Page 23 of Pandion

I know, but it sounded like it,Kagesawa replied.

At least you’re feeling better… tha’s good.

“Ah, she’s definitely not going to marry him now!” Takazaki interrupted with a comment on the obvious plot twist.

The movie wasn’t half-bad, but Kagesawa found it tediously predictable. “I’d rather watch her ride the dragon and roast some enemy ass, anyway.” He waved at the TV and reached for a piece of cucumber, which—compared to carrot—was subpar for dipping, but worked fine as a palate cleanser.Ah, shit, Satoru… I didn’t mean to do that…He tried to dampen the link, but it was too late.

It hadn’t been the cucumber. It was the lady in the slim-fitting outfit demonstrating some badass battle moves on screen.His appreciation of the prowess of said woman was probably misinterpreted through the link.

“I think I need to go,” Kagesawa said hastily.

“Oh? When I spoke to Harumine-san, he said to keep you overnight.”

“He said that?” Considering how close he was to sliding into another feedback loop–type situation, this information seemed conflicting. “What else did he say?”

“To tie you up if you start acting strange.” Takazaki laughed. “I suppose I should get the rope ready.”

“Yeah, that’s not bad advice actually… um, ah—” Kagesawa was forced to bite his lip to distract himself.

Tsuyoshii, why are you sooo bad at dampening? Tha’s pathetic…

“This might be bad, oh fff—” Evidently, his plan to drink until he no longer cared how the evening ended had at least one massive flaw: he should have drunk much more and much faster for Satoru to potentially pass out—if that was even possible—or he’d end up in this situation where the both of them were failing to dampen the link properly while he was not even nearly drunk enough to stop caring.

When he’d come over to Takazaki’s apartment, he’d been near to tears. A mere minute ago, he’d been laughing his ass off. Now he was suddenly dangerously close to feeding the link with something he wasn’t supposed to. Takazaki, as the third wheel, would not appreciate this latest mood swing.

“What’s wrong? Is it the link?” Takazaki asked.

“Yes.” Maybe if he could ignore it until it passed?

Tsuyoshiii, I want you hereee…Yeah, that didn’t seem like a viable tactic. Kagesawa turned the dampening mode back on, but it didn’t seem to help much.

“Did hespecificallysay he didn’t want me to come over?” If Satoru had said it, knowing this might happen, going over there was going to be morally irredeemable.

“Yes, I think he was pretty clear about it. Is he saying something else now? Is he all right? Does he need help with something?”

“This was a bad idea.” Kagesawa got up and tried to walk it off, but with Satoru at the other end of the link the way he was, he felt unsteady on his feet. “I can’t go there… I shouldn’t… Yam’zaki you ‘ave to tie me or lock me up.”

“Would it help if I tag along?” Takazaki suggested, not understanding the nature of the problem.

“No, ahhh—! Uh…” It was getting worse. His body was starting to react to it.

Wha’s taking you so loooong? TSUYOSHIIIII… comeereeeee…

“Takazaki! Y-you, you have to h-help me, do something… he’s calling me.”

“What’s with you all of a sudden?”

Since Takazaki still failed to grasp the gravity of the situation, Kagesawa grabbed him by his shoulders, looked him in the eye and enunciated as clearly as he could, “You don’t understand. He’s calling me Tsuyoshi.”

“Why is he…?” Takazaki swallowed and glanced down. Kagesawa fell on his knees and half-heartedly tried to cover up, but he should have been wearing something akin to asokutaifor it to not sink in.

“You h-have to stop me. Please…!”

“OK, all right, sure.” Takazaki was finally getting it, to some extent, and taking it like a champ to boot, not freaking out. “How did this happen? How is this a thing?” He helped Kagesawa up and took him into the bedroom. “I can lock you in here for the night if that’s really what you want.”

“Yes, yes, please.”

Tsuyoshiii, I’m mah coming over, okay yeah? Wait… I’ll be, as sooon as I can, hmmm…

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