penance / overflow from bakerstreet

[thundercrashes]

the old inbox from when he was in penancerp, can also be used for continuing bakerstreet threads that hit captcha if desired

Comments

he is texting from the bathroom.

[sternitfortem]

hey so about around halloween
im not upset or anything if you're worried abt that. it's cool. we don't have to do anything else

this tag isn't from a much better place unfortunately

[thundercrashes]

[Manjoume stares at his phone, and then toward the bathroom where Juudai disappeared into like ten minutes ago after coming back from wherever he was today, and then back at his phone again.

Instead of, say, texting back or speaking out loud to get Juudai's attention about discussing this like rational people, Manjoume proceeds to pick up one of his shoes next to the bed of their unfortunately shared room and throw it as hard as he can at the bathroom door.]

i'd say im sorry but like. im not

[sternitfortem]

[ And like a rational person, Juudai responds by text. Well. "Responds." ]

so like was that a mad shoe or like a horny shoe or like what

or do you have to pee

[thundercrashes]

It's a "I'm going to beat the shit out of you if you don't get out here right now to talk instead of hiding in the bathroom like a coward" shoe!

[... This is not text, this is shouted out loud by the way. Pity to the neighbors who have to share a wall with these two while they are stuck on this godforsaken island.]

[sternitfortem]

im not hiding! i'm just pooping!

[ Oh No That Is In Fact A Poop Sound ]

[thundercrashes]

JUUDAI WHAT THE FUCK.

[Again, shouted not texted. But then Juudai does get a text ping, and--]

Why would you text me about this while you're in the bathroom, what is wrong with you??

A Christmas Gift for You!

[mahaad]

[ A meticulously wrapped present is on the doorstep, with a small tag indicating it was from Mahaad.

For Manjoume: A small, carefully crafted, silver amulet of an apple.

Inside the present is a note: ]

Apples were among luxury items in Egypt, so Atem stated you would enjoy a amulet of one. I hope that we will be able to connect more in the coming months, Manjoume.

[thundercrashes]

[Gee, thanks Atem for telling Dark Magician such baseless lies about us wanting an amulet of an apple...

However, Manjoume will not actually reject Mahaad's gift because of it, he just isn't that cold of a person to be able to properly do so. And he appreciates the thought that Mahaad even thought about getting him something anyway, so he will make sure to take good care of it.]

Enjoy Your Decorations!

[guideslight]

[ Manjoume shall open his door to find it decorated from top to bottom with fairy lights, Christmas tinsel and anything else Sora could slap on there. There is a small note on the door as well, with a beautiful stick figure Sora with a smile. ]

Merry Christmas, Manjoume! I hope Santa brought you all the things you wanted! If he didn't, maybe you should do more nice things to get off the naughty list!

Anyway, Enjoy the Decorations!

[thundercrashes]

[Initially, Manjoume doesn't do more than just blink at it, assuming that maybe it was the work of the demons here for the holidays. However, he catches sight of the note, along with the fact that his door seems to be the only one decorated like it, and upon reading the note...

... Ah, well that explains it. He's going to roll his eyes at that crack about Santa... but he does take out his phone, and take a picture of the decorations on his door to save. The best way he can be reminded of Sora's kindness even after the decorations are gone, hopefully.]

delivery;

[neutronblast]

[a fancy envelope has been slipped under manjoume's door, sealed with an unmistakable insignia: the infamous "KC" of a certain CEO's company. inside the envelope, manjoume will find a formal note, written in kaiba's own hand with suitably formal language. the letter itself looks and feels expensive, at least as far as hellish standards go.]

This is a letter of professional referral for Manjoume Jun, in recognition of their talent and capabilities. They have demonstrated superior skills and strategic acumen and as such will be immediately considered for an internship with Kaiba Corporation upon presentation of this document to the executive board. Hours are to be determined and further correspondence will be rendered as needed.

[...there appears to be an additional note on the back. much more personal, warmer, kinder, and a reflection of his affection for the recipient.]

You've tried very, very hard. And it is my expectation that you continue to do so.

That being said, I wanted to tell you that I admire you. I admire your tenacity as well as your willingness to pick yourself up, time after time, and keep going, even in the face of challenges. You may have disappointed your brothers, but you will never disappoint me.

I hope you give this offer sincere consideration. To put it bluntly, I'd like you to come back home with me, whenever we get out of here.

Of course, that's a heavy decision to make, and ultimately a decision I leave up to you.

I promise I'll do everything in my power to never forget you, wherever we wind up. And even if that happens...

Well, hopefully this letter will convince "your" Kaiba of your worth. Try your best to reach him. That's all that I ask.

He may be lost. I trust you to help him, as I have helped you.

Keep up the good work, Jun. I'll be watching your progress with great interest.

<3

[thundercrashes]

[... Okay, so. It's probably a good thing that this wasn't delivered to him in person, because Manjoume might have initially had the most embarrassing reaction afterward once he had found and read it.

Specifically, of acting like how a teenage girl might from receiving a love letter in their locker in the form of keeping it close to his chest and sighing loudly while idly kicking his feet, lying back in his bed after reading it over several times. Thinking all kinds of embarrassing mushy thoughts about Kaiba, or entertaining the idea of what it might be like to go back with Kaiba when (not if, when) they leave this hellhole behind someday. Maybe he's getting a little carried away but not unlike his old fantasies of Asuka, he's already wondering if this would result in where they'd end up living together in the same house while he gets to work for Kaibacorp, or even doing date things that they can't do here like going to Kaibaland or what have you. No concerns over having to deal with companies that don't want him involved because of their rivalry with the Manjoume family, no need to even think about his brothers disapproving of his interest in Kaiba if they had found out about them, no...

And then his gaze falls on the other bed in the room he's sharing with Juudai while they're stuck here in Mammon's territory, and very suddenly the wind is pulled right out from under his sails. Thankfully, Juudai happens to not actually be around while Manjoume is using their room because dear god that would have been even more embarrassing if Juudai had seen Manjoume rolling around like a lovestruck idiot, but seeing Juudai's side of the room with whatever things the other boy has left (probably unmade bed, random items or clothing haphazardly tossed about) is still enough to sober him up a fair bit.

Juudai... was probably going to want to go back home. Their home, proper, because he's probably concerned about Yubel, and all their friends even if Juudai was traveling the world rather than seeing any of them right now. And not just Juudai, but Asuka, Fubuki, Shou, Kenzan... even Ryou and Edo and Rei and Johan; Manjoume probably wouldn't see any of them again if he left with Kaiba... or at least the ones that do exist in Kaiba's timeline wouldn't be his version of them. And what would that also mean for the Manjoume Jun that may or may not already exist in Kaiba's timeline? Would he replace them if one already exists in it, or would that leave two of them running around?

It seems he really will have to actually think about this kind of decision after all, because even as the thought of going back home is probably the right thing to do, he's immediately struck by the thought that he also doesn't want to give up the idea of being with Kaiba either yet. Because even if Manjoume goes back home, the Kaiba that exists there isn't... well, his Kaiba that he's gotten so close to here. For whatever definition of "his" that he's allowed to have in regards to Kaiba, anyway.

Regardless, while he definitely won't have any decisions made yet, Manjoume does smooth the letter back out from where he had been practically crushing it against his chest and makes to carefully fold it where he can keep it close with his Duel Monster cards. Even if he still can't see or hear any of those pesky spirits right now, maybe his cards will somehow help him find an answer eventually in this place.]

kouhai's very special gift

[unpuzzled]

[Surprising absolutely no one:

It's a fruit basket. A fruit basket with a very special (and obvious) theme. Every single item is either an actual apple, an apple by-product, or something with a clear apple theme. Apples of all colours, a wrapped up mini-apple pie, cider (both the juice and maybe a little bottle of the alcoholic kind - don't tell anyone!), a box of apple cinnamon tea, even a full set of pajamas with an apple motif. If it's possible to get it in Mammon's lands and is related to apples, Yugi has found it.

There is also a wax apple mixed in the bunch thanks to Atem. Yugi thinks it's hilarious and is certain Manjoume Jun will be delighted by the joke - the wax apple, not the basket, because the basket is 100% a serious gift.]

thanks senpai

[thundercrashes]

[Manjoume stares at this gift for a long, long moment wondering just what on earth he has done to deserve this nonsensical gift. He can only assume that someone has told Yugi about that incident in the hallway with Atem and Monika, but that he probably took them too seriously thinking he even liked apples this much rather than a deliberate attempt at poking fun at him here.

Still, while he does not like apples to this absurd degree, he isn't going to be so ungrateful as to reject the gift. He does however make a point of actually checking for any fake apples in this basket, and sure enough he manages to find the one in question without making the mistake of biting into it first. This one was probably something Atem or Monika slipped in just to rub it in further rather than let him forget about that embarrassing incident, if they had indeed collaborated with Yugi on this gift idea by telling him about the whole thing.

As a result, he leaves it and the rest alone in the basket to leave out on the table of the room he's sharing with Juudai. Maybe if he gets lucky, Juudai will be the one to make the same mistake he had in his haste to steal Manjoume's food like usual, and he'll be able to get a good laugh of it to take the sting out of his own embarrassment over the matter.

The rest he sets aside in a more proper place to give attention to though, because... well, he does like tea and the cider from having tried it with Yugi before, and the pjs are useful.]

text; un: ruffestrabbit

[zunge]

hey Ringo.

[Noiz doesn't know exactly why Monika and Atem called him Apples, but he figures there is a good (and hilarious) reason. And so he also calls him Apples... in Japanese. Hello, Ringo.]

text | un: crankyjoume

[thundercrashes]

That's not my name.

[Although, it is less stupid sounding than "Apples", admittedly...]

What do you want?

[zunge]

you prefer i call you crankyjoume?

remember i saved your ass from that fireball a while back? even if death doesn't stick, it means you avoided the excruciating pain of that experience. I'm calling in a favor for that.

[Noiz knows damn well that Manjoume didn't ask him for the help back then. the duelist hadn't even known it was going to happen. Noiz knows he meddled unnecessarily. But what he's learned over time through experiencing pain himself has been influencing him slowly but surely. and what's a little manipulation, right?]

[thundercrashes]

If you're going to call me anything, I'd prefer it to be my actual goddamn name.

[But yes, he does remember that, and while he thinks this sounds like bullshit to call on a favor for something that happened a while ago, he doesn't dismiss the other man entirely since... well. The guy did save his ass, after all.]

What kind of favor?

[zunge]

[Little does Manjoume know nor would the guy even notice, but Noiz adds some extra encryption from this point onward.]

use Bond to link your senses to mine for a few hours.

[thundercrashes]

[He's not familiar with Bond at all, but the question that pushes itself out first rather than "what" is--]

Why?

TFLN OVERFLOW

[thundercrashes]

--> Bakugou

[thundercrashes]

[continuing from here]

Fine, maybe I will time it next time just to prove that I can get there faster than you can get your ass over here.

[competing over the stupidest shit, because why not]

how many of the following are colors: gray, love, blue, red, house?

[blastedass]

You can't fucking TIME it so it SEEMS like you fucking got here faster! You start when I invite your ass over here!

[No preparations, just like he's doing right now! Then they'll see just how fast Manjoume can travel the distance. Hmph!]

PFFFFFT HOW FITTING

[thundercrashes]

Wow, how dare you insinuate that I would cheat somehow.

I don't have to resort to such tactics to try to win one over you, you know.

[Even for a competition as stupid as this one that he is proposing.]

YOU FAIL CAPTCHA!! DO AGAIN!!

[blastedass]

[ ... ah fuck. ]

You mean "time it" as in a damn stopwatch.

[Not "time it" as getting in an optimal advantageous starting point. SHUT UP!! ANYONE CAN MAKE THAT MISTAKE OVER TEXT!!]

You beat my time and I'll give you a fucking favor.