[ He's meeeeeeeeeltingggggggggggggggg and Peony has to scramble a little to brace her weight when he does that, pushing herself up more firmly to try and keep them both upright. Maybe she can do this! Maybe she can hold them both up!!
Well, she can manage it for a while, but not if he keeps leaning on her like this! ]
[Whoa, she's actually got some power in those dainty-looking arms. Like, more than he already thought. But in the end, she's still tiny compared to him!]
At least, this is not the first time he has landed on her,
That doesn't mean she doesn't make an incredibly ridiculous squeaking sound when they hit the ground, and though she does lie still for a few seconds, it's not too long before she's squirming. This wasn't what she intended at all!! ]
[At least the grass makes for a softer landing than the gym floor.
He rolls off quickly onto his back next to her, uttering a short victorious chuckle. Revenge complete once again. Then he stares up at the dimming twilight through the overhead branches, his face relaxing into something a little more distantly neutral.]
[ It does, and she is grateful for the cushioning. She wheezes a few times after he's off of her, just for show, but a few seconds later, her fingers brush his again. There's a question in the touch, though she doesn't voice it aloud: is this okay? do you not want to do this? ]
[Har dee har har. No, he gets what she means. Without thinking too hard about it, he spreads his fingers a little and lifts them, in case she's looking to link their hands together or anything. Now that the innocent touches have begun, it's surprisingly easy to just keep them going.]
I'm fine. Really. Weird as this all is, I'll take it over everything that was going on back home.
[ Ah, good. When he moves his hand, Peony does in fact lace their fingers together, squeezing. She's careful about it, as gentle as she can be, chewing quietly on her lower lip as she listens. ]
...Me too.
[ She says it like a confession, but not one she's embarrassed about. ]
I don't know that I deserve it, but if I have the chance, then I don't want to let it go.
You deserve it a hell of a lot more than I do. But here we both are.
[He closes his eyes, sighing softly. It really is a good thing, for the most part, but he can't help but feel a little troubled anyway.]
Still... You were the one always going on about making memories back in high school, remember...? So it's weird that you have happy ones I'm in but I wasn't there for. And whatever I've experienced here with Luna isn't with- [Bird Luna] -Icarus, and... ugh, I feel like my brain will cave in on itself if I try to figure this shit out.
[ Her voice is gentle but firm; that is in fact a fight she is willing to have, if it comes to that. Though after that she falls silent for a few moments, obviously mulling something over. ]
But here we are, and we're still living. We can stay where we are, looking back, or we can move forward, and I want to move forward. I want to be happy, and I want the people I love to be happy. I think we could do that here -- all of us. Can't we try?
[She can fight him on it all she wants, but that won't change the fact that it's his fault all of them were thrown into such an unhappy world to begin with. Other than that though, she is right. She's not the only one in recent times to remind him it's time to let go of the past and move forward.
Eyes to the Future. Always.]
Why waste my time on trying? [Ah, he could have phrased that a little better. Sounds too defeatist when he's trying to be the opposite.] --I'm playing to win. I'm going to see it through to the end.
[ He's not the only one responsible there! But while she has some idea that he has this guilt, she doesn't have precise confirmation, so for now she lets it slide, squeezing his hand again. It's no different than holding Maera's hand like this. ]
I hope you're including happiness for yourself in that end.
[ Well, she doesn't really need much encouragement at all. When he tugs at her hand, she rolls herself closer to him. She isn't cuddling, exactly, but there's less than a handsbreadth between their bodies now. Congratulations you have your own tiny warm space heater. ]
You'd better not! Both of you should be happy. I wanna do whatever I can to help with that.
[He's a bit of a living furnace himself, so at least there's some equal exchange going on there.]
As long as you're sticking around, that's good enough for me.
[You'd think that after his little wilderness adventure with Eiji, Mal'd never want to lay on the cold hard ground again. But it's much warmer now, and there's a safe and familiar presence at his side, and the grass is soft and smells so fresh... Peony said to quit worrying about the past but this does feel so nostalgic. Just napping in the sun on school grounds or down by the riverbank. He's s relaxed it feels like he could fall asleep now.]
[ You know what, why not. She scoots juuust a little closer, until her arm is now actually pressed up against his. There's nothing about this that's nostalgic for her (she never napped on campus), but it's comforting, and he's also familiar and beloved. Everything might be strange and in the air, complicated in ways she'd never imagined, but she thinks she might be actually, truly happy.
She tilts her head to smile at him. ]
You shouldn't sleep outside, though. What if you catch a cold?
[Uh, what even was the point of going to Hope's Peak if not to be able to get away with fucking off from class to take a nap? Come on, Peony, get on the ball.
But anyway. There will be no naps to be had here. He cracks an eye open to sulk at her a little.]
I'm awake! Besides, there's no way I'd get sick on a night like this.
[ Since he's pretending to be serious, she does the same, opening her eyes wide and pursing her lips as she nods. Yessir, whatever you say, sir, she totally believes you. ]
[ She bites the inside of her own cheek when she says that, because that actually hits a little too close to real and unpleasant memories and fantasies she's had about that one day in the rain, years ago.
But this is just playing, and for that, she can keep it up. ]
You know me, I always think things through at least four times.
[There's a bit of a choked sound in the back of his throat for a second there, but he catches it in time to not let it throw him off his game too much. His eyebrows raise a little.]
That's your appeal. Being boring and playing by all the rules.
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Pffft. Who'd you hear that from? I'll kick their ass.
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[ When he does that, she retaliates by actually leaning against him now. She's tiny, he could toss her off easily. ]
I know you don't like admitting it, but you can't hide that from me.
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[She's too observant and he's hung back and wrapped himself up in his own angst for far too long. It's hardly fair.]
Well, now that the big secret's out, I guess I have no choice but to be a total softie from now on.
[And that means... soft-bodied. Oh no, his legs are jello, and now he's melting right onto poor Peony, what a world...]
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[ He's meeeeeeeeeltingggggggggggggggg and Peony has to scramble a little to brace her weight when he does that, pushing herself up more firmly to try and keep them both upright. Maybe she can do this! Maybe she can hold them both up!!
Well, she can manage it for a while, but not if he keeps leaning on her like this! ]
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Legs... too soft...
[Down they gooo-]
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[ DOWN THEY GO!!
At least, this is not the first time he has landed on her,
That doesn't mean she doesn't make an incredibly ridiculous squeaking sound when they hit the ground, and though she does lie still for a few seconds, it's not too long before she's squirming. This wasn't what she intended at all!! ]
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He rolls off quickly onto his back next to her, uttering a short victorious chuckle. Revenge complete once again. Then he stares up at the dimming twilight through the overhead branches, his face relaxing into something a little more distantly neutral.]
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...Are you going to be all right?
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[Har dee har har. No, he gets what she means. Without thinking too hard about it, he spreads his fingers a little and lifts them, in case she's looking to link their hands together or anything. Now that the innocent touches have begun, it's surprisingly easy to just keep them going.]
I'm fine. Really. Weird as this all is, I'll take it over everything that was going on back home.
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...Me too.
[ She says it like a confession, but not one she's embarrassed about. ]
I don't know that I deserve it, but if I have the chance, then I don't want to let it go.
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[He closes his eyes, sighing softly. It really is a good thing, for the most part, but he can't help but feel a little troubled anyway.]
Still... You were the one always going on about making memories back in high school, remember...? So it's weird that you have happy ones I'm in but I wasn't there for. And whatever I've experienced here with Luna isn't with- [Bird Luna] -Icarus, and... ugh, I feel like my brain will cave in on itself if I try to figure this shit out.
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[ Her voice is gentle but firm; that is in fact a fight she is willing to have, if it comes to that. Though after that she falls silent for a few moments, obviously mulling something over. ]
But here we are, and we're still living. We can stay where we are, looking back, or we can move forward, and I want to move forward. I want to be happy, and I want the people I love to be happy. I think we could do that here -- all of us. Can't we try?
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Eyes to the Future. Always.]
Why waste my time on trying? [Ah, he could have phrased that a little better. Sounds too defeatist when he's trying to be the opposite.] --I'm playing to win. I'm going to see it through to the end.
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I hope you're including happiness for yourself in that end.
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[He tugs her hand a little. Come closer.]
I can't let dog-me have all the happiness to himself.
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[ Well, she doesn't really need much encouragement at all. When he tugs at her hand, she rolls herself closer to him. She isn't cuddling, exactly, but there's less than a handsbreadth between their bodies now. Congratulations you have your own tiny warm space heater. ]
You'd better not! Both of you should be happy. I wanna do whatever I can to help with that.
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As long as you're sticking around, that's good enough for me.
[You'd think that after his little wilderness adventure with Eiji, Mal'd never want to lay on the cold hard ground again. But it's much warmer now, and there's a safe and familiar presence at his side, and the grass is soft and smells so fresh... Peony said to quit worrying about the past but this does feel so nostalgic. Just napping in the sun on school grounds or down by the riverbank. He's s relaxed it feels like he could fall asleep now.]
...This is kinda nice.
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[ You know what, why not. She scoots juuust a little closer, until her arm is now actually pressed up against his. There's nothing about this that's nostalgic for her (she never napped on campus), but it's comforting, and he's also familiar and beloved. Everything might be strange and in the air, complicated in ways she'd never imagined, but she thinks she might be actually, truly happy.
She tilts her head to smile at him. ]
You shouldn't sleep outside, though. What if you catch a cold?
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But anyway. There will be no naps to be had here. He cracks an eye open to sulk at her a little.]
I'm awake! Besides, there's no way I'd get sick on a night like this.
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[ She nudges him just a little with her elbow, wrinkling her nose playfully. ]
Just because it's pretty out doesn't mean you can just will illness away! You have to be careful with yourself.
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He props himself up on his elbow so he can turn semi-sideways and stare at her, his expression totally blank.]
I've never done anything reckless or dangerous, ever.
[And he immediately bites the inside of his cheek because there's no way he'll keep a straight face otherwise.]
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[ Since he's pretending to be serious, she does the same, opening her eyes wide and pursing her lips as she nods. Yessir, whatever you say, sir, she totally believes you. ]
You're the most cautious man I've ever known.
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Don't look at him like that, it makes this way too hard...!]
That's right. Out-cautioned only by you.
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[ She bites the inside of her own cheek when she says that, because that actually hits a little too close to real and unpleasant memories and fantasies she's had about that one day in the rain, years ago.
But this is just playing, and for that, she can keep it up. ]
You know me, I always think things through at least four times.
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That's your appeal. Being boring and playing by all the rules.
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