Staring at the Moon

There are very few people in the world that Suwei likes, fewer still that she trusts, and she can count on a single hand people that she actively cares for.

Dal, through some stroke of fate, is one of them.

She’s not sure whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing. Suwei has had ample childhood acquaintances but few childhood friends, and she’s come to the conclusion that trusting people is awkward at best and uncomfortable at worst. There’s something very disconcerting, she thinks, about people knowing things about her, about knowing what she might be thinking, how she feels. It feels vulnerable, and Suwei doesn’t like feeling vulnerable.

But trust Dal she does, and that’s why she’s here, plastic bags of takeout in hand, to bump the door to the tattoo shop open. She’s not upset to note that the front desk is empty, the person who takes care of it likely out for a lunch break as well, but it means that Dal isn’t there either. She exhales, setting down the hefty, packed bags to pull out her phone - she is no stranger to the boy’s appetite.

[ oi ]

She sends off the message quickly, hungry and impatient herself.

[ food’s here ]

He was in complete silence in the back until he heard his phone buzz atop the desk right beside him. Big, brown eyes jumped from the page to his phone to see a text message from his good friend Suwei. Excited and eager, he dropped the pencil in his hand and immediately grabbed his phone, and unlocked it to read the messages. Suwei might actually be his best friend, he hadn’t given much thought to a title, if he was being honest. All he knew is that he trusted her with his life at this point, having grown up with her and both knowing secrets that perhaps no one else, living or otherwise, would know about each other.

Setting the phone down once more, Dal, stood from the metal folding chair and ambled through the back hallway to reach the front of the shop. With a wide, toothy grin, he made his way toward her. “You really know the fastest way to my heart…and gut. Is that chicken I smell?”

J had been sitting, playing Animal Crossing when he got the text. He perked up, glancing over to his phone which lay on the couch beside him. He figured it was just a client. But at the sight of Dal’s name, J couldn’t help the small smile that formed on his lips. His new play thing, he was. Given, J had plenty of play things. But Dal was newer. And that meant there was some excitement still to the arrangement. They played games sometimes, sometimes they did more. It was a nice set up, needless to say. 

I just got back home. Doors open, you know the code, J read. He smirked as his mind played through just what could go on tonight. They could become more aquatinted, or, they could simply play video games and chat. Either one J would be content with. On my way. J texted back, saving his point in Animal Crossing, before he hopped up. Quickly, he changed into a newer pair of shorts and oversized t-shirt. If they were going to play games, J wanted to be comfortable. If they were going to do more, then what J wore didn’t really matter. 

Once ready, J grabbed his switch, backpack, and began heading over to where Dal lived. It didn’t take long, and soon enough, he was entering the code, entering the apartment. Immediately, he noted that Dal was not in the living room, but rather, someone else. He hummed, setting down his belongings by the couch. “Dal?” he called softly, not really waiting for a reply before he was heading to the bedroom. He stopped in the doorway, a smirk on his face, as he raised an eyebrow. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think this was a booty call.” 

When he heard the door, he knew he should’ve stood up and met J in the living room. It would’ve created a less transparent option for their hangout. However, Dal was feeling both lazy and far too comfortable with his position on his bed to really move. Instead, he opted to remain there, lying on his back as he listened to J call out to him. It didn’t take him long to find him and as he heard his voice, the remark making him laugh bashfully, he lifted his head up from the pillow to take in his appearance.

“Does it come off that way?” he asked curiously, not entirely ignorant to the fact that him lying in his bed when J came over may have had the connotations of something more than playing video games, something they typically did when hanging out. However, today was different. All week he’d felt tension building up in his body but hadn’t moved to do much of anything about it. He believed a good jog or workout session would’ve solved it, yet he’d done both of those things multiple times throughout the week and none of it had resolved his problem.

Shifting so he could sit up, back against the headboard and damp hair dripping onto the wood of it, his large brown eyes raked over his friend’s appearance before idling on his face for a moment longer. “We can do whatever you want to, you know that,” he continued, folding his legs underneath him so he was sitting crisscross applesauce. “But you took forever so I thought about laying down while I waited...sue me.”

1        watching tv/movies together

2        going to an event together  ( like a carnival, festival, etc. )

3        going on dates, like to the movies or shopping

4        sharing secrets

5        hugs

6        sharing drinks

7        having a phone call

8        touching noses

9        cuddling

10      having a philosophical discussion

11      hand holding

12      sharing jokes

13      sharing smiles

14      laying your head on someone’s shoulder

15      linking arms

🍰 - What is their favorite type of dessert or sweet? 🐢 - What type of animal would they keep for a pet? 🐙 - They are crossing the ocean. What are the circumstances and how did they get there? 🌎 - If money were no object, where would they live and what would they do with their life? (Ex: entrepreneur, playboy, philanthropist, etc) 🎂 - Do they celebrate their birthday? 🎓 - Are they well-educated? 📬 - A mysterious letter has just been found in their mailbox.  How does your character react?  Who would it be from? ⌚ - Is your character punctual or procrastinator? 💰 - Your character just found a fat sack of gold on a bench. What do they do with it? 👙 - Is your character trendy or do they just not give a damn? 🎠 - Your character is at the carnival.  What kinds of rides or games do they check out to entertain themselves? 🔮 - Your character is having their future told by someone pretty shady. Do they call the fortune teller out or just roll with it? 🎃 - What is your character’s favorite holiday? 🎶 - What would your character say about your personal taste in music? 💒 - Does your character want marriage or a lifelong commitment? ♓ - Hey baby, what’s your sign? What would your character’s zodiac sign be and what qualities do they carry to make them fall under that sign? 🚼 - Does your character have or want kids? ⚠ - What has your character almost done that made someone talk them out of or convince them not to do it? ♿ - Is your character in some way handicapped? (This includes physical, emotional, and mental.) 💊 - Is your character on medication?  If so, why? 🌞🌜 - Is your character an early bird or night owl? What makes them that way? 📚 - Does your character read? 📓 - If your character keeps a journal, what is the most secret thought they keep in it? 📰 - An obituary for your character was found in the local paper this morning. What did it say? 💢 - What frustrates your character more than anything? ✌ - Your character just made a trespass against someone else, how would they go about righting it given the chance?  Or would they at all? 🍴 - What is the absolute worst meal your character has ever eaten? Were they verbal about it or did they just not say anything? 🍜 - Carnivore/Pescatarian/Vegetarian/Vegan/Other? What kind of diet does your character have? 💋 - Your character was just kissed by someone they can’t stand. Why and how did it happen? 😇 - What was your character’s last good deed? 😁 - Someone just tripped and fell in front of your character.  Do they laugh or help the person up? 😨 - Your character just broke wind in public. Do they try to hide it or own up to it? 😍 - Your character’s lust object just passed right by them. How awkward do they get as they try to make conversation? 😒 - “Ugh!  Not him/her/them/it again.” How does your character react to annoying people? 😂 - Your character is moved to tears. What’s a kindness that another showed to them? 😄 - What has ever made your character laugh so hard that they almost passed out? 😈 - What’s your character’s favorite cuss word? 😏 - Is your character having a dirty thought right now? 🍺 - Cheers! What is your character’s favorite alcoholic beverage?  What was the last thing they got smashed off of? 💫 - Your character is suffering memory loss after being knocked unconscious.  What happens afterwards and how did it happen? 💡 - What is the best idea your character ever had? 💍 - Does your character wear any type of jewelry? ⛪ - Is your character religious or spiritual in anyway? 🎱 - Your character and a talking raccoon walk into a bar… 📼 - An interrogation tape emerges regarding a recent interview with your character.  What are they being questioned for? 👟 - Is your character into personal fitness?  If so, what’s their exercise routine? 📺 - What would your character’s favorite TV show be?  What’s their favorite genre?