[MINGLE] One-Man Show

[sixthiteration]

WHERE: Inari Shrine and elsewhere
WHEN: 25 January 2019 through ?
OPEN TO: All opted in characters
WARNINGS: Please warn in the subject line of your comment as needed, and remember to move anything turning adult to a new post.
IMPORTANT NOTES: Final reminders and informational links are here. Please label all top-levels clearly so that there is no confusion who they are open to and what they are for, and DON'T FORGET TO ADD YOUR TAG!
Have fun and ask questions here!

Comments

[skyward_eyes]

"I'm from a world with a hell of a lot of magic, where a woman used actual mind control magic to used Seifer and Rinoa for some really dark ends," he chuckled lightly. Yeah, he's not going to let go of those hands just yet either. Of course he had laid down a line between them before, but this definitely counted as a special circumstance. "I've heard the reports of what it does. That guy did not seem very zombie like, or not in control of his own actions. So I think you're in the clear. But come on, Billy. You know your magic better than anyone else. Don't let someone else tell you what it can do just because they're not able to trust you."

Which was a terrible thing for that Teddy guy to have done to him. He takes it back completely. He doesn't care if Teddy still loves Billy, or could. If he ever met the guy, he'd break his jaw himself. Seems fair.

[scathefires]

Jason has been watching all of this a little removed - Billy and Nida clearly know each other better than he knows either of them, and it's not difficult to discern that their relationship is both close and intense. He feels a bit like an intruder in their lives, but that's no surprise - there's an element to that in all of his interactions, and especially with the Observers giving them all this little trip down memory lane.

But Jason has been abandoned by people he loved, too. He knows how much that hurts, no matter the circumstances. Frowning, arms folded over his chest, he takes a slow step forward to offer what he can in the way of support.

"That guy's an idiot," he says, quiet but blunt. "I don't know much about magic, but I'm pretty sure you can't just abracadabra someone into caring about you." If you could, Jason would've sought it out years ago.

[demiurgency]

Jason steps up, and while his words might be blunt, sometimes--especially when you're Billy Kaplan--blunt isn't really a bad thing. He lets go of one of Nida's hands as he turns to face the other young man, keeping a grip on the one. Hopefully that's okay with Nida, just for now.

"I, uh. Was pretty sure otherwise, for a while," he says, just a touch awkwardly, a faint smile on his face still shadowed with the lingering hurt. "There's a lot I can do with my magic. Some...pretty big stuff. But I'm starting to think that maybe I should listen a little harder to the smart people in my life." And maybe think a little harder about what really happened that night. Why Teddy really left, if it wasn't about Billy's magic.

[skyward_eyes]

“Wow, I am feeling really under appreciated right now. I mean, I was expecting to be the smart one. Oh well, I suppose I can accept other people getig the title provided I get to keep being amazing. But mark my words, once there are dragons you’ll come running back to beg for my brand of smart.”

It’s a light tease, meant to underscore how potrntially foolish Billy has been here. Because right now, Kaplan, you aren’t the smart one. You just aren’t at all after all you let yourself believe and fear. Still, removed from the closer proximity his eyes go to their one still joined hand and Nida, as loathe as he is to let go, there is a reason to. He untangles his fingers from Billy’s and backs away a step. Space and time.

“Jason, keep an eye on this idiot, okay? I don’t know how we got here but somehow I doubt getting back will be easy. I am going to see if I can’t get my bearings. Something tells me I am the one here most likely to have the proper training to put us in the right course to get back.”

And that means heading for the edge of this high place they are on, the Shrine he thinks, to try and confirm what he fears. That they are a long way from home.

[scathefires]

Jason nods to acknowledge Nida, then returns his attention to Billy. “I dunno about smart, but I know a little something about getting your heart broken.” His mouth curls into a deeper frown, gaze hazing with memory for a moment, but he quickly shakes it off.

“I know I don’t know you too well,” he continues, “but I’m a pretty good judge of character. And you don’t strike me as the manipulative type, accidental or otherwise. And anyone who loves you oughta be able to see that, too.”

[demiurgency]

Billy takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he runs fingers through his hair, trying to level himself out. It had hurt, seeing all that play through from the outside. It had hurt remembering. Honestly, it might hurt more, having been forced the last few months to really think about things. But he needs to remember that he's not alone. He's got friends here, and they're all a long way from home, and they need a plan to get back.

The smile he offers Jason is wan, distracted. "Thank you. Really. I just...it's hard to see clearly from the inside of a situation, you know? And when you love someone like that..." He shrugs again, doing his best to shake it off. "You manipulate each other. I think Teddy and I both did, in a way, but I think--I don't think it was my magic, doing it. I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or worse about it."

Billy opens his mouth, about to ask Jason about his own memory, the distant look on his face, when he hears a sound behind him. Turning, he sees something else beginning to fade into view. Another vision? "Nida, hey--something's happening," he calls back over his shoulder, frowning as he squints into the misty image, trying to make out what's slowly coming into view.