[OPEN] Love Shack

[soul_mods]

Characters: OPEN
Location: Nocturne Bazaar
Rating: Gen… Maybe. Don't do anything you wouldn't tell your mother about!
Time: April 3rd, April 4th
Description: The "attraction" was quite the hit last time. Who will you find yourself shacked up with now?

The island the Bazaar sits on is certainly big, but who thought they'd be able to fit an entire river on top of it? The line for the ride is just as large as you'd think it'd be, and it's been split in two with a tall screen to prevent people in both sides from seeing the other.

The staffers operating the line don't seem to care about making it grow; they're literally pulling people unlucky enough to wander too close and shoving them in a line before they can protest. You could try to get away, but the rest of the crowd's pushing impatiently forward and before long, you're up.

You might as well just get it over with. Hopefully the company's nice.


((ooc; this log takes place over both the first day and the second day. please use the subject line indicator [ NAME | DATE | OPEN/CLOSED ] and keep in mind that during the second day, characters will likely be under the effects of growing madness!))

Comments

[diedforyoursins]

[he jumps a little, if only at the suddenness of takuto's reaction, and arches an eyebrow at him (the gesture entirely useless in the dark but still).]

I experienced it. There really is not any room for doubt.

[tauborn]

But you're not dead!

[Because Kaworu is alive, right now, and Takuto can even feel the warmth of his hand. When you're dead you're cremated and everyone goes to your funeral and stands around wearing dark colors and being sad.]

[diedforyoursins]

Not here, at least. As I said, this world is a second chance.

[he wouldn't have had a funeral anyway. no one would have been sad, save maybe shinji. and there would certainly be no need for cremation when there was little left of his body besides the head.]

[tauborn]

[Takuto is still holding Kaworu's hand as they exit the tunnel and light surrounds them again. But he's just... not okay with the idea that Kaworu is, in some sense, already dead.

If BREW ever... ever sends Kaworu home.... He shakes his head.]

You're alive here and now, and that's what counts.

[A strong part of him just wants to forget Kaworu ever told him, but he owes it to the other boy to remember it.]

[diedforyoursins]

[he smiles and squeezes takuto's hand gratefully, and he's content to hold onto it until their boat has come to a stop and they're clambering out. it's only then that he speaks up again, voice low enough for only takuto to hear with all the staffers and carnival-goers around once more.]

Do you think badly of me for it?

[tauborn]

[He stares at his friend in surprise.]

Wh-why would I?

[diedforyoursins]

When we were discussing tragedies, you said that choosing to die was "the easy way out".

[and sure, on some level that might have been true. he could have tried running instead, and spent the rest of his life hiding from what was possible the most powerful organization on earth. but that wasn't the sort of life he wanted for himself, and the instinct to initiate third impact would have only grown worse as time went on. could he really have risked losing control and effectively destroying humanity just so he could live a while longer?]

[tauborn]

[This could quite possibly be the most serious case of foot-in-mouth syndrome Takuto has ever felt. He looks down at the ground with a kind of guilty expression and is suddenly acutely aware that he's still holding Kaworu's hand. He releases it after a gentle squeeze.]

I'm sorry. I had no idea wh-when I said that. [But it really doesn't change how he feels on the matter, so his expression is steely and determined when he lifts his eyes.]

I'd have fought for you, if I'd been there. And I will right for you here, too, it I have to.

[diedforyoursins]

[he smiles, bitter as the expression might have been at that moment, and shakes his head.]

Thank you. But you meant it, at that time. And it is understandable, I suppose, for you are human.

[he kind of wishes takuto hadn't let go of his hand, but he won't go to take it back. pursuing more physical contact after it had already been cut off usually did nothing but agitate the lilin, in his experience.]

[tauborn]

... you say that like you're... [Like you're not human. But Takuto isn't sure if he should really finish the sentence. He shakes his head.

At any rate, it'd be really hypocritical of me to judge you for something like that. I think what I really mean is that we should learn from our mistakes and... and strive for happy endings.

[diedforyoursins]

I am not. [he knows where that question was going and he can at least tell him this much.] And so our value sets are doubtlessly very different when it comes to this sort of thing. So it is alright.

[tauborn]

[Now he feels even more embarrassed for not even knowing his friend's species, as well as not knowing he'd died before, and their beliefs are still clashing, too.]

...To be fair, you do seem very human to me. And I do mean that as a compliment. [He probably appears to be pouting at his feet rather than talking to Kaworu, but Takuto can't help it if his entire carnival experience with Kaworu has been awkward in every possible way....]

[diedforyoursins]

[he obviously takes it as a compliment of the highest order, because he gives takuto the most brilliant grin, and if he could glow here he is sure he would be.]

Thank you. That really does mean a lot.

[tauborn]

Well... good. [It's impossible to miss how Kaworu brightens up at the compliment, but Takuto looks away after a quick glance. He's not sure if it's worse to feel so embarrassed for making the other boy's day with such a simple phrase, or if it's worse to feel so satisfied for being responsible for making the other boy grin that beautiful grin. Either way, he can't quite look at him.]

So... are you coming back to the carnival tomorrow?

[diedforyoursins]

[he'll definitely be in a good mood for the rest of the night because of that compliment. he'd always managed to pass as human well enough, but only because no one had expected an angel to be disguised as one of them. beyond that, he'd heard plenty of times that he was eerie or strange or inhuman.]

Of course. I would like to enjoy it as much as is possible while the opportunity exists, after all. Are you?

[tauborn]

Yep! There's still a lot that I have to do before this place floats away.

[And he wants to do everything. Singing out your youth can be hard work, you know.]

[diedforyoursins]

With Yako?

[yeah, he feels they have moved on enough that he can tease you about this.]

[tauborn]

Uh, well, m-maybe. [His face reddens a little as he tries in vain to shrug nonchalantly.] I mean, we don't have any specific plans or anything for tomorrow, but... I might... I dunno, call her up... or something....

[diedforyoursins]

[he smirks, but lays a comforting hand on takuto's shoulder anyway -- and now that they aren't sitting, he's struck by the fact that he has to reach up to do so. takuto is pretty damn tall.]

You should not be embarrassed. It is simply human nature to seek out that sort of companionship. Rather, you should be happy that you found someone you care for that shares those feelings.

[not gonna lie, there is some part of him that is a little jealous. not in a romantic sense, but...people find love, and their attention diverts to focus on their partner and a new life with them. it's the natural course of human life, but he doesn't want to be left behind, not so soon after finding friends.

it's a selfish thought, however, and he knows it, so there's no need to voice such things and ruin their happiness.]

[tauborn]

[His face reddens even more. He knows of course that Kaworu is right, but it's still very embarrassing to have it said out loud like that! But there's a rather pleased look to the smile underneath his blushing cheeks.]

I can't help being at least a little embarrassed!

[He crosses his arms across his chest and pouts.] Besides, whenever you say the word "embarrass" everything automatically becomes more embarrassing!

[diedforyoursins]

Why?

[legitimately curious here.]

[tauborn]

Well, because! I mean, that's just the way it works.

[And the rule applies to this conversation, of course.]

[diedforyoursins]

[his smile slips into a pout pretty quickly there.]

I do not understand...

[tauborn]

[He huffs a little, turning away.] I don't understand it either, but that doesn't make it any less true.

[diedforyoursins]

That does not make any sense. There is always logic somewhere in these matters...

[god why can't you guys totally disconnect from your feelings to properly analyze them so you can explain them to him???]