ランスロット ✩

     With no resistance to be found, Shuten wonders if she may go a step further. “It is indeed so. Are you headed somewhere? If not, why not have a drink with me…?” While looking up the oni’s hands attempt to loop around his arm, hanging loosely if he did not pull away immediately.

     “I have traveled far and wide but Feendrache… Mmm… No I have not heard of it.” She taps at her cheek, taking only a second or two to really think on it. “If there are more like you there, however, I would not mind taking a vacation…” An island of good-looking men, yes, timeshare please? “As for me, I come from Japan, you see…? Now, shall we get a move on…?”

       Being touched like this was something he always hoped would go no further than that. For what all he tolerates, this is just about the extent of it. ❝ That's... ❞ mulling over whether to accept the offer or not, there's really no reason why he..well, couldn't. And he could use it, frankly. ❝ That is to say, if you wouldn't mind my company. ❞

     ☁ ❝ Hmm… I think it depends but from my experience, not really, ❞

     ❝ But I think that’s understandable; it’s hard to be away from home and your family… And no, I’ve never heard of such celebrations until arriving to this place. ❞

❝ Then I suppose I will just have to search through a few and hope I stumble across one, sooner or later. You have my thanks. ❞

     ❝ Confetti? I’m sure any sort of store that has party items and the like would have it… Are you celebrating the new year late? ❞

❝ Oh... forgive me for staring, I'm sure you receive this often. It's just that your appearance is rather...unique, but regardless that was rude of me. ❞ He didn't intend to get caught, at least.

Normally she only hears those words out of the mouths of flirtatious men, however… This one has an all too honest expression to be regarded as such. She muses over the possibility, before speaking up.

❝ Oh, I’m hurt. You don’t remember my pretty face? … Is what I would say, but I can’t recall meeting before. My name is Magisa, if that helps you at all. ❞

       A light laugh is all he really manages, slight embarrassment coloring his cheeks.

❝ Oh, I see! My mistake then, I apologize, ❞ he smiles, ❝ I'm afraid it doesn't, but my name is Lancelot. Since you've shared your own with me, it's only fair I show you the same courtesy. ❞

     You are more calm after reading his response than you were while sending your analysis. Losing it here wouldn’t be a great idea, cool kid, you have a balance to keep up. A way to go about this.

     THREAD: RESPOND TO ==> Lancelot, The MLM Forum

     TT: Yes, I believe I have my own answer.      TT: The wording of it may be tricky, however. Given that I haven’t      told him how I feel, he may wonder why I bring it up at all.      TT: I’ll have time to perfect an explanation, in the very least.      TT: I suppose you’re curious as well. A mysterious character shows      himself out of the internet abyss to ask advice of strangers, I’d      also wonder what the fuck was going on.      TT: Putting it up the ass of fluffy and kind, with the softest      fleeting touch a dude can manage,      TT: I broke up with my ex before he died. As in, hours before.      TT: We were never able to properly discuss what transpired between      us as partners, and considering his status as one of my only       friends, it's as if I’m mourning two people.      TT: The guy I dated, and the guy I called my best friend.

( thread, posting in: “The MLM Forum”, reply to TT )

“Same here! It’s supposed to be this super happy occasion and everybody’s going on about how you’re supposed to be relieved for it but it just doesn’t feel right when you’re not with your friends! Guess we just gotta…do our best though!”

no that’s a lie, vane gave up on you for a reason

     The second you see that message ( Does he seem like the type to hold, whatever it is, against you? ), you can feel your brain firing off every possible rebuttal, each one listing the ways that first captured your attention, and others which held it even now. ( In this exactly moment. Because you’re walking right beside him. ) Shit, you’re almost red in the face.

     THREAD: RESPOND TO ==> Lancelot, The MLM Forum

     TT: Absolutely not.      TT: There can’t be a single bone in his body that ignorant or petty      so as to take what happened and turn it around in such a way.      TT: Since getting to know him, he seems more like the type to ask      how I’m handling things. How I’m feeling.      TT: I pointed a sword at him when we first met and I don’t think he      was the least bit afraid of me then, in spite of his coming from      what I assume to be a much more peaceful world than my own.      TT: He has an indiscriminate look of innocence about him, like he’s      telling me indirectly, “I’d be the last person to judge you.”      TT: And there’s a lot of me to judge.      TT: He makes me feel normal.      TT: Like there’s nothing left to worry about. My problems haven’t       gotten in the way of that in any way, either.      TT: But this infatuation is dangerous. Regardless of feelings,       I’ll never achieve his level of normality. I can’t fool myself.      TT: I want to believe that we can close that distance and simply be.      TT: As in, it wouldn’t matter how strange I am. He could accept it.      TT: I want to believe it’s a possibility.

       A smile finds its way on his face, as he leans into his arm to read the message in full.

( thread, posting in: "The MLM Forum", reply to TT )

     You’re only slightly taken aback that someone would be kind enough to try offering real advice. Immediately, you are aware that if you open up a little, this ‘Lancelot’ may be able to help you further, but something is holding you back. Maybe it’s just your sense of privacy.

     THREAD: RESPOND TO ==> Lancelot, The MLM Forum

     TT: Expected, yeah, but part of me feels guilty for the other party      specifically.      TT: Like I’m hiding away who I am when I don’t have to.      TT: Or more that I’m afraid of chasing him off.      TT: The place I come from isn’t a nice one, and I’m not even sure       that I can properly speak some things aloud.      TT: Maybe it’s only fair to him that I be honest?

       The intervals between replies doesn't seem to take very long, and Lancelot is just as quick to respond when he receives a reply himself. Although he won't probe for more information, he is kind of curious. Regardless, he pushes that down in order to properly answer without pushing for more.

( thread, posting in: "The MLM Forum", reply to TT )

                 “Is there any particular reason as to why you’re asking over the phone, when I’m down the hall? No, this won’t do. I’d rather avoid keeping someone in suspense, especially in matters like these…” His voice trails off, and while Lancelot can’t see it, the smile crossing his lips is somehow apparent even through the cellular device. That ever growing smile of his is enough to contradict his previous statement.

                 “But for the sake of formality, I’ll be saving my answer for when we see each other next—which will be right this instant. Now then, shall you come here, to my room? Or will I be coming over there?”

❝ There's no reason for it, no, but I am fond of these devices. They're convenient, don't you think so? ❞ He's smiling, himself, anticipating this kind of reaction from him to where he's already getting up from the comfort of his bed.