[SEMI-OPEN] Better not be the one who falls in love again

[plasticasshole]

Who: Connor and an open prompt (with other closed prompts later)
When: April!
Where: Aefenglom
What: Meteor shower for now
Warnings: None yet


Everyone wants to fly with the fireflies; (April 3rd)
[It's beautiful, honestly. Connor has never seen a meteor shower, nor has he seen the insects that accompany it. They land on him, and he might glow a soft pink or blue in places, or even green. The emotions that accompany the colours don't bother him as much as the folks pushing him towards anyone whose colours match, but he just lets it happen. He was going to meet new people anyway, right? Strangers get small, polite smiles.]

I'm sorry. We could take this time to get to know each other better, and they'll leave us alone?

[Of course, people who know him get a different response-]

Oh. Well, it could probably be worse.

[He's joking. Made (hopefully) obvious by the way he nudges the other person playfully. The Full Moons are nearing, he's feeling a little bit sassy.]

Wildcard;
(I'll write a prompt out if we plot something, or you can write your own! I'd rather keep memory share stuff to the event post when it goes up, but anything else goes! My plurk is novicecity if you want to plan something! As for which colour Connor gets, I'll either RNG it or you can pick~)

Comments

backdated to feb 17th - for Niles

[plasticasshole]

[After his talk with Myr, Connor has made it a point to keep an eye on L more than he would have. And just who should he see creeping around them not long after, but Niles?

Connor waits until L is busy with other things before he approaches Niles, a hand at his back as he nudges him into a secluded area where they can talk.]

Niles. I know you’re following Linden. This should stop now.

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles' lets Connor maneuver him into the alley way, assuming Connor wanted to get frisky, and pleasantly surprised he's open to a bit of exhibitionism. When he speaks though, Niles bristles, swatting Connor's arm away from him and taking a step back to face him head on.]

Well it won't.

[Arms crossed, eye narrowed to a glower, and tail flicking in obvious irritation. He's not about to be dissuaded so easily.]

[plasticasshole]

Look.

[Connor won't back down either, and he gives Niles a pleading look.]

Whatever Linden did, as... poorly thought out it may have been, I don't think he intended to cause you any distress. He's simply... very socially and emotionally challenged.

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles' glare turns into a full on snarl, fangs bared and eye bright with fury.]

Bullshit.

[The word is spat out, harsh and definitive.]

You have no idea what you're talking about, and it's none of your concern. This is between Linden and I.

[plasticasshole]

[Connor frowns, but doesn't seem dissuaded.]

It becomes everyone's problem when you take matters further like this. What exactly are you planning on doing?

[Because there's no way Niles is just stalking L because he wants to look at him more often. He's planning something.]

[cyclopticsadist]

[Now Niles' expression is one of pure disdain.]

Do you honestly expect me to tell you?

[Oh sure why doesn't he just lay out his whole revenge plot to Linden's new bodyguard. The request would be funny if it weren't so insulting.]

[plasticasshole]

I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

[Connor folds his arms, though.]

You're an intelligent man, Niles. Surely you can see that if you harm Linden, his friends are going to get involved. Do you want a repeat of what happened with the SQUIP?

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles shrugs, ugly glower morphing into an ugly smile.]

I think I came out on top in all that, honestly.

[He knows the situation is different. He's the Squip in this scenario. The objectively wrong party who needs to be stopped for morality reasons or whatever. He knows he'll have to go into hiding if he even manages to get away with it. He knows he'll be burning nearly every bridge he's made. There's a part of him that balks at that. That is terrified of abandonment. But by the same fear, shouldn't he sever all his connections on his terms? Over something that's deeply important to his survival? The question at the center of it all, the internal debate that he is having believe it or not...

Is it worth it?

But that's a question for him and him alone to decide, he doesn't need clueless meddling from a naive and easily manipulated stooge.]

[plasticasshole]

You're hardly as powerful in this form as you were in that one.

[The whole 'taur thing? It was a pain in the ass. And Connor, despite the fact he realises Niles is a skilled fighter anyway, thinks it gave him an advantage.]

And you'd be alone in this.

[Is that really what Niles wants?]

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles hmphs. He's only half right. So far Henry is his ace in the hole, but even two against Linden's inconveniently powerful gaggle of followers aren't odds he likes. He's not about to show any signs of worry or doubt to Connor. He also won't be baited into divulging any details of his plan.]

You can't talk me out of this. Give up.

[plasticasshole]

[Connor bites his lip as he considers his approach, then leans in slightly.]

What did he do, Niles? A simple mistake doesn't warrant this kind of reaction.

[He doesn't want to have to choose between Niles and L. He likes them both. But in this situation, Niles is the aggressor... at least, as far as Connor knows. As far as he's been told. But he wants Niles' side of things.]

[cyclopticsadist]

It was not a mistake!

[The response is a shout, voice rich with conviction and fury. His fur bristles, and his tail lashes behind him. He takes a deep breath and brings his volume down to a harsh whisper.]

He knew what he was doing. He wanted to hurt and humiliate me, and he said as much to my face while he-

[He cuts himself off as his voice begins to rise again. Instead of words all that comes out is a deep growl.]

[plasticasshole]

[Well, he seems to be getting somewhere. Not the place he wanted to get, but he's learning more about what happened.]

While he did what?

[In contrast to Niles, Connor's voice is even and he appears unfazed by Niles' outburst.]

I want to understand where you're coming from, but I can't do that unless I know what happened.

Fireflies

[stopfen]

[Oh, it had been a while since she'd seen him. And not with legs. But she knew that strange circle light on his head. Though the other lights she didn't know. Much like the ones that were lining her antenna, making the dull brown a small rainbow of splotches of colour(like an led light strip).

The comment gets a dry nod.]

That's fine. It's not cold, and you're not in the water now.

[She knew Armin loved the ocean. But she couldn't get over not being able to see what was hiding in the water and sand, or how her weight would cause her to sink.]

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles is breathing heavily, volatile anger welling up in him. He pushes Connor back. He needs space, he needs to run. He doesn't want to think about what happened. He doesn't want to bare himself open again like he did with Myr. He shouldn't have to keep repeating this, reliving this, but Connor's incessant questions bring Linden's dark looming eyes to the forefront of his mind. His hand gratuitously running through his hair and covering his eye. A blatant acknowledgment that he knew what was coming and was looking forward to the show.

And worse, Connor's blank, impassive face isn't helping him get the image out of his mind. He's waiting to judge, to analyse Niles' worst nightmare for validity, for justification. He's ready to pick apart and witness the whole ugly scene himself if he could.]

What story has he spun for you then? The same unappreciated self sacrificing hero fairy tail he gave to Myr?

[plasticasshole]

[His only reaction to the push, besides his LED blinking yellow, is to hold up his hands. He’ll give him the space he needs.]

Well, something like that. But then I did learn that he did something inexcusable and later demanded to be thanked for it, which...

[He winces a little, the first sign of emotion he’s really shown towards all of this so far.]

But I don’t want Linden or Myr’s versions. I want yours. Please?

[plasticasshole]

[Connor wonders if his joke came across, his hair glowing a soft yellow. He feels friendly towards her nonetheless.]

You must have been swarmed by the insects.

[He nods to her antenna, and all the colours there.]

[stopfen]

I wonder if it's because I'm a bigger insect... [It gets a small snort, the movement of her head causing the yellow bugs resting at the bend of one antenna to scatter.]

They seem to really like people. I thought they'd avoid us because of how small they are. [Then she looks down, like it's something they both already didn't know.]

You have legs now.

For Dimitri

[plasticasshole]

[It's not often that Connor gets an actual excuse to play his violin for people, but the people here seem to love it. He even sings them a few songs while he plays, and when he's done he leaves the little crowd of people gathered and lets someone else have a turn.

Later, he can be found teaching people hand to hand combat. He keeps his distance where he can, but he does take the offered gloves and face mask too, even though he doesn't actually breathe. Better to be safe, right?

Whether he'd just finished singing or fighting, Connor will walk past Dimitri and offer a smile in greeting, the mask pulled down under his chin.]

Are you here to help too?

[plasticasshole]

Maybe.

[He smiles as another one lands on his arm, though the resulting cold feeling in his arm as it turns blue is a little off-putting.]

Oh, I do. I was only bound to the water for the full moons. I still need to swim regularly to stay hydrated of course, but I can choose when I do that at least.

[stopfen]

[It gets a steady hum from her. ]

That's good. But it's a shame too. Back during my first full moon I was telling a guy he'd lose his arms as well because fish don't have them.

[Tragic. Her horrible joke has flopped even more. Much like the shark merrow had in the shallows. ]

[plasticasshole]

I hope he didn't believe you.

[But he seems vaguely amused.]

Being a Merrow isn't so bad, but if we lost our arms every time we got wet I'd find it more of a hindrance.

[stopfen]

I think he might of. [It's small, very small. But there's a slight smirk on the fae's face at it.]

I'm glad I don't need to worry about losing limbs. Even if I'm not keen on possibly gaining more. [There was no denying what she was turning into anymore. The chitin had been the point where that had become a waste of time. The antenna only cemented the point further.]

How much water does it take for that to happen anyway? Would just a glass be enough?

[cyclopticsadist]

[The space helps, it does. He breathes, and even closes his eye for a minute. It's a testament to just how much he trusts Connor, even as his rage boils. He wrestles that fury it the ground, reminding himself of they way Connor had waited, unprompted, while Niles was incapacitated. He wouldn't have minded if Connor kept going, he'd have been able to recover quickly, but the fact that they'd wound up in a place where Niles' hadn't set rules, and Connor didn't take advantage of that won him a lot of respect.

Connor would wait.

And he'll have to. If he wants to get through explaining this without risking injuring himself or others, he needs to shut down. Especially if he needed to recount the apology sequence. When he opens his eye again his face is stony, locked in a steely eyed glare at some point in the far distance.]

You know a little about where I come from. Linden kept me paralyzed and restrained by magic while the man who put my eye out with a hot poker beat and assaulted me while he waited for it to warm up in the coals.

[His arms are crossed, his tail is dead still, locked in a half curve strike pose raised a few feet above the ground. It would be an overtly threatening gesture but he's deliberately facing at an oblique angle to Connor. It's not a threat, it's a response he isn't used to holding in check. Another deep breath.]

Then he wanted thanks for deciding to break the illusion before he took the eye.

[plasticasshole]

[It's... not an answer that sets Connor at ease any. He's mortified that Niles had to go through it even once, let alone twice, and L... he'd thought better of him. For a moment Connor is silent, eyes cast towards the ground. It's awful, and there's no excuse for it. He can't defend L here.]

I'm sorry, Niles.

[He looks back up, saddened and shocked by what he's learned.]

But thank you for telling me. I realise it wasn't easy. But now I know, and... I won't try to justify Linden's actions for him.

[Of course, he remembers L's recount of it. The stories together make for an interesting picture. L apparently believing he was helping, Niles believing he was being cruel. It's a mess. Honestly, it would have been so much easier if he could just care less. But here he is, and he cares a lot about what happens to both of them.]

Did Linden say anything during this?