synflux | closed.

[ someone take a syringe and inject some self-esteem into this kid ]

What makes you think having dinner with you is an obligation? Despite what my occupation might suggest, I do enjoy spending time with my friends.

[ friend???? friend??? 🥺 ]

[ this might be a trap but wrio called him a friend..... ]

Because it's literally a mission objective1 But oka.y. Ramen?

That's just an added bonus then. The icing on top of the cake, so to speak.

[ They can knock out two birds with one stone!!! ]

Ramen it is. Is there anything Flapjack would like as well?

[ does flapjack eat ]

IFf you say so.... Parfait for Flap,.

[ that they will probably end up sharing.... ]

[ He does in fact say so!!! ]

Ramen and parfait it is then. There's a good ramen place a few blocks away next to a dessert shop. I'll meet you in the lobby and we can head there together.

[ There is no room for argument here. ]

Meetyou there.

[ imagine if hunter just didn't show. but no, he's there in the lobby when wry selfie arrives, hands in his pockets, seeming tense and uncomfortable. he's obviously a little battered and rundown from all the training, and more exhausted than ever! yipee! ]

[ but he's here. lifts his hands in a wave when he sees wario the dad. flapjack is on his shoulder, and chirps in greeting ]

[ Hunter (and Flapjack!) get a return wave and a small smile. It looks more tired than his usual ones, but can any of them be blamed after everything that happened? No. He waits until they're both close enough, then motions for them to follow as they set off. ]

Hope you're ready to eat a lot.

[ Teenage boys still eat a lot, right?? ]

[ no, not at all. hunter scans him briefly just to check how he looks physically, then trails behind him with his hands in his pockets, nervous and fidgety. flapjack chirps something at hunter, bonking into his cheek lightly, which seems to relax him like 0.00001% ]

...Sure.

[ yes, he is a teenage boy and he will eat a lot. after a hesitation: ]

How've you been....?

[ Ain't that the universal question, one he's been asked so many times. The good thing about having been asked so many times is that he's got a perfectly scripted answer for the question now! He sighs, lips pursing in mild annoyance. ]

Been better. [ Which is the truth. ] I could use some rest, but it seems like we didn't do well enough on our last mission to deserve it.

[ He's so tired of seeing MISSION FAILED, man........ ]

You?

[ ain't that the universal question indeed...... hunter supposes it was a dumb question to ask anyway. no one would be doing good unless they were a complete psychopath. he continues to shuffle behind wrio, more like a subordinate than a friend ]

I haven't been replaced yet, so.... I've been training and doing the missions.

[ this is an answer, right? ]

[ It may be an answer but what kind of answer is that?? Wriothesley glances over, brows furrowed. ]

Why would they replace you?

[ Hello?? ]

Because I failed. [ duh? he is stating this like it's the most obvious thing in the world ] And... you know why.

[ ~his secret~ ]

[ They'll get to his secret in a bit. For now, time to focus on their mission failure. ]

By that margin, we should all be replaced. But replacing an entire team of people takes a lot of time and effort and money. They wouldn't do that with how much they're already struggling now.

[ He slows his steps a little. ]

Besides, the success or failure of any mission doesn't rest entirely on you. We're all part of a team.

There's going to be some kind of punishment. There has to be. [ he can't imagine there not being one, for alienating one of their allies like that. ]

[ flapjack chirps something, but hunter slouches a little further as he trails behind ]

It's different for me.

[ Their punishment of having to repeat the same simulation over and over again until all of them are facedown in the ground.... But he's not going to dispute that, when the possibility of it is real enough.

More importantly: ]

What makes you say that?

[ indeed. hunter is just paranoid about the timing of new recruits coming into public shaming, constant medical checkups, and repeat training and simulations ]

[ speaking of being paranoid, he is glancing around to make sure they're alone. he is sweating a little bit too ]

I am a replacement. A failed one. If I ever get sent back home, Belos will... he'll kill me and make another one.

[ hands shaky legs spaghetti. flapjack nestles against his head, trying to calm him down ]

LILITH knows that. They know I'm not a real person. They could just...

[ where is elan so he and hunter can bemoan being clones together

Wriothesley slows and stops, the prospect of a filling meal way less important that pulling Hunter out of his funk. Thank you Flapjack for doing the most. ]

Hey. You're not a failed anything. [ His voice is stern, almost disapproving (though of Belos and not Hunter). ] Full offense, but if the only worth that Belos sees in you is your competency as a soldier, then he's a giant asshole.

[ Pardon his French. ]

I can't promise that LILITH won't send us all back one day for one reason or another, but I can promise that I'll fight them with everything I have if they try and take you away.

[ Not his little guy, not his watch!! ]

[ send elan his way...... ]

[ flapjack tugs at a lock of hunter's hair, chirping along in birdsong. it's not hard to infer that he's basically being like "wrio's right, bro, that guy's a fucking dick". hunter shudders, holding one shaking hand with another ]

No, he-- it's so much worse than that. He was.... planning to kill everyone on the Boiling Isles. [ at this point, hunter doesn't know who he was a clone of-- another genocidal witch hunter like belos? ] And I was a part of it.... I was helping him.... That's why I was made... wasn't it?

[ he's rambling now, and staring off into the middle distance and barely hearing what wario is saying. just a smidge of ptsd here maybe ]

[ finally, wry lesbian's words seem to finally get through his fog of #trauma, and his head stares up, staring at wrightleaf, ace ~~attorney~~ warden ]

You.... you will?

[ why is he still surprised by this ]

[ if only he were a lesbian, my life would be greatly improved

Hunter's frenetic ramblings are distressing to listen to, the pinch between Wriothesley's brows deepening with every word said. He's not the only one who's been through shit or will go through shit in the future, but it's still upsetting to see how widespread neglect and abuse are.

If he can reassure even one person that they'll be alright and that they don't have to rely solely on themselves in the world, then all his efforts will have been worth it. ]

I don't say things I don't mean. [ Most of the time, anyway. ] Even if you were originally made to be his puppet, that's not who you are now. The only person who gets to decide who and what you are is you yourself.

[ he can be an honorary lesbian as i struggle to think of stupider and stupider ways to write wriothesley's name ]

[ anyway. hunter continues staring at him, quiet, no more rambling. he used to know who he was, as the golden guard. head of the emperor's coven, a powerless witch, who still managed to claw his way to the top. scourge to criminals and protector of the people.... but that was all a lie. of course ]

I don't know who I'm supposed to be. Even here.... are we really helping people?

[ by fighting the kaiju. they'd unwittingly left behind thousands of people, and lilith's methods right now--- it's a lot to be desired. it's more and more like what he was used to at home. which, he is realizing now, might be bad? ]

[ more importantly, WEEE!!!!! thesley said something very incredibly kind just now. even knowing the truth about hunter. and, so: ]

So.... if they try to send me back, you'll.... fight it. Fight to keep me away... to.... keep me...

[ oh he's crying now. awkward. ]

[ March cried in his arms like a week ago, it's probably fine.

Not that the sight of tears isn't any less alarming. Just because he's used to waterworks doesn't mean he's gotten that much better at dealing with it. March was easy to comfort but the prickly nature of teenage boyhood makes this situation more difficult to navigate.

A hug is probably the right move but he's never been good at those, even with all the forced tutelage March has put him through. He settles instead for a hand in Hunter's hair, ruffling it a bit awkwardly but affectionately. ]

Sure. I'd do that for any of the people I care about. [ That's always how it's been for him, even since he's been a kid. He doesn't see that changing any time soon. ] And you don't have to figure out who you are right away. It takes time. But I'll be there to help for as long as they can.

[ Assuming LILITH doesn't send him home for one reason or another. ]

[ he flinches initially, just out of habit, but ouithesley just pats his head softly and ruffles it. hunter is still at first, not quite sure what to do in this situation..... but after the ruffle is complete (and if it's not a quick one, maybe like a minute into it), he defers to what he would normally do to show gratitude and love ]

[ drops to one knee with his head bowed ]

[ it's no surprise. he's seen wry sleepy eepy's past, he knows the lengths he'd go to protect people he cared for. hunter just... never expected himself to be one of those people. that someone would fight for. ]

I'll do it. I'll... try to figure it out.

[ no idea how ]

[ (hug him you coward) ]

[ NOT THE KNEE DROP

This is closer to some vow of fealty than a normal display of acceptance between two guys. But maybe that's not surprising either given Hunter's own past, created as nothing more than a loyal tool for a corrupt man. Maybe Belos would have appreciated the gesture but Wriothesley certainly doesn't and he's dropping into a crouch of his own shortly after to put them back at equal eye level. ]

You do whatever it is you want to do. No one has the right to decide how you live your life except for you.

[ Though of course, he can certainly take inspiration and/or advice from other people.

Anyway, now that they're both down here and within close proximity of each other, Wriothesley gives Hunter a good pat on the shoulder before keeping his hand there and impulsively pulling him in for a quick hug.

there's your hug, it's terrible but it's there. ]

[ is this not a normal way to express affection, thanks, and loyalty? no? ]

[ this thread started as wario lee treating hunter to dinner and has now reached this point. honestly, even the idea to fully committing to the idea of a life and a persona outside of the emperor and the emperor's coven -- it's overwhelming. their situation right now is still tenuous at best, with lilith resembling the coven more and more every day, but.... this man cares for hunter. he thinks. ]

[ as he finally pulls hunter into a hug. his third ever one! he stiffens, at first, then.... grips part of wee-ow's shoulder in return, in kind of an awkward "not sure how to reciprocate but wanting to reciprocate" fashion ]

[ flapjack nestles on wrio's shoulder, joining the hug. hehe. hunter is quiet, because he doesn't know how to respond, but he is at least absorbing what's being told to him ]

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