auroraexpress | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: anyone
When: day 38, after noon
Where: in and around the train

[A gentle breeze keeps the afternoon cool. It seems peaceful around now, with the malice pushed back so far, unless you're heading to the island of concentrated malice of course.

It's a good day to relax and daydream.

Distantly you might sometimes hear the tick ticking of clockwork? Or it might be your imagination.

Speaking of imagination, if you think about things too hard you may find your thoughts and feelings shared with those nearby. Or even if you don't think hard at all.

At the mildest this might simply be like your thoughts and emotions being understood by others next to you, either in a vague or explicitly detailed way, but at the most extreme you might project shared delusions. Something like others getting to watch your own memories. Or fantasy sequences. Or inner monologues. Or maybe even blending you delusions with another's.

Whether it goes that far or remains a more telepathic/empathic thing is very random.]

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[GOOD ENOUGH]

[takes her hand and flips it over, placing something in her palm. it is small and velvety!! when he pulls away, it is revealed to be a shinto-style omamari except in primarily Jasmine colors]

[also it is decorated in tiny plum blossoms]

[she pauses. is it a minute is a few seconds, is it a single moment, it is difficult for her to tell. she doesn't wonder, but after that time has passed.]

I...cannot accept this.

[it's polite to refuse at least once, but she means it.]

[Twilight leans back on one hand, head tilted back towards the sky]

Nah. You can have it. It's a thank you gift. You don't have to do much with it, since it isn't much at all.

[it's kind of useless, he thinks. . . but a small trinket of gratitude-- even a useless one-- is better than none]

But I had to do something.

It is not nothing.

[she is very quickly, very firmly insistent suddenly.]

...You...you did not have to do anything at all.

[She turns her face away, staring downward while he stares upward. He won't see her blindfold growing wet.]

[it's the tone of her voice that gets him to look again, and his gaze flickers towards her, wide and blinking]

Ah--

[he can't see the blindfold growing wet, but he can see the way she ducks her head. that's telling enough]

Sorry, I-- [DID HE FUCK UP???] Are you okay??

[her voice is clear, but muted]

...I am fine. There is no need to apologise.

Iiiiis the definition of "fine" subjective?

[she doesn't look fine!1]

I suppose it depends on the definition.

And what's yours?

Thin; of high-quality; a state of being within acceptable operating parametres.

That last definition is a low bar.

[hesitates a little bit, before nudging her shoulder with his own]

I'd aim for something well above acceptable operating parameters.

[she stiffens a moment, perhaps surprised, but she does not move away]

That is all that is needed for that.

[she still has the charm in her open hand. she is still "looking" at it]

For "that?" For what?

[just watching her now, gaze flickering from her lowered head to the charm in her hand and back again]

For being functional. As long as I function I am fine. [she waits a moment.]

You should not give perfect strangers gifts.

. . . are you happy with just being functional?

[and at that second comment, he shrugs]

I think you slicing me open to put back my heart makes us at least acquaintances.

[W. . . WRY]

Yes.

[but she is silent a moment before sighing.]

Very well, I will concede acquaintances.

[then this, she can write off as an obligation gift.

Still.

She stands up and shakes the sand off her feet a little before walking onto the blanket proper and tying the charm onto her beach bag.

She joins him again and sits at the edge, also digging her feet into the sand a little.

Her blindfold is dry.]

Thank you. I was only doing what I should and wanted to do, s you did not have to do that for me.

[he can't help it; he smiles a little bit when she ties the charm to her beach bag, clearly pleased. it was partially an obligation gift (Twilight likes having his debts paid) and partially. . . not]

[(she seems like the kind of person who doesn't easily let others care about her. he'd like to understand her better. . . just a little bit)]

I know I didn't. But I wanted to.

[another shrug]

. . . I'm sorry if it upset you, but I'm glad you're keeping it.

You did not upset me, it is fine.[ she turns toward him and offers him a polite bow.]

I apologise for taking up so much of your time.

[he's going to leave now isn't he? now that he's done what he needs to.]

I think I did a little bit, but. . .

[NO HE IS NOT]

I'm spending my time exactly how I want to spend it, so you don't have to apologize.

Edited 2019-08-11 00:14 (UTC)

It is fine. [what isn't fine is that he's exercising his own prerogatives here]

...Surely you have friends you would rather be with.

[she's a waste of time sir.]

[she is not!!]

More acquaintances, and not really.

[he says simply. no other explanation, just. . . he is right where he wants to be right now, and that is that]