(no subject)

[idolpro]

Who: A graduating idol, others
Where: A pier
When: 121 Dawn

[ At the Tokyo seashore, dawn comes and paints the sky bright and the water red. A boat has docked there, just for the graduation ceremony. The deck is laid out with tables laden with seafood, one table with a fancy black tablecloth and a ☆ centered on the fabric. A crown sits at the table for the graduating girl, inlaid with red jewels.

A banner above the gangplank onto the boat reads CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GRADUATION. ]

Comments

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ Man☆Eater doesn't answer that directly. instead, he suddenly spins back around, and in a lightning fast motion, grabs Intensity by the collar so he can roughly pin him to the nearest flat surface.

he's glaring viciously, but rather than focused anger, it's something more frantic and wild. ]

What do you want?!

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[He doesn't fight him.

Just looks up at him steadily from wherever he is pinned]

To remind you that I won't let you walk away from me. Or leave you behind.

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ he wavers for a moment, in his grip and his expression—but after that moment of hesitation, he shoves Intensity hard against the surface one more time. ]

Gyaha—hahaha! You won't, huh? Maybe I should "remind" you why you'd be better off if you did.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[There's an equally blank expression on Intensity's face for a moment as he's bodily shoved a second time. Assessing. Processing.

And then that cold confident smirk slides slowly back into place.]

You can try. And fail.

[carnivorouscarnival]

. . .

[ rather than responding to that with words, he just slams his knee into Intensity's gut with zero restraint. ]

1/2

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Okay. Fair.

That also hurts like a motherf--- and since he's pinned, he doesn't have the space to dodge. Not that he was ever good at dodging Man Eater anyway.

The air leaves his lungs in one long wheezing sound.]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[And if he gets the chance to breath again:]

Cute, sensei.

Is that it?

[carnivorouscarnival]

Of course not.

[ Man☆Eater removes one hand from Intensity's collar, and his right arm is briefly enveloped in a glow like black fire—a sign of him activating Harder They Fall. in the next moment, he punches the building wall next to Intensity's head, hard enough to leave a sizable dent there. ]

That's your warning shot.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Jesus fuck.

To his credit, he doesn't flinch. But that's probably due more to self-preservation than actual bravado.]

I thought you knew better. Death doesn't deter me.

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ his unhinged demeanor gives way for frustration to seep through ]

Is this really the hill you want to die on?!

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Absolutely. I won't be scared or intimidated by you.

Not because of this.

[And to prove his point, Intensity will reach up to lightly touch the wrist of the hand that just dented the wall next to his head]

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ he catches that hand with his own. a little roughly, but given the display of power he just made with it, he's obviously holding a lot back. ]

Then be angry! Put off!

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[He doesn't try to pull it back]

Put off from what? You? This doesn't change anything between us.

Unless a fight's what you want, then I'll happily oblige.

[carnivorouscarnival]

. . .

[ his grip on Intensity's wrist tightens, but he's starting to look more legitimately at a loss than anything ]

Why? Because that would be losing? Or is this just what you expect from me?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

The only thing I expect from you is to be fucked up about Red leaving. You and I both know that's why I'm here.

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ grits his teeth ]

Of course I am!! There's not a single thing that isn't completely fucked up right now! But so what?! That doesn't mean you have to put up with this!

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Don't tell me what I should or should be doing! I'll do whatever the fuck I want!

[And he reaches out to grip Man Eater by the collar by his free hand and tug him closer]

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ he growls, but seeing as both of his hands are currently occupied, he doesn't do anything to prevent Intensity from doing that. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Good.

Then he's yanking Man Eater closer by his collar]

The others don't get it, do they? They weren't around when you woke up! They didn't see your unit dwindle down to two people! They don't remember the original ZRAEL!

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ ...

he flinches almost as if Intensity just hit him physically, and his grip tightens, unconsciously and a bit painfully. ]

They don't understand anything. Obviously! How could they?! When we lost people all the time, when we didn't have any allies, when it was just three of us against everyone else here, our history with Avante, our history with you—they weren't here for any of it!!

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[The grinding of something is his wrist draws a wince from Intensity. But he doesn't stop.

Anger is a powerful drug]

But I remember. I remember Red in her prime. I remember the Lives. The bay. The House. All of it.

Red may be gone, and Angel may never speak of those days, but---

[He laughs, not at all sane:]

I remember. And I'm still here. So don't you dare shut me out. Don't you dare group me in with the rest of them.

I won't let you.

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ the small shiver that runs over him is detectable, from the hand gripping Intensity's wrist and the one pushing him against the wall, but he leans in closer, bringing their faces just centimeters apart. ]

Ahhhh? Gyahaha. What was it you just said? I'll do whatever the fuck I want! Gyahahahaha!

What are you going to do about it?!

[ it's more a kneejerk, automatic response than anything, manic, like now that the ball is rolling all he can do is escalate. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[He hikes one leg around the back of Man☆Eater's knee, pulling him as flush as he can against him.

And then he closes those last few centimeters to kiss him.

All tongue and teeth and bite]

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ Man☆Eater doesn't resist that—to the contrary, he pins Intensity's wrist firmly against the wall and returns the kiss with every bit as much aggression and more, biting down on his lower lip hard enough to draw blood for sure. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[He gasps softly in Man☆Eater's mouth as the grip on his wrist tightens again. He tastes blood (his blood) on the tip of his tongue and he doesn't care. Just couldn't give less of a fuck as he tries to coax Man☆Eater deeper, heel digging sharply into the back of his knee]