[His head dips down slightly, lips pursed. All of this just- bothers him, though the root of it's easy enough to identify.]
...Why?
[It's Solomon, and whether the man realizes it himself or not, it's always for some reason, some future ploy. For the potential of a young mage who doesn't even want the role, and all the utility that comes with that-
What does Solomon want from him this time? ...And, does he even really want to know?]
[Ahito knows, naturally, that unconditional care does exist - has it, even, in his own world as well as here. But coming from Solomon? Someone he makes no secret of his distaste for?
I just do. Is wanting to see you alive and happy not enough?
[He's not exactly surprised by Ahito's suspicions at this rate, at least. But he does feel that, no matter what he says, Ahito is not going to trust it.]
There's quite a few items over there that are enchanted in ways I haven't figured out. You can use whatever you'd like if you think it would get you an honest response.
Mm? I'm not sure. I had an interesting trip the other week when a bouquet transported me to the top of someone's roof in the South, though. And you didn't seem to have a bad time being a cat for a day.
[There's a lot of weird stuff over here, but one shelf is pretty distinctly storing some mismatched items: two different books that sit untouched, a bowl of wrapped candies, a charm that seems to glow as soon as Ahito gets close to it, and a pair of glasses. If Ahito has seen the pair present during Khun and Mika's scuffle, they will look strangly similar.
There's also a weird little egg, a Ouija board, and two chests just Sitting There, but none of things things will have any effect if he messes with them.]
I've put everything I've obtained through unknown means in that one area. If you'd rather I interact with them, just levitate them over to me.
That's because you only saw me for part of the day.
[And not the part where he got kidnapped... but he'll poke around at the items, careful not to fully touch, though he does pause at the glowing charm.]
What's got this one activating?
[Weird... inevitably though, he does find the glasses, picking them up gingerly like it might explode in his hands.]
Ah? [Craning his head a little from his seat on the bed-- oh, the charm!] Oh, that one. Simple enough. It only lights up around those of us assigned to the North.
[His eyes stay trained, though, watching Ahito pick up the glasses...]
[He glances over at Solomon, raising them slightly in an empty threat - he would have to, you know, remove his shades first if he was actually going to use them.]
However, Ahito will immediately see the shapes, fleeting and cautious, of Solomon's thoughts. Muddled for the moment, in exhaustion and trepidity and resignation, but very openly waiting for Ahito.]
...Any luck?
[The thoughts buzz immediately. Thoughts of spell after spell of what he might have to do if something cursed Ahito, what things he needs to watch out for, remind yourself of the cadence of his voice solomon, don't let this be Akira again, where is your wand, why is he so quiet --
A mind that runs a marathon behind a calm expression.]
[What? Which part? Thoughts pass by in a frenzy, of dances and baths and arguments and magic, of a seal of a star and feeling proud. Of the taste of iron on the tongue and in the nose with the snow presses on one side and someone's boot pinning him down. Don't show ypur face to me again, right? Something like that. But no. Not the punching or the kicking. Nobody needs to know about that. He got it out of his system. He's angry. Is that good enough to say? Maybe not. That's not what he's talking about I hope.
Why are we talking about Akira? I did just have him on my mind-- the ghost, though. I don't want to think about that again. That he almost shot himself. He was scared. He was tired. I couldn't do enough. If Ahito isn't cursed then I don't need to think about it. Don't think about it. He's acting fine.]
[He doesn't bother to speak further. He lets his mind go freely.
The beach, the ghost, the mission. He guards his blind side and his heart. His defenses go up to compensate for when he feels he can't be completely self sufficient. He demands perfection from himself and doesn't allow for wavering, because to be vulnerable is to be weak, and to be weak is to be exploitable, to be exploitable is to be an object, and to be an object is to give way to what he values most.
He doesn't see his own strength where it matters. Perhaps he sees the moments of failure in bright red even when the field behind him is coated in the blossoms of his successes, and hides from the concerns that make that red harder to walk over and see for what it is.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
I did not know what you had. All I knew was that you were taking far too much of the brunt of the enemy, at no fault of your own.
So I made a selfish choice to give you better odds, because I wanted you to keep living.
no subject
...Why?
[It's Solomon, and whether the man realizes it himself or not, it's always for some reason, some future ploy. For the potential of a young mage who doesn't even want the role, and all the utility that comes with that-
What does Solomon want from him this time? ...And, does he even really want to know?]
no subject
[Simply put.]
Your life isn't a tool. It's meant to be lived, for however long you have left.
no subject
And why do you care?
[Ahito knows, naturally, that unconditional care does exist - has it, even, in his own world as well as here. But coming from Solomon? Someone he makes no secret of his distaste for?
He has a hard time believing in that.]
no subject
[He's not exactly surprised by Ahito's suspicions at this rate, at least. But he does feel that, no matter what he says, Ahito is not going to trust it.]
no subject
[Hmm... thinking back...]
Is it 'cause I said I'd look out for the people of the North?
[Fishing around - it seems incredibly unlikely to him that Solomon doesn't have some random plan for him whether he likes it or not.]
no subject
[Ah well.]
If you really don't believe me, then why don't you I give you another option?
no subject
...Such as?
no subject
There's quite a few items over there that are enchanted in ways I haven't figured out. You can use whatever you'd like if you think it would get you an honest response.
no subject
If I end up turning into a cat again...
[He'll claw you this time old man don't think he won't!!]
no subject
no subject
He will make his way over to the bookcase, but he's got his one good eye on you sir!!]
Have any of these things ever actually been useful?
no subject
[There's a lot of weird stuff over here, but one shelf is pretty distinctly storing some mismatched items: two different books that sit untouched, a bowl of wrapped candies, a charm that seems to glow as soon as Ahito gets close to it, and a pair of glasses. If Ahito has seen the pair present during Khun and Mika's scuffle, they will look strangly similar.
There's also a weird little egg, a Ouija board, and two chests just Sitting There, but none of things things will have any effect if he messes with them.]
I've put everything I've obtained through unknown means in that one area. If you'd rather I interact with them, just levitate them over to me.
no subject
[And not the part where he got kidnapped... but he'll poke around at the items, careful not to fully touch, though he does pause at the glowing charm.]
What's got this one activating?
[Weird... inevitably though, he does find the glasses, picking them up gingerly like it might explode in his hands.]
Wait. Aren't these...
no subject
[His eyes stay trained, though, watching Ahito pick up the glasses...]
Hm? Do you recognize them?
no subject
[He glances over at Solomon, raising them slightly in an empty threat - he would have to, you know, remove his shades first if he was actually going to use them.]
I wonder if they work?
no subject
[It's not like he's in a position to stop him.]
no subject
Swapping shades for glasses, let's go.]
no subject
However, Ahito will immediately see the shapes, fleeting and cautious, of Solomon's thoughts. Muddled for the moment, in exhaustion and trepidity and resignation, but very openly waiting for Ahito.]
...Any luck?
[The thoughts buzz immediately. Thoughts of spell after spell of what he might have to do if something cursed Ahito, what things he needs to watch out for, remind yourself of the cadence of his voice solomon, don't let this be Akira again, where is your wand, why is he so quiet --
A mind that runs a marathon behind a calm expression.]
no subject
I'm not cursed. What happened with Akira?
[That should be answer enough.]
no subject
[What? Which part? Thoughts pass by in a frenzy, of dances and baths and arguments and magic, of a seal of a star and feeling proud. Of the taste of iron on the tongue and in the nose with the snow presses on one side and someone's boot pinning him down. Don't show ypur face to me again, right? Something like that. But no. Not the punching or the kicking. Nobody needs to know about that. He got it out of his system. He's angry. Is that good enough to say? Maybe not. That's not what he's talking about I hope.
Why are we talking about Akira? I did just have him on my mind-- the ghost, though. I don't want to think about that again. That he almost shot himself. He was scared. He was tired. I couldn't do enough. If Ahito isn't cursed then I don't need to think about it. Don't think about it. He's acting fine.]
no subject
These are mind-reading glasses, Solomon.
Your head's like an open book to me, now.
no subject
The frenzy dies down almost immediately.
That's all? Good.]
Here I was worried you'd get yourself cursed -- ah, but I suppose you knew that already.
Is that why you asked about Akira?
[It's fine if he knows. Maybe he'll have something to blame that isn't himself.]
no subject
no subject
[He doesn't bother to speak further. He lets his mind go freely.
The beach, the ghost, the mission. He guards his blind side and his heart. His defenses go up to compensate for when he feels he can't be completely self sufficient. He demands perfection from himself and doesn't allow for wavering, because to be vulnerable is to be weak, and to be weak is to be exploitable, to be exploitable is to be an object, and to be an object is to give way to what he values most.
He doesn't see his own strength where it matters. Perhaps he sees the moments of failure in bright red even when the field behind him is coated in the blossoms of his successes, and hides from the concerns that make that red harder to walk over and see for what it is.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Cw: uhhh suicidal skirting because hi akira
1/4
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)