Yohko [Youko] Mano | 真野 妖子 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
yohko) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
bakerstreet2013-04-30 01:52 pm
yohko) wrote in bakerstreet2013-04-30 01:52 pm
Entry tags:
The Abrupt Kiss Meme!
The Abrupt Kissing Meme
Plain and simple: your character is being kissed. Abruptly. How did this happen? Were they talking too much to the point where it was the only way to shut them up? Was someone bidding adieu or just not able to hold in their feelings? Or was this some CPR class gone bad? More importantly—how do they react?
How this works:
→ Leave a comment with the usual information in the subject line: character name, fandom. Any preferences, including what you don't want, should be included as well. Congratulations, your character is being kissed by whoever tags them!
→ Tag around.
→ Feel free to roll RNG (1-9) if you cannot come up with scenarios of your own.
→ Have fun, and be excellent to each other!
→ Leave a comment with the usual information in the subject line: character name, fandom. Any preferences, including what you don't want, should be included as well. Congratulations, your character is being kissed by whoever tags them!
→ Tag around.
→ Feel free to roll RNG (1-9) if you cannot come up with scenarios of your own.
→ Have fun, and be excellent to each other!
- 1 — Simply put: I like you. (You may or may not know this already.)
- 2 — I did it to shut you up. (It worked, didn't it?)
- 3 — I've always been curious... (About what it'd be like to kiss you.)
- 4 — It was an accident! (I totally tripped!)
- 5 — Farewell. (I may never see you again and...!)
- 6 — Taunting. (Bet you didn't see that attack coming didja?)
- 7 — CPR (You were asleep and you suddenly woke up..?)
- 8 — No more waiting! (Ain't nobody got time for that.)
- 9 — Fuck da police. (In other words, the random/whatever option.)
It really is.
BATMANGEROME.]Tired of seeing me go off and...what?
[Leave it to Inigo to just hone in on one part of the conversation instead of the whole (especially when it's about him being irresponsible, of all things). It's rather easy for him to do that, especially when he's heard several versions of the same song from several others already, including his father and Lucina. Hearing it from Gerome is different. There's something else aside from the usual lecture; Inigo's just not sure what it is. He's determined to find out, though.]
...
[He smirks.]
What is it that you're tired of? My philandering? Flirting?
[A beat.]
Kissing?
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It doesn't matter.
[Defensively, and he folds his arms across his chest.]
We're at war. Just because I'm interested in keeping you alive [-or, you know, kissing you-] doesn't mean anything. You just do whatever you're going to do, you've already proven yourself immune to criticism. Just don't drag me with you.
[His jaw tightens a little, and Gerome is so, so good at shooting himself in the foot.]
As a matter of fact, don't talk to me.
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[That drains all sense of challenge from Inigo and succeeds in making his eyebrows arch high on his forehead. Even for Gerome, Mr. Wet Blanket and Bucket-O-Angst, that's a bit excessive. And, naturally, a major cause for concern.
Maybe he's joking?
Nah, Gerome doesn't joke around. He'd sooner believe Laurent joked around.]
Gerome...
[Inigo rocks back and forth on his heels just once...then stops with a heavy sigh and sag of his shoulders. Okay, so maybe he's not as resilient as he likes to come off towards others. Or maybe he just can't take the wyvern rider's words very well -- they make it sound like he's being abandoned. Left behind, alone to fend for himself.]
...that's -- fine. I won't bother you.
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[His name comes out as a longsuffering sigh, and if there's one thing Gerome can't deal with, it's a guilt trip. Inigo has this manipulative way about him, but... this doesn't seem like he's trying to garner sympathy- rather, Gerome probably went a bit too far and hurt his feelings.
This happens with a depressing regularity, it seems.]
Don't act like that. You're just... distracting.
[Which is an excellently terrible way of putting it. But the cat's been out of the bag for awhile now, and if Inigo can't see it, then Gerome isn't going to point it out to him.]
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[All things considered, Inigo's doing a marvelous job of keeping calm. Normally, by now, he'd bury his face into his hands or the nearest pillow and sob till his eyes burned. He didn't want Gerome thinking his words had that much of an effect on him -- especially after he all but challenged it out of him.
Shoulders hunched in defeat, he turns.]
No worries, Gerome. I'll leave you be and go distract someone else.
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He steps in close, probably too close to be comfortable, jaw tight with tension. He's already sure that the other man is going to tease him about this mercilessly, he's not looking forward to it, and he knows it'll end badly, but seeing the life knocked out of Inigo like that... well, there are worse things than being teased.]
No. I mean-
[A little closer then, and his teeth grit it out in a low whisper.]
-you're distracting.
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And not teasing. It's the last thing on his mind when Gerome leans in rather closely, a motion that effectively freezes him in place. Stunned and unsure as to where this is all leading. Or what it all means.]
Distracting?
[His eyebrows furrow. Distracting?]
...I don't follow.
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Obviously. It's... more that I- enjoy your presence. From time to time. When you're not talking about girls. And that- it-
[It's Gerome's turn to shuffle uncomfortably.]
-it distracts me from my goals. And the rules I've set for myself.
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[As much uncomfortable shifting and shuffling Gerome's doing, it's nowhere near as much as Inigo himself. The realization of what Gerome means hits him and it hits him hard, forcing him to squirm and avert his gaze and rub his neck and...gods, he just wants the whole place to cave in on him now.
And Gerome! Gah. He's probably in the same boat. As much of a cantankerous, anti-social jerk he can be, this is undoubtedly as uncomfortable for him as it is for Inigo. And he wouldn't wish that on anyone. Even blunt, sarcastic wyvern riders with awful senses of personal space and...interesting (yes, interesting) kissing ability.
Inigo sighs and rubs his neck again. It's suddenly...very hot.]
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[Is all he can really say before he finds himself angered by it all. What does this matter? What right does he have to make any sort of confession like this? Even if he does let himself be close to someone- someone like Inigo- the other man is obviously only interested in the company of the finer sex.
Which is fine. Because Gerome has no business getting close to anyone here anyway- even someone from his own time. This isn't his place, isn't his time, and he knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the world will be razed in flame and bathed in ash before the decade is up. There's no use becoming attached to anyone when everyone will simply die.
So it's his turn to turn away now, finally letting go of Inigo's wrist and looking back toward where Minerva was settled near his tent. That is his reason- his only reason. Inigo is just a distraction.]
-forget it. It's pointless anyway.
no subject
I meant for anyone listening in on us. We sound like a couple of...
[The crunch of gravel beneath boots alerts Inigo to the fact that Gerome is leaving. Again. And suddenly, that same fear from before creeps up on him. Abandonment. No crueler fate in the world.
Even if it means having to deal with Gerome and his cold shoulder, to Inigo it's far better than dealing with loneliness and feeling dejected. In friendship or otherwise. And though he knows Gerome would much rather prefer it (he can't imagine why, outside the wyvern rider having some kind of masochistic complex), inigo can't bear the thought of allowing it.]
Wait.
[It's now his turn to reach for his wrist. Grip softening after a moment, he bows his head. Embarrassed.]
Don't...go. It's not pointless.
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...sometimes, I wonder if we come from the same future.
[Gerome's words would be cutting in any other tone, but he's just- soft now, quiet as he curls his hand into a fist beneath Inigo's own fingers.]
Everything is pointless. Haven't you realized that yet? No amount of kisses, or women, or friendship will stop fate.
[His voice cracks for a moment there, and he wants to pull away, but he sees the expression on Inigo's face, and he just can't, not yet. The difference between the two of them, Gerome suddenly realizes, is that he has embraced loneliness, turned it into a shield, and used his solitude to protect himself from grief. It's a lesson Inigo still has to learn, but Gerome is suddenly unwilling to teach him such a cruel reality.
Still. He can't be the friend that Inigo wants him to be. He might not be willing to try and force the other man to see the truth, but he's also not about to change his own beliefs. So when he speaks again, Gerome's tone is quiet still, and he finds himself staring down toward the ground as well.]
...the only difference between us and the Risen is that we have not yet realized we're dead.
Sure is angsty up in here.
Then again, Inigo is rather stubborn...]
Why --
[A pause and he tries to sniffle without a sound, thinking if he ducks his head even more, he can muffle it somehow.]
-- why are you so cold..?
[Slowly, he releases his grip on his wrist.]
i was laughing and now i'm weeping what is this thread even
Gerome has given up hope. That's the long and short of it.]
I'm not here to make friends, [he finally replies, taking a step back.] The more people you're close to, the more it hurts when they die around you. You should know this- everyone from our time should.
[He's... angry, suddenly, and Gerome shakes his head. Why can't any of them see what he sees?]
The only thing that matters to me anymore is Minerva, and I'm content to die by her side. I won't make the same mistake our parents did- when I die, I will leave nothing behind and no one to grieve for me.
An emotional roller coaster, I don't even
But--! But you're already our friend! How long have we known each other?!
[A long damn time. Inigo even remembers, faintly, the day they met. All of them, parent and child alike, were gathered for Virion's birthday. He remembers Cherche soaring overhead on Minerva, astounding them all just before dismounting with her son: an equally shy and more withdrawn boy who, nevertheless, fixed the tears on Inigo's pants when he fell and skinned his knees during a game of tag. They've played and socialized since then, with less frequency considering their circumstances, but Inigo's always called Gerome a friend. Always.
Discovering the feeling isn't mutual is akin to a punch to the gut and, to him, far more devastating.]
And after everything we've been through... How...?
D8 D8 D8
[Things have changed since then- the war, the ravaging of the countryside. Nothing had been the same since that fateful morning that Minerva returned from battle, wounded and riderless.]
You've seen the same future that I have. You know there's no hope.
[A sky burned black, piles of charred corpses, nightmares enough to last for many lifetimes over... Gerome has seen what lies in store for the people here. He knows that they will be powerless to stop it, just as they were in the previous timeline.
No, friendships would only complicate things. The only thing they have a say in is where and how they die.
Even so, hurting Inigo like this doesn't bring him the satisfaction he thought it might. There's still that boy, crying from a bruised knee and smiling brightly when he found something as insignificant as a pretty flower in the gardens. As much as Gerome wants to crush the hope out of him, to save him from his future disappointment, he can't bring himself to take any pleasure in it.]
I have always been alone, Inigo. I prefer it that way.
sob
[Even though he breathes it out shakily and with a sniffle, it's the most resounding thing Inigo has said during this exchange. It hurts and everything about it has him questioning everything from his purpose and his so-called friendship with the wyvern rider but if there's one thing he's certain of: it's that no one wants to be truly alone. Gerome included. Otherwise, he wouldn't have considered him distracting or even kissed him.]
I don't care what you say, Gerome, but don't lie to me.
[He digs the heel of his palm into his eyes and wipes angrily at the tears pooling there.]
[Sorry for the short response; I'm at work until 3am pst.]
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[He bites his lip at that, fists tightening a little. What did Inigo want from him? Gerome isn't like the others here, he can't suspend his disbelief enough to actually believe that they have a chance. He won't accept his own mother back into his heart, what makes Inigo think that the wyvern rider will break any of his rules for him?]
Do you think I enjoy this?
[His voice is raised slightly, and Gerome takes a step closer, his jaw tight in anger- frustration, futility.]
Do you think I look forward to our future? Tell me, when you're dying on the battlefield, do you think it'll be easy for me to turn away? I'm alone because being close to people is worse. You- you dance around the campfires and flirt with girls like you don't know what's coming!
[His hands are shaking. How did they get so far into this? Gerome tries to avoid the subject when he can, so why is he so upset? He can't stand the look on Inigo's face, but he moves closer anyway, fisting a hand in the other man's shirt and bringing his face in close to stare at him through narrowed eyes.]
I know you better than most, Inigo. I know you're not that naive, so stop pretending to be.
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He's happy to resign to that fate until Gerome's words sink in and bite, venomous like snake fangs. And Inigo reacts, pushing against Gerome's shoulders. Roughly.]
Let go of me.
[It's not as if Gerome is lying. Far from it. It's part of what bothers Inigo the most.]
You think -- you think I just put on my smile and dance and flirt because I don't want to face reality? You're wrong!
[He pushes back again, with less force this time. The boil of rage in his blood is short-lived, already faded and leaving him a trembling mess. The tears are trickling freely. He doesn't care.]
I do it because -- because if I didn't, then everything Mother died for... Everything would have been for nothing.
[He squeezes his eyes shut, to block out the image of soft pink hair trailing in a splatter of blood and smoke.]
...I can't just...give up and accept things as they are. I'm...
I'm not like you, Gerome.
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Our parents went to war so that we could be happy. Perhaps that's true.
[There's a pause, and Gerome finally lets his hand drop, lets Inigo go.]
...but they lost. What makes any of you think that the tides will turn, just because they have a few soldiers from the future at their side? It's fate, it always has been, and fighting it... it's senseless.
no subject
With a sigh, Inigo runs his thumb faintly against ring finger, against the polished silver band of his Olivia's wedding ring.]
...no. It's not senseless.
[The lump in his throat goes down with tears and apprehension.]
If it is, then...why are you here?
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Why is he here? it's true, Gerome didn't want to join their ranks at first, not even at his mother's request, and even after he did, he still remained apprehensive, on his guard. The future can't be changed, no matter how hard they work at it, so... so why is he here?]
I...
[He doesn't know what to say and it frustrates him. How can he begin to understand the others around him when he can't comprehend his own motivations?]
I don't- [Gerome swallows hard, staring firmly at the ground in front of him.]
-it's complicated.
[Don't ask stupid questions, Inigo.]
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Complicated. Right.
[He mutters something else under his breath as he straightens himself and turns in the direction of his tent. Around this time, he'd normally venture further off into the woods to a clearing or a bank by the lake to practice the latest steps he learned from his mother but he doesn't feel up to dancing -- or much else -- tonight. Before he takes his first step, he feels inclined to add--]
If you ask me, just giving up sounds a lot less complicated than continuing on and fighting.
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So... why does Gerome feel like he's the naive one, all of a sudden?
He's silent as Inigo walks away, despite opening his mouth, as if to say something toward the other's retreating back. But there's nothing he can think to say, and he stays quiet, watching almost bereftly as Inigo leaves.
Gerome's tent is on the edge of camp, and he retreats back to it a moment later, ignoring the low rumble of Minerva's greeting. There's... a lot to think on.]