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“Kai! It’s your turn to do the laundry! Get off your ass!”
Kai groaned, tossing his iPad to the foot of his bed. He slouched up, his eyes burning from how long he’d stared at the screen. It was rather disorienting, and now he had to do laundry? That’s unfair. Im going to kill Jay if he makes me sort the clothes too. That’s his job this week. Lazy-ass.
The trek to the laundry room isn’t exactly long but, that doesn’t make the prospect of chores anymore unbearable. The grainy floorboards creaked under his feet, taunting him. Why the hell do I live here again? Lost in thought, he bumped into someone.
“Who-oh hey Pix.” He stated disconcertedly, slightly embarrassed by his failure to notice her prior. “ Sorry ‘bout uh, bumping into you an’ stuff.”
She shrugged.
“Why are you headed this direction anyway?” She asked, her eyes illuminated with curiosity.
”Laundry.” He responded exasperatedly. In other words: Doom. A slight groan escaped him, before he asked, “What’re you doing in this dingy-ass hallway?” She cocked a brow at him.
“It is not dingy, and if you continue to insist that it is, I will be taking your socks away.” She deadpanned, sending a slight shiver down Kai’s spine.
”And I’m also going to do laundry.” She said curtly.
Oh. Well I guess that makes sense. Even though it totally doesn’t—WHAT THE SHIT. ITS JAYS WEEK, RIGHT? Am I delusional?
He spun around, cupped his hand over his mouth and yelled out, “ JAY, YOU LAZY ASS! WHY ARE YOU MAKING PIX DO YOUR JOB?!”
Pixals hand grabbed his shoulder, promptly spinning him back around to face her, their noses nearly touching.
”He promised to let me play as Dry Bones if I did his chores for today.” She said in hushed voice, her eyes boring into him. Well damn.
She turned, and make a motion signaling him to follow. He followed, his eye slightly twitching in annoyance, because who THE FUCK DOES HE THINK HE IS???? PIX DOES PRACTICALLY ALL THE LAUNDRY AND HE JUST SITS ON HIS ASS ALL DAY! Practically. That’s a big word.
The door to the oh-so dreaded laundry room opened stiffly, dust bunnies scattering into the hallway. Pixal pulled, the light cord, the bulb flickering before illuminating the room warmly.
He sifted through the clothes, and setting his aside in a separate pile. Where the hell did it go? He thought, just as Pixal held up a shirt, and asked, “Who’s this?” He glanced up, his eyes lighting up briefly before snatching it from her grasp. She scoffed, and muttered something that sounded an awful lot like ‘Jackass’.
“Why do you even own that?” He gaped up at her. “I-its Hatsune Miku? Pix-Pix do you not know Miku?” She shook her head, and he make an over pronounced gasp. “Whu-how? It’s literally Miku! You know, Miku, renowned character who sings and will kill again?” “What was that last bit?” He ignored her, instead grabbing her wrist and sprinting towards his room.
As they skidded to a halt, he scrambled to find his iPad. He flung it at her, her hands catch it before it hit her in the face. Dumbfounded, she looked up with an expression that clearly stated, “What the hell”.
Now sitting on his bed, he punched the passcode in, flinging it once more at her.
<><><>
”So its a rhythm game?”
“Yeah.”
”Demonstrate.”
“Ok, uh, so with the long ones you hold down, but you still gotta move your finger with it, and the pinks ones you flick up on and-“ a finger pushed up against his lips, shushing him. “I mean’t show me how to play, dumbfuck.” Oh. Yeah that works too.
They sat there, Pixal looking over his shoulder as he played God-ish, quite literally breathing down his neck. But not in an uncomfortable sense, it was nice, kinda like finding a puzzle piece that fell under the table.
“Alright, give it here.”
“Fine, but your playing Tell Your World.”
”..Why.”
”It’s tradition, that’s why.” She feigned annoyance, but complying with his wishes nonetheless.
“..This is surprisingly calming. What did you say it was called?”
“Project Sekai.” He couldn’t help but feel smug. I’ve indoctrinated another one.
<><><>
“Halloweens coming up.” He said, sliding into the living room. “Astute observation Kai. Pray tell, what sinister plot have you decided to involve me in this time?”
“Oh please, it’s hardly sinister.” He waved his hand through the air vas if pushing her statement aside.
“Yes it fucking is.” Said a third voice. Kai looked up at Jay, who was holding a bag of BBQ Lays and staring at his phone absentmindedly.
”Alright sparkplug, name one time it was even remotely sinister.”
”You want the list?”
“Sure. Give me your chips and we’ve got a deal.” Jay clutched his chips to his chest, making an overdramatic face of disgust at the notion of sharing.
”Exactly.” Kai truly relished in moments like these, the only downside was that they had to end.
“Alright, enough. What weird thing a we doing for Halloween this year?” She said, arms crossed.
His face practically lit up. “I’m glad you asked my dear Pixie! As you know far too well, I play Project Sekai, and you happen to play it as well. Seeing as you main Miku and I main Kaito, I was scheming thinking that we could cosplay as them!”
“That’s so stupid. I’m in.” A smile played at her lips, as Kai practically jumped for joy. “How exactly do you plan on making the outfits though? You’re not exactly a master seamstress.” His face turned to Jay, expectant.
“I hate you,” He said venomously, “But I’ll help you make your stupid cosplays if I get to keep Instax photos of you in them.” He stretched his hand out, and Kai shook it ‘seriously’.
“Cool, great, yay, all that jazzy-jazz.” She exclaimed.
“Hey! Where do you think your going?”
“To find a cat and nap with it.” And with that, she stalked off and out the door.
<><><>
”Pix, I’ve told you time and time again to keep your cat away from the wigs!” Jay said exasperatedly.
“His name is Valencia, and it isn’t my fault the cat tree hasn’t arrived yet.” She made a motion with her hands, beckoning the cat towards her. “Such a silly boy. Jay doesn’t know what hes talking about.” she said to him, almost in a babying voice. Almost.
Valencia had taken to using her wig as a cat scratcher, much to Jay’s (and Kai’s) Dismay. He was an orange tabby, once feral turned emotional support pet. His eyes were a dark amber, almost brown, with flecks of yellow if you looked close enough.
”You named him after the city in Spain?”
“No. I named him after Valencia Oranges, which Happen to grow in Valencia.” She said, holding the cat up as he kneaded into her shoulder. “Uh-huh.” Jay said distractedly. “For a nindroid, you’re surprisingly stubborn.”
“Look who’s talking.” She snarked back.
A loud Crash! Echoed through the monastery, followed by a familiar, “Ow!” Followed by more, incessant cursing. She rolled her eyes, before speed walking towards the source of the noise.
“You good?” He scowled up at her.
“Uh, no, I just tripped over-wait, what did I even trip over?” He looked around the barren floor. “Let’s think. your own stupidity? Perhaps Jay finally figured out how to curse you, or better yet, you unknowingly cursed yourself.”
“Uhm, fuck you.”
“You’d like that wouldn’t you.”
He gawked up at her.
the cat lept out of her arms, sauntering up to him, before bonking its nose with his. He sighed. Stupid cat. Making me feel mushy and loved.
”You’ll be happy to know my wigs basically finished.” He bounced up from his spot on the floor, picking Valencia up and dashing to Jays room.
<><><>
”Alright, smile for the camera!”
There was a soft Click! and a darkened photograph slid out. “This is definitely going on the fridge. You want one with the cat or nah?”
Kai scooped Valencia up into his arms, and Pixal spread her arms out in a V, as if to say, ‘Look! My child!’
“What’re you two gonna do with the cosplays after this?” Jay asked, shaking the photographs. “Well,” Kai began slyly. “there is a con coming up.”
”No.”
”Celia Rose Goodings gonna be there.”
“I retract my previous statement. I’m coming.”