[at some point after their conversation, schedules are aligned and travel arrangements are made, and epel arrives—with two big unopened boxes of apples, clad in athletic wear, and raring to go!]
( well, with the advance notice... he's been able to give the ring as much of a cleaning as possible. it's his workplace, after all. though he will have to wonder how the boy was able to find an underground and hidden arena so easily? at least even with his directions, he sort of expected that he'd have to go find him. )
You can put the boxes over there. ( he waves lazily at the door that'd lead to his private quarters. a place for the boss.
epel's cute. it makes his ears twitch. )
So. You sure about this? You don't want me to take it easy on you or anything?
( he pulls his furred vest off and tosses it off to the side. )
[ whew... epel knew sett was big, but when he's actually standing in front of the guy... he's really big. like. wow. the farther up epel looks, the weaker his knees get (and the heavier the boxes in his arms seem to grow). and by the time his neck cranes back far enough to make eye contact, sett's... taking off his top?! epel almost drops the apples all over the floor.]
Uh... ...
[he forcibly refocuses his attention, at least long enough to put the boxes down in the place indicated. then he shakes out his arms (apples do get heavy...) and takes in the sight of the ring. (the fact that it's bloodsport and people could like die or whatever is not great, obviously, but... it's so cool!!)]
( size is part of the intimidation factor, but it probably helps that he has a foot on epel--- if not more. certainly a lot more weight too in all the right places. while he usually doesn't rely on his looks to shake his opponents, sometimes it helps even if it's not intended. the scars on his body from his countless victories are emphasized by definition of his muscles, and he involuntarily flexes as he bends slightly at the knees to look into epel's eyes on his level. )
Asked if you wanted me to go easy on you. ( a beat, and then a smirk. ) Or maybe I should ask you to take it on easy on me?
( he points at his bare chest, the space between his pecs. )
Hit me. Don't worry 'bout hurting me, just wanna see where we're starting from.
[of course, what epel's feeling isn't... entirely intimidation... though there's some of that mixed in, too. he flushes when sett bends down, partially out of self-consciousness and the rest because of the flexing.]
Oh... right! Um, yes. Or no. I mean, yes, I don't want you to go easy. ...Because I won't get stronger if we aren't both taking it seriously, right?
[...so he says, but now he's getting all nervous about throwing the best punch he can. if he can't calm down and focus, none of this is going to work! (ugh, what if his punch is so pathetic that sett just kicks him out and blocks his number??)
ahhhh, this is stupid! overthinking like this is pointless. he takes a deep breath, tries to channel a bit of that everyday fury, and hits sett as hard as he can.
...he's not freakishly strong or anything, and obviously he doesn't have much weight or muscle mass to put into it, and he's not formally trained at all. but it's at least clear that he is used to fighting (and to, quite literally, punching above his weight... if not all the way up to sett's).]
( sett isn't sure what to expect. the words and tone of epel's babbling is not lacking confidence per se, but uncertainty by itself. that's fine. that goes away with time. and he's not wrong either: the man is very serious when it comes to training one's physical self. anything else isn't just a waste of time because it's a waste of energy as well.
and as soon as he feels epel's punch, he knows. coolly, he reaches up and takes epel's hand. he gives it a very gentle squeeze, to feel around the knuckles and fingers and even his wrist. he has big hands. bigger other things, too--- like an understanding of how a punch should be thrown. )
Gotta keep your wrist straight. Make sure you aim with the flats of your knuckles. Don't wanna break a finger.
( and then sett grins toothily. )
Not your first time doing it, though. But now it's my turn, so steel yourself.
[lord, his hands are enormous...! epel doesn't even have to think about the corresponding size of sett's, er, work gloves to start getting worked up. (they're so warm, and rough with calluses... meanwhile, what with the mandatory regimen of creams and lotions and tonics, epel's hands are actually smoother now than when he first enrolled at nrc.) ]
Wrists straight, aim with the flats... Okay!
[he grits his teeth and steels himself!! muscles tense, forearms up to guard his face. (he's used to getting hit, too—always by bigger guys, since there aren't too many smaller ones to begin with, after all.) (but, once again, probably never by anyone this much bigger.)]
( soft. very soft. those are the hands of someone who shouldn't be hitting others. well taken care of by some kind of arduous process... the opposite of sett's. calluses, marks, scars, and weathered as such: his hands have dealt a lot of damage and vice versa. the last thing he wants is epel to go through the same things as he has. he has no proof that he's going down that same path and truthfully, sett's own circumstances are very different than this young man's.
it's why as he stares at epel while he crouches down slightly, whose arms are raised in a way that probably wouldn't keep sett's fist from pushing through, and he again reaches out and grabs onto his wrist. pulling it down, he then tugs the boy forward. )
'm gonna attack you a different way. Okay?
( a quick warning as sett wonders if he'll be able to steal the taste of apple on epel's lips once he presses his own against them. )
[he initially interprets sett's reaching for his wrist as the (oddly slow) lead-in to a blow, so he first tries to lean into it, then flinches and squeezes his eyes shut as he realizes his face is now defenseless.
but he grows still and opens one eye, then the other as sett speaks, and then he just stares, baffled. (his face is defenseless, all right!)
...he generally saves the apples for a cooldown snack, but there's a residual hint of the flavor nonetheless. thank god he hasn't been eating onions!
...even sett's lips are strong... he wasn't supposed to dodge this, was he?]
( anything is better than the taste of blood. so even onion, as pungent as it might be, would be pleasant. still--- that's not what he's getting, so he's even more blessed by the feeling of soft lips on his own coarse ones.
breaking it, the vastayan smirks and then gives epel a gentle nudge with his fist against the other's shoulder. )
More than happy to teach you how to be strong, but only if you promise you'll only use it as a last resort. Don't wanna go down the wrong path and end up like a brute like me.
( someone who uses poisons and has soft features like epel's... probably will live longer than sett. )
[it's over far too soon; his lips remain motionless, slightly parted, and his eyelids rise slowly as sett pulls back. he wasn't thinking about anything else during the kiss, so it takes a moment for his thoughts to catch back up to the present.]
Huh?? But...
[he struggles to make sense of it. last resort? wrong path?? the pleasant warmth in his face turns hot, and he can feel his eyes threatening to sting with the familiar frustrated tears. (there's no way he's going to let them spill out, though. not here...)]
Why... why can't I use it? No one else is saving it for a last resort, so why just me? ...Besides, what's wrong with how you are?
[ughh... what was that kiss, then? was he just making fun of him? "you look like a girl, so I'm going to treat you like one," was that it? someone like sett, actually taking him seriously... he should've known it was too good to be true!]
Is this just because of how I look? Or... with that one punch, did you already decide that it's hopeless?
Ah... dammit...!!
[the tears... came out. but he looks straight down really quickly, so maybe sett won't be able to see.]
( he sighs to himself. yeah, it's kind of hard exposing yourself (no pun intended) in front of a stranger. but epel isn't from here and isn't likely to use this knowledge to hurt sett--- especially when he could easily just beat the boy down right here and make sure he couldn't. not that he wants to; epel isn't one of those lowlifes or those scumbags looking for a quick buck only to lose all their teeth and maybe a limb in the process... )
Listen. voice soft, ( a little strained from having to be so patient. ) I lost my pops in a ring like this. My mama? She doesn't know I run this entire thing myself. What I'm sayin' is that if you're gonna resort to beatin' every man from here to wherever you live, you might run into someone bigger and badder than you are.
( not that anyone could rival sett. he's the boss for a reason! )
And no. I didn't give up on you. If you wanna get stronger, I can't just let you go that easily. It's gonna have to come in time, and even slower if you're dedicated to other things.
( another flex, that space between his pecs tightening as he leans back in. sett took a lot of beatings as 'the beast-boy bastard'. )
You gotta prove to me that your heart will be in this one hundred percent. Means you'll need to spend a lot of time here, and I'm not gonna expose you to the dumbasses that come in here and get killed. Okay?
[he listens while keeping his eyes on the ground, but his fists only clench tighter and his shoulders rise. finally he wipes his eyes messily and looks back up.]
I get that this place isn't fun and games. I'm not aiming for a life just like yours. But even so... if you'd never gotten strong, if you'd never used your strength... are ye really saying ye'd be better off? That you regret it?
[he shakes his head as if to shake off the agitation; impulsively, he reaches out to grab one of sett's hands in both his own.]
I'm not asking you to make anything happen overnight. And I don't know what you mean about not exposing me to people... But whatever it takes, I'll do it. I just... canna stand getting pushed around for the rest of my life! So if you won't teach me unless I promise I'll never use any of it, then I guess you just won't be teaching me, because I won't make a promise I can't keep!
( ah. it makes sense to him now. sett nods slowly, a little surprised by the conviction in epel's grip of his hand. epel's definitely young, but those feelings of being pushed around... well, it's not like sett didn't have to go through something similar. just in a different form all together. )
Fine. As long as you can handle it, I'll give you all that I can. Might be rough on ya at times. Can't promise you'll get as big as me either. Perks of bein' a half-beast.
( and then he huffs. )
I want you to hit me again, and make sure you don't aim for the face. Don't let your anger and frustration out all at once. Okay?
[and with that, epel's heartbeat swaps back over from "quick due to agitation" to "quick due to excitement," and his face breaks into a big smile. he gives sett's hand one last squeeze (from gratitude!) before letting go and straightening up.]
Aye!!
Well, I'm not expecting a miracle or anything... but there's still time for me to have a really amazing growth spurt, so who knows?
[but he puts aside his daydreams of shooting up fifty centimeters and sprouting a beard to throw another punch. wrist straight, channeling enthusiasm instead of anger... this time he aims (with the flat of his knuckles) for sett's solar plexus.]
First floor, east wing. Big sign that says "LIBRARY" First-year section on the right as you turn in Someone around your height would have to lean down really far or maybe crouch? But someone around my height would only have to bend over KIND of far. So when I look for the prank books I will have to stick my butt out kind of far Not sure why you're asking any of this though
[ at this point he'd like to respond positively to the flirtation, maybe say something suggestive in return, but he can't help getting stuck on a different matter ]
[ so... of course epel knows by now that being lovely, charming, and adorable isn't incompatible with being strong. that it is, in fact, its own unique kind of power. he knows it. he knows it! he knows it, but...
lord, is it ever embarrassing to walk around looking this lovely, charming, and adorable...!!
but he said he would do it, and he won't back down. and honestly, he knows the power of cuteness remains something he hasn't fully grasped, much less harnessed. when he told vil he was doing this as special training, he was trying to sell it, but he was also serious. every ribbon, every frill, is both deadly enemy and potential ally... the pale blue eyeliner and pink eyeshadow are subtle weapons, double-edged and treacherous. today he's going to do his damnedest to pierce the hearts of everyone he meets (with charm!), and he can only hope he won't be the first to bleed out. he forces the grimace in the mirror to relax into a dreamy gaze, then glances at the clock...
....he's running late!!
.........fuck, he didn't finish his homework for first period!!
(so at least the beginning of the day finds him too preoccupied to get too deep into his head.) (and he's going to get to see leona dressed up... it's so exciting!!) (and leona said he made rabbits look interesting... interesting, he said... so perhaps epel can be forgiven a secret, silent tee hee hee.) ]
[ when he first approached ruggie with his idea, all he got was a dumbfounded stare and a suppressed chuckle or two. it took him a while to warm up to what leona was saying and even then? he knew he'd probably have to fork over something to get him to focus and not think about the dozen ways he could potentially blackmail leona in the future. the proper cost this time was a ton of groceries: some perishable, but mostly non-perishables.
anyway. he's wearing that suit--- pastel colors, another complete set of ears. the gloves are comfortable. honestly? leona's lucky. he doesn't feel like he'll be restricted in terms of his movements, it'll just be everything else. the eyes on him, the snickering. he can only glower and bare his fangs so much...
... ]
Speak of the devil.
[ ah, there's the other rabbit. the most bnuuy-like of the bnuuyies. ]
Lookin' good, lil' apple.
[ nevermind, he feels better. back in his element as he sizes up epel. ]
[ it's taken a heroic effort to give a bright, cheerful smile to everyone who looks at him askance, instead of a horrible glare and a wordless promise of violent retribution... but he's managed it, some of the time. the fact that some of the stares are appreciative rather than mocking doesn't make things any easier. he's actually sort of grateful for the big pink bows on either side of his head, since they hide how red with embarrassment the tips of his (human) ears are getting. ]
Ah— Leona-san!
[ epel lights up the moment he catches sight of him, his travails once again forgotten; his bright smile is automatic and takes no effort at all. it's possible it's even accompanied by a few signature pomefiore sparkles... or a metaphorical shower of flower petals.
of course, the general delight of seeing his beloved club captain and top choice for brocon siblinghood soon gives way to the specific delight of seeing him... in a fancy bunny outfit!! epel looks him up and down, respectfully. ]
...I was right. It looks great on you!
[ at this point it's not so much that epel's forgotten they're in public (if being on campus at a private boarding school counts as "public," anyway) as that he's forgotten such a thing could possibly matter to begin with. ]
[ gross. he can actually see those sparkles and those flower petals... or are they both just mere tricks of the light? leona rubs his eyes with the back of a gloved hand, hoping to wipe them away before epel gets closer. in leona's eyes, he normally looks out of place but the way he's dressed? he's basically a technicolor zebra just asking for someone to chomp down onto.
or a pastel-laced rabbit. same thing, tbh. ]
Ugh, don't look so satisfied.
[ ignore the slight pinkish hue on his cheeks. it's totally makeup. (it's not.) ]
So. What kinda reactions have you been gettin'? Classes haven't been a pain, have they?
[ he asks not because of epel's well-being and ability to defend against heckling, but because hey. maybe he's been a little out of his element??? maybe??????? ]
[ his face falls, and he deflates somewhat, clasping his hands at his chest... he looks very delicately forlorn, though he wouldn't at all be happy to realize that came naturally. ]
My dormmates have been supportive. Maybe too supportive sometimes. And I explained it to Jack ahead of time so he wouldn't be surprised... so there's that, but...
It's been at least as tough as any spelldrive practice!! People just keep looking! I know some of them are laughing... every time I smile back trying to be all sweet and adorable, I imagine I'm stabbing them... you know, with cuteness? But it'd be a whole lot easier to do it with my fruit knife! ...anyway, most of them look away after that... and they look kind of embarrassed, so I can't help feeling embarrassed... A, am pure scunnered wae it!!
[ he bites his tongue. yeah, what epel's doing right now... it tugs at his heartstrings? it's grating in the worst way: genuinely causing leona a little bit of sympathy pains as well as grief. if epel could somehow stab someone with cuteness, then that would be like. that'd be the play.
but also? that's not how they do things around here! magic first. then if that doesn't work? physical beatdowns. right. ]
Think 'bout it like this. You're putting 'em in check. That's a pretty powerful position to be in.
[ he snakes an arm around epel's shoulders. ]
When you do that, you're makin' someone else move around you. You're forcin' their hand. So you should be proud of havin' that kind of power without liftin' a finger.
Heheh, that's a nice way to think about it! [ he reacts to leona's touch like a particularly friendly and affectionate rabbit, instantly leaning in and even impulsively grabbing a couple of the fingers on the hand draped over him. (it's holding-hands-adjacent, but it's not holding hands.... because that would be kinda gay...) ]
Maybe it'd be easier if I didn't try to do all that stuff, though, and just got mad at 'em... though I'd feel a little bad if I ruined the outfit Deuce's mom gave me because I was fighting.
[ yeah, they can't hold hands! otherwise the entire world school would know there's something going on, and there's absolutely nothing happening between epel and leona. just because they're in the same club doesn't mean anything else. definitely not.
he does flex those fingers, wiggling them in epel's hand. ]
There's a lot someone can do without needin' to go into physicality. You're a Pomefiore, aren't ya? Not all poisons are fast actin'.
[ protectively, leona glowers at every passerby as they move to the lab. ]
Let's hide out for a little. Get some privacy away from all those idiots in the halls.
That's a nice way to think about it, too! I've run into some Savanaclaws with a pretty low opinion of our dorm, so I'm really happy to know you don't feel that way.
[ epel would normally resent the idea that he needs protection, but being dressed up like a bunny makes him feel significantly more vulnerable than usual, and also, since it's leona doing it, it would always have been exciting instead of annoying!
moreover, since he really only has eyes for leona, he barely notices the passersby to begin with. ]
Hide out? I'm happy to, but... weren't we going to Savanaclaw?
They're the ones that'll take a bite out of somethin' and not understand they're gonna need an antidote right away.
[ which he won't stand for. as much as he doesn't want to think of anyone as expendable, sometimes examples have to be made. a few eggs need to be cracked in order to bake a cake. a nice apple-flavored cake. ]
Yeah. We're still goin', but I also wanna take a moment and grab somethin' from the classroom that I left behind a day ago.
[ he offers epel an easy grin. he's not plotting anything. ]
Just hang and keep an eye out. Promise it won't take me more than a minute.
[ wow what a laser-targeted thing to say... epel's pre-seduction level reaches previously unheard-of heights and his eyes turn into hearts ]
Yeah... yeah!
[ epel settles in to keep a lookout, but it's hard to focus on it when he's so thoroughly enveloped in a haze of leona adoration. mentally he is doodling hearts around the name 'epel kingscholar.' ]
[ hey, he knows what buttons to press to get those kinds of reactions! it's just not how he usually operates. when is leona kingscholar a people pleaser? never. but when he wants to be charming, he can do it with very little effort.
anyway. leona gathers up a few of his working experiments, shoving them into a bag before coming up to epel from behind and just...
[ a cute sound that isn't accompanied by leona getting coldcocked by the first year... would've made a pretty good story for one of them if it did happen, but leona's jaw is happy for it. ]
Mm, of course I did.
[ he might look strikingly handsome, but there's no avoiding some amount of ridicule. ]
And I told 'em that I was matchin' with ya specifically. Don't think anyone would be stupid enough to challenge me.
[ anyway. with stuff in tow: ]
Good to go back to Savanaclaw dorm, if you're ready.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
@sett
no subject
You can put the boxes over there. ( he waves lazily at the door that'd lead to his private quarters. a place for the boss.
epel's cute. it makes his ears twitch. )
So. You sure about this? You don't want me to take it easy on you or anything?
( he pulls his furred vest off and tosses it off to the side. )
no subject
Uh...
...
[he forcibly refocuses his attention, at least long enough to put the boxes down in the place indicated. then he shakes out his arms (apples do get heavy...) and takes in the sight of the ring. (the fact that it's bloodsport and people could like die or whatever is not great, obviously, but... it's so cool!!)]
...
S-sorry, what did you say?
no subject
Asked if you wanted me to go easy on you. ( a beat, and then a smirk. ) Or maybe I should ask you to take it on easy on me?
( he points at his bare chest, the space between his pecs. )
Hit me. Don't worry 'bout hurting me, just wanna see where we're starting from.
no subject
Oh... right! Um, yes. Or no. I mean, yes, I don't want you to go easy. ...Because I won't get stronger if we aren't both taking it seriously, right?
[...so he says, but now he's getting all nervous about throwing the best punch he can. if he can't calm down and focus, none of this is going to work! (ugh, what if his punch is so pathetic that sett just kicks him out and blocks his number??)
ahhhh, this is stupid! overthinking like this is pointless. he takes a deep breath, tries to channel a bit of that everyday fury, and hits sett as hard as he can.
...he's not freakishly strong or anything, and obviously he doesn't have much weight or muscle mass to put into it, and he's not formally trained at all. but it's at least clear that he is used to fighting (and to, quite literally, punching above his weight... if not all the way up to sett's).]
no subject
and as soon as he feels epel's punch, he knows. coolly, he reaches up and takes epel's hand. he gives it a very gentle squeeze, to feel around the knuckles and fingers and even his wrist. he has big hands. bigger other things, too--- like an understanding of how a punch should be thrown. )
Gotta keep your wrist straight. Make sure you aim with the flats of your knuckles. Don't wanna break a finger.
( and then sett grins toothily. )
Not your first time doing it, though. But now it's my turn, so steel yourself.
no subject
Wrists straight, aim with the flats...
Okay!
[he grits his teeth and steels himself!! muscles tense, forearms up to guard his face. (he's used to getting hit, too—always by bigger guys, since there aren't too many smaller ones to begin with, after all.) (but, once again, probably never by anyone this much bigger.)]
no subject
it's why as he stares at epel while he crouches down slightly, whose arms are raised in a way that probably wouldn't keep sett's fist from pushing through, and he again reaches out and grabs onto his wrist. pulling it down, he then tugs the boy forward. )
'm gonna attack you a different way. Okay?
( a quick warning as sett wonders if he'll be able to steal the taste of apple on epel's lips once he presses his own against them. )
no subject
but he grows still and opens one eye, then the other as sett speaks, and then he just stares, baffled. (his face is defenseless, all right!)
...he generally saves the apples for a cooldown snack, but there's a residual hint of the flavor nonetheless. thank god he hasn't been eating onions!
...even sett's lips are strong...
he wasn't supposed to dodge this, was he?]
no subject
breaking it, the vastayan smirks and then gives epel a gentle nudge with his fist against the other's shoulder. )
More than happy to teach you how to be strong, but only if you promise you'll only use it as a last resort. Don't wanna go down the wrong path and end up like a brute like me.
( someone who uses poisons and has soft features like epel's... probably will live longer than sett. )
no subject
Huh?? But...
[he struggles to make sense of it. last resort? wrong path?? the pleasant warmth in his face turns hot, and he can feel his eyes threatening to sting with the familiar frustrated tears. (there's no way he's going to let them spill out, though. not here...)]
Why... why can't I use it? No one else is saving it for a last resort, so why just me? ...Besides, what's wrong with how you are?
[ughh... what was that kiss, then? was he just making fun of him? "you look like a girl, so I'm going to treat you like one," was that it? someone like sett, actually taking him seriously... he should've known it was too good to be true!]
Is this just because of how I look? Or... with that one punch, did you already decide that it's hopeless?
Ah... dammit...!!
[the tears... came out. but he looks straight down really quickly, so maybe sett won't be able to see.]
no subject
Listen. voice soft, ( a little strained from having to be so patient. ) I lost my pops in a ring like this. My mama? She doesn't know I run this entire thing myself. What I'm sayin' is that if you're gonna resort to beatin' every man from here to wherever you live, you might run into someone bigger and badder than you are.
( not that anyone could rival sett. he's the boss for a reason! )
And no. I didn't give up on you. If you wanna get stronger, I can't just let you go that easily. It's gonna have to come in time, and even slower if you're dedicated to other things.
( another flex, that space between his pecs tightening as he leans back in. sett took a lot of beatings as 'the beast-boy bastard'. )
You gotta prove to me that your heart will be in this one hundred percent. Means you'll need to spend a lot of time here, and I'm not gonna expose you to the dumbasses that come in here and get killed. Okay?
no subject
I get that this place isn't fun and games. I'm not aiming for a life just like yours. But even so... if you'd never gotten strong, if you'd never used your strength... are ye really saying ye'd be better off? That you regret it?
[he shakes his head as if to shake off the agitation; impulsively, he reaches out to grab one of sett's hands in both his own.]
I'm not asking you to make anything happen overnight. And I don't know what you mean about not exposing me to people... But whatever it takes, I'll do it. I just... canna stand getting pushed around for the rest of my life! So if you won't teach me unless I promise I'll never use any of it, then I guess you just won't be teaching me, because I won't make a promise I can't keep!
no subject
Fine. As long as you can handle it, I'll give you all that I can. Might be rough on ya at times. Can't promise you'll get as big as me either. Perks of bein' a half-beast.
( and then he huffs. )
I want you to hit me again, and make sure you don't aim for the face. Don't let your anger and frustration out all at once. Okay?
no subject
Aye!!
Well, I'm not expecting a miracle or anything... but there's still time for me to have a really amazing growth spurt, so who knows?
[but he puts aside his daydreams of shooting up fifty centimeters and sprouting a beard to throw another punch. wrist straight, channeling enthusiasm instead of anger... this time he aims (with the flat of his knuckles) for sett's solar plexus.]
@scott
First floor, east wing. Big sign that says "LIBRARY"
First-year section on the right as you turn in
Someone around your height would have to lean down really far or maybe crouch?
But someone around my height would only have to bend over KIND of far. So when I look for the prank books I will have to stick my butt out kind of far
Not sure why you're asking any of this though
@malik
Well, if flying on a broom a lot counts as interesting, then I suppose I have
no subject
I've studied countless magical spells, but this is news to me...
[ everything he studied was 1) ancient egyptian and 2) part of Hole In The Ground School Curriculum but ssssh obv he is an arcane expert ]
@nazuna
I wanna go out with a gang member!!
But of course I'd be glad to go out with you!
no subject
Well you can go for me. I'll let the guy know. And you won't even need a chaperone
I'm still responsible for whatever happens though so i'll probably trail after you guys
@jack
[ at this point he'd like to respond positively to the flirtation, maybe say something suggestive in return, but he can't help getting stuck on a different matter ]
What size do you plan on being??
no subject
maybe add even more muscle
i have to be strong for my senpais
and partner
@notscar
lord, is it ever embarrassing to walk around looking this lovely, charming, and adorable...!!
but he said he would do it, and he won't back down. and honestly, he knows the power of cuteness remains something he hasn't fully grasped, much less harnessed. when he told vil he was doing this as special training, he was trying to sell it, but he was also serious. every ribbon, every frill, is both deadly enemy and potential ally... the pale blue eyeliner and pink eyeshadow are subtle weapons, double-edged and treacherous. today he's going to do his damnedest to pierce the hearts of everyone he meets (with charm!), and he can only hope he won't be the first to bleed out. he forces the grimace in the mirror to relax into a dreamy gaze, then glances at the clock...
....he's running late!!
.........fuck, he didn't finish his homework for first period!!
(so at least the beginning of the day finds him too preoccupied to get too deep into his head.) (and he's going to get to see leona dressed up... it's so exciting!!) (and leona said he made rabbits look interesting... interesting, he said... so perhaps epel can be forgiven a secret, silent tee hee hee.) ]
no subject
anyway. he's wearing that suit--- pastel colors, another complete set of ears. the gloves are comfortable. honestly? leona's lucky. he doesn't feel like he'll be restricted in terms of his movements, it'll just be everything else. the eyes on him, the snickering. he can only glower and bare his fangs so much...
... ]
Speak of the devil.
[ ah, there's the other rabbit. the most bnuuy-like of the bnuuyies. ]
Lookin' good, lil' apple.
[ nevermind, he feels better. back in his element as he sizes up epel. ]
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Ah—
Leona-san!
[ epel lights up the moment he catches sight of him, his travails once again forgotten; his bright smile is automatic and takes no effort at all. it's possible it's even accompanied by a few signature pomefiore sparkles... or a metaphorical shower of flower petals.
of course, the general delight of seeing his beloved club captain and top choice for brocon siblinghood soon gives way to the specific delight of seeing him... in a fancy bunny outfit!! epel looks him up and down, respectfully. ]
...I was right. It looks great on you!
[ at this point it's not so much that epel's forgotten they're in public (if being on campus at a private boarding school counts as "public," anyway) as that he's forgotten such a thing could possibly matter to begin with. ]
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or a pastel-laced rabbit. same thing, tbh. ]
Ugh, don't look so satisfied.
[ ignore the slight pinkish hue on his cheeks. it's totally makeup. (it's not.) ]
So. What kinda reactions have you been gettin'? Classes haven't been a pain, have they?
[ he asks not because of epel's well-being and ability to defend against heckling, but because hey. maybe he's been a little out of his element??? maybe??????? ]
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[ his face falls, and he deflates somewhat, clasping his hands at his chest... he looks very delicately forlorn, though he wouldn't at all be happy to realize that came naturally. ]
My dormmates have been supportive. Maybe too supportive sometimes. And I explained it to Jack ahead of time so he wouldn't be surprised... so there's that, but...
It's been at least as tough as any spelldrive practice!! People just keep looking! I know some of them are laughing... every time I smile back trying to be all sweet and adorable, I imagine I'm stabbing them... you know, with cuteness? But it'd be a whole lot easier to do it with my fruit knife! ...anyway, most of them look away after that... and they look kind of embarrassed, so I can't help feeling embarrassed... A, am pure scunnered wae it!!
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but also? that's not how they do things around here! magic first. then if that doesn't work? physical beatdowns. right. ]
Think 'bout it like this. You're putting 'em in check. That's a pretty powerful position to be in.
[ he snakes an arm around epel's shoulders. ]
When you do that, you're makin' someone else move around you. You're forcin' their hand. So you should be proud of havin' that kind of power without liftin' a finger.
[ it's all chess to him, baby ]
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Maybe it'd be easier if I didn't try to do all that stuff, though, and just got mad at 'em... though I'd feel a little bad if I ruined the outfit Deuce's mom gave me because I was fighting.
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worldschool would know there's something going on, and there's absolutely nothing happening between epel and leona. just because they're in the same club doesn't mean anything else. definitely not.he does flex those fingers, wiggling them in epel's hand. ]
There's a lot someone can do without needin' to go into physicality. You're a Pomefiore, aren't ya? Not all poisons are fast actin'.
[ protectively, leona glowers at every passerby as they move to the lab. ]
Let's hide out for a little. Get some privacy away from all those idiots in the halls.
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[ epel would normally resent the idea that he needs protection, but being dressed up like a bunny makes him feel significantly more vulnerable than usual, and also, since it's leona doing it, it would always have been exciting instead of annoying!
moreover, since he really only has eyes for leona, he barely notices the passersby to begin with. ]
Hide out? I'm happy to, but... weren't we going to Savanaclaw?
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[ which he won't stand for. as much as he doesn't want to think of anyone as expendable, sometimes examples have to be made. a few eggs need to be cracked in order to bake a cake. a nice apple-flavored cake. ]
Yeah. We're still goin', but I also wanna take a moment and grab somethin' from the classroom that I left behind a day ago.
[ he offers epel an easy grin. he's not plotting anything. ]
Just hang and keep an eye out. Promise it won't take me more than a minute.
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Yeah... yeah!
[ epel settles in to keep a lookout, but it's hard to focus on it when he's so thoroughly enveloped in a haze of leona adoration. mentally he is doodling hearts around the name 'epel kingscholar.' ]
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anyway. leona gathers up a few of his working experiments, shoving them into a bag before coming up to epel from behind and just...
giving his butt a pinch. ]
You still there? Cat got yer tongue?
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Oh, I was just... letting my mind wander! Eheh.
—So, I guess I didn't ask...
Did you get any weird responses today?
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Mm, of course I did.
[ he might look strikingly handsome, but there's no avoiding some amount of ridicule. ]
And I told 'em that I was matchin' with ya specifically. Don't think anyone would be stupid enough to challenge me.
[ anyway. with stuff in tow: ]
Good to go back to Savanaclaw dorm, if you're ready.