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[ Open rp post + TFLN overflown]
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He's too big of a dog, not to train properly. Lucky for us, he's very food motivated. So it made it easier to get him more behaved. He's still as excitable as ever as you just saw. But this is also a special occasion. You're back.
[ Five says as he walks over to his counterpart with May in his arms. ]
That's too bad. I only have her, because you gifted her to me. Isn't that right, sweetie?
[ He asks the cat as she jumps over to his twin, perching herself on his shoulder. ]
Clearly she remembers you. [ He smiles as he leans down to rub Sammy's head for being such a good boy. ] Yes and no, this place has been in flux with siblings coming and going. Including both of us. The last time I came back, I decided on taking Sammy, May and Mocha with me and getting my own place. It just felt more stable that way.
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Five gives another nod and then frowns a little, concerned about how his memories are still a bit hazy. Things are returning to him, but it's slow, like trying to recall a dream you just had that is slipping through your fingers. Seeing his counterpart and interacting with him and the pets is helping to solidify some forgotten memories, at least. ]
For our birthday. I remember some of it now, we went to a shelter to get you a pet. I can't remember the name of the place...but I remember that she chose you, too. May. She thought you made a great pillow to sleep on.
[ It's a nice thing to remember, even if it's not the full event. The situation is frustrating because who knows what else he's forgotten? He will have to check with the rest of his siblings to know for sure. If any of the ones he knew best are here still. He hasn't asked about them yet because if Five's honest with himself, he's afraid of the answer. ]
Ey there, pretty girl. It's good to see you again. [ Five says to May, his voice gentle as he raises a hand to her for her to sniff at his fingers before he tries to gently pet her.
He knows she was friendly from the get-go in the shelter, but it's been a long time since she's seen him, and he feels he's changed. Not sure if it was for the better. May, the sweetheart that she is, bumps her hand against his palm with no care in the world, purring. It helps make some of the tightness in Five's chest unwind.
His attention returns to the other Five, and he's amused to see Sammy pushing his snout into Five's palm to try and get his attention. He wants more pets too, it seems. Their pets love them, that much is true. It seems undeserved on his end, but it also comes as a big relief. ]
That was smart. So you made a proper life for yourself? [ He's happy that things seem to point that way. Maybe things were really different from the time line the other Five comes from. Perhaps the universe was kinder to him and his family. Five doesn't have too high hopes, but ey, dreaming is free. ] And who's the other kitty?
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[ Five nods as his counterpart slowly remembers when they got May. It's a cherished memory for him, so he smiles that his twin does remember some of it. He hopes that as time goes on, he remembers more. ]
She's still as cuddly as ever.
[ He smiles as May does her loving headbutt. The pets had been a comfort when he had returned from the last stint. It was in large part to their unconditional love that he had been able to pick himself up. So he's glad the pets are here to help his twin as well. ]
You're welcome to stay with me. This place isn't necessarily the most comforting place after everything that happened.
[ Five offers as he walks over to the sofa and picks up Mocha. So he can give her a proper introduction to his twin. ] This is Mocha. I got her a few months after you disappeared the first time. I went back to the shelter we got May at and they had this girl.
[ Mocha just meows looking between both Fives curiously.]
She's a sweetheart though, very loving.
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[ It is only fair after everything the other him has done to keep their animals in good health and trained. Not only that, but he does remember how safe he felt around the other back when they were younger, and they met without suffering any sort of paradox psychosis. Who could understand him better than himself? They were a bit of a menace to their other siblings when they hung out, but those had been good times. Some of the few he's experienced.
He pockets the bag of treats in a place that won't be easy for Sammy to reach without him noticing, the inner pocket of his jacket, and then he's back to give the cat on his shoulder the attention she wants. ]
I can tell... Ah, her fur's so soft. [ He presses his cheek back against her, a bit surprised by the headbutt but charmed by it. Five closes his eyes for a moment, enjoying the contact. He hadn't realized until now how much he needed a simple, honest show of affection like this.
When he meets the other Five's eyes again, he's visibly surprised by the offer and briefly pondering what 'everything that happened' means for the other. They can talk about that later. ]
I'd like that. I promise to buy enough coffee for both of us, so we don't run out of it in a matter of days. Or...hours.
[ He's not even going to pretend he's not glad to have someone else in his life again that gets him, even if it's inevitable due to the other person also being himself.
While his twin goes to retrieve the other cat, Five pets Sammy with his right hand to make the dog feel included, while his left one is kept raised toward his shoulders, hovering over May's paws as she purrs in his ear. He's concerned that the cat might fall down if he moves too fast, even if logically, he shouldn't be because cats are nimble and agile. ]
Adorable-looking, furry things really are our weakness, uh? [ Five grins at the other man, then at the cat. ] I like your name, Mocha. I bet you're wondering why your papa has somehow doubled.
[ Like before, he first raises a hand to her for the cat to sniff it before trying to pet her or anything, just to get her used to his presence. God, the cats really are just too sweet. ]
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[ Five admits honestly. He always spoiled the cats but once he took over full time care of Sammy. He extended the spoiling to him too. He's more than happy to give all of Sammy things to his counterpart without any expectation of repayment of any sort.
Quietly he watches as his twin soaks in the affection that he is receiving from both Sammy and May. He knows first hand that is some of the best medicine for helping to mend such a deep sadness. He smiles as the other Five agrees to his offer, since his place is definitely more homelike and doesn't have the memories of the abuse they suffered at Reginald's hands.]
Well I have a pretty good supply of coffee already. You'll love it. I spared no expense when it came to getting a coffee bean grinder and a top of the line coffee maker. So that I could start making my own blends.
[ He explains with an amused expression as it would be nice to get to share the rituals with his counterpart. Despite being two versions of the same person, Five still saw the other version as his own person too. He lightly chuckles at his twin's question about their weakness for furry things as Mocha leans into his counterpart's touch once she realizes that he's safe.]
Hard not to be, when our furry friends are so unconditionally loving.
[ Mocha also starts purring leaning more into the other Five's hand. Five takes the opportunity to rub Sammy's head again, because he is a good boy. And he appreciates that he is also behaving despite his excitement of getting his original dad back. ]
Dare I ask, how you are holding up?
[ He finally asks, since they are alone and the pets are offering lots of affection. He figures they may as well address the elephant in the room about what each remembers when they slipped from this timeline. ]
sorry about the drama, he's not doing well
[ It sounds silly when put out in the open like that, but Five wants to be useful, and he wants to stay with his other self. He feels safe with him, and he also doesn't trust himself with the rest of his family. He only seems to attract problems and make everyone unhappy in the long run. ]
Your own blends, that sounds fantastic. I can cook without burning the whole kitchen down, so there's that. [ See? Useful. If they know how to do something, it is to keep themselves alive.
There's a hum of agreement at how loving the pets are. Five could honestly to God just stay in this moment forever, listening to May purrs and being comforted by the presence of the other three. Of course, it is impossible, and he's not surprised that his twin asks how he's doing. They're transparent to each other. It's also why it's useless to lie.
He lets out a scoffed soft laugh that's anything but humorous, in fact, it verges a little on manic before Five composes himself. He's been trying to keep it together, he's never been prone to crying, but he's also getting out of the numbness he's felt since leaving the subway cafeteria, and his nerves are fried. ]
Not well. As it turns out, the world might be a better place without us in it. And all the suffering we went through, everything we did to keep our family safe was for nothing. I'm trying to process it all.
[ And failing. It almost feels like his sanity is hanging on by a treat, if it weren't for the other's presence and the pets he might have had a breakdown. Not only he had to watch their family die again, he had to be the one to tell them that was the only way to break the cycle of destruction. ]
I don't know if it was the same in your timeline, but...I should be dead. More than that, I should not exist. But here I am, and now I don't know what to do from here. Was it the same for you?
it's okay, he figured as much when he asked
[ Meaning taking care of the cats, if something happens to him. As they go back to the topic coffee and his twin mentions being able to cook. He lets out a small laugh.] That makes two of us, but we've always been self-sufficient.
[ Though his expression falters as he slowly watches his counterpart start to lose the small amount of composure he had. May decides it is time to start grooming his twin as that is go to way of comforting papa when he's upset. Sammy lets out a low whine, pressing nearer to help his papa feel better.
Five merely listens, a familiar sadness washing over him. Yeah. He remembers that revelation. It had been a very hard pill to swallow. The memories of the Cleanse and their final moments before it swept them away are always in his mind. It isn't something they are going to just get over, but Five made a choice that he would focus on the life he is living now.]
...Yeah, it was. [ He admits quietly glancing away as Mocha in his arms makes the executive decision to shift, so that she can hug him. While she's done this before, it always makes him melt. Instinctively he rubs the cat's back as she nuzzles him. ] I'm not going to pretend that it is easy. There's no point in lying to you. It's hard, but we are here now.
[ He reaches out to place a hand on his twin's shoulder that doesn't have May perching. He gives it a reassuring squeeze. ] As long as we are here, this is our life. I made the choice to make the best of the situation. These guys do help make things more bearable and well coming here and seeing who is around also helps too. Even if they have different memories from either of us.
[ Five would help any of his siblings through anything they asked of him. But he knows his counterpart won't necessarily ask, so he's offering. ]
You don't have to figure things out right now. Just know I'm here and I'll help you if you want.