Inbox for sticksandbones

[sesa]

I will make this pretty later

(Spoilers I won't, I always say I will but I won't-)

===

INVENTORY:

-Grenade Launcher with 3 ammo stacks (refreshes monthly)

-Nondescript gaming console (it's an offbrand Nintendo Switch)

-Some glowing star rocks from an investigation with Elsword in the Deep Woods

-A little knitted dragon from Elsword that I forgot to link and am too lazy to find now

-1 Kotatsu that he keeps in his room at the lab. It's red with light beige birds on it

-His toolbox from Rhodes

-A workshop that connects to Gnosis' lab via a breezeway. He lives there with Passenger now

-3 erythrites, used to make Passenger a pair of earrings

Comments

[sesa]

Mm...no, I don't think that's silly. It's something to think about. You could very well be right, even if it's just a theory.

[Sesa follows along in Mizuki's wake, thankful that they don't have piles of snow to trudge through this time around. It's going to make their trip a lot easier.]

I think the only way we'll know for sure is by continuing to observe...perhaps trying to explore these new, uncovered areas a bit more.

[Just no burnt town. That's for him and Silverash to go into and for him to cry about-]

[mooninthewater]

Mmh… [ He's not about to go on his usual "I'm not smart enough to put things together, actually" rant, mostly because Sesa's heard it before, and he knows he's just going to try to deny it again. All Mizuki does is just nod a little. ]

Speaking of observing… Sesa, was that Mister Passenger in your room when you left?

[sesa]

[Urk.]

...um. Yes, it was...why do you ask?

[Elliot was literally in Sesa's bed snoozing when Mizuki came to the door just fyi.]

[mooninthewater]

Oh, no reason! I was just making sure — I hadn’t realized the two of you were that close. Maybe ‘cause you never brought him to play games with us.

[ Casually gossiping while walking through the most cursed forest, Dwbi… ]

How long have you two been together?

[sesa]

Our....we. It is complicated-

[He starts, his tail whipping around behind him as they walk.]

I don't know if he would enjoy playing them all that much. Perhaps watching, maybe...

[And then he's sputtering-]

I w-wouldn't say...we haven't- [BREATHES] -I don't know if we are...together...in explicit terms?

[You gave him a FUCKING RING]

[mooninthewater]

[ Mizuki, who's a gray-ace and demiromantic: What does that even mean— ]

…? I can't say I follow… [ Imagine dating someone who doesn't like video games?? Hello??? ] Does he just not like to sleep alone? Mister Passenger never came off as the type to be like that to me…

[sesa]

N-no, that...that isn't it either...

[The Vouivre is sort of looking staunchly ahead at the path now, because it's easier than looking at Mizuki directly.]

I...look. I will admit that I am fostering...feelings, for Elliot.

[Elliot]

Our relationship as it stands is mutually beneficial.

[He continues, wholeass walking around right now with a couple messy braids in his hair, but there is one perfectly done braid neat his temple that has a small feather attached.

H m Interesting]

[mooninthewater]

…"Mutually beneficial" sounds like something Mister Gnosis would say about a business partner, Sesa. [ B r o, you're so obvious?? ] If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay. But you know I'm not gonna judge you or nothing, right?

[sesa]

It isn't that! I know you wouldn't. It's just...

[He thinks back to his conversation with Luca. Had when he was really drunk, but...still.

...]

I don't know. I just worry that perhaps I'm treading down a path I should not.

[mooninthewater]

[ No, they're totally going down the right path, Mizuki's got a map right here—

He stops for just a moment to look at Sesa, a little, reassurance squeeze against his hand, before he continues again. ]

What makes you feel that way?

[sesa]

I suppose you don't know him all that well...

[He muses as they continue through the forest, with Sesa trusting Mizuki to keep them from wandering off into the fog.]

Though, I feel at times that I do not either. Many of his ideals do not align with my own, and he has done things in the past I cannot stand behind. It feels like these are things I shouldn't be willing to overlook, but...

[mooninthewater]

We only spoke the one time — before the castle. I saw that scene in his mirror, though… he seemed very troubled by it. [ "No he didn't, he seemed very casual and nonchalant, Mizuki?" Well, maybe to anyone else! Mizuki tends to read too deeply into things, though. ] I think he's very unsure of himself? It may have just been because of the circumstances… but I figured being around someone like you would influence him better.

You don't "overlook" anything, though, Sesa. But you're very kind and forgiving. It's why you're one of my best friends — I want to learn a great many things from you.

[sesa]

...me? A good influence?

[Sesa definitely sounds unsure saying that, given all of the lies he's told, and how much he keeps held to his chest. How many secrets does he have that even those closest to him don't know about...

Yet, when Mizuki admits that Sesa is one of his best friends, the Vouivre wilts a little. It wouldn't do for him to think so poorly of someone Mizuki thinks so highly of.]

That...is incredibly kind of you to say, Mizuki. Thank you. I...honestly had never thought of it that way. That perhaps I could be swaying his ideals towards the better.

[mooninthewater]

I’m just being honest. Mister Passenger seems like the sort that… [ Needs therapy. ] …just needs someone to be a little compassionate.

He should be happy to have someone like you.

[sesa]

[MIZUKI...]

Ahah...if you say so.

[When Sesa sighs heavily next, it sounds almost wistful.]

Apparently, he's had an eye on me for quite some time. I never realized.

[Because Sesa is dumb and oblivious is why.]

[mooninthewater]

[ Two oblivious gamers talking to each other like: whoa people can like us? Is that allowed??? ]

I rarely pick up on stuff like that, too, ehe… Oh, but I can't say I'm surprised!! You're real nice and cool, Sesa. I feel like the only reason you weren't romantically approach before is 'cause you're kinda old. [ Mizuki. ]

[sesa]

[Sesa does not stop walking, for what it's worth, but he does whip his head over to finally look at Mizuki like-]

Old?! H...h-he's older than I am-!

[mooninthewater]

Huh?? Oh, no, sorry. Not like… old-old. Just… old, comparatively.

[sesa]

[Mizuki honey that does not help]

...compared to you, you mean?

[And Ifrit, and Kirara-]

[mooninthewater]

Oh, no, no, just the people you hang out with, I mean. So it’s kinda hard to pursue the romance routes and stuff. [ MIZUKI?? ]

[sesa]

[Mizuki honey]

W-well! I've had no interest in romance before now anyway!

[You are his little gaming buddies! He cares more about having friends than getting laid okay-

Well, at least until Elliot flounced into his life and made pigeon noises at him.]

And besides, I...I don't even know if this is really going to work out long-term. Elliot...may tire of me when he learns I am unable to do all of the things he seems to expect from me.

[Like killing a man]

[mooninthewater]

I get that, but… I just mean that’s probably why no one has pursued you, that’s all. S-sorry, I guess I was just trying to say that I was surprised you didn’t have a partner before.

[ Roundabout way of saying “you’re really pretty and nice and you should’ve had a partner beforehand.

Mizuki doesn’t slow, and he’s busy making sure they stay on the path, but there’s a brief pause in his step before he moves on. ]

…What do you mean by that? You think he doesn’t care about you, but rather the “you” he’s perceiving…?

[sesa]

Mmm...

[Sesa makes a noise in the back of his throat, a cross between a grumble and a growl.]

I've spoken with you before...about what happened with my brother. How I seek to find the truth of what happened. I've told Elliot before that I want nothing more than for justice to be paid in the wake of what happened to him.

Vengeance, he calls it. Which...I suppose that is exactly what it is. But as you can see, his idea of vengeance is...salting the earth, razing it all until nothing remains but ash. He seems very eager in seeing what I end up doing.

[mooninthewater]

Mmh. I recall… but I don’t think seeking justice necessarily means seeking something as… intense as that of what Mister Passenger did. But with all that in mind, Mister Passenger did share with me that while he does think what he did was deserved, he did still seem… mmmh… somber? I think, anyway.

…Then again, I’m not good at picking up on stuff like that, so…

[sesa]

[Somber...]

You mean...that he regrets the loss of life, even if he likely doesn't regret doing it.

[The unnecessary loss, rather. The innocents who died because of what he did.]