middaeg | [open] give me the dough bro

Entry tags:

[open] give me the dough bro

Who: Irhya and OPEN
When: All July/Juril
Where: Throughout!
What: Quests and general catch-all for threads!
Warnings: None? Yet, that I know of.

1) Avant-Garde

[Irhya is not new to designing and coordinating outfits. Alas, her weakness to sunlight just means she can't really model them herself, at least during prime hours. Instead, she decides to help the tailors and designers figure out how Mirrorbound fashions work, and perhaps learn a thing or two in the process. (Elastic, as it turns out, is a fantastic thing.)

You may have come in to get something commissioned or fixed up, or you may have been pulled in off the street for "looking like" a Mirrorbound. Or maybe you're even helping the tailors yourself. Nonetheless, you are immediately bombarded with a very earnest question, one that demands an answer.]

Quick. What's your favorite color combination? Don't stop to think about it.

2) Pat-a-Cake

[Look. Normally, she's fine with dishing out compliments where necessary, but she can't take them for shite, and forcing them is just awkward as all hell. Trouble is, she needs this bread to shove down a certain gloomy arsehole's throat if she can manage it, or so the plan goes. So she turns to the nearest person rolling the dough, hesitates for a moment, and then looks at the floor.]

Your hands look nice, powdered in flour like that...

[...What?]

Does that count?

3) The Feline Collection (closed to housemates and people who have reason to be at their house)

[At Mira's pressing, Irhya has gone out and brought home a cat of her own like it's no big deal. Not a disappearing one, mind, nor one with wings like Breezy, just a regular cat with no special powers to speak of. If anything, that might be the dangerous part, she thinks; between all the creatures here with some unique powers of their own, perhaps it's for the better she took this one in.

But the cat is unique, though, in that she's a female ginger, she thinks while laying with her back flat on the couch. A good way to contrast with Breezy, right? The trouble is... now she needs a name, and that could take a while. If someone comes through the door, though, she's quick to grab their attention from the living room:]

Oi, whichever of you just walked in! Come help me name the cat.

4) Doppelkatze (spoilers for the FFXIV dark knight quest chain, particularly lv50+)

If you had the opportunity to say something to someone you normally cannot, right this second, what would it be?

[What an odd question for anyone to ask, much less someone with that look on their face. It's... oddly speculative. If you know her and have run into her around town today, you'll know it's not unusual for her to play coy like this just for kicks, but... something doesn't seem quite right. It's like she's seeing you through a different lens than usual, especially if she's met you before.]

No need to explain yourself. Just answer with what your heart tells you.

[The encouragement is bizarrely gentle, like there's no judgment involved if you want to scream or cry or spit venom as an answer. It's important; she's evaluating something...]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...I believe you're misunderstanding something crucial here.

[Yes, there is a definite gap in understanding that needs to be rectified. Fray shoots a flat look in response to Emet's own, displeased at being referred to as a pet. The other Irhya doesn't look particularly amused, either.]

Lovely way to find out you think of us as an animal, but I suppose that's not much further below "sub-human", either. A bit salt-happy with that wound, though, aren't you?

[Oh, no. They're not going down this rabbit hole again, even if she'd love to interrogate him about his wording herself. Fray will keep going all night if she lets her, though, so she interrupts.]

Look. This isn't a whimsical creation; the potion just physically manifested someone that was already there. Doubt it if you want, but Mira can attest to this as well. She is me. And I partook of it for a reason, besides.

[It's an explanation that gets a raised eyebrow, but he doesn't protest her assessment. Presumably Irhya knew best how many Irhyas she was keeping in her mind, so the existence of another self wasn't that difficult to accept.]

Not content with being sundered alone, you split your mind further, hm?

[But he huffs, gaze continuing to be watchful.]

Knowing you contained such a thing... why would you ever ingest a potion that could risk manifesting them outside your control?

...Not on purpose...

[It's all she can really fire back with, but it lacks the necessary punch to be a true rebuttal. She crosses her arms and tears her gaze away.]

She's not dangerous, if that's what you're implying.

--Rather, you're the dangerous one, I should think. If she would just listen to my good sense for once and stop putting all her eggs in one basket...

[That one is directed squarely at Emet, her eyes narrowing, but the look quickly turns to Irhya, at which point it withers away. The original one is still not making eye contact with either of them.]

...But you'll pretend not to hear it, won't you? You're two of a kind on that front.

[A pause. Irhya still says nothing; Fray looks back at Emet.]

Far more curious things have happened than a single person being split in twain, I'm sure. Like your memory of the firebird. I was there to see that, too.

Danger comes in many forms.

[And a duplicate of oneself speaking truths no one wants to hear surely qualified. And the Ascian was torn between ignoring this Fray entirely and focusing his gaze and attention solely on Irhya- and on staring at the duplicate only, as though wary of her. Or at the very least, not liking her particularly far.

So in the end his attention is split, and though it settles for the moment on Irhya, his reply remains directed at them both.]

Myself among them, naturally. I was starting to think you'd forgotten. [Even though he doubts she's referring to mortal danger- of which he was far less of a source these days.] But what eggs would those be?

[But at the reminder of what she'd seen of his past, Emet-Selch looks ever askance at her- at them both, really, though it's a look accompanied by a faint shrug.]

Though that wasn't a particularly notable memory. Only the sort of thing I was occasionally tasked to deal with, in my position.

Hah. Is that supposed to be a pickup line, that you're "dangerous"?

[Finally finding an opening, Irhya resorts to dry humor instead, to divert attention away from the things she's less eager to talk about. Fray, however, has no such reservations.]

Inconveniences to your job, then... Inconveniences like me, would you say? I am nothing if not the very same inconvenient truth she sought to deny for so long, after all. Even if we've since come to an understanding, that is.

[Irhya's attempted comment just earns her a flatter look, before he scoffs at them both.]

It certainly sounds as though you've plenty to work out on your own. Understanding or otherwise, I'd hate to interrupt your misguided effort to bring yourself enlightenment... or whatever you call this- display.

[Dismissiveness edging back into scorn, he waves them off, intending to leave.]

[Irhya opens her mouth as if to stop him, but hesitates, the words dying in her throat. Useless. If Hades wants to leave, come hell or high water, he's going to leave, if he has to teleport away from her to do it. The response to her flirting is nothing new, but the rest... it almost sounds like he's scolding her for having pursued this avenue at all. Scolding them both, and it stings, more than just a little bit. Like maybe she is crazy for having split herself further...

Which is why she lets him go for the moment, watching his back as he retreats, then waits until after the sun sets, plodding up to his door when she knows he is behind it and has been so for several bells. Fray is long gone by then... but it felt nice to have someone at her back for once, whispering her reassurances in plain words. Comforting, even as she apologized repeatedly.

Even if it's only forgiveness by someone of her own making, she can feel like the burden is lighter for that small moment.]

Hey... you're in there, right? Can I talk to you?

[If you're not sick of me yet, she adds only in her head.]

[It was likely the right call to allow him to leave without an argument. Anything that would've encouraged him to to stay, in his irritated state... would've encouraged him to stay for all the wrong reasons, a mood and patience deteriorating ever further.

But as it was, he's free to push the event mostly from his mind, ruffled feathers settling through the application of time. And when Irhya's later knocking on his door, he's not particularly annoyed with her at all.

And it is Irhya, he's fairly sure of that, considering the tone of the woman. So he feels no particular hesitation when it comes to opening the door, peering down at her in his usual idle, casually-judging sort of way. He doesn't even comment on asking where her new pet had run off to. Unless she'd taken another, the potion would've surely worn off by now....]

Assuming you're still capable of speech... I don't see why not.

[Stepping back, he gestures vaguely for her to come inside.]

What's that supposed to mean?

[She doesn't sound irritated at all, just vaguely confused. Nonetheless, she sits on his bed and speaks her mind.]

Anyway, I was wondering... why don't you try taking the potion if you're so perplexed as to why I would do it? I have some left over, and I'll admit to having a great deal of curiosity...

[It's just a friendly offer for now; fortunately, she hasn't moved into coy teasing just yet. It's likely he'll decline, but she supposes that might be because he enjoys being a killjoy sometimes.]

[Her first question just gets a sigh and a dismissive wave; it had just been an idle comment, nothing else.

But at her suggestion, he pauses, sparing her a more focused sort of frown. Though he turns to regard Irhya, he makes no move to approach her.]

I'm capable of finding my own company sufficient, independent of questionable draughts.

Right...

[Sometimes, perhaps, but she's not sure about all the time. Even so...]

Does a copy of yourself not qualify as "your own company"? Why so reluctant? It's not like you have another half of yourself to make manifest, right?

[Nevermind the abject loneliness that came with only (well, mostly) finding his own company tolerable (and sometimes not even that). But of course Irhya persists, and as much as he didn't like to, it was probably easier to just explain.]

Either this copy doesn't share my personality, in which case I'd prefer it to not exist and save myself the hassle of dealing with it. Or it does, and I've manifested a perfect copy of myself. And along with it, my memories, my....

[This was never a comfortable thing to speak on, and he hesitates. Crosses his arms in front of him defensively, stares at the wall without really seeing it.]

You could say- that I'm not looking forward to meeting my own death. And this duplicate- brought into life fully conscious, fully alive... and fully aware that he has only a handful of hours left to him.

[How morbid. Emet-Selch sighs very quietly; it's barely distinguishable from a normal breath, but it's like a trace of his energy has just- vanished. And he never had much to start.]

...And so he would spend that time waiting to die, and I would spend it watching him.

[As he launches into that explanation, Irhya's eyes round out. Then, her face falls, and she looks at the ground once he's done.]

...I apologize. I... I didn't think of it like that.

[But he's obviously spent time thinking about it already, to have such a powerful explanation prepared. For a while, she sits in silence, unsure what to say after that. Her fingers twiddle at the sheets nervously.]

Hey. Come sit? I didn't mean to seem pushy about it.

[Once he'd first been made aware of these potions and the potentials they offered- Emet-Selch had certainly considered it. The entertainment they might offer, the opportunities... but he'd just as quickly realized what it would also feel like, to him. And he knew that would outweigh any chance of having a pleasant time.

But he does shuffle over to Irhya, sitting down beside her in a considerable slouch. And then he does sigh, but louder this time.]

It's fine. There's no reason it should have occurred to you.

[He at least doesn't seem inclined to hold it against her (even if her suggestion wouldn't have warranted it to begin with, but it's not like that would stop him when he's feeling petty).]

With yours- did you learn anything of value from conversing with yourself?

Nothing I didn't already know, but... I did have an interesting time with Mettaton the other day that made me think a little more on myself.

[She scoots closer, enough to put a hand on his back and rub circles into it. It probably wasn't an easy thing to talk about just now, but he managed to do it without losing his cool, so that is an improvement by far.]

He put me in lingerie. [A tiny smirk.] Granted, he was in it too, for that modeling session thing. I didn't really want to at first, but once he finally convinced me to do it, I started to think more about why I think that way about myself... if it's really reflective of other people's opinions, or if I'm just purposely terrible to myself for no reason. I mean, why would anyone do that to themselves, right?

He... really sees the best in everyone, though. It's sort of amazing.

[Though his first impulse is to tense at the touch to his back, Emet-Selch manages to let go of it after a moment- though it's hard to tell whether he's relaxing into the gentle rubbing, or just giving in to it. But the company, at least, wasn't... a bad thing.

And Irhya's words cause him to glance sideways in her direction. ...Unfortunately, he has his bad eye closest to her, so he can't actually see much. But from curiosity, his manner shifts to one of contemplation- and is perhaps slightly calmer, somehow.]

You're right, 'twould indicate a complete absence of sense. But when has that stopped any of us from continuing with one personal folly or another?

[Tilting his head a bit more to actually look at her, he spares her something akin to a half-smile, however brief. A touch of commiseration, perhaps.

But he's somewhat surprised to hear this seeming admission towards self-doubt, discomfort.

Then again... sometimes Irhya seemed almost nervous around him, for reasons he never really understood. ...Or perhaps, never took the time to try and understand (which was a vaguely displeasing thought, for reasons he... still didn't want to think about). Was it a lack of self-worth covered by sarcasm and flirting?

And for Mettaton to lead her to think about these things.... He's not sure if Irhya knows he's Bonded to the man; it's a thought that gets a small hum from him.]

But I'm not surprised he convinced you... of more than just an outfit. [If their conversation had also caused her introspection.] He's like that. I've no idea how he manages it.

I don't, either, but I'm grateful for the perspective. I've always thought of it as a problem of, "who could love someone that can't love herself?" And the answer is no one, of course, but that knowledge alone never really spurred me to any epiphanies... If anything, it's the reason why Fray exists in the first place, outside of a few chance factors.

[She doesn't even really know why she's suddenly spilling this out to him. It's vulnerability, and moreover, it's dangerous when she knows he could easily make a poisonous comment at her with just the wrong humor, and that it would hurt more than usual. And moreover, what should he care, anyway?

But it's that thinking that got her so deep in the hole in the first place. She considers sticking to just talking about Mettaton, then swallows; it would seem odd to suddenly re-rail the conversation back to him.

So, she inhales, hand still on his back as if she's still the one comforting him. If he does make a jab at her, oh well. Maybe she deserves it for approaching the subject recklessly.]

I just didn't think to check that there were already people around me that did, and that I was just pushing them to a more comfortable distance to fit that view. It is... not easy to root out.

Hmm....

[It would be easy to make a jab at her. To use this show of vulnerability against her, and it's not as though Emet-Selch didn't have the impulse. It wasn't as though he'd forgiven her or likely ever would- so why should he care about the insecurities of someone like this?

(And even if he didn't use it now, some yet-resentful corner of his mind knows that it's a vulnerability that could be utilized at another time, when he's in a more spiteful mood.)

But while accepting a coexistence in this world with these heroes didn't require knowing them, or being involved with them, it was harder yet to divorce his interest entirely, to be indifferent as he should be. So he thinks about it instead.

It's a problem he doesn't entirely understand himself; the Ascian had a plethora of self-confidence, and his issues (of which there are a few, maybe, he could grudgingly recognize that sort of) lied elsewhere.]

Is it actually comfortable in the end, or merely convenient? The familiarity of distance.

[Okay, that part he could understand more, and he pauses.]

Still. From avoiding it, ignoring it to the point of developing a second self to cope... to being aware of it on one's own... 'tis an improvement, is it not?

No... you're right. Comfortable is the wrong word. It simply fits the story I tell myself so often. I've always been aware of it... but I want to improve upon it further now. To a point where maybe I don't have to second-guess myself into self-destruction. Maybe if I do, it won't sound as fake in my head...

[Somehow, talking to someone she knows won't coddle her or give her the wrong kind of positive attention is more cathartic than the alternative. Even so, her gestures remain affectionate, like she doesn't so much seek the attention as feel he needs it in turn regardless of her own state; her arm looped over his back drops to his side to thread across his elbow.]

I appreciate you listening and offering input, though. Thank you. It may not be a problem you've ever faced, but you don't mince words when faced with problems like these, and I respect that greatly.

Oh, so you're starting to see the value in the wisdom we Ascians carry? [Not quite as idle or casual a tone as he usually makes it, but it's a valiant attempt.] Well, should you ever care to hear further uncomfortable or unwanted truths... what else am I here for?

[There may be the barest hint of bitterness there- but it's faint. And at the link of her arm, he tightens the hold on it with his own, unsure at this point of which way the reassurance was directed....]

If only deciding to do something was as straightforward as doing so. And despite your stubbornness, [You always were, he does not say.] will you manage to defeat yourself, in the end...? I suppose you'll find out.

...Hades. You know you're worth more than just the weight of those truths, blunt and unpleasant though they may be. You're more than just a moving prop in everyone else's stories, or an obstacle to be conquered. That's why I came to you in the first place.

[She smiles and squeezes his hand, a little wryly after what seems like a bittersweet admission. It is a heavy statement, in several different ways, despite the quiet way she delivers it.]

Well... I suppose I might be the only one who can. But I would like to think I can train myself in the right direction. Fray wanted to be heard, but in the future, I think she'd be okay with it if there was no need to say anything anymore, too. Maybe that's all she wanted in the first place.

[The first gets a slight frown from him; of course he knew that. And when put like that, as though it were something he needed told, or was up to anyone else to decide... felt condescending.

But while he cools a degree, he doesn't argue it; not that unintentional condescension was much better, but he could guess it wasn't the intent, so he decides to ignore it.]

Well... if you created a self to tell you the things you had been avoiding, and then stop avoiding them on your own... she's served her function, hasn't she? Thusly satisfied you can handle the rest on your own... she may rest.

[She nods with a short hum, something not sitting right with his response to the attempt at reassurance. Fray can rest, yes. It has been a long time coming. But...]

...You didn't like that, huh. Is it that you feel it's just lip service? Or something else?

[Her lips twitch. At the very least, if she's stepping on his toes again, she ought to know the how of it so she doesn't do it again.]

[For a moment, he just looks at her with a continued frown. He'd thought it better to just let it lie, but... well, he supposes it's practice for seeing whether he can disagree with her without snapping at her.]

I'm aware that I'm other than a prop in your stories, Irhya- though it seems you Warriors are the ones worst at remembering that. Perhaps someone else would be comforted by the words of a great hero deciding they're worthy enough to be considered a person in their eyes, but--

[Though his tone is even enough, his look narrows.]

'Tis not a reassurance that's required- and coming from you, unwanted.

...I see. [She shuts her eyes.] I apologize, then. And for Fray earlier, I suppose.

[So that's a yes. And yet, she isn't entirely sure how to cement it in place -- it frustrates her, more than a little, but perhaps that's just another instance of him being on the defensive with them, always.

...A taste of her own medicine, if she didn't know any better. Her lips thin out, and she falls quiet for a while, though she doesn't let go of his arm. Now, though, she has to wonder for whose sake she continues to hold on.]

I meant what I said about having respect for that, though. A lot of people would dance around it with reassurances that would just feel empty, in the end, and that's not what I want. I think I'm already better off than I was several years ago, but it's far from sorted out. I still need a better method... but that may take some time.

[open] give me the dough bro

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