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[ Well, that's a nice thing to come "home" to. Ethan can't help smiling a bit, as much as half of him wants to hold some of it in. It's a better start, at least? Also: he wrote Mal. Does that mean he's allowed to name shorten—?! He writes, this time to send it off; enjoy your fairy courier. ]
only sips now
hahaha
and thanks
only sips now
hahaha
and thanks
[He sure did do that, not that it calmed her nerves any. This was always so hard for her to do, my god. Her eyes darted to the side, unsure of where he was going. It's not like she's known him for years and years and could pick up his mannerisms like that so easy with confidence.]
Yeah, it might be. It's at least the latest one I didn't feel like throwing away. So...how much does it suck?
[She talks that way as if preparing her walls for something already.]
Yeah, it might be. It's at least the latest one I didn't feel like throwing away. So...how much does it suck?
[She talks that way as if preparing her walls for something already.]
Not much at all. In fact, I really like it.
[Not that he's as well-read as she is, so he doesn't have a lot to compare it to... But what the hell does that matter, anyway?
He turns his head away, always the bashful one when it comes to expressing himself in words rather than actions.]
Even after I read it, I kept thinking about it. It's not like I have the mastery over words that you do, so I can't really pinpoint just what it is it made me feel, but... it did make me feel something. [God, he's getting more embarrassed the more he tries to actually talk about it. ABORT. ABORT.]
So...! Good job.
[Not that he's as well-read as she is, so he doesn't have a lot to compare it to... But what the hell does that matter, anyway?
He turns his head away, always the bashful one when it comes to expressing himself in words rather than actions.]
Even after I read it, I kept thinking about it. It's not like I have the mastery over words that you do, so I can't really pinpoint just what it is it made me feel, but... it did make me feel something. [God, he's getting more embarrassed the more he tries to actually talk about it. ABORT. ABORT.]
So...! Good job.
Oh...
[She looked up at him expectantly as he continued talking. It was like he tried to breathe it out in coughs. It came from somewhere and it didn't seem dishonest. Hence the response. It seemed to get to her a bit. Like...so he liked it? He liked it. He liked it.
Someone's not used to this. It wasn't so much self serving, but part of her felt like he wanted to say more. But he was too embarrassed to do so? That made her feel a bit bashful herself really. It looked like a earnest struggle.]
If I were honest, I kind of hoped it would say something. I mean, I kind of have a track record for having what I write be honest and reactionary.
[She looked up at him expectantly as he continued talking. It was like he tried to breathe it out in coughs. It came from somewhere and it didn't seem dishonest. Hence the response. It seemed to get to her a bit. Like...so he liked it? He liked it. He liked it.
Someone's not used to this. It wasn't so much self serving, but part of her felt like he wanted to say more. But he was too embarrassed to do so? That made her feel a bit bashful herself really. It looked like a earnest struggle.]
If I were honest, I kind of hoped it would say something. I mean, I kind of have a track record for having what I write be honest and reactionary.
Neither did I, at one point. Of course, I could just start writing more Melody Powers if I feel like I'm getting too sappy.
[Sarcastic honesty, how was THAT? She took another look at the bundle of papers he placed on her desk, her story that she shared that had An Effect. An effect she wished she really did know about to its full extent, but hey...feelings. What Mal was expressing was far more than she could hope from anyone about her writing. It wasn't sappy, it was THERE.]
But, I do honest. It felt the most sincere to me when I wrote it.
So, if you really mean that, then...that's good.
[Sarcastic honesty, how was THAT? She took another look at the bundle of papers he placed on her desk, her story that she shared that had An Effect. An effect she wished she really did know about to its full extent, but hey...feelings. What Mal was expressing was far more than she could hope from anyone about her writing. It wasn't sappy, it was THERE.]
But, I do honest. It felt the most sincere to me when I wrote it.
So, if you really mean that, then...that's good.
Hey, great idea. Have a physical copy to pass to the next pack of feral children so they leave us alone.
[Well, leave him alone. He's still the asshole who dragged Riye into that in the first place. BUT ANYWAY... He leans on the desk, finally looking back at her, examining her face.]
So what are you going to do with the prize money?
[She said something about leaving...?]
[Well, leave him alone. He's still the asshole who dragged Riye into that in the first place. BUT ANYWAY... He leans on the desk, finally looking back at her, examining her face.]
So what are you going to do with the prize money?
[She said something about leaving...?]
"All of the Kids Get Shipped to Jupiter: A Melody Powers Story". Alrighty.
[She was just going to tuck that story right into her desk all neat and proper.
But once the mention of money came around, now then came something else. She gave a tilt of her head.]
Isn't it obvious? I have an bottomless Koriko debt pit that gets deeper with every coffee and toaster pastry breakfast. If I can write my way out of it, better than retail.
[She was just going to tuck that story right into her desk all neat and proper.
But once the mention of money came around, now then came something else. She gave a tilt of her head.]
Isn't it obvious? I have an bottomless Koriko debt pit that gets deeper with every coffee and toaster pastry breakfast. If I can write my way out of it, better than retail.
I don't, but it's been the only lifeline I had since coming here. I honestly don't buy most of the stuff around here, but getting by is what I have to do anyway.
[...That sounded. Um. That got really sullen all of the sudden. Enough that she picked up on it real fast. She just had to press a little on it.]
Why do you ask, anyway?
[...That sounded. Um. That got really sullen all of the sudden. Enough that she picked up on it real fast. She just had to press a little on it.]
Why do you ask, anyway?
...Just curious.
[What the hell else is he going to do, guilt her into staying here? It sounds like she actually has a place to go back to, and he can't begrudge her that.
It's not like he hasn't had to say goodbye before. This time he has plenty of time to accept it in advance.]
But hey, if money works, I don't mind pitching in for both you and Luna.
[What the hell else is he going to do, guilt her into staying here? It sounds like she actually has a place to go back to, and he can't begrudge her that.
It's not like he hasn't had to say goodbye before. This time he has plenty of time to accept it in advance.]
But hey, if money works, I don't mind pitching in for both you and Luna.
[She does. She has her college, she had her family, she had Jane. Everything was back home, everything she held dear. But any reflection would tell her that the things that happened here weren't for anything. The pain and the friendships she made have stayed with her against all odds. She could've just went back into old ways and avoided everyone.
That didn't happen.
It didn't happen now either.
She met Mal, Noya, Luna, Chou, Noir...Could she ignore it? No. Not at all.
She made a pause.
Don't act like you're taking any of this for granted. You knew what writing this meant to you other than the damn cash.]
You know, that's not the full reason. A celebratory dinner would have to be in order too.
That didn't happen.
It didn't happen now either.
She met Mal, Noya, Luna, Chou, Noir...Could she ignore it? No. Not at all.
She made a pause.
Don't act like you're taking any of this for granted. You knew what writing this meant to you other than the damn cash.]
You know, that's not the full reason. A celebratory dinner would have to be in order too.
| [He looks down the floor, trying to center himself as much as he can. Unfortunately, a small noise in discomfort slips and he catches it too late, making die abruptly and more evident than it should be.] ... [He's practically planted on the spot.] It's nothing, pay no mind to it. [His feet finally listens to him, though moves faster than normal, he almost makes a move to go towards Mallory but he changes directions in a split-second.] |
[He holds his breath for a second as Luna turns away from him, and he slumps back against the wall, crossing his arms.]
You really suck at lying, you know that?
[Even if he didn't know all the little signs so clearly, from the way his gaze always slants a little downward to the tone of his voice, Mal's pretty sure anyone would have picked up on this one. Which means it's got to be something big.]
Seriously... quit shouldering everything yourself. Don't stress yourself back into the infirmary so soon.
[Just let him in.]
You really suck at lying, you know that?
[Even if he didn't know all the little signs so clearly, from the way his gaze always slants a little downward to the tone of his voice, Mal's pretty sure anyone would have picked up on this one. Which means it's got to be something big.]
Seriously... quit shouldering everything yourself. Don't stress yourself back into the infirmary so soon.
[Just let him in.]
| [And boy don't they both know how much of a bad liar he is. He sucks in his breath and exhales loudly, in truth he can't be entirely sure of what just happened or if it's any worth to bring it up again.] ... I saw her. [Which would be a problem of it's own given that he has seen enough that people can be taken at any point of time, so who knows who they would meet even if she has the appearance of someone they love so dearly. It says a lot when that's still easier than what had happened. It wouldn't be the first time if he had been someway or somehow fooled by the spirits and he wouldn't know after the fact, maybe he'll never find out until he realizes the missing pieces that weren't there before. There's that familiar unease feeling at the pit of his stomach; he had no control of any of this and he needs to face that very fact.] |
[There was a wave of some relief.]
Well, keep in mind that I haven't gotten anything yet and I guess I could still get rejected. But what are you thinking?
Well, keep in mind that I haven't gotten anything yet and I guess I could still get rejected. But what are you thinking?
--!
[Well.
He wasn't expecting that.]
Are you positive it was her? You know what kind of place this is.
[Never mind that just recently he was so sure he was talking to her, too. He'd managed to convince himself it was just a dream or something, because that was easier than accepting that he tried to kill her- easier to accept than knowing that he had to.
His stomach flip-flops just thinking about it now. Did Luna go through the same thing? ...Or did he succeed where once again, Mal failed him?]
[Well.
He wasn't expecting that.]
Are you positive it was her? You know what kind of place this is.
[Never mind that just recently he was so sure he was talking to her, too. He'd managed to convince himself it was just a dream or something, because that was easier than accepting that he tried to kill her- easier to accept than knowing that he had to.
His stomach flip-flops just thinking about it now. Did Luna go through the same thing? ...Or did he succeed where once again, Mal failed him?]
[This was nice, this was really nice. This kind of support was unlike anything she ever thought she wanted around here. She got it though, from others during this time while she was rattling her brain to try to figure this out.
But Mal seemed to really be into it, so much so that it made her realize where they were about a month ago. Also just how worth it it was. She ran into someone pretty special.]
Well, writing about dragon slaying does have me craving protein.
But Mal seemed to really be into it, so much so that it made her realize where they were about a month ago. Also just how worth it it was. She ran into someone pretty special.]
Well, writing about dragon slaying does have me craving protein.
| [He doesn't know, he still isn't entirely sure what's real and what's not, more so since being in Koriko. The back of his neck feels heavy, it's almost tempting to listen to it however he keeps his eyes trained on the wall in front of him. The real question what would be the way for them to be positive it really was her or not? Anything could happen here and the guests can do almost anything as they please, given they don't disrupt the business flow as a whole. Realistically, the workers also can do anything to each other in almost the same caliber; it's all about who has the capacity and ability to do what, and he hasn't entirely figured that out just yet. There's just so much factors that it couldn't have been her as much as it could very much been. Despite the end of his nerves feeling cold, there's a pang of longing that aches in his chest. However, there's been something that's been nagging in his mind.] Do you remember her name? |
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