Panthera (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
pantheraliam) wrote2030-03-12 03:03 pm
pantheraliam) wrote2030-03-12 03:03 pm
[One moment.
[Aubrey walks offscreen from the nebulous comedy-anime-adjacent meme void.
[Aubrey returns from the nebulous comedy-anime-adjacent meme void, with a sturdy piece of paper and a pink pen.
[Aubrey clicks the pen, writes for a little while, and then hands it over:]
Word Association Winner Certificate
____________________
(your name here ↑)
____________________
(your name here ↑)
(closed to @57times) liminal denny's @ the end of the world
abandonhumanity
2025-05-06 06:18 pm (UTC)(link)
[There she is, growingly familiar. Sometimes it's this place, other times, other places. He doesn't hesitate to drift to her table anymore. They've had enough conversations; he remembers every one.
[He inclines his head, polite - uncharacteristically so, perhaps. Then, he takes a seat across from her, quiet as ever.]
I figured I'd see you.
[He inclines his head, polite - uncharacteristically so, perhaps. Then, he takes a seat across from her, quiet as ever.]
I figured I'd see you.
[ She's just turned a page when someone comes up close, as someone familiar slides into her booth. Tired, blue eyes flit up, but she smiles along with it. ]
Makes a change; usually I'm the one finding you.
[ Putting her bookmark in, she closes her book and sets it aside. ]
How've you been?
Makes a change; usually I'm the one finding you.
[ Putting her bookmark in, she closes her book and sets it aside. ]
How've you been?
[It's not that Eren doesn't grasp the concept, but it still feels foreign to him, and he knows that it shouldn't. Maybe the words should alarm him - maybe he should be scared away - but they don't, he isn't.
[He's sorry. He has to tear his eyes away. It's too hard to look at him.]
I guess I'm not really sure how that works. But.
It doesn't really sound like the sort of thing someone could forget.
[Is that to say that he hasn't forgotten, or that he doesn't believe what Maruki's saying at all? He cracks his wrist again.
[He shouldn't say it, probably. But he does believe what Maruki's saying.]
My memories have been...compromised. I guess...
[He's sorry. He has to tear his eyes away. It's too hard to look at him.]
I guess I'm not really sure how that works. But.
It doesn't really sound like the sort of thing someone could forget.
[Is that to say that he hasn't forgotten, or that he doesn't believe what Maruki's saying at all? He cracks his wrist again.
[He shouldn't say it, probably. But he does believe what Maruki's saying.]
My memories have been...compromised. I guess...
[It isn't taken as a flirtation, really. Eren knows Maruki well. Something like that would be out of character for him, but not this genuine, nervous question.
[It doesn't matter. Eren's face heats anyway. The answer is, of course and emphatically, yes; Eren always wants Maruki touching him. He nods his head.]
Alright.
[It doesn't matter. Eren's face heats anyway. The answer is, of course and emphatically, yes; Eren always wants Maruki touching him. He nods his head.]
Alright.
[Wait. Who wrote down Sano's name? And where did all those guys cheering come from?
[Sano accepts the certificate, confetti exploding from an unknown source above his head.]
Thanks...
[Sano accepts the certificate, confetti exploding from an unknown source above his head.]
Thanks...
[“You’re welcome” is two words. But you know what doesn’t need any words at all?
[A cool thumbs-up fistbump.]
[Eren hates that question, perhaps the most common one ever asked. He looks her over, though it's not judgmental. He taps his knuckles idly on the surface of the table.]
You're banged up.
You're banged up.
[ She knows; she's sure he mentioned that once. The only reason she remembers that specifically is because she, too, loathes it. People rarely want the truth. But then, why would she bother to ask him at all?
Well, God forbid a woman have a hobby. ]
Work got a little more exciting than planned, that's all. I've had worse, don't let it keep you up.
Well, God forbid a woman have a hobby. ]
Work got a little more exciting than planned, that's all. I've had worse, don't let it keep you up.
[At this, there's just the smallest pull on his upper lip, a sneer trying to form on a frozen face.]
It wouldn't. Clearly, you handled yourself just fine.
It wouldn't. Clearly, you handled yourself just fine.
[A...book?
[Eren sets Haruaki down, if only because he's so distracted by the way that item was simply conjured. The cover is, indeed, covered with pictures of various uniforms. Eren wonders if he might be dreaming, but his dreams are usually far more...unpleasant.]
Okay.
[He sounds dazed.]
Fine.
[Eren sets Haruaki down, if only because he's so distracted by the way that item was simply conjured. The cover is, indeed, covered with pictures of various uniforms. Eren wonders if he might be dreaming, but his dreams are usually far more...unpleasant.]
Okay.
[He sounds dazed.]
Fine.
[Eren has gotten far too used to the sensation of starving. He's rarely been in a position to reject food, so, of course, he won't. It feels strange to order - almost greedy when he's used to just taking whatever he's been handed.
[Esther asks, so it's easier to answer, nod. The menu is...overwhelming (what's a "grand slamwich"?]
Whatever you have. I'll just ask for that.
[Esther asks, so it's easier to answer, nod. The menu is...overwhelming (what's a "grand slamwich"?]
Whatever you have. I'll just ask for that.
[ Not that she needs one, but it's an excuse to order extra Esther won't turn down. So when a server wanders by, she gets their attention long enough to order the works, times two; pancakes, sausages, bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, coffee. So very American.
Once they're alone again, she goes to say something, when a thought comes to her, a polite interruption. ]
I actually have something for you.
[ A bag rummaging montage later has her taking out a simple A4 paper folder; it would look shady - spy adjacent, perhaps - if it wasn't for the fact it contains nothing untoward, except for three sheets of music paper, all hand written. She slides it across the table towards Eren. ]
Had in there a while - had to wait for this place to show up again.
Once they're alone again, she goes to say something, when a thought comes to her, a polite interruption. ]
I actually have something for you.
[ A bag rummaging montage later has her taking out a simple A4 paper folder; it would look shady - spy adjacent, perhaps - if it wasn't for the fact it contains nothing untoward, except for three sheets of music paper, all hand written. She slides it across the table towards Eren. ]
Had in there a while - had to wait for this place to show up again.
[The folder does seem conspicuous until Eren opens it. He's far from expressive, but his brow does subtly pinch together as he examines the sheets. He's never played an instrument, nor has he ever known anyone who plays an instrument, so he's never seen sheet music up close. Still, something in him recognizes it enough...]
Music? [He looks up across the table.] I can't read it.
Music? [He looks up across the table.] I can't read it.
I know, it's not quite how I meant to give it to you - that was supposed to be a kind of extra. However, since I didn't know when I'd next see you, I couldn't really lug my violin around on the off-chance.
[ And she knows he dislikes phones - perhaps that isn't the right word for it? - so recording herself playing it for him to listen to didn't seem like the best option either. She did just in case, but she didn't want to lead with the fact. ]
But still, I wanted you to have it. I wrote it for you.
[ And she knows he dislikes phones - perhaps that isn't the right word for it? - so recording herself playing it for him to listen to didn't seem like the best option either. She did just in case, but she didn't want to lead with the fact. ]
But still, I wanted you to have it. I wrote it for you.
['Dislike' is a fair enough word, but only in the sense that it overwhelms him, makes him feel unsteady. He ought to let her take it out and show him again sometime, but, as she points out now, these meetings are sporadic, few and far between.
[She wrote him a song. He holds the paper carefully in front of him, afraid to set it on the table, stain the pages. Eventually, he folds it up and tucks it into his coat, eyes cast down.
[He doesn't sound upset, but Eren never sounds much like anything; his voice is quiet.]
Why would you do something like that?
[She wrote him a song. He holds the paper carefully in front of him, afraid to set it on the table, stain the pages. Eventually, he folds it up and tucks it into his coat, eyes cast down.
[He doesn't sound upset, but Eren never sounds much like anything; his voice is quiet.]
Why would you do something like that?
[It's perhaps the only answer Eren would accept. The notes are safe in his pocket, and he looks at Esther again. Food is set down between them - awkward. He waits for the interruption to end.]
If I show someone else, and ask them to play, it won't be the same.
If I show someone else, and ask them to play, it won't be the same.
[ She thanks the server and pulls her plate closer, absolutely sugars the shit out of her coffee, gets to the creamer as Eren speaks again. ]
Most likely not, no; but I think you should anyway. It deserves to be heard, [ not without a smile, ] and it took me quite a while to perfect. It'd be a shame for it to stay on the page exclusively.
Most likely not, no; but I think you should anyway. It deserves to be heard, [ not without a smile, ] and it took me quite a while to perfect. It'd be a shame for it to stay on the page exclusively.
[Kel is the last face Sunny expected to see, and now, he'll be the last face Sunny ever sees. Maybe he should have expected. It wasn't as if he never knocked, never called. Sunny killed himself. It's no one's fault but his own. Still. It was so lonely...
[This should have been lonely too. Maybe some awful part of him just wanted blood, didn't think for a second about anyone finding him. Then again, maybe he only wanted it to stop, stop, stop, stop; he barely remembers.
[His hand trembles in Kel's grip, fingers weakly curling, trying to return it.]
Kel...
[He makes a sound, a name. He tries to clear his throat, but he's afraid he'll choke. He has to keep trying.]
I have...to tell you...
[This should have been lonely too. Maybe some awful part of him just wanted blood, didn't think for a second about anyone finding him. Then again, maybe he only wanted it to stop, stop, stop, stop; he barely remembers.
[His hand trembles in Kel's grip, fingers weakly curling, trying to return it.]
Kel...
[He makes a sound, a name. He tries to clear his throat, but he's afraid he'll choke. He has to keep trying.]
I have...to tell you...
Page 17 of 28