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That's--
[That wasn't him. At least, it was so unlike him that Eiji had a hard time believing he actually tried to pick a fight with someone he couldn't win. He looked somewhere between offended and confused, unsure of how to explain it.
Even just the idea of his emotions not being under constant lock and key was frightening to him. Being someone whose anger and rashness ran off with them... that was exactly the kind of person that Eiji had molded himself to not become.
With a huff, he grew defensive and muttered:]
Tch. It's probably your fault for rubbing off on me.
[That wasn't him. At least, it was so unlike him that Eiji had a hard time believing he actually tried to pick a fight with someone he couldn't win. He looked somewhere between offended and confused, unsure of how to explain it.
Even just the idea of his emotions not being under constant lock and key was frightening to him. Being someone whose anger and rashness ran off with them... that was exactly the kind of person that Eiji had molded himself to not become.
With a huff, he grew defensive and muttered:]
Tch. It's probably your fault for rubbing off on me.
[Yeah, he could hear it in that disdainful tch. He could take offense to it, but he'd pretty much exhausted his reserves of raging outbursts for the week. ...Maybe.]
Yeah, you really looked like you were taking after me back there. If it makes you feel any better- [Worse? He didn't care.] -you're not the only one who was acting off.
[Him. Riye. Probably other people, who knows.]
Those ingredients were supplied by the spirits, right?
Yeah, you really looked like you were taking after me back there. If it makes you feel any better- [Worse? He didn't care.] -you're not the only one who was acting off.
[Him. Riye. Probably other people, who knows.]
Those ingredients were supplied by the spirits, right?
Yeah...?
[Wait.
...
Were the ingredients magic?
Eiji's eyes widened suddenly at the revelation. Is that why he starting acting so weird when he ate Mallory's chocolate? All pissy and aggressive, just like the boxer...! (The self-loathing though, and the feeling of emptiness and fear - actually you know what, Eiji did not want to think about the implications of that now.)
Instead, he exclaimed - both vindicated and accusatory:]
That's why I was acting like YOU. The chocolate were mind-altering!
[Wait.
...
Were the ingredients magic?
Eiji's eyes widened suddenly at the revelation. Is that why he starting acting so weird when he ate Mallory's chocolate? All pissy and aggressive, just like the boxer...! (The self-loathing though, and the feeling of emptiness and fear - actually you know what, Eiji did not want to think about the implications of that now.)
Instead, he exclaimed - both vindicated and accusatory:]
That's why I was acting like YOU. The chocolate were mind-altering!
[ he mourned the holy floors, mal
he mourned. and also plotted. rather busy himself, he doesn't mind if he doesn't get a reply, he was just letting him know anyway, and thus goes back to cleaning, more sweeping, bagging said sand for future use . . . oh a reply.
✨a very nice reply✨ ]
dude really??
that'd be great!!! we need all the extra hands we can before the floor screws up!!!
he mourned. and also plotted. rather busy himself, he doesn't mind if he doesn't get a reply, he was just letting him know anyway, and thus goes back to cleaning, more sweeping, bagging said sand for future use . . . oh a reply.
✨a very nice reply✨ ]
dude really??
that'd be great!!! we need all the extra hands we can before the floor screws up!!!
Edited (I DIDNT NAME FAIL) 2017-02-19 10:50 (UTC)
[What was with that tone, like somehow it was his fault? Excuse you, kid, he didn't go around biting people. Since, like, elementary school.
He just grunted and tilted his head forward a bit, neither confirming nor denying, since it was just a theory. But one that felt valid in the face of all the other inexplicable bullshit he'd seen in his short time in Koriko, and the fact that even in the real world there was o shortage of stories about how much spirits and youkai and the like loved to just mess with people. And if someone with more experience was able to draw the same conclusions, well...
It was more than enough for Mal.]
That's why I'll give you a free pass on that particular outburst. [But watch your step. He put a hand on the edge of the door.] Anything else?
He just grunted and tilted his head forward a bit, neither confirming nor denying, since it was just a theory. But one that felt valid in the face of all the other inexplicable bullshit he'd seen in his short time in Koriko, and the fact that even in the real world there was o shortage of stories about how much spirits and youkai and the like loved to just mess with people. And if someone with more experience was able to draw the same conclusions, well...
It was more than enough for Mal.]
That's why I'll give you a free pass on that particular outburst. [But watch your step. He put a hand on the edge of the door.] Anything else?
[Just remember, it could have been worse.]
How much sand is there
[HOW MANY BAGS DID HE PUNCH TO DEATH... It's all kind of lost in an angry drunken haze but there's no way the gym even had that many, right?]
I'll have time later so don't worry about what you have to leave behind for me
[That way he can do it alone and not face judging, disappointed sports teams.]
How much sand is there
[HOW MANY BAGS DID HE PUNCH TO DEATH... It's all kind of lost in an angry drunken haze but there's no way the gym even had that many, right?]
I'll have time later so don't worry about what you have to leave behind for me
[That way he can do it alone and not face judging, disappointed sports teams.]
[Eiji wasn't sure whether to be relieved or even more infuriated now. Whatever it took to make it not his fault, he'd take - but the idea that his mind could be so easily tampered with shook him.
He prided himself on his discipline, his rationality and smarts. He'd wrapped his whole sense of worth and identity around them. They were steel walls that held his sense of self in place, and of all things, a single chocolate could cause the ground beneath them to crumble.
What's more, the things he felt... he could remember the intensity of it, how it drowned out all other thoughts in his head. It was awful.
He should be glad that wasn't really him. And he was. Absolutely...
But it was a lot to think about. Eiji briskly shook his head, too distracted now to linger any longer.]
No.
Bye. [And swiftly, he left.]
He prided himself on his discipline, his rationality and smarts. He'd wrapped his whole sense of worth and identity around them. They were steel walls that held his sense of self in place, and of all things, a single chocolate could cause the ground beneath them to crumble.
What's more, the things he felt... he could remember the intensity of it, how it drowned out all other thoughts in his head. It was awful.
He should be glad that wasn't really him. And he was. Absolutely...
But it was a lot to think about. Eiji briskly shook his head, too distracted now to linger any longer.]
No.
Bye. [And swiftly, he left.]
Mal, where are you? I need to speak with you, it's important.
[It's a good thing the little spirit messengers can find their target no matter where they are. Less good that they flit about through the planes of existence so he can't just follow one back to Riye and save time.]
That big study hall
What's up? If it's urgent tell me where to meet you
That big study hall
What's up? If it's urgent tell me where to meet you
[She just didn't want a note to hang in his mailbox if he wasn't around. It was that important.]
I'm at the clinic, it's Luna.
I'm at the clinic, it's Luna.
[The receptionist can suck if for all that matters. But Riye was going to do her best to calm down and explain the situation for him. Because she had been dealing with this enough herself.
Though considering this kind of reaction, she didn't blame him. Considering all she knew now. She kind of half expected it, considering nothing was was sent via note for a few moments.
She got up from her seat to greet him. Her face suggested that she was glad he was here, but there was exhaustion.]
Hey, Mal...He's okay now, they're looking at him.
Though considering this kind of reaction, she didn't blame him. Considering all she knew now. She kind of half expected it, considering nothing was was sent via note for a few moments.
She got up from her seat to greet him. Her face suggested that she was glad he was here, but there was exhaustion.]
Hey, Mal...He's okay now, they're looking at him.
[If it were anyone other than Riye, he would have shoved right past them and gone to see Luna for himself. He still cranes his neck in vain to stare toward the sectioned-off back of the clinic, clenching his jaw in agitation.]
What the hell happened?
[Was he injured? Sick? ...Something else?]
What the hell happened?
[Was he injured? Sick? ...Something else?]
[She knew that look. Again, couldn't blame him. That Important Person was in the back of a health clinic after all. But she remained calm, she had to for his sake more than hers really.]
He didn't show up at work for a few days, he didn't breathe a word to me about it. I stopped by your room to drop off some files we needed to look at for the library.
I was about to drop them off there so he could look at them as soon as possible. I opened the door to find him not looking well.
[Putting it lightly...it scared the shit out of her.]
He didn't show up at work for a few days, he didn't breathe a word to me about it. I stopped by your room to drop off some files we needed to look at for the library.
I was about to drop them off there so he could look at them as soon as possible. I opened the door to find him not looking well.
[Putting it lightly...it scared the shit out of her.]
[What the fuck? But he saw him just two days ago-
...Two days too many. Mallory knew from experience that even being apart for two hours could lead to disaster. His shoulders slumped suddenly as a demon of guilt settled heavily on his back.]
...Shit. Shit! I never should have left him alone...
[Because he was a coward, Luna had suffered.
Again.
His stomach tightened with anger, but he couldn't direct it at anything - being sober meant having enough self-control not to trash the whole waiting room. So he held it in, acid eating away inside him as usual.]
How bad is 'unwell' supposed to be?
[Enough for an overachiever like him to miss work...?]
...Two days too many. Mallory knew from experience that even being apart for two hours could lead to disaster. His shoulders slumped suddenly as a demon of guilt settled heavily on his back.]
...Shit. Shit! I never should have left him alone...
[Because he was a coward, Luna had suffered.
Again.
His stomach tightened with anger, but he couldn't direct it at anything - being sober meant having enough self-control not to trash the whole waiting room. So he held it in, acid eating away inside him as usual.]
How bad is 'unwell' supposed to be?
[Enough for an overachiever like him to miss work...?]
You couldn't have known this would happen. Not like this.
[She really didn't want him blaming himself for it, but she knew that was easier said than done anymore. So those words could be taken with a grain of salt and she really was in a state of not minding.
You can't ask. You really can't.
Things really did go to hell and back since Valentines' Day.]
It was enough that I made sure I rushed him on over here to get looked at as fast as I could. He was conscious and didn't look injured, but he did look really weak.
[She really didn't want him blaming himself for it, but she knew that was easier said than done anymore. So those words could be taken with a grain of salt and she really was in a state of not minding.
You can't ask. You really can't.
Things really did go to hell and back since Valentines' Day.]
It was enough that I made sure I rushed him on over here to get looked at as fast as I could. He was conscious and didn't look injured, but he did look really weak.
...Hnnh...
[You don't understand. This wasn't the first time he'd fucked up this badly. It wouldn't be the last either, would it? Always when he gave in to his selfish need to protect a heart that was already damaged beyond repair.
He should have stayed. Even if he'd been abandoned... he still...!
A sharp breath hissed through his teeth as he held himself back from barging in on the nurses anyway. That would only hinder any progress they were making. What good was just standing here like a lump, though?!]
...I... I'll take it from here. You've done plenty. [She'd done more than she could ever know.]
[You don't understand. This wasn't the first time he'd fucked up this badly. It wouldn't be the last either, would it? Always when he gave in to his selfish need to protect a heart that was already damaged beyond repair.
He should have stayed. Even if he'd been abandoned... he still...!
A sharp breath hissed through his teeth as he held himself back from barging in on the nurses anyway. That would only hinder any progress they were making. What good was just standing here like a lump, though?!]
...I... I'll take it from here. You've done plenty. [She'd done more than she could ever know.]
[There were so many pieces of a puzzle she didn't have, but the fact that they were from two different worlds was feeling more and more apparent. There was so much history and anguish these people went through obviously, if the state of Luna in the room were any indication. If the whole Big Blow Out Fight that happened was also one.
She never felt so much in a state of inward confusion in the broadest sense of the word. That kind of lost feeling that made her feel out of place in a world filled with so much more wrong than she initially felt.
But she knew when she did her duty here. Her empathy was very strong but she had to know when it was best to take a back seat, one of the things she was known best for.]
They should be almost done in there, that's what the nurse told me before you got in.
Okay. I'm going to head back to your room...I left a mess.
[A look right at him. It'll be okay.]
She never felt so much in a state of inward confusion in the broadest sense of the word. That kind of lost feeling that made her feel out of place in a world filled with so much more wrong than she initially felt.
But she knew when she did her duty here. Her empathy was very strong but she had to know when it was best to take a back seat, one of the things she was known best for.]
They should be almost done in there, that's what the nurse told me before you got in.
Okay. I'm going to head back to your room...I left a mess.
[A look right at him. It'll be okay.]
[Even if things turned out, it wouldn't change any of what he did. What a mess the past couple of days had been.
He just grunts and nods in tired but sincere gratitude. Once he's sure Luna's mentally and physically sound, he'd have to bring her more than just some dumb bagel.]
He just grunts and nods in tired but sincere gratitude. Once he's sure Luna's mentally and physically sound, he'd have to bring her more than just some dumb bagel.]
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