discomposer | golden peacock inbox

yo 🦁 u @ ur rum ryt now?? im coming over in 5mins

sure am 🐝!

Get ready to open the door in 10!

I seem to remember you needing a muse...

yep, that's always true! it's not like i ever wanna stop being inspired!

Thought maybe I could come by later then, if the spot's open...

sure is! i'm free pretty much whenever too. i mean i don't make plans really so i can usually meet up whenever anyone wants?

Maybe a drink then? On me.

yeah! i love fruity flavored stuff so let's get that!

It's a deal!

see ya soon then!

[ Leo's mention of writing Eve songs makes him smile, even though he wasn't anticipating anything like that. It's a kind gesture, no doubt, one he's determined to return the favour. He's now on the upper floors, feeling overwhelmed by the stark contrast. Luxury wasn't his cup of tea, but there was an undeniable shake of how different the atmosphere was.

Now with the idea he's arrived at the right suite, he softly drums on Leo's door a few times. ]

He~y! Tsukinaga-senpai, it's Sazanami.

Hey~~~! Nami! [ Leo will stumble to his door to open it up. He...did not clean! He's not SUPER messy like a hoarder, but this means there is sheet music fuckin everywhere and some scattered books etc. Music on the walls, music on desks, and so on...since he's a ten his room is like a series of rooms. There's a little recording studio with a piano even, and then a piano in the main room...and a nice kitchenette!

Leo basically never uses the kitchenette so Jun can do whatever he wants there. ]

Good timing, I'm starving! [ Why is this Jun's life now? ]

[ Jun notices the mess, the sheet music, and is there writing on the walls as soon as he arrives? He's aware Leo frequently writes everywhere, but at least there are no clothes or trash strewn all over the place! That's good, but, ideally, this is the first "ten" room he has ever seen.

He nearly overlooks the piano as his gaze is too preoccupied with admiring the "mess," which sounds absurd considering the piano occupies the centre of the room. And there's also the kitchenette that Leo mentioned! Wow, it's nice here. ]

Alright, I'll get started! 'Cause the less you wait, the better it'll be so you can go back to composing or whatever. You got the stuff, yeah?

[ He doesn't know, but he's glad to help out. ]

[ Wow, he's getting spoiled. Leo waves at the kitchen where he actually did get the stuff! ...It's haphazardly shoved in the fridge instead of nicely put away though. He did his best (maybe). ]

Wow~! You're pretty good at taking care of people, aren't you, Nami? Usually for Knights it's Sena or Suou or Naru. ♪

[ He and Ritsu just cause problems. ]

[ Jun heads over to where Leo is waving, knowing that he can deal with the mess in the fridge later. Cleaning up is something Jun excels at, so he doesn't mind taking care of it. Determined to stick to his word about cooking meals, even if this is his new life. ]

Aha, you think so? I'd say I'm pretty used to it now. Mostly 'cause I'm still lookin' after Ohii-san most days, so that's just something drilled into me, y'know? And Ibara's shit at lookin' after himself and forgets to eat all the damn time, but Nagi-senpai's just cool.. He kinda just goes with the flow.

[ Unless, that is, Ibara starts talking about calorie consumption when Nagisa eats chocolate... ]

Anyway, it's good they're lookin' after you in Knights, too. And they're keeping you outta trouble ~ ♪

That's what you do with your precious comrades, after all. ♪ [ "keeping Leo out of trouble" when Leo just had YET ANOTHER VILLAIN ARC in Knights Climax, someone save his entire unit from his ass ]

A~ny~way~ I guess I try to remember to eat, but sometimes you just get busy, y'know? It makes Sena nag a lot. [ For good reason, Mr. "my favorite food is coffee". ]

I guess that's what you'd call 'em.

[ He doesn't guess, but he's not going to openly talk about how precious Eden is to him!! Anyway, SIGHS, LEO!! Someone needs to put an end to him, break him out of his villainous era. Where's Sena when you need him most?

Now he's moving into the kitchen now, first opening the fridge door, causing him to frown. What kind of haphazard mess has Leo made in here?? He retrieves the eggs first, ensuring that they're unbroken, placing them on the counter. ]

Even if you're busy, you've gotta make time to eat. I can't really blame Sena-senpai for naggin', even if that sounds real annoying. Like I said, you're gonna hurt yourself if you forget, y'know? Somethin' like that's not good.

[ Sena was supposed to be babysitting Leo but Leo got out of the baby gate or something??? Help. To be fair to Sena, babysitting Leo is like a fulltime job and he gets no compensation for it...

Anyway, the haphazard mess was "throw everything in the fridge" even if it didn't need refrigeration... ]

Um~! Well, it's hard to remember stuff like that when I'm busy! You know, you gotta finish a song before it disappears!

[ Someone needs to compensate Sena for all the hard work he puts into babysitting. Such a full-time job needs some compensation.

Leo, why is the rice in the fridge? Jun won't complain, but he'll give it a sideways glance since he'll have to wash it before cooking anyway. At least it's not too cold, so it can still be easily cooked once washed. Now Jun has located the pans, filled them with water, and begun rinsing the rice. ]

I dunno what that's got to be like. Your head is always on, right? I guess sorta like writing a story or manga, where you gotta write that down before you forget. Y'know it's all sorts of impressive you're always writing.

[ All the groceries went in there. Non-discrimination against groceries! But yeah he clearly just didn't want to think about it further after he got them...If Jun organizes them he'll leave them as they end up being, though? ]

Oh~? So you think I'm cool, right?! You can say it! Praise me a little!

[ Next, Jun checks on the eggs, remembering he needs to do so. Fortunately, none are cracked, meaning the cooking should proceed smoothly. Determined to stay organised, Jun will tidy the fridge to prevent groceries from falling out and causing a mess later. He figures Leo wouldn't want to clean that up, even if most of it would be his fault. ]

Yeah, I think you're pretty cool. How's that? I'm not real good at giving people praise, but I mean it.

[ He'll do cleaning! ...Sometimes! Honestly, he does do basic cleaning but he keeps things pretty comfortably cluttered as well. It's just how he is - everything being neatly put away and labeled is way more Sena's thing than his, and Leo generally lets him handle it at their apartment. Meanwhile, Natsume just kind of threatens to get rid of anything Leo leaves out... ]

Wahahaha, well, thank you~! I'll give you a prize for being a good boy, Nami!

[ What prize...

A pat on the head. You're welcome, Jun. ]

[ Jun struggles to comprehend living amidst clutter and mess, having blocked out memories of the wine and beer bottles littering his childhood home. This likely fuels his current dislike for messes, not that Leo's place is overall messy. He usually tends to the cleaning anyway, so it's fine. ]

You're welcome, Tsukinaga-senpai. And just for me?

[ People often refer to him as a "good boy," but why does he seem to enjoy this so much? He's never escaping the dog allegations. ]

Heh, thanks ♪ I appreciate hearin' that, y'know? It's not every day I hear something so nice from my senpai's.

[ It's fine, Leo can't escape the cat allegations so Jun is in good company? Sometimes you're just very animal coded and the cards you get back it up. ]

Well, I'm a nice senpai~? Just ask Suou! [ Do not. Suou will not back him up on this, Leo is the worst when it comes to being a senpai...he'll praise you and all but he's the least responsible guy in Knights. Someone save his entire unit from him specifically. ]

Though I guess Hiyo and Gusa are pretty sharp-tongued? They seem like nice guys despite it, so I mostly ignore half of what they say!

[ Leo 🤝 Jun. Both being animal coded, and never beating the allegations. ]

I'll ask him 'bout it if we're ever back home. I'm pretty interested in what he'll say.

[ Apart from disputing Leo's quality as a senpai, surely it's inevitable for them to have good senpais when they are the good kouhai! It probably not going to be good news. Unsure of what to make of that, Jun will start heating the pans after receiving the head pat.

Except the nickname 'Gusa' stumps him for a few moments, before thinking, maybe Leo means Ibara?? ]

Don't you even know it!? Ohii-san's usually going on 'bout something or wanting something. He ends up all pouty if he doesn't get his way. But you mean Ibara, right? Well, I'd say he's different. Ibara can be scary when he wants to be, but he's easy to get along with once you know him. Just don't ever say that to his face! But I'd say they're nice guys. Ohii-san's easier to crack 'cause he talks too much.

[ So you can have conversations with him easier, is what Jun means! Ibara's usually on his laptop, doing CosPro work, and dealing with Gatekeeper??? All Jun knows is that he works nonstop. ]

I wish I could talk to you guys in Knights more. I dunno what you're like over there, 'sides you and Narukami-san. She's always been really nice to me, so I appreciate being 'round her.

[ Knights x Eden fusion when?? ]

Yeah, Naru's probably the nicest one of us~? Wahahaha, unless she's getting serious, but even then she's a pretty kind person. I love her! [ He loves everyone. But he especially loves Knights! Let Knights do a fusion with Eden! It would be so fun!

Leo, who is rarely scared by anyone just kind of thinks the whole tyrant thing Adam has going on is pretty funny. Go figured. ]

As to what we're like, though~? Well, Sena's a bit like Hiyo, but not really? Like, he's got a sharp tongue and a cute face, but mostly he fusses about everyone and doesn't actually like it when he upsets people. He nags a lot! All the time! And he gets happier the naggier he is even when he's saying we're a pain for needing nagging! Then Rittsu's pretty easygoing as long as you don't poke him with a stick~ or I guess if you're not Rei? Well, they're better about things these days...kinda? Anyway, he pretty much goes at his own pace, but he's probably the smartest guy in our unit. Then Suou~ is really bossy! Well, I can't complain too much now since he's the King? He talks a lot and has the shiniest ideals you can think of. A selfish kid who hasn't seen war, but I like that about him!

[ That's Leo's take on things, anyway...since Jun knows Naru, he's not covering her. ]

Oh, reall~y? I guess I've never seen her stern before, but it's got to be pretty interesting to see her like that.

[ He finds joy in hearing about the other Knights members, particularly since he's not very familiar with them and is discovering new views about his fellow idols. Discovering more about Sena does bring to mind Ohii-san, minus the nagging, as Hiyori showers him with affection that can be bothersome at times, yet endearing to others. This often leads others to mistakenly assume they are in a relationship, which isn't the case at all!!

Amusing how some people find Nagisa and Ibara intimidating, although Jun, who was once awkward around Nagi-senpai, would never admit it! Jun's going to persistently bother Ibara until he gives in and agrees to let Knights and Eden perform a fusion song together!!! Time to give the people what they want! ]

Yuuki-san's mentioned something 'bout Sena-senpai before; funny, it turned out to be true. What happens if you poke Sakuma-kun with a stick? Do I just not want to find out? It's good Suou-kun hasn't seen war, 'cause that'd be pretty scary, right? [ Please, he still doesn't know about all that in Yumenosaki!! Just what is going on in that school, like Reimei's any better? ] Sounds as if you've got all sorts in Knights, a good mixture of all different personalities.

Wahaha, guess she's had more reason to be stern with me off and on~? But, well, I like it when she gets like that! It's nice to see people let loose!

[ Meaning he needles her until she snaps once or twice...but he means well? Probably? He obviously loves everyone in Knights, Naru included. ]

Anyway, Rittsu when he's seriously angry can be a little scary! But he doesn't do it for nothing, so you probably don't have to worry 'bout that. He hasn't even scolded me all that much, and I've been a huge pain in the ass to him at times~?

[ Leo's...possibly the most annoying Knights member. He's at least the hardest one to manage even when he's up against all those other individualists. ]

So you did a buncha stuff where she got really stern at you, then? I'm sure she had a good reason.

[ Jun never knew she could get like that, so he's learning something new! But the next thing Leo says gets a dead stare, taking his eyes off the pan. ]

You're just admitting you've been a pain in the ass? I could see why he's gonna scold you a lil' if you're admitting something like that freely. I'd say it's pretty lucky you've not got someone sterner in Knights, like Ibara. He'd really let you have it.

[ Though, it's pretty funny hearing Leo admit that he's a pain in the ass. Now if the louder members of ES would follow suit! ]

Wahaha, I'm a bad kid sometimes. ♪ Though I haven't broken the law like Sena and Suou~? Anyway, Naru keeps Knights' atmosphere all nice and pleasant...I really admire that about her. I could never set the mood in the same way, but it's my preferred tone.

[ Also yes, at least Leo knows he's a pain in the ass...? But he doesn't do much to change it, so does that work...? ]

As to that, it's the truth so what's the big deal? Sena likes taking care of people, so I'm halfway doing him a favor!

The more I learn, the more I'm surprised you guys haven't been locked up. Whaddya mean they broke the law...? [ Yeah, no, it's good they aren't part of CosPro, but NewDi has to deal with that stress instead. Good luck, Tsumugi. ] And the more you tell me, it sounds like Narukami-san's the only one with her head on right.

[ Turning away from Leo again, he scoops the freshly cooked fried rice onto a plate. Now he returns to cracking eggs into a bowl, adding a dash of milk, and mixing them together before pouring the egg mixture into the now clean pan. ]

I dunno, I've just never heard anyone admit that so freely, is all. Halfway doing him a favour? Does he think that way!?

[ All that sounds stressful, as if looking after Ohii-san wasn't stressful enough. Jun's glad that's the only person he has to care for. Sena-senpai really sounds as if he's made of something sterner; that's the conclusion he's come to. ]

Wahaha, you haven't heard~? Sena and Suou have both been bad guys who have turned to kidnapping, you know. [ Leo doesn't sound like he's condemning this. He isn't. He thinks it's funny.

It all worked out in the end anyway...he's watching Jun cook with the rapt attention of someone who really wants to eat food. A cat, even. At least he's not meowing. ]

Anyway, Sena thinks that way. ♪ He's the one who told me to quit running around and stay by his side. If he didn't want it he's had plenty of chances to say so and stop grabbing my hand already.

Nope! Haven't heard anythin' like that before! [ KIDNAPPING??? Maybe they shouldn't be looking out for Gatekeeper, but Sena and Tsukasa instead. Jun almost drops the utensil in his hand, shaking his head as he continues flipping the egg. ] You're serious, right!? Are they tryna be in their 'bad boy' era or something?

[ No, just kidnapping people they care about, apparently? Jun doesn't think he'll understand, either way, it sounds in-fucking-sane to him. Maybe Eden with the whole 'Gatekeeper is Ibara's uncle, Nagisa is probably a test-tube baby' angle Eden has going for them, seems to pale in comparison.

Thankfully, Jun's done now, placing the freshly cooked Omurice onto two clean plates and sliding one over to Leo. His expression is so amusing that Jun can't help but smile, despite learning two members of Knights have kidnapped people?? ]

That's good he thinks that way! It's nice you've got someone lookin' out for you, despite whatever the hell he's done with the whole kidnapping angle. So that's the sorta thing you guys've got going on ~ ♪

[ FOOD...! Leo shuts up to take the first bite of his, happily. He clearly wasn't lying about not having eaten in a while, so there's some content humming as he goes...he's not a difficult palate to please, but even he can tell Jun knows what he's doing. He'll probably bother Jun for food periodically in the future as well...please always feed him, Nami.

Still, he is listening, so he'll reply eventually after a few eager bites. ]

Oh, they both want to be "good boys"~? They're just really intense about stuff they like. ♪ Well, in Sena's case it proooobably was kinda my fault - if I hadn't up and left him like that, he wouldn't have ever thought about locking someone up so they couldn't get hurt, I don't think?

[ Having someone else enjoy his food makes him glad; if Hiyori can enjoy his food, well, if no one else does, then he'd be a little offended. Not too much; he knows not everyone has the same tastebuds, but he's glad to cook for Leo. And, really, anyone who needs a good meal. ]

I dunno if they can be "good boys" if that's gonna be on their records, unless it's not. Nah, it's probably not. Still, how's that your fault? Shouldn't Sena-senpai know better? ... or shoulda locked you up instead if that's how it's gonna be?

[ Not that Jun wants to hear that, either. But wow, there is so much kink (?) in Knights?? Really, what are they doing over there? And Jun shouldn't be trying to kinkshame (?). ]

[ There is a lot of kink in Knights, don't kinkshame them. Leo and Sena have a petplay thing, Ritsu wants to drink blood, half of them want to lock someone up and keep them, and so on and so forth...Knights is fine (?) maybe (?) and that's just their state of existence. ]

If he wants to lock me up, I think I'd hate it~? Maybe? I don't wanna be restrained, but I don't mind him holding my leash sometimes. ♪

[ It's ok, Knights; Eve's in some owner/property thing, among others. This place would seriously be the best place for the rest of Knights, no kinkshaming here. ALSO, LEO???

Jun tries hard, with much difficulty, not to choke on his food, eyes widening a little upon hearing that. ]

So that's how it's like in Knights, huh~? I thought you'd not hate it, 'cause you write a lot, don't you? That'd give you more time to compose ♪ Even with a leash?

[ Jun, please stop talking. ]

Hmmm~? Well, sometimes I need to be collared or I'll run away. It's not like I can fault their logic or anything~?

[ No, neither of them can stop talking. They're IN IT now..."it" being discussing Enstars Canon Kinks, I guess. No clue why !! decided to go all in on Leo petplay but you know what, that's fine. He does what he wants. ]

If it's Sena, I have to listen at least a little bit. ♪

Where are you gonna run off to? It's no wonder they've gotta keep you leashed.

[ "Maybe that sorta thing would work on Ohii-san", he thinks, but doesn't say it considering he's not the pet??? Whatever, Enstars, whatever, we're not kinkshaming. They're in this now, even if Jun realises it or not. ]

What if it's not him? You'll just continue being a nuisance?

Heh. [ Not a "wahahaha" but just a quiet little snort. Where would he run off to...? It's not like he ever thinks of that when he runs. He just bolts if he feels cornered, and then he deals with whatever happens after that...or doesn't deal with it. It's not like he's ever argued that Knights doesn't need to keep him a little bit tied up in something other than his adoration of them, though. Leo knows full well the sort of person he is. ]

Depends on who's asking~? And what they're asking. ♪ No one has asked me anything that makes me wanna run away yet, here.

[ He's not sure how to interpret Leo's sudden snort, but he's not uncomfortable with it either. Maybe on further reflection, that'd tell Jun all he needs to know. Instead, he shakes his head, waiting for Leo to continue. Or maybe, Jun doesn't need to know at all.

He's realising now just how different the dynamic in Knights is compared to Eden. Even if Nagi-senpai is a little absent-minded and mostly goes on the "God" persona Ibara's written for him, or how Ohii-san and Ibara hardly see eye-to-eye, Jun often feels torn between the two all the time. ]

Well, I'm asking, if that helps. So what'd you tell me, then?

I'll probably cause you a lot of trouble! ♪ At least, I really like Nami's cooking so I'd like to bother you for it more often.

[ So at least it's a pretty innocent form of trouble Jun was already mentally prepping for after seeing the state of Leo's empty kitchen...besides, Hiyori said Leo could borrow him to cook whenever, a bit after this.

So it's clearly fine!

He will probably be obnoxious about it at times though and text when he's up and wants something even if that happens at 3am. Sleep schedules are things that happen to other people. ]

Can't be worse than what I've already been put through ♪ Yeah? Well, that's good. I'm glad you like my cooking, 'cause I'm always happy to do that for everyone. In a place like this, 'specially after learning you've been skipping meals. Whenever you want food, just let me know, alright~?

[ Meaning, cooking for Leo is a breeze compared to when he used to cook three meals a day for Hiyori. After all this time, he knows Ohii-san's tastes quite well, so it's manageable now. And even though he enjoyed cooking for Hiyori for years, preparing food for anyone else seems easy by comparison, even if everything Leo bought ended up haphazardly thrown inside the fridge.

Expect angry 3am texts back wondering what the hell Leo's doing awake and wanting food at that time. Jun's not going to be happy, especially considering he has a set sleeping schedule and follows the same pattern every single day! Actually, why is he always the responsible one?

Maybe his senpai's are all trouble, after all. ]

Hmmm~! I'll text you whenever something comes up, then!

[ He absolutely will be trouble, but he actually doesn't mean anything badly by it at least...? Leo's just never got a sleep schedule when he's working. And, well, he's sort of disconnected from reality half of the time...he'll take any scolding laughing and probably keep being a nuisance regardless. Leo may get more people to feed him eventually and then the duties will be split a little bit...?

Besides, Leo's also friendly and generous when it comes to people he likes. Hiyori did reassure him they have meal coupons handled but he'd offered some when he heard there might be an issue at some point. He's fine with his friends invading his room whenever they want to use his things and he's happy to keep them supplied with music as long as they're stuck in casinoland.

So it...evens out? Maybe? ]

[ Let's talk about space!

Topaz is knocking on his door. In just casual athleisure fashion, he people of the space-faring future don't look much different from people in Leo's time. The lower layers of her silvery-white hair are dyed a striking crimson red, with a streak on one side. She knocks at the door and waits. ]

Hey, it's Topaz. We were texting earlier.

[ Let's talk about space!!!!!!! Also, it's truly disappointing that Honkai Star Rail didn't go harder on alien space fashion. Understandable, but disappointing! Where is Sampo's space chic outfit? Bet that would look like some kinda disaster.

Anyway, it takes Leo a few minutes to answer the door since he's kind of a scatter brain, but once he does it's a guy around her age in jeans and a hoodie. He brightens up and steps aside to let her in - as a 10, Leo's suite is pretty large and somewhat fancy, though the focus seems to be "music". A piano, sheet music scattered around and pinned to the walls, a mini recording studio...just his kind of thing, basically. ]

Oh, hey! You're the alien, right~? Then lemme say Uchuu~! ☆ [ A greeting for aliens. Sort of. ]

[ she understands what Hiyori meant when Leo greets her and she can peek into his suite. He has all the energy of an eccentric genius. He's also friendly and not malicious, so as strange as the catchphrase is, she returns it, gesture and all: ]

Uchuu~! ☆

I'm just human, even though humans from my world live on planets all across the galaxy.

[ Oh, he LOVES people who play along! Leo brightens up since she's like the first person to do so here which...earns her his undying affection, probably? He's really fucking easy when it comes to liking people, so. ]

That still sounds way more fun than just one planet! I'd like to see the sights someday~! Although this casino is an even smaller world than one planet. But composing on another planet, huh...I bet I could make some really good songs like that~! Hey, hey, what's your favorite planet, then?

There's a lot of planets that're beautiful in their own way. [ and some that are definitely not, but that's not a good conversation. ] Vonwacq is my favorite, hands down.

The humans and native Wacqwacq races are long gone, but it's full of all kind of plants and critters. Everything from polar bears to teeny lizards fall from fruit on a giant tree. [ she grows even more enthusiastic and excited, face bright with joy as she talks quickly. ]

Just recently, I got three baby lizards! They're suuuuuuuuuuuper-duper cute! Like, all of my critters are, but the smaller an animal is, the more adorable they are, you know?

Aw! I wanna see pictures, but I bet there aren't any?! [ How cruel... ] I'll just have to use my imagination, but I'm going to imagine them as pinchably cute! Lizards with cheeks you wanna pinch!

[ Do lizards really have cheeks like that...? Well, whatever makes him happy. Leo waves Topaz over to a sitting area, flopping himself on his couch. ]

Have you ever been to Earth?

[ Even if the lizards are super duper cute, they're not very punchable. It doesn't matter, she still loves them tons. She takes a seat while giving Leo enough space to roll around. ]

I've got something I have to get back first, but if I have chips left over to get my phone, I'd be happy to show you my cuties.

Mmm... Earth. If it existed in my world, that might have been a long long time ago. Is that your home planet?

It's the one I grew up on, anyway~! [ So...yes. Although weird magical shit is happening in Ensemble Girls so maybe other people can actually be aliens. We just don't know. Leo tends to like to let his imagination run wild and free so he likes to think that it's a possibility? ]

And if you can show them to me, I'd owe you one! [ One what? Who knows. If she wants his card he's easy to sleep with? Help? But also he's now considering the phone thing... ] Maybe I should ask for something from home~? I don't keep a lot of pictures on my phone, though.

[ Sometimes the Necronomicon shows up in some catacombs under Kimisaki, it's fine, aliens are probably possible too.

Topaz's adoration for her pets is way more important than trading cards for the Game, and even the potential for use of his kitchen, which is what prompted her to reach out in the first place. ]

Owe me for that? Nah, I'd show off my fur babies for free. They're suuuuper-duper adorbs!

So what's Earth like?

[ Leo went to the wrong school, Ruka definitely doesn't appreciate the insanity the same way he would!! Also...he's fine with people using his kitchen. Have Rinne and Jun been talking...? ]

Hm~! ♪ That's a hard question, 'cause it's pretty big! I'm from Japan, so maybe I should talk about that? It's an island nation, and we have a lot of rain. ♪ You see tons of umbrellas out and about even when you think it's gonna be a dry day!

[ Hiyori was talking.

Leo really did go to the wrong school. How could he be denied all the wonders of Kimisaki?

From his description, she can infer that the environment is habitable without technology to assist with that. That's a relief. ]

Is it industrialized? Are there still trees, plants and other animals?

[ He has so many chatty castmates...! But honestly, yeah, he'll let anyone borrow his kitchen. He's easy. ]

Yep! I mean, yes to all of those~! It's industrialized, but honestly there's rural areas still too. And lots of trees and plants and animals! There's a lot of cats where I live, actually~?

[ There are other animals as well. He just likes the cats best. ]

Ah! I love kitties!

[ The thought of animals always brings a smile to her face, but knowing trees and plants are still around brings visible relief. ]

So it's a mix of nature and not. We've got planets like that.

They're my favorite animal! And that sounds about right~? There's definitely places that are more or less industrialized in the world, but I think Japan has a nice balance. But of course as a Japanese citizen you're gonna have to assume I'm a little bit biased~? I've been camping before, but I'm not all that great at it. We had to get rescued by a guy who knew more~

[ By "camping" he means "I wandered around outside pretending to be a wild animal for #art and couldn't figure out how to feed myself". It's fine. ]

Industrialization comes with nice conveniences, yeah. The resort has spots that kind of feel like you're outside, but it's not really the same.

Oh, camping sounds fun! ...Except for the needing to be rescued part.

Well, it worked out~! And now I like to do camping in the yard!

[ He's almost 20. It'll happen May 5th, even. ]

[ Camping birthday party? ]

Ah! That's a much safer place to do it!

Right~! And if you complain enough, Sena will bring you snacks! ♪

[ ...? Save Sena, whoever that is. ]

Is that Sena person here?

Nope...! I dunno if that's unfortunate or not. The only people I personally know from home are Rinne and Hiyo and Nami! I mean, I'm sure other people could be from the same "Japan" as us, but those are the only people I recognize.

[ Sena being here...he's definitely not sure if he wants that or not. Like, he does miss Sena...

...but he doesn't want to share him?! ]

[ Don't share him, Leo. He's probably happier in Italy.

She looks relieved that Leo's friend isn't here, even if Leo is probably missing him. She'd want to protect the closest person she has to a friend from this place too. ]

It's probably fortunate. You wouldn't want him to deal with the stuff going on here, right?

[Rinne's hiatus has not gone unnoticed. His disappearance isn't exactly top of the priority list, but now that they're three days into it, it's worth asking about!]

✨~Oh Leo-kun~✨

Have you seen Rinne-senpai? He's not returning my texts and I haven't seen him around lately, so I thought I'd ask since you said that thing about letting him stay overnight sometimes. Though if you want my opinion, you'd be much better off with me in your bed!

[............... wait a second.]

Sorry, ignore that last part. I don't know where that came from. It must be another malfunction.

[Actually, it's a belated curse taking effect, but he doesn't realize that.]

you can crash at my place whenever you want i don't care!

[ Fails to ignore it, casually. He doesn't see the big deal, although he gets the feeling that's some kind of insult to Rinne mostly? ]

anyway i've been working on a new piece ever since that dumb effect from last month wore off and i can focus...i'm pretty sure i saw rinne when i started working on it?

[ Has Leo eaten in the past 2 days? Stay tuned to find out (no). ]

["No, that's alright, thanks." All he needs to do is type that. But that is not what his hands produce!]

No, that's alright. I don't want to crash there. I'd rather keep you up all night!

[Gahhhhhhh.]

Ignore that too!

[If this was a real phone he'd be tempted to fling it across the room right now. What gives?!

And Leo's mention of the "effect from last month" also gives him pause. His fingers hover above the screen for a moment; should the four of them compare their experiences with that whole thing?

Nope. Definitely not. Whatever happened between him and Jun behind the closed door of his suite isn't anyone else's business.]

Ah, so you have seen him within the past 3 days or so? That's good. I was worried he'd gotten drunk and fallen in a gutter somewhere! Which wouldn't be my responsibility, but it'd still be worrisome. I'm sure Ibara wouldn't be pleased if I said I'd lost track of one of the CosPro idols.

But if he is around, it's inexcusable that he won't even respond to my messages! He's just awful! But anyway, how's the new piece coming along?

[ Oooh, the last question! Very unfortunate Hiyori asked. @ knights has added @ eve to isekai shuffle and that means he gets way too many text notifications in a short time after.

He does at least get music as well? ]

we can stay up if you want! anyway i don't know the exact date? it's kinda weird he isn't replying though, he's usually pretty quick!

also hey, wait

i just realized i'm pretty outnumbered here?? wahahaha, at least i don't care about that!

Edited (i'm a mess) 2024-04-04 16:15 (UTC)

[That sure is a lot of notifs. So many notifs. Endless notifs. But he listens to the samples and is suitably impressed, telling Leo as much in the replies.

It's a hot minute before he replies to their other convo, but:]

Now that should fetch him!

I'm not sure what you mean by outnumbered. As far as numbers are concerned, you're the one with the highest rank. Not that I put ~any~ stock in what this resort tells us.

[He's not a spade, he's not a wolf, and he's not a mere eight out of ten (or eight out of fourteen, considering the Ace + Queen + Jack + King cards). He's Hiyori Tomoe, and that's the tea on that.]

I know I promised I'd find us a stage, but I got a bit sidetracked. I'll ask around until I find something, though. Then it'll be time to choreograph our new song!

I suppose we can rehearse in that recreational area if we can't rehearse on the stage we found. Unless they have private practice rooms here? You wouldn't happen to know if they do, would you?

i mean i'm the only newdi rep, right? why's everyone else cospro? what's up with that? am i being poached?

[ He doesn't care that much he just didn't notice it until Hiyori mentioned being in the same agency for Rinne... ]

anyway, there's plenty of private rooms. lots of them have wall to wall mirrors! we can just move the bed in one of those to the side or something. or i think there's ones without beds. if we just kinda imply we wanna use the room it's easy to get them to do whatever even if it's not what they want you to use it for!

Ah, so that's what you meant. I'm not sure your unit would fit too well in our agency, honestly. Though I'm sure the higher-ups would love to add another of the Big Three to their crown. But there's also another similarity between us: all four of us were supposed to be White Team members in SS! And Jun-kun and I were snatched right before the main competition was scheduled to begin. Kind of an odd coincidence, don't you think?

[Almost like it's not, in fact, a coincidence. Though he can acknowledge that sabotaging SS is likely a very small part of the broader conspiracy here, which definitely involves magic, apparently involves ghosts, and might even involve gods...

But back to matters at hand. First of all:]

You mean love hotel rooms?

[That's definitely what those are. He wrinkles his nose at his watch screen, but can't exactly argue with the idea. Alright, time to be adaptable!]

I guess those are fine for our purposes. Idols shouldn't be seen entering those places, but if all four of us go there with music sheets in-hand, it should be obvious what we're there for. Jun-kun and Rinne-senpai can move the bed out of the way, you'll start the music, and then we'll bang each other's brains out!

[!!!!!!!!!!]

That was supposed to say "sing our hearts out"!!

i hadn't thought about it much? but i guess it's kinda funny since there's a 50/50 chance if we were white or red. but in that case i'll think of it like that so i'm not outnumbered!

[ Guess who uses love hotel rooms to practice whenever he wants...go on, guess. ]

wahahaha, i hope so! if not, we may as well keep the bed? that's like the third or fourth time you've hit on me today, what's up? are you feeling lonely or something?

[Guess which raging hypocrite probably used love hotel rooms during the slut phase Altered Origin heavily implied he had.

But he is not in his slut phase now. So!!!]

It's this watch! It keeps malfunctioning! It happened while I was talking to another, non-ES idol too. Though he wasn't nearly as sexy as you are 😏

[!!!!!!!]

Ugh, see? This is awful! I'm starting to find myself saying things I didn't mean to say when I open my mouth, too! It's like a witch put a curse on me. But I can't figure out why anyone would ~ever~ want to do that

[ It's fine Leo likes hypocrites? And is one himself sometimes. It's fine! ]

wahahaha, you say that but i bet you gave someone and earful recently? did you talk to the staff~? stuff like that happens sometimes. i was serenading people a while back!

i know that sounds normal for me but i didn't intend to at the time.

anyway, thanks! you're pretty, so you can compliment me all you want. ♪

You're sure you didn't mean to? That does sound bothersome, but I still would've rather had your curse. At least then people would be able to hear my lovely voice singing sweet words to them, instead of having to read these cheap pick-up lines over text!

And not really! There is this one girl who keeps trying to get a rise out of me, and she seems awfully immature, so I suppose she might do something like this if she could. But she doesn't seem to have any magic powers, so I don't think she's capable of cursing anyone.

[Monika. He means Monika.]

As for the staff, I gave up on talking to them a while ago. They all suffered the same brainwashing procedure, so not one of them has anything useful to say. I had a meeting with that J fellow, too, but he was even more useless.

[.............. wait.

The gears are slowly turning.]

[ Leo is out here getting along with Monika, what are Rinne and Hiyori doing - ]

so you mouthed off to the obviously powerful guy with fingers in the pie? if i wanted to be a gambler that'd have my money. i think so far everything like that i've heard of has a time limit at least, but i'm not sure what it is!

anyway, are you sure someone is trying to get a rise out of you? i mean, is this like how tenshi is, or what?

[Not being an asshole probably helps!]

I didn't mouth off. I just asked questions, that's all. And that was almost a month ago, so I'm not sure why any such curse would be taking effect *now.*

[Backtagging, that's why.]

Yep! Her motive is utterly transparent. It's sort of funny, really. But I wouldn't compare her to Eichi-kun. I hate Eichi-kun more than I hate caterpillars, but she's more like a housefly. Buzzy and annoying, but easy to ignore!

[ Leo approves this Eichi slander. Though it's...not really slander. He really do be out there causing problems on purpose. Even if Leo's back to using the nickname and such he still gets kind of ticked off thinking about the war so... ]

a lot of people consider asking questions to be mouthing off, especially if you ask a lot of them. it's annoying! hey, do you actually have better lines than that if you're trying?

seems like you're making friends. ♪ did you guys get off on the wrong foot or something? i've argued with a few people but they all gave up pretty quick.

[ Yes, because you're annoying. ]

Too bad. If he didn't want to be asked questions, he shouldn't have sent those messages saying "I'm one of the bigwigs around here, and you can find me at my office! Here's the exact location!" Or, better yet, he shouldn't have stuck his fingers in this so-called pie to begin with!

[And that's the tea on that.]

You want to hear them that badly, huh? 😘 I don't think you need to copy my lines. We're both idols, so I'm sure we're both good at telling fans what they want to hear. But none of mine involve doing anything until brains fall out, I can tell you that much.

And pretty much. She's probably just mad I tricked her. But the only reason I did *that* was because she snatched something of mine and refused to give it back. Anyway, she's the type to make up stories and exaggerate wildly just to get a rise out of people. I do feel a bit sorry for her though, since she's obsessed with finding true love, and that's not likely to happen in this place.

[ Squinting at the entire last paragraph... ]

by "yours" are we talking about nami here or like you were both out shopping and saw the same shirt?

[ Because as far as he knows they all showed up naked so he's not sure what the hell else Hiyori would be that defensive of. ]

[He didn't show up naked! ... He showed up in what was (basically) the ex-fine outfit, which might be worse.

Funny that Leo's mind leapt straight to Jun, though. That's absolutely the main issue here, though it's not literally true in this case.]

I meant a book we were looking at! It had a person on the cover who looked a lot like me, but when I politely asked her to move so I could see what it was, she grabbed it and refused to let go.

[He was not polite about it.]

[ He's still figuring out Hiyori speak. It's like a new dialect of Sena. ]

is a book on a public shelf really anyone's? but good luck in your battles, i guess!

speaking about this, i'm kinda getting a headache picturing what this place would look like if tenshi showed up.

Well, it'd be different if she was a fan, but I know she only snatched it because I asked for it. So then I pulled one of those "Quick, look over there!" tricks to distract her so I could see it. Which seems a silly thing to a hold a grudge over, but some people are like that, I guess. A shame, since holding grudges is bad for one's health, but oh well!

And I don't want to picture that. A, he'd bring down the mood, B, I don't want to talk to him, and C, this isn't the place for him! I know we're on bad terms and all, but when it comes to defeating Eichi-kun, I'd rather go up against him on stage and prove my worth that way. I don't want to tank his career with a sex scandal. That'd be a disappointing end to things. I'm sure he's got a lot else he wants to accomplish before he croaks. It'd be best if he could fulfill at least some of those dreams.

wait, are you not holding a grudge too? because you just said it's bad for your health but you're talking about at least two different grudges here, hiyo. ♪ oh, but don't get one against me for saying so!

Those aren't grudges! I couldn't less about that girl, or about what Eichi-kun's doing!

Though I *am* curious about how he handled SS being called off. The Tenshouins sunk an incredible amount of money into it this year, so that must have stung.

he's probably handling it fine if it was called off? that guy has a lot of bad points, but he's pretty adaptable.

Dealing with the media circus can't be fun. But I suppose Ibara's getting it much worse than him right now. And I don't really have space to worry much about either of them much at the moment, since we're the ones in real danger, so oh well.

~No more worrying~ ✨ For now, we'll just focus on finding out what happened to Rinne-senpai, and making love through that shuffle thing!

[........

He meant "making lovely music." But at this point, oh well.]

[ Leo's pretty sure there isn't a media circus happening back home but bringing that up seems like a pain, so... ]

sounds good! i'll shoot you a message if i run into rinne.

👌🤗💖✨️

[If he types anything else another bad pick-up line might come out, so he's done here.]

[ Midnight's gone ahead and rented the guitar he'd like to use for the occasion; it's slung over its back, the cords for a small handheld amp looped around his wrist, the amp itself dangling from his fingers. He's in his normal attire, the usual black leather and pink satin, but opted for fewer chains and rings on his hands and legs. They tend to get a bit percussive during practice, and he'd like to be properly ready for whatever he's getting into today.

He texts discomposer with a quick I'm here ⭐️, sends it, then realizes that in all of this excitement, he never asked for a name. His manners really are getting away from him... ]

Edited 2024-04-13 01:44 (UTC)

[ Leo is absolutely terrible with names so it's fine...he wouldn't remember Midnight's name yet if they'd exchanged them and certainly doesn't care if Midnight knows his name or not. He ends up making it to the elevator pretty easily - his own normal attire is jeans and a sweater, and he...

Realizes belatedly he has no idea who he's looking for. Whoops. But there's a guy with a guitar, so...? ]

Hey~! Guitar guy? ♪

[ Midnight turns around, does that coy point at himself guys sometimes do when it's very obvious they're the only person in a room but they're shocked that they're the one being referred to, then grins and shambles up, said guitar in tow. Hello! What a teeny guy... Definitely the sort of energy he exudes on the network, though. ]

Discomposer, correct? Please call me Midnight. I don't know if we want to jump straight into recording, especially considering that you have little idea what I can do... Would a practice room do to start?

[ Midnight has a place in mind, and if his new friend doesn't mind, he'll start walking them both there. ]

[Hello, Leo. Did you miss having two ongoing inbox threads with Hiyori Tomoe? No, not particularly? Well too bad, because he's back again!]

~⋆｡˚✨Leo-kun! Oh, Leo-kun✨⋆˚｡~

Guess what I heard! There's someone in this resort who's seeking idol lessons. Apparently she went to Jun-kun first, but I thought this was a job for all 3 of us!

Or all 4 of us, I suppose, if Rinne-senpai ever climbs out of whatever hole he fell into. I'm not sure about the date yet, so if the lesson isn't until next month, hopefully he'll be back from the void or wherever and can also join! But either way, you should help!

[ HE DOESN'T MIND (I'm going to link you my toplevel this weekend when I finish it though for in person actions - ) but.

Well.

He gets back to Hiyori after like...an hour and a half? Maybe? When his bracelet chiming finally registers? There's no explanation for his lackidasical reply time. ]

oh, we're giving lessons now? who're we giving them to? i don't mind helping out if it seems like fun ♪ but if i get bored i'll leave!

[Sounds good! A healthy balance of in-person action and text nonsense is probably best.

He gives up checking after a few minutes, assuming Leo is busy scribbling away in a notebook somewhere. He's plenty busy himself, scouting out the locations someone mentioned on his network post and arranging meetings to talk about important matters (like how to kill whichever gods are running this place). Busy, busy, busy.

But not too busy to crash that idol lesson!]

I'm not sure I remember her name. Let me check.

[He definitely remembers her name.]

Looks like her user ID is lilmonix3, if that's familiar.

And I guess that's fair. I just figure we should all put in the effort. Most people here don't seem to be familiar with idols, which has its pluses, but it doesn't hurt to spread more love for them. Perhaps we can even preview our shuffle unit!

[ Leo has only memorized Rinne, Hiyo, and Nami's usernames...so he has to look it up. The pictures on the profile clear it up some, though. ]

oh, nika? sure, we've met once! didn't know she was interested in being an idol, though!

i'd definitely like to try the songs out together in person. it's kind of annoying as hell rinne ditched before we could try them out! ♪

You know her already? Excellent!

[Maybe if they strike up a friendship, he can use Leo to distract her the next time she threatens to bother him or Jun-kun. Wouldn't that be convenient?]

I know just what you mean. His timing is the absolute worst, which is another thing we'll have to scold him for when he gets back!

But anyway, I'll check with Jun-kun about when this lesson is supposed to take place. Then we can show her what being an idol is all about ✨😊✨ I'm sure she'll be very impressed by your compositions, too!

[ Leave him out of your machiavellian plots, Eichi - ]

his account is still active, so he's definitely still here, right...? i mean, i think some people have gone home and their accounts on the network disappear, too? so he's definitely still here...but why's he ignoring us? i know this is something like a taste of my own medicine and all, but i hate that! i shouldn't have to get karmic doses of bitter stuff! i like it better when i get away with things freely, you know?

anyway yeah i met her in the library last month! actually, i guess i have some stuff she'll be able to use already. ♪

Does anyone know for a fact that people have gone home, or are you all just assuming things?

[Sorry, Leo. He doesn't buy the whole "just complete your deck and we'll let you skip on home!" thing. Some of the people replying to his network post don't seem to believe it either, including a detective who's been investigating the place!]

Someone else asked about his account. When I said it was still listed, he said that's probably a sign that he's still here. He then started to say something about "time fluctuations." I don't really get it, but apparently people can get lost in the halls for weeks at a time, without it feeling like weeks to them. They think they've been gone for a few hours, but they've really been gone a month, or something like that. Another person described it as falling into a void.

So, I guess that means we can rest easy. Or easier, anyway. Though honestly, that sounds like one more thing to be wary of. I wouldn't want to fall into a void *or* disappear for a month. That sounds boring at best and horribly lonely at worst, so you be careful, too, alright?

[If he was gone for a month, who would look after Jun and "helpfully" keep all the people who want to sleep with him at bay??

You know, like he's doing right now, with help from Leo-kun. Thanks a bunch, Leo-kun!]

Great! I'm sure she'll be thrilled. As I thought, three heads are better than one 😊😊😊

i know someone who had a friend who went away, but i forget their name...but anyway, that's still second hand info i guess. and there's no confirmation where people go, but i think if we sit around thinking about if rinne is dying or something...well, i don't wanna.

the time fluctuations thing sounds like some kinda convenient way to write someone out of a storyline! this place is really a manga! but anyway, i dunno how to avoid that. i'll at least try to answer texts when i remember~

i kinda feel like we're a bad selection of teachers though! i mean, i left raising suo to the others for a reason! sena and rittsu and naru are all way better with juniors than i am.

Went away from the registry too, you mean? You wouldn't happen to know whether that person completed their "deck" or not, would you?

I never said he was dying. A few people told me not to worry. And I wouldn't assume they kill people here. But as far as completing one's deck goes, there are other possibilities besides dying and going home. Before he disappeared, Rinne-senpai told me that J used to be a player here. But he never left the resort, and he grew old here, supposedly. My concern is mainly that they won't let us leave.

Though I do wonder if something else could happen. Like falling into a void you can't get out of. Or getting lost indefinitely, never to find your way back again.

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

[Nnnnope! Speculation won't do any good, time to snap out of it!]

But as you said, we don't have answers yet! So! First let's wait and see if Rinne-senpai turns up within a month, as people said he should! And then I'll work on investigating what happens to people when they "leave," or whether the House can really grant wishes or not!

I don't want to investigate around the clock, though, since that sounds tiresome. And even someone as talented as me ought to keep practicing, just to make sure none of my skills start to gather rust. So, I'm sure giving someone lessons should be just the thing I need to keep in tip top shape! 😊 And just the thing *you* need as well! It'll be useful for me, useful for you, useful for Jun-kun, and useful for Nika-chan, or whatever her name is! Everyone wins! 🥳🎉🎉🎉

unless they slept with 52 people in a month i don't think they did.

[ He just answers that part first before...

...

..........

.............. ]

i think it's just nika?

[ He can't fucking remember anyone's names. What does Hiyori expect from him...it's a miracle he even remembers his castmate's names. ]

If that is what they did, they could be recovering from a disease. 52 is a lot of people, and since everyone seems to be sleeping with just about everyone here, there are bound to be outbreaks left and right. I assume everyone's already thought to check the infirmary, though.

[And it wouldn't explain why their name is no longer in the registry... ugh, great, one more thing to worry himself sick over! Fabulous!]

Yep, sounds about right! And if it's not right, perhaps she'll see it as a cute nickname! 😊

[He didn't forget Monika's name. He "forgot" it. Just like he "forgot" Tori's and Chiaki's names back during ! when Akira wrote him as more of a turbobitch.]

i've only been to the infirmary once so far when i got sprayed by weird sex pollen plants

i guess to be fair i did steal from it first

but it was still rude!!!!

anyway just come get me whenever you wanna do the practice thing because i may not check my bracelet

You suffered through that, did you? You poor thing.

Though what was the infirmary trip for? Do they have a cure for the food and plant effects there?

Will do! ✨👍✨

[...]

By the way, are you close with that girl at all? She's saying some fond things about you on the Network, so I was just curious.

well, they did for the plant effects that time. i haven't tried it every single time i've had anything happen, but you may as well check next time you get hit with something? that was like my first day here and i didn't know anyone well enough then to get some help. i mean i guess i could have asked rinne but i didn't

who, nika? we met that one time and she recited a poem for me and then i wrote music to it and sent it to her a bit ago. when i hear lyrics or words i like i can't help but wanna put them to a melody ♪

I try not to get hit with stuff like that in the first place! But it must have been hard to know which precautions to take during your first day here. I'm thankful Rinne-senpai warned me about that stuff, I suppose. Almost makes up for all the worrying he's made me do, but not quite!

[Now that sounds like an innocent interaction. A few more like that and she ought to become infatuated, though, shouldn't she? Given that Monika-chan is so desperate for love that she'll throw herself at strangers in bathroom stalls, he imagines it shouldn't take much for her to "fall in love" with Leo. Which isn't a fate he wishes on Leo, but is preferable to her "falling in love" with Jun, so in other words, he supports this!]

That must have made her happy, since she seems to love attention. And the extra practice should be good for our shuffle unit, so that's what I call a win-win! It means she'll have something to sing at practice, too. Wonderful! 🥳✨

[ Unfortunately for Hiyori, seems like Monika can multi-task? ]

she said she liked it! but yeah that's what i meant when i said i had something she could use. the rest of it i can easily rearrange as well - it's not like arrangements are all that hard.

[Will Jun really want Leo's sloppy seconds? He sure wouldn't!]

Great! Sounds like we'll all continue to get along 🥰

You know Robin-kun, too, don't you? I found his profile while I was looking for yours. Although he's not from ES, he's also an idol! That's the first I've met apart from us. I said he could join us for practice too sometime, though we haven't made a date yet.

do i? i dunno! the name sounds a bit familiar. i'm fine with any of your friends joining, though~?

Ah, that's right. You struggle with names, don't you? In that case, I'll just assign all the blame for not telling me to Rinne-senpai!

But that's good to know. He seemed eager to watch and learn from us, so I'll let him know he can drop by. Then it'll be five people in one of those rooms! That should give whoever's manning the front desk something to talk about, shouldn't it?

probably~? i've seen orgies with way more people though. that's how i got clothes when i first arrived actually!

[ He...stole them from people having an orgy.

It's fine. ]

[Everyone needs a little excitement in their lives. Even sad, lonely, brainwashed love hotel receptionists. But before he can make some pithy comment along those lines—]

You've seen them?

[So much for this just being a fantasy hypothetical for some desk clerk to titter over!]

How did that lead to you getting clothes? You're not saying you participated in exchange for them, did you?

when i got here i arrived naked in the woods? and when i finally got out there was this huge orgy going on. so i just took some of the clothes off the ground. if you ditch your stuff on the ground it's fair game!

THAT'S how you arrived?

[Goodness! And here he thought waking up in that wedding suite was rough. Sure, his so-called "wife" shoved quiche into his mouth, and he was worried she'd stab him with a butterknife at one point, but at least he had clothes to choose from once he made his way into the lounge. He pilfered a whole rack's worth! Leo-kun, on the other hand...]

You got a horrible deal. I couldn't have stomached being in your shoes. What you did made sense, I suppose. Though it's a good thing you didn't get a staph infection. Or a parasite!

[He just sort of assumes the kind of people who participate in public orgies have a disease or two. Or three.]

Now I feel really sorry! If you ever need to borrow clothes you're more than welcome to ask me, alright? They might not fit properly, but overly-long sleeves on a small person can actually increase their cuteness! 💕

rinne arrived that way too! i guess it changes up every time. anyway i do have money to get more clothes but it feels kind of boring to go shopping alone so i haven't gotten much. normally sena takes me these days??

Well, I'd be happy to take you in his place. Shopping is pretty much my #1 hobby, so I'm sure I could find something that looks good on you. And a whole bunch of things that look good on me, too, but that goes without saying!

[Getting through the maze is hard, but it's a puzzle that Akira enjoys. Usually the games here are taxing in a very different kind of way, so it's nice to be able to do something that... almost feels normal. What he doesn't expect at the heart of it, however, is the sprawling lawn of flowers.

He doesn't kneel, but Akira does stand by the edge of it to take it all in. It looks like somebody else is kneeling pretty close by to him, though-

Ah. His neck heats, but not enough to be visibly red just yet. That's his not!husband, isn't it? Tsukinaga... No, he's supposed to call him Leo. He hasn't seen him in a while, but it's nice to see him well.

As if cosmically timed, the moment that thought crosses Akira's mind is the moment that Leo suddenly slumps over like he's about to fall.]

Hey-! [He's moving without even thinking about it and catching him, but something feels... off. It's like Leo is putting all of his weight onto Akira.] Are you okay?

[ What excellent timing, protagonist. Leo is slumping over. By the time he's caught he's about to crumple entirely. His expression is bleary, confused, and then - ]

Mm...? [ His eyes shut all at once.

Sleeping beauty snores a little. ]

[!?]

Wait- Leo-!

[Now he's snoring a bit on top of it??? None of this is good.

He quickly casts his eyes about, tries to figure out what's causing this. Akira feels like he can safely assume that one of the flowers near Leo was the cause, but fixing it is another situation entirely. There's nothing else here, though...

There's a staff member in the area, though, on the other side of the lawn. In case it rouses him at all, Akira tries to shake him awake as he calls out to the man some distance away.]

[ Leo doesn't wake up with the shaking but he does murmur and snuggle closer so that's...helpful?

(It is not helpful) ]

[Akira covers his face with his free hand, because this guy is seriously a cat...

It takes a moment for the staff member to notice him calling - whether that's from the distance or Akira being purposely ignored as a low-rank, that's harder to say - but eventually he's answered. The gardener is pleasant enough as he smiles and explains that no, the boy is fine, he's "simply blessed enough to have fallen into the rose thorn slumber! One kiss will do the trick whenever you feel like waking him up," and heads to the other side again to get back to work.

Or at least, Akira thinks he heads back and gets to work. He wasn't really paying attention to anything but the heat on his neck and his newfound knowledge.

It shouldn't be a big deal. It isn't. Akira's had to do a lot more to get by here, so a kiss should barely be a blip on the radar.

...So why does he hesitate, face hovering for just a moment?

He can't do that. Leo needs him, the gardener didn't say if he'd be stuck like this if he wasn't kissed. Akira doesn't want to risk that, so he shuts his eyes and leans down and-

It's always softer than he thinks it'll be. Kissing someone.]

[ Leo's a lot less hesitant about some things than other people are here. He doesn't mind the kissing or the sex or physical closeness. He should, as an idol. Sena and the others would scold him so badly...but he just isn't as hesitant as he should be.

He's always gotten attached easily, even if the details of the world get mixed up sometimes.

So when consciousness shifts back in, Leo kisses back. ]

[Akira jerks like it's a surprise, eyes flying open - but his lips keep moving.

He doesn't know why it's a surprise. It shouldn't be, because Leo has been ready to dive right in since the day that they met, so it makes sense that it wouldn't change now. He has no reason for hesitation.

Akira's eyes slide closed again. Maybe he shouldn't, either.

He's gone farther here, done so much more that this. He's used his body like a commodity, so using it to help someone shouldn't be a problem. If anything, it should be the natural conclusion for Akira, who does so much for others' sakes.

It's the marriage, he thinks between thoughts of pressure and warmth and somehow this is a lot. It was fake, a joke gone too far to save Akira's skin, but it's a layer that pulls him up short the way getting someone off doesn't.

It bears the threat of a connection that has emotion, and the only reason that doesn't qualify as scarier is because Akira can't afford to be afraid.]

[ Connections come easy to Leo. Or hard. It's difficult to say which is more true. After all, he's definitely the sort of guy who falls in love easily, cares easily - but he can obfuscate the truth about himself a lot. He doesn't always share every aspect of himself...perhaps he doesn't need to, perhaps he shouldn't, but the truth is not a lot of people look at him and see him clearly.

They see the surface. They never look to the depths.

He kisses back softly, only registering who it is a little ways in. Right, this guy - his husband, right? Father of his only child. ]

[Being kissed back softly only makes it harder. He's immediately tugged in two directions, the desire to simply stay and the desire to flee as quickly as possible.

Against both his better judgment and the urge to flee, Akira... lingers. Slows the kiss down, draws it out. Soft. It's too soft for the things he's gotten up to lately, but maybe that's why part of him wants it.

It takes herculean effort, but he finally drags his mouth away. He opens his eyes to take stock of the other boy.]

Leo... [His voice is almost always quiet, but now it's even more so, hardly above a whisper. For a moment, just a second, Akira thinks something else might slip out, but instead it's-] Are you alright now?

[Could he have just messaged them all on the Isekai Shuffle that suddenly exists now? Wow, it's been a month, guys. Nah, that might be a virus.

So instead, he hits them up individually.]

Great Tit at 2pm. Don't be late.

[If Leo gets lost then... Well, he'll just have to make Jun or Hiyori come. Or all three. It depends. Look at how serious he is with all his spelled out words instead of the nonsense he likes to type.]

[ Checks this belatedly once he's already there, whoops. ]

Hey. If you aren't doing anything on the 14th, can I book you for the evening?

I'd like to invite you to watch a performance of mine. I haven't performed publicly in some time, and I feel like it'd be nice to put on a little show.

What do you say?

sure! i'd be happy to come watch it. did you want me to play music to accompany it or what?

Thanks, I'm happy to hear it.

I was thinking I'd play the piano too, but if you wanted to play something? I wouldn't be against it. I think that might be fun.

i mean, i'd at least like to write you a song sometime~! you have such a pretty voice just speaking, i want to hear it singing for sure.

Given the limited amount of time we have before my birthday, I think it'd be best to have that another time.

I definitely wouldn't mind, though. That sounds like fun.

i get that~! i mean, for my birthday i just told nami to make me a cake and he did~

[ ...The day before it happened. Because Leo's great at plans like that. ]

maybe he can make you one too!

[ ??? Don't just volunteer that. ]

What? I'm not going to do that!

I don't even know who this Nami is.

[ Well, she knows the orange haired Nami, at least. ]

[Jun has probably been in charge of feeding Leo like the class pet, but Rinne does still check up on him from time to time to make sure he's actually getting laid. You know, the important stuff in a sex casino that turns you hard the unfun way if you don't get hard the fun way. He had to at least make sure these guys weren't going to die on him, or worse, but he doesn't want to think of both options so... yeah.

He doesn't find him in his room, not in the dining areas, and none in the less shady parts of the casino. He was considering checking for him in House Finch just in case he had gotten sick of Rinne not inviting them to dirty dance on the stage with him or something (not that he does, but still) when his foot hits something solid and knocks him off-balance.

He falls like a tree, yelping in surprise, the culprit warm and squishy under him. Sorry, Leo. You were in the way.]

[ That's what Leo gets for being a walking hazard. It's not like this is totally uncommon or anything - he unfortunately just drops to the floor to doodle whenever the mood strikes him and no on has bothered to stop him doing it yet here like Sena or Suou might back home. ]

Ah, no, the notes smudged - !

[ Way more important than Rinne falling I guess? And being squashed. ]

The hell, man? No concern for me? Yer gonna make Rinne-kyun cry.

[Wow, Leo, wow. He's just... lying down there on the ground, staring at him. Yeesh, this kid.]

Just what are you doing here?

[ Isn’t he tragically the second oldest Enstars character in game? That feels like it should be illegal. As should Leo being the oldest member in Knights. He brandishes a marker at Rinne. ]

I was working! Isn’t Hiyo’s birthday sometime soon?

[Everyone acts like a year is like a decade for ages, it's fine. Not Rinne though, you're all just teenagers to him.]

So yer doin' it on the ground?

[He'll roll around so he's at least on his back rather than his front, but that also means he's keeping his legs on Leo's back and pinning him.]

Ya don't plan on making it a surprise?

It usually gets cleaned up pretty fast. Anyway, I’m gonna transfer it but I didn’t wanna lose my train of thought.

[ Does he know or care who cleans up after him? Nope. He didn’t know or care back home either, although he does cap his marker. ]

I get the feeling if I bought him anything from a shop he’d hate it.

Yeah probably.

[But that's a relief, at least Leo's around.]

Speakin' of, were you done with that?

[Did he ruin the song now?]

Nah, but I lost my train of thought anyway. I can just take a picture of it and pick up again later though.

[ why doesn’t he just write it on his network device to start with ]

What are you getting Hiyo~?

Kyaha~ It ain't a surprise if I go ahead and tell ya, is it?

[Okay, getting off him now. Also, as soon as he's on his feet, he'll haul Leo up with him, throwing him over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes.]

Let's go play, Lion-chan~ Yer not busy anymore, right?

[ He is gonna snap a picture of the ground while being held like a potato no big deal - ]

Nope~! I don’t have any kind of schedule at all!

Aight, aight. When's the last time ya got laid?

[Important question, because Rinne's been preoccupied trying not to die if arousal from being punished all May, so he actually has no clue if Leo got any during that time.

What a thing to worry about. Past Rinne would throttle current Rinne for treating sex like this.]

No clue! [ Rinne when does Leo ever remember anything useful and not musically related?? He is the worst at things - but he doesn’t seem to be turning to stone, so. ]

I think it was probably within the limit?

[Oh boy.]

Well, her limbs are still limber, but that ain't really comforting, Lion-kun~ Aight, let's play, then play after.

[Clearly, two different words right there.]

Let's do it in yer room. Ya got a nicer bed.

Wait wait wait, what's the second play mean? I know the dirty one but what's the other one??

[ He has no further objections. ]

We'll figure it out if ya still feel energetic later.

[Probably music though, or training, because what else were they gonna do? He'll think of something.

Off to the elevators they go.]

Hey, Lion-kun, ya notice anything different lately with yer friends?

[... Leo does have friends here, right?]

Different like what? People tend to get weird at least once a month...I think?

[ He's time blind and also pretty accepting of people being weird so this is a difficult question for him. Rinne could act any way he liked and Leo would be okay with it. ]

Different, as in they ain't shown up around ya for a while.

[Right, best not to be subtle with Leo, he forgot.]

Maybe a little rocky.

✨⭐️✨⭐️~Hello!~⭐️✨⭐️✨ It's me again! ✨😊✨

This is just a reminder that you're scheduled to judge the 🪄✨✨MAGIC SHOWCASE✨✨🪄 this weekend. Please report to the gym at noon on Saturday for judging! We've got a lineup of thrilling magic acts scheduled, and we'll be relying on you to help decide who deserves that first-place trophy.

Also, you said you'd play a bit of piano, so I'll be relying on you to do that too! Please make sure to have one piece in mind that's appropriate for a scene of flower petals dancing on the wind. And then be sure to have another piece in mind for a scene where a giant dragon flies through the sky!

heeeey, tsukinaga-senpai! where the hell have ya been? you're not locking yourself up again, right~?

[ And living off of coffee. Again. ]

i never lock my door! i think they do it automatically

anyway good timing! come sing what i just wrote

well, yeah! cuz anyone's gonna waltz right in if you keep it open???

and sure, why not? i'm on my way! you're always working hard, tsukinaga-senpai. it's pretty admirable!

[ It'll only take him a couple of minutes, but soon there'll be a knock or two at Leo's door. ]

i would rather people just come right in though!

[ Because otherwise he has to go and open the door. Which he does! And Jun sees...disaster. Leo's place is a whirlwind of paper today. When did he last tidy up all his work... ]

Hey, Nami!

[ Hmm, Jun still worries about Leo wanting to keep his door open. But it's not likely to attract a lot of weirdos, is it? He wishes Leo were more mindful of that, but he's not really a nagger, it's just a privacy problem!

Maybe the mess of papers scattered across the floors might be a deterrent, so Jun hopes. ]

Hey, Tsukinaga-senpai! Before I ask, I gotta know when didja last clean up those papers?

[ Jun does admire Leo's worth ethic, still being able to compose through the whirlwind of sheets. ]

Uhhh - [ Leo seems to realize his room is a mess in that moment, confused and sort of startled. Normally Natsume or Sena would be really annoying before it got this bad, depending on if he was in Japan or Florence.

Here, though... ]

A month ago, maybe?

[ A month? No wonder it's a mess, not enough where one person can't get around, thankfully, but messy enough. ]

Here, how 'bout I help ya clean up! And then as some sorta reward, I'll sing your song ~ ♪

[ A reward for who??? ]

Or could sing first, clean later ♪

Sing first, sing first!

[ Jun is too used to taking care of difficult people. Though Leo...is somewhat agreeable...? He's just insane, it happens. Enstar problems. ]

I shoulda guessed you'd want singing.

[ Cleaning up is the boring part, anyway! And he hardly resents taking care of difficult people. It's certainly made his life much more interesting. But he feels for Sena, knowing it's a full-time job. ]

Well, show me what ya wrote and I'll do my best ♪

Well~! You know, statue stuff has happened a lot, so it kind of inspired me! You know that story about a statue carved and unfinished a long time ago, and when you finish it, he comes to life? That's what this is about!

[ The title of the song sucks. Jun will see that when Leo thrusts sheet music at him. ]

Guess it does, 'specially lately. But I dunno what ya talking 'bout, Tsukinaga-senpai... I don't read a lotta books, so I'm a 'lil confused! Glad it's seriously inspiring you, though ♪ Never a dull moment, huh~?

[ He's not well educated, but it's fine! Besides, wouldn't it be rude if he says something about the song title? Probably doesn't help Jun kinda thinks Leo's song titles are pretty cool as if they're in a manga or anime. ]

[ Don't tell anyone else you like Leo's song titles, Jun, they will only judge you - ! ]

Well, ya don't have to read all that much~? I don't read as much as Suou or anything, but I guess I like to sometimes! Well, I haven't read much here though...is there even a library?

[ Leo, who hasn't learned where anything is and doesn't intend to do so ever. ]

[ People are gonna judge him anyway, it's fine!! ]

Really? Yeah, Nagi-senpai's sorta the same.. he gave me a thousand-page book to read a couple of months back, uh, before this mess. But what sorta books d'ya like readin'? Maybe that'll help! And yep~! Think it's called Swan-something?

[ If only there were proper manga to read here. ]

Dunno 'bout what's going on there, 'cause books were bein' flung straight at my head!

Leo-kun, Leo-kun!

I have 2 questions!

1. Are you getting enough to eat? I know the size of your room got cut down. If you need food, you should come up to Jun-kun's suite! Or we can meet in a cafe somewhere. ~Whichever~!

2. I was going to type a second question, but it's somewhat sensitive. Basically, it's about Rinne-senpai and that 52 game. Are you alright with me asking?

here has a bigger place now? i don't mind coming up but where's it even at? is there a piano?

[ that answers nothing about his eating. ]

since when have you cared if a question is sensitive, hiyo? just say whatever like normal

Up on the [insert number here, idk where the J suites are located] floor!

Nope, no piano! The room was customized to Jun-kun's liking, and Jun-kun doesn't play it! You could always visit Weiss-chan, though. She has one in her suite. Or at least she used to before everything got mixed up!

And you know I don't like talking about this stuff. But fine.

How are you doing now that Rinne-senpai's been gone a month? I never directly asked, but I got the impression he was the one taking care of you, so you wouldn't turn to stone. Have you been with anyone else since he left?

i will come up if i don't get lost!!!

anyway i know you don't but i can't guess accurately over text!

magi was the one who checked on me the most but a lot of people seem to think they ought to
usually right after the first time we met
though i guess i have been skipping more meals lately than not?

wait

you don't mean groceries
right yeah he did a lot
anyway i haven't in a while i guess
i was busy and people i know to ask keep leaving which is a pain
i know you and nami but aren't you guys a solo duet

Right after meeting you, huh. That must mean you're the type that everyone wants to take care of. Like Mary! It's that "lost puppy" vibe!

But that sounds like a problem. And it's sort of sad if you have to rely on the kindness of strangers, instead of the people from your own world. So from now on, me and Jun-kun will work together to make sure you eat enough!

[Which he should've already been doing. He's just been sort of preoccupied with other stuff. Locating Rinne's statue, breaking the news to Rinne's friends and fiance(e)s, breaking into the storage rooms and getting Rinne's stuff back... and telling people to look after Jun if he ever disappears. But Jun's not the only one who needs looking after. Right?

And food, unfortunately, isn't the only thing needed to keep someone alive in this place.]

Now that sounds like a classy way of putting it. Good job, 10 points! ⭐

You're not wrong. "Solo duet" sounds about right. But that still leaves some options. I could set you up with someone!

[...]

Or me and Jun-kun could try another fix. For your suit, that is. I'm just not completely sure it'll work.

i love nami's cooking so i won't turn down more of it! he's good enough to be in the niki's kitchen circle so why isn't he anyway

and if you wanna set me up with someone that's fine
i feel like you've done that before
but what do you mean about another fix?

I'm not too sure! But he said he didn't know which circles to choose because he doesn't have that many hobbies. I guess he just went with whatever sounded fun.

Then it might also be that he saw cooking as something I ask him to do, rather than a hobby. He did make a nice fried rice for that community meal, though, so I think he likes cooking well enough. Topaz-chan and the others seemed suitably impressed.

I don't know what you mean about doing it before! But as for that last question, well...

[...]

Have you heard of any loopholes? To collecting cards, that is. There's one I've heard about, but I want to see if you already know first!

[Aka he wants to see if he actually has to say it, or if he can spare himself the embarrassment.]

?????????

[ He has Not. Leo has no idea where this is going. ]

Right, you don't know these things! Fine, here goes!

I heard from someone - or actually, I heard from two someones. Or was it three someones?

Anyway, the point is

[...]

I heard it's possible to collect someone's card just from watching them. Or having them watch you, rather.

So, Jun-kun and I have been working up the nerve to start collecting cards that way!

[For the past... four-plus months.]

But I don't know if that'll take care of your suit, or keep you from turning to stone. I just heard it's supposed to help with card collection. So maybe it is safest to set you up with someone.

oh, so you guys haven't been able to ask anyone else for that yet? you want a test case?

it's not like i mind helping out, i love both of you so whatever is fine ☆

i also always like to meet new people if they're interesting and not boring. or if they have pretty voices!

[It was that easy, huh...?]

It's not that there hasn't been anyone else we can ask. It was more like, well...

Jun-kun seemed sort of reluctant at first. And I wasn't quite sure how to go about it, either.

But I talked to someone else recently, and they made me realize some things. For one thing, I couldn't do it as "myself." I needed a new persona, one that's separate from "Hiyori Tomoe the idol" and "Hiyori Tomoe the human being." So I invented a new character, and that's who you'd be seeing!

*If* Jun-kun agrees. I'll ask him later.

But I do know plenty of people, so I'm sure I could help you meet someone new! If you want, I can start listing names, and we can see if you already know them. Though I'm not sure I've heard many good singers apart from Weiss-chan.

[ Leo has always been easygoing about far too much, only being stubborn and an issue at certain times on things that are more difficult or personal to him...which Knights events trip into. Still, he at least tries to give this serious thought. ]

i don't mind trying, but i can't promise if it'll work or anything, even if it has for other people! if you just need a neutral observer and i don't have to get off to it, it should be fine. if i do, i don't know if i would or wouldn't be able to do it like that. i like seeing new sides of people but i just don't get anything out of it if i don't feel a connection. if you need a whole new persona to do it, doesn't that kind of mean you're trying to avoid having any kind of connection to anyone but nami during?

i think that'll work for plenty of people, but i wouldn't be able to divorce who i am and who the two of you are! i could play pretend i could but i don't think that's the sort of thing i should lie to you about, because in the end, that would be more likely to hurt you than me.

names though...that won't help much! i know weiss but everyone else i just kind of call by whatever i remember. if you wanna introduce me to anyone you think i'd like, send them my way or send me theirs for a message! a nice voice doesn't always have to be for singing! although if they're an alien i don't want the boring human kind!

Edited 2024-12-16 01:46 (UTC)

It doesn't have to mean that.

[Or is that what it means? He and Jun had that whole conversation about how there were parts of themselves they wanted to keep private. Sides of each other they didn't want anyone else to see. But.]

I don't know how it is in your unit, but in CosPro, we're encouraged to develop our own stage personas. That's why some CosPro idols take stage names, like HiMERU from Crazy:B. And it's why Nagisa-kun has the personality of a "dominant ruler" onstage. I had a hard time accepting that persona at first, since it seemed like a far cry from the sweet boy I used to know. But that personality is part of Nagisa-kun now. He invokes it even when he's off the stage, and it's become another side of him.

It's a similar deal with my idol persona. It's sort of like I gathered up all the brightest parts of myself and polished them to make them look more dazzling. That's what the idol called Hiyori Tomoe is. But it's still me!

That version of me doesn't belong here, though. So I made up another one, who's better suited to live in this place. Humans need to adapt to their environment in order to survive, so that's what I'm trying to do. And I thought maybe I could use that character to do things Hiyori Tomoe the noble and Hiyori Tomoe the idol wouldn't do.

This is getting overly long, though, so I'll stop right there!

Anyway, I have no idea if you have to [urgh] please yourself in order for it to count, since we still haven't tried it yet! And I still have no idea whether it'll help with your suit. But I guess whatever you feel inspired to do is fine, since you're all about ~*inspiration*~!

Or just don't watch, since you don't seem all that interested! Either way!

I just don't want you turning to stone on my watch. Since that already happened to Rinne-senpai. And I'm sure it's not what he'd want, either.

I've been sort of distracted ever since that happened. So distracted I forgot you can't remember names to save your life. So, fine. The next time I talk to someone, I'll see about sending them your way, and then you can talk to them and see how things go from there. How does that sound?

in knights it's not quite like that. there's not specific personas we have to take on, although of course i stick to themes for our songs and we do play up being knights - but i'm always me and sena is sena and naru is naru and rittsu is rittsu and suo is suo. the times i'm someone else have always been

well, you saw that version of me. when knights needed me to be someone who could kill, i did my best. there's always gonna be people i'd carve up my heart and soul and body for. knights will always be top among that number. it isn't like i suddenly mind the thought of it or anything - if dying for someone i love keeps them happy and alive, i just can't bring myself to mind it.

so it isn't like i'm not interested, but hey, hiyo. you know that they're not here, right?

the time in which i haven't heard my favorite voices is only ever increasing. i don't have to worry about forgetting them because that isn't something i can do even if i try. i think magi kinda got it since we were in the same boat with different colors.

i don't have knights or magi who didn't have the bees. what's here with me is eve, and while it's not like we're crazy close even though there's definitely certain things we know about one another other people don't, the only voices i can say i know inside and out are yours. i've written songs that everyone at es uses, and i've arranged them for different units and voices, y'know. the way everyone sounds when they sing, their ranges, the types of things that suit them best musically - i've learned all of that even if i don't really keep people's names in mind that much. there's a lot of us but i've memorized the stuff that matters most even when the stuff that matters to other people is kind of a pain to juggle with all the rest.

i don't think magi got this part. i don't think knights got it either, or anyone else back home or here.

but since you're one of two voices i know and love, and since eve isn't knights and didn't sign up for it, i'm kind of trying to warn you here! i can keep my love from crushing people i love from a big enough distance, y'know, like most of es. but the people who get closer i've been known to break!

i'm terrible at checking in and i get lost in my thoughts a lot and i don't really know a lot of what's going on here or at home ever, but if something happened and i couldn't just text one of you if i felt like it or wanted to, wouldn't that pretty much be the worst? even asking for something with a loophole, i don't wanna strangle you with that loophole, hiyo. if you and nami seriously ask me it's not like i'll say no, but you'd better both figure out if you'd die or not from the weight of that inspiration.

this would be WAY easier if any of you actually spoke my first language

& yeah the last part is fine!!

[Ah.]

Sorry. I keep forgetting how lonely you must be.

[All alone, without any of his precious people from home. And it's coming up on a year now for him, isn't it?]

I got my phone from back recently. The same one I had at home. A staff member said they found it in the basement. It had all my old text conversations and all my old pictures, so it was my first time seeing Nagisa-kun, Mary, Ibara, and so many others in months. But I know none of them are really here. I don't know when I'll see them again.

I know it shouldn't matter what they'd think, or what my fans would think. Rinne-senpai kept trying to tell me that, and so have other people. So, I thought that by adopting a new persona, I could finally stop worrying about what they'd think and follow the advice they've been giving me.

I guess it's kind of like armor. I was like that at home, too, you know. "My frivolous facade is my strategy, and my smile is my weapon." <--- That's something I told Jun-kun once.

Anyway, I'm trying to understand all that stuff you wrote, but I'm getting mixed signals! Basically, it sounds like you're warning us not to get too close, right? But you're not interested in seeing me act out a character, because that feels like it's too distant - is that it? You want to be close, but you also think it's a bad idea?

[ There's a pause as Leo tries to figure out how to put it before deciding he isn't cut out for trying to be delicate anyway. ]

the easiest way to explain it would involve me saying what would probably be the most effective way this would even work. if you want me to lay it out for you, i will, but i'm also gonna give you one chance to back off cause this is probably going to be embarrassing for both of us.

i'm not saying back off, but i'm saying if you want the honest truth i'll drop being frivolous on my part for like five minutes so you understand exactly what you're asking for ☆

which you can then discuss with nami or whatever or pretend i never said. i don't care if you share our conversations with him ever by the way

["Effective." What does that mean? The most effective way for what to work? What is he even talking a...bout...]

Are you talking about what makes you excited? Like what kind of fanservice you like?

[There's a word the commoners use. That word is "turn-ons!"]

i can't explain the rest of what i mean without being pretty explicit about what i like and what i'm like, as a composer and a human being. that's the kind of thing you don't like talking about too much, right?

if you say to spill i will. but i'm making you asking a condition of saying all that so you have the option of not hearing it.

[Give him a second... to think about this...]

I guess if Jun-kun and I really are going to go through with this, we'll need to get used to hearing that stuff.

Just don't use too many rude words, okay? We haven't tried it with anyone yet, but I planned to establish some rules up front with our audience. Things like "You can cheer us on, but don't say anything rude! And try to avoid using words that would get bleeped out on television!"

going back to what you asked: "You want to be close, but you also think it's a bad idea?"

if me getting off is a requirement, it won't work unless there's a connection that has enough weight for me. so it's already not gonna work if it's just watching something passively without something, you know? i want to maintain being able to rely on you guys if i absolutely need to for whatever - the things we usually talk about or do. that kind of thing could be ruined pretty easily when adding a new dimension, especially if it's not something you really truly actually want.

you told me something you told nami about you. lemme tell you something sena said about me, during our worst fight ever.

he asked me back then if i was just feeding off of him to sustain my composing. he said he wasn't my slave and wasn't my food, that i was an idiot composer who was using him and couldn't even treat him as human.

he wasn't totally right, but he also wasn't totally wrong.

if sena were here, i'd have already lost my mind. for all the things i've heard sena say and all the situations in which i've heard him, there's a lot more i don't know, aren't there? all the things that are commonplace here, i don't know how he'd sound. i really don't like that! i hate it! i wanna know what he sounds like in every scenario! i would want to hear it first before anyone else!! it's better he's not here, because i'd just crush him with the weight of that love all over again.

but you and nami would be putting yourselves in danger of it if you did anything with me watching or listening, you know?

i wouldn't fall in love with you the way i am with knights. you're different entities. it's not like i feel all that possessive over the two of you or that i think i ever would.

but we've talked about it before, haven't we? music, and inspiration, and sex, and love. there's millions of songs about it! probably billions! songs i couldn't write before that i can now. songs i wanna write, because i always wanna write all of it - the only songs i don't wanna sing are the ones like back during the war where all we did was crush the dreams of other people.

i wouldn't fall in love, though i love you both, but i'd be weird about it. i never thought about it because nami and hiyo are nami and hiyo, but it would be dangerous for you. as a composer, as tsukinaga leo, i want to hear it. i'd want to hear the honest melody that is what exists between the two of you, and i'd want to set it to the score i'd hear.

it's not something i'd be able to help or keep myself separate from. hearing your voices in new ways, different ways - i don't know if YOU could handle ME in that scenario. it's not like i'd shut up or not say anything going through my head, you know?

as a composer, as me, pretty much the first thing i thought when you explained your loophole was that i wanted to compose something and hear it, in that context, and i'm pretty sure you'd hate that.

i can't separate myself from music or anything i feel or wanna do from it! that's the language i think and feel in. but from what i get off of you, i feel like hiyo wants to keep that shining stage safe and separate from all of this.

even with all that aside, i don't think i would be an ideal audience for what you're thinking of now. because i'd wanna compose and involve myself, and even if it was all platonic, wouldn't that be a little too much for you? even if i never touched, i wouldn't be able to be anything other than myself. you'd be opening yourself up to that side of me, and i can't mitigate it.

Edited 2024-12-16 05:09 (UTC)

[And now he needs another second, to consider all... that.]

So, if you watched us together, you'd want to compose a song about us?

[...]

That doesn't sound so bad. It might be embarrassing, but this whole thing is embarrassing. And we've done even sappier things here than have people write songs about us.

[Like getting fake-married during the Hearts game, for example. Cough.]

I don't think any of us have kept things completely separate. We've all performed as idols here, we've all been using our real names. Rinne-senpai even performed at that House Finch place, while the audience members stuck their hands down their pants. That's what he told me.

And well, you might not like hearing this, but that character I came up with would actually *love* to hear your song about him and Jun-kun.

[ He honestly expected a worse reaction to his weird audio-based kinks because ofc Leo has found a way to make Everything about music. ]

i'd wanna compose something and i'd want you guys to perform things i wrote.

i wanna hear pieces i wrote in every context!!

you two are actually the only two people here who could do that for me, y'know.

and you'd have to talk to me.
honestly "watching" matters way less to me than "listening".

if i watched something happen with no audio what would even be the point??

[It's a fair worry, since Hiyori is not above kinkshaming! He even got attacked recently for kinkshaming someone (sort of). He told Aak he doesn't sleep with animals and that it'd make him want to hurl, and one of Aak's friends attacked him with magic in retaliation!

But he isn't thinking about this as a "kink." For Leo-kun, composing music is like breathing, right? Without air and music, he can't live!]

Well, we weren't going to tell people to put in earplugs.

When you say you'd want to compose something, you mean an actual song, right? You're not going to write some tawdry script for us, or instruct us on how to talk during the act, are you?

[ Hiyori has the right read. It's somewhere more along the lines of how Leo interacted with anything. He paused to think about the question, curious. ]

? it'd be a song. you both have the breath control for it unless you've totally been slacking.

there might be other people here who can sing, but it's not the same thing. i know every song you and nami have sung as the war era fine, as eve, as eden, in shuffle units. some of those i penned myself as leo tsukinaga or one of my aliases, even.

you usually object to my titles so i guess i could hand em over blank for you to fix up!

as to instructing, i guess if i talked it'd be things like pointing out if you missed notes or the movement speeds of the piece or probably rambling about how things sound or what i wanna write or what i hear. it's not like i'm a conductor - of the three of us, you're the bossiest unless i'm pretending to be a king again and i hate doing that.

Right, an actual song!

Then that's perfectly alright. I was just concerned because you almost made it sound like you wanted us to sing *during* it. That'd be rather difficult, and my voice wouldn't sound right, so I'll pass.

But I don't think Jun-kun would object if you wanted to write a duet for us. Now that Rinne-senpai's gone, our shuffle unit is done for. So it's either we sing as partners, or we don't sing.

Unless you wanted to write something for the three of us. We're used to those arrangements too, since we also perform as Lilith!

that IS what i meant, though. i wanna hear stuff i wrote during. i also would write songs after. the way you guys would sound is what i'm interested in.

and it isn't that hard for me to adjust things to three voices for normal performances, don't worry about that.

[How is Jun supposed to sing during that? He likes to keep his mouth busy. And how's he supposed to sing? It'd just come out all wobbly!]

Sorry. That request sounds like a pain, so we'll pass!

[... but should he really give up at the first obstacle he encounters? What would Jun-kun think? Ergh.]

I mean, I guess I *could* try it. But it's sort of funny, isn't it? You said you didn't want to see my new persona, since that's not genuine enough for you. Even though it's *my* persona, so it's something I wrote, which reflects part of me. But if we just sound like what you're telling us to sound like, that won't tell you what we're normally like.

i don't wanna see a persona if it's a way to put in distance, because i think that would feel pretty lonely!

and you don't have to force yourself to try it. i told you sena wasn't wrong about me - that's why i told you what he said. i understand all of you best when you're on stage singing - it's the rest of the time i get lost.

Then I guess that's that!

[He should be relieved. It's hard enough to offer that sort of show to acquaintances, let alone to people he knows. He should be relieved that Leo doesn't want to see it after all.

So why does he feel relieved and disappointed...?]

That still leaves setting you up with someone! I can think of lots of people to try. For example, I don't know any princesses here, but I do know two princes. And you're a knight, so that still fits! Like a fairytale for the modern age~ 👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨👑⚔️💕

And I already mentioned Weiss-chan, but I forgot to mention Rise-chan! She's a fellow idol, so her voice should be good! 🎤🎶✨💖

[He thinks about leaving it at that.

But then he starts typing again, after a pause.]

You're not the only one who worries about things like that, by the way.

About crushing someone with your love, that is.

[ He hit some kind of landmine, he thinks. Leo expected more of this refusal than he didn't, though, so it doesn't bug him. Rinne hadn't been a fan of the idea of involving music either - actually, no one has been. Leo figures it's one of those ways in which he doesn't jive with other human beings; if anything he's happy enough Hiyori still seems to be treating him normally, even if he's doing that thing - ]

you always way overuse emoji when you're doing that "frivolous facade and strategy", don't you? i like music, but i also like plain interesting people. i haven't met rise? i don't think.

so you're worried about breaking nami?

[Ah. He really is sharp when you least expect it. One of those eccentric "geniuses" who infuriated and enchanted Eichi-kun back then.]

Sometimes I use them just to add color! Or because I like them. 🥰

[But that's not a denial.]

I never told you this, but I've talked a lot with the owner of the Red Cardinal. She used to be a player in the game, and she knows some stuff about how the resort works. She told me the resort runs on our energy, and that if you just sleep with the same person from home over and over, instead of being intimate with new people, it means you're likelier to disappear.

I was scared for a long time afterwards. I thought my selfish love might kill Jun-kun. I had nightmares about him turning into a statue, and I cried to him and Rinne-senpai. But when I finally told Jun-kun, he said he didn't mind my selfish love. He said he didn't think he could survive here without me, and that he wanted to keep me all to himself, too.

So, instead of throwing our love out, I thought maybe we could use it as our weapon. That's why my new persona is a "messenger of love." He's not embarrassed about being in love, and he wants to show it off to everyone.

You weren't completely wrong about what you said before, though. The reason I thought about inviting people to watch is so we can protect ourselves. It's not because I want to do this from the bottom of my heart. I'm mainly trying to protect Jun-kun.

[ He didn't end up as one of the Eccentrics officially, but Leo was on the short list and only spared because he got a different and equally terrible role as the King of Knights. He's always been weird and he's always been smart - he just usually doesn't care to share the latter. Just because he can beat Eichi or Tsukasa in a game of chess doesn't mean Leo feels like doing it. ]

well yeah, it seemed obvious to me it wasn't something you really wanted to do. that's why i said all that! you guys are actually important to me, you know? while it's not like there's a limit on what i'm willing to do to keep you safe if i have to do something, i don't want all of us to crush one another in it.

be as selfish as you want and don't throw anything away. maybe that isn't something i should say, when i really do know perfectly well how heavy love can be.

but it's not the person i broke didn't break me in turn back then. and it's not like we didn't both decide that despite all of that, we'd stick together. it's just that this time around, i don't pretend that i'm not doing the things i'm doing.

i think doing things to protect yourself, the two of you, is fine. i know that sounds stupid when we just agreed it wouldn't work for us, but aren't i at least a little bit different to you guys than everyone else? things that would work with strangers are gonna be totally different with someone who actually cares.

not like you don't have loads of friends here, but i'm the only person who's gonna be friends with you guys when all this is over.

[He reads all that text, and by the end, he's smiling.]

Thanks.

[If anything, the fact that Leo knows how heavy love can be makes it mean something more coming from him.]

It's hard to throw a stone around here without hitting someone I've talked to. But I absolutely agree with you: our relationship's still different. It's shiny and unique, and it's special just like we are! ✨

And I don't know if me and Jun-kun need to do this to keep ourselves safe. Rinne-senpai disappeared, and it wasn't for lack of partners in his case.

But I don't want any of us turning to stone if I can help it, so I'll keep trying to do everything in my power to protect us. Whether that means using other people's magic powers to our advantage, giving private shows like what I talked about, or starting a matchmaking service just for you!

[That's all any of them can do, after all. Try a bunch of things, and see if any of it helps. They're no closer to having all the answers than they were months ago. It's frustrating.]

well, i admit i probably need one. it's easy to get caught up in things. even back home, the other knights and anzu would usually handle a lot of the day to day stuff? magi kinda barged in to check on when i last did stuff off and on, too.

when i'm composing it's just impossible to think about all the other stuff! ♪

I'm surprised your suit doesn't start bothering you. Mine doesn't act up that much [because he and Jun are always doing it] but when it does, it makes me want to kill someone!

[... wait. Er. Should he really be admitting that? He just admitted so much other personal stuff that he let his guard down.]

With kindness, charm, and love, of course! That's the kind of "killing" I mean. ✨💖✨💖

Anyway, I'll start by reaching out to Rise-chan and the two princes. Rise-chan is a cute idol, and one of the princes is also cute, since he has lion ears and a tail. The other prince is sort of like Eichi-kun, though, just as a heads' up.

it does. i think it amplifies obsession, though, as well as depression.

[ PUTTING ASIDE his tendency for getting majorly depressed and suicidal being exacerbated at times by his suit - because haha no - there's another embarrassing thing that doesn't even rank in the list of them today.

He's bitched about Eichi a lot, but: ]

being like tenshi isn't really a "no".

That really doesn't sound good.

[Goodness knows Hiyori has plenty of depression to amplify now that Rinne's gone. And anger. And hatred towards the House. And concern about his relationship. And despair about his future, and—

Anyway.]

When you're depressed, you can reach out to me, okay? I can't promise to make everything better, but I've been told I'm good at "dissolving gloom." It was Jun-kun who said that, but I've heard the same from others, too. Why, I even cheered up Esikko-kun once or twice!

He's the prince who's kind of like Eichi-kun.

Which I'm thrilled to hear isn't a dealbreaker! We both know that's no accounting for taste, but he seems pretty lonely much of the time, since he doesn't know how friendship works. Kind of like Eichi-kun again!

In fact, I think this could be good for both of you, so I'll definitely add him to the list! 😊

i don't know if i can reach out. no offense to you, but even knights can't knock me out of it easily when it's just me, no amplification. but so far i've only asked people to hurt me when i get that bad, not to kill me! so it's fine!

i don't think i've met the guy before. what kind of lonely is he?

[Ahhhhhhhhhh]

That does NOT sound fine!

Listen, Leo-kun - I don't mean to scare you, but there are dangerous people here. People who kill others, drug people, torture them, and do stuff to corpses. Some of them can use magic, which makes it hard to stand up to them. If you ask someone to hurt you, they could turn out to be one of those people. So try to be careful, alright? You really shouldn't be doing that.

[Also, death isn't permanent here. But after that little admission he is not mentioning that. That might just encourage Leo to get even riskier!

And speaking of people who like to kill and torture others (unbeknownst to Hiyori)...]

The kind where he's only had shallow connections all his life, so he doesn't know what real friends are. You know, like Eichi-kun!

He's a prince, and his father was controlling, so he was stuck inside a palace. And everyone was either kissing up to him to try to improve their status, or they were trying to backstab him. Sometimes literally!

He does have connections here, but one of them turned against him. And he had something like a partner, but it sounds like they're not as close as me and Jun-kun. He gets sort of jealous when he hears about other people's partnerships. I know because our emotions were connected at one point, so I could feel what he felt.

[ ok, you have to understand that is just a tempting thought to the guy who has been nebulously flirting with his own death ever since the war and is held back bodily from it by the combined efforts of a lot of people who aren't here!!!

anyway, he's considering that. how does hiyo even plan to go about this...? ]

so his partnership is complicated? well, i don't feel like kissing anyone's ass and i don't feel like stabbing anyone. hang on, lemme think.

should i give you some song files for him?

[ "Leo are you ignoring the entire first half" yes ]

I don't like that you ignored the first part! That was actually the most important part, since it concerned your health and safety!

[Not that the second part doesn't also concern Leo's health. Because he's trying to find people for him to sleep with, and if he doesn't sleep with anyone, he'll turn to stone... and start thinking about hurting himself, apparently... ugh!]

And that's the point I was trying to make. You don't want to kiss up to him or stab him in the back, so you're probably just what he needs!

I don't think he sings, though. But he did say he didn't get to experience music much. So if you want to send him a song, then maybe that could be the start of a beautiful friendship?

[A friendship involving tons of sex, hopefully, because Hiyori really does need to solve this...!!]

you're stressing out too much!

here!

[ unison.mp4 ]

i haven't let anyone hear that one yet, it's what i was working through for my new solo back home. if he doesn't like that he probably won't like me! give it to him if you wanna

Fine, I'll pass that along and tell you what he thinks!

[And also listen to it himself. And reach out to other potential mates for Leo. At least this beats stressing out over Rinne, who he can't do anything to help at this point.]

I've been working on my solo since I got here, too, by the way. I even sang it for someone once!

why didn't you lead with that?????? hey, don't keep songs a secret from me! you can keep anything else a secret, but it's no fair to hide songs!

[ At least someone is taking charge of Leo's suit life because he pretty much sucks at that and just goes with the flow when he remembers, usually once things get bad.

...he really is an inconvenient pet ]

I wasn't keeping it a secret! It's just that all this other stuff came up since then.

But how about you come over to Jun-kun's suite, and I'll sing it for you? We can also take an up-to-date picture to send to your potential matches!

this sounds like you trying to make up an excuse to dress me up

but ok! i'll be right up!

[ This is a lie. He's gonna get lost. See you in a few hours, maybe? ]

I was thinking more a close-up of your face, but I guess that works too! I haven't moved all my clothes over to Jun-kun's suite yet, since I'm not sure how long this whole room swap will last, but I have moved some clothes. And accessories! You could try them on if you like!

Anyway, meet you at the door!

[And then he'll eventually move to the hall outside, so Leo knows which door to go to!]

[But he's not exactly showing up, is he?

After about half an hour:]

Did you get lost?

[Or did he get ~inspired~??]

[ Can't it be a combination of both! Anyway this could be worse, they could be at home with phones and Leo would have forgot his. The One benefit of things here is he's incapable of losing something strapped to him, so far. ]

i actually don't know where i was going anyway!

Floor [insert number here], like I said earlier!

[Though to be fair that was 40+ comments ago.]

But it is confusing with all the rooms being switched around, so I feel you. Anyway, I can meet you by the elevators. I'll be wearing my cozy Christmas sweater!

[And then he'll mosy on over to the elevators, wearing a sweater as promised.]

[ Leo's sense of direction isn't the best even when he has a location. But also, he tends to get kind of distracted...? The layout periodically changing around has not helped how well he can find his way around at all, to be fair.

The elevators he can generally find and ride up and down though and this is the solution many people who know him have hit upon. Spotting Hiyori he'll more or less cheerfully run over, reaching out to pet the arm of the sweater and therefore also hiyori's arm but he's more interested in the sweater. Leo's always kind of casual about things like personal space with friends so this is probably not shocking behavior. ]

Whoa, soft! How nostalgic~! ♪ [ Leo, meanwhile, is in a less fashionable hoodie that's got a sizeable ink stain near his right pocket where he once stored an uncapped marker without thinking about it and worn-in jeans, so he probably didn't bother to change before leaving his room. ]

[Hiyori's sense of direction isn't much better, truth be told. When he and Jun were filming a TV program in a rural area, he once wandered off and somehow discovered a new spring. The locals were so impressed they named it the "Hiyori Spring!"

But anyway. He smiles brightly when he sees Leo. At last, he emerges from his cave!]

Isn't it nice? It's so comfy! And it's just perfect for the season~♪

[He does take note of Leo's shabby clothes, but that, too, is expected. When he takes Leo's photo, he can either crop out the ink stain, or just have him change! But the latter might not be necessary. A cute face can make up for a lot. He should know.]

There's all kinds of stuff like that on sale. Cute sweaters, Santa hats, you name it! The only thing I haven't bought yet is a tree, since I'm not sure which room to set one up in. No one seems to know how long this room swap thing will go on for. But speaking of rooms, let's go look at Jun-kun's! ♪

[ When in Florence overseas, Leo once wandered into another country entirely when distracted composing and had to call Sena to come find him with little more than a selfie picture, so Hiyori is...possibly winning still, it's fine, save Knights from Leo as usual - ]

I love sweaters! And I want a knit scarf - wait, hey, are we gonna exchange gifts?

[ It's nearing that time...Leo can forget about this kind of thing easily, but as long as it's on his mind. He does follow Hiyori easily enough. ]

We should! ♪

[He chirps back, smiling warmly.]

Just you, me, and Jun-kun.

[Not Rinne, because he's a statue now. But Hiyori's had a month to process that at this point, so he won't break down crying again at the thought.

In any case, he tucks away the scarf idea. He can find one of those in the shops, no problem! And he already has a couple of gifts ready for Jun. Although maybe he won't have Jun unwrap the Santa-themed lingerie in front of Leo...

As for Jun's J suite, Hiyori leads Leo over there! And, well, this is where we start handwaving. First of all, we'll say Hiyori either left the door slightly ajar, or has some other system of getting back inside without the true owner being present. Maybe the door unlocks when you tap out the rhythm of an Eden song, just like Rinne used to do when knocking on his suite?? In any case, he swings the door open!]

Here we are~♪ Welcome to the new and improved House of Eve!

[And now we handwave even more because Jun-mun and I haven't discussed what a high-ranked suite for Jun would look like in much detail yet. But the inside of the suite is plenty big and customized to suit Jun's preferences, with some considerations added for Hiyori, too. There's a kitchen with ample space to cook meals, a big living room, and it looks like there's an exercise room with fancy equipment down yonder, too. Impressive!]

Edited 2024-12-18 15:26 (UTC)

What kinda things would Nami like? Now that I think about it, I don't even know for sure what circles he's in? I mean, I mostly pay attention to my own and some of what the other Knights are in, and there's no overlap there I don't think...I know Nagi's with me in Dramatica and Suo in Biblion, and you're with Naru and Rittsu in things, but...

[ He can only keep so much extra information in his mind and almost all of the extra is Knights related when it isn't music related.

Anyway he's going to beeline for a couch because there's probably? A place to sit? And flop there. ]

Oh, d'you think he'll make a Christmas cake? It's not Christmas if you don't have cake!

[ And look at him bringing it up before December 24th at three in the morning or something. It's progress... ]

[He leaves his shoes at the door (Leo is expected to do the same; they don't live like barbarians around here!) and follows him into the living area, where there's definitely a couch to sit on. A very nice couch! Lots of room!]

He's never been very materialistic. But the boring go-to answer is probably "exercise gear." As for his circles, he's in the manga one, and then he was in that games circle with Rinne-senpai. I'd say we could always use more games, since you never know when we'll be trapped in our room again.

[Hiyori hid there during the bulk of October after a run-in with a monster. And they both holed up the whole week in Hiyori's suite while the Springtime game was going on. If another game encourages guests to mount other guests like animals, they'll want to hide out again, surely. And then they'll need ways to pass the time!

Or will they?

He'd still find the Diamonds game distasteful. But maybe he's a little less inclined to hide from the lewdness of the resort nowadays. Maybe he's changed a little.

Or not. ~It's a mystery~!]

It's either that or we'll have to buy one. But there's something special about a homemade cake, don't you think? Those have a special ingredient~♪

[(It's love!)]

Anyway, I listened to that song you wrote. It was nice, sweet and uplifting. And I'm sure it'll resonate strongly with Esikko-kun! ♪

[Then, remembering Leo is bad at names, he helpfully clarifies:]

That's the prince I was talking about! One of your potential matches. And I've got plenty more where that came from~♪

[ Leo may be a wild child but he's also Japanese and lived with Sena for the past while before the game, aka the strictest member of Knights. He automatically takes off his shoes and borrows guest slippers if there are any, no worries.

Reiterating who Esikko is...probably the smart move here. ]

I knew you'd be nosy about it! ♪ Hey, how's that even gonna work? I mean, if it resonates with him.

[There are two pairs of slippers! One is for him and one is for Jun, usually. But since Jun is out for this thread, that means there's one pair for him and one for Leo!]

I'm not sure what you mean by "work." I was thinking I'd pass the file along, and then he'll listen and tell me how he feels! Or tell you how he feels. Then I guess I should send a picture, since your cute face is also a charm point. And I can send the song to other matches if you'd like. Rise-chan, Leona-kun...

[He pauses, cocking his head.]

I wonder if music sounds different when you're hearing it with lion ears?

[ Obviously time to invest in a third pair, if only for whenever Leo wanders over for Christmas cake - not like Leo cares about wearing slippers or not, though. ]

I'm bad at finding places! [ Genuinely logistically how's he supposed to find these people!!! Especially when names mean zero percent to him - ] As to that, I dunno, but if they're not Tenshi-like the song that would be best suited would probably be different. I mean, it was an even split on what would be best for Tenshi anyway.

[Better than airing out his smelly feet in their room whenever he comes over!]

That's what you're worried about? Why not simply choose a meeting spot? Or perhaps they can visit you!

[Finding Leo matches and sending them directly to his room... it's like DoorDash, only sleazier.

Then when he hears that next bit, his eyebrows slowly raise.]

Hm? You wrote your solo with Eichi-kun in mind?

No, why would I do that? But figuring out what someone "like Tenshi" would like isn't that hard if the similarity is at least enough that you're remarking on it. It's probably not an exact match, but parts of that song should have been close enough to the things that would speak to that brand of loneliness. But unless everyone you're talking about has the exact same type, other songs I've written would probably be better for other people.

[ So the reason he asked about "what kind of loneliness" was halfway to narrow down what would work best. ]

I also figured someone like Tenshi would also probably want "something not shared before". Anyway, people visiting me is probably easiest for me!

Edited 2024-12-18 21:33 (UTC)

Is that all you meant?

[He loses the surprise.]

Well, you were right on the money. A song for a princess all alone in her big castle should suit him and Eichi-kun just fine~♪ Though I already know that if I said that, Eichi-kun would just say, "Hm? But I'm not a princess, though? You really are losing your sanity," since he's never been any fun.

[He leans back on the couch. Their prediction about the song being suitable for Esikko will turn out to be right later, but as for the question of what to send to others...]

You must have plenty of other songs, so I guess we could tailor it based on the person. Is there any type you don't have a song for? I'm just curious, since I always thought you had a song for everything.

I've written that guy songs before, I know what his tastes are. And I halfway based it off of you 'cause you wouldn't have said it like a warning if it weren't significant.

[ His One Thing is musi; Leo finds it easiest to communicate like that. He tips his head into the back of the couch, looking at the ceiling thoughtfully. ]

Hm, among Knights discography for sure there's plenty I don't. But that isn't all I've written. You didn't say enough about the other prince for me to have a guess, but a "cute idol" girl...the best song is one I didn't write for my voice. Naru's the one who relates best there, don't you think?

It's just an obvious resemblance, that's all! I met his child self once, and that version seemed even more like Eichi-kun, since he hadn't started dyeing his hair yet. I guess that's not really relevant, though. As for the other prince, he's more like a lazy lion! But I know he cares about his kingdom. And he's fond of Jun-kun, so maybe something that fits Jun-kun's image would work best. Something that shows strength, wildness, and resilience! ♪

[At least he thinks that's what Leona likes about Jun. He doesn't know for sure, but he can hedge a guess.

In response to the bit about Naru, he says:]

True! I may be the cutest idol, but Arashi-chan would understand a girl's heart better. Her or Anzu-chan.

[And then he joins Leo in staring off into space.

This is another reminder that Leo has no one from his unit here, even if that would be a mixed blessing at best. It's also another cruel reminder of how long they've been away from home. After a pause, he admits:]

Sometimes I still take pictures of cute things I saw in stores or at cafes, so I can share them in the Pretty 5 groupchat. But then I always remember they're not here, and it wouldn't reach them if I did send it. I guess that's what they mean when they say old habits die hard. Even though I haven't been in the circle for that long.

That's the kinda thing Naru would send to our group chat! Suo was always trying to organize work stuff in there, and Rittsu would send blurry pictures of various things that looked like aliens to me, and Sena sends lots of Florence scenery. But, Naru sends her favorite things in addition to promptly giving Suo responses about work.

[ Leo sends massive image spam of sheet music whenever he's finished something he wants them to do or Ritsu to help play so he's perhaps worse. ]

...anyway, I'd already begun chat sessions with each of them for their latest solos before I got here. I'm the one who pens everything, but it's pointless to write something they don't feel a vibe with for their unique solos. It has to be something they feel accurately represents their hearts, that they wanna belt out and then go, that's who I am! When it comes to the four of them I'm confident I could work that out with almost no oversight, but...I wanna always be sure it's what they want to be singing, in matters like those. There were mostly just finishing touches to put on all of them, but I can't run the finished products by 'em now, nor any of the other pieces for their voices.

Edited 2024-12-19 02:19 (UTC)

Her approach sounds like my approach! I'm always sharing cute things, and things that deserve love! Like pictures of Mary, and pictures of myself! ♪ Then Ibara's texts are almost all business, and then Nagisa-kun's can be somewhat cryptic. But they're still cute! And sometimes he sends random things like his grocery list, which is also cute! ♪

[They're fresh in his mind, those group texts are. He got his phone back recently and spent tons of time achingly pouring over old conversations. And since his phone's been mysteriously found, does that mean Leo's could be found, too? But he shelves that thought for now and focuses on the music discussion.

Or actually, he doesn't need to shelve it, because the two topics dovetail together nicely!]

I'm sorry your work's been hindered. But I do have some good news. Not only can I sing you the finished lyrics to my own solo, but I have music to go along with it! Let me just run into the other room real quick and I'll show you ♪

[He gets up from the couch.]

Did you compose it here, or did you have some of it done already?

[ He can wait like a good kid if there's a song at the end, although Leo is kicking his heels like...well, a kid. He's a dork. ]

The demo was done, but I was still tweaking the lyrics a bit. Then it got shelved for a while so we could prepare for SS. But now, it's been reborn...♪

[He said he'd go into "the other room," but that's a leftover habit from talking about his own suite. In truth there's more than just one other room; this place is huge and there are several. But it isn't long before he returns, carrying his phone with him. The very same one from canon, with the same phone case! (Not that Leo would probably remember an insignificant detail like that.)

Rather than sit back down, he stands in the center of the carpet, swiping at the screen to pull up the audio file. Once he finds it, he places his phone in the portable speaker conveniently located near the couch—having a fancy suite with the latest tech sure is nice, even if it's only temporary. And then he walks back to the same position as before, meeting Leo's eyes with a smile.]

First, let me tell you what it's called. This song is called...

[He pauses, and then dramatically proclaims:]

"Accept My Love!" ♪ That's the title, but it's also my wish! Ready to hear it?

[ He absolutely does not recognize the phone but he can make the connection given the circumstances - as usual, though, Leo is way more interested in the music than he is anything else. ]

Of course! Lemme hear it from the top!

[ He won't interrupt, since it's music. ]

[In keeping with the season, Leo looks like a child waiting to meet Santa. It's cute, and Hiyori appreciates it! This song is a little more "Valentine's Day" than "Christmas," but no matter. He'll deliver the gift of music, and the gift of love!]

Very well! Then let my words sink deep into your heart, and let my smile become your smile! ♪

[He puts on the music. As the instrumental comes on, he takes a breath, preparing to sing his heart out and perform his most dazzling self. And then, he sings!]

♪~♪~♪

[The song reveals itself to be a seductive number one could tango to. He doesn't tango, but he does dance, swaying with the music and keeping his eyes locked on his lone audience member. As for those lyrics he tweaked?

They're heavy. How ironic, after the conversation they had about crushing someone with the weight of their emotions. The lyrics don't speak of a gentle sort of love, one that kindly asks to be returned. There are no nascent fluttery feelings, just all-consuming need. The very first line demands the listener not take their eyes off him, and the refrain about accepting is love is both a plea and a demand. There's no room for rejection. He won't allow it, and why should he? His love is more limitless than the sun, promising to cure all loneliness and grief. The answer to fans' prayers—literally, he sings. Let your lonely heart overflow, and he'll fill the emptiness with love.

As he told Leo, he really did sing the song once already to someone. That boy was ungrateful and unappreciative. A poor audience member, though the way he blushed furiously was sort of cute. He doesn't expect Leo to react that way, nor does he want him to.

And yet he holds nothing back.

If anything, he ups the fanservice compared to when he sang for Fuuta, especially towards the end. During that earlier performance, he divided his attention between Fuuta and their crowd of onlookers. This one, however, is all for Leo. The one he's promising to love is Leo, not just with his words, but with his body. He dances towards the couch, an arm outstretched as though seeking to grasp Leo's hand or cheek. It's not the only thing his hands do. He slides them down his body, places one over his heart, brings fingers up to his lips and blows kisses. There's plenty of hip-wiggling. If you asked him about all this, he'd say it's just the sort of fanservice the song calls for!

In reality, he might be testing him, or perhaps even taking his frustrations out. In his heart he can't help but wonder, Why is this okay? Why is it okay for him to slip into his idol persona now, but not use that other persona he mentioned in their text convo? Leo said it had to do with closeness, that he understands people by listening to their songs. But doesn't he get it? When he sings, it's almost always as the idol, Hiyori Tomoe. When he performs, he's in "that" persona.

Being an idol isn't about being your unvarnished self and forcing other people to love it. Being an idol is about becoming someone lovable.

Maybe Leo doesn't understand just how scarce a resource love can be. It can be snatched and taken away, blown away by the wind just like he sings about in his solo. Of course Leo wouldn't understand. He loves everyone! In that sense, he effortlessly does what Hiyori's trying to do with this song. And isn't that the difference between those so-called geniuses that Eichi admired, and everyone else on Earth?

He dances during the interlude, his heavy (and frankly pretty unsexy) Christmas sweater causing him to sweat from the exertion. But it doesn't matter. His voice is absolutely booming during the final chorus, as he sings with all of his passion, all of his frustration, and yes, all of his love. He places one knee on the couch so he can lean over Leo, bowing his head until his springy hair brushes Leo's forehead, right in time for him to sing that "Entrust yourself to me" line. And then...]

Tatatara tatatatara tatatarata! ♪

[It's over.

There's a sheen of sweat covering his forehead and a faint flush to his cheeks as he draws back. He hops off the couch and turns off the music before it can go to the next song. And then he straightens up, hands on his hips as he smiles innocently and says:]

And that's my new solo! ♪

[ Leo absolutely is not getting flustered like Fuuta did, but then this was kind of set up as "hearing Hiyori's new solo". He assumes, automatically and perhaps incorrectly (?) that when he was asked to hear it he's being asked as the composer, the one who writes everything Knights does and who has penned songs for other units when asked or needed. So he's listening critically - though not unkindly or anything here, he does like the song and Leo's incapable of sitting still to anything, so his fingers tap out the beat on his knee. The music is probably set in stone, but Leo likes to think about how he'd do things anyway - it's fun to work things through in his head as he hears a new song, to pick it apart and then put it back together in different arrangements in his mind even if it goes nowhere at all.

The choreography, too, he's looking at as a fellow idol. There's his semi-usual bright smile and at the very least his gaze is focused because if there's one thing Leo can always give his full attention, it's music.

...Although it's sort of split and not entirely on Hiyori when he's also thinking about the moving parts of the performance, playing the sounding board more than the audience in his own thought here. Hiyori gets close and Leo beams up at him and claps at the end, laughing a little. ]

Tatatatara~! I like that part. ♪ I think I can hear the influence of this place on it, though I never heard any other version, so that could just be me reading it toooootally wrong here? I feel like it's a marked step up in the choreography, too, in terms of what you're willing to put into it. ♪ Has Nami been working on his solo, too? If he has, I'll have to hunt him down later and shake it outta him.

[ Leo really does apparently feel it is illegal that they could have been hiding music from him, go figure. He doesn't mind any other kind of secret, as he said - he hadn't much cared about Rinne keeping them, either, and he sometimes keeps things to himself, but... ]

Thank you, thank you~♪

[He smiles warmly while Leo claps for him. What else can he do except be satisfied with that response? He was taking out his frustrations, but he didn't expect that to come through. It'd be a problem if it did, rather. And he definitely didn't expect to fluster Leo, so he's not disappointed about that. He sits back down on the couch.

Though he does say, in response to the "I think I can hear the influence" part:]

Oh, no, this and that are completely separate.

[Whatever that means.

The sweat under his collar is a bit uncomfortable, but that's his fault and he'll endure it. In response to the question about Jun, he replies:]

Yep, he should've been! I've heard him practice it before. Neither one of us wants to get rusty, so we try not to skip practice even now that our shuffle unit's on hold. And Jun-kun always keeps up his exercise regimen, too.

[Jun is so diligent about practice, in fact, that he once turned down Monika's offer of sex because he had to get to practice (unbeknownst to Hiyori). That's his hard-working junior!]

Edited 2024-12-19 20:12 (UTC)

So what was it, then?

[ Leo's curious enough to ask but doesn't bother to specify, figuring it's enough for Hiyori to go on as he pulls his legs up to sit cross-legged instead. Leo doesn't practice a ton himself but he is notoriously difficult to herd into practices back home as well. ]

What was what? You'll have to be more specific.

[He's not trying to be difficult. Leo said he heard an influence, but what exactly did that sound like?]

I figured that you'd worked the lyrics over some since coming here. Was I wrong, or was it just like that back home, too?

[ It was more the vibe, the heavy vibe - but then, he wonders how this solo contrasts against the others in Eden. It's not like Leo has any way to know what those were about, which now that he thinks of it he's kind of annoyed by. Back home he'd have gotten to hear hundreds of thousands of new songs by now. ]

Oh, that?

[Suddenly he looks like he gets it.]

I thought you were talking about the more fanservicey parts, like I needed this place's help to sing or dance that way, so I got a bit testy! Everyone treats me like some huge prude, just because I don't want to share Jun-kun with fifty other people who may or may not be diseased, but that sort of fanservice has been part of our unit since the very beginning.

[(This is not the only reason people treat him like a prude here.)]

As for the lyrics, I already had a draft of those back at home. But I guess you could say I was influenced by what this place isn't like.

[That is, a place where love can bloom.]

And I won't pretend being in love hasn't changed my delivery, too. But it was also influenced by some other things. And most importantly, it's a song for my fans! And I always keep them in my hearts, no matter how long it's been.

No, when I said "influence" I meant the lyrics, the tone, the delivery. Every new experience gives you a better basis on which to connect with other people, and a new depth to any form of art. It was a compliment and an acknowledgement! For the choreography, yeah, Eve is like that - but there's like...

[ He waves his hands around vaguely. ]

It's the same thing. I feel like there's something more comfortable about how you move. It's nothing to do with being a prude or not - I don't really care about that sort of classification, and I don't think I ever said anything about it anyway? It's not like I'm talking about being more comfortable with sex appeal, either. Or that it was this place that got you that extra little bit so much as the time and space with Nami, probably?

[ This sounds like a weird art debate better had with Shu, who would absolutely not wanna have it given the context. ]

It kind of makes me happy to see.

[Ah, yes. This is one of those times where he remembers Leo is someone who Thinks Deeply about stuff, after all. (Sometimes, anyway!)]

That does sound like what the Red Cardinal lady said. By meeting new people and having intimate experiences with them, we change our fate.

[He's not going to argue that the people he's met here (or even his experiences with the people from home) haven't changed his life or his outlook. But have they changed the way he sings? That, he was less sure of. It seems like something that could become a problem, if he does get to go home and if he's diverged too much from how he was singing there. But it's also very low on his list of concerns.

What he says about him and Jun is even more surprising, though. Hiyori tilts his head a little.]

Even when we're not performing together, you can tell something like that, huh?

[That they've gotten more intimate, or that he's become "more comfortable" as a result of that intimacy. It's an observation he hadn't expected, but Leo says he's happy, so he smiles.]

I might've been influenced by Jun-kun, but I'm sure Jun-kun's been even more influenced by me! So we should test his performance next. Last I heard, he was out shopping for ingredients. But it's been a little while since he left, so maybe he's also doing some Christmas shopping?

[ He thinks deeply about important things!! Like music! And people he loves! And The War (TM) but we try not to think about that one too deeply. Hiyori's been spending more time with Leo here than back home so he's gotten to see more of the serious moments just by means of talking a lot.

...however, he has also had to talk to Leo about things like evil sex clones, if I recall correctly, and phallus shaped pastries. So like, it evens out in there somewhere? Probably? ]

It's not something you have to perform together for, though I wanna see that, too! Are there any new Eve songs I don't know?

[ Are they waiting for Jun? Leo is immediately wondering about ingredients for what and remembering he hasn't eaten in a while. If he waits around, will he get fed. Is that something he can bank on... ]

Or gotten caught up in something, I guess~? I feel like he's the kind of guy who stops to talk to friends pretty easily. At least, whenever I see him he's pretty cool just stopping to talk to me about whatever until whenever! [ Admittedly normally during these times Jun has historically gotten sidetracked with questions like "when is the last time you ate something". Rinne, Hiyori, and Jun have all asked that question many times here.

MAYBE LEO SHOULD START EATING THINGS ON A SCHEDULE, and yet this still hasn't even occurred to him in canon and only through the miracle of Knights deciding he needed an assigned babysitter (Sena) to force feed him among other things has gotten him anywhere near to that. ]

[After the Spades event, Hiyori can confidently say that he would not have sex with his clone. Certainly not that clone!]

We were going to do a new song for Valentine's Day, but then we got kidnapped. So nope, not really! At this rate, we might just have to record our next song here! I'm sure you could help with that, right?

[Composing a song for them probably beats succumbing to suit-induced depression!

Hiyori's still worried about that, and he can't help but feel another pang of worry when Leo suggests Jun might've gotten "caught up" in something. He tries not to vocalize these things too often; he's aware of how clingy he's gotten here, and he doesn't want to suffocate Jun with that heavy love they talked about. Between the two of them, he's also a lot more prone to getting in trouble than Jun is. But he can't help but fret anyway.

If Jun doesn't come back before too long, he'll just text him. He'll certainly be willing to share whatever he planned on cooking with Leo. For now, Hiyori elects to focus on something else—like the other thing Leo came here for!]

By the way, I still need to take your picture. Did you want to try on something cute, like a cozy sweater? Or should I just go for a close-up of your face?

[ Wow, can't believe Hiyori didn't update Leo on his clone feelings, clearly that was a highly important topic of conversation (it was not and Leo has since forgotten about so Hiyori can rest easy on that). ]

Can I keep the sweater if you dress me up in one? [ Leo is mostly kidding. Probably. ] Anyway, recording something new would be fun! When I wrote the new solos for the other Knights members we just had a bunch of chats so I had stuff to work with. It'd go like that, or if you guys had lyrics, I can always put them to music. It depends what you like better - having music to put lyrics to or the other way around.

[ He's so much more helpful with the music part. ]

[The clone tracked paint all over his carpet and slept with three people behind his back, leaving him with three additional cards in his deck and no clue who any of them came from. He feels slimy whenever he thinks about it. No more sex for that guy!

In response to the sweater question:]

Nope! ♪ You'll just have to wait until Christmas! Though if you want one before that, we could always go shopping together sometime. There are lots of stores selling Christmas sweaters. I'm sure Jun-kun can carry both our bags. He's carried bags for all of Pretty 5 before!

[Hiyori's passionate about his idol work (even if he can't truly do any here), but he's also passionate about shopping! And he's also passionate about getting Leo laid now, apparently, because someone has to be. But he does appreciate the offer to help them make music.]

I guess either one could work. First we'd need some sort of theme or motif, though. But I'll definitely consult with Jun-kun later. Why, if we manage to get a song produced, just think of how Ibara would react. I'd love to see the look on his face when we send him the file! I'll say to him, "This is a song me and Jun-kun! We're songwriters now! And the composer was none other than our dear friend Leo-kun~♪"

[ Amazing that Hiyori's clone made a mess with paint over his things before Leo somehow did, all things considered. As to passion, Leo absolutely never minds working on idol things so he's happy to be contracted to write music for as many songs as Eve wants, here.

It's not like he's writing anything for anyone else from home besides Knights at this point? And Hiyori's passion for getting Leo laid (help) is probably not that hard to work since he's easy and has already made things incredibly weird with the first person he's been introduced to, which is about what could be expected. Hiyori does not need to know about this future event. ]

I can work as an independent contractor whenever I like when it comes to music, so ya don't gotta worry about NewDi or anything, either. ♪ And okay, I'll just have you crop it then! I would be way too tempted to steal a soft sweater otherwise.

Edited 2024-12-20 06:45 (UTC)

[You know what they say. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. And the fact he set Leo up with a sadist when he was specifically trying to prevent him from getting hurt is one of those things it's probably safest to remain ignorant about. :')

And speaking of setting Leo up with people: his brows raise when Leo brings up the subject of posing for a photo all on his own. And here he thought Leo would be thoroughly distracted by thoughts of music and ~inspiration~, forcing him to be the one who had to get them back on track. But Leo did remember, so they can get right to business! He beams.]

Great!

[And then sets his phone down, rolling back the sleeve of his sweater to reveal his wristwatch.]

I'll take one with the watch. My phone would take better-quality photos, but then I'd have to transfer them and that's a pain. Plus I'm not sure if it'll create one of those "time paradox" things if I go home with pictures from the resort on my phone.

[Though he wonders if it might be worthwhile to try.

..... Someone here suggested that they might lose their memories upon going home. It's one more thing that haunts him, even though he's more concerned about actually getting home in the first place. He also knows it's a toss-up whether someone who's disappeared comes back with memories from their first stay here, or whether they just forget everything that happened the first time. If he went home without his memories, but then he saw photos from the resort on his phone, would that help him remember again...?

It's a thought he shelves for later. For now: matchmaking! He moves his wrist so that the watch screen is level with Leo's face, looking at him critically.]

Is now good, or did you want to freshen up first? You don't look photoshoot-ready, but you don't look unkempt or anything, either. I know some people like to leave their best impression, though!

[ A comedy of errors, Hiyori presumably didn't select an entire list of sadists though so maybe the next attempt will be less cursed??

The only reason he stays on topic is because a sweater was related to it. He apparently really wants a nice sweater? Why doesn't he just go buy one... ]

As I am now is fine! It'd just be false advertising otherwise. ♪ [ If it's a pose, he chooses his favorite one because of course. ] Uchuu~ ☆

[He did not, no!! Esikko-kun plz don't fucking kill his castmate.

Leo does his signature pose, which looks cheeky and cute. No doubt about it, this photo will pass muster! He goes ahead and snaps one, then another for good measure, before drawing his wrist back to look down at the screen. As he thought,]

Perfect!

[He appears satisfied.]

This should do the job just fine~♪

[ Leo comes over to peer over Hiyori's shoulder at his wrist. Or, well, since Hiyori's notably taller he's more peering AROUND his shoulder, hand hooking on said shoulder so Leo can lean in precariously. ]

Hey, how do you and Naru always get pictures so clear anyway?

[ It's the actually taking their time and not getting distracted mid shoot part. ]

[Leo is welcome to look at his own photo. Hiyori doesn't do anything with it just yet, but he'll send it along to potential matches later. (So many potential matches!)]

You just wait for it to focus and hold your hand steady! Then there are settings you can adjust, though the smartwatches don't have as many of those. But that should just make it easier for someone like you to master. To practice, you could try taking an ultra-clear photo of me! ♪

[But then he realizes:]

I guess I look a bit sweaty at the moment, though, so now probably isn't the best time. Although I do look awfully cute in this Christmas sweater...

If we send it to Nami, he won't care about that though?

[ Leo is Assuming. He has no idea what else he'd do with a picture of Hiyori, minus keeping it in the same way anyone does photos of their friends. If he can take a good photo, though, it should go to the person who will like it most?

...it will take him way more than one try to get something good. Leo is not a photography genius. ]

So do a cute pose!

[Print it out, frame it, make hundreds of copies, build a shrine with them... Some of his fans probably do that stuff with his photos.]

Well, I guess that's true...

[It's not like he hasn't sent Jun plenty of pictures of him. They're just usually not sweaty ones! But this seems like it could be good for Leo's education, so...]

Fine, but hold on a moment!

[He gets off the couch and disappears into the main bedroom again. When he returns, he's holding a stuffed animal—not the white bear belonging to that child he posed with at home, but a stuffed toy won from the arcade machines at Chickadees!

He sits back down, hugging the stuffed animal to his chest. This kind of cute photo, with him wearing a cute sweater, called for a cute prop! And a cute smile, but that goes without saying.]

There, all set! ♪

[ Leo will not be making a shrine, Hiyori. What he WILL be doing is probably worse by Hiyori's standards? Because, well. He takes the first photo and doesn't focus it long enough, and he's too zoomed in on another, and so on and so forth...

After each one he goes "whoops" and then, like, sends the mistake to Jun in its own message.

By the time he gets a clear photograph and grins he has sent Jun like, seven cryptid level photographs of Hiyori weirdly framed and focused and getting somewhat better each time until his successful shot.

Then he sends that one, too! ]

I did it~!

[As an idol, Hiyori has no problem holding a pose for a long time. He's used to photographers wanting to take multiple shots, and he's always happy to let people bask in his beauty! Still, watching Leo fiddle with the watch haphazardly is... something. He continues to smile beautifully, despite the repeated "Whoops" not inspiring much confidence. But surely at least one of those photos will come out right. He's taking so many, after all.

Hiyori takes Leo's grin as a sign of success and sets the stuffed animal aside, scooching over so he can look at Leo's phone screen.]

I told you to wait for it to focus, didn't I?

[Still, seeing the final photo displayed on the screen and not any of the cryptids, he smiles again.]

But I guess it all worked out. Now we wait for Jun-kun to acknowledge how cute I am...♪

[He doesn't realize Leo sent all the mistakes, too...]

Looks like I'm a genius here, too~

[ Says the man who took eight tries to get one decent photograph...at least Jun will immediately understand the explanation for the cryptid photographs when he sees the sender, since Leo is often enough of an explanation for anything even slightly confusing. ]

Was the toy a present to you?

It's more that you kept mashing buttons until you succeeded, kind of like a child would do! But since my cute face and my cute pose were both captured, I have no complaints~♪

[Jun might have some complaints about the spam, though. He may very well be puzzling over the messages he received right now! But it's still him and Leo for the time being.]

Oh, that?

[He picks up the stuffed animal he just put aside and sets it on his lap.]

Sort of! Jun-kun won it for me at the arcade. And I won him something too, using my own skills! ♪

[He puffs up with pride.

And then says, more thoughtfully:]

That was shortly after we arrived. Those suit tattoos had just appeared, and we were feeling stressed out, so we went there as a pick-me-up.

[It was back before he and Jun were even dating. Back when the kidnapping was fresh, and he thought they'd be home soon. It's odd, reflecting on how things have changed since then, as well as how they haven't.

But he hates to focus on gloomy stuff, so after a moment he says:]

Speaking of pick-me-ups, let me show you something funny!

[Then he reaches for his phone.]

[ Arcade games are pretty fun. That far back then, something treasured, and Leo decides he wants to keep the photograph, too. He should get one of Nami at some point as well, because he's pretty sure he doesn't have anything of Rinne.

It never occurred to him to take any. ]

Funny? Is it gonna be some kind of picture you took? Or a weird toy? Or a song?

Close!

[He pulls up his camera roll, finds what he's looking for, and turns the screen to face Leo.]

It's Tsuum-Tsuum! ☆

[Specifically, it's a picture of Tsumugi covered in snow. There's even some on his glasses!]

Remember when we had that snowball fight? All that snow fell down from a tree and landed atop his head! He looked so silly afterwards! ♪

[Hiyori's face is full of cheer as he recounts this. Poor Mugi.]

Oba-chan! [ Leo beams, grabbing Hiyori's wrist to drag the phone closer before letting go once he's done. Whoa, he hasn't seen or heard this guy in way too long - though it's not like he's in danger of forgetting. ]

He always gives off a vibe just like he's had something like this happen, huh, even when it hasn't!

[Hiyori nods along to that assessment.]

Yes, yes he does! ♪ Luckily, his fans don't see him as someone misfortunate. They see him as a magician! But coming across that picture was so nostalgic...♪

[And so is every other picture in his camera roll. Tsumugi's wasn't the only face he hadn't seen in about a year. He proceeds to scroll back, the screen still tilted towards Leo, causing other pictures to appear in succession: pictures of him and Adonis and Leo all posing with that white teddy bear for the kid; then some pictures of Mary playing in the snow and dressed up for Christmas.]

Thanks to his hair, Tsumugi-kun always looks a bit like a poodle. But speaking of dogs, Mary also looked cute playing in the snow! ♪ Look, isn't she adorable?

[ It's easy to laugh and smile for an animal. Cute, pictures from home, and Leo's eyes flick over Adonis with his lips curled up, and he's all peaceful and calm until the exact second he isn't.

Hiyori's seen flashes and bits of Leo being serious before, usually over text or in a flippant way that comes and goes in a heartbeat. And then, further back, a time when he'd been serious almost all the time and killing himself with it - something Hiyori hasn't seen in years, but -

But there's suddenly that edge. The desperate, utterly determined one that had him throwing himself at fine - at Eichi - in the past until he'd broken on the stage set up to break him. Leo's all at once surging forward even though he'd already been the weirdly close he is when he's being friendly, moving on instinct more than rational thought. One hand on Hiyori's knee and one on his wrist and his expression is like he's never smiled in his life before and he's pale, not flushed, but Leo's never been so abruptly wanting before ever because he just realized: ]

Hiyori - [ Never done that before, either, but - ]

Pretty 5. Flavor - Getto Spectacle -

[ Normally he doesn't care about answers. Normally he likes to imagine silly things or serious ones and the things that are true matter so much less but Leo's fingers are gripping way too tight.

Hiyori's phone has pictures of things he likes and does in it. A phone from home. And while Leo can recognize people from it, while he'd vaguely wondered about other new songs it might hold, he didn't until just now think -

Naru. Two reasons there might be Naru. Maybe Rittsu at that tea circle. He knows Suo grew up in the same circles but doubts he's that lucky, and there's no fucking reason for Sena, but -

Naru and Rittsu. He wants to see them - he wantswantawants to see them. He hasn't seen them outside of his own head since he got here and Leo feels like he's gonna be sick and he feels like he's gonna fall apart, but - ]

[Anyone would smile after seeing Mary. It's impossible to do anything but smile, even as these photos fill Hiyori's heart with longing and trigger a worried pang. Where is Mary right now? In Ibara and Nagisa's care, or frozen in time somewhere? Will he ever see her again? These are questions he's pointedly trying hard not to think about. He wants to keep that pleasant mood up, for his sake but also for Leo's. Leo, after all, confided in him that his suit makes him more depressed.

He has plenty more photos of Mary to share. But while he's scrolling to another one, he feels that hand suddenly grab his knee, and his eyes dart up from his phone and his dog and then he sees Leo. Not smiling but looking wild-eyed. His own eyes widen and his brows shoot up.]

Huh—?

[He shifts underneath that hand, tensing beneath Leo's grip, but he doesn't shove him off, even though he's kind of scaring him. At first he doesn't get it—Leo's just saying the name of his circles and his shuffle unit. Are those requests? For photos? But then he thinks about it for a second—what those things have in common—and then he does get it, all too horribly well.

"I keep forgetting how lonely you must be," he'd typed earlier. It's not because he lacks empathy, for all that his words can be mean. It's because Leo always seems so carefree, like he's off on his own little planet.

Hiyori nods, his throat feeling tight, and announces:]

Right, Pretty 5 first!

[And then he starts scrolling fast, the pictures blurring together.

Getto Spectacle was recent and he would've come upon those photos first if he'd kept going back in order, but there are more Pretty 5 pictures. So many. They all love taking pictures of their clothes and accessories and fancy drinks. And of themselves, too, even when they're not dressed fancy. It doesn't take long at all before he finds one where they're all posed together. Him, Tori-kun, Mika-kun...

Arashi.]

See? Look!

[He thrusts the phone more towards Leo, not that he wasn't already close enough to see anyway.]

We took this one together completely on a whim! And then we added cat ears, because Arashi-chan told me about some app that lets you add stickers! Aren't we the cutest?

Edited 2024-12-23 03:42 (UTC)

[ When he'd left Yumenosaki back then, Leo had been able to see Knights on television or online whenever he really felt like it. Back then it had been something like repeatedly grinding his hand into an open wound, but he'd still done it sometimes anyway just because he couldn't help himself and Madara never made him stop. Here, that hasn't been an option and it wouldn't hurt in the same way it had then anyway.

This time around Leo didn't deliberately leave.

His grip loosens immediately and the hand on Hiyori's wrist lifts and it's like Leo wants to touch the phone screen but he doesn't quite do it. It has that open wound feeling to it, kind of, but in the way that makes him feel more settled.

It's not like he forgot her face. But he hasn't gotten to see it in ages, and Leo's attention is still singularly focused like it is when he's composing, but instead he's just memorizing, again, the face of one of his best friends. ]

...Mm, she sometimes would teach us about filters or stickers too. Well, me and Suo, anyway. [ Leo's always more annoyed with his phone than he isn't until he needs it - always losing it because he doesn't care - and Tsukasa is the kind of buttoned up to whom unbending to use cute apps is an Event. ] I used to use those alien stickers that she sent me a download link for, that you can use on messaging apps?

[ He'd spent a solid week sending nothing but stickers to his unitmates. ]

[He's already spent hours looking at Nagisa's face. And Mary's. And even Ibara's. Leo hasn't had that kind of time, and so Hiyori lets him look for as long as he needs.

It is a good thing. Being able to see the face of a loved one again, even if it hurts.]

Ah yes, those! It's a shame these watch things don't have that option. I've already gotten bored of using the same emojis. But you know, that app she showed me was pretty fun. You could even add text! For example, here~♪

[He pauses, then, not wanting to interrupt Leo's viewing time. But he's just moving to another picture that also has Arashi in it, so he goes ahead with it—it's something like this with the circle name written across it in cute pink font. And the five members are all looking cute, too, of course.

Then he adds, casually:]

She was the best at making circle meetings fun. Along with me, of course. The other three were always a bit soft-spoken, but she was good at bringing them out of their shell.

[ Leo's pretty sure pictures from a phone from home can't be sent to a watch, but he wonders if Hiyori will take shitty small copies on the watch for him from it if he asks.

He ends up drawing his knees up, looping his arms around when he notices he'd gotten grabby about the pictures he's still watching. ]

Yeah, Naru was always kind of a moodmaker for us, too. Everyone else leans to kinda snappy, depending. [ Leo isn't exactly that - he's easygoing and even nicer than Naru is underneath it all, but Leo is also easily the most mercurial of all of them, swinging from brightly cheerful to throwing a temper tantrum to forgetting all about it within the space of five minutes. When he sets the mood it's a rollercoaster. ]

Well, everyone else has caused more problems overall, anyway, Suo aside. Well, he did kidnap Magi's kid that once?

[ #Knights, the unit of crime sometimes ]

[For continuity's sake, we'll say it's possible to transfer pictures from a smartphone to a smartwatch even if it's not instantaneous. Since getting his phone back, he's tried showing off Mary pictures over the Network! The rando he was showing them to really didn't care, though. Sharing these Pretty 5 pictures with Leo is definitely more worthwhile.

He blinks at the comment about Tsukasa, taking a moment to remember what that was about. The summer of the MDM seems so far away now.]

That just makes it sound like his seniors are a bad influence!

[He wasn't around for the Izumi kidnapping scandal, but given his social connections to some of the Knights members, we'll say he's heard about it through the grapevine.]

But I guess you're still a better influence than Eichi-kun...♪

[He goes quiet for a moment after that, looking down at the picture. Should he switch to another Pretty 5 pic? He's pretty sure he has a solo one of Arashi in there somewhere. But instead of doing either, he looks at Leo and says this:]

Want to go through the pictures yourself? I don't have anything I'm trying to hide in there.

[He is the ideal idol, after all.]

Hey, I'm not the bad influence for that part of things, though! [ Leo isn't a kidnapper. The high bar of Knights innocence, here, because more than one of them can't honestly make that claim....

But he will take the phone when offered. ]

Is there a way for me to get copies of them? [ He's never bothered to save anything but pictures of sheet music here so ]

[He answers affirmatively at once.]

Yep, that I can arrange! It took me a bit to figure out, but basically you just have to upload them to some cloud server thing. That still works apparently. Though I can't get any Internet connection on my phone, and I can't reach any of my contacts, either.

[Not that he expected to be able to. He figured there'd be no signal.]

But once I do that, I can send them over the watch just like a normal picture! Unless you were hoping for print copies. I haven't made any of those yet, but if I go to one of the shops, they might be able to figure something out.

[He's willing to try. He gets the importance of all this. As for what Leo will find on his camera roll?

Lots of photos. So, so many. He wasn't a social media addict, but taking pictures that could be uploaded to the official accounts was part of his job. And he'd never hesitate to spam people with images over text conversations, either. Pictures of trinkets he found in shops, pictures of cute desserts or drinks he ordered, pictures of scenery, pictures of things that reminded him of someone he knows (like a gemstone that calls to mind Nagisa's eyes.) Mostly, though, it's a lot of pictures of loved ones.

For starters, Mary! He has so many of her. Pictures of her alone or with him or with Jun, pictures of her frolicking outdoors or snuggled up indoors, pictures of her dressed for Halloween or sakura-viewing. There are pictures of himself, too, of course, since he loves himself and his own looks: mirror selfies and cafe selfies, photos taken dressing rooms or behind the scense of some photoshoots, selfies with other familiar faces. And then there's the unit he loves. His camera roll is a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes content, including some funny candid shots. These are the photos that tend to make it onto their public social media accounts. But there's more private, domestic stuff, too: Nagisa proudly holding a plushie of Ibara, wearing a face that would definitely not suit his persona, or knelt on the ground petting Mary; Ibara with a funny smudge on his face from tapping a pen against his chin.

And then there are the pictures of people outside his unit. The photos featuring Eden members heavily outnumber the photos of people that don't, but that doesn't mean there aren't still plenty of the latter. He really did take a lot of photos at Pretty 5 excursions, both group shots and otherwise: photos of the various members trying on clothes and accessories, holding up plushies, gathered around cafe tables. Arashi features in lots of them, and there are at least a couple where the main focus is on her: here she is trying on make-up, there she is sporting a grin and wearing sunglasses. She's more photogenic and confident in her looks than Mika or Aira, after all.

There only seems to be one group photo of the tea circle. It was his idea, actually: he had so many pictures of Pretty 5, but none with them, and that seemed a bit unbalanced. The trade-off is that this means Eichi Tenshouin's mug is there on his camera roll, waiting to jumpscare him, but he decided that trade was worth it. This is sadly all Leo will see of Ritsu, though there is one other relevant photo: a black cake that seems to be oozing some type of red filling. It's rather creepy-looking. Why take a photo of that? So he could post it to the Eden groupchat with the caption "You won't believe how good this tasted! I know it looks horrible, but it's absolutely delicious!" <--- That's why. Then he just forgot to delete it afterwards.

There are behind-the-scenes photos from Getto Spectacle, too. A few where the members are dressed up backstage, and several where they're dressed more casually, sitting around the dorm. They all lived together in Crazy:B's old room, after all. Speaking of Crazy:B, Hiyori's roommates show up a few times, too. Here's Kanata trying to entice Mary with the isopod plush; here's Rinne with Mary. It looks like Rinne took that photo himself.

There are some photos of people and places Leo won't recognize. Those are photos from home, mostly. He doesn't have as many of those as one might assume, given how often he invokes his family name. But an idol's schedule is busy, so perhaps it's no surprise he isn't home very often. Either way, he was living a full life back home. There are photos from around Reimei, of Mary growing up in his and Jun's shared dorm room, but a huge chunk of the pictures were taken during that first year of ES. He had a happy life there, and remembering that fact feels like a blessing and a curse and a terrible heartache all rolled into one.]

No, digital is fine. I can't lose my watch, after all. [ His phone had always been another matter. Leo was constantly leaving it places and the only reason it had even ever had a lock code was due to Sena choosing one and programming it in. Knights was totally used to Leo forgetting about his phone somewhere or just not answering it a solid half of the time.

They'd probably enjoy having him have a phone strapped to his wrist and inescapable actually - ]

I want a picture of you and Nami, too, when you send 'em! I didn't notice until recently but all I've taken pictures of have been music.

And aren't we lucky for that~♪

[He doesn't know about Leo's history of last smartphones. But, you know. It wouldn't surprise him.

(And Ibara would probably enjoy being able to permanently strap a smartwatch onto all CosPro idols. Especially Shu from Valkyrie, who apparently never returns his texts!)

He smiles at Leo's request for a picture of him and Jun, still letting him go through the camera roll.]

That can easily be arranged. Jun-kun and I were in three different units together back home, so I have plenty of photos like that. And I also have some on my watch! In fact, I might just let you see a top-secret one~♪

[This time he starts going through his watch's photos.]

[ Leo's lingering on that fucked up pastry Ritsu cooked with a soft smile, but his gaze flicks up to Hiyori easily enough. ]

A secret~? I like those a lot, but what's that even gonna be?

You'll just have to see for yourself!

[The photo is a few months back, but it isn't long before he finds it. He brings his wrist in front of Leo's face.]

Now here we go. Don't we look adorable? That shop has just the cutest outfits~♪

[As promised, the photo shows him and Jun. But it's not just any photo. It shows them trying on two very special outfits: a green maid outfit with a matching frilly headdress for Hiyori, and a pink strawberry-themed maid outfit for Jun, complete with matching strawberry cat ears. They're in the dressing room of Alice & the Parrots, faces pressed together, Hiyori winking cutely at the camera and Jun looking rather embarrassed. The latter would be why the photo is "top secret," but Hiyori seems happy to show it off.]

[ Leo's pretty sure the secret isn't the costumes, anyway. They're both idols. While Leo can't recall off the top of his head anything in the Eden or Eve lineup that was that showy with skin (he pays more attention to the music than anything else, anyway) it isn't like any of them are unfamiliar with throwing on whatever a show calls for.

Mostly he's thinking it's kind of a Ra*bits vibe. Nazu and his kids would totally fit in this kind of thing, wouldn't they?

So the secret is probably either Nami's expression or how close they're getting, but Leo figures the latter isn't a huge deal given Eve's whole theme, and adding the contextual knowledge that Hiyori can be pretty territorial.

Not like Leo has experienced it much since no one who has known him for even five minutes would take his actions towards Jun as anything other than excessively friendly - presumably anyone Hiyori didn't know half as well probably wouldn't be able to get away with saying "I love you" or texting Jun at weird hours or begging him for cooked snacks in so on without being on some kind of list, but none of that from Leo means much other than he likes the both of them in his usual open way. Actually, neither of them has responded in any surprise or confusion to his I Love Yous or late, so they're at the level of "oh the catchphrase" tolerance that Knights reached way back when.

He takes Hiyori showing something like that off to him as a measure of trust and friendship and beams back at him. ]

Nazu's kids fit this kinda vibe, don't they? Though it works pretty well on you guys too! You're the type who likes to tease your partner, huh?

Who, me? ♪

[He smiles, not even trying to deny being a tease. Then he adds:]

It's because of Jun-kun! His reactions are funny, not to mention cute! But well, you're not exactly wrong that these outfits don't suit our images too well. And Jun-kun got embarrassed, which is why it's top secret. But I figure Leo-kun can be trusted~♪

[Leo's assumptions aren't wrong. Compared to someone like Monika, Hiyori's never been worried Leo would move in on Jun. Leo's the type who loves everyone! Not to mention he just rejected the idea of Jun (and Hiyori) having sex in front of him...

It's always been easy with Leo. Hiyori got cursed that one time and kept hitting on him, but Leo let every come-on roll off him. He doesn't have to worry about showing an ugly side of himself here and having Leo spread it around ES afterwards. Leo's lack of concern about propriety, his preoccupation with music, and his forgetfulness are all blessings, even if the latter can be troubling in other respects.

And even if Leo's not nearly as clueless as he looks. He remembers the important stuff, right?]

I have pictures of us wearing other clothes, too, of course. I'm sure Jun-kun wouldn't mind if I sent those ones.

[He swaps the picture to one of him and Jun sitting in a cafe, a strawberry parfait between them.]

[ He did reject the watching thing, but it also does really run very counter to what he can handle, even if he didn't really say that part. Sex without kissing was difficult enough for him in a lot of ways - sex without even being an active participant would be something he could do but it would probably fuck with how okay he was in the long run. He'd tried to spin it a way he could handle it, but...

He's happy just like this. Leo's the type who withdraws when he's moody or sad at all, but he's also the type who thrives on connections with other people, enjoying hanging out and talking to them even though he tends to get caught up in his own world way too easily. After a little while of hanging out with one of the other idols Leo usually feels warm and happy and recharged even if he felt unsettled at any point prior. ]

I won't share 'em out. I definitely wanna see if I can print the ones of Naru and Rittsu, but I don't think those are secret so it's fine, right? I was thinking maybe I'll pin 'em to one of my walls in the studio.

[ Won't that just look like a shrine to Naru...or more probably Hiyori since literally no one here knows who Naru is, but whatever, Leo wants something of Knights in his favorite place to write. ]

I'm lucky I have friends who are better with phones than me. ♪ Though thinking about it, I'm probably not the only one back home who didn't take pictures all the time...? I mean, I do have a ton of pictures of Ruka-tan and a lot of Knights, but half the time I didn't know where my phone was and Sena had to go cancel it and get me a new one.

[ Why couldn't he do that himself. ]

[One day someone will kiss and fuck Leo like he deserves. Perhaps even one day soon. Hiyori's very serious about the matchmaking!!]

Nope~♪ Those ones aren't secret, so feel free to print away. I might do the same with some of my photos, too.

[Not that he has a studio to put them in.

The main reason he hasn't printed anything yet is because he doesn't know when the rooms will shift back to normal (and thus where to hang pictures), and also because he's slightly afraid it'll hurt his heart a lot. Seeing Nagisa and Mary's faces each day without being able to contact them, that is. But he doesn't want to run from them, either, and he definitely wants to remember what their faces look like. Perhaps that pain is what he needs to motivate him to get home, whatever that may take to achieve. (And Naru shares Hiyori's self-obsession to a degree, so who knows—maybe she'd appreciate having a shrine!)

As for the anecdote about losing his phone all those times, well. He stares at Leo in silence for a moment, before he smiles again and chirps:]

... yep, that sounds like a pain, alright! ♪

[Like looking after a child. He's suddenly very glad Leo can't lose his watch.]

In addition to all the normal reasons that'd be a problem, an idol's phone getting found could cause all kinds of scandal. I'm guessing you didn't have any sensitive pictures or messages either, though, huh? And Sena-kun must've taught you how to password-protect your phone.

[Pause.]

Or did he?

Oh, Sena always programs that and tells me I can't share the passcode around! 𝅘𝅥𝅮

[ Truly, he is a useless man. But he just can't be bothered to keep track of his own belongings, okay! It's an improvement already that sometimes he carries around a notebook these days! ]

As to sensitive, my phone's actually probably worse than yours would be? After all, I prefer to have digital copies of my works, and it's not uncommon for me to send things I'm working on through my phone.

[ The compositions of unreleased songs are pretty sensitive. ]

[His eyes flare.]

You're right! That's a huge data breach!

[This place has gotten to him. After months spent in the resort (almost a whole year!), there was only one type of "sensitive" material on his mind. One he didn't think Leo would've had on his phone back home. The sexy kind! But if it's unreleased music, Leo would have that in spades! (Pun unintended.)]

I was just thinking about the other kind of "sensitive!" But if one of our songs leaked early, I'm sure that'd send Ibara into a meltdown. Everything with our unit is always meticulously planned in advance, after all. Knights is also one of the Big Three, though, so I'm sure it'd be a huge deal for you, too! Not to mention your hard work would go to waste, so that's exactly why you shouldn't leave your phone in a car or drop it in a lake somewhere!

[ Hiyori has just received a flash of divine insight known as "this is what stresses out 2/5 of Knights all the time". Tsukasa and Sena are constantly being driven to distracted irritation by this man. Naru and Ritsu tend to handle it better, but then again they're not trying to keep Leo in line usually. ]

Whoa, possessed by the ghost of Sena~! That sounds exactly like his phone lectures, wow! Have you heard it before?

[At least he doesn't maintain the lecture-y tone for too long.]

Nope, not even once! ♪ But maybe good-looking people think alike! And perhaps we both want what's best for you.

Well, that isn't something I doubt. I do trust you, y'know.

[ Although he doesn't always care about the same things it has simply never occurred to Leo to NOT trust Hiyori implicitly. ]

I know I forget about things like sleeping and eating and meeting up with people and whatever, and it's not like I don't get I'm a pain - but thanks for putting up with it anyway.

[He blinks, before his smile softens.]

You don't need to thank me.

[He says, even though the not-eating and the forgetfulness and the suit effects are worrying. But looking after Leo gives him something to focus on other than Rinne's disappearance. He's sure that it's what Rinne and Arashi and Ritsu and everyone else would want him to do.

And besides,]

I've been told I'm a "pain" or that I'm "difficult" too before. But you love me anyway, right? ♪ It's kind of like that with me, only in reverse! I do wish you'd take better care of yourself, but there are still other things I like. Like your smile or your songs, or the way you call me "Hiyo." That's a cute nickname~♪

Of course I love you! ♪ You and Nami are my favorite people here! [ It's as easily effusive as ever. Leo may love everyone, but it's not like there's not different levels and kinds of it. Hiyori and Jun are pretty high up on his list, which is more or less why he's careful with them when he remembers to be. ]

I don't really think you're much of a pain or whatever, though? I mean, you're pretty bossy and all, but I'm the type who doesn't mind being bossed around from time to time. [ He's also the type who ignores it if he doesn't feel like doing whatever he's been told. So. ]

...♪

[Kyun. That's the sound his heart just made. He figured Leo didn't love everyone equally—that's just not how people's hearts work! At the very least, it sounded like he played favorites back home, with Sena Izumi coming first in his heart. But it's good to have confirmation Leo has "favorites" here, too. And that he doesn't think he's a pain—that, too, is good to hear.]

Knights have someone they're supposed to serve, so I guess that makes sense.

[He turns on the couch, reaching out to take both of Leo's hands in his. Squeezing them tight, he says:]

It's the same for me, too. I've got enough love in my heart for all my fans, but I also play favorites! So here it's you and Jun-kun at the top, along with my adorable Hina-chan~♪ Then it's my other two birds, and then my other friends! Then it's acquaintances and business contacts.

[He... has those here, too. People he meets up with to trade information or talk about getting out of the resort. Some of them he hasn't even met in person before, like that mysterious "Player 9" person.]

But me and Jun-kun will always put you first. So if we ever win three tickets to go home and leave this place behind, we'll head straight to your room.

[ The King of Knights - yeah, they do serve someone. Suou Tsukasa has an entirely different kind of reign than Tsukinaga Leo ever did, and even now any one of them can call for a clash between sides to settle their differences and often they do so...but the Knight who wears the crown sets the pace and makes the rules. Even if they argue and bicker and need to settle things with those fights of theirs on stage, if the King actually sets down a law they'll listen.

Suou's softhearted. He wants them to sit at a round table and discuss things as equals, and they all love him for it.

Leo's favorite people - Ruka, his Knights - they're still there in his heart even when he's gone this long without seeing them. He gives out pieces of himself without even thinking about it, but yeah, he plays favorites even here. He squeezes back against Hiyori's grip but then tugs his hands back so he can shift to kneeling on the couch instead of sitting with his knees to his chest like he had been for a bit, going to hug Hiyori like the clingy idiot he is. ]

You're being really cute today, Hiyo! ☆ ...but thanks. [ He said it already, but who cares if he repeats himself? It can be a refrain. ] If I got two tickets, I'd give 'em to you guys.

[One minute they're holding hands, the next he has an armful of Leo-kun! He blinks in surprise for a moment, before his smile re-forms and his hands come to rest on Leo's back.

It's not like he minds this, after all. "Whenever you feel anxious, there's nothing like letting someone hold you tight." That's what he told Jun back at home.]

Yep, I get cuter every day~♪ Thanks for noticing!

[He pats him on the back a couple of times.

... In reality, he wouldn't want to flee the place with Jun and leave Leo behind. He wouldn't even feel right leaving behind Rinne's statue. Out of the four of them, if he could only save one person, he'd save Jun, of course. But still.

It's a moot point anyway, though. There are no tickets. And so he won't reprimand Leo for putting himself last in that hypothetical scenario. There are limits, apparently, to even Hiyori's hypocrisy.]

( Well. It's not as if he has anything better to do than to follow up on the heavy suggestions of one Hiyori Tomoe. So, here he is, trying to pretend he's not overthinking this in the highest way possible. )

Hello, Mr. Idol Knight~ I suppose now is where I should introduce myself as the Prince from a faraway land. Though, from what Hiyori is saying, it sounds as if I'm the one meant to be your knight, in the end?

( Well. He kind of implied mutual help, but he's ignoring that. )

Hehe. Anyway, I did like your song, so thank you for allowing me to hear it.

Have many of your friends gone home, here? Or is it just that you haven't made many from the start?

hiyo?

[ Please hold a second as Leo remembers he did talk about this with Hiyori and mentally catches up, brushing off stray notes onto paper so he can think clearly. He's way easier to contact here when he can't escape his wrist, at least. ]

oh right that!

whoa, the pretty worded jab at the end really IS tenshi like! ☆

like you're trying to be nice but couldn't quite help yourself at the end looking for a soft spot to stick in a sword. that kinda thing is usually paired with a kind smile i wanna punch, wahaha~

but if this is the part where you get to see the color of my blood, i don't mind it that much? that blood is called "magi" and "nika" and names i never managed to memorize, or it's called sena and naru and rittsu and suo who were never here anyway!

hang on. i wrote your name down somewhere but I forgot which bit of skin it was on. hiyo mentioned it like twenty times so it would sink in, but i'm total crap at that.

not my left arm nor my right - you're on the left ankle! ikko, got it. ♪

thanks for the compliment! i figured that was the best choice that also had to go through the nosy hiyo who i had already scared badly.

( so much just happened, he sort of feels like he was hit by a train? and that's not even a saying yet, trains are so new!! )

( wow, he's not sure anyone has ever so directly called him out on his tendency for sharp words while also managing to convey an amused tone? at least, that's how it reads, doesn't it? )

If you punch me, I'll probably die, though?

In any case, you don't exactly compose your words the way you do your songs, do you? Or, is it that this is the sort of process it takes to arrive at something artfully crafted like that? I think even I might have some terrible rambles in my journal while forming new spells...

At the very least, I can say that Hiyori was right in saying you wouldn't be dull. How interesting.

Now, before anything else, I'd like to know if you're calling me a nickname, or if the pen you used to mark my name down just happened to smudge some of it off... It's a little unclear. You can tell me how you managed to scare Hiyori after that.

[ An accurate read, though Leo's already moving on, flitting from topic to topic. ]

it's fine, i don't punch people just because i wanna! and i'm through with killing people, so i'll try to keep that in my mind even if i forget all the other stuff!

lyrics are always tougher than the music itself, and i have to keep in mind the image of "knights" when composing for knights. that said, i compose things for loads of different people and the "voice" has to be different for every client. i'm not gonna compose every single word when i'm just talking!

but you aren't wrong about the songwriting process. spells are like that? how do you feel about them if you're that careful? is it something you love beyond reason? your first language?

i think ikko sounds like a sharp and spiky pretty thing, so i'm gonna use that! and scaring hiyo isn't hard if i get even a little bit honest. he started out worried about me, anyway. do you think he'd shove you my way aggressively if he weren't scared out of his mind? i think if he weren't he would go for a more normal and measured introduction!

i was a bad kid, but i'll be a worse kid and enjoy the love he showed. ♪

( Ikko. Normally, everyone calls him Esi, or all sort of nicknames starting with Prince. This is nicer, he thinks? New, refreshing. Alright. )

Yes, magic is like that entirely. Is it possible to have something in common when they're two separate things, I wonder? It sounds like you understand that sort of mindset, after all.

You're right about him, too. The love he showed, though... Is it love, then? I guess that adds up to what he was telling me about it.

These Watches are difficult to type on when there's so much to say. Would you like to meet in person, perhaps? I've seen your cute face, so it's only fair if you see mine, right?

sure, i'm back in my usual suite, just come up. it's at [ location, though then he keeps yapping as knights members have to do. ]

it was probably love for both of us. hiyo worries about people a lot, especially with magi being gone and other stuff. i wouldn't bother accusing him of it to his face, though, because he'd just deny it to his grave. or he'd admit it and that would be awkward!

are they two separate things? if something matters more to you than reason, if it's the first language you speak even though your parents and countrymen spoke another one, if it's the language your thoughts and dreams are written in, doesn't it really fucking suck that no one else understands it at the level you're speaking it? if i could speak entirely in measure and annotation and crescendo i would, and maybe people would even get the things i'm saying if they could only hear it.

( normally, he might nitpick and fight that he doesn't think Hiyori has love for him, that he doesn't think anyone can. but thankfully, this rant on music, or magic, or passion, is so deeply distracting that he can't think about anything else.

because it sounds a little insane, because it sounds so entirely relatable, because the text surely isn't enough to get it across. that feeling. )

It's something I chase endlessly, even when my body wants to give out along the way, or the people around me find it a waste of time, or unusual, or gross.

Maybe it is the same, then...

If you don't mind, I can come over in just ten minutes.

[ If he hasn't caught on yet, Esikko should probably realize that Leo is, in fact, a little bit insane. Hiyori probably downplayed that? Or maybe he was honest about it. It's not like Leo does normal well or for long periods of time. ]

then it's the same. even bleeding out on the ground with bone sticking out, i thought it would make a beautiful melody and used the ink of my own body to write it before i could forget.

[ As an example, he says weird fucking shit like this! Wow. ]

see ya soon, ikko! ☆

( they can be insane together. (: this insanity was most certainly downplayed, but it's a nice surprise, he thinks. it makes sense, to him, in the ways that matter. in the ways that don't, it's fun.

but he always does love when things like blood are mentioned.

he arrives in around ten minutes, as promised, dressed in a sweater and slacks, a red scarf tied loosely around his neck. his hair is a soft pink, straightened mostly out from his usual waves, though the snow in the vale and gardens has caused it to begin curling at the ends again.

he stands, tall and proper as any prince is expected to be, and knocks firmly against the center of the door, waiting. )

[ Nice to know Hiyori was out there trying to make Leo sound even halfway sane and then Leo immediately undid all his efforts? Presumably that's how it went. What did Hiyori expect, though, honestly. Liking blood being mentioned is a plus when speaking to any member of Knights and Hiyori has bitched about that before when Leo goes off on one of his more wartorn tangents.

Prim and proper, neatly styled. That isn't what opens the door because that isn't what Leo is. Even on stage his hair is always messily tied back, and his uniform worn casually. Here, without Sena living in his space and nagging about what he's wearing or not, Leo has reverted to his usual ways.

That is to say when he opens the door and peers up at Esikko, because a quick check says Esikko is 5'11" and Leo is all of 5'6", Leo's dressed far more casually. Worn in jeans with an ink stain trailing from the pocket down the leg a bit from an uncapped marker a while back, a t-shirt rumpled from being stored poorly that's mostly worn for being soft rather than fashion.

Behind him there's even more chaos. His room, a 10 suite, is decently laid out but there's also paper nearly everywhere. Pinned to the walls, occasionally on the floor, all over every surface. All of it covered in Leo's music, organized not at all to anyone else's eyes. ]

Why'd you decide on pink? It's a Shu-like color, how nostalgic. [ "Hello" is skipped entirely. ]

( The immediate impression is enough to startle a laugh right out of Esikko. It's refreshing, to have someone so plainly themselves in a way that doesn't make him want to barf— this short little knight is the epitome of a free presence, the opposite of just about everything in his palace life. )

Oh, you're so little~

( His voice, his laugh, since Leo surely cares, is low and smooth, but with a bright quality that can shine through in the lifts of phrases, a playful sort of curve that he manages to wind into his words. A hand lifts, pale and thin, to wind around one of his own pink locks. )

My father hated it, and I wanted to look more like a flower, I suppose. Something most find delicate or fragile, even when in truth they're resilient and full of many uses. ( Gardening, he'll find quickly, goes hand in hand with his magic, and hand in hand with his passion. It's easy enough to see in the way his eyes sparkle as he helps himself to nudging inside without even asking for an invitation.

Honestly, his 2 suite was this messy until someone else cleaned it for him, filled with plants and supplies for magic... Now, as an Ace, it's staff he relies on for cleaning. )

Doesn't it suit me? I'm naturally a rather pale blonde, but I feel that only makes me look more like a corpse, you know?

( It stands out, like the red marks beneath his eyes, like the way he holds himself, already leaning in to peer at some of the music on the walls. He reaches up to hook his fingers into his own scarf, but he holds off on removing it just yet. )

Leo, right? Nice to meet you.

I already knew you had pale blond hair without dye. Hiyo didn't say the color, but he said you resembled Tenshi a lot as a kid, so I figured it was the same.

[ Being called little doesn't phase him - Sena and Naru and Rittsu are all taller, as are many of the other ES idols - Hiyori and Jun included - and Leo barely gives it any thought.

When Esikko is inside Leo closes the door, following along absently as he examines the same sheet of music and then cants his gaze sideways. ]

Tsukinaga Leo, of Knights. I dunno what Hiyo said about me, but that doesn't matter too much.

[ Or rather, Leo doesn't care too much about it. ]

What he wanted would work. You've got a pretty voice. ♪

( A pretty voice... It's funny, that he doesn't usually get direct compliments like that, so the flattery immediately earns a pleased little laugh, eyes flicking away from the music and back to Leo. )

Tsukinaga Leo. Even your name sounds like music. I'm not very fond of my full one; there are far too many parts to it, and it's clunky. Anssi Esikko Kielo Bloemrose, crown Prince of Berceuse. I think "Ikko" is so cute, you know? Everyone else always calls me Prince this, or Prince that...

( Hmm, but what was it that Hiyori said... )

He said you're cute, but that you stay in your suite all day, get lost easily, and that you're terribly lonely.

( not very flattering... )

But, you know, I'm not sure I know what you're referencing about him wanting with my voice?

( He wanted him to make friends, and he got the implication of sex there, but what does his voice have to do with it...? )

I'm not gonna remember all that.

[ Actually, he's not even going to remember MOST of that. "Ikko" is about what he's gonna remember name wise, and the rest is going to just disappear. Leo tilts his head to the side, considering. He IS usually in his suite when Hiyori contacts him, he guesses. ]

I'm trying to figure it out. [ He's ignoring the question for the moment, studying Esikko with his full attention - contemplative for now, searching. ] Hiyo gave it out like a warning label. He got all freaked out about something else I said, so if he thought it was completely accurate he wouldn't have given out your name.

[ Probably.

None of that makes any sense to anyone not in Leo's train of thought, does it? ]

The second option I couldn't pass through him. Hey, would it have worked? That song was one I wrote when I felt like I do when my suit goes haywire, but maybe a little less bad. The one I wrote to make the people I treasure above all else so mad they'd kill me, the one that was meant to tear apart what I loved and give them a shining path forward.

[ He decided passing that through Hiyori would have gotten him in trouble. ]

Are you so thorny that would've been your language, or are you nicer than that? I wanna know.

( Hmm. He's not bothered by the name not being remembered, not bothered that it sounds like he's eavesdropping on this guy's stream of consciousness rambles, but somehow, the topic is veering into something he hadn't thought would come up with... idols. Or is he wrong, to be understanding it that way? )

Hiyori is a little like a sun that doesn't want to accept it's ever covered by clouds, hm?

( No acknowledgement or desire to dwell on darker things, darker thoughts... So Hiyori doesn't actually know all of Esikko. He's been struggling with that for some time now, struggling to find more people that could ever understand how he feels, his extreme emotions, his over the top dealing with them—

But he's a little hesitant to share all of himself right out the gate, too. )

Do you? Plenty of people say that. ( that they want to know him. ) But do you mean it, I wonder? Or is there an answer that would have you turn away?

Well, I'd like to hear what you'd prefer, of the two. Or, perhaps... what you'd guess.

Nah, there's nothing like that.

[ Calmly, casually, easily. He'd been pissed off at Eichi for a while but Leo couldn't hold the grudge forever. It's "Tenshi" again and he's back to being friendly, not that he was ever great at sticking to not. Sena's cold and sharp and maybe that hurt like hell when he was seventeen but he's not anymore and Leo chose that every day.

His lips quirk up in a smile that is nevertheless a little manic. It's genuine, though. ]

Hiyo described three people. Something about a cute girl idol and a prince with cat ears and a tail. Then he said the third prince was like Tenshi, and it was a warning, but I don't think he'd have said it at all if he didn't think it was only in the nicer ways. But I don't know that you can be like Tenshi in only nice ways and really be like him enough Hiyo would notice and say so.

[ He could be wrong, but Leo hasn't decided if he is yet or not. He doesn't know if it matters. Whatever the truth is, it'll be interesting, won't it? ]

Hiyo's an idol first and foremost. So is Nami. I'm not like either of them - I'm an idol second and a composer first. What I prefer isn't pretty words or harsh ones. I want the honest things - it doesn't matter if those things are soothing and gentle or if they cut me sharp enough to kill. No one is all one thing or the other anyway - but I think I just spotted you there, trying to say nothing while saying lots of things.

[ Cheerfully: ]

You would like to see someone's heart torn out of their chest and bleeding, huh?

( A warning, huh. Hiyori knows enough to warn about him? Or is it just all that he gets involved with, all that he finds out, reports back? Esikko is quiet, at first, studying Leo with a gaze that hopes to peel him open right then and there.

This feels almost familiar, even if it's so different, from his suit activated bodyguard cornering him. It's the accurate reading on him, the blunt call outs, but none of the distaste, none of the threat. Still, he's not sure if he's more excited or afraid, to be met with words like that. Something he can't really understand, either. )

...You are direct, aren't you? ( Honest, blunt. Things he's always looking for, himself, but never expects to actually meet. He covers his lips with a loose touch of his fingers, considering. )

Anyway, I think it would be more accurate to say that I already have.

( His eyes narrow slightly, in focus and thought, not emotion. )

Tenshi must be that "Eichi-kun" I've heard of.

Got it in one. The "Tenshi" is from Tenshouin, but it's also just fitting. Angels aren't all light and beauty, y'know. They're cruel and violent things that kill rather a lot, in the Bible. Shu said so.

[ He was curious about it - how much did Hiyori notice and think was the same, subconciously? He kept talking about the same kind of loneliness, and similar situations, and Leo wanted to know in the way his attention sometimes catches on this or that. ]

But if you've already done that, it's fine to tell you how I scared Hiyo. I told him that my suit never got that bad to worry about because I'd only ever gotten to the point of asking to be hurt here, not killed. I think I scared the hell out of him, even though I actually meant it to be comforting, 'cause he got way more frantic about introducing you to me after that.

[ The smile shifts to something softer. ]

Sometimes I mess up and scare the people who care about me. Do you do that?

( As someone who has already killed someone here who asked for him to, as someone who killed a second just to try and feel something— Esikko wonders how Hiyori would feel knowing the potentials he'd just set up. It's not as if he's some ruthless murderer, some psychopath who kills for no reason, right? There's always a reason. It's just that no one understands.

But someone who asks to be hurt, who feels at risk for asking to be killed, huh...

He hums, reaching out with his hand up as if to invite Leo to take it. If he does, he'll find his hand is unnaturally cold in temperature, but Esikko just means to lead them to somewhere they can sit. )

There aren't many people who care about me, so I'm not sure it's the same. I'm someone who might desperately try to create worry in those around me, and grow more desperate when I don't get it.

It's like the opposite side of a coin.

Where is your suit mark, by the way? Can you show me?

[ This was already an issue with Leo prior to anything, given every other Knights event he sets himself up to be a villain to be slain and they then refuse to do so and tell him to knock it off. He easily reaches out to take Esikko's hand, no hesitation.

There's places to sit. In this room, the living area with the kitchenette Leo barely uses for anything but coffee, there's some couches and a piano bench by the piano. There's a bedroom off a little hallway, and the bathroom, and his music studio where he spends about 99% of his time in his place. ]

The small of my back. You can see it if you wanna.

[ Leo doesn't have much if any shame about just about anything. ]

Hey, I don't think Hiyo gave you the warnings about me that he should have. Did he?

Let me see. Since I am here to check on you, after all. In exchange, I'll show you mine, though it's just on my arm.

( As much as he'd love to go straight to a bedroom, he picks one of the couches near the piano. Couches are comfortable, and he's heard he enjoys the piano, so it's nice to have near, right? He just needs to sit, or he'll get too tired.

That last question startles another laugh out of him, though, this one more breathy and quiet than his earlier ones. )

Warning, for you? What sort of warnings should I have expected? That you'd see through my icy eyes and somehow straight into my thorny heart?

I doubt there's anything that would trouble me.

[ Leo thinks that's probably wrong. The things that people should be warned about can be way too much for a lot of people, especially in a place like this. But then, does Hiyori see that stuff about him? He isn't sure. Even Rinne probably didn't because Leo knew well enough to not say some of the stuff that was true. ]

I'm too intense about a lot of things. [ It's the mildest, easiest way to put it. Leo doesn't usually bother to warn anyone, either, but he has just called Esikko out on a lot of stuff he apparently shouldn't have noticed from the last comment, even though he's always been far sharper than he likes to act half of the time.

Leo's a genius. He doesn't always act it. ]

I can't help it. I've broken precious things like that. The weight of my regard is way too crushing for a lot of people, even if it's only a sliver and I try to hide some of it. If I can hear a melody in something or someone I just wanna get as close as I can to listen, and I can't help but feel love.

[ He's pretty sure that part of him is sometimes painful to certain people, and he thinks, maybe, he should give one of them who might hate it a chance to run away. ]

Hey, Ikko. If you aren't careful, I'll crush you with my love, too. People might think they wanna be a muse the stars revolve around, but none of them realize just what that means.

[ It's the kind of love Shu would have understood. He's hurt his unit before, too. Leo straightens up from the way he'd been leaning in intently, tugging his shirt over his head easily so he can turn around. His suit is a chaotic mess, and darker than it should be, but then again Rinne has been gone a while and Leo has been working. ]

I wanna hear e~ver~y~thing. What's your voice sound like when you do this or that, what's it sound like when you're feeling or doing different things. I really really really wanna hear it. I've been told I don't see people as humans, like that, when there's someone I get that wrapped up in until my fingers fizzle and my head's all noisy with music.

Are you gonna get scared off?

Is it love, if you feel it so quickly? If you can feel it for everyone, is it even special?

( Esikko's words come out soft, with those questions, matched with the way he leans in to observe that suit mark. His fingers, still unnaturally cold, touch like ice cubes against his back, trailing up from the darkened mark purposefully. An intricate and lovely design, but still a spade. Coincidence, from his feelings earlier? Or no? )

I'm normally the one who scares others off, you know. ( When he gets obsessive. When he gets jealous, and possessive, and wants things just to have them, crushes things just to feel the sensation of it. His fingers end their trailing at Leo's shoulders, slipping away and freeing him to turn back around, if he wants.

Esikko is in a sweater, so rolling up the sleeves is too annoying. But he starts with the scarf, unwinding it and setting it aside on the arm of the couch to reveal the large TRANSGRESSOR mark now branded along the right half of his neck. )

I don't think I'm someone people can or should love. Perhaps you should focus on the here and the now, rather than the what-ifs of the future. Tomorrow isn't guaranteed, anyway.

( It's here that his sweater slips off so that he can show off the pink mark on his left shoulder, on the side. Pale, taken care of, and also intricately designed. Also out of place is a healed over scar on the upper left side of his chest, but aside from that, his skin is as flawless as can be. And cold. )

Here's mine. They almost match, don't they? In their own way.

I've been told that before, too, by a guy I can't get along with at all.

[ If you love like Leo does, does it matter? Leo knows he does feel things strongly, specially, but is that something he should ever say to people who don't get it?

Almost no one ever gets it. He turns around when that touch goes away, and then watches. ]

I told you. I'm a composer, and my first language is music. You have to love someone at least a little bit to write them a song. You have to look at them and see them as they are, the good and bad things, the beautiful and ugly. Sharp edges, smooth rounded corners - you can't ignore any of it. I've never understood anyone who could stare at someone's soul and not feel love, but then - that kind of person doesn't understand me either. Most people don't.

[ The brand on the neck is interesting. Leo reaches out to trace the letters. ]

It's still love. There's all different sorts. I love Hiyo and Nami as dear friends. I love Magi as something of a kindred spirit, but not quite. I love Knights like they're my own limbs in different bodies - I love Naru 'cause she's so intensely herself, and she calls me out whenever she feels like it. I love Rittsu because he's funny and irreverent and he plays the piano like I hear it in my head. I love Suo because he's so earnest and he believes in the best of all of us, like he can't see the corpses in the shadows. And I love Sena to my own destruction, and his, when he's cold as the moon and just as pretty.

[ He doesn't want to talk about Ruka right now. He doesn't like to talk about her anywhere near to something like this, his precious little sister. ]

There's people I love so deeply and so painfully that I can't get their impression out of my bones. "Can" and "should" don't matter. Today, tomorrow, time doesn't matter either.

[ He's the sort of person whose heart is never in his own chest. ]

What did you transgress upon?

( It sounds lovely, beautiful and fake, like one of those fairytales that good parents tell to their children. The sort of thing he's lived lifetimes without seeing, the sort of aura that Kirma thinks he gives off even when he's dripping with egoism. It's different here, he thinks, but he doesn't know this man at all, doesn't know if his words are just pretty poetry with convincing feeling behind them, like a play, or if he means it.

He finds himself hoping, more and more, in this place, that he could believe it. But then again, if that is true, if it is possible, then what would that mean for all the time up until now? He could have been loved, but he just wasn't?

There's a thin smile at the question, both proud and bothered by the mark. )

The House itself. It seems it doesn't take kindly to someone trying to carve a way home for those who want it.

( The interest in it is nice, almost as nice as the touch itself. Attention. His eyes slide to Leo, fingers curling into the sweater now in his lap. )

Let's make it a challenge then, why don't we? If you end up loving some part of me, then make me believe it. It's not as if I don't want to; it's not something difficult.

And in return, you can consider me someone who will open his arms to your intensity.

"For those who want it". You don't?

[ There's still open curiosity in Leo's gaze, but he won't care if he doesn't get an answer. He knows he ignores boundaries all the time and gets too close, and if someone smacks him away he'll go with it, verbally or otherwise. It's not any reason not to ask when he wants to know, when his fingertips start tapping out a rhythm on Esikko's neck because the only times Leo ever stops with music are when he's so badly gone down into his own darkness he can't even hear it.

He hasn't been like that in over a year. Not yet.

There should be a pause, waiting for an answer, but Leo just continues on blithely, his intent stare maybe just a little bit skeptical for a change. ]

I'm gonna take you up on that even if you regret it, you know.

( Esikko just looks amused, the more the threats come on. There's no way he's going to regret it— he can't imagine regretting it, if anything does come of it. With another breath of a laugh, he reaches up to catch those tapping fingers, not stopping them so much as redirecting them to his own fingertips. )

Do your worst. ( Playfully, he says this, and then rounds back on the earlier question, seemingly willing enough to share: ) No, I don't. There's nothing for me back there.

It's not that I want to stay here, either, of course. But there are plenty of other realms I might be able to sneak off to.

Hmmm. Then, if I win, I want a prize. ♪~♪~♪

[ He's redirected easily enough, fingertips to fingertips tapping away in motion because he can only stay so still for so long. The song at the edge of hearing, the one that starts with that amused look and a low voice he thinks he could compose to, is gradually coming together in the way that means he might get distracted by it soon.

Leo grins as he hums out the first snatch of it, brightening as he leans in. ]

If I fall in love with you, if you believe me, if you really can handle it - if if if. If all of that. If you don't wanna go there and don't wanna stay here, then I wanna keep you?

[ It's a bright, childish challenge. Entirely insane, of course, but Leo once saw Sena Izumi when they were first years and ignored every single denial he got until they were friends. ...and then they destroyed one another but they have since gotten better, don't think too hard about it.

Is he teasing or is he serious or is he both? He already gave Esikko a chance to run away, so now Leo has determined he can do whatever he wants, which means "whatever the fuck he thinks he's doing now".

He's always moved more on instinct and whimsy than logical planning. ]

( Now he's gone past just love, into falling in love with— and it's a distinction that has Esikko's chest clenching. What kind of person jumps at things like this? It's weird, of course, it's odd, he knows why anyone else would run away, right off the bat— but it feels... dangerous, is that the right word? His eyes follow the tapping of fingers, he listens to the humming that comes so easily, and he thinks of how he doesn't expect to live another year, another half year. How he's near certain he's in love with someone who won't feel the same, who's pointed their love elsewhere. How he'd chained himself into a time loop for far less— for someone he hated, just because he managed to make him obsessed with him.

Hm. )

...Sure. If, if, if.

( He repeats that playful little repetition, meeting their fingertips in the next taps that must be like the previous, he thinks— an attempted matching rhythm that he's trying not to think too hard about. Like the slight flush of his face at the idea of anyone even trying to talk like this. )

You're an odd one. But I can't deny you're charming.

( That energy. He leans subtly closer, eyes tracing from his hand to his face, to his neck. )

I wonder if we should start by taking care of that mark of yours.

[ Leo's smile stays, though there's something even more amused at the agreement. He knows very little but he wants to know more - there's an interesting sort of something behind what he can see, and if he doesn't have to hold back, great. He didn't say a word about anything reciprocal, so there isn't any worry there - Leo does not and never has cared about what he gets back for what he gives out. Pain, pleasure, whatever -

Well, this is exactly why he gets used off and on. For his music, usually, because that's what everything spins on back home, and Leo won't say "no" until it's all gone too far. ]

I already said it'd work with you, so sure. [ A pretty voice. Leo can make anything about music, and when it comes to sex he cares most about the sound, to a worryingly bizarre degree because he can take it to extremes, though he hasn't tried all of them.

Leaning into the touch is a nice option he entertains for about two seconds, but then he takes the implicit permission given and leans up for a kiss because he wants one and he's uncomplicated when it comes to doing what he wants once he's determined whatever that is. Mostly.

He hasn't had anything but coffee since the last time a friend barged in, some days ago, because Leo Tsukinaga can't actually take care of himself to save his life, but he's eager and cheerful enough to take charge for the moment. ]

Edited 2024-12-19 08:49 (UTC)

( Sounds like the beginnings of a completely wholesome and not at all toxic relationship of who knows what! Lonely people cope how they must.

And for Esikko, it's nice to have someone who doesn't get all up in arms about the whole sex thing. Someone who's just as eager for physical intimacy as him, without any of the embarrassment, or coyness, or any of the nonsense surrounding when he just wants to feel someone, to speak to someone in a way that he can manage better than words.

That is to say, he presses easily into that kiss, a slow building thing as he relaxes into it. His lips are as unnaturally cold as the rest of him, and so it might be an unpleasant sort of feeling at first, but he does warm from the contact, from anticipation and excitement. He blindly moves his sweater from his lap to the area behind him on the couch, not wanting to break the kiss for any amount of time to bother checking.

His insistent nature becomes clear near immediately. An attempt at patience, at allowing Leo to do whatever it is he wants, shatters the moment he feels too invested in where this goes. And so he shifts, presses a palm into Leo's chest, and follows into the light push with the lean of his kiss, chasteness quickly fading. )

[ This is the exact opposite of what Hiyori wanted so he'll probably regret it more than anyone else involved. Leo played at being the tyrant king of Knights and he's impetuous and sometimes selfish and often whimsical and eccentric, but he's also endlessly and effortlessly kind. That's why he's messed up, that's why taking on the role of king had so screwed him over when he'd had to crush people he'd adored who hadn't loved him back. It's why he's always so willing to sacrifice himself for Knights.

It's why he never complained when Rinne made a rule about not kissing, even though Leo loves it and always felt the lack. He's making it difficult as he's pushed down not because he's fighting but more because he's smiling into the kiss because Leo really loves kissing and he didn't even have to do anything special to get one. He didn't get shoved off and told not to.

Leo's the only idol from his home who didn't have any negative hangups on sex in one way or another. Idols aren't supposed to do this, whatever - Leo didn't fight it from the start, because he's curious and there's inspiration to be found in other people's bodies and warmth (not that Esikko seems to have the latter, but Leo is warm enough so it's fine, surely?) and there's millions of songs about this kind of physical thing and until he got here Leo couldn't write them with the authenticity he can now.

He likes touch. He likes sex. He likes not having any of the rules that he'll follow but chafe at, to behave and hold back and walk lines that he has to keep focus on. He couldn't care less who has the lead because that sort of thing has never mattered to Leo - he's the type to happily try anything once or a thousand times, as long as it's still interesting, and he's been both the tyrant king and (occasionally, sort of, when he doesn't forget) obedient pet both and the energetic knight somewhere between the two of them.

Smiling really isn't helpful, but laughing into it kind of is because while he lets himself be pushed back into the couch he's also turning the kiss open mouthed from the laugh and then going with that when he stops.

He hasn't been kissed in a while, and he's selfish enough to want it to last a bit longer even though that conflicts always with his desire to hear someone speaking, so his free hand hooks behind Esikko's neck to try and keep him there, just a little bit demanding. You have to savor the treasures someone lets you have for free. ]

( This sort of thing could go in so many directions. And isn't that what's so exciting about it? Whether they crash and burn out, whether one swallows the other, whether they manage to make this work— it's something that can make them feel alive. At the very least, it makes Esikko feel alive. He, too, loves kissing, loves the connection between two bodies, loves to press himself as close as he can to wrap himself in the warmth he's no longer allowed to have. His own laugh mixes with a quick breath of air, the hold of arms around his neck drawing him closer so that their foreheads can touch. His arms, though thin and fragile, manage to guide Leo onto his back on the couch, one arm reaching just past him to grip the armrest, a prop to keep his own body up as he dips his other hand between them, fingers toying at the waistband of his pants. )

So what sort of things do you enjoy, then? Leo.

( Spoken against his lips, his fingers pry his waistband back and release it in a light snap, his own smile curved against the continuing hungry kiss. )

You seem like someone who would be fun to tease, you know. ( And maybe he is now, constantly interrupting this kiss, playing with clothes but not yet advancing things further. He likes that eagerness, that joy, that flash of impatience— and he wants to draw it out more. )

[ Leo isn't hard to lead. For one, he doesn't feel like struggling. For another, he's thin on his own part, though differently. He's the kind of athletic that can go on stage for hours, but Leo's also got a build that makes you think he skips as many meals as he actually does. Healthy but unhealthy with it? It's a contradiction, and really he'd only gained like a pound the last year before getting here because he'd lived with someone who forced him to eat on a schedule and now he's alone again and it's coffee when he remembers and food once he comes up for air from a composition. Sleep is the same way: he can't remember anything but music when he's composing. ]

Oh, teasing isn't gonna work at all if you base it on shame. [ He has none, you see, or it only functions once in a blue moon. It's not like he never gets embarrassed, but those times he's been mostly flattered and it's never once happened during sex to date. Not like Esikko was using shame just then - he sounds happy, too, and that resonates off of Leo's own and he doesn't mind Esikko speaking against his mouth and pulling back, but he does admit, perfectly honest: ]

But seems like you already got the picture to what would. I do get impatient. [ He also seems perfectly happy to let himself get teased, though. His eyes are wide and very brightly green and the hand that was at Esikko's neck fiddles with his hair, touching for the sake of it as amusement flares again on his side.

The thing about Leo is that when he's asked what he likes in bed he doesn't play coy about it or get ashamed, like he just said. He just spills it out easily, and it almost always throws people off or they think parts of it are weird, possibly because some of it is pretty uniquely Leo's nonsense even in a casino full of sex. Some of it is more normal, and that's the stuff he usually gets to do.

Well, mostly. He's still thrilled about kissing, and that's something he didn't always get to do. ]

I like kissing!! And I like making people happy, so I can be into almost anything. [ That's a crap answer, because "anything you want" isn't the revealing kind of honest Leo himself likes. It's true, though, so he briefly visits it before he goes on to spill out the rest messily between them, not caring if it's a "yes" or "no". He was asked a question, and it wasn't "what do you like that I like", which he can't even guess just yet anyway. ]

I like voices. I love your voice, it's so pretty. I like it when people talk to me and I like hearing them, and I wanna record every sound you make and put it to music, but no one has actually let me do that one yet, so I guess it's weird? Or embarrassing? I like it when someone else can be a canvas. About three quarters of my markers here are like, edible paint? I like seeing my music on other people's skin. ♪ I wanna write what what they make me hear and see it there even if it's easy to wipe away with a tongue. They're flavored, too!

[ He gets so excited about his edible markers please just. Pause as he gets all giddy about them. They're also! Colored!!!! He tries to stick to black for his normal markers these days so he can tell them apart, actually. ]

I've always wanted to hear someone sing something I wrote during sex, but everyone always says it's impossible, or they don't have the breath control, or it's weird or whatever. [ Is that even a kink with a name? ] Blindfolds wouldn't upset me but I think I'd cry if someone used earplugs. [ But he doesn't say that's a no? He's never tried that, it's just a tangent mentally as Leo tries to answer the question and ends up rambling, always rambling, flitting from one topic to the next with absolutely no care at all for how any of it is taken because Esikko said he'd take the weirdness and that means he gets it. ]

I think toys are fun. I like my hair being pulled and sometimes I like pulling it. I like biting! I like things that hurt and I like things that don't. I like new things even when I end up hating them because it's a new experience and that's inspiring and I'm never sure if I love it or hate it or hate that I love it when I can't breathe or there's a hand at my throat 'cause I've offered to let Knights cut off my head so many times and it always pissed them off and whatever it is I get all fizzly.

[ There's other things, more, but Leo gets bored talking about himself. ]

Tell me what you like!! [ Because he wants to hear the other half, doesn't even care if it matches up or doesn't. He just wants to know, both his hands sliding up to squeeze Esikko's cheeks just because. ]

( Very informative, all of this rambling. It's something that might get annoying, in certain contexts, or down the line— but annoyance isn't some sort of a deal breaker for Esikko, anyway. Right now, it's new and intriguing, and the words that do come out make all the difference. There's not a single thing he says he enjoys that sounds dull, not a thing that sounds like something he'd be entirely unwilling to do.

Of course, as Esikko thinks on it, as his eyes trace the shape of Leo's lips while he rambles, he thinks that maybe there's nothing like that in the world, anyway. )

I like when things aren't dull, so all of those things sound fun to me.

( To start things off. The one thing he'd be hesitant on is using his voice in sex like that, but the moment it was mentioned that no one else would? It was like a challenge, like something he had to step in and be the best at, be the only one, the best one. He's insecure, worried about the idea of singing to anyone but himself, but if anything, sex sounds like the perfect place for it. Relaxed, heated up, wanting more? Sure.

The hands at his cheeks are warm, and so he leans into one of them, eyes closing as he considers the words, hand tugging more insistently at the hem of Leo's pants, to lower them, to wiggle them off in the middle of all this. )

I like to feel alive. That's a wide range, you know, of things like doing it in places you shouldn't, or ways that are dangerous; I quite like blood, thanks to the way I use my magic, and that's not something I share with everyone for fear of them rejecting the idea. But you seem rather open.

( He seems like the kind of guy who'd try anything once. Or indefinitely? His face lowers again, when pants are out of the way enough, to pepper kisses from the corner of Leo's mouth down to his jaw, to his neck, speaking in between. )

I like feeling wanted, important, like I'm the only one who could possibly do something. Hehe... it's silly, isn't it? Childish? I think I'd like to make you beg, to hear just how much you'd like to hear my voice, until you're either so overcome with impatience that you draw it out of me on your own, or I take pity on you and finally give it all. Hm, that sort of thing...

But as for the methods, I don't think I'm so particular. I enjoy trying new things.

[ If Leo gets so annoying Esikko wants him to shut up, he should just say so whenever it occurs. It's the way other people usually handle him at home, and Leo rarely takes it badly - he knows he can be annoying and overwhelming as hell at times. He's quick enough to shift up, lifting his hips and maneuvering easily with little nudging needed. Flexibility isn't a problem for him, even though he skips practice whenever he feels like it. ]

How do you use your magic? [ Blood magic. Sounds scary, sounds cool, sounds fascinating! Leo doesn't feel the fear that the scary part should inspire, but he feels the curiosity that always chases after anything new, exciting. ] Wait, don't answer! Lemme imagine it.

[ Liking blood, because of how he uses it. Stories and possibilities open up, one after the other, stars in an infinitely expanding universe that won't stop until Leo has a real answer. For just this moment before he knows the truth the answer could be anything and he wants to drag that out, let it play out until he's buzzing with it.

Ugh, he can't kiss Esikko's mouth if he's moving down like that. Leo captures one of his hands instead, because he wants to kiss something and a palm works. ]

Let's see~! There's so many things it could be, exciting! A blood sacrifice, calling something from nothing? What you have to use to write a formula and call up that power? Or maybe it's not something you use to trade, but something you can use itself? If I cut open my wrist would you be able to move the blood however you liked? Can you move your blood? Do you like how it tastes? Maybe if you drink it then it'd warm you up? What's the weight of a heart, magically speaking? I wanna know.

[ Esikko is better at bed talk than Leo. Leo's thrilled to be picturing something he definitely shouldn't be thinking about right this second, of course, but as usual he's honed in on something that fascinates him but is exactly the wrong mood (?) for what he's doing.

He bites the palm, then lets go and allows himself to explore more instead. Scar on the left of the chest. An anatomy chart in his head, and he follows the organs beneath that cut and grins again. ]

Isn't it fine if something is silly or childish? Hm, I think I hate that! I'll accept absolutely any level of "look only at me" but it's boring as hell if you try to soften it. [ That's kind of rude, Leo. But then again, he hasn't been polite at all this entire time, so is it really that shocking?

If his pants are off he feels that in fairness he should not be alone in this, and squirms around to get a hand further between them so he can fix that. ]

You have absolutely no filter.

( An obvious observation, and one he already made ages ago, but he says it with an air of amusement, right now. Like he's extra fascinated, like he's excited at the idea of it, so much so that even the rather rude comment gets written off immediately. He like, bit him and moved on?? Esikko is still amazed.

But for now, he allows him to mess with his pants in return, taking that as a chance to lean back in for another kiss. Shorter, thanks to their conversation, but not without the same eagerness as earlier. Fingers find their way to his hair tie to pull it loose, and he hums a thoughtful noise against his ear. )

Spilling all of those answers all at once... Wouldn't it get boring? I can tell you, or show you, but you have to take it one at a time, and you have to earn it. ♪

( Like it's a game, revealing his secrets, talking about the things he'd love to have the excuse to talk about. He wants to feel wanted, wants to feel interesting, so of course he's going to draw it out. )

[ A hum is a hum is a hum is music. Leo thrills at that, even though it's just a thoughtful little pause, and why's that what gets him to flush excitedly except well yeah of course it does. A pretty little noise that's halfway music and his breath will catch as he repeats it in his head again and again and again. It means he actually shuts the fuck up for a minute, wide-eyed and startled.

He needs the minute to stop staring with the force of his own little revelation - the same kind that always stops him in his tracks and makes him feel unmoored before he finds the thread of melody back in - and then has to blink and play back the words instead of the sound. ]

Huh, what? [ Answers, showing, what were they - oh, right, blood magic, they were talking about that. Right! ]

Show me, then. How does earning it work with you? [ Yes, a stupid absentminded little hum DOES throw him off his game more than kissing him or clothes coming off. Leo was not in any way lying about the voice thing.

Rebooted for some given value of it, he shoves up enough so Esikko has to help him get the pants all the way off or get dislodged. ]

( Oh, he's that easy with it. Esikko smiles, eyes twinkling with the sort of pride that he doesn't know how to hold back, and allows himself a short laugh after a press of a kiss near Leo's ear. He does move, after that, to help get his pants the rest of the way off, wiggling free and shoving them aside, sloppily on the couch. )

You'll have to figure it out as you go. Like you've just found a brand new instrument, you know~?

( Is this speaking his language? He can only assume so, as he leans back in for another kiss, his body looming in and knees touching down on either side of his hips in a proper straddle. )

Do whatever you want, and I'll do the same. Like a dance, we'll figure things out quickly enough, won't we? And I'll answer more after we've had a nice time.

[ It's an attempt at it, a music analogy. A brand new instrument! Leo's the kind of annoying genius who can pick things up without trying, musically speaking. He prefers working with digital, mostly, but his first love was a piano (literally) and if it's musical he cares enough to pick it up and try it. When's the last time an instrument was different enough from everything else it took that much effort?

People are way more effort, even though Leo does think music is a universal language. Emotion and general things get across well - but the fiddly little bits that make up real people can get lost in it sometimes.

But it's cute, Leo thinks, that someone's making an effort to put it in a way he'd maybe understand. Leo doesn't think that's the why exactly - it's probably just a little bit performative, a way to stand out, but he's never minded that in other people. Leo thinks that's cute, too. Or fascinating?

Like a dance and he glances over near the wall, that particular solo penned and ready for someone not around to sing it - but then he refocuses again, hands warm on Esikko's thighs and fingers tapping again to that piano before he lets the thought of Suo fade away, too. ]

Cute. ♪ You're pretty smooth when you're doing that, huh?

[ A little bit manipulative and a little bit earnest, he thinks, slipping in music terms and setting up a scenario that Leo can recognize and finds compelling and entertaining, and Leo just got permission to do whatever he wants again and so he tests those waters by surging back up because really he can only stay semi obedient on his back for so long before he loses interest. He's pretty sure it doesn't matter how much they kiss - Esikko probably won't warm up, and normally Leo hates being cold but he figures it's fine right now. Maybe if he kisses him hard enough Leo can get Esikko on his back, is what he figures as he tries it. ]

Hehe, do you think so?

( But he's kissed again before he can fish more praise out of him. Honestly, it's nice to hear if he's coming across as "smooth" or anything close to it. After all, he started in this place with no knowledge outside of terrible, raunchy smut novels... Maybe he ended up better than he could have, in that regard.

As much as he wants to push back, to to wrestle with it, he's far more interested in the moment in seeing where Leo takes this. So, he accepts the press back, shifting slowly, carefully, and reaching his arms to wrap around Leo as he tugs him along with, even moving one leg up to run along the side of the shorter man's leg in turn.

Another hum, this one pleased and muffled by the kiss, sounds out. It's kind of fun, just messing around like this, clumsily trying things out, seeing where it'll go. And he meant it, when he said they could do anything— and that's the thrill of it, too. He has no idea what to expect, yet.

But it won't stop him from moving on his own, either, the fingers of one hand lacing through Leo's hair once he's settled onto his back enough, fingernails trailing along the side of his scalp as he goes. )

[ Flirting or dirty talk or whatever - Leo probably isn't the best judge of it, honestly. He enjoys it when people are enjoying themselves and being themselves, and even the way people act when they're trying hard not to be themselves because sometimes that's more telling. He laughingly accepts things that sound more like death threats at times and he thinks they're probably charming - his sense of "normal" never has been, and while he actually can turn on a more normal sort of charm, it's just when he bothers to lean into the usual fanservice Knights gives. He does it sometimes on a whim, but when he's being entirely honest what's actually flirting for him is always going to be more musical than it isn't.

The other stuff isn't not real, but it's different.

A different hum, a different meaning. Leo would like to somehow make those sounds physical things with weight he could pick up and pin to the walls, and he actually knows how to do that. He can break any sound down onto paper if he really thinks about it, can create notation that doesn't exist if there's a need. His left pointer finger sketches out how it'd go on Esikko's thighs, notation that won't be understandable as anything other than something specific from the methodical pattern, because Esikko probably cannot actually read music through touch the way Leo is crazy enough to be able to.

...not that anyone is weird enough to write it, but if they were he could read it.

He forgets a lot of things - names, often times - but as long as he writes down music he'll remember it. It's why it's fine if he writes it on his own skin or someone else's to wash off, or on walls or the floor. As long as he's written it, it exists and he can recall it. So now he has that second hum down forever, and then he annotates the second in nothing more than the same pressure of a warm finger writing on cold skin, trailing up Esikko's thigh in distracted exploration.

He wants more sounds to memorize, so the next time he needs a breath Leo goes about seeking them out. Different kisses in different places should yield various results - everyone always seems to have different likes and dislikes and reactions, and while there's significant overlap in some areas there's not much at all in others. Figuring out what people don't like is less fun than the opposite, but being too worried about that gets nowhere.

Still, he usually is at least a little bit gentle as he figures out the boundaries. So when he nips under Esikko's jaw it's not enough to draw blood or anything, but more the first tuning of a piano. Like that? Less? He listens. ]

( If reactions and sounds are all Leo needs, then perhaps this is a good match after all. Esikko isn't shy about letting his reactions be known, openly and honestly— he only gasps when those kisses hit the right spot, that tender area along his neck, just beneath his jaw and close to his earlobes. The area around his ears seems sensitive in particular, in a nice way, a little less so near his collarbone. The true favorite spot is his navel, but no one's really figured that one out yet.

When something isn't going the exact way he wants, he pushes for it. Greedy hands pull Leo closer when he wants more, which is just what he does in response to that graze of teeth, as small as it is. He breathes out a little laugh, in the midst of it, eyes sparkling even while half-lidded, hips stretching up in an arch of his back that shows clearly that he wants more. He does try to keep his more embarrassing sounds lower, by habit, by embarrassment, he'll find soon enough... but it's just as ease to press a little further and tease them right out.

There doesn't seem to be anything that he doesn't like in this, at least not now, at least not in sight. And it's not that those things don't exist; it's that Leo is so far from them it doesn't matter.

He hooks his leg around the back of Leo's hips to draw him closer still, his face tilting up and to the side to allow for more of that attention, that adoration, content to be spoiled. )

[ He's good at playing chess. Leo is, he can actually casually beat down people who actually play chess except he obfuscates the wins because he thinks it'll just be a bad feeling to be a sole winner like that with the game ending. So when he sees checkmate he makes up stupid rules and messes around like a kid who doesn't know what he's doing, but when he's serious, he's good at chess. He can pick up musical instruments he's never touched and figure them out just by playing around with them. The quality that helps with those things, with similar things, is observation skills he pretends he doesn't have half of the time (neatly hidden behind his disinterest in anything that isn't his current focus and temperamental whimsy) and a sort of patience to try things from any angle until he gets the sound just right.

So he has fun doing this, learning how to make someone happy in a way that means open affection and physical touch. Sound and body language and anything people say are spread out like a composition he has to rearrange, and the fiddly work of shifting everything around to make something entirely new is always, always rewarding.

So, more pressure. He's allowed to bite down, and so he does and wonders briefly if blood from someone who uses blood magic tastes different or something? He still has no idea what's up with that and that means he can still make up a billion stories to himself to chase after and try to figure out. It's nice to have open feedback he can read, even if years of dealing with Sena have made it easier to figure out how to read feedback that's all between the lines of the stuff yelled openly.

A laugh in a lower key than his own, traced onto Esikko's hip this time because Leo thinks it's pretty and that's the fastest way for him to keep it in mind and he hasn't been scolded yet for tracing symbols like that.

Seems like right at the jaw is good but he figures out the nearer the ears faster and decides to suck a mark there to tease it out more. It's kind of a lazy speed to be doing things at, but if he goes breakneck Leo thinks he'll miss things that matters, and he doesn't want to do that.

He tries to find the right pitch against Esikko's skin, humming back the second happier note like that's a normal thing people do. The pitch is perfect. ]

( It's odd, for sure, completely unique and not like anyone else. But isn't that what's fun about it? Exciting, maybe? The sound plays out against his skin and he laughs a little at it, almost like a tickle— it doesn't, but something about it does, in his heart? He doesn't know what that is, but it's warm, so he doesn't really care to stop and think about it for long, either. Just accepts that it's nice, takes it, presses on.

Blood, if his skin is broken, is his own kind of unique. The second even the smallest bit of it breaks skin, the floral scent is heavy and prominent, like lavender and chrysanthemum all at once. It's also unnaturally cold, worse than even his skin. Likely the cause of it, in fact. It tastes as floral as it smells, the Divinity laced through it causing that.

The lazy pace isn't bad at all, but Esikko isn't the most patient of men. He tilts his head back a little, arches his back so that they touch in more places, and wraps his arms around him, clawing at his back, dragging fingers to draw him closer. )

Having fun? ( Quietly, amused, and because he genuinely wonders if this is what Leo wanted, if it's something he's enjoying. Because he wants to be, of course, because that's what makes him enjoy it the most, too. Being wanted. )

[ Interesting, weird. Leo bit just hard enough, but he doesn't ask about the taste or temperature for a wonder, even if he draws back slightly because he's a little bit startled and also because Esikko speaks and he wants to watch his mouth. His tongue runs over his own lips as he hums another note, happy enough to be rushed but also not really speeding up because he hasn't been outright scolded about it yet and even though Leo's hard and he gets impatient sometimes, other times he's like this: laser focused on following each and every little new note.

His lips quirk up in a fond smile, at the question. ]

I'm not faking right now. [ I could doesn't get said; it isn't like Leo doesn't lie sometimes, although it's always the kind where he shifts the stuff he's feeling to the side and out of sight behind a smile or an act from the past. He rarely lies outright without genuinely serious reason. But he has lied or not told the entire truth during sex sometimes, rearranging his own tune to fit the listener because he liked them enough to try to tamp down the things about him that are too much or don't fit. ] If you wanna play games, shouldn't you have to learn the rules, too?

[ It's lightly teasing, even though Leo actually will just honestly answer anything he's asked by Esikko just because he thinks that'll be more entertaining than anything else. And so far nothing he's said has really bothered the guy. ]

So pay~ attention~ already~? I'm memorizing everything about you, so keep up, okay? If you catch me in a lie I'll fess up, but if you don't I won't. ☆ [ He slips further down, but it's on purpose this time, apparently still planning to do whatever he wants unless told otherwise because he is having fun. ]

I'm gonna blow you, by the way. ♪ Does that taste different too? Let's find out~.

[ Even saying so, he's taking his fucking time about it, because Leo's still actually doing what he said he was and memorizing the tune on his way down. There's things he wants to know, so he tests them out one after the other, openly experimenting to find the correct path: is the collarbone sensitive? Nipples usually are, but are they when tweaked or with teeth or tongue laved over them? But he's not really sticking to the obvious, either. Fingers ghost down Esikko's sides to find weak points when Leo reaches his abdomen, and he wastes time on his navel for a second because he thinks it's interesting there's proof of being born a human like anyone from their mother when Esikko tastes like something else entirely in the blood.

But he is working down with some kind of lazy purpose, ignoring his own arousal as distracting and irrelevant for the moment. ]

( Another laugh is exhaled out from Esikko, eyes sharp and half obscured by the dip of his own lashes, studying Leo as he lowers himself down his body. Blow him, huh? A nice, relaxing time without too much effort is always fun— being spoiled is fun, getting attention is fun, so of course he likes the sound of it.

But it's right around his navel, his abdomen, where the chain of a navel piercing hangs around his waist like a fancy little crown of the waist, that he slips his fingers up further into Leo's hair, gripping tight and tugging enough so that he's forced to pause. Eye contact is all he wants, in this moment, the muscles of his abdomen still tense from the attention, his face a little heated. )

I'm the one who makes the rules, you know? Leo. If there's any I don't like, I'll change them.

( Just like that, his fingers release, an almost soothing run of them through red locks following as he arches his back a little, encouraging the attention and the mapping of his body on the way down. He's impatient, and he's getting hard just from this, but that's part of the fun. He likes those little tingles, the chases of excitement that run through every inch of him. Even in a sex resort, he still hasn't fully gotten over the novelty of being touched. )

I am paying attention, though, to be clear. It's a nice view of you, like this.

( Like a Knight kneeling before a King? A Prince? Haha. Laughable, really, with how much he hates that stupid title— his fingers dance along the edge of Leo's ear, light and tracing, but otherwise content to lay here selfishly and take some attention for a bit. It's good to know if Leo is the type to chase his own needs, after all, or if he really does just find this enough. )

[ He's not going to struggle against that hold, anyway. Leo already said earlier he liked that kind of rough handling - he thinks, he doesn't remember or care - and while his eyes widen there's no other immediate reaction as he tamps whatever it is down because he's more interested in listening and sometimes that means he'll keep quiet so he doesn't miss anything

Though he's chatty, and it takes some effort to stop that. He leans into the touch as it goes slack and then away, then blinks. ]

That's fine. I'm no longer the tyrant King of those wartorn Knights, after all. So my orders aren't absolute now, are they? [ He slips into it when he needs to or when people ask him to, here. Pulling on that old rusty and bloodstained armor isn't difficult in the sense that he can play the part perfectly, but it's hardly something he enjoys - he never liked it back then either. ]

Still, you're not my King, so I don't have to listen if I don't wanna. ☆ Probably I would anyway, but for different reasons. [ He says this like he'd even listen to Tsukasa if he didn't feel like it, which Leo absolutely wouldn't. Sena has the right of it: Leo is sometimes more like an unruly pet than anything else, beholden to whatever he feels at any given moment.

He's curious about the navel piercing so he goes back to that, tugging on it with his teeth for a second but fairly gentle; bleh, metal - and his hands go down further to deal with barrier there.

He does like being watched. When Leo's actively doing something, he has an easier time not getting totally distracted, although there's always a part of him two seconds away from dropping everything to compose. It's happened during sex before, and it probably will again.

It happens less when he hasn't done anything in a while, though. ]

( He's a little like a cat, like this, isn't he? Going where he pleases, trying things and snubbing them just as quickly... The thought crosses his mind only for a moment, because the attention to his skin is ultimately winning him over. The tug, even if short, is enough to make him suck in a breath that's sighed out just moments later as Leo moves lower still. A lazy approach, it turns out, is rather nice when you're someone who does enjoy getting a little frustrated in their own impatience. The longer he watches him, the more he wonders what's next, the more he tries to predict it, tries to see where his fingers are moving, where his eyes will flick next, but—

This guy is a little unpredictable? It's fascinating, exciting, a little, interesting, frustrating... He squirms a little in his impatience, legs sliding against the slide of Leo wherever they can touch to add to the sensations he's feeling, the desire for intensity. )

Mm... I don't want to be a King, anyway, really.

( Distracted, curving his fingers behind Leo's ear to run though his hair, trailing to the end of it. )

You certainly take your time, don't you?

With stuff that matters I do. [ Music, things he likes, people he's interested in. Leo is impatient and flighty at times, but when he's focused on something he devotes himself to it. More than once when he's gone missing he's been found surrounded by scattered papers, working on one song endlessly for days without ceasing just to get it perfect. People sometimes don't expect that side of him because the casual, whimsical part is louder and easier to spot, but it isn't like anyone is ever all just one thing.

The reaction to the piercing thing is noted, catalogued, and queued up for later exploration once in mixing and matching, but for now Leo lets it slip by with nothing more than a glint of amused intrigue. ]

What do you wanna be, Ikko? Besides wanted. [ Again, Leo's grasp on pillow talk is tenuous and seems to mostly consist of saying and asking whatever the hell he likes as he does whatever the hell he likes. This time he's tugging down and off clothes so he can bite again, this time on a cold thigh. He wants to leave marks, apparently. ]

( What does he want to be?

Useful. Worth something. Remembered. Are those all part of "wanted?" He's never had a long term goal besides power, because he's never had a long term to work with. And so as he tries to come up with an answer that doesn't sound pathetic, he finds himself struggling, all coming to a head when that bite at his thigh earns a surprised gasp. )

Ah— well, it doesn't really matter, does it? Is this supposed to get me in the mood?

( It's a bit of a snap, huffy, a little grumpy, but it's because it's a delicate topic, because he doesn't want to appear pathetic. But his eyes slide to the side in his little grumble, indicating that it's not like he means to aim any sort of actual pointed jab at Leo himself. There's nothing wrong with this aimless talking, even if it's... not the sexiest.

It's still intimate, in a way. Trying to get to know him like that, and it's clear he's getting a little flushed from the feeling of a thigh hickey. And after a moment, with a stolen glance back, he adds on: )

I want to be better at magic, I suppose...

( Not exactly an answer. )

Aren't you already in the mood? I never say anything with that kinda aim anyway. [ Well, he doesn't think he does usually...? Leo is usually pretty direct about hitting on someone by his own standards, he thinks, but he supposes it could seem circumspect or odd to other people. Or sometimes just normal things he says, meaningless, could be taken wrongly. A careless tongue that traces the bite mark as he talks into Esikko's skin, still watching and listening and openly curious.

This whole time his gaze has been utterly devoid of judgement. There's still none there to be found. Even if it seemed pathetic Leo probably wouldn't think that; he's quick to say he hates or loves things and people but the way he views people overall has never been anything other than kind at the heart of it beyond the playacting and mixed honesty and lying masks. ]

It matters 'cause I wanna know, but it's not like you have to be honest. I'll listen to lies and deflections, too, as long as you're saying them in that voice. ♪ Sometimes lies and things people don't say are more honest than the truth is, anyway.

[ Philosophical or teasing or what? Leo's smile is somewhere between soft and carefree, but his fingers are warm and certain as they close around Esikko, too light a grip mostly on purpose. ]

Hey, tell me about the first spell you ever did.

( How is it that he manages to come across as both confident and clueless? It's something of a talent, Esikko thinks, and crossed with the warm feeling of fingers wrapping around him, it's driving him a little crazy. Not necessarily in a bad way, either...

He likes that request, of course. To talk about the thing he's passionate about, the thing he's spent every lifetime focusing on— he wants to. But it's different, the way he embraces his passion compared to Leo. Leo seems to be fine with stopping everything to write on whatever he can at the time and get it out of him. Esikko finds it vulnerable, finds it a little scary, to voice things that he has a great interest in at the risk of them shutting it down like everyone so often does...

Mrgh. He doesn't want to get too wrapped up in thoughts, doesn't want to worry when he's dealing with the tension of a growing arousal and Leo teasing him with a too gentle grip. )

The first spell... Wasn't anything impressive or anything, you know.

( His embarrassment crosses through, in him explaining like that, though his tone also carries weight, like leaning over a railing. He stretches himself a little, pressing his hips up, interested in more. Any more attention that he gets leads to falters in his breath, little pauses, and the like, but he speaks all the same: )

In the gardens of the palace, I used magic to grow a flower. I hadn't grasped what my best method for using it was, just yet, so I drew the patterns in the soil, and I placed offerings, lit candles... but the most that grew was a tiny sapling that withered away within the hour.

Edited 2025-01-14 06:01 (UTC)

You don't think that's impressive? Hm. So Ikko's one of those guys who thinks that it's gotta be big and flashy to impress! I see. [ That is overtly teasing, gentle though it is, but Leo isn't trying to shut down a conversation he opened. His grip does tighten in response to either the movement or the honesty, but he won't clarify which. Maybe it's both. ]

We'll disagree, 'cause the first tiny step is always, in retrospect, the biggest one you ever took. Don't you think? [ His first love was a piano in a music shop. Leo's insane about passions in a distinctly offbeat way, and he thinks he hears something like devotion in a quiet little story about a dying flower. He likes it. The weird intimacy, the distracting conversation, is something he falls into easily and earnestly.

But it's not like he's totally forgotten what he's doing. ]

What type of flower? [ It's asked against Esikko's thighs still but then he shifts in the same lazy and focused way so his breath is more against Esikko's dick like he's debating asking for a magical lecture while blowing him which he. Is. Earlier he got told to earn it but he asks anyway: ]

Wanna see how coherently you can teach me about it while I do this? [ Brightly said, and he does intend to listen if it's agreed to. ]

Don't say it like that...

( Mumbled, at the first part, his hand finally allows Leo's hair to slip free from his fingers completely, running his palm back up and over his own stomach just shortly afterwards. This is getting trickier, trying to focus on this conversation, on being perceived the way he wants to be, and on the blooming sensations of warmth against sensitive skin. )

I— it was a camellia... A red one. Or it was supposed to be. It never even bloomed.

( The idea of trying to focus on explaining magic while he gets blown is both nice and not, somehow— it's embarrassing?! It sounds like he'll just mess up telling it a bunch of times, and that puts Leo on top, doesn't it? He doesn't want to just roll over like that.

Even if he did like, literally just roll over, it's different. )

You're just trying to learn about it in an easy way, aren't you? Mm. ( A pause, half to suck in a breath at the one ghosted against his dick, and half to contemplate. ) I can tell you about the method I found works best for me, if you want. My blood.

[ Instead of the "yes" that was probably expected, that absolutely is bubbling up through his veins, when Leo opens his mouth again he says instead: ]

A noble death. [ Never bloomed and wilted - they're similar enough. Leo knows that flowers mean different things in different cultures on Earth, however much overlap there is. How different is the meaning in another world entirely? There's some things that seem to overlap, technology and cultures that match almost exactly or that have one specific linchpin that changes so many other things - it's fascinating, and yet despite knowing it might mean nothing he doesn't really explain it fully. It's just a quiet statement. If his gaze was any less intent it could almost be something said idly, but instead it ends up being one of those things he says like he's trying to pull off someone's skin to see the what their organs look like underneath, seemingly focused on something beyond the words he's listening to even as he drinks them in.

He's been accused of not seeing people like humans when he's like this, once or twice. But Leo thinks maybe it's the opposite thing entirely: he thinks people probably don't like being seen as human, when being seen like that often means seeing all the ugly, grasping bits of people even when they don't want them seen.

He still can't see any of it as ugly. ]

Love and devotion unrealized. [ Because that's for blooming, isn't it? Well, Esikko probably doesn't actually care about this, maybe? Leo knows he gets distracted all the time, and he ends up smiling and managing to get back on task without being ordered around for once. ]

Yeah, I wanna know. You can quiz me later if you want! [ Why he's making some reassurance he's gonna pay attention is really only known to Leo himself, but then he decides as abruptly as anything else to actually get back on topic with the promise of Esikko having to talk to him through it. Which is maybe the other half of the reason why he asked.

His mouth is at least as warm as his hands, and he's not shy about it, licking a curious and testing strip up the side before mouthing the head of it. ]

( Esikko knows flower language better than anyone he's ever met. To him, the feeling comes naturally with the flower, with the plant, a variety of symbolism that he can't escape. While he hadn't chosen the flower with any intention more than it being pretty when he was a child, the irony hadn't escaped him, it's true. But he's shocked, actually, to hear anyone reference it at all to him.

And so it makes him pause a bit, catches him off guard and leaves him unsure of what to say for longer than he realizes, until the warmth of a wet tongue is dragging up alongside his growing arousal in a casual lick, sparking a sensation through him that earns a surprised little breath.

Right, he'd forgotten where he was, for a moment. )

Ah, right. Everyone can do magic, but it's like art and science combined. To find how it works best for you, you...

( This is both harder and easier than he thought it would be. It's easy when he gets into a ramble, focused and a little excited to share, to have someone who cares enough to listen, but then falling into that so much makes the touch of lips around the head of his dick that much more noticeable. Warm, soft, enough to make him want to squirm, when he really wants to make Leo earn those little noises. His breath hitches, for a moment, and then he continues. )

Well, you have to find it yourself. There are methods that can run in family lines, but it's no guarantee, and the practice has fallen out, so it was even more difficult to discover books from that time.

( He watches Leo as he works, his own breaths deepening as he does. Is this really enough? To just blow him and listen to him... yap...?? )

I had tried so many methods, but I finally was able to find the books my father hid away. It's blood magic that works well for my family, so that's what I tried, and it worked for me, too.

[ Whatever warnings Hiyori gave out definitely did not encompass any of this, did they? Esikko had mentioned that Hiyori said Leo wouldn't be dull, which is admittedly the one thing he reliably usually isn't, but "he isn't dull" probably did not adequately prepare Esikko for the whiplash of being cheerfully called out for something that felt like a hidden insult shifting to ranting about music or magic or passion shifting to outright threats and amused warnings to at least a dozen other things before Leo'd ended up casually throwing out something that finally completely threw him. Leo notices it but doesn't really understand it - he doesn't think anything of analyzing the symbolism of something out loud.

You need to be comfortable with symbolism and literary themes when you write music day in and out, and while Leo definitely wouldn't know every single flower, he knows enough about flower language to call it up to use in music at a need or to debate what this or that flower or color or anything else might be in an art piece with Shu, who's still the most fun person Leo's ever met to argue loudly about such things with. Nearly everything Leo knows can be connected back like that - something useful for composing, something that can help him analyze the works of other musicians, something he thinks would make a wonderful framework for a story in a song.

He's not sure what it was about saying it aloud that got to Esikko at all, but it doesn't matter that much in the moment. Instead, Leo pictures camellias and that's the click that slides it into place in his mind. The hook through his stomach that he never bothers to try to escape as the melody spirals out before him, more defined and less something at the edge of his hearing.

There's a song. There's more than one song. There's always gonna be a million possibilities, and he can only grasp so many with his tiny human brain, which is the absolute worst thing in existence, because for every song finally born into his thoughts and out through ink stained fingers there's another one (another billion) that die as he's working on the first.

There's a song, though, and he even already has some phrasing flickering through his mind. It flows along to the sound of a low voice that's trying to be all controlled, and Leo thinks cute but he can't toss that out when his mouth is full so Esikko is spared another total switch of tone and topic because Leo with his mouth otherwise occupied means Leo not interrupting and throwing them bodily down some other conversational path.

It's easier not to go a thousand miles away when what he's composing is still beneath him, inspiration not yet gone. So he's still in the moment enough to keep memorizing the sound and what he's being told. Makes a mental note to ask about what other methods as he casually and easily takes Esikko in further with no sign of difficulty. A gag reflex isn't an issue he's ever had, and the previous mental notes have his left hand smoothing over the hickey he'd left on Esikko's thigh as Leo looks up at him, working it out.

Like with before, kissing, he takes his time. What pace gets a hitch of breath, or if he presses his tongue here or swallows then can he make Esikko lose his place? Anything that doesn't have one of those minute positive reactions he's intent on is placed aside, and anything negative thrown out, but there's that tenacious and utterly focused kind of energy he only ever gets for music or this which means that Leo's entire focus is Esikko. It's exactly as intense and crushing as he said it would be, but it should be fine, right? ]

It's not this... instant sort of thing, like so many people here think, or how so many people here can do it. It takes work and time, and planning, and creating and undoing...

( The attention is intense. It's the sort of intense he craves, like water to a dehydrated plant, but it's embarrassing all the same, turning his cheeks and ears a little pink as he struggles to keep calm and collected. It's easier when he's the one in control of things, and so that's normally what he defaults to, for his pride— but this place has opened him up to a lot more, and he's learned that it's worth it to suffer a little embarrassment for the sake of the reward that comes after.

Leo can swallow him surprisingly well. His eyes trace his face as he does, feeling the heat pooled in the pit of his stomach tightening, twisting, and resisting the urge to buck his hips upwards impatiently, seeking out more instant gratification rather than the slow build. But the slow build is nicer, even if it's hard to allow for himself, and so he shifts his legs a little to make up for it, hooking one of them around Leo as if to keep him close. )

There are things like magic circles to learn, as bases, but then you just need the materials, the setup, and in blood magic blood acts as a sort of fuel or energy. It became increasingly difficult, since I was born... ill, but—

( He can feel Leo's warm breath against him, especially when he takes him in as close as that, and he hooks his leg tighter to make up for the burning desire to press in deeper still, to completely give in. He exhales out in a soft hiss, an attempt to hold back the groan that wants to slip free, and lifts an arm to rest over his head, like the stretch of his body might help the feelings. )

I can use any blood as a base. ( Even though his blood is Special, technically... That's his secret. For now, anyway. )

[ Composing a spell and composing a song do sound similar, don't they? Even if the end result is wildly different and the details don't quite match up - but the time and planning and effort of putting something down and then realizing it isn't quite right or doesn't properly work and then adjusting it incrementally again and again as you undo things to redo them better until you reach the nearest possible thing to perfection - that matches up, doesn't it?

Never as effortless as it seems, but always worth it by the end.

Leo's got breath control down to an art. Not the kink - he likes it, sure, but usually done on him - but the thing you learn when you're someone who sings professionally on stage while dancing around a lot. It has alternative applications, even though Hiyori seemed kind of offended when Leo flippantly mentioned them. Namely: he's really good at timing his breathing properly regardless of what activity he's engaging in, he has a better than decent lung capacity and can go without a breath long enough for the complicated dance moves and solos he has to work through live all the time, and he's good at not panicking through it.

It helps him out a lot when he's actively starting to deepthroat someone. There's a considering hum as he thinks about asking to see a spell base sometime, but again he holds off his own questions. Just for now. Just for a bit. He'll bother Esikko with all of them later, probably, off and on.

Then, because he remembered his own little mental promise earlier, his right index finger is back up to play with the navel piercing, toying with it before he actually yanks a little. Careful precision because he doesn't wanna actually yank it out. ]

Words... are incredibly important in magic, too. Words and shapes. When I draw something out, it's like writing— each shape carries a different meaning or purpose, and you connect them with the typical connectors to form something like a sentence...

( He's beginning to struggle to know what to go on about, and that's how he knows that Leo is getting to him. He would never run out of things to say about magic. He could ramble about it, excitedly, for hours at a time, for days if given the chance. But right now, it's rising warmth and focused affection without so much as a falter, and Esikko breathes in deeply to appreciate it, tiny squirms trying to relieve the tension that's building. )

The tone of a word can mean a huge difference, even if it's the same magic term. A plant blooming, or dried up roots, for example. It— ah—

( The yank of his belly button piercing after careful toying earns a surprised little gasp, met with the smallest lift of his hips. It means he's pressing himself further into Leo's mouth without any consideration for the rhythm he's set up, and that's enough to earn another little groan from him. Magic, magic, he got the gist of it out, didn't he? And he can expand on so much more later, when he has more focus, more time, less distraction. Right now, he wants to chase this feeling, this warmth, this attention. )

It's... important. ( What had he been saying? Ugh. )

[ Don't laugh with your mouth full, Leo has to remind himself. It would just make this all awkward although there's a stuttered movement of his tongue as he as to suppress it, a warmer huff of air through his nose as his body tries anyway. That little It's important with a distracted flush as Esikko loses his train of thought entirely, like Leo could actually keep playing an entire piece on the piano through someone blowing him. But hypocrisy is fine when it looks and sounds like this, he thinks.

There's no reason to mind the rhythm being messed up because there's never one steady thread for sex. It's give and take and push and pull and stops and starts and Leo gives every sign of enjoyment for it, because a pretty groan and thrusting up is enough to make him groan with it, and he knows he's grinding his own hips down into the couch but he's not bothering to touch himself besides that absent minded movement. It doesn't matter right now. He's focusing on Esikko instead of himself which...is...isn't he the one with a mark that's darker, yes, but Leo likes to edge things out because it's fun and dangerous and because he'd rather see someone else fall apart at least three quarters of the time.

He's still trying to see how rough. He's slept with a few people who don't mind the slightest scrape of teeth like this but it's always kind of a dangerous trick - something barely there, and pulling back if that's bad, but experimental defines a lot of what he does. And Esikko liked some of the other rough stuff. ]

You...

( Still trying, Esikko moves his arm to drape over his own eyes, as if that might help cover the expressions he's starting to make. Leo's groan rumbles from around him, and that combined with the scrape of teeth, subtle as it is, has his body shuddering. It's almost too much, from the way his breath almost hisses out, but then he rocks his hips up again, free hand grasping to find Leo, to find his hair, something to grab onto. It's taking every bit of self control to not flip them onto the floor and start fucking into him, but he's trying to be... reasonable. Patient. )

You get the idea.

( He's done explaining. )

[ Esikko's done explaining so Leo pulls off because he can honestly be annoying and there's pure affectionate laughter in his expression even though he's being mean. He's being mean to both of them because he doesn't want to stop but he has this thing about edging himself sometimes along with whatever unfortunate soul gets caught up with him, so he grins like he's begging to get punched or something. ]

But I wanted to hear more about the different types of bases for spells? [ He actually does want to hear about this more, for the record. But he's also so obviously just being a jerk for the sake of it, playful with it, even though his hands are still on Esikko's body because he can't bring himself to go totally hands off even if he goes mouth off to see if he'll get yelled at yet. ]

That's...

( That's not fair, first of all! The start of that sentence comes out with such force that the rest of it sort of fizzles out at first, and Esikko throws the arm away from his own face to flop against the couch, eyes pointing down at Leo. He can feel his arousal twitching at the sudden lack of attention, of warmth, and he tries again. )

That's a different topic. I'll tell you later.

( With a frustrated little noise he tries to keep held back, he rocks his hips up, trying to get some more friction. )

You can't stop now.

I mean, I totally could if I wanted to jump into my suit effects fully. That could be kinda interesting, I guess, but I get the feeling I'd probably end up doing something violent. Hate that!

[ Why does he sound so cheerful about it, then. Leo's grip tightens and he pushes down, keeping Esikko in place as he continues on, blithely: ]

Promise to draw one of those bases on me before you leave here and I'll keep going.

[ Blithely and breathlessly. Why has he decided that he wants to see a spell on his own skin? Probably best not to question it too closely and just accept that Leo's completely delighted at the thought and apparently seems to think it's worth blackmail or bribery for his own weird pursuit of pleasure. ]

Huh?

( Yet again, he's surprised by where Leo goes with absolutely anything. But that's an easy sort of answer, one that's met with an impatient little puff and a reach up to touch at his cheek. His body is too cold, even as flushed as he feels from arousal. )

Fine, yes— I'll even do a spell, if you want, so just keep going.

Really? [ He does want that, actually! It's not music, but to Esikko it means the same thing, right? Leo wants to see what that looks like in reverse, so he's beaming happy with it, the emotion bubbling up and overflowing like it always does. Spades is so utterly the reverse of Leo's natural personality (except when it isn't) and maybe that's why he got it. ]

Thanks, Ikko! I love you! ♪ [ Words he always means when he says them, and not something he expects anything back for until he learns the rhythm. Hiyori's "I love me too!" and Jun's embarrassed acceptance that's how Leo is and Rinne laughing about it. Easy affection, difficult affection, endlessly flowing affection -

This has annoyed a lot of other people, too, but anyone who deals with Leo for any real length of time has to find some way of handling it. It's not like he's the sort of person you can change.

The promise of something even more than he asked for (a spell!!!!) is enough to appease his random dive into blackmail, and Leo has no problem holding up his end of the bargain then. Decides that kissing the head of Ikko's dick is a thing he should do (why though) before he gets back to work, pleased enough that he forgot he was going to try to get Ikko to promise to keep talking, too. ]

You...??

( It seemed like a simple wish to grant, one that he has fun with, so he wasn't expecting a burst of the L word like that. Combined with the immediate and enthusiastic bounce back to sucking him off, any words he attempts to formulate are turned into a mess that's entirely caught off guard. He can feel that tension coiling from his core, can feel it approaching that much quicker from a little jump, and it's... stupid. You don't mean that is what he thinks, automatically.

Because he's not like the hearts suit, or at least he never thought he was, but then this place came along and messed with his emotions. Started to make him... care? To think that there are things he wants that he can't just take by force?

Ugh. It was always there, beneath it all, but how was he supposed to know that. Now, he's just going to pretend that he's not closer to release than ever because of it all. )

[ Naru said it was basically a catchphrase, once. But then, Leo always said it near daily to Knights and meant it with total devotion each time. Leo's said it a lot, and the thing people miss sometimes is that he always means it. There's always something true about it. Suki and daisuki da and aishiteru yo thrown about depending on his mood and the moment and so very few people take him seriously but it's not something he'd ever bother to lie about.

There's people he loves in a single moment who might disappear in the next. There's people he loves in every single moment who won't ever be erased even if he never sees them again after his next heartbeat. Love has never been a problem for him - and it's always been the thing that ends up breaking him at some point.

Still, it's always easy. He never minds the inevitable doom that's always possible after you say those words and feel them. It's fine, he thinks, if a story ends in tragedy. Knights never agrees.

More and more and more. More emotions, more sound, more experiences. Every single shining jewel to keep forever and every single moment that will fade away if he doesn't catch it in a melody.

Esikko doesn't have to believe him, either. Leo's eyes are warm anyway, and his mouth is warm, and there's some sort of amused challenge there because he's aware he pushed someone off balance and he can tell it had at least as much of an impact as anything else.

...he's still gonna go back to playing with the navel piercing as he sucks, though, because that reaction was funny, too. Cute and interesting and he thinks a longer chain would be fun to yank. ]

( It's getting harder for him to hold back. It's not easy, from his back like this, to keep rocking his hips upward— but he presses past the ache of his out of shape body to try and meet the dips of Leo's head, and that little yank at his jewelry earns another startled noise, his hand moving automatically over Leo's wrist. Not to stop him, really, but the reflex is there.

It doesn't have to go much longer like this. The warmth is enough, the feelings are enough, and Esikko allows himself to relax into it all. Tension builds until he can't hold it back any longer, and there's a soft whine. There's no verbal warning when he comes, so hopefully Leo doesn't mind that part, either. Just the flexing of his muscles and the hard spurts of cum as he presses up more than before, tries to hold himself there, to hold Leo there so that he can ride out the waves of pleasure. )

[ The only thing he minds about a lack of verbal warning is the part where there isn't sound - not where there's a lack of warning at all. Grabbing Leo's wrist, for the record, gets him to stop what he'd been doing with his hand instantly even though that wasn't the intent. He reads it as stop or wait and Leo always listens to that sort of thing in bed because he doesn't want to do anything hated or unwanted. But he twists his wrist to hold Esikko's hand instead, thumb smoothing over his palm in some silent apology for an imagined slight.

There's no need to hold him down really but he's happy enough not to struggle, obligingly trying to take Esikko to the root and swallowing, utterly focused on that moment of destruction and not wanting to take away from it with anything of his own. He's so quiet, listening and watching, but his tongue doesn't stop moving even if he's blessedly not talking still. It's still usually a good idea to shove something in his mouth to stop all the stupid things he always says.

He's the sort of person who keeps going after it's over, waiting to be shoved off when it gets too oversensitive. ]

( It's nice, at first, that intensity is nice. The overwhelming way it feels has him squirming and gasping, but then all at once it hits a line where he has to push at Leo, gentle and with repeated little whines: )

Okay, okay, no more—

( With a heavy breath, he takes a moment to come down from that intensity, but reaches just as quickly with his arms to encourage Leo back up and over him. Come here. )

[ One push is enough to get him to pull back, at least. Leo's never really been interested in doing anything people didn't want unless he's really deep into Suits effects, and even then his obsessions tend to be colored by who he is as a person.

He's quick and eager to come when called - perhaps a bit too much since he doesn't bother to be careful with it, throwing himself higher with a laugh because he really does like sex and affection and it's easy when he's not being pushed away. He's allowed to kiss so he does, briefly, before pulling off to demand: ]

Hey, take care of me! [ He doesn't say please. ]

( It's pretty cute, all things considered, and Esikko breathes out a laugh for it. Leaning up, he closes the distance once more with another kiss, short and sweet. )

Oh, you want help now? I'm a little tired, though?

( He's teasing, but even as he does so, his hand reaches to ghost slender fingers along the length of Leo's arousal. It's not anywhere near enough, he's sure. )

Have any ideas?

Well yeah and more than half of them won't work with you tired. [ But it doesn't really sound like he minds that, because he doesn't. Leo's not too complicated when it comes to things like this - he doesn't exactly get his heart set in any one way sex plays out so he's happy with whatever direction it goes in. ]

We can try 'em next time. For now, I don't mind that you have cold hands if you keep saying things. You've got the prettiest voice, you know. It makes my brain just flow along from one line to the next. I'm easy for it so just do anything. [ He knows he's being teased, and he's pouting, but Leo also doesn't grab but seems willing to wait a second to see where this is going. ]

Haha, you're taking my complaints seriously? You don't have to worry. I can push myself a little.

( The tired comment was a tease, much like the loose wrap of his fingers around Leo's length now. He pumps his hand there a few times, rolling. They're on the couch, but he wants to be on top for this, if he can. It's an easier angle.

It's also easier to lean in close to his ear, humming. )

Maybe I'll come up with a spell to make things truly exciting, next time.

Oh, you're just being mean - [ That's a lot of things all at once. Leo doesn't care about being flipped - he automatically helps out, even, the same casual flexible grace he uses on stage dancing helping balance them without minding the swap in the least. His exclamation was not a complaint but a realization, laughing.

He doesn't finish it properly. Loses his train of thought all over again, choking down a moan not because he really cares about being heard but because sometimes he keeps quiet when he's listening really hard and that's what he does when he hears that hum. It makes him jerk, and he bites down another laugh. Mean, but it's funny to him. ]

- what, what spell?

( Esikko is feeling a little tired, a little lazy, but Leo's cute, energetic reactions keep him going. From on top like this, he can lean down and on top of him, just to the side enough to keep stroking him as he tucks his face into his neck, right at the base of his ear. An easy handjob, but hopefully this talk still helps. )

Hmmm... Maybe something like, I temporarily take away your vision. You'd hear so much better that way, you know?

( His hand moves faster, groping and tugging at him more insistently to try and earn those gasping little reactions. And just when it seems like it might be getting too intense, he backs off only slightly, drawing it out. Just a bit. )

Or, I could link our physical sensations so we'd feel the same thing together. Can you imagine that?

[ The talk helps. Of course it helps. Leo's so strung out and he's a sucker for a pretty voice directed at him, and it means he half doesn't even want to respond in case Esikko just keeps talking. He can't see his face like this so Leo shuts his eyes because it doesn't matter if he fights to keep them open if all there is to see is his ceiling.

He's grabby. A hand on Esikko's arm and one in his hair, but Leo doesn't push or pull for the moment even if his fingers twist a bit too rough when he whines when Esikko backs off. Close to the edge then stalled, but he tries to focus on the question because he thinks it's a pop qui or something. ]

I can imagine anything, [ Leo sounds keyed up, frustrated, but also like he's trying to turn it over in his mind on command. His tongue darts over his lower lip as his nose scrunches. His mind is a bit slower when he's totally distracted, but it flickers when he has a breath. ] and it sounds like - like fun, if you get to fuck someone or get fucked when you're linked, 'cause a phantom sensation like it's both at once sounds fun.

[ He's giving feedback on the ideas, a little dazed but trying to collaborate by instinct. Like he's been asked an opinion on a song. ]

I don't - I don't know the limitations of spells enough from a five minute primer, but if, if you're gonna take away a sensation, why - why not be ambitious with it? Can a spell be like an instrument you can dial off and on with each sensation depending on a certain input? - hard questions, meaaaaaan. Ikko's mean! But a base with - multiple nodes, right? That a thing or not - ?

[ He half wants to ask to stop being made to think, but Leo likes being bullied a little so he ends up not even bothering because then he'd have to pout about that instead. ]

( ...Okay, all of this just makes Esikko laugh. It's not his usually little breathy chuckles either— it's a bright, vibrant thing, matched with an increase in the pace of his strokes as he presses his lips against the side of Leo's neck. He's having a good time, clearly, and he rewards that with the attention he gives through his fingers, not just quick but careful to squeeze just enough in all the right ways. )

You take my words so seriously... It's incredibly cute. ♪ I wanted your imagination to go wild, but you say it all aloud, too~

( It's fun. Fun, and so he won't draw this out for forever, keeping up the pace of his hand, kissing along his neck to his jaw. )

It doesn't work like that. The spell is more like... that sheet music, I suppose, all planned out. If you don't do it just right, you won't get the correct end result, either.

Does blood type matter in blood magic? [ A hazy question that doesn't even matter in terms of what they were talking about, asked only because it flits through Leo's mind and therefore he has to say it, obviously not totally focused to start with but trying to pay attention anyway.

It means there's a furrow in his brow, concentrating, and his pulse keeps jacking up as he hovers at the edge of close enough. ]

You can - ummm, you can play conductor then. [ Whenever. He can't focus too much on the other questions about that spell, can't even mark them down for later, but giving up control doesn't bother Leo all the time. He swings between not wanting to be restricted and not minding someone else being in charge depending entirely on the situation, the person involved, and his own mood.

Talking helps, but Leo makes an annoyed little noise and tugs on Esikko's hair to try to get him to come up for a kiss as he feels himself start to spiral out because he'd rather be kissing when he comes undone rather than not. This time, this second, anyway. So why not demand it? ]

Shh. I don't know what that means.

( Blood type, that is. Because they haven't... been discovered or identified yet anyway, and it turns out that, kind of, but not in the way you'd expect. It's unimportant right now, anyway, because Esikko feels needed for this kiss, and that's the best kind of feeling he could ask for. He answers it with an eager press of his own, timing it with more insistent strokes, almost merciless as he aims to bring Leo to completion. )

[ If Leo remembers at some point he'll give some kind of primer on the pseudoscience of blood type personalities, but it's likely to come to him at a future random moment disconnected from this one rather than picking back up his train of thought right now. He can't keep it in mind right now.

There's a body pushing down into his, and even if it's cold instead of warm there's lips on his like it's easy and wanted. Leo doesn't need much when he's like this - he was already achingly hard from getting Esikko off, so it really is only a few more strokes and a kiss that has him arching up into it as he comes, gasping with it but refusing to let the kiss break even as it becomes something sloppy and lazy on his side, because he's needy with it and Esikko doesn't seem to care if he is. He likes winding down from it still kissing, humming a soft note into Esikko's mouth that sounds content and dazed and cozy as he clings waiting to be shoved off. ]

( There's no shoving that comes— just slow answered kisses, lazy in mirror, but clearly enjoying. It's nice, honestly, this sort of slow, calm kissing in between the height of his heart beating, the feeling of Leo arching up into his hand from below. Lightly, he hums into the kiss to show his pleasure, giving him a few more strokes to help him ride through the pleasure.

Kissing slows, but doesn't stop as long as Leo is willing to keep it up. Not yet, anyway, not while he's enjoying this closeness, and while he's not the type to ask for it. He has to take what he can get. )

[ That's going to get oversensitive sooner than later but Leo never really minds that. He's too needy with affection when he can get it, so even when it gets to be too much he'll sometimes lean into it rather than jerk away. He'll tense a little if it goes on too long, touching him like that, but simultaneously keeps kissing Esikko because that part isn't too much at all.

Leo probably will need to be shoved off since he's perfectly content to make out with someone for hours if he's into it, humming into it as he comes back to himself slowly and then just getting caught up in lazy closeness. He likes that part, the part where there's not really a fire even if there could be one built up again, but where instead he can just let his mind drift beneath something sweeter. Usually he tries to indulge in it, unless he really can't help himself and needs to write it all down.

But he doesn't go for a marker now, so it's really just however long it takes Esikko to get sick of it. ]

( Thankfully, it's just those couple of strokes before he allows his hand to slip away, and disregarding the mess, rests it at Leo's hip, instead. The kissing continues for a sweet more moments, but it's not that he gets sick of it that causes him to stop— it's that he gets tired, and eventually, it's hard to keep up with the breaths between even as slow and lazy as this.

He sighs out against his lips, and then nudges his face to squeeze down against Leo's neck, instead, successfully breaking their kissing. Well. Suit mark taken care of, he supposes... And he's trying not to think about how nice it is to just lay around and kiss someone. It feels too intimate, for a first meeting, but of course he wants to take advantage of that, right? It's just physical, it's just that. )

I'll do something a little nicer the next time.

Hm? [ What's "nicer" by Esikko's standards anyway? Leo actually has no complaints, even if it was all a little bit meandering. He kept doing whatever he liked the whole time, so he liked all of it. He's smiling again, and transitions to running a hand through Esikko's hair if he's gonna cuddle like that. ]

I thought this was plenty nice, but if you wanna tell me what you're scheming I'm sure I'll like that, too. [ Then, cheerfully: ] I wanna wash your hair sometime.

[ That isn't even specifically sexual. Why is he bringing it up. ]

( He laughs at that, breath cool against Leo's warm neck. The hand in his hair is nice... )

I'm afraid it'll have to stay secret. It's more fun if it's spontaneous. ( Esikko nuzzles in further, content to soak up as much warmth as he can. He's so tired, he doesn't even care that they're messy. )

Why my hair, though? The pink running out isn't very cute.

Surprise me whenever you like, then. [ Apparently Leo doesn't feel like pushing and prying about it, completely fine with the idea of not knowing. He feels a little drowsy but doesn't want to sleep at all, so he keeps his hand moving so he can focus on that.

That's gonna make him feel just as hazily cozy though. ]

It's pretty, and I think you'd like it? [ There's no deeper reason than that, for that particular comment. Since Leo's fingers are carding through Esikko's hair he's thinking about it. ] The dye thing doesn't really bug me at all. Pink or blond, it's pretty.

I think I would like it.

( Esikko can't say he's had anyone ever offer that outside of maids back at the palace... And that was an entirely different sort of vibe after a certain age, wasn't it? He breathes in deeply, humming like he's trying to think of something— but really, he's just finding it difficult to want to move. )

I'm going to fall asleep like this, you know.

[ There's a pause as Leo considers that because he didn't want to sleep, but as he turns it over he decides he only didn't because he wanted to keep up the contact, and that's completely possible if they both sleep, so. Now it seems like a better idea. ]

Good plan, I dunno when I last napped anyway! ♪ [ His sleep schedule is non-existent and his other arm slots in around Esikko's waist to keep him there, then. ]

( Hmm. The idea of a bath enters his mind briefly, but he hasn't even checked if this level has them privately, or if it's just a shower, or anything else— and he's too tired anyway. So he just murmurs something that can't quite be made out, settling quietly in to sleep.

He'll steal it when he wakes up. He never naps for long, anyway. )

[ Leo has a decent bathroom at least, which can be borrowed at will. He's never cared about other people using his place largely because he'd been the highest card among his friends for some time and had let them come in and out as they pleased.

Leo's a bit more capable of sleeping longer, at least. His sleep issues have always been "does not think to go to bed because he gets caught up in things" more than anything else. Someone sleeping on top of him more or less forces him to remain in one spot and sleep, which means he'll actually doze off pretty easily. Still, he won't sleep through Esikko moving around that much since it would be pretty obvious. ]

Want to go out for some ramen sometime?

[Hiyori has informed him Leo needs companionship and food.]

[ Help he has since forgotten about the whole matchmaking thing but luckily Leo is easy enough once he notices his wrist is buzzing with a message on his watch and finally surfaces for air to answer it from the music he'd been working through.

He totally forgot Senku's username and actual name, though he'd recall a face, but knowing who the hell he is talking to actually isn't high on Leo's list of needs. ]

sure! wow, how'd you know i was hungry? are you a psychic?

[Senku isn't sure how much Hiyori said to Leo about his matchmaking plans, so there's no judgment for not immediately recognizing why he's calling. There is judgment for thinking it makes him psychic.]

No. I can't be a psychic because they're not real.

But it sounds like sometime should be right now. I'll come to your room to pick you up.

[Hiyori also informed him, or at least heavily implied, that Leo might get distracted and not actually leave his room to go eat when invited.]

i'm pretty sure there's probably at least one psychic here? there's people with totally weird powers, why would that be one that didn't pop up? though there's also probably a lot of stuff that just looks like it!

and sure! i just finished my latest song so i'm free anyway

[ Hiyori wasn't wrong, Leo is easily distracted and easily lost. ]

You have a point, there. Add psychics to the list of impossible things I have to believe in now. But I'm still not one.

Are you still in the same place as when I borrowed your bubble bath?

yep! should i wait outside?

That'll save me from having to sing.

[Another Hiyori suggestion, but he will be providing no explanation.]

no, i wanna hear any singing!!

[Will he change his mind if he doesn't get to hear a song? From what he heard about Leo's ability to focus on music, it's ten billion percent possible he'll lose interest in going out to eat with him.]

Wait outside and I'll think of a song on the way.

[It's not a long walk, but it's not as if he's a singer with an expansive repertoire to choose from anyway. Senku settles on an anime theme song, which he will start singing as soon as he catches sight of Leo. His voice isn't ear-bleedingly awful but it's also not great.]

[Although Hiyori (and Jun) surely had plans to see Leo on Christmas and could easily bring their gifts over in-person, Hiyori decides to have his delivered. It's fun to receive deliveries, he figures! And it's also less stuff for him to have to carry to Leo's suite. (Or for Jun to have to carry, because let's be real here.)

Hiyori's gifts consist of a simple sweater with a music note pattern, kind of like this, but in Knights royal blue. He also includes a soft matching scarf and some printed photos. He printed out the tea circle group photo, as well as a couple of the Pretty 5 group pics and a couple of Naru pics. The photos are tied together with a ribbon in an envelope, along with a note.

See you later for Christmas cake!

The note is signed with his signature!]

[ He was just gonna take his along, but Leo ends up returning a delivery. Predictably for him the main gift is a somewhat thick pack of sheet music - a few songs laid out, although it doesn't seem like the lyrics for all of them are totally finished. More a suggestion in the unfinished ones of where voice lines can go and scribbled instructions that he's fine to help modify the music however Hiyori likes - two potential duets and one possible solo, and then a solo he bothered to actually work out words to. He generally likes to actually work lyrics out with whoever he writes things for, when it comes to other idols, when it comes to more specific pieces.

They do have one universal common feature: each of them is markedly more difficult than anything else Leo has thrown Hiyori and Jun's way to sing so far. Unfortunately (?) he tends to give the people he likes more increasingly difficult music. Sena always got the hardest parts when they were younger, and he's always writing things that stretch Tsukasa's range these days. It maybe makes the pieces more rewarding but also, why is he bullying people like that...? The songs should all be totally possible, but they're going to be the annoying kind that take some actual effort to nail in, essentially, to the point it really probably does feel like bullying when Leo means it somewhere more along the lines of "I like them, so they can handle it!" You cannot unlock the lower easier tier once you've reached a higher one. Good luck.

There's also some expensive chocolates, carefully selected to have no effect whatsoever other than being sweet, although there's a map of fillings laid out on the inside of the box, and a gift certificate to a clothing store with a note that he's pretty sure Hiyori has better taste than he does. ]

Knock, knock. Anyone there?

[ Hiyori pimped Leo out... ]

[ He's definitely still in "scared the heck out of Hiyori jail", huh? Leo actually does not realize this is what that is, and thankfully can just scroll up a bit to see who's texting although he's so friendly he doesn't mind not knowing. ]

oh, a knock knock joke? i don't even wanna guess, lay it on me!

Sorry to disappoint, but I don't have any jokes on hand. I actually just texted that to get your attention.

[ The even worse disappointment are jokes made by Weiss Schnee. Leo's being saved the trouble of hearing them. ]

But I suppose I can try and come up with one just for you?

i wanna hear it! a special joke!

and you have my attention, what's up?

Alright then. Why is it so difficult to get into a piano?

[ She'll just get this joke over with so that she can talk business afterwards. ]

all the innards?

Because you can't tell which is the right key to open it!

[ Because there are a lot of piano keys... Haha! Get it? ]

[ Okay but he DOES burst out laughing? Too bad she didn't tell it in person to get the fruits of her labor there. ]

i do!! did you make it up??

Pretty much.

You pressured me into telling a joke.

yeah but it's my new favorite joke so i have no regrets! i think i will tell it to everyone actually

Well, I'm glad that you like it, even if it was on the fly.

So, someone told me that you need some "friends".

[ She isn't even going to hide it. Though she doesn't know if she should keep Hiyori's identity a secret... she'll do her best to keep it a secret even though she can't keep one to save her life. ]

Are you doing alright?

i scared hiyo and now he's fussing but he's not totally wrong?

people i hang out with keep disappearing you know?

Hey! I didn't say it was him.

And that's a good thing, right? For them, anyway. But I imagine it must get lonely if you're left behind.

Um, hi.
This is.. I'm so sorry for the suddenness of this message.
It must seem really strange.

Anyway, my name is Kaveh. Your friend, Hiyori Tomoe? He told me you were interested in blind dates and suggested I text you so we could set one up.
He suggested that perhaps we go out for coffee.

If that's something you're interested in doing, then.. let me know?
If you'd rather not, that's okay too. Like I said, I'm sure this is quite a strange text to receive.

oh it doesn't seem strange! hiyo has been introducing me to a bunch of people he knows recently since a bunch of people i knew all turned back to stone.

coffee is my favorite food so i'm always free for it!!!!!

[ ...Ugh. Yeah, that's a sentence that hurts. It's amazing, he thinks, that the other can say it so...

Well, they're over text, aren't they. Who knows how he's feeling. ]

I'm sorry. I know how rough that is. I.. I've lost people too.

[ Something to talk about. Hah. ]

Then, would you like to meet the day after tomorrow? Perhaps we could go to Birdbucks.

[ Leo has to check his watch for the calendar, though he doubts he has plans. He tends not to make too many in advance, generally just meeting up with people the day of due to not thinking to ask them prior to that. ]

that would work for me! what time?

and i'm sorry for the people you lost

How about 2pm? Perfect time for afternoon coffee and cake.

[ His smile, in response to the text, is a little sad. ]

I'm sorry for the people you lost, too. That's why it's important for us to make new friends, right? Both of us.

i'll see you then!

and yeah i have been trying to meet people! i sort of suck at names though.

I understand the frustration. I'm not always great at it either. At least this time it's just one person, right?

Anyway, I'll see you then.

[ And so, two days later at the agreed-upon time, Kaveh waits for Leo at Birdbucks, trying to ignore the milling fans nearby as he sits, menu in hand and browsing through the available drinks and snacks. Having looked through the other's profile at Hiyori's suggestion, he's confident he'll recognize Leo when he sees him—

But he's still a little nervous when he raises a hand in greeting to a young man approaching the cafe, doubt catching him at the last moment even as he smiles. ]

[ Leo at least doesn't have much doubt as he waves and beams at Kaveh. He doesn't quite recognize him, but someone waving makes him think he's right and if not, whatever!

He comes over to take a seat. Today he's in jeans and a casual shirt, something worn in and loose. ]

Hey! You're Hiyo's friend?

[ Kaveh's smile broadens when the other checks in, confirms that he's the person he's looking for, even as he shakes his head slightly. ]

I wouldn't say I'm his friend. We've only talked once. We met on the Network, and I guess he thought I was interesting enough to meet you.

[ He chuckles at that. ]

But otherwise, yeah. I'm Kaveh. It's nice to meet you.

Well, I'm sure you'll become friends, though! Hiyo's a great person, and real social. Just keep talking to him when you see him and you'll soon be besties~?

[ Leo's just going to adjust into the seat here...he's making himself at home. ]

[ Kaveh smiles at that, and offers the other a small chuckle. ]

I'll keep that in mind. He seemed nice enough, especially given the circumstances. The House posted something on my behalf and made me look kinda... unhinged, to put it nicely. But when we talked, he saw past it anyway. That's when he said that you and I should meet.

[ Too many people lost, for both of them. Kaveh hates that the place makes it necessary, but he doesn't begrudge getting to know more people, at least. ]

( Since Esikko isn't really sure how often Leo leaves his room, he has this gift hand delivered by staff. It's a pretty black box with a bright, sparkly red bow. Inside, there's an assortment of handcrafted chocolates...

They're shaped all pretty and lovely, formed into music notes. There might be a mistake here or there, but it's clear he was referencing actual music to make these. There's no bar to place them on, or a time signature, or anything like that, but they're still cute, right?

Unfortunately they taste horrible. Somehow, they manage to taste stale, with a strange aftertaste, and overwhelmingly sweet all at once... Each bite past the pretty exterior grants a strange texture that's amazing to be obtained from chocolate. They only get worse as time passes.......

Enjoy? There's a small note, too:

I've never done this before, so don't tell me if you don't like them.

His name is signed in hanja. )

[ Periodically, actually, and he has plans to do a little live musical thing with Hiyori and a few people that he was distracted by regardless of how they played out, but. Give him a second because despite that being Valentine's related he forgot...

He will go be annoying in Ikko's inbox. ]

Oh Leo-kun~~~~! ✨🎶✨🎶✨🎶✨🎶 I have some news to share!

1. There's a girl, or rather a Queen here, who has her own studio! She also likes to record songs, and she's interested in collaborating!

2. I found another match for you! 🥰 His name is Reign Fear, and he's a fun-loving free spirit just like you are. He also might be a succubus!

Though that's just one theory. Anyway, what do you think of those pieces of news? Or rather, who would you like to meet first? 😘

hiyooooooooo

i would like to meet the first first i think? but the second has an interesting name?? that sounds like a hard rock kind of vibe, is that the personality?

also, what are the other theories??

An excellent choice! 😊✨

The girl's name is Reira. Wait one moment where I find you the post I saw!

>31715

^ That's the one! She seemed interested when I said I know someone who can compose. You can also message her directly. Or try calling her, so she can hear your voice! 🎵🎶

And yep, that's some name, alright! He seemed a bit self-conscious about it, though. Apparently he's the type who wants to take his spouse's name when he gets married.

As for other theories, I'm not too sure! But when we broke into the storage room together, he had his own method of distracting the guards. I'm not sure what he did to them, but whatever it was left them looking dazed afterwards. So, these are my theories!

1. He's a succubus with a killer seduction technique!
2. He's a hypnotist!
3. He makes perfumes that can drug people, since he's also a perfumist!

He gave me a sweet-smelling perfume for Christmas. That one didn't have any side effects, but that doesn't mean he can't make one that does. Which I know sound somewhat shady, but it's just a hunch! And anyway, he seems nice!

i'll drop her a line then~! i like anyone who likes music after all!

if he took his spouse's name would it be reign spouse or spouse fear???

anyway maybe it's not the third one though since you were probably in range where you could have smelled something?

Yep, the way to your heart is simple! And thank goodness for that 💕

It'd be Reign Spouse! Once you get rid of the fear part, his name doesn't sound too bad.

Actually, I did notice they smelled sort of different. Basically, they smelled like he did. Which could mean he sprayed something on them, or it could simply mean he got close enough that they took on the scent he was wearing.

I don't think he's untrustworthy even if he did drug the guards, though. I entrusted him with something important, after all.

hm? oh sorry did i give off the impression i was worried? hiyo is a good judge of character even when you don't know everything about a person, so if you think someone is trustworthy of course i trust you with that! if anything, i'm way more likely to meet someone actually shady?

but it's interesting to think about what kinda powers he might have, this guy you met~! if you smelled something odd, maybe he can direct the effects or you need to actually get hit with it for it to work? or yeah if you didn't see it, it could be lots of things!

like maybe where he's from magic has a scent! i wanna meet someone from a place where magic has a sound!

[The "good judge of character" thing triggers a pang of guilt inside his chest. His stomach twists, too. Topaz recently helped him figure out that Esikko was most likely behind a couple of the murders he knows about, and if that's true, then it means he put Leo in danger. When he thinks he about what could've happened...

Well, what's done is done. And Leo hasn't been hurt, has he? There's no sense in worrying him just yet, so he'll push that thought away.]

Nope. I know you're not the type to worry about such things. [Translation: please get some self-preservation instinct!!] I just wanted to be absolutely clear, that's all!

But the sound of magic, huh? I guess that makes me think of a "blast off" sound. Or a "pew pew pew" sound! I'm sure there must be some world out there with magical songs, though. I'd like to hear a song that can change people's hearts and cast a spell on them! 🪄🎶

Anyway, if you want to ask him about his magic, his perfume business, or whatever else, his username is @ perfume! Easy to remember, no?

[ Hiyori IS his preservation instinct. Congrats. It's usually a job shared between Knights, Anzu, and Madara but... ]

i definitely wanna hear music that's magic beyond being music! i bet someone here has to have it, but i haven't found them yet if so.

that's a really easy name so i'll send him a message! does he give off an undead vibe or something else??? if he's rock that's what I always think of first yknow??

i wish we could learn cool magic. illusions would be fantastic for shows!

Then perhaps it's time for a poll!

On who can do what magic, that is. I got a lot of answers about that when I hosted the Magic Showcase, but that was a while ago and they keep kidnapping people, so there's bound to be a new crop of mages by now.

I'm not sure how well he'd fit there. But you might be on the right track? In order to test it out, perhaps you'll need to dress him in black!

[He and Rei could be vampires together.]

I learned one thing from Weiss-chan. It's called Aura!

It'd be nice to learn more, though. Something whimsical and fun, such as illusions! Or something strong and powerful.

[Something that can protect him and others against all the killers and trigger-happy people running around this place... not to mention all the annoyances like crawlers and cherubs.]

a poll could be cool! maybe especially if we ask about things that people could teach somehow. maybe we could learn tricks!!! i'm not sure what exactly but we could figure it out~~~

aura~? what's that, i wanna see it!

anyway are you worried about something? with strong and powerful being a thing you list i mean

Now that's an even better idea. Not just a magic poll, but a poll about teachable magic! 😊 I like it!

The way she explained it, Aura is basically your soul's power. She said anyone can use it once it's active, and that it's not really magic, but it sure sounds like magic to me. What happens is that you glow for a second, and then you start to feel warm! Then you can share that warmth with others. You can use it to heal small cuts and things, too, apparently.

Auras also come in different colors, sort of like an image color. Her was light blue, and mine is a bright sparkly color! ✨✨✨ Yours would either be orange or royal blue, I assume.

[Sometimes he forgets Leo is perceptive. This is one of those moments where he remembers!]

Nothing in particular. But this place *is* dangerous, like I've said before. I've been attacked by monsters and people, so it's safest if you know how to defend yourself. That's why I've stocked up on self-defense weapons. Grenades, pepper spray, exploding vials, all kinds of stuff!

[... ah, but guess who the exploding vials came from. It starts with an "E" and ends with "ikko." Getting replacements for those would mean facing him again.]

so if i get papercuts i should come and find hiyo instead of bandaids! got it, got it~! anyway, my unit image color is orange, so it'd probably be that, right?

you mentioned some of that before~ i guess it'd be useful if i could find some kinda archery equipment. or like a sword. i can use those things!

Yep! Just let me fix it with my healing rays~☀️✨✨

Perhaps! Mine wasn't green like my image color, though. Weiss-chan said it was the brightest Aura she'd ever seen!

Right, right, you *do* know some weapons!

I know at least one person who can use a sword, but I'm not too sure I know any archers. There's got to be one somewhere, though. Another thing to poll people about! Then maybe they can help us find our own bows. Or they can teach us tricks!

well, that makes sense! it's always sunshine weather when it's you, isn't it?

if we do get either swords or bows, i can teach you fine! i mean keito would probably be a better archery teacher, but i can outshoot him so it's fiiiiiiiine~

[It's also his canon color, so.]

That's exactly right! If there's no sunlight, then I'll just be the sun! 😊☀️

You as my teacher, hmm? That beats finding a new instructor, so I'll take it! We can have our first lesson just as soon as I find some bows and swords that aren't just prop weapons!

I do still want to learn magic, though. It seems easiest to fight fire with fire, so to speak. Plus it means you don't have to carry anything too bulky. Those archery bows are somewhat heavy, no?

golden peacock inbox

text sometime in feb; gonna move this to log comms later i'm just too lazy to ping in plurk

drags self into ur arms

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text; un: buggytheclown

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i can tag your event toplevel if you want for a late drink meet!

Absolutely! Please do <:

ran to do that! so we can wrap this probably

action!

returns home from vacation that was bad timing on my part lmfao

wb from vacation!! and it's ok <3 i hope you had a nice time

I DID...does jun want 2 get leo durin the event, is the q

I'M GLAD!!! but for the event he's gonna bunk it w hiyori but next event leo 🥺🫵 he's coming 4u

CAN'T WAIT!!

ME TOO :)

leo probably sending jun texts thru the event like "do u have dog ears" and other important qs?

wait that's rly cute! he'll sadly text back no+show him pics of his cat ears but beasts survival pt2

leo texting back his wolf ears like I'M A DOG!!! (he can't wolf right...)

bonding over them being animals again!! jun will be so jealous leo's a wolf. (he can sure try!!)

this close to making an enstars ic group chat abt animal ears (save everyone from me)

if you do, it's going to be the best thing ever created!!! (just so they can wreck havoc)

I'LL ASK ABOUT IT

EXCELLENT BOUND TO BE THE MOST OBNOXIOUS CHAT EVER

already on the obnoxious part

tysm for leo being a text gremlin

he's here to be the obnoxious castmate, somehow, despite rinne also existing

leo's so cute though!! so it weighs out. jun, being surrounded by the most obnoxious castmates :"(

maybe someday he won't be the only good boy lmfao

leo + jun = the good boys in gp

??? how did i lose this one

it's ok :")

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Action; shortly after the text invite

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THIS REMINDS ME I WANTED TO ASK IF EVERYONE WANTED A GROUP CHAT POST...

I'd be totally down for it!

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