w1 d2
“█▅▄▆,” purrs the Noise. Jou eyes it with something like nervousness if his pride would let him admit to it, but Yugi thinks he hears something like a pleased lilt to the static.
He’s thinking of it like a cat. It’s not, really, barely a mess of writhing, amorphous shadow that somehow still manages to hold the vaguest of shapes. Noise are already half graffiti, abstract shapes and bold lines in place of wing and fur and claw, but this particular one seems to take it even further than that, the only recognizable features being a faintly feline silhouette and glowing gold-white symbols that are probably its eyes. And claws, they know that much. Very sharp, very effective claws.
But it drapes like one, and snakes between his legs like one, bristles in sensations of pins and needles like one. Well, the bristling part, anyway.
And now it purrs like one.
“D’you really have to keep it out like that?” Jou asks, in a tone that sounds like the vocal equivalent of him leaning as far away from the shadowy figure of the Noise as possible. “I know it’s useful in a fight ‘n all, but I dunno... Something about it kind of gives me the heebie jeebies. It’s the same kind of stuff we’re goin’ up against, you know.”
“I have his pin right here,” Yugi reassures him, showing off the item in question. “I can put him away whenever. But...” He pauses, considering. “I dunno. He’s kind of cute, isn’t he?”
“I dunno if ‘cute’ is the kind of word I’d go for, Yug.”
“▐▆▄ ▁▅▃█ ▄▙▟█▆ ▐▖,” says the Noise, drawing both their attention again before Yugi can respond further. Okay, sure, it’s... a little unsettling, those noises. Sure. But it’s not all that bad, Yugi thinks.
Jou seems to think otherwise, especially given that the Noise’s posture is straighter, more alert again, and its eyes seem to be staring straight at and through him. Hazily defined, tufted ears prick forward, but it otherwise remains docile. “▇▃▅█.”
The gold closes in a long, lazy blink. It makes a languid, stretching sort of motion, wisps of deep violet tendrils unfurling, and-
Teeth. Teeth, and a pink tongue poking out. Then it’s gone again, swallowed back up by the dark.
They both blink at it for a moment, slightly wide-eyed.
“Oh,” says Yugi first. “I think... that was a yawn.” He reaches out a hand to carefully scratch under what he thinks is a chin. The Noise makes another sort of odd, stuttering sound, like old computers and phones, and leans eagerly into the motion.
“I’m pretty sure it just wants to eat us,” grouses Jou, mentally taking another imaginary step back. Dogs showing off teeth don’t mean nothing good. He’s pretty sure that applies to other animals too, even if- especially if they’re weird murder art animals involved in some creepy Reaper’s Game. “Hey, if you wake up with that thing chewing on your face, don’t say I didn’t tell you so. I mean, I’ll save you and all, we’re buds, but. Just saying.”
“Uh-huh,” responds Yugi, absently, still scratching away. “You’re really kind of sweet, aren’t you?” The Noise has since relocated to an odd half sprawl across his shoulders and back, flickering patterns swirling in mesmerizing rhythm as it continues emitting content static.
Jou sighs, before gently starting on herding his friend down the street. “Sometimes I don’t know what you’d do without me, man.”