imeeji_frontstage | it's a mingle!

[ ...That's a very cute way of phrasing it, but Lupine's mouth twists. ]

I think they might have an ointment for that at the department store.

[ Everyone he actually asked about it at the last maid cafe had been pretty firm that no one was doing anything they didn't feel comfortable with, and he is not enjoying the idea of that being less than 100% true? ]

[ then oh wow does Kitsu have a fun and friendly tale of "I felt so out of place and obligated that I thought finding a way to change my personality and sell my services in nebulous ways sounded like a viable option!" good times, good times... the kind that really build character. ]

Great, glad to hear it. Maybe there's a salve for rejection, too. Someone wasn't into my brilliant idea of having chocolates thrown at his face like it was a sport. You can't say-

[ with his free hand, he dramatically brushes through his hair, ] "Haha, hello there person I've never met, yes, call me 'master!' Yes, excellent, now come up with a clean role-play!"

[ aaaand back to normal, as if that didn't happen. casual stance, intentionally blunted affect. ] — And then expect me not to come up with something like that.

[ Just. A beat of silence while he takes that in, because it's definitely already pushing back against the comforting thing he was told. ]

Does it help at all if I say I told Luce and Venti to drop that whole routine unless they were really having fun with it.

[ Can't imagine it would. Pushes a hand through his hair. ]

I dunno, having to pick roleplay scenarios on the spot just seems weird and forced to me.

Uh... Sure? I don't know much about what they like or what they earnestly have fun with in the first place, that whole 'master' routine could've been their thing. So...

[ he isn't even sure how to react to that without sounding confused or unintentionally ungrateful. ]

I'm glad they had someone looking out for them. [ that's the best he's got. ] And I — feel the need to ask, are you alright? I was trying to make light of it, but we can drop the subject.

[ ...Cool, so, that came off even worse than he was thinking it might. Lupine pushes out a low sigh. ]

Am I all right, he asks. Look, we didn't — talk that much, the first time around. [ Too busy with his CRITICAL DISTRACTION, which maybe he's told you about by now. ] ...I was trying to say, if you'd been waiting on me, I would've tried to make it less weird. Which, you know, is worth exactly squat, because you weren't.

Yeah. You really seemed troubled just now.

[ simply. sometimes he just has these moments of odd disconnect like this, where it might appear strange that Kitsu could have been talking so easily and mockingly about a situation mere moments before.

that someone could be going from "talking shit feels good sometimes" to "I have to stop and take responsibility for everyone and everything in the room." ]

I wasn't waiting on you, but you were looking out for the comfort of others around me. Others who will probably never let me in to do so. You say it isn't worth much to me, but I don't agree.

Edited 2022-02-23 23:16 (UTC)

[ releasing a long, even breath, Kitsu's smile is subtle, but not forced or falsified. ]

Will it take some pressure off to know I didn't buy all these because of anyone's experience at the maid cafe?

[ oh my god kit ] [ that had not even occurred to him and now he's just frozen in horror for a few seconds ]

...Just — worried about you, and now I guess I'm also worried about Nyx.

[ ...

going to go ahead and assume that's a NO on that being reassuring. ]

Don't. He stayed in a pretty quiet area, people respected the pink ribbons from what I saw. I would've tried taking out anyone who didn't.

[ older sibling instinct would've kicked in. one way or another, he was going to get labeled as a problem member that day. ]

But... thank you for thinking of him too.

[ ...Frowning. Seriously, his memories of the first maid cafe are extremely fuzzy for most of the people he talked to. ]

Weren't you wearing black ribbons?

[ Aren't you... still wearing them, even now? ]

Nyx wasn't.

[ goddamn it they were talking about Nyx!! why did Lupine remember his black ribbons but not burn scars?!

no, alright, alright, he can save this without spiraling. (but yes, he sure is still wearing black ribbons. the first time he was wearing an EXCESS of all ribbons in a "maybe it's cute, maybe it's desperation!" sort of way.) ]

Yes I know thank you I'm more powerful than I look and I always have been finally someone notices how I have always tried to pull my weight- [ all spoken very quickly without pause. strained? perish the thought. ] Are we shopping?

[ ......................... ]

Yeah. We're shopping.

[ Beat. ]

We can take the train, I can fly us, or uh — I technically have a motorcycle.

[ Options are good, right? Let's... give you options. ]

"Technically have a motorcycle?"

[ is it

is it stolen. is it a transformer. how else can you technically have one... ]

Technically I have a motorcycle! During the handshake-thing, D.va did that driving live...?

[ And she bought some of the participants motorcycles. ]

I've had one lesson.

I don't remember that at all, how did I miss—

[ static and quick internal montage of:

- buying fireworks and throwing them into a bunch of fans with Valor while trying really, really hard to sound like " the richest motherfucker in this bar and stop sounding so POOR " per request
- telling Hurricane about his great plan to fulfill a request to 'use sensitIV powers for sex' by putting out a sign at the love hotel and hoping for the best
- ripping off Rye's hand and reattaching it when asked
- being the present healer for other people's limb removals, Lupine's included
- getting drunk via BiT powers and having his arm ripped right off then eaten in front of him
- FAN STABBING HIM IN THE CHEST
- fan snacktime
- bleeding out in the park and going gray ]

... Nevermind. Maybe I'll just send you points while I go open my own body and see how many other organs I'm missing. For fun. It's fun. Because I have so much fun all the time.

[ ...........................He is not getting nearly enough credit for how chill he is being during this conversation. ]

I mean, that does sound like fun, but I was hoping you'd help me pick something out.

Edited 2022-03-12 06:18 (UTC)

It doesn't.

[ he's so used to getting shit for his stupid jokes that he's ... correcting? ]

... Right, okay. But - we've gotta be kinda quick about it. I have - a date with sitting alone in a room and being pissed off. [ he doesn't even try to be suspicious, he really doesn't. like most things, these things just happen to him. (earring is glowing.) ] So, we'll take whatever's quickest?

Hey, I don't kinkshame. Whatever one or more consenting adults do with their own organs or lack thereof...

[ Trying instead to... match the joke? Although that glow has him immediately on guard. ]

—I don't wanna alarm you, but. That tracking-and-probably-listening-device they tagged you with is glowing again.

Edited 2022-03-12 09:09 (UTC)

That's all fine until I'm left with a huge mess to clean up when I should've just been enjoying coffee and not opening up my abdominal cavity. Or I'm left... cleaning up someone else's hardcore activities. ... Which yes, I've done, and no, it wasn't good for me.

[ CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELVES, KIDS. or ... practice safely. or yeah just call him he'll just come do whatever and he knows it.

... why is this the spiral of the conversation, it's impressive. but it gets him to crack the tiniest smile, so he seems good-humored enough about it, even as he reaches over to cover the earring, wrinkling his nose as it predictably shocks him. this fucking thing. ]

... I know, I've been feeling it start up again. The toxins come on pretty slow until they spike. [ just. used to this nonsense. ]

it's a mingle!

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