poorlovefool | Thursday, Week 4, 1-ISH

Thursday, Week 4, 1-ISH

[As he was called out on, Eric is not at the pool at one sharp. He's got cold feet in a major way, the happy smile of the mermaid on the cover doing little to help him find his own legs. He really shouldn't have set this up at the pool. The theater of his mind paints pictures of the former swimmer pushing him in and telling him IT would make him breathe underwater while smiling. Brr...

So it's a good thing he got to bring help along. In any case, he's not sure what to expect, why their benefactors wanted him to have this story, but he has to believe it'll help somehow. ....But seriously, is this really going to be worth it? Eric steps over the threshold, then back around the corner, a little disgusted by the scent of the chlorine.]

Argh, I can't take it. You do it, Karma! [He starts to hand the book to him, then jerks his hands back before he can take it.]

Wait, don't - he's gonna stick me in one of those awful tubes if I ditch, isn't he?

[He can't have that!! Sticking his head in the door, Eric puts on his most asymmetrical smile to date.]

H-Hi! We made it!

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[Hiyori perked up the second that Eric (and Karma's lightly teasing hand) passed over the threshold. He's taking one earbud out of his ear, so he can see and hear the clearly amusing sight - a single laugh parts his lips.]

You are! In the broad strokes we generously painted, that is.

[In the next tick sits all the way up, and with another his palms resting on his knees in a casual and relaxed posture. Hiyori had been laid back on the lounge chair, with an MP3 player hooked into his ears.]

I'm also grateful you brought an actual shared friend, Prince Eric. Karma Akabane, the alternatives to you could be a much worse choice.

[Hiyori claps his hands.]

So! How'd you like to do this? Reading out loud? Handing it over and going? Whatever's comfortable for you two!

[Saying it'd be worse just makes him more nervous, Karma!! At least he didn't shove, but Eric still stumbles a little on entry, shooting a glare backwards to ensure he doesn't just run away after doing that. But he actually did come with him, so, relief. Kind of. As relieved as he can be in this kind of place.]

W-We're all friends here! Definitely! [Then why is he gripping the book so tightly? The book that has the attention drawn to it. In any case, he doesn't think handing it over and leaving would work. Hiyori could just wing it into the deep end if they did that. He glances to his side.]

Uh... I definitely can't read it, this is in Japanese. Karma?

[ Perhaps it's just an acquired skill or something he'd become attuned to doing recently, Karma really was being a bit observant of things even if he seemed to still put off that air of playfulness. So even though he was smiling pleasantly, he was taking in the little actions Hiyori was doing and even laughing softly when he was addressed. ]

Oh, I don't doubt that. He could have brought Vita along and i'm sure that wouldn't have gone down well at all.

[ Especially since he knew she'd been the one to glitter-fy both Hosts' rooms.

He definitely hadn't been bothered by the glare Eric had shot him earlier, appearing to remain completely calm in contrast to his companion's utter nervousness. Even seeming to think things over when Eric turned his attention to him, amusement showing on his face rather clearly at this point in time. ]

There's no other choice now, is there? I suppose I could read it since out of the two of us, I'm the only one who can read Japanese.

[ Oh he might have a bit of fun with this. Maybe. ]

[There is exactly one speck of blue glitter on the back of Hiyori's neck mixed in with his hair. Asking Link to remove it would have been weakness.]

It must be nostalgic for you reading so much hiragana again...

[Despite the cutesiness of the blonde mermaid and the curved glyphs, this is actually the Hans Christian Andersen version. Fifteenth birthday, a human girl third party cutting in at the beach, the legs like knives, a dagger, turning into foam at the end. The works. So. Karma has himself. Some chances. To make decisions.]

From what I gather both of us have pretty good English, so feel free to ask us about anything that seems to be getting lost in translation. But it's pretty simple, right? It's not even originally Japanese in the first place.

[Hiyori still hasn't moved so he can look at the book's pictures.]

[Eric nods, then startles a bit at a realization.]

You're a lot more chipper about this than you were yesterday...

[and how like him to comment on it bluntly. That's not the only odd thing though, but without having to do with Hiyori- it really is a little awkward to just stand around reading a story.]

Should we all sit down?

[he doesn't think to suggest where, have mercy.]

Not quite the word i'd use, but sure.

[ His tone is as casual as ever; almost flippant as he focused on the book, fingers brushing over the cover. Only looking up once Hiyori mentioned that the book wasn't originally in Japanese, a smile subtly in place as he nodded. ]

That goes without saying, doesn't it? Everyone knows where the original came from.

[ By this point, he was already moving to sit down on one of the chairs, gesturing for the other two to follow. ]

There. Reading stories to others are usually done sitting down anyway. When you two are ready, I'll start. If I have questions, I'll ask.

[ Karma opened the book, setting it on his lap as he gave a cursory glance to the other two. This was sure a thing. Never thought he'd be dragged into something that involved him reading The Little Mermaid to two other guys, but hey. This was a thing, wasn't it?

Either way, he did start reading the book out loud to them all the same. Occasionally changing a few small things, such as 'the sexy prince' and how the little mermaid was 'cute', or 'then came a conveniently timed princess who happened across their private moment' and so on, but also commenting on the deal between the sea witch and the mermaid as being 'almost unfair, don't you think?'

It didn't take long to get through it all the same, but when he was done he looked up towards the two of them. ]

It's a good thing they didn't use this one to show the kids [ Thanks Disney. ] but I find this one a lot more interesting. Good for really laying out consequences, but I guess it is a little dark, isn't it?

...I've taken some time to get ready, let's put it that way for now.

[As to why he's so chipper. Hiyori rotates his legs for Eric to sit on the front half of the reclining chair, and faces Karma obediently. He looks openly uninvested at first, until the teasing compliments of the mermaid and prince get him to blush like he wants to jump into the pool and never come out. Yet he's listening keenly enough to this obvious sympathy towards the little mermaid compared to the princess as well as the witch. ...eventually to keep a mask on he turns with a slasher smile to savor Eric's possibly horrified reaction.]

Yeah, I think leaving out the dear sweet princess removes a lot of the story's intrigue. There's less ambiguity in the witch Vanessa.

[LET'S JUST ALL LET THAT SINK IN FOR A MOMENT.]

The story is basically about someone who was so unhappy before she met the prince that she chose to risk everything for him. In the end, she never had the same opportunities as any of the other main characters.

[Hiyori turns to Eric.]

You as well as Enforcer McBurn were talking about this idea that we're scared of remembering our old lives. I decided to come here and engage with you to show just how much I admire my leader's regime. Because in earlier stages of my training when I didn't disregard the past altogether... [His voice gets mystical.] I considered my world of origin "the world of mermaids".

[He waves to flatten the mood.]

We were all mere humans in reality, just to be clear.

[Ah... Hiyori left a space for him... that's... nice. Eric sits down by him, watching out of the corner of his eye. This is better for his nerves than being right alongside the water, but he also knows the host is dangerous and can basically spook on him from up close now.

Eric has decidedly not heard the non-Disney version - why would he, he had a conservative family without any sisters. There's plenty to take in as far as Eric's reactions. although he'd be let down if he expected them to be childishly overblown - it's only fiction to him. Karma's chattiness does make him more engaged with it though, especially when Hiyori seems to be too. Is it doing something for him? Who knows, but in any case he tilts his head a bit bewildered at 'knives with every footstep', making a distinctly sour face at Karma's "unfair, isn't it?" Muttering that this is a phrase he never wanted to hear again.

The vision he had prepared him for a sad ending, although he couldn't really make it out precisely. When a knife comes into the picture, a kind of nervous wistfulness overtakes the generic smile he'd been putting on to listen to this. Remember when Eric told King he already had his own mermaid? As her prince he'd expect to die for that love, but it's true that looking at some other princess would complicate that. That situation is just difficult for him to understand. Being loved by more than one person at a time? Yeah, right. And your love slipping somewhere out of reach? Of course you'd want to become foam. Eric has heard about every single parallel universe where he'd willingly done so. The expression on his face just before Hiyori turns is some kind of wry empty smile, but certainly still horror in the eyes where he considers this is what a five year old was reading. There's certainly more horror in them when the large merman next to him looks at him like that. The silence as they let it sink in has him sweating a bit. Hiyori clearly wants him to think he came out here for nothing. But he'll keep listening. His interpretation of events is why they're here, probably.]

Well for one thing, that princess took some thanks she didn't earn, so she's just a liar and she might as well be the witch anyway.

[Eric hates liars!! He'll happily be uncharitable because the love triangle aspect is terrible to think about!! Maybe it'll make Hiyori laugh.]

For another... [Man, this is tough to approach. Eric looks over at Karma holding the book. The mermaid on the cover, tail fins and all, has a smile on her cute little face.] ...There's a difference between thinking you have it bad, and wanting something so bad. Isn't the little mermaid obviously the second? It's not like the sea king was beating her.

[Back to looking at Hiyori now, Eric purses his lips as he thinks about what he said. More importantly, what someone must have been telling them by sending this book.]

But if you're still saying that then fine, I'll believe you really sold your voice. Then my question is why. What did you want?

[He squints into his eyes, directly.]

Were you saving someone too?

[The 'too' could necessarily refer to the mermaid, but on the other hand.... Karma doesn't know about how Hiyori keeps comparing himself to Eric, bringing Farkas and Babette into it. Eric doesn't want to talk about that, but this is private enough.]

Edited 2020-02-22 00:20 (UTC)

[ As someone who was naturally observant, just because he was reading the story, it didn't mean he wasn't paying attention to things as he did so. On a whim he'd decided to put in his own commentary and now was glad he did because Well. That was an interesting little reaction that'd come with the little bits he'd put in about the prince and little mermaid. It was notable because he'd never once seen Hiyori have a reaction like that until now.

Maybe that's why in the end, he looked amused. Even as he nodded quietly in agreement to that comment about ambiguity. ]

That is true. The poor girl just seemed at such a disadvantage, if you ask me. Especially with that other princess, who I agree, unfairly took credit for something she didn't do.

[ He tapped fingers against the book quietly, in a definitively off-beat rhythm from IT's, listening to both the importance of Hiyori's words where it came to his 'origin' but also a surprising turn when Eric spoke and gave some rather interesting insight. When they'd arrived, Eric had been all too ready to leave and now here he was being confident and assured, speaking out in quite a good way that he hadn't expected. ]

I think he was. Particularly, I believe it's someone he has feelings for. A... possibly sexy prince of his own who he'd do anything for. You can't even deny it, Hiyori. Not with how much you were blushing just a short while ago.

[ Like hell he wasn't gonna mention that. He LOVES teasing people and this is no different. Though he should ask Eric what he meant 'saving someone too', it seemed like it was spoken out of personal experience as well. ]

...o-o-oh... oh... my god...

[Hiyori can't deny it.]

You, you are not even in high school, you should not sound like you already know what "a-ny-thing" means—

[Though, his reaction is reaching a pretty high level for a guy just getting teased. His breathing has cleanly doubled in pace; his eyes and feet both clearly indicate he's looking for the exits.]

[He points at Eric.] No. [He points at Karma.] Yes. [He drags both his hands down his face.] Sorry, I don't mean to play dumb.

[Hiyori spreads his arms, with a smile that's rather transparently a mask.]

Ikuya Kirishima is the best Japanese swimmer in the, the... What competition was it again? Well, his age bracket. He has the most a-a-a-adorable smile in the universe. I've had to gather lots of information as a host, so I know no-one else compares, for sure! I was happy to support his promising career and never, well, ask for something else or cause a scandal!! Natsuya-kun entrusted his younger brother to me - Natsuya Kirishima, that is - how could I burden Ikuya like that when he could barely even remember to eat? It's not like I didn't have a roof over my head before, but it was the first time in my life I ever felt like I had a place to belong.

Ṱ̴̢͙̯͚̳͑͘͘h̷̨̢̪͓̣͙̪͛̉̀̅e̸̳͔̺̓̃̒̒͋̇̈́̅͠͝ ̵͔̳̆̅̇͆̑̽́͌̂̇̓̓̿̚͝ͅs̵̛̫̙̗̻͔̥͍͈̥̙̼̦̝͇̑̾̾͒͘̚ḛ̸̦̟́̈́̆c̵̢̤̱͎̀͆̐ơ̷̧̞͙̝͕̈́̈́̾̄ͅṅ̷͚̠̘̱̳͆̃̓̋͛͐̆̓̔͘̕d̸̨̢̡̦͎͓̦̱̫̟̖͔̣͊͌̅́͋̊͛͂͆͛̓̒̏͝͠ ̶̡̢͚͙̼͕̖̞͙̻̓͐͋̀̔̈́̂̿̈́̈́̒̀̀̈́͠h̶̩̪͈͔̥̖͎̅̾̓́̂̽̏̌̈ä̸̡̡̙͎͇̯͕̳̖̟̯̝̰́̔̄̒̎̌̓̿̈͊͆̾̕͝s̷̮̠̟̺̅̈́̇̆̓̇͠ ̵̢̛̪̙̠̐́̀̒͋̓̂͗̈́̿̄̃͝͝b̵̛̠͇͂̉̏́̈́͐̓̍̀̅̊̀̒̚ę̵̢̢̛̱͓͚̿ĕ̶̙͔̤͈̺n̷̢̧͚̜̹̜̮͕͇̣̻̳̪̠̑ ̸̻͉̻͇͍͈́̓̆͊͆̆̆̎̏̑̈́͘̚ͅf̷̨͍̥̯̬͑ȁ̶̛͖́͐̒́̍̈́́́̋̈́r̴̹̬͓̝̱̻̼̤̯͋̇́͑̈́͘͜ ̴̢̧̬̺̄͆̄͒͒̓s̷̪͇͖͊̌̊̆̓̏̒̑̏͒͠ü̴̡̧̨̳̗̤̘̖̙̿p̴̧̛͖̲̣̰͎͕̗̬̜̹̲̘̐͗͑̾̾̊͐́̑͐͗̆̔͘e̴̻̖͈͓͔̗̝̗̣̞̥̿̆̆͊̂͜r̶͖̍̿̂̾͋͐̚͠i̸̧͓͈̭͎̜͙̝͇͍̗̔̄͜ǫ̴̠͇̹̤͉̭̪̭͎͕̹̓͐́̀͊̒̿̏̓͛́́̿̃r̶͕̠̰̐̑̀̀̐̇̉̿̓̅̊͆̿͘.̷̨̡̮͍̫̳̪͉̖̞̳͈͍͛̽̐̃͆̕͝

[Holding this shrug for so long is starting to make his shoulders vibrate a little.]

This idea Prince Eric has, that working as the host will personally benefit Ikuya Kirishima somehow... For most intents and purposes, I was lying to you! So you wouldn't figure out how the brainwashing worked and try to do something like this! Are you angry? The truth couldn't be more opposite! They actually forcibly overpowered my ability to care, to miss him! I have no idea where he's been the past year! And it's such a relief! [Is it, though???] After that fight we had before I was pulled onto the plane... I guess I am actually saving him in the sense of getting out of his life?

[With conflict tugging together the brows over his smile, he runs his fingertip over the corner of the picture book.]

I'll have to... actually think about it again, I guess... Now that it's not just off my mind entirely...

[Eric's jaw drops at the bold teasing Karma makes and he starts to mouth 'how did you' before he explains about the blush he couldn't quite see out of his periphery. He can definitely see the panic on Hiyori's face though, and he sets his jaw. His brow furrows as he watches him glance around- he can NOT let him run for it while they're making a breakthrough like this, so Eric is staying right here. Listening, even as he has to lean away from this widened arm span, he may not actually be trying to put it around Eric's shoulders but he's still encroaching on his bubble. His eyes widen at the heartfelt declaration (even though he's wrong because Mira's smile is more adorable.) Grasping that this boy is someone that's already like family. And then... NOPE. He can't deal with the uncanny voice this close to him. Eric skittishly propels himself to the other chair to sit next to Karma instead, breathing faster from the flight response. Hiyori is now quivering on that bench alone, which only makes what he confesses next more sad. And Eric's looking directly at him while he does.

So they really were all lies. He's not good at telling lie from truth, especially as his head tells him to trust. He knows not to, but he trusts so few people that it's pitifully hard to let go of. Is Eric angry? Yes.... what he tells him next is completely appalling. It's so upsetting his eyes are starting to glow and he has to close them, to take a breath.]

Hiyori... that. [Eric whines, a distinct noise of its own, before he can think of how to put it in words.] That's so much bullshit!

[He can put it together. The vision with this. Ikuya was the other kid in the drawing, the one he had such a pure emotion for. Finally, Eric opens his eyes again, still completely searing to look at for a second, so he turns his gaze on Hiyori's fingers at the corner of the book. The glow only fades just then as his power wanes, were it not for that it would likely have stayed. Anyway, he snaps his attention back across from him.]

You may not care, but I know how long you guys knew each other. If you've been missing for a year... it must have broken that Ikuya guy's heart! Are you just not going to think about that?

[He looks up at Karma.]

Let's give it back.

[ See this? This is the face of someone who absolutely hit the nail on the head about this whole matter.

Karma just laughed a little and shook his head at the comment tied in with his level of schooling. There was an air of mischievousness that glittered in his eyes now as well, a soft hum sounding as he canted his head to the side slightly. ]

Well. You can thank a certain blond english teacher of mine for that. Curvy, Blue eyes, generally nice to look at as far as women go. She had plenty to say, having been a former assassin and unafraid to be upfront with a lot of... things she's done in her life.

[ Surely things could be pieced in from there, but he won't press things beyond that point. Not with things progressing the way they were now, getting some pretty fascinating reactions down to the obvious mask.

What's even more intriguing than that is that lovely bit of information, and for once? Something soft filled his expression as he listened to Hiyori's heartfelt words, resonating with him to a certain level. He never thought they'd be able to actually pry that information out of their dear host, paying attention to the little things from the gentle way he spoke of Ikuya, his brother and most notably??

..felt like I had a place to belong.

He hadn't really been present before now, when it came to that uncanny, demonic voice that followed, and unlike Eric who moved to sit next to him? Karma barely even reacted, well aware that probably wasn't so much Hiyori speaking, as IT was. What came after this, was almost sad and incredibly relatable, and something pained flashed behind Karma's eyes. ]

I'd have to agree with Eric on this one.

[ Speaking of which? There was another good point, to which he nodded without a second thought. ]

You know, if I was you, Hiyori? I'd be pissed if they'd done something like that to me, and made it so I no longer missed or cared about Nagisa. That's a big part of why I'll never side with IT, because I enjoy being able to care and miss about someone so close to me and my heart. Just as Ikuya means so much to you. I'd almost think... you love him, actually. [ There's nothing demeaning here. Just complete honesty as he levels his gaze with Hiyori firmly. ] Did you stop to wonder about him? That he probably misses you a lot? I agree with Eric... it probably broke his heart and likely still hurts him, not knowing where you are and if you're okay.

[ That's when he finally pauses, glancing over to Eric quietly for a moment. He wasn't expecting that, but with this breakthrough? ]

Sure. Why not?

[ Karma turned the book over in his hands before holding it out for Hiyori to take, a small smile in place. This was not the time to be snarky or sassy. There was a time and place for that, after all. ]

Here. Take it. Don't lose it again, okay?

I... have researched Irina Jelavić but I'll have to take your word for it...

[Haha, get it? Because he is not interested in men and not women! Just to clear that up! He is so comfortable with people knowing about this that he can even make jokes about it!!! Everything is!!! Fine!!!!!!!! Also this isn't a distraction that Hiyori is focusing on instead of these accusations. This idea that Ikuya cares, that he's going crazy, that Hiyori loves him, is clearly striking Hiyori like a knife each time.]

The whole reason I'm here is to understand these types of things when my leader doesn't care. Of course I wouldn't have chosen something like this, before I learned more about the world. And I know that Ikuya Kirishima is not going to simply ignore that his acquaintance has disappeared. But break his heart of all things? He says he sold it to get stronger at swimming, before we "first" met seven years ago. So that's impossible.

[Checkmate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a shit-eater!!!!!!!!!!! He scoops the book up into his arms, getting a neat hold against his chest like an important business folder.]

But this is... a part of me. You could even say it's about the "inevitable reality" that nothing less than a wish can change. So I might as well keep it. Thanks for your time.

[What is going ON with this teacher discussion..... Eric ignores that, watching him react. It looks like they're making a breakthrough, but then he keeps saying stuff like that. Are these lies too, or does he really believe this about his friend? Why is swimming so fucking dramatic?

Well, at least he is keeping the book. And that thing about him being here so the leader can understand, that's something that might be important to remember later. So... this was a success? It hasn't been pleasant at all, except maybe for Karma, but he'll chalk it up as one.]

Still sounds like a load of crap to me. Shows what I know about swimming, I guess.

[he is pretty sure it's not supposed to be LIKE that, even so.]

Well if it's really the mermaid story... There's this thing called creative license. [He shakes his head.] See ya later.

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Thursday, Week 4, 1-ISH

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