synflux | head above water

[ Then her attention's on Yuji, who's like a fireball compared to Choso's reticence. She can't help shrugging up her shoulders a little and turning her hands around her staff, drawing it close against her side.

But this is Choso's brother, so she tries to ease up a bit. ]

Oh, so this is your younger brother.

[ It's not so weird for siblings to seem like polar opposites, right?? Her favorite books have dynamics like these all the time. ]

[ the firmness of her little handshake is, frankly, a little relieving; he wasn’t certain if elf bones were more like human bones or bird bones. so many bones. did she also have two-hundred-and-six in her? the thought lets him ponder without staring overlong at her ears and their little motions; what if she noticed and stopped? tragic.

yuji’s voice cuts through the murmur of base life, lifts choso’s head again as his big hand rises in kind to hail the pink comet over.

the way choso’s face doesn’t outwardly change but to Brighten could be, perhaps, just like marcille’s stories. ]

Yes. This is Yuji. He is Good.

[ if one spoken word could shake with the intensity of its meaning, it would be “good”; a booming, theatrical THX shake. ]

Yuji! Come, this is Marcille.

[ look, come see this tiny new acquaintance. ]

[ Anyone else would probably find the strangeness of Choso a little disarming or strange, especially with a greeting like that - 'Yuji is good', as if he's some kind of puppy or creature - but Yuji doesn't seem bothered by it.

Instead, he lets himself greet his brother with a quick hug before turning to Marcille. ]

It's nice to meet you, Marcille-san! Thank you for being a friend for my big brother.

[ And he bows, properly, like the good, polite boy that he is. ]

[ Choso did call Yuji a Warrior of Great Power and Humble Heart earlier, so Choso's declaration is only a little odd. One thing is for sure: in Choso's eyes, it seems like his little brother can do no wrong.

The impression Yuji gives seems to speak to that. She doesn't expect the bow, flustering a little before bowing herself at equal height. ]

Oh! Yeah, I mean, of course!

[ In her mind, there's no question that they're friends now. When she stands back up tall, she tucks her staff under her arm and reaches into her bag. ]

Before I forget...

[ She pulls out two boxes of LILITH's chocolates and, balancing them in one hand, fishes out something else: two small rectangles about the length of her fingers, wrapped in burlap and tied with twine. A sprig of dried leaves is tucked under each knot. ]

These are for you, and... so are these! It's soap. I made a big batch for myself when I first came here. It might be better if you give it another week to cure, though.

[ If they sniff them, they'll find that the soap smells like oranges. ]

[ for someone as foreboding-looking as choso, he takes the hug fairly easily, and even seems to brighten by a percentage point or two for it while he lets the two acquaint themselves.

'friends' is such a big word, hefty, oversized; he doesn't know how to hold it, where to put it, what does he do with it? but yuji has handed it to him, and marcille is not disabusing them of the notion, so it's his word now, and he clutches it tightly to his little inner self while his bigger, outer self hunkers forth to accept marcille's gifts in careful hands.

... try as he may, choso cannot resist the urge to lift the little burlap bricks up immediately for a sniff, small and cautious at first but then with some more gusto and a fair good few blinks. expecting a dry green smell, the bright zing of citrus is a pleasant surprise. ]

You... made it? [ LILITH-free organic elf soap... they have been gifted elf soap...! ]

This is generous. I only have the chocolates to offer you in turn. [ no proper gifts, only chocolate capitalism. ]

Edited 2024-03-26 03:58 (UTC)

Soap? You can make soap? That’s so cool!

[Yuji feels a little bad that he didn’t bring his own gift - he shouldn’t thought of that, but it didn’t register in his mind with all the other things in there. When he reaches out to take the soap he tries not to flinch, but it might not be successful.

There are claws on the end of his hands now, and he’s still not completely used to it.

When the gift is in his hands he mirrors Choso almost exactly, bringing it up to smell it, eyes widening in delight. It smells good… And someone made it here? That’s pretty awesome.

Tucking it into his bag - and offering it to Choso to do the same if he wants - Yuji beams. ]

Thank you so much! I didn’t bring anything because I thought you’d be sick of chocolate, but let me buy you a drink later!

[ master has given dobby an elf soap...!

Marcille beams as she watches Choso's surprise bloom over his face. She looks back at Yuji reflexively when his hand raises, and the hesitation over his clawed fingers immediately catches her eye.

She noticed Yuji's claws when he and Choso shared their quick hug. The facial markings (scars?) on Yuji's face were indicative enough that something may be different about him, but clawed hands on tall-men is something she's never seen before. There may be half-bloods somewhere that share those kinds of traits, but she's yet to encounter them in person until now.

Why did he look surprised, like he'd forgotten his own hand? Marcille's smile falters, though she's unflinching as he takes the soap from her palm and gives it a whiff. She smiles again as the little bricks are pocketed. ]

That's actually why I brought the soap myself. It felt strange just giving the chocolate away because we were told to do it. Anyway, don't worry about paying me back. It's a gift! I don't really drink alcohol anyway.

[ She gives Yuji a worried look as she takes her staff back into your hands. ]

But... you sure you don't want to give me your chocolate? They said they'll punish you if you don't get rid of all of it, you know.

[ surprisingly, choso turns down the convenience of yuji's bag in favour of storing both his chocolate gift and soap in his own pockets; safe and secure storage where he can also curl his hands around them later, like little charms, these first gifts received. but later. for now, he produces from a different pocket (sweater, this time) an only slightly battered box of chocolates.

with the formality of a man handing out a business card, choso offers it to marcille. dozo. ]

If he does not get rid of it on his own, there is a strange man about who will take it all off him anyway. [ like talking about the weather, or the mayoral electoral candidates for the next term, or the cleaning bots' schedules. there is a janitor bot that cleans up spills. there is a gojo satoru that scams you for chocolate. don't worry about it. ]

And if that does not work, I can take them all.

Strange man... Do you mean Gojo-sensei...?

[ That might be a fair enough assessment of his teacher, but Yuji still feels the urge to defend him all the same, instinctive, burned into him by the nature of his education and dedication to his sensei. Shaking his head, he fights the urge to protest, and looks back over at their new friend with a smile.

Choso is Choso, and sensei is sensei, so as long as they don't kill each other he's happy. ]

I've handed out most of mine, so don't worry. I did a lot on Valentine's Day so I think they're talking it easy on me for White Day.

[ Simple as that! Beaming, he looks between them before he tilts his head. ]

Say, nii-san, did you still want to go to see the cats?

[ Choso... moe 🥺

Marcille takes the chocolate box, and while she notices the little bits of damage, she pays them no mind. She beams again— ] Thank you! [ —and slides the box into her bag.

A lot of words crop up at once that she doesn't know what to make of. She looks between them both. ]

Cats...? [ She hasn't seen any cats around. The instant her mind conjures the image of one, it transforms into something, someone else—half-beast, half-human. She swallows down a wave of sadness, instead tightening her grip on her staff and looking at Yuji. ]

And who's Gojo-sensei?

A swindler. [ with a sharp tch of tongue on teeth. that half empty box... ]

[ no, no! he will not sully this meeting with that bean pod! choso must physically shake it off, hair tufts-- buns?- a-flapping as if to cast away the veil of that accursed long man.

collect yourself!!! ]

There is a cat onsen. Which is to say, an onsen with real cats. You are welcome to join us on this venture if you so wished.

He's my teacher at school, not... That...

[ He's not a swindler! Don't be so rude, big brother, that's Yuji's precious teacher...

At least he can focus a little more on something nice, which is the cat onsen. He went there on a date, so he can speak for how nice it is, even if it had been a little embarrassing. ]

It's just outside of the main city, run by this old couple, and there's a colony of cats there! They're nice, despite being wild.

[ A teacher and a swindler.... Concerning... Does Marcille believe Choso, an ex-criminal who probably has a good eye for evildoers, or Yuji, who seems very sweet and upbeat and maybe more susceptible to swindling?

She'll have to meet Gojo and form her own opinion. Right now, they're talking about cats. Memories of Izutsumi flood her consciousness, twisting her heart. She still wants to go with them, of course, not only because she's always liked cats, but also because she's reaching for what's familiar, even if it hurts.

An important question needs answering. ]

Y-Yeah, I can come with you guys, but... what's an "onsen?"

[ choso has no awareness at all of how he looks when he rounds on marcille, eyes a little wide for the surge of warm anticipation that mention of the trip has summoned. ]

A bathhouse.

[ Yuji looks up at his brother, then looks over at Marcille, and shakes his head. ]

It's a hot spring that's been turned into a bathhouse, but I think my brother was more interested in the cats. There's separate bathing rooms, don't worry!

[ Seeing as Choso looks super intense about it... ]

We can go and just see the cats if you wanted to.

[ CHOSO WHAT IS THAT LOOK? HELLO? She leans back and gives him A Look before Yuji speaks up and saves his reputation.

A bathhouse! Marcille actually isn't averse to the idea. ]

If the bathing rooms are separate, it should be fine... I haven't had a nice bath in a really long time.

[ She touches her chin. ]

Someone else told me about a bathhouse being in the city. He didn't mention any cats though... His name was Nanami.

[ ignorance truly is bliss, for choso closes his eyes and spares marcille the meteoric weight of his full attention while he thinks about cats and steam. ]

Either it’s a different, inferior bathhouse or Nanami does not care for feline company.

Ah, Nanamin! I think he probably didn't know about the one outside of town, since Raidou and I found that on our adventure.

[ Yuji leans into Choso a little. Pay attention... It's almost time to go... ]

I'm glad you've been able to meet Nanamin, though. He's a really good guy!

Oh, so you know him. [ She nods. ] He offered to help me a few times already. Although he seems to have a grudge against the head of the simulation room...

[ Those text messages from him were nothing short of aggressive. What did Seok Dang do to him...

Marcille can ask who Raidou is on their way to the onsen, she decides. ]

Were the two of you about to leave? I'll go, but I'd also like to get some clean clothes from my room to change into. I'll be quick!

I don’t mind waiting. [ see, he’s paying attention, eyes cracking open to blink lazily at marcille before a revelation has him turning that blink onto yuji. ]

Should we bring our own things? [ or mooch off the cats? ]

I already brought stuff from our room, since the plan was to go there anyway, don't worry.

[ Leaning around Choso, he nods at Marcille. ]

Yeah, he was pretty mad after the guy accidentally locked us in the sim room. Go ahead and get your stuff, we can wait here!

I will!

[ A bath!!!! Excuse her while runs off to get her things. (Lmk when/if I should hop back in!) ]

So prepared. As expected. [ sasuga yuji. he sort of clenches a fist in a sort of celebration, and somewhere in there decides to utilize the motion to its fullest by flicking his thumb up for marcille as she takes off. go, little elf, go.

naturally, he doesn't wait until she's out of earshot before he turns to yuji again. ]

... She is good.

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