( imeeji ) IC Inbox

[puzzlekeeper]

[ He hasn't set up a voicemail.

Figure it out. ]

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[puzzlekeeper]

No.

But that's something I just need to get over.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Maybe. Maybe not.

[What's getting over something? Sounds fake]

You still want to take it out on the imp population or am I going to take you back?

[Since, you know, he only gets two options. But for clarification:]

To my room. I'll give you back to Heart eventually.

[puzzlekeeper]

[ Silent for a long moment while he considers the options.

Part of him wants to refuse, to stay here, isolated, for who knows how long. Like maybe that's as much as he deserves.

But another part of him is just exhausted. ]

I'm tired of fighting.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[He laces his fingers with King and takes a step back then, tugging him along]

Then for today, you don't have to.

[puzzlekeeper]

[ He scoffs a little -- since right now every waking moment feels like a fight -- but he finally allows himself to be tugged along. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Good rival. Let him take King home so he can uselessly hover around him with distractions.

When they get to the door, Blue Eyes rises to her full height and gently nudges King in the chest, making a low sympathetic rumbling sound]

[puzzlekeeper]

[ He doesn't say anything to her this time around, though he does reach out to run his hand over her head a few times.

This is now his emotional support Blue Eyes. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[This is now his emotional support Blue Eyes.

Once he's finished petting her head, she crouches down with wings flared out. And Intensity wastes no time in ushering King onto her back.]

[puzzlekeeper]

[ He climbs on carefully -- and actually wobbles a little, for once -- before taking his usual spot on her back, hand still running absently over her flank. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Why is he wobbling!?

Please excuse the internal screaming as Intensity climbs up behind King as nonchalant as possible, arm wrapping around his waist perhaps a tad too quickly.

. . .

Anything more would seem like pity.

And as soon as they are both onboard, Blue Eyes takes flight. The faster they get back to the hotel the better.]

[puzzlekeeper]

[ Maybe it's an imp effect!

Or maybe it's all the physical and emotional exhaustion, who knows.

He leans back against Intensity and continues to say nothing, closing his eyes as they take off. Perhaps using the time to try stifling his racing thoughts.




This has never once worked before so it probably won't start now. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[For a brief moment, Intensity toys with the idea of just knocking King out cold once he closes his eyes.

But that seems like it would just delay the issue (and potentially cause more headaches literally and figuratively.) So instead he just pulls King in a little closer.

And flies them higher than they normally would go. Perhaps using the chill of the altitude as a distraction.]

[puzzlekeeper]

[ Wow! W o w

Can't you just let him brood dramatically in the wind as destiny intended? ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Rivals don't do easy. Also King lost the emotionally component one, so this is what he gets.

He can now brood at high altitude as Intensity won't interrupt his thoughts until they get to the hotel outside of the occasional brushing of fingers against his clothing]

[puzzlekeeper]

[ If only he could actually fall asleep like this. Under normal circumstances he might have been able to.

As it is, he contents himself with eventually pressing his hand over Intensity's, fingers clammy thanks to the altitude. He doesn't complain, though. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Of course he doesn't complain. But maybe, just maybe--- he can use that to his advantage later.

He laces their fingers together. And it's a quiet ride until Blue Eyes lands on FiN's balcony. And Intensity slides off the side of Blue Eyes, using their joined hands to pull King with him]

[puzzlekeeper]

[ King slides off after him easily, though there's briefly some resistance against Intensity's hand -- but only so he can pause a moment to give Blue Eyes's flank a grateful parting pat.

#PRIORITIES ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Priorities.

Blue Eyes rumbles understandingly at King, flaring her wings in a kind of dragon wave before plodding off to her dragon bed.

Intensity waits (for once) so King can do as he likes before continuing to abscond with him all the way to his room]

[puzzlekeeper]

[ Following along silently and obligingly and praying to every god and demon in hell that they don't run into any FINs along the way.

The absolute last thing he wants is social interaction right now, thank you. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[There are two things working in their favor: 1) FiN is a bunch of introverts, 2) they only have to pass 2 rooms to get to Intensity's since his is by the balcony.

There is one thing not working in their favor.

The state of Intensity's room upgrade as he tries to walk by it like it's NO BIG DEAL as he keeps leading King toward the bathroom]

[puzzlekeeper]

[ Yeah, about that.

He immediately puts on the brakes and stares in disbelief.

W h a t ' s h a p p e n i n g ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Opens mouth.

Closes mouth.

Yeah, he's got nothing.

Why is this literally the worst possible timing? Does King remember anything that happened after the Eldritch horror beer?

(Signs point to very little).]

[puzzlekeeper]

Since when do you have all this?

[ Signs point to absolutely not. Is that good or bad, considering the subject matter of those conversations? ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Some time ago.

[And still trying to usher King to the bathroom]

You can gawk after you get cleaned up.

[puzzlekeeper]

[ Relenting. Fiiiiine. ]

Is this the surprise you were hinting at a while ago?