hopefragment | week 06, monday, mid-morning

[He is keeping pace! Still Though his expression is still impassively stony as they walk down the stairs towards the lobby. At least until Hinata gets his attention. He glances over, offering him a reassuring smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. So...probably not as reassuring as it could be.]

Of course. Why wouldn't I be?

[Faize, you may as well have used your Ice Needles with how cold you got at the end there.]

...

[That face, for one.

He just pulls a hand from his pockets as if to physically present a point.]

I don't know, I... don't think I've ever heard you sound so cold before. Like you did with Inaba back there. When she asked for her "favor" as if we had to be told.

Edited 2016-03-24 01:17 (UTC)

Ah...did I sound that way? [FAIZE.] Hm. I suppose I was a bit...agitated.

[Among other things. Faize is like a hurricane of emotions right now, it's amazing that he's managing to keep his face so impassive. And yet, maybe it's the way he's holding himself or walking, or that weird look in his eyes, but something seems off.]

The way she worded her request rubbed me quite the wrong way, however I did not mean to let that show. I apologize, I did not mean to worry or frighten you. Rest assured, I really am quite alright.

[No. Not even remotely. And he won't be until he talks to Alisha.]

A... bit agitated, yeah.

[Faize...]

...You seriously don't look okay, though. I'm not trying to be rude, [for once today,] but... if something's bothering you, you can tell me.

[It's not like where if something's bothering Inaba, he's not going to care as much beyond the immediate. Faize is his friend? He'd even go so far as to say best friend at this point.]

I mean, anyone who pays even the slightest bit of attention can see how much you care for Alisha.

[Faize stops on the stairs to stare at him for a moment, unblinkingly. But after a few moments, he just sighs softly and continues walking.]

I do care for Alisha, yes. Perhaps...more than I am willing to admit. [What is love? Baby don't hurt me. Don't hurt me. No more.] And as such, I cannot say that I appreciate being told something so...obvious. Perhaps it is childish of me to take offense at something like that, especially since I know Inaba likely meant it with no malice, but...even so, I found it insulting.

It was insulting, you're right. I really... don't like being around her. Her stupid puzzles, how she can be so condescending in one breath and then try to play the victim in the next?

[He shakes his head roughly with another scowl. He's just going to piss himself off more if he tries articulating it.

More importantly (? for the moment, anyway), he caught that "more than he's willing to admit," and he tosses another frown Faize's way.]

...What do you mean, though? You're not trying to say you still haven't told her, have you...?

I...could not help but notice that fact. I believe that was the rudest I have ever seen you act. Though, I feel I must apologize for our conversation on Saturday. Had I realized you disliked her so strongly, that conversation about her...ah..."fuck list" [Faize don't...say fuck anymore, it just sounds weird and wrong when you say it.] would have gone a bit differently.

[He still thinks you're great? 10/10 would bromance any day. Though, hey. About that last bit? How about we just...walk into the kitchen!!! Heck yeah! French toast! Check it out, Poland didn't eat it all.]

Edited 2016-03-24 02:08 (UTC)

[Please don't ever say "fuck list" again.

He'd be happy to never hear that phrase out of anyone's mouth ever again tbh. Definitely not the worst thing that had happened over the weekend! But still far from an enjoyable experience.

So while Faize might ignore the question about Alisha, Hinata is certainly ignoring the statement about the fuck list. And would you look at that, there's actually not anyone in the kitchen. A surprise.]

You haven't told her, have you?

[His silence is answer enough, he thinks! Grabs the same plate of French toast that Faize had likely been going for and holds it just out of his reach, raising an eyebrow. Yes, this is much better to talk about than all the horseshit that he hasn't yet compartmentalized about Inaba's conversation.]

[Dude, did you really just? Why you gotta be like this, Hinata. Why. Faize gives him a flat look. Seems he might still be "a bit...agitated."]

And what exactly would you have me tell her?

How you feel?

[Duh? As if it's the most obvious answer in the world, which, of course, it is. But ugh fine don't give him that look, here, take the plate you big nerd. He'll just grab one of the other ones, bless complimentary breakfast.]

I really thought you'd have told her after the sleepover.

[The same sleepover he got brutally rejected at but let's not talk about that.]

[Shut up, you baby, it wasn't brutal. He let you down gently.]

......

[Ugh that look wasn't because of the plate, it was because of the question! He would have grabbed another one. But maybe that fact will be more clear now that he's still making that same face, even with a plate of delicious French toast in hand. Though, after a few moments, that look fades with a strained sigh.]

Again, I ask you: what exactly would you have me tell her?

[Maybe if he emphasizes it just right, Hinata will Get It. He doesn't know how he feels and therein lies the flaw in Hinata's genius theory.]

[It was brutal. He was heartbroken for at least several minutes after the fact.

...But there's definitely some kind of fundamental disconnect between what he's saying and what Faize is asking. #AllEldariansOrJustFaize2k16. So he just sighs at first and doesn't answer immediately, instead saying,] How about we head back to your room to eat?

[Not... really the kind of conversation he wants to have in the kitchen. Someone else could come in at any second, and he's kiiiiind of started to get the feeling that Faize's emotions are going to be tough enough to figure out without an audience.]

[GENTLE?? It was so gentle, don't you even.]

[Faize looks a bit confused, considering they were literally just up on the first floor and what's wrong with the kitchen? We are here and have food, why can we not just eat here?]

Alright. [But first...!! He wants coffee. Which presumably somebody ~~Gilbert~~ has made by now so he'll pour himself a cup of that before they head back upstairs. Are you coming, friend?]

[Wow, where's Hinata's coffee?? Not that it matters, since he only has two hands and one of those hands must hold a glass of oj, but he'd have liked some coffee too.

He's coming, he's coming! Following right behind his elven friend, though don't think he's forgotten what they were talking about.]

Have you thought about just, you know, saying "I like you?"

[Straightforward approach is the best approach, clearly.]

[Hinata doesn't get any coffee because he's an oj fiend!!! Faize doesn't need to be a mind reader to know that he was going to go for the fridge as soon as he got his toast.]

I'm fairly certain she is aware of that much. It's a fairly obvious conclusion to draw. I would not spend so much time in her company if I did not like her.

[No Faize. LIKE like her.]

No, Faize, that's...

[#ALLELDARIANSORJUSTFAIZE2K16

He risks sounding like a middle-schooler by putting it this way, but he's hesitant to use "love" since, well, he's not Faize? And that word can be kind of scary to some people.]

You know, like... like her.

[Does the emphasis help or is it just confusing him more.]

[The truest mystery of Lebensbaum, that. All Eldarians or Just Faize?]

Hm? [Sorry, he was only half paying attention. Because he just realized he has coffee in one hand and toast in the other and a door that needs to be unlocked. Please hold.]

[There we go, door open and now we can be safely inside a room to talk about girls because THERE'S NO WAY ANYBODY COULD POSSIBLY BE LISTENING IN ON THIS, RIGHT? Their shit is so safe.]

[The emphasis does help though! Though it just makes Faize sigh.]

No. I have not considered that.

[Don't HM him!! He thought he was going to have to repeat it and get embarrassed again, which he's quickly doing. Listen, being a wingman is a hard job, and being Faize's wingman has got to be even worse.

Thanks for the door, friend. Hinata's just going to take a seat on the bed he'd used that time they'd been roomfriends and balance his plate of toast on his lap. OJ for the table, do not knock that off.]

...Is there a reason you haven't told her?

[Serious heart-to-heart over French toast. Listen, friend, if you were sure enough about your feelings to reject Hinata, why not go for the princess??]

[Ugh, he never said he was certain about his feelings for ALISHA, just that he did not feel the same way about YOU. There's a difference.]

I'm afraid that goes back to the same question I've posed you twice now. [What would you have me tell her?] To put it more plainly...it is difficult to tell someone how you feel, when you yourself are uncertain of just what those feelings are. Wouldn't you agree?

[Yeah uh...sorry, Hinata, you could have picked better when it comes to a guy to wingman for.]

[How emotionally repressed is this guy...? I guess that's not something that's "bred by the government."]

...Mm.

[That's all he can really do for now, just hum in a bit of uncertain understanding as he takes his fork to his toast.]

I didn't realize you were still unsure. I mean... I thought it was pretty clear that you liked her, so...

[How to put this into more obvious terms so even the space alien can get it.]

You'd... if we were in normal circumstances, you'd... want to date her, right? Like... as a girlfriend. You guys have that concept, right?

[Or does the government pick partners for you?? You guys don't have parents so??????]

[Well, Hinata...about that. Pretty damn repressed? It may not be something that was bred into him, but the Eldarian government isn't wholly blameless. Think of it in nature vs. nurture terms.]

Of course we do. It is rather difficult to find a romantic partner without going through some manner of courtship, after all. Though, based on my observations thusfar, I feel as though that process is...vastly different on Eldar, compared to Earth.

[WHY ALL THESE KISSING GAMES? EARTH PLEASE EXPLAIN??? And, jeez, Hinata, it's like you go out of your way to remember the alien thing at all the wrong times. And forget it at all the times you SHOULD remember.]

However...I myself am not... [He falters, frowning slightly before shaking his head.] I am not certain what I would do under "normal circumstances." I have never...felt this way about another person before.

Poland assures me that it's normal and that "love isn't always logical or makes sense all the time," [You can tell by the way he says it that he's quoting directly.] but, frankly, it's somewhat...horrifying.

[Hinata, you really should have left it alone. This rabbit hole is 2deep, you're gonna need a deep-sea diving suit or something.]

Edited 2016-03-24 16:33 (UTC)

[This is definitely a lot more intense than Hinata was expecting. Honestly, he... wasn't sure what he was expecting, but hearing Faize describe feelings like this as "horrifying" is, well, a little horrifying. He almost asks if Faize has never even had a crush on anyone before, but the answer to that seems pretty obvious.

Instead he just hums and resumes eating his toast, thinking over what Faize has said. Though he does pull a face at "the process being different," pointing with his fork and mentioning,] It's not always about stuff like Seven Minutes. I'd never done that before that night, either.

[First kiss?? First kiss. He still kind of flushes about that, but ugh brain stop.]

But... Poland's right, you know, [he answers that finally after a few more bites of toast.] If... you really think it's love, I mean... I think it's supposed to be kind of scary, caring that much for a person. Like... you'd rather be with her than not, right? No matter how scary it is.

[He says it as if that much should be obvious, because it is. So what if it's scary?? If you're having fun being with her why?? Not?? Date the girl??]

[Wow, don't point your fork at him??? Rude.]

I merely meant that Earthlings seem to be more...how do I put this...more freely giving when it comes to tokens of physical affection? Which is not a bad thing, you are hardly the only ones to do so. It is simply...very different than what I am used to.

[Eldarians don't even shake hands, okay. They're not a very touchy-feely people.]

Poland seems to believe that's what it is. I never used the word myself but...I cannot find an argument to counter it. I am not sure what else it would be, if not love. [Lust. A non sexual lust, but let's be real here: how much does he really even KNOW Alisha?]

But I would prefer to be in her presence than not, you are correct. There's a certain kind of...joy [Maybe???] that accompanies her presence. We do not even have to be doing anything in those moments. Mere silence is enough, so long as Alisha is there. And the thought of losing her is...not one I care to dwell on. [It's even scarier than this "love" business. He's not going to be able to handle it if Alisha dies.] Which is a portion of what makes this so frightening, given the situation.

Edited (I HAVE NO ICONS FOR THIS CONVERSATION. WHEEE.) 2016-03-24 18:24 (UTC)

Ah.

[That would explain why Faize had been so hesitant to do something so simple as hug a princess in distress. Hinata... really can't imagine not doing something like that, if the other person didn't mind. He'd hugged a good about of girls (and Faize) in his time here, after all. Though all of those (with the exception of Faize) had been for comforting and nothing else.

(At least he knows her name.)]

...You're kind of lucky, then, I think, [he says honestly, turning his attention to his toast.] To feel that strongly for someone. I mean, there's a lot of people I care about here, and... just a few I care for, but I don't know about "love."

[Then again, he is an average Japanese boy, and using the word love is incredibly difficult for him as it is. He might feel the same things as Faize and still hesitate to use so strong of a word.

But he just hums, nodding quietly with Faize's assessment that this situation probably isn't the best. But then again...]

I think... it's kind of inevitable, in these kinds of situations. To get a lot closer to someone and feel a lot more strongly about them than you would in a normal situation. I mean... it's like I've been saying from the beginning, we're all in this together. And when you're constantly with the same people, it... kind of makes sense that you'd start to feel for them. Right?

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