IC Inbox (Purgastory)

[depressured]

Comments

[nautycal]

[I too would hesitate if a dude was just in the sleepover corner sitting in a kigu with a bag of chips. Like, what are you doing, my guy? Please.]

'Ey. What's up? Uh--long time, no see.

[They probably see each other here and there, BUT LISTEN.]

Want... uh, some chips?

[depressured]

[ Yes, for some reason Ryuji has been too busy having gay crises or something-- ]

... Thank you, but I'm fine.

[ I can't taste them anyway. ]

[nautycal]

[This is the worst bit of thought he could have heard in his entire life. He pauses. He's not sure whether to call this out, as his usual antics, or if he should not say anything at all because it's Mafuyu.

Can't... taste... them?

Under his breath:] What the hell...? [He glances at the chips, glances at her.]

Sorry, uh... What do y'mean?

[depressured]

That I'm fine?

[ Yeah. ]

[nautycal]

No, I mean...

[A sigh.]

Dude, that's the most... [Saddest shit he's ever heard.] Nevermind. Everybody can hear 'em this week. Your thoughts? Sorry, but... you can't taste chips...? For real?

[depressured]

[ ... Ah. ]

I can't taste anything anymore. I've had this problem for a while now.

[nautycal]

Oh.

[Oh! He reaches up to hold his chin thoughtfully.]

You went in the river...?

[depressured]

Oh. No. This was happening when I was home.

[nautycal]

[Wow, today was so much. ANYWAY.]

...Oh.

[This is worse than he thought? This is more wtf.]

It's... food? All food? Just chips?

[depressured]

All food. All drinks.

[ Including chips. ]

[nautycal]

[His face does exactly this.]

The hell? That's the worst thing I've ever heard in my whole life?! Is that, like... some kinda medical thing? You don't know what ramen tastes like?! Not the ramen!

[depressured]

I could taste things once. So I still have the memory, more or less.

... My dad thinks it could be psychological and wants me to work with a doctor, just in case.

[nautycal]

[Why does this keep getting worse? He looks a tad surprised, then just frowns.]

Dude... [He would die if he couldn't taste food.] When... did it happen? Just suddenly one day you couldn't taste anything?

[depressured]

Mm. I think it started around middle school. And then by high school, it just...

... [ She trails off. ]

[nautycal]

[They're gonna have to go into your Palace and help unlock your taste buds again, Mafuyu...]

S-Sorry.

[It dawns on him that he's probably being kind of insensitive about this. He really needs his crew here to keep him from being a dumbass.]

It's not, like... a big deal to me or anything. But it's probably frustratin' for you, huh? Did somethin' happen to you in middle school...?

[depressured]

I'm used to it, at this point. It was more like a gradual process than something that happened suddenly.

[ Stress and depression are one hell of a combo, in the end. ]

[nautycal]

[His brows furrow. There are two wolves inside him.]

I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't taste food anymore. Me 'n my friends always grab food when we hang out.

It ain't went away any while you've been here...?

[depressured]

No. I didn't expect it would. It's more of a condition than anything.

[ She hesitates. ]

I'm sorry for worrying you.

[nautycal]

[He throws both hands up and waves them.]

N-No, you didn't. It's fine, dude. Sucks you can't taste anythin', but if it's somethin' that can go back to the way it was, then... I hope it does.

[Gender neutral dude.]

You should keep tryin' stuff you wanna anyway. Like, I dunno, candy? Or chips, or ice cream, or, like... you know, good stuff, not just breakfast or dinner or whatever.

[Dude, though this seems to be aimed at himself. HE JUST KEEPS YAPPING AAAAAA. Digging his hole more.]

Damn, I'm just making this worse, ain't I?

[depressured]

It's okay.

[ She doesn't appear to be bothered, regardless. Maybe a little perplexed, but not bothered. ]

I'll eat anything, at the moment. But if there's anything I continue to be curious about trying properly, I'll keep it in mind for the future. Maybe by then, I'll have a better idea of what I might like.

[ It's all sort of a blank slate right now. ]

[nautycal]

[Hmmmm. He glances down, then back up. He lifts one of the bags of chips at her. Eh? EH? Chips?]

I'll describe 'em to you. Yosuke got 'em from Tobari. They're pretty good if you still wanna try.

[depressured]

Are you sure? If I eat them, you'll have less to enjoy.

[ And that sounds sad, for someone who can actually taste them and seems to like them. ]

[nautycal]

[He snorts. I forgot he was in a dog kigu, help me. He looks so ridiculous.]

You kiddin' me? Nothin' is better than sharin' something good with friends. [When your sin is lust, but not greed.] Especially ramen, but we just got chips for now.

What do you miss tastin' most?

[depressured]

[ Listen, let him live. ]

... I don't know. My mother's cooking, maybe.

[ The trauma runs deep. ]

[nautycal]

[He realizes almost immediately he shouldn't have asked. NOT MOM. Stop thinking about mom.]

You've, uh... tried other things besides that, right...?

[He is.........just making sure.]