Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) [Medium: Success] – 6… 7… 8… 9…

There are nine strange indents on your ceiling, crowding the general area above your bed. If you look around, you can also spot similar marks dotting the walls around you.

VISUAL CALCULUS – Oh, are we going through this again? We've already figured out what caused those, remember?

1. - Tell me one more time.
2. - I know, there's just nothing else to look at.

VISUAL CALCULUS – Why not. These were caused by a small, lightweight object--

CONCEPTUALIZATION [Medium: Success] – Like a tennis ball.

VISUAL CALCULUS – Yes, a small lightweight object, perhaps in the general shape and size of a tennis ball. This object was then thrown, from roughly your position, directly at the ceiling multiple times at medium-high velocity--

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [Medium: Success] – *Maximum* velocity.

VISUAL CALCULUS – Yes, sure, they were thrown directly at the ceiling at *maximum* velocity, and then caught--

HAND/EYE COORDINATION [Medium: Success] – With great agility.

VISUAL CALCULUS – May I finish? Ahem… then caught with *great* agility, before being thrown again. This must have happened hundreds of times over and over at generally the same spots for the indents to be this visible. The marks don't look too recent, but they don't look *old* either.

LOGIC – When we first went through this we determined that the only culprit had to be you, being bored and unable to sleep, tossing a ball around just to have something to do with your hands.

EMPATHY [Medium: Success] – This is the reason why your upstairs neighbour hates you.

RHETORIC – There are actually many reasons, but that is the *main* one.

VOLITION [Easy: Success] – Khm. I don't think this is helping you get any closer to sleep.

PAIN THRESHOLD – I'll be honest, all this is doing is just making you feel bad. Maybe try something else?

1. - Did the tennis ball thing ever work?
2. - [Esprit de Corps - Medium 10] I wonder what Kim is up to.
3. - Actually, I think I'll keep wallowing in misery until I cry myself to sleep.
4. - Fuck this. (Get up.)

VOLITION – No. Obviously not.

LOGIC [Medium: Success] – It just made you more restless.

EMPATHY – *And* made your upstairs neighbour want to kill you.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [Easy: Success] – Wasn't a bad arm workout, though.

1. - [Encyclopedia - Medium 10] Where did I keep that tennis ball?
2. - [Esprit de Corps - Medium 10] I wonder what Kim is up to.
3. - Actually, I think I'll keep wallowing in misery until I cry myself to sleep.
4. - Fuck this. (Get up.)

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] – In a small and tidy apartment just a few kilometers away, Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi is sleeping soundly at his bed. Curled up on his side, the only thing that indicates that he is alive is the slow and steady heaving of his chest as he breathes.

CONCEPTUALIZATION [Medium: Success] – If you close your eyes, you can almost picture him here, occupying the empty space of your bed, a single touch away...

INLAND EMPIRE [Formidable: Success] – Despite his peaceful appearance, his dreams are anything but. Behind his closed eyes he is reliving a battle he's already fought...

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success] – … And *lost*.

1. - Close your eyes and picture Kim beside you.
2. - Close your eyes and immerse yourself in Kim's dream.
3. - [Volition - Formidable 13] Uh... None of the above, please?

INLAND EMPIRE – Your eyes slid shut, and suddenly, everything is dark.

1. - I *did* just close my eyes.
2. - Where is Kim? (Proceed.)

INLAND EMPIRE – You misunderstand me. Everything. Is. *Dark*.

CONCEPTUALIZATION [Easy: Success] – This is a pitch-blackness impossible to achieve without several layers of fabric wrapped around your eyes.

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) [Medium: Success] – Except it's not real. You're just imagining it. You can definitely still see the dim light of the streetlights outside through your eyelids.

1. - Where is Kim? (Proceed.)

PITCH-BLACK DREAM – Kim is one of the only figures you can make out in this darkness. He's looking around frantically with his gun in hand. By his side is a man you don't recognize, wearing an RCM uniform and also keeping a keen eye on his surroundings.

LOGIC [Easy: Success] – His old partner, most likely. 'Eyes', wasn't it?

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Challenging: Success] – They called him 'Eyes', because he had to show Kim things. It was that bad.

PITCH-BLACK DREAM – While Eyes' panic only shows in the way that he is breathing rapidly through his mouth, Kim is the opposite-- his eyes wide, nervously snapping his head from side to side, and a white-knuckled grip on his gun, which only isn't slipping from his fingers due to the fact that he's wearing gloves.

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) – He cannot see *anything*.

HALF LIGHT [Trivial: Success] – This doesn't just scare him, it *terrifies* him.

PITCH-BLACK DREAM – And then, while Kim is looking off in one direction, trying desperately to make out *anything* in the darkness, you see his partner's own eyes widen.

Time seems to slow down, then. You watch as Eyes moves towards Kim and uses all his force to shove him aside, just in time for a bullet to pierce the exact spot Kim was standing on-- and hit Eyes instead.

CONCEPTUALIZATION [Medium: Success] – You don't think you can actually hear any sound, but the imagery of the bullet ripping into him evokes a horrific noise in your brain anyway.

PITCH-BLACK DREAM – He falls to the ground like a marionette that's had its strings cut.

Kim scrambles towards him. It hasn't been long enough for him to have bled out, not nearly enough time has passed for that-- but when he reaches him, his skin is pale and freezing cold. He looks into his partner's eyes only to see them wide open and completely vacant…

ESPRIT DE CORPS – Kilometers away, Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi startles awake with a sharp inhale. His heart is pounding inside his chest-- it is the only sound he hears in his ears as he instinctively looks over his hands for any traces of blood.

SHIVERS [Medium: Success] – In his solitude, he lets himself be a little shaken. This is not the first time he's had this dream, and it won't be the last.

LOGIC [Medium: Success] – When he mentioned he hadn't been sleeping very well to you the other day… This is probably what he meant.

SUGGESTION [Easy: Success] – You should call him. Comfort him.

VOLITION [Medium: Success] – No, that'd just be weird. He's a grown man, he can deal with nightmares on his own. Besides...

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Easy: Success] – It would be so nice to hear his voice, still heavy with sleep, through the crackles of the phone...

VOLITION – Ahem, *besides*, a phone call wouldn't help either of you find sleep again. And you both definitely need that.

LOGIC [Easy: Success] – The alarm beside you is set to ring in 3 hours. His is set for almost an hour before that.

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] – The recommended amount of sleep for adults is 7 to 9 hours per night. Getting less than seven hours of sleep a night on a regular basis has been linked with poor health, including--

PAIN THRESHOLD [Easy: Success] – We get it. Really, we do.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [Medium: Success] – Stay right here, curl up into a nice little ball, and keep your eyes closed! For the better good!

EMPATHY [Challenging: Success] – That was a really rough dream, though... Kim *could* probably use some comforting by now.

1. - (Get up) Call Kim.
2. - (Stay in bed) Try to sleep again.

VOLITION – Good. You need as much rest as you can get.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT – I always believed in you!

SUGGESTION [Easy: Success] – I suppose you can always mention it to him some other time. Would be a fun conversation topic.

INLAND EMPIRE – Compare nightmares…

PAIN THRESHOLD – Compare scars of love and war.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Challenging: Failure] – Ohh, I like the sound of that. *Extremely* sexy bonding activity.

VOLITION – Put a pin in that. For now: SLEEP.

Chapter Text

PAIN THRESHOLD [Legendary: Failure] – An acute pain in your right foot wakes you up with a jolt.

COMPOSURE [Challenging: Success] – While you do hiss out in pain, you manage to hold back tears.

1. - [Logic - Medium 10] What just happened?
2. - [Visual Calculus - Challenging 12] Assess the damage.
           (-1 It’s dark.)
3. - "Motherfucker." (Move on.)

LOGIC [Medium: Success] – It would seem that you kicked the wall in your sleep. And you kicked it pretty hard.

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [Easy: Success] – Not even sleep paralysis can hold you back, champ! We've always known this!

SAVOIR FAIRE [Medium: Success] – You, baby, are like a shark: if you stop moving, you *die*.

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Challenging: Success] – This is only true of certain species of sharks, specifically the ones that are only able to breathe by 'Obligate Ram Ventilation', which is when they have to keep moving to keep water flowing into their gills. Some sharks can actually breathe by way of 'Buccal Pumping', using their cheek muscles to draw water to their mouths and gills, which means they can stand completely still for long periods of time without posing any threat of danger to their lives.

SAVOIR FAIRE – You get what I fucking mean.

1. - [Visual Calculus - Challenging 12] Assess the damage.
           (-1 It’s dark.)
2. - "Motherfucker." (Move on.)

VISUAL CALCULUS [Challenging: Failure] – From a cursory look, everything looks fine. No bleeding, no bones poking out…

PAIN THRESHOLD [Legendary: Failure] – You try moving your toes, and all the motion does is cause a sharp sting of pain that makes you flinch.

[DAMAGED HEALTH: -1]

ENDURANCE [Medium: Success] – Don't be a püssy about it. You're not even bleeding.

1. - It's… probably fine.
2. - Oh god, I need to go to the hospital.

VOLITION – Yes, it is. No need to freak out about it. It's probably nothing, anyway.

PAIN THRESHOLD – Just… Don’t move that foot too much, maybe?

OLD & UNCOMFORTABLE MATTRESS – You shift your weight around, turning to lie on your back, and you hear springs creaking underneath you.

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) [Medium: Success] – From here, you can make out your alarm clock on the nightstand if you look to the side. It’s a quarter past 2 am.

LOGIC [Easy: Success] – That means you were out for a total of 4 hours.

VOLITION – The one time you manage to fall asleep at a reasonable hour…

1. - “Motherfucker.” (Move on.)

INLAND EMPIRE – You close your eyes for a second, and a glimpse of the dream you were having returns to you. The dim glow of a neon sign, the apricot scent in the air…

A voice. Small and gentle, sharp like a knife against your throat.

‘See you tomorrow.’

SHIVERS [Formidable: Success] – A cold breeze slips in through the crack in your window, whooshing past your bare chest, making you flinch.

THIS IS HOW THE SUMMER ENDS.

PAIN THRESHOLD [Impossible: Failure] – That dream again. Why is it always that goddamn dream?

ELECTROCHEMISTRY – It doesn’t even make sense-- You don’t even *want* her anymore! Aren’t you well on your way to moving on?

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success] – This is your punishment for what you did to her. There is no moving on from this.

VOLITION [Challenging: Success] – Can we think about something else? I’d love to think about something else.

1. - Think of something else.
2. - No, I’m wallowing in this. You can’t stop me.
3. - Fuck this, actually. (Get up.)

LOGIC [Challenging: Success] – The case files you’d been reading through earlier are the first things that manifest themselves in front of you. Cold cases you’d been shuffling through, hoping to make some sort of breakthrough…

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Medium: Success] – Oh, absolutely not. You’re off the clock! This isn’t the time to be thinking about work. You know what it’s time to be thinking about?

VOLITION [Medium: Success] – Please don’t pick anything stupid.

1. - I wouldn't mind thinking about work, actually.
2. - Drugs?
3. - Alcohol?
4. - Uh… A fourth option?

ELECTROCHEMISTRY – Exactly, the *perfect* distraction. What’s the opposite of apricot-scented sorrow and despair?

1. - … Work?
2. - … Drugs?
3. - … Alcohol?
4. - I really don't know.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY – Kim, *obviously*. Come on, man, that was an easy one.

VOLITION – Thinking about Kim does usually make you feel better.

CONCEPTUALIZATION [Challenging: Success] – Images of him spring to mind, ones that you made sure to keep saved somewhere in your cortex. Kim barely holding back smiles at your jokes and stupid comments, Kim smoking at the fire escape at sundown, Kim stretching at his desk, Kim doing work on the Kineema…

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Medium: Success] – Ohh, I like that last one, can we bring that one up again?

ENDURANCE [Medium: Success] – What are you, some kind of schoolgirl with a crush? This is pathetic. Cease this immediately.

1. - Yeah, can we bring that one back up again?
2. - Continue flipping through your imaginary photobook.
3. - [Esprit de Corps - Medium 10] What is Kim doing right now?
4. - This *is* pathetic. (Stop.)

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] – On a slightly more comfortable mattress, in his barely decorated bedroom, the Lieutenant is sleeping rather soundly. Though he has the whole bed to himself, he seems to only occupy one side, making himself smaller by almost curling his legs against his chest.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Medium: Success] – He's leaving plenty of space for *you*, superstar!

SHIVERS [Challenging: Success] – It's a very old habit-- Having to shrink himself down in order to be able to exist at all.

INLAND EMPIRE [Challenging: Success] – His eyelids twitch as his eyes move frantically behind them. He's dreaming again, despite his many wishes for dreamless sleep. Being betrayed by his own mind…

1. - What is he dreaming about?
2. - I hope his dreams are at least better than mine.

INLAND EMPIRE – A sweet sentiment. Unfortunately, it doesn’t help him out of the nightmare he is currently immersed in.

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success] – Do *not* ask the question. Do *not* go in there. Haven’t you had enough bad dreams for one day? One lifetime?

SHIVERS [Challenging: Success] – You feel a chill climbing up your spine, bringing with it a message in a voice that’s definitely not your own…

HE NEEDS YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER.

1. - What is he dreaming about?
2. - This is a bad idea. I don’t want to know. I shouldn’t know.

INLAND EMPIRE – You close your eyes, and once again submerge yourself in darkness.

…

PITCH-BLACK DREAM – The setting is strangely familiar. A pitch-black space, a sense of imminent danger, panic that fills your lungs with every breath you take.

EMPATHY [Easy: Success] – Much like you, Kim has recurring nightmares. Regrets and frustrations that settle behind his eyes, to be relived every time he is most vulnerable.

PITCH-BLACK DREAM – You watch from afar, like a fly in the wall, as he and his old partner repeat the same steps you saw them take before.

CONCEPTUALIZATION [Medium: Success] – It is like a much practiced dance, a ballet of dread: the alertness of their movements, the barely contained terror in their expressions…

PITCH-BLACK DREAM – But then, something different happens. Something unexpected.

A shot rings out, but from a completely different direction than usual. There is no need for Kim to be shoved to the side, as the bullet wasn’t aimed at him this time.

Instead of noticing it and taking action, his partner instantly crumbles to the ground next to him.

Kim turns, eyes wide, at…

INLAND EMPIRE – It is as if the form of his partner flickers. One moment, it is Eyes, the other…

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) – *You*.

PITCH-BLACK DREAM – You watch yourself as your leg gives out from under you. Kim immediately heads to your aid, kneeling by your side, applying pressure to the wound, and his mouth moves as if he’s saying something, but you can’t hear it.

An extremely familiar sequence of actions follow: you say something to Kim, press a gun to his hand, and he shoots behind him without even thinking. A silent scream. Commotion. He fights with the lady mercenary, gets struck hard in the face with the butt of her gun and stumbles, but manages to shoot her again, causing her to disappear into the darkness. Everything fades back into silence as he struggles to get back on his feet and rushes to your side to check on your condition, but something is… Wrong.

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success] – DON’T LOOK!

PITCH-BLACK DREAM – Your skin is much paler than it should be. Your eyes are wide open, but your gaze is completely empty.

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) [Medium: Success] – Like his partner before you…

INLAND EMPIRE – It's not too much of an unfamiliar sight.

PITCH-BLACK DREAM – Kim is waving his hands in front of your eyes, moving his lips as if saying your name repeatedly. He shakes you, trying not to flinch at the coldness of your skin, but there’s no response.

He’s shouting now, though the sound never reaches you.

Blood pours from you like a river, soaking his gloves, his jacket, his boots. He puts his head to your chest, squeezing his eyes shut, hoping it might help him hear something thrum inside your ribcage, but there is nothing, not even--

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] – Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi awakens with a violent jolt that causes him to immediately sit upright. He breathes heavily through his mouth, in and out, and places a hand to his chest to feel his own heart drumming an anxious rhythm.

SHIVERS [Medium: Success] – ‘Just a dream. It was just a dream’, he thinks to himself, squeezing his eyes shut and running his hands over his face, trying to contain the tremors that wash over him. ‘It’s fine, you’re fine, Harry is…’

OLD & UNCOMFORTABLE MATTRESS – You’re taken out of your stupor by a loud creaking sound.

SAVOIR FAIRE – Almost as if on instinct, you’ve started on the motions to get out of bed.

COMPOSURE [Formidable: Failure] – Where the hell are you going?

SUGGESTION [Medium: Success] – Yes, you’ve got the right idea, get up and call him! Or, even better, put some clothes on and go over there to comfort him personally!

VOLITION [Challenging: Success] – Or, don’t? What are you even going to tell him, that you wanted to check in on him at 2 am because a voice in your head told you he was having a bad dream?

SUGGESTION – What’s wrong with that? It’s a perfectly fine reason to check in on someone.

EMPATHY [Medium: Success] – Kim wouldn’t mind. He probably would appreciate hearing from you about now…

SUGGESTION – Exactly-- so what are you waiting for? Go!

1. - Get up and call him.
2. - Get up and get dressed.
3. - I’m just going back to sleep…

SAVOIR FAIRE – You scramble out of bed, throwing your legs over the edge, and get up as fast as you can--

PAIN THRESHOLD [Legendary: Failure] – You stumble as you put your weight on the foot you slammed against the wall. You had forgotten about it, but your toes haven’t.

ENDURANCE [Medium: Success] – You’re fine. Keep going.

SAVOIR FAIRE – And quickly enough, you make your way out of your messy bedroom into your equally messy living room-- stumbling a little perhaps as you try to walk on the heels of your injured foot-- but in no time you find yourself by your landline, a beaten-up rotary phone.

VISUAL CALCULUS [Medium: Success] – A victim of some rather ugly tantrums.

EMPATHY – Poor thing…

INTERFACING – After giving it a gentle, reassuring pat, you grab the receiver. Your fingers hover over the rotary dial as you try to remember the number…

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) [Easy: Success] – You don’t have to. There’s a little slip of paper next to the device, where Kim’s house number is written out in his own handwriting.

INTERFACING [Medium: Success] – It’s a little messy, but you can tell he’s made an effort to make his writing legible for you.

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] – He gave this to you when he came to help clean up your apartment, shortly after Martinaise. 'Just in case,' he said. The fact that it's supposed to be for emergencies was heavily implied.

SUGGESTION – And this *is* an emergency. So now all you have to do is dial those little numbers…

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success] – Before your finger even manages to touch the dial, a thought occurs to you that makes you pause.

Isn’t this… familiar?

PAIN THRESHOLD [Challenging: Failure] – A memory flashes before your eyes. You see a drunk stumbling over this very phone at an ungodly time of night, moving a shaky hand to input a very long chain of numbers…

[DAMAGED MORALE: -1]

SUGGESTION – No, no, but this is different! You see how this is different, don’t you? He *needs* you to call!

VOLITION [Challenging: Success] – That’s what you always said before, too.

SUGGESTION – Come on, trust me! You should do it!

VOLITION – Put the phone down. Kim will be fine. Every time you call anyone at this hour, it ends badly. There’s no need to risk doing more damage.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Formidable: Success] – A few kilometers from where you currently are, Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi stands in front of his own landline. He’s picking at the skin on the side of his thumb, staring at the device in front of him. He’s calmed down enough by now to realize that this is probably not the best idea, but still, the urge to dial a number wears at him…

COMPOSURE [Medium: Success] – An urge he represses with a deep breath. This is foolish, he thinks. Of course he’s fine. Calling him at this hour would just be profoundly stupid…

1. - [Suggestion - Challenging 12] Call him.
           (-1 Old bad habits.)
           (+2 He’s waiting by the phone.)
2. - Put the phone down.

SUGGESTION [Challenging: Success] – With newfound determination, you pick up the slip of paper with his number on it, and begin to dial.

INTERFACING – You finish with a flourish of your hand, for effect. And then…

BEATEN-UP ROTARY PHONE – Calling…

Calling…

VOLITION – It’s not too late to--

KIM KITSURAGI – “Hello?”

LOGIC [Medium: Success] – With how quick he was to answer, he either hadn’t left the side of the phone, or came running when he heard it ringing.

VOLITION – … I mean, it’s probably too late now, but the option is always there.

1. - “Hello.”
2. - “Hi, Kim.”
3. - "Kim, I’m still alive."
4. - [Volition - Heroic 15] Hang up.
           (-2 It’s definitely too late.)

KIM KITSURAGI – A pause. Then…

“... Harry?”

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Easy: Success] – Your name, in his mouth, while his voice is still this heavy with sleep-- it makes you completely lose focus for a second.

COMPOSURE [Challenging: Success] – He’s trying to suppress the surprise in his tone, and he’s failing.

EMPATHY [Challenging: Success] – He’s really, really happy to hear from you.

[HEALED MORALE: +1]

1. - “Oh! How’d you know?”
2. - “Got it in one. Fine detective work, Lieutenant."
3. - “Yep.”

KIM KITSURAGI – You hear him huff to try and cover up a small laugh. “It’s not very hard. You have a rather unique voice…”

RHETORIC [Medium: Success] – You sense an unspoken 'and' there.

EMPATHY [Challenging: Success] – 'And you're one of the only people who'd call me this late,' most likely.

PERCEPTION (HEARING) – He clears his throat, trying to get rid of the roughness in his voice.

COMPOSURE [Medium: Success] – But it’s as if as soon as that’s gone, he regains his senses.

KIM KITSURAGI – When Kim next speaks, he sounds a lot more awake, and a lot more serious. “Is everything alright?”

LOGIC [Challenging: Success] – He’s gone through the basic thought process here. ‘Why would Harry be calling me at this time?’ only has one logical answer, and that answer is ‘fuck, he probably relapsed.’

1. - “Yeah. Is everything alright with you?”
2. - “I swear to god I’m not drunk right now.”

KIM KITSURAGI – You can practically see him raise an eyebrow on the other end of the line.

1. - “I’m not high, either!”

KIM KITSURAGI – “What’s the matter, then?”

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] – Even without any proof to show for it, he takes you at your word. He trusts you.

RHETORIC [Easy: Success] – The fact that you’re not slurring your words or speaking absolute nonsense helps, too.

VOLITION [Medium: Success] – Speaking of absolute nonsense, maybe don’t mention the dream thing? It’s a bit early for your insane statements.

INLAND EMPIRE [Medium: Success] – No. Tell him. He should know you’re there for him.

1. - “The voices in my head told me you had a bad dream. Just thought I’d check in.”
2. - “Had a bad dream. Couldn’t go back to sleep.”
3. - “Not much. Just wanted to hear your voice.”
4. - “Nothing… Is there anything wrong on your end?”

KIM KITSURAGI – “Mm. Funny,” he replies, slightly muffled. “I’m in a similar position.”

LOGIC [Medium: Success] – He’s worrying at his thumb with his teeth. That bad habit of his, of picking at the skin of his fingers-- it sometimes extends to biting. He probably doesn’t even realise he’s doing it.

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Formidable: Failure] – The word 'dermatophagia' jumps out at you, but the meaning is a little too blurry to make out.

1. - “I know.”
2. - “Yes, I figured.”
3. - “Wanna talk about it?”

KIM KITSURAGI – A small sigh. “I wouldn’t want to bore you. I know discussing dreams can be rather… uninteresting."

SUGGESTION – Spoken like someone who’s had to pretend to listen to others talk about their dreams before.

RHETORIC [Trivial: Success] – And he’s right. Listening to other people talking about their dreams is extremely boring. Nobody other than the person talking about it has any stakes in the story-- it’s all nonsense. Completely pointless blathering. Just noise.

INLAND EMPIRE – But you both know for a fact that his dream wouldn't bore you.

SUGGESTION [Challenging: Success] – Maybe offer to tell him about *your* dream first? That’d probably get him to open up about his own.

1. - “I really doubt that. That your dream would bore me, I mean."
2. - “I could tell you about my shitty dream first? That way we’d both equally bore each other. Win/win."

KIM KITSURAGI – “You’d be surprised,” he yawns. “I dream a lot about work.”

DRAMA [Easy: Success] – It isn’t *technically* a lie, but he *is* trying to mislead you.

LOGIC [Medium: Success] – Probably into thinking he dreams about doing paperwork, which he probably does, but you know that’s not the case right now.

EMPATHY [Challenging: Success] – Admitting to what his dream was about would mean having to speak about his *feelings*. As always, something in him struggles against it.

1. - “I could tell you about my shitty dream first? That way we’d both equally bore each other. Win/win."

KIM KITSURAGI – "I feel the outcome is more likely to be a lose/lose, personally."

PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Challenging: Success] – You can hear the smile in his voice as he says it.

1. - "Hey, c'mon. Best case scenario we bore each other so much we fall asleep again."
2. - "You're probably right. Wanna do it anyway?"
3. - "Yeah, you're right. Wanna try something else?"

KIM KITSURAGI – "Hmm." You hear soft crackling as he pauses to think. "And the worst case scenario?”

EMPATHY [Formidable: Success] – Maybe don’t joke about death to him right now. He’s still reeling a little from that dream…

1. - “Worst case scenario we bore each other so much we both *die*.”
2. - “Worst case scenario neither of us falls asleep and we just have to listen to each other talk about our dreams for a really long time."
3. - “Worst case scenario we go to work so sleep deprived, Revachol ends up burning down while we’re not looking.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “I see. I guess I can deal with those odds…” He takes a breath, as if waiting for something to stop him from proceeding.

But nothing does. “What was your ‘shitty dream’ about, then?”

RHETORIC [Challenging: Success] – You can almost hear him wince as he says it. He really can’t believe he’s just genuinely asked someone this.

EMPATHY [Medium: Success] – Unlike most times people try telling him about their dreams, Kim *will* try his best to pay attention to what you have to say.

SUGGESTION – You have the stage. So don’t fuck it up, shitkid!

1. - Wait, so now what?
2. - "It's one I have a lot, actually…" (Proceed.)

INLAND EMPIRE – Now you bare your soul to him.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Medium: Success] – Ehh… no offense but talking about your weird ex dreams? Kind of a mood-killer, honestly…

PAIN THRESHOLD – Thread carefully. Thread *very* carefully.

DRAMA [Medium: Success] – Alternatively, my liege, if I may suggest-- you could very well make something up. A story of a dream similar to his own… He would be amazed at the coincidence! It would be thrilling, if executed correctly! It would certainly make him open up, or maybe even… fall for you?

VOLITION [Challenging: Success] – What the hell are you talking about?

SUGGESTION [Legendary: Failure] – Yeah, that could be a solid plan, too…

1. - "It's one I have a lot, actually…" (Proceed.)

KIM KITSURAGI – The Lieutenant makes a small affirming noise to let you know he is listening.

1. - "It's about Dora."
2. - [Drama - Challenging 12] "It's kind of a work dream, too…"
           (-1 What the *hell* are you talking about?)

KIM KITSURAGI – "Hm…"

CONCEPTUALIZATION [Medium: Success] – As he thinks, you see him in your mind going through some familiar motions. Reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket, pulling out his blue notebook, flipping through to find a specific thing he'd noted down…

KIM KITSURAGI – "Is this any similar to the dream you had back in Martinaise, when you fell asleep at the Seafort?"

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Challenging: Success] – He vividly remembers it, the way you thrashed about in your sleep, tainting the mattress and the sheets with gore. How you spat out blood at his feet after you awoke. *Total annihilation*, you had said.

He finds himself thinking about it rather often these days.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Easy: Success] – Because you were just so *bad ass*.

EMPATHY [Formidable: Success] – Because he had never seen anyone be in such pain up close before without immediately flinching away.

1. - "The exact same, actually."
2. - "Kind of, yeah."
3. - "I guess so."

KIM KITSURAGI – Silence on the other end.

Then, suddenly, he makes a small noise. A scoff? "I understand. Go on."

LOGIC [Medium: Success] – He just nodded to himself before remembering you couldn't see him.

1. - “She’ll just be there waiting for me in the exact same place every time. In the intersection by Video Revachol, with her airship bag in hand.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “...”

ESPRIT DE CORPS – He’s listening.

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success] – Do *not* mention the Dolores Dei thing. He will *never* look at you the same…

1. - “But it’s not really… her. It’s something else. My brain has mangled her and Dolores Dei into one singular being.”
2. - “Doesn’t matter that she says she’s in a hurry. That she has a flight to Mirova to catch at 10:20… She won’t leave until the dream is over.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “It’s… What?”

PAIN THRESHOLD – Halt. Stop right now. Before it’s too late. Before he knows too much…

1. - “She looks like Dolores Dei, even talks like it sometimes… But I can still see Dora buried underneath the gown and the wreath. She’s trapped in there, and she hates that this is what I’ve turned her into.”
2. - “Nothing. Nevermind. Forget I said anything.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “Huh.” A strange, long silence follows, filled only with the occasional crackle of the phone line.

PAIN THRESHOLD [Formidable: Failure] – Oh, you’ve fucked it up now. He’s trying to think of the best way to exit this conversation so he can get away from you. Do him a favor and just hang up now.

VOLITION [Challenging: Success] – Don’t be dramatic, he’s just processing. That’s a lot of strange info to just dump on someone all at once.

1. - Wait.
2. - Hang up.

KIM KITSURAGI – “... I see. Carry on?”

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] – This explains… some things, he thinks. It feels like he’s managed to click a new piece of a puzzle into place. It’s almost a little exciting.

EMPATHY [Easy: Success] – He certainly doesn’t sound like someone who doesn’t want anything to do with you.

1. - “Anyway, I say stupid shit at her, and she tells me exactly how I’ve fucked up, am fucking up, and will fuck up.”
2. - “Anyway, she just stands there and she rails into me about everything I’ve ever done wrong and how I’m insane and ill and I deserve to be in hell…”
3. - “Anyway, we just talk. Or argue. Or both. I don’t know… It’s just bad.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “Are these arguments you think you’ve had with her in the past?”

1. - “Probably.”
2. - “I think it’s mostly just self hatred.”
3. - “Maybe? I can’t tell.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “Hm…” His voice is a little muffled once more-- he’s probably back to gnawing at his thumb. “What else?”

1. - “After a while, she leaves to go to her airship. And she tells me she’ll see me tomorrow. And the dream ends, until the next day, when I fall asleep again…”

KIM KITSURAGI – “You have this dream… every night?”

INLAND EMPIRE – Every day the same dream.

1. - “Most nights, yes.”
2. - “When it starts it doesn’t stop, for like a while at least.”
3. - “Something like that.”

KIM KITSURAGI – "That's…"

EMPATHY [Easy: Success] – Upsetting?

PAIN THRESHOLD [Formidable: Failure] – Unbearable?

ENDURANCE [Medium: Success] – Complete horseshit?

HALF LIGHT [Easy: Success] – Exactly what you deserve?

KIM KITSURAGI – He clears his throat, his voice now a little quieter. "That sounds difficult, detective."

1. - "It is a little bit."
2. - "It's complete horseshit, Kim."
3. - "I think I deserve it."

KIM KITSURAGI – A sigh. "No, Harry…"

1. - "It's retribution for what I did to her… Literally and figuratively, I guess."
2. - "I do, though. Don't I?"
3. - Let him speak.

KIM KITSURAGI – "..."

1. - "I reduced her to a deity, I've turned her into a ghost-- So now she haunts me in my dreams.”

KIM KITSURAGI – "..."

1. - “You know, let the punishment fit the crime.”

PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Medium: Success] – A deep silence on the other end of the line. Almost as if he's holding his breath.

EMPATHY [Heroic: Failure] – He really just doesn't know what to say to that. To any of that.

PAIN THRESHOLD – Why the hell did *you* say any of that??

[DAMAGED MORALE: -1]

1. - "..."
2. - "Ahem. So, that was my shitty dream."

KIM KITSURAGI – "... So it was."

EMPATHY [Medium: Success] – He lets out a small sigh of relief. He’s extremely glad you’re not actually looking for any sort of genuine response to all that.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Challenging: Success] – This not to say that he doesn’t have any thoughts about it, but that getting him to say them will be extremely difficult.

KIM KITSURAGI – "I'll be honest, it's looking like a 'worst case scenario' situation for me, currently."

REACTION SPEED [Medium: Success] – He's just referencing what you said earlier-- it's not a dig at you.

RHETORIC [Medium: Success] – Not a *direct* dig at you, at least.

1. - "Sorry…"
2. - “Well, that’s too bad.”
3. - "That wasn’t boring enough to put you to sleep?”

KIM KITSURAGI – "I'm afraid not. I actually feel more awake than before…”

LOGIC [Challenging: Success] – This was the obvious outcome to both of you staying up and talking. If he had wanted to go back to sleep, he should’ve just stayed in bed.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] – He knew that from the start, yet he made the choice not to hang up. He decided to stay right here, on the line, talking with you.

1. - [Esprit de Corps - Legendary 14] Does he regret it?
2. - “I’m really sorry.”
3. - “So what was *your* shitty dream about?” (Proceed.)

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Legendary: Success] – No. Not at all.

EMPATHY – He may in a few hours, when he realises he will have to spend the rest of the day running only on a few hours of sleep, but right now he’s happy to have you for company.

ESPRIT DE CORPS – He’s always happy to have you for company. Well, maybe not *always*, but… most times.

1. - “I’m really sorry.”
2. - “So what was *your* shitty dream about?” (Proceed.)

KIM KITSURAGI – “Huh?” The sound bubbles up seemingly involuntarily, because he coughs immediately after he makes it.

1. - “I told you about my shitty dream, now it’s your turn. That was the deal."

KIM KITSURAGI – “I don’t remember agreeing to such a thing.”

DRAMA [Easy: Success] – Oh, he definitely did, and he *knows* it.

AUTHORITY [Medium: Success] – He’s not getting out of this so easily. Hold him accountable.

1. - “Strange, because I’m pretty sure you did. Are you getting holes in your brain, Kim?”
2. - “That’s funny. So this contract I have over here that says you are legally obliged to tell me about your ‘shitty dream’... you’re saying the signature there isn’t yours?”
3. - “C’mon, Kim… Please?”

KIM KITSURAGI – He huffs to stifle a laugh. “Yes. I would never sign anything without thoroughly reading through it first.”

“And, if I recall, you *are* rather proficient at faking signatures…”

INTERFACING – Guilty as charged.

1. - "But this is different, this was a spoken contract, and I clearly recall you agreeing to it."
2. - "I would *never* do such a thing… to anyone who isn't a corrupt union leader."

KIM KITSURAGI – "Do you, now?"

CONCEPTUALIZATION – Through his tone, you can basically sense that he is raising his eyebrow.

AUTHORITY [Medium: Success] – Thankfully, without the visual component and the physical presence, it is a lot easier to resist its thrall.

1. - [Authority - Challenging 12] "Are you doubting my word, Lieutenant?"
2. - "Yeah, you said something like…" (Do an impression of his accent) "*I guess I can deal with those odds!*"
3. - "I recall you saying something along the lines of ‘I guess I can deal with those odds.’"

ESPRIT DE CORPS – He winces so hard you can almost hear it through the phone.

KIM KITSURAGI – "I do *not* talk like that."

1. - “You kind of do.”
2. - "But you won't deny that you *did* say that."

KIM KITSURAGI – The Lieutenant exhales, tiredly. "I suppose I may have said something along those lines, yes…"

SUGGESTION – You got him on the ropes. Now go in for the kill!

1. - "I'll ask again. What was *your* shitty dream about, Kim?"

KIM KITSURAGI – "..."

PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Challenging: Success] – The only indication that he hasn't left the phone is the small breaths you can hear if you really press the speaker to your ear.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Medium: Success] – More than anything, you wish there wasn't such a distance between the both of you right now.

KIM KITSURAGI – "... Okay." He says, tone a little clipped. "Fine. But it really isn’t anything interesting.”

1. - "We'll see."
2. - Just listen.

KIM KITSURAGI – He sighs. “It’s a subconscious thing, I suppose, but I find that my brain has the odd habit of fixating on old cases. So sometimes I will have dreams that are essentially just… reruns of moments I’ve already lived through.”

“Tonight I had a dream about THE HANGED MAN. The… Tribunal, specifically. Which is why I suppose it shook me a little more than usual.”

1. - “And?”
2. - Wait for him to keep going.

KIM KITSURAGI – He sounds a little confused. “And… nothing. It was the Tribunal, exactly as it had happened in reality. I’m sure you don’t need me to describe it, you were there…”

DRAMA – A complete, bold-faced lie, sire! Though it’s not like you need me to spell it out for you. It probably would’ve been hard to discern this if you didn’t already know what his dream was about, however.

SUGGESTION [Legendary: Failure] – But… Why is he lying to you? After all you did to get him to talk in the first place! I was so sure you did everything right…

KIM KITSURAGI – “I told you it wasn’t interesting.”

EMPATHY [Challenging: Success] – There are so many reasons why he doesn’t want to say the next part out loud.

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success] – He still sees those images clear as day in his mind. It still frightens him, even now as he speaks to you and knows for a fact that you are okay.

There’s also a certain fear that hearing what comes next may do something to *you*.

INLAND EMPIRE – As if you’re not already intricately familiar with the thought of your own death.

PAIN THRESHOLD [Medium: Success] – That is kind of the reason why he doesn’t want to say it.

1. - “Are you sure that’s all?”
2. - “I think you’re hiding something, Kim.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “Yes. Pretty sure. It was my dream, after all…”

RHETORIC – A dead end. You’re not getting him to say anything else.

SUGGESTION [Challenging: Success] – Okay, so he’s stonewalling you. That’s fine, that’s his prerogative. Who cares? It’s not like you need to tear it down or lure him out this time.

1. - … I don’t?

SUGGESTION – No. I’m pretty sure it would be impossible, in any other circumstances. Fortunately, you already know what he’s hiding. You’ve known this whole time! All you need to do is *say it*.

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success] – This seems like a really bad idea all of a sudden.

SUGGESTION – Why did we go all this way if not to confront him about this?

LOGIC [Heroic: Failure] – … Why *did* we even go all this way? Haven’t you accomplished your goal already?

1. - Wait, so what should I do?
2. - “Okay, then.” (Give up.)
3. - “Kim… I know.” (Commit.)

SUGGESTION – Say it.

HALF LIGHT – Leave it be.

AUTHORITY [Challenging: Success] – You cannot just roll over in the face of a bold-faced lie. It sets a bad precedent, it tells him that he can just lie to you and hide things from you without any consequences.

EMPATHY [Formidable: Success] – He’s establishing a boundary with you here. It probably would be wise to not cross it…

INLAND EMPIRE [Medium: Success] – But how else will you ever truly know him?

1. - “Okay, then.” (Give up.)
2. - “Kim… I know.” (Commit.)

KIM KITSURAGI – “Know what, detective?”

1. - “I know what really happened in your dream.”
2. - “I’m sorry you had to watch me die.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “What makes you think that?”

HALF LIGHT [Challenging: Success] – Though his voice is still the same, you feel that your statement has struck at something.

EMPATHY [Medium: Success] – He really hopes the next thing that comes out of your mouth is some nonsense he’ll be able to roll his eyes at…

1. - “I’m sorry you had to watch me die.”
2. - Oh god, I don’t want to do this anymore. Can I back out?

KIM KITSURAGI – A deep silence falls on the other end of the line once more, before it is broken by a single whisper of…

“What the fuck?”

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] – It’s too early for this, he thinks. It is *way* too early for this.

REACTION SPEED – This never gets old.

KIM KITSURAGI – He is trying to keep his tone steady, but is wavering a little. “How did-- How did you know that?”

1. - “Voice in my head told me.”
2. - “I tuned into your dream. I saw everything.”
3. - “I just… did.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “Right, of course…” he mumbles. “Your… voices.”

CONCEPTUALIZATION [Medium: Success] – Despite how many times you’ve told him about us, he still struggles to understand the concept. Mostly when it comes to things like this, your more… *out there* hunches.

INLAND EMPIRE [Easy: Success] – The ones that are almost *supra-natural*.

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success] – Most of the time he can just dismiss them as being nonsense. It alarms him when he realises they may have some truth to them.

KIM KITSURAGI – A moment passes as Kim weighs his thoughts.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] – He throws the logistics and the theories about how you might have just ‘guessed’ what his dream was about to the side for now. There’s more important matters to attend to.

KIM KITSURAGI – “So this whole time, you just *knew*?”

1. - “That's why I called in the first place.”
2. - “Um. Yeah. Sorry.”
3. - “No, the info came to me midway through our conversation.” (Lie.)

KIM KITSURAGI – “Huh?”

1. - “I thought you could use some… comforting?”
2. - “I thought you might want to know that I was still alive.”
3. - “I thought you would have wanted me to call after something like that.”
4. - “I don’t know what I was thinking.” (Lie.)

KIM KITSURAGI – “Oh. That’s…” The sentence fades from his mouth with no clear resolution.

RHETORIC [Medium: Success] – Very considerate? Sweet, even?

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Formidable: Success] – Of course he wouldn’t be able to say it out loud, but it is exactly what he wanted.

COMPOSURE [Challenging: Success] – Even with the fact that you’re kilometers away from each other, Kim is thankful for the fact that he cannot blush.

KIM KITSURAGI – He clears his throat, re-centering himself, and when he speaks again his tone is stern. “I don’t understand. Why were you so adamant I tell you about it, if you had known the whole time?”

LOGIC [Heroic: Failure] – That’s a really good question!

SUGGESTION [Legendary: Failure] – I’ll be honest, this is the first time I’m thinking about that.

VOLITION – So we came all this way, did all that, for apparently no reason that you can discern?

SUGGESTION – Look, I’m not the *reason* guy, I’m the *action* guy. I just advise him to go through with whatever seems most right at the time. My job isn’t to *think* about things!

AUTHORITY – Sometimes I think we should’ve actually put you in front of a firing squad.

1. - “I, uh… I hadn’t really thought about it?”

KIM KITSURAGI – “You hadn’t… thought about it.”

COMPOSURE [Formidable: Failure] – You wince a little. You can only hope that he doesn’t somehow manage to sense this from his end of the line.

1. - “I guess I just wanted you to say it out loud."

KIM KITSURAGI – “Say… what? That I think the idea of you dying is extremely upsetting, because I care about you? I would have assumed that was obvious. But perhaps not."

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT – A breath stirs in your lungs.

EMPATHY [Medium: Success] – There is a little resentment in his tone, a sort of clipped annoyance that you've only heard directed at you a few times in the past. It stings a little, though it feels deserved… You did kind of just force him to be emotionally vulnerable again.

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] – He did once tell you that he didn’t mind it when you did it. The conclusion you came to last time was that deep down he somewhat wants to be known.

RHETORIC – He wasn’t particularly ready to admit to this one yet, is the thing. There’s something a lot more personal about dreams…

INLAND EMPIRE – W-w-w-wait, did you not hear what he just said?

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] – He cares about you. You've always known this to be true.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY – But hearing it spoken feels *entirely* different than just simply sensing it. Your skin prickles at his words.

SUGGESTION – Oh, shit, is *this* why you did all this in the first place?

1. - “You cut out a bit there. Could you say that again?”
2. - “It’s not really that obvious if you’ve never said it before.”
3. - “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “Harry--”

PERCEPTION (HEARING) – An explosion of crackles in your ear as Kim exhales directly into the receiver.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Challenging: Success] – You’re right, he thinks. A fact about communication is that you need to say things out loud for them to be understood. He’s been told this before more than once. So many times, by so many different people…

SHIVERS [Formidable: Success] – I LOVED YOU, BUT I CAN’T READ YOUR MIND.

KIM KITSURAGI – “I do care about you, officer-- of *course* I do,” he says, voice low, almost bashful. “I know you know that. And I would prefer if you did not die, *specially* in front of me. Is that clear now?”

DRAMA [Trivial: Success] – He means every single word.

EMPATHY – It makes you feel a bit lighter.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] – You don’t need to say it back. He would actually prefer it if you didn’t.

1. - “I care about you too, Kim.”
2. - “I’ll try my best not to die in front of you anymore.”
3. - “Thank you.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “Yes, I’d appreciate that.”

LOGIC [Medium: Success] – That isn’t exactly the type of promise you’re able to keep. Whatever his brain conjures up is completely out of your control.

HALF LIGHT [Easy: Success] – You can’t exactly control what happens in reality, either…

SUGGESTION – Well, when it comes to bad dreams, you can always comfort him again.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Medium: Success] – A task that'd be easier achieved if you were, say, sleeping on the same bed?

VOLITION [Medium: Success] – Keep a tight leash on those expectations.

INLAND EMPIRE [Challenging: Success] – And when it comes to reality… Have you considered becoming a ghost after you die?

PAIN THRESHOLD [Medium: Success] – Can you try that thought again at some later time?

KIM KITSURAGI – Kim clears his throat, suddenly remembering something. “Khm… If that’s all, I think it’d be best if we tried to get some sleep. We do have work in a few hours.”

COMPOSURE [Medium: Success] – With all the little loose threads of this conversation wrapped up, Kim feels much more himself again. Enough to be able to remember that he’s an adult with responsibilities, and can’t just stay up all night talking nonsense on the phone with you.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] – He wouldn’t mind it, if it was something that was more feasible. But given your schedules, and the phone bill…

SUGGESTION [Formidable: Failure] – Wait, wait! Don’t let him hang up just yet! Maybe, uh… Ask him for a ride to work? Grab some breakfast together on the way there?

1. - “Wait, uh, could I… get a ride to work?"
2. - “You’re right. Goodnight, Kim.”

KIM KITSURAGI – "A… ride. To work."

LOGIC [Easy: Success] – Now might be a good time to remind you that you live a five minute walk away from the precinct.

SUGGESTION – Fuck.

VOLITION [Medium: Success] – Why do you keep doing what he says? Have you learnt nothing from the past ten minutes?

PAIN THRESHOLD [Challenging: Success] – As you switch your weight around between your feet, you only barely notice the passing dull pain that leaning on your right foot brings.

RHETORIC – Oh, there's how you can salvage this interaction from ending on a note that makes you sound like a complete fucking idiot.

1. - "I hurt my foot earlier. I, er, think it'd be best not to walk too much on it. That's why I'm asking."
2. - "We could detour and grab some breakfast from that place near the precinct?"
3. - "Forget I said that, actually. Uh…"

PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Challenging: Success] – After a beat of absolutely nothing, you just manage to catch a soft exhale that sounds oddly like laughter.

KIM KITSURAGI – “Breakfast,” he says, slowly. “Of course.”

1. - “Is that a yes?”
2. - “Uh… It’s okay if you’d rather not…”
3. - “Forget I said that. Goodnight, Kim.” (Hang up.)

KIM KITSURAGI – “It’s a wonderful idea, detective,” he says, very clearly smiling on the other end of the line. “I imagine we will probably need coffee that’s stronger than the watered down stuff they serve in the break room, anyway.”

LOGIC [Medium: Success] – He’s working on the assumption that neither of you will actually get much more sleep tonight.

INLAND EMPIRE – He’s probably correct.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Easy: Success] – Sweet, sweet caffeine…

SUGGESTION – Wait, that worked? That just straight up worked? Even though you sounded like a fucking idiot?

RHETORIC [Medium: Success] – This would not have worked on anyone else, for the record. You’re just extremely lucky Kim has a high tolerance for the stuff you say.

EMPATHY [Medium: Success] – You shouldn’t take his fondness for you for granted.

KIM KITSURAGI – “I can be there by 6:30. Should I wait outside?”

1. - “Sounds good.”
2. - “It’s a date!”
3. - “God, that’s early.”
4. - “Nevermind, actually.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “... Right,” his tone is unreadable. “If you could get ready beforehand… I’d prefer not to have to drag you out of bed.”

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Easy: Success] – There is not a world where the Lieutenant would leave without you if you did not show up on time. Even if he says he’d prefer not to, he would still be there, diligently knocking on your door…

1. - “Will do.”
2. - “No promises, but I’ll try.”

KIM KITSURAGI – “Mhm.”

COMPOSURE [Medium: Success] – He wants to simply say goodnight and go, but however, something is pecking at him…

KIM KITSURAGI – “Thank you, by the way. For… checking in. I appreciate it.” His voice is a little quieter than it was before.

EMPATHY [Challenging: Success] – He is legitimately thankful. Despite your antics-- your ceaseless can-opening and the dubious overstepping of boundaries involved in essentially *looking into his brain*-- his dream *did* cause him to be unreasonably worried about you. He’s not proud of how much he allowed himself to be shaken by something as meaningless as a dream, but he still appreciates having those fears soothed.

KIM KITSURAGI – “Goodnight, Harry.”

1. - “See you soon, Kim.”

BEATEN-UP ROTARY PHONE – Click. Beep, beep, beep…

LOGIC [Trivial: Success] – He’s hung up.

EMPATHY – You feel a strange and distant loneliness all of a sudden. Almost as if it’s an instinctual response to those sounds…

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT – Like a reflex, your fingers twitch around the phone in your hands. You get the strange feeling that you should slam it down as hard as you can.

1. - [Physical Instrument - Medium 10] Slam the phone down as hard as you can.
2. - Gently put the phone down and give it a pat instead, thanking it for its hard work.
3. - Just hang up and walk away, like a normal person.

BEATEN-UP ROTARY PHONE – Though kindness will not be able to fix the dents and cracks in its casing, it seems to be thankful for your gesture.

[HEALED MORALE: +1]

INTERFACING [Medium: Success] – It probably wouldn't be too hard to fix it. You could fill in the cracks, sand out the dents. Replacing the casing could also be an option, though it'd require some fiddling with the internal mechanics of it…

VOLITION [Challenging: Success] – A thought for later. Now, you need to get back into bed.

SUGGESTION [Medium: Success] – And risk falling asleep and oversleeping through your alarm and then being late for your *date* with Kim?

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [Easy: Success] – You do not feel anywhere near sleep, currently. Your body is more ready for a jog than for lying down and trying to will yourself into unconsciousness.

LOGIC [Medium: Success] – It will be hard to make it through the rest of the day if you don’t get a little more rest.

ENDURANCE [Challenging: Success] – Sleep deprivation is not enough to wear you down. You’ve endured way worse in the past. You’ll be able to make it through the day just fine without any more sleep.

INLAND EMPIRE [Formidable: Success] – Images of yourself at your desk at work-- head resting on your forearms, audibly snoring-- flicker into your head. Jean walks by and almost instinctively rolls up the paperwork he’s supposed to be delivering and hits you over the head with it.

1. - Go back to bed.
2. - Find something to busy yourself with.

SAVOIR FAIRE – The walk back towards your room is easier now that the pain on your foot is gone. You step over the clothes on the floor with ease, and in no time you’re back at your bed.

VOLITION [Medium: Success] – You really need to clean up at some point.

COMPOSURE – Definitely don't let Kim see this.

OLD & UNCOMFORTABLE MATTRESS – As you lie down, the mattress makes a horrible noise. You feel your weight sinking into it, but not in a particularly good way.

ENDURANCE [Formidable: Failure] – God, that feels like shit.

LOGIC [Easy: Success] – You would sleep better *and* easier if you had a more comfortable mattress.

RHETORIC [Medium: Success] – Those cost money. Do you look like you have comfortable mattress money?

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [Formidable: Failure] – You’d probably sleep easier on the floor. You know, there’s a lot of health benefits to it.

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) – Your gaze drifts to the ceiling, where you see several strange indents dotting it.

1. - Count them again.
2. - Close your eyes.