Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 28, 2021 0:55:02 GMT -5
If Orpheus were being honest, he had expected the fear to last a lot longer than it had. He wasnโt afraid anymore. At leastโฆ he wasnโt as afraid anymore. There were definitely things that made him a little bit nervous, but having L there made it all much more comfortable. Orpheus knew for sure that no harm would come to him as long as L was there to protect him. He placed his bets on that. Unless another merperson came along, there wouldnโt be much need for L to protect him anyway. โThat soundsโฆ not unpleasant,โ Orpheus replied after a moment, lowering his eyes a little bit closer to the water so he could try to see under. The way the sun reflected off the waves, glinting back at him, he couldnโt see anything more than a dim silhouette. โAre they bumping into you, too right now? Mayve if we stay here long enough, Iโll get to know what it feels like if they nibble me.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 1:08:37 GMT -5
L was glad Orpheus seemed to be having fun with this, too. Or maybe just not panicking about itโฆhe hope he was enjoying it. Even if he wasnโt the best at telling that. He held Orpheus steady as he waited, watching the water. He hoped the fish would be willing to come closer, but he didnโt know for sure how likely that was. There was at least one brave one, but they didnโt mean they would be willing to stick around long enough to start nibbling on Orpheus. โThey are bumping into me,โ he said after a moment. โA little bit. Iโm used to the feeling, so Iโm not always paying attention to it, though. I might have missed them the first times.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 28, 2021 1:22:16 GMT -5
โThat makes sense,โ Orpheus replied, eyes wide as yet another one bumped into him. This one seemed to like him โ it weaved in and out of his legs a few times before swimming off in another direction. The fish seemed to be getting used to having the two of them in the water with them. They were likely already used to L, though it was interesting they didnโt seem to regard him as a predator. Did merfolk eat fish in the same quantities humans did, or was their more to their diet than that? โI canโt imagine any wildlife being abundant enough that they justโฆ bump into me all the time. I meanโฆ we have lots of rabbits and squirrels, but they really do tend to avoid people. Except when youโre feeding them. Butโฆ I guess ducks get really friendly when you feed them too much, so maybe itโs similar for fish?โ He frowned a little bit, shifting his position so it would be more comfortable for them both. โHow long do you think it will take before they think weโre interesting enough to nibble on?โ Orpheus wasnโt sure why he was so keen on the idea, butโฆ it certainly seemed like a unique experience he didnโt want to pass up. No other human alive would have experienced this. At leastโฆ not one that lived in his village.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 13:56:12 GMT -5
The fish did seem to be getting used to them now. Now that L was paying attention to them, he knew they were brushing by him, as they always didโฆit wasnโt so much that he hadnโt noticed as it was that heโd gotten used to them a long time ago, and he didnโt tend to think about it unless it became really obvious. โI donโt think Iโve ever seen a squirrel or a rabbit,โ he admitted, eyes widening a little bit at the thought. โDo they not come close to you? FishโฆI donโt think theyโre being friendly. I think theyโre just curious about things in the water. For you, at least. For me, they probably just donโt care enough to avoid me.โ He glanced down as another one brushed by him, expression thoughtful. โI donโt think it should take very long,โ he told him. โYou just need one thatโs a bit bolder than the others. Once one starts, the others will probably get braver about it, too.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 28, 2021 14:06:16 GMT -5
Orpheus wished he could see under the water to get a better look at the fish, but he knew from experience that getting salt water in his eyes wasnโt a good feeling. At least that wasnโt a mistake he would have to make here with L. Part of him wished there was some sort of invention he could use to make it possible to see underwater, but he wasnโt good at making things, and he didnโt know anyone who would be willing to try unless they wanted to use it as a weapon. No, it would probably be best for him to remain unable to see beneath the surface for now. โTheyโreโฆ a little more timid,โ Orpheus explained, โUnless you have food. If you have food, squirrels might come right up to you to try and take some for themselves, but as soon as they have it, theyโll scamper back away. I donโt know if theyโre as curious as the fish are.โ He breathed out, eyes wide as yet another one brushed beside him. โHuh?โ Orpheus murmured, eyes widening even more at a strange feeling against his toe. โI thinkโฆ I think one got bold!โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 14:16:44 GMT -5
L didnโt actually know that Orpheus couldnโt see under the water. Since he himself could, and did most of the time, he assumed he could and just didnโt want to have to hold his breath, but if he couldnโtโฆthat was a strange thing to consider. Even their eyes were different. โI suppose that makes sense,โ L mused, frowning a little as he thought. โSome other creatures are a bit like that. Snakes and turtles and things like that. Most of the deeper ones keep to themselves, too. Fish tend to be braver, even if theyโre almost impossible to just catch with your hands. I donโt really fish, so Iโve never gotten good at that.โ He blinked, almost ducking down to see if he could see the bold fish before he remembered he was the only thing supporting Orpheus and he stopped himself. โDid it nibble your?โ He asked, a bit of excitement slipping into his tone. โWhat did it feel like?โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 28, 2021 15:06:26 GMT -5
โI wonder why that is,โ Orpheus murmured, letting his hand dangle a little in the water in case the fish decided they were curious about that, too. He figured they were probably more used to hands than they were feet โ merfolk had hands, after all, so it was a structure many of the fish had probably seen before. How smart were fish? Did they recognize the similarities between Orpheus and L? Did they realize that Orpheus didnโt belong here, or were they justโฆ interacting with their environment as though this was the way it was meant to be? It was hard to tell. โMaybe theyโre braver because theyโre harder to catch,โ Orpheus considered, looking at L to see if his theory had any merit. โI meanโฆ if theyโre difficult to catch, then maybe thereโs a little less risk in going up to large things that could be predators.โ He frowned a little bit, waiting to see if the fish decided to try it again. โIt wasโฆ odd,โ he decided after a moment. โA little bit like pressure, but not really? Itโs like it suctioned to me for a second before pulling away.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 15:16:50 GMT -5
L hummed lightly, the idea making sense to him. Of course, if they didnโt have any reason to be nervous, they probably wouldnโt be as nervous in general. They didnโt fear the water, after all. They only feared things that could theoretically hurt them, whichโฆmaybe meant they had been hurt by similar things in the past and had learned what they should avoid. โThat makes sense,โ he decided, glancing back at Orpheus. โI mean, naturally they would be less afraid of the things theyโre more used to, but if swimming by something has never hurt them, they have less reason to be afraid of it. Also, they donโt have teeth, so thatโs probably why it felt that way.โ So it felt similar to human skin. L was mostly just relieved it hadnโt hurt. He hadnโt expected it to, butโฆhe didnโt know that much about humans. Maybe they had more sensitive skin.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 28, 2021 16:08:11 GMT -5
Something in Orpheus thrilled at the fact that L had accepted his theory. He didnโt know if L was an expert on fish (it wouldnโt be fair to assume he was โ it wasnโt like Orpheus was an expert on land mammals), but he figured that L had spent enough time around fish that he would be able to make more educated theories than Orpheus was capable of. Orpheus had also come to the conclusion that L was very, very intelligent. He didnโt know exactly how he had gotten that impression, but everything L did had only served to strengthen in. L had an interesting way of seeing the world, and he was willing to help Orpheus. Others might have decided that his plan was unlikely to succeed, and would have saved their energy, even if they wanted the war to end. Lโฆ L was willing to help. Orpheus trusted him. โIt feltโฆ a little ticklish, actually,โ Orpheus admitted quietly, a small laugh bubbling from his lips. โIs that what itโs like for you, too?โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 16:16:05 GMT -5
Orpheus had something L didnโt have, when it came to ending the war. Orpheus seemed to be better with people, for one thing. L could argue that the war wasnโt rational, that there were dozens of reasons to end it, butโฆit wasnโt logic that had caused this. Or, even if it was, it wasnโt logic that now kept it going. He couldnโt argue with how people felt. He wasnโt good at changing minds when it wasnโt logic driving their actions. Orpheusโฆhe could get to the heart of the problem, in a very literal way. He could change minds. L had never seen him do it, but somehowโฆhe believed he could. And if he could help somehow? He wanted to, very much. โSimilar,โ he confirmed. โI donโt know what ticklish means, though. It feelsโฆI donโt know how to describe it. It doesnโt feel like anything else. But similar to how you described it.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 28, 2021 17:58:58 GMT -5
Orpheus knew the one weapon he had up his sleeve was the ability to make people feel things. Music was powerful. It could change someoneโs mind, if the right words went along with it. It could make someone remember that the world wasnโt as unkind as it seemed, sometimes. It could remind everyone, hopefully, that though they were all different, they were all people. That the merfolk didnโt deserve to die for this war any more than the humans did. The war didnโt make logical sense, but it was just going to hurt everyone more if they kept fighting it. For now, though, they were somewhere that felt almost untouched by the war. A human, in water. A human, trusting a merman to hold him up. The two of them coexisting like their races might have a very, very long time ago. Was this magic? It felt a little bit like it might be. โItโs not a bad feeling,โ Orpheus admitted, shifting a little bit so he felt more secure in Lโs grip. He was suddenly aware how close the two of them were. It wasnโt a bad thing, justโฆ unexpected. Andโฆ pleasant. Like the feeling of the fish nibbling at his ankle.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 18:08:56 GMT -5
There might not have been a war at all, here. L couldnโt feel it, at least. Orpheus didnโt feel like a threat, or a target. He just feltโฆmaybe like a friend. L wasnโt sure about that part. He had never had a friend, so he didnโt think heโd be able to recognize the feeling. Maybe he would ask, someday. For nowโฆhe was content to let this continue being whatever it was. โOhโฆI should probably teach you to swim, now,โ he said after a long moment, suddenly remembering why Orpheus had chosen to do this in the first place. It was nice, of course, but also a bit dangerousโฆit was probably a good idea not to do it for too long at a time. While being out here was dangerous by default, L couldnโt fight to protect Orpheus if he was also holding Orpheus up at the same time. โAre you ready?โ He added, blinking at him. He didnโt want to rush it.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 28, 2021 18:54:56 GMT -5
Orpheus had little experience having friends. He had people he got along with well enough, but those werenโt reallyโฆ friends. The people his age didnโt like him because he had never tried to kill a merperson. He had never participated in those rituals. They called him soft, but that wasnโt a criticism he saw an issue with. If he was soft, it meant a few more lives saved. Besides, was he really that soft if he was able to stand up to the people pressuring him to end a life he didnโt want to end? In truth, he didnโt think it was that simple. All he knew was that he didnโt want to kill a merperson. He didnโt want to play a role in making the war go on longer. โOh,โ Orpheus whispered, brought back to the moment by Lโs quiet voice. โYes, I believe so,โ he replied, letting himself soak in the feeling of the water for a few moments before he gave a sharp nod. โHowโฆ do I begin? I think if you just let me go, Iโll probably drown. How do I keep myself up?โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 19:04:03 GMT -5
L hadnโt tended to call that much attention to himself. At leastโฆnot for the same reasons Orpheus had. He doubted anyone knew he didnโt want to kill humans. Until recently, he had even been prepared to, if the situation arose, though now that he knew they were all people on the same way he wasโฆhe didnโt know if heโd be able to, even if he were in danger. The point was that he had only called attention to himself because he was just sort of odd. He failed to have the same habits that were common. He didnโt mean to, it justโฆsort of happened. What made him comfortable didnโt tend to be the same as what made others comfortable. โWellโฆโ he considered quietly, trying to decide how best to go about this. It didnโt help that for Orpheus, swimming wasnโt just a method of moving from place to another, either. L didnโt have to worry about keeping his head above water while he swam. โCan you try kicking?โ He suggested. โMaybe you can tell how you could keep yourself afloat that wayโฆ?โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 28, 2021 20:17:05 GMT -5
Orpheus glanced doubtfully at the water, then back up at L. He didnโt know how to do this. It wasnโt a reflex he had, and it wasnโt something he had ever tried before. When his body had first come in contact with the water, it had tried to kick and flail, which hadnโt done much to help keep him afloat. All it had done was dunk him in a little more quickly while he was panicking. He justโฆ needed to stay calm. It would be okay if he stayed calm, right? So long as he kept himself afloat. Slowly, Orpheus began to kick underneath the water, his hands moving in and out with his body motions. He was still relying on L to take most of his weight, but he figured he might as well try to establish something of a rhythm before L let go. โI donโt know if this is doing anything,โ Orpheus admitted, a blush rising to his cheeks. โI sort of feel like Iโm propelling myself up a little bit, but I donโt know if it will be strong enough to keep my entire body weight above the surface when you let me go. Iโmโฆ sorry.โ He didnโt want to make this hard for L to teach, he justโฆ didnโt really know what he was doing.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 20:42:49 GMT -5
Swimming for L was second nature. He had had to learn it once, but now, it was difficult to imagine now knowing how. He had thought it would be an easy thing to teach, since he did it constantly, butโฆ Well. Even if he did know how to do it, he didnโt know how a human would. He had no idea how he would manage without his tail. Legs, though they didnโt seem like theyโd be good for walking, seemed like theyโd be even worse for swimming. And if they werenโt connected, what if you moved them in different directions? Which way would it push you then? He shook his head a little, trying to think how best to do this. Orpheus would need a different strategy than the one L used, but maybe they could be similarโฆ โNo need to be sorry,โ he told him, narrowing his eyes at the water as he thought. โIt didnโt occur to me that you couldnโt just do what I do. It must be possible, thoughโฆmaybe if you try floating first? You might be able to if you just lean back so youโre lying on the surface.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 28, 2021 22:16:51 GMT -5
โFloating,โ Orpheus repeated, deciding that would probably be an easier place to start. Assuming humans could float. He knew bodies floated sometimes, but he didnโt know what made some float and others sink. He wished he could be certain that he would float now, butโฆ that was why L was there. That was why Orpheus would never try this on his own, no matter how reckless he was. He didnโt want to drown, and he most certainly didnโt want to drown just because he was trying to learn not to. He took in a deep breath, then leaned back as L had instructed him to. The water was cool as it soaked his hair, covering his ears and then dipping back down below ear-level. It created a near-constant rush in his ears. Was that supposed to happen? It was hard to hear, but it was also the easiest thing in the world. The whole experience was odd. โCan youโฆ keep holding onto me while I try to figure this out?โ Orpheus asked, trusting L to listen to him. He wanted to learn, butโฆ balancing in the water was hard. He had a feeling it would take a while before he was truly able to swim on his own.
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 22:59:49 GMT -5
L nodded a little, hoping that floating would be as easy for Orpheus as it had been fro L the few times heโd tried it. He didnโt tend to stay at the surface for long without reason, and though floating had been fun, it had been a bit nerve wracking at the same time. He hadnโt been able to see anything around him but the sky, which made him nervous. Thoughโฆbeing underwater all the time anyway, it didnโt occur to him that the sound would be different from Orpheusโ perspective. โI wonโt let go unless you tell me to, or I have to in order to protect you,โ he promised, continuing to steady Orpheus as the human leaned back. โAnd Iโll try to warn you first, of that happens. Youโre perfectly safe for now.โ He hoped that helped soothe them. Heโd never been the best with words, and he couldnโt lie about the dangers, but for the time beingโฆthis was about as safe as they were going to get.
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 28, 2021 23:04:23 GMT -5
Safe. It was a comforting word to hear, and not one that Orpheus had ever associated with the water before. But L wasnโt wrong. Orpheus trusted him, and there was nobody else around. He was as safe here as he was in his own home. Of courseโฆ it would be a lot easier for a merperson to come by and drown him here than it would be at home, but so far, there was no need to worry. A merperson finding them now was about as likely as a storm blowing off part of the roof or breaking through it with rain. Possible, but not something they really needed to think about at the moment. โOkay,โ Orpheus breathed, forcing his eyes to close as he lay on top of the water. He tried to spread his arms out to increase his surface area, hoping that made a difference. He feltโฆ stable, though he wasnโt sure if that was because L was helping hold him up or because he had gotten the hang of it. โI thinkโฆ you can let go now. Butโฆ if my head goes under the water, can you support me again?โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 28, 2021 23:53:09 GMT -5
At least they already had a plan in case a merperson did stumble across them. It meant L didnโt need to worry about it as muchโฆhe could just do it if the time came, and ignore the possibility the rest of the time. Which did make this a lot easier to concentrate on. He waited a long moment, concentrating on supporting Orpheus as carefully as he could. It was working, for the moment. He didnโt know how easy it would be for Orpheus to keep it up once he let go, butโฆit was a pretty safe experiment with L right there to catch him again. โOkay,โ he agreed softly, and slowly pulled his hands back, ready for reach out again the moment Orpheus began to sink. โIโll catch you again if I need to, so donโt worry. Youโre alright.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 29, 2021 0:32:22 GMT -5
L waited, heart thumping as he tried to predict whether Orpheus would tip. It didnโt seem like he was going to, and L knew he could swim faster than Orpheus could sink, anyway, so it wasnโt as though he needed to worry about it too much, but he didnโt want anything bad to happen. He didnโt know what happened to humans when they tried to breathe water, even unintentionally. He didnโt think Orpheus would have been willing to do this if it was too dangerous, but what if he got water inside the part of him that used air? Would he be able to get it out again? He had said humans didnโt really swim, and when they did enter the water they were probably being drowned by merfolk anyway, so it wasnโt like theyโd notice of them water itself hurt themโฆOrpheus might not even know if he was in danger from this. And then it was over and he breathed out, reaching to steady Orpheus again so he could right himself if he wanted to. โYou did an excellent job,โ he told him, trying not to sound overly relieved. โHow did that feel?โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 29, 2021 1:31:09 GMT -5
Orpheus had been nervous at the beginning, of course, but the nerves had faded as the water had failed to pull him under. Perhaps the nerves had faded because L was there to push them away. If anything happened, L would be there to make sure they were both okay. There were things that L couldnโt fix, of course, but Orpheus had a feeling that nothing could touch this moment. This moment was theirs. It was stolen, but that didnโt take away their right to it. When was the last time a merman and a human had been able to enjoy each otherโs company like this? When was the last time their races had trusted each other with their lives? Orpheus wondered if it had ever happened since the beginning of the war. Somehow, he doubted it. โIt feltโฆ well, odd, I guess,โ Orpheus admitted, tilting his head to try to get some of the water out of his ear. โIt was likeโฆ well, it sounded like everything was muffled, which was relaxing, in an odd way. But I wasnโt as scared as I thought I was going to be. It almost felt as though you were holding me up, butโฆ but it was like you were the entire ocean instead of just yourself. It was what I would imagine it would be like to relax on a cloud. If you move too much you could fall through, but if you sit just perfectlyโฆ you can stay there and justโฆ fly. Float.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 29, 2021 1:40:37 GMT -5
โOhโฆโ L murmured, startled by the reply. It was far more poetic than anything he could have thought of. Usually, he didnโt think to offer that much when he was asked questionsโฆhe tended to give yes or no answers when he could, and short, factual explanations where they were needed. Describing things in any other way didnโt often occur to him as an option. He tilted his head a little, accidentally mirroring Orpheusโ movement. He liked hearing the difference in how he thought. He would have wondered if it was a human thing, but he had heard of merfolk who thought in a similar way, so he knew it was more of an individual difference. Undoubtedly there were humans who thought more like he did. It wasโฆfascinating to think about. โI donโt know what it would be like to relax on a cloud,โ he admitted a moment later. โBut floating does feel peaceful when youโre not afraid. I think, anyway. I donโt know that Iโve ever done both at once.โ He considered a moment longer. โThat should be enough to help if you ever fall out of your boat, anyway.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 29, 2021 1:46:28 GMT -5
Orpheus had a hard time thinking in terms of anything other than poetry. It was justโฆ how he saw the world. He knew he was overly metaphorical, but he was still able to get his point across, even if it was a good deal more flowery than most peopleโs language tended to be. Orpheus wasnโt entirely certain he cared what other people thought of his way of thinking or expressing his view of the world. If they didnโt want him to be poetic, then they didnโt have to listen to him. He wasnโt going to change the way he thought, though he had to say he liked thew ay Lโs way of thinking seemed to balance his own. They were both extremes on a spectrum, which meant that when they were together, their mutual thoughts created a sort of middle ground. It worked well for what they were trying to do. If they could create a middle ground for themselves, maybe they could create some kind of middle ground for their people, too. Something that would be enough to end the war. โI donโt think it would be quite so relaxing without you there,โ Orpheus admitted after a moment, ducking his head under the water briefly to hide the blush coloring his cheeks. He shook the water from his hair a moment later, unable to quite meet Lโs eyes. โIโm not sure Iโll be able to do it as confidently without you there. Butโฆ itโs a step. Soโฆ thank you.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 29, 2021 2:05:06 GMT -5
L didnโt dislike the way Orpheus spoke. It was interesting to talk to someone whose thoughts ran so differently than his own, andโฆmaybe a little bit refreshing, too. Being as distrustful and isolated as he naturally tended to be, he usually only had his own thoughts running through his head. Orpheus was almost like a breath of fresh air from them, a different perspective, even if the world was the same. If he could see things then way Orpheus saw them, even for a momentโฆwhat would that be like? It probably wasnโt possible. But hearing about it was the next best thing. โOh,โ he repeated, eyes widening a little bit as Orpheus ducked out of sight for a moment. Which worried him, but he was sure he was still holding him up enough that he wasnโt going to drown, so it was probably alright. โI donโt think Iโve ever been comforting to anyone before,โ he admitted, hoping that would explain his lack of a good reply. Was he usually this awkward? He didnโt know. It had been a while since heโd talked to anyone who wasnโt familiar. It had been a while since heโd talked to anyone who wasnโt Watari, actually. โIโm here for right now, though,โ he added. โSo you could do it again. If youโd like.โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 29, 2021 2:12:19 GMT -5
โI find that hard to believe,โ Orpheus blurted before he could stop himself. He often just said what he thought, but he didnโt want to make L uncomfortable with his candidness and freedom with compliments and praise. He knew he could beโฆ off-putting. He didnโt want to lose the one ally he had found. The one possible friend. Were they friends? Orpheus didnโt know if they were or not, but he wasnโt sure now was an appropriate time to ask. Maybe he would ask when he was back in his boat. He would have to ask L if they were friends, but he would have to back it up with the disclaimer that if L didnโt want to be friends, they could still work together and Orpheus wouldnโt mention it ever again. Even if he didnโt think heโd ever be able to think of L as a casual acquaintance again. He cared, and he cared deeply. When he got attached to someone, it was nearly impossible to unattach him. โYouโreโฆ a comforting presence. In my opinion, anyway. Youโre justโฆ extraordinarily kind and youโre willing to listen to me talk about things you probably have very little interest in. And youโre helping me learn how to swim, even though that could be dangerous to you. I trust you. Andโฆ that means that Iโm comforted by your presence. Andโฆ I think I would like to try that again. If you donโt mind, I mean. I donโtโฆ want you to get bored just holding me up.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Sept 29, 2021 2:38:38 GMT -5
Lโs eyes, which had already gone wide, seemed somehow to get even wider. He had always gotten the distinct impression that he wasnโt a very nice sort of person. He didnโt think it was a bad thing, necessarilyโฆno, he didnโt think he was a bad person. Just not a very appealing one. Useful, certainly..,he was aware that he was extremely intelligent, and very good at solving problems. Which meant it made perfect sense that he only crossed peopleโs minds when they needed his help. The theory had been backed up by everyone heโd met so far, aside from Watari, who had sentimental reasons to want him around and so didnโt count. It was easier to be a useful person instead of a well liked one, perhaps. If you stopped being useful, it wasnโt personal when people stopped wanting you around, after all. And he didnโt think he cared much about what people thought of him, anyway. He never really had. โOh,โ he said for the third time, his other words abandoning him. He probably needed to stop saying that, butโฆhe hadnโt expected Orpheus to actually care about him as more than something useful to achieve his goal. Did he? Or was L just misunderstanding what he meant? Did he mean L was actually just more useful than heโd expected him to be? โYouโre comforting too,โ he said after a moment, his words a bit quicker than heโd intended them to be. โI meanโฆyes. I meanโฆโ He dropped his gaze. โI think youโre probably a lot nicer than I am, but thatโs alright,โ
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Transgender
strider
No mourners, no funerals
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Post by strider on Sept 29, 2021 2:45:22 GMT -5
Orpheus didnโt know how to see people in terms of usefulness. He had never considered others like that before, and he wasnโt going to start now. If L decided now that he didnโt want to be part of Orpheusโ plan, Orpheus would be disappointed, of course, butโฆ that didnโt mean he had no reason to ever see L again if L was willing to see him again. He didnโt know if L was comfortable with the idea of them being friends, but an attachment forged by Orpheus was difficult to break. He would try, if that was what L wanted, butโฆ he liked him. He wanted to spend time with him. Some of that time would ideally spent trying to stop the war, butโฆ though that may have been what brought them together, it wasnโt what had brought Orpheus to this moment. It wasnโt why he was in the water, trusting L to hold him up and make sure he survived even if another merperson came their way. โSorry,โ Orpheus managed, uncertain if he had said something wrong. L seemed flustered, whichโฆ hadnโt been his intent at all. Had he managed to make the merman uncomfortable without meaning to? He swallowed, trying to push down the knot in his stomach. It was fine. It would be fine. โIโฆ I donโt know,โ he added, voice quiet. โI wouldnโt be in the water if it werenโt for you. I wouldnโt know what it felt like to float if you hadnโt been willing to teach me. If you werenโt patient enough to hold me up until I felt comfortable enough to try it on my own. Maybe youโre nicer than you give yourself credit for.โ
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Post by ยฎHawkpathยฎ on Oct 25, 2021 1:28:57 GMT -5
L wasnโt used to reallyโฆspeaking to people. Not casually, anyway. He didnโt mean to be isolated, but he so rarely had anything he felt the need to talk about, and it wasnโt as though people tended to approach him. Although, he supposed, it wasnโt as though he approached them either. The apology caught him off guard. He hadnโt meant to seem like he didnโt appreciate the compliment, it was just thatโฆhe wasnโt used to the feeling of it inside him, like something alive was trying to root itself in his chest. Not everyone was unfriendly to him. There were plenty of people who were completely indifferent. But only Watari had ever really been friendly. โYou donโtโฆhave to apologize,โ he said after a moment, trying to choose his words carefully. โI was startled, not uncomfortable. Iโm just surprised that a human is more interesting in speaking to me than my own kind.โ He shook his head a little. โWellโฆif thatโs true, then Iโm glad. But youโre an easy person to be nice to. It may not be a fair test.โ
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