs are just par the course. every anti-hero has one, every villain chortles, and every hero has a break where that bubbles out. the nature of that laugh barely registers,

he's not going to complain about being clung to. he even leans into it, unable to really do much hugging back due to the blanket entrapping his limbs, but he's absolutely delighted with the attention. physical affection, physical contact, of any kind is good for him. and, you know, anyone who happens to be touching him. enjoy that pleasant biokinetic tingle any time skin happens to brush skin.

the laughter dies down and he lets out a contented sigh. ]

Soooo... what kinda dog are you?

[pillz]

'Bout time you asked, [kavinsky says. he climbs off the soft grey lump of josh's body, and slides his feet onto the lounge floor.] But actually, you're the one who's supposed to decide. Remember? C'mon. We're going somewhere else, you can think about it while I walk.

[that's while i walk, not while we walk. because kavinsky is then turning his back toward the healer boy, sticking his arms out sideways, making his intention to piggyback carry his friend quite clear.]

[goldtoxicity]

What am I, the dog-father?

[ terrible joke. absolutely dreadful. but he's getting the picture, laughing again as he climbs onto kavinsky's back, wrapping blanketed arms loosely around his neck. ]

Where we goin?

[pillz]

Still deciding. I'm just over it, in here. Say good-bye to the nice merboy, Foley.

[there's a tiny asian twinky one swimming above them. watching them go, waving a pale hand.]

You're just the one on drugs, sweetheart. Dogfather fits just fine.

[goldtoxicity]

[ welp. bye dude. he gives a wave with a nubbin. ]

Hmm... You gotta be one big enough to ride on.

[pillz]

[kavinsky pauses in order to boost josh, hitching him up higher on his waist. he tightens his grip on josh's lil leggies.]

Or I could be a cat, [he speculates, walking out. because he has to be #unique, you see. but he also doesn't mind the concept of being a doggo big enough to ride on. that sounds powerful and intimidating; he likes being powerful and intimidating.] Karakachans are from Buglaria, I could be one of those. You ever seen one?

[he steps out into the night, the cold air poking at josh's cheeks. the blanket prevents the rest of him from feeling much of a change.]

[goldtoxicity]

Mmnah... Closest I've ever been to Bulgaria was Croatia, and we definitely didn't get any, uh... kakarachins [ he tried ] in my parta New York.

[ a cat's kinda fitting though. he thinks on it for a minute. ]

Maybe you're a panther.

[pillz]

[a panther? he could get behind that. he drives a jaguar, after all. he hums thoughtfully, growing just momentarily distracted when he has to make eye contact with the valet, nod at the man to get him to scuttle off and get them the sleek two-door car in question.]

I like that.

[he moves out onto the pavement to wait for the car, turning his head to peek at josh over his shoulder.] But you can't walk a panther. [he gasps dramatically. oh noes.]

[goldtoxicity]

Well, not with that attitude.

[ he readjusts his grip on his neck. ]

You just gotta be persistent.

mild powerpose lmk if not ok

[pillz]

[the jaguar comes purring up the street. the valet exits the vehicle, explains that the keys are in the car, and kavinsky nods at him.

the dream thief walks around the nose of his car, then leans over to sit josh down on the hood of the coupe. he opens the passenger side, then motions for the golden boy to toddle into the seat. k will shut the door once he's in, circle back around to climb into the driver's seat.]

Suddenly, [he says, starting the engine,] Joshua Foley is our local fucking expert on the can-do attitude.

[goldtoxicity]

[ back in the seat, still bundled up in the blanket (hopefully they don't want this back, it's his now) he slides into the passenger seat and makes sure to buckle himself in. ]

I'm just saying. Getting people to come around's usually just, like, not giving up on them? So like you could definitely get a panther leash trained with enough positive reinforcement.

[ pause ]

Or someone who talks to animals.

[pillz]

[the couple vibrates gently, low and feline. kavinsky cranes his head to check his mirrors, then peels out again as abruptly as before, lurching josh gently against the leather seat that holds him.]

What if the panther says, 'fuck youuu,' then leans over and bites off Dolittle's face?

[he toggles the radio onto some trancey electronica shit. the beat blips and throbs gently through the air, shimmering over josh's skin.]

[goldtoxicity]

[ hhhhhh not thinking is great why didn't he befriend a reality warper years ago.

except maybe his driving needs work. except this is thrilling? yeah, this is good. great. ]

Eh... That falls under acceptable risk.

[pillz]

[kavinsky's driving is fucking impeccable, thanks, shut up. (no.)]

You're lucky I'm babysitting you, and not David, [kavinsky says.] 'Cause that ain't an acceptable risk. [it's probably not a good sign, when even joseph kavinsky thinks one of your choices is unacceptably risky. on the other hand, what are they even talking about now. walking real live panthers, or the metaphorical panther that is the young man currently driving this car?]

How are you feeling? [he asks.] Do you feel like doing something or doing nothing. Talking lots or more like music? [people are all kinds of different when they're rolling.]

[goldtoxicity]

David worries too much. [ no, david worries just the right amount. josh scrunches up his face and scratches his nose with a still blanketed hand. ] I lived in, like, literal rubble for a while, and my powers are crazy good. I know what is and isn't risky. S'why the government's out to get me.

[ that... sure is a sentence. is it a coherent one? who fucking knows.. ]

Dunno? Up to you.

[pillz]

[evidently, kavinsky comes to a decision. he turns the wheel, and the jaguar leaps off into the dark. the downtown area of de China proceeds to shrink away behind them.]

What would be the best city to live in rubble at, [kavinsky says, not especially keen on encouraging mutant tragedian narratives but interested enough in imposing himself where he isn't welcome.] You can pick anywhere. Places you ain't been.

[goldtoxicity]

[ isn't that a question. ]

Well... Utopia was pretty smashed up, so, not there... New York's, uh, I think the rats and sewer alligators would take over if that ended up in ruins. [ HMMMM ] I dunno, uh, somewhere warm. San Francisco maybe?

[pillz]

[san francisco really ain't all that warm, josh-kun, but ok. kavinsky smiles sidelong.]

I can see it. You could learn how to surf among the sea lions. Maybe try not to get mistaken for a goldfish and maimed. You think your girl would like California? I feel like she'd low-key freak out about wearing a bikini, but the survivalist shit, she could do.

[kavinsky speeds up once they're clear of the lights. more trees out here.]

Yo, you should come up with a name for your new pack, li'l pups. No murder mission, just you kids. Let the drugs inspire you.

[goldtoxicity]

She can wear whatever she likes. She's a knockout in anything.

[ swoon. his gaze shifts out the window. ]

We got a name. We're the New Mutants... [ a wistful sigh. ] Things were so much better when we were just the New Mutants.

[pillz]

[breasts. kavinsky doesn't really get it with breasts, but by his gay man standards, laurie does have nice ones. which she'd probably freak out about too, him having such an opinion.]

But I ain't a mutant. And you ain't that new.

[kavinsky glances at josh, sees the back of his pale hair, the dim moonlight limning his nose.] You gotta come up with a name for all of us.

[goldtoxicity]

[ all of us. he can't help but smile a doofy little smile at that. ]

Good point. Um...

[ he's not good at naming things. ]

The Limbic system? S'the part of the brain that controls, like, emotion, memories and motivation and junk. [ and like literally junk. arousal and all that. ] Limbics for short.

[pillz]

[kavinsky's eyes are back on the road. he smiles into the darkness illuminated before them.]

That is incredibly nerdy, [he says.] I dig it. We should probably start a band, with all our spirit dogs in the logo. Hey, hey. Before I forget--

[he sneaks tattooed fingers into the storage cubby between their bucket seats. he pulls out a dummy. a pacifier. one of them little suckers normally given to children. this one is a festive neon blue. and has a string on it, in case josh would rather suspend it around his neck for the drive.]

Bruxism.

[one of the funny side-effects. that josh could probably dial back with biokinesis, if he wanted to, but it's also part of the classic experience, really.]

[goldtoxicity]

Dude, can we start a band?

[ HOLY SHIT IT HAS NEVER OCCURRED TO HIM THAT THIS IS A POSSIBILITY. BAND??? they could be famous. famouser. he doesn't know how to play a single instrument but WHO NEEDS TO DO THAT when you can just be shirtless and hot. okay this idea might be getting away from him. he takes the pacifier - slightly confused until he gets the explanation - his history with drug use was a lot less well prepared for. which, you know, makes sense with the biokinesis. any negative side-effects can be reverted and it never lasts long enough for him.

except, uh. for this.

goddamn magic is great. love magic. wizards and dream thieves rule.

he loops it around his neck. ]

[pillz]

[kavinsky's face crinkles up with laughter that doesn't quite make it into sound.]

Sure, [he says.] We can start a band. I call drums.

[smashing drums. like smashing. hot boys? skulls? he could probably figure it out. he's had a fleeting dalliance with music before, as does any young thing who owns a stereo, enjoys an edgelord musical niche, and had money to burn.

shirtless and hot. that seems somewhat at odds with his millionaire philanthropist whatever something image. he'll worry about it when josh is sober.]

Tell me about the music, [he says. they have about twenty minutes, speeding through the dark. forest growing denser around them, skeletal trees mingling with conifers, until they're going up a broad road with what is, unmistakably, an enormous old plantation house at the end. grand steepled roof and white colonnade, climbing ivy, a sprawling green lawn. it looks like it's out of a movie.



except of course, in a movie, the windows wouldn't be aglow with neon pink light and an erratic strobe effect, subwoofer sound pulsing gently at a distance.]

You're gonna sing some cheesy-ass love songs, aren't you?