i think i'm living —

[evite]

WHO: daisy johnson & various.
WHERE: throughout the city.
WHEN: september 16 - 30
WHAT: a catch-all for daisy's homecoming, disappearance, and return.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: closed starters, mostly, but feel free to holler or leave me something if you'd like!

DATES OF NOTE

SEPTEMBER 16 › daisy is released from safehouse bedrest after her final check-up with strange. patient is remanded to light duty and minimal activity, though free to move about the city as needed. SEPTEMBER 18 › daisy's disappearance. last seen at the kuryakin-teller residence. any attempts at messages will fail. daisy's pin on the map created during the morningstar op is stuck on casa shield, but sporadically disappears from view for minutes at a time. SEPTEMBER 22 › daisy's reappearance. she wakes up fully dressed in her own bed, with no memory of the time in between or how she got from points a to b.

Comments

later evening, september 22.

[evite]

[ why do bad things happen to morally questionable people who try really hard? question of the day. as prompto opens the door to the apartment, he's greeted by the sounds of agitated raptor shrieking — CAN YOU NOT — coming from behind the door of the far bedroom.

who could that be? could it be daisy, voluntarily chilling in her not-boyfriend's bedroom, all the while complaining on the network that someone's assuming she's in a relationship? ding ding!!!

thanks for confirming you were home, prompto, because that just gives her reason to fling the door open, looking Agitated As Heck. ]

What are you doing.

[ illya's not even being helpful, he's just watching tv and ignoring her outbursts ]

[mercurio]

[he's slightly taken aback by daisy's sudden, Agitated As Heck appearance, and he looks -- for a moment -- like he's really sorry and there's some sort of apology or explanation coming along.]

[except]

Hey, Illya! Just pickin' up some stuff!

[and then to daisy] Did you seriously not get my secret code message?

[THAT'S what's important here.]

[evite]

[ the biggest eye roll on the planet ]

Yes, I got your code message. [ she's not stupid. ] That's not the point.

[ WHAT IS THE POINT??? we just don't know ]

[mercurio]

I take offense that you called me drunk.

[he sticks his tongue out at her, before making i towards the spare bedroom. it's somewhat -- painful, considering gaby seems to have fallen off the radar. he's got a few spare clothes he left here (from laundry day leftovers), and illya's place is closer to the con than his own.]

[keeping the door open, he keeps talking.]

You and Illya are dating, right?

[what's the fuss...]

[evite]

[ if she was drinking something, she'd have spit out her drink. a shame, really, that she's not. it would have been a very good visual. ]

What? [ what???? ] No.

[ wide eyed, she looks back at illya... who hasn't moved... almost like he's just purposefully letting her deal with this. as if it's not his problem. what a dick. ]

That's — [ ridiculous. ] No, we're not dating. We don't even go on dates.

[mercurio]

No?

[he pulls a shirt and shorts from behind the bed, looking up at her confused. she looks confused, or surprised, or ? something??]

[he walks closer to her, voice lower.]

I mean, it's none of my business, but I thought you guys were... a thing?

[kgbs]

[ while he appears to not have been paying attention, that couldn't be further from the truth. he was aware of what was going on because it was happening in his apartment and they were loud. he'd been all right with just listening to daisy occasionally yelling something from his bedroom but now it was happening on front of him and it seems like he has to chime in. ]

We are not a thing.

[ that's what he was supposed to say, was it not? agreeing with her? ]

We are just friends.

[ she was his friend who made herself at home in his bedroom, apparently. did that help? he looks between the two of them to see if his assertions have settled the silly argument. ]

[evite]

[ for a brief half-second, daisy wonders if that's still the right answer. but — well, they're not defining whatever this is for anyone else's benefit. as far as anyone else needs to know, they are just friends.

who... do other things. but still. just friends. ]

Right.

[ so... convincing... ]

[mercurio]

[prompto shoots them both a look--first, a skeptical one towards illya, then slowly turning back towards daisy, an uncomplicated but poignant we both know that wasn't convincing kind of look.]

[what with daisy wearing a shirt that is definitely too big for her and could only come from one source.]

[he isn't convinced, and although he had but the bare threads of a clue as to what their relationship was like, this pretty much makes it solid for him.]

Okay, sure, let's pretend I'm buying this. You two could still convince anyone in case we needed a fake engagement party to celebrate over.

[evite]

[ oh. right. she is definitely still just wearing his shirt, and he's definitely still just wearing his pajama pants — and she's definitely just hanging out at his apartment the literal same day she'd woken up.

that's not very convincing at all, is it? daisy's mouth pulls into a taut line as she glances between the two, but eventually, she sighs. you caught her. ]

It's not — [ a "relationship" ] Like that. There's no label, I mean.

[ mostly because neither of them are capable of being normal people who have normal conversations.

no comment on the fake engagement. she can't... even go there. ]

[mercurio]

[he stops at the spontaneous show of sincerity. there's no usual joking from daisy's end, and prompto meets that just the same with his own sense of seriousness towards the situation.]

[momentarily, he says nothing, if just to pick up at some boxers lying about (prompto, clean up--) and shove all these discarded clothes items into the backpack he brought with him. he's still wearing the leather pants for his cosplay, and there are sealed stickers somewhere inside his bag. he's ready to cause some shit during the dance party event at night at the con.]

[returning to daisy, bag hiked up on his shoulder, he puts both his hands on her shoulders so she can look straight at him.]

Daisy. Are you happy? Wink once if you would like to strangle me, twice if you think I'm handsome. [he's playing at something here. but his smile appears, regardless.] Really, though. Does it make you happy?

[evite]

[ she winks twice, without hesitation. prompto's a lil beefcake, okay, and she's not blind.

but then, after a beat, that bright joking smile morphs into something a little softer, a little more sincere. a little shy, even. ]

Yeah. [ she is. she doesn't always think she deserves to be, and she doesn't totally trust the universe not to royally fuck it up, but she is. right now, she's very happy. ] I mean, if you go around telling people about it, I'll probably want to strangle you.

[ just full disclosure ]

But I'm — I think we're both pretty happy, actually.

[ and then she just stares at illya like a moonsick idiot, as if daring him to disagree ]

[kgbs]

Oh, are we done arguing now?

[ all right, he rejoins the conversation and gives prompto's boxer shorts a look before shaking his head. you were lucky he hadn't tossed them out, prompto. very lucky. ]

But yes, I agree. [ it was hard to actually say that out loud, though. because he felt like he would be tempting fate. ] This is a good situation.

[ he...tries. but it's sincere. ]

[mercurio]

[daisy winking at him twice makes his self-esteem soar like nothing else, but then her words push his smile wide. illya's butting in with commentary that agrees with daisy's own -- pushes the truth of both their feelings towards one another...]

[he feels warm]

[which is why his hands on her shoulders give way to a sudden embrace! tight but short, and he's pulling back with boyish giggle.]

Then there's nothing to argue about anymore!

[were they arguing? daisy sure was.]

I hope you guys can continue finding a 'good situation' with one another, as agreeable as can be.

[lowkey mocking illya, no shade]

[evite]

Wow.

[ the spell of sincerity broken, daisy rolls her eyes, a soft scoff under her breath as she nudges prompto forward. away from the doorframe of illya's bedroom... towards the front door... take a hint... ]

I'm sure we'll do our absolute best. [ wink ] And I mean it, if you tell anybody —

[ her thumb drags across her neck ]

I'll find you.

[mercurio]

And you'll kill me. I can take a hint.

[about the door situation, as he's effectively been nudged towards the front.]

[he pushes forward to give her a one-armed hug, his other hand occupied with holding onto his backpack.]

If you make it to the con, hit me up.

[now, pulled away, prompto straights the front of his shirt, and waves exaggeratedly, stepping out soon as the door slides open.]

Bye, Illya! [and more measured:] See ya later, Daisy.