[He's not going to say "probably" still upset when it's obvious she's definitely still upset. Ranpo is too, obviously, but he'll fight to keep it to together on the phone.]
[Well, that's a lot. Lucy looks back at the door to Inaba's room. She knows that her roomie probably needs some time alone to process everything. Who wouldn't? Ranpo is a really kind person and Lucy can easily imagine that if you fall for Ranpo, you fall hard. look at poe.
She's silent for a minute. The only sounds come from Lucy picking up her shabby purse (if that's what we call the free tote bag she keeps her stuff in,) and exiting the apartment. She makes a note to call into the apartment that she's getting a snack, hoping that an empty apartment will encourage Inaba to use the kitchen.
Then, after she's put a few steps of distance between herself and the door, she sighs.]
[He almost assumes she's hung up when the line goes silent, and considers doing the same. But he won't, trying once more to calm himself so he can respond.]
I'm... h-hanging in there. Atsushi should be home from work soon. So I'll be okay.
[He sounds like he's doing great. Excuse Lucy while she frets anyway. If it's anything like being thrown away by colleagues, break ups can't be easy.]
Mm. Well, you can leave Inaba to me. Just wanted to make sure you two hadn't found trouble. [Instead, they made it! Which is better than the alternative.
There's another pause. Lucy doesn't know how to worry about her friends. She doesn't know how to friends, period. But it's hard to simply hang up on Ranpo now and trust he'll be okay... Friendship is such a strange burden.]
...maybe I don't have any right to say this anymore, but... just knowing you're there and she won't be alone, it-- it helps.
[It's hard. He was to worry about her, to make sure she has people around her to make sure she's safe... but wasn't that part of the reason they needed to break up in the first place? Ranpo can't just keep playing the hero and taking care of her whenever she needs it. Sometimes, she needs to take care of herself.]
[But he loves her. So it's not like he can turn the worry off.]
She wants to tell Ranpo that he's an idiot to think that way. Both that he would ever need a right to care and that he trusts Lucy to be of any use. Her offer to help is, as far she's concerned, empty. It's just there to get Ranpo to calm down. Lucy's got no idea how to cheer people up. She's even BSing her way through this conversation right now!
But this isn't the time to tell Ranpo he's stupid. Lucy tucks her defense mechanisms deep in her heart, exposing a vulnerable side of herself when she admits;]
Okay, I'm gonna level with you: I've got no idea what the heck I'm doing. But I meant like... if you needed sweets. Or uhhh. I dunno. Take out? However this works. Your wish is my strongly considered suggestion~ or something.
[...ahh. He can see what she's doing now. But while he really doesn't want her to see him falling apart right now (he doesn't like letting anyone see it, really), it wouldn't feel right rejecting her offer either.]
...some sweets would be nice, but... maybe tomorrow? I don't know if I could stomach any right now, and... I-I'm kind of mess?
[His voice cracks on that last word -- he's really trying not to cry into the phone right now.]
[How can it be so painful to hear someone speak? Lucy grinds her teeth in a frustrated frown. She can feel it from the tips of her toes to the top of her head... An annoying heat of anger, masking concern for Ranpo! She wants to stomp over there and shove a bag of candy in his face!
But that won’t help. She knows that who he needs is Atsushi. Not her. The best place for her is on the sidelines and that’s fine. As long as he gets the best help, Lucy doesn’t need to be the one to give it. She can just kick a trash can later and vent this worry with her feet.]
Yeah. Well! I’ll drop a big basket by tomorrow, so... so if you have a least favorite flavor, you should say so.
[He's not so far gone that he'll turn down a basket full of sweets. This is his favor to future-Ranpo.]
[But her last sentence breaks the dam. And from the other end of the line, she'll hear a whimper, that almost certainly would have led to a sob if he didn't cover the receiver for a few moments. When he does speak again, his voice is more notably tearful.]
[Lucy doesn't need to hear him to know he might have cried. What she imagines with sounds like can't possibly compare to the silence of a covered receiver. Because Lucy can't even begin to imagine how he's feeling. No amount of poetry could even describe what it feels like to listen to silence, but know there is sadness beyond the muted void.
When he speaks again, Lucy has no idea what to say. Maybe she should have spent that time planning her words? Something meaningful and thoughtful? Instead Ranpo gets a worried mumble, as if her words are tripping over her feelings.]
Yeah, well, licorice is gross anyway. [That... addresses a topic from like a minute ago.
But it's the best that she's got.]
Do you need some time before Atsushi-sensei gets there? I won't be insulted if you wanna hang up. You should drink some water and close your eyes anyways.
[... Did Ranpo just use the F-Word that isn't Fuck???
Lucy lets him hang up, staying on the line until the last minute. Just in case. She isn't sure what to do, what the protocol is... They don't teach you how to handle sadness in the orphanage! Just how to wallow in it.
When the line goes quiet, Lucy is still listening. She's still uncertain. She does a round of shopping, spending her precious bits of chroma on a modest bag of candy. She decides to leave it by his door tonight, because she doesn't trust herself to be 'nice' tomorrow. Then, with no other excuse, she retreats to her apartment.]
[I spent way too long staring at my tag wondering if I typoed in a swear word]
[Ranpo won't find the candy until the next morning. But while his mood is definitely better, seeing it a reminder of why it's there -- so he won't be calling her and thanking her.]
[He will send a picture of Watty sniffing at the bag, followed by a cryptid-esque picture of a three tailed white blur trying to take off with some of it.]
Thanks for the snacks. They were nice to wake up to. Watty appreciates them too, even if he's not allowed to eat them.
[...he manages to fight to urge to ask how Inaba is doing, but not before typing and deleting and rephrasing and deleting a few times.]
[Lucy had ample time to wait in silence for his response, while hers come very quickly. Almost desperately. The quiet of the apartment is driving her crazy, but where's she supposed to go? Most of her friends are Cordis.]
[He's Ranpo. It's easy to read between the lines.]
[He hesitates on what to say next, but ultimately--]
Actually If you don't mind that I won't be the best company right now, could you come over for a bit?
I told Atsushi I'd be fine while he was at work today, but even with Watty here, it's a little lonely.
[He's already sure she might wonder why he's asking her and not someone else. And truth be told, the answer is a little selfish. He hasn't told anyone else about the break up yet, and right now? He doesn't want to have that conversation. ]
[Lucy is almost jumping at the chance. If it's selfish, then they're both selfish. The silence is suffocating. Feeling alone when you aren't actually alone is the worst and has her itching to cut all ties for safety.]
Yeah, I can come by. You free now?
[Not to imply that she's desperate for company or anything, but......]
[She is quick to respond with a simple “ok,” before grabbing that cheap tote bag and hightailing it out of the apartment... Well. That was her intention. Lucy hangs by the door and calls out uselessly to Inaba... Then leaves.
Usually, Lucy might meander on her way to Ranpo’s. She doesn’t want to seem desperate for friendship, nor does she want to miss any interesting sights or sounds along the way. But today is different. She hurries along and wastes no time.
Reaching his apartment, she knocks loudly at first... then slows to more timid and polite knocks.]
[Ranpo doesn't mean to make her wait at the door, but he does. For reasons that'll become very obvious the moment he opens it.]
[The person at the door is definitely Ranpo. But it seems cordis has decided to be rather mean to him right now. His hair is stark white, his eyes are a bright golden color, and he has two white tails hanging low to the ground behind him.]
...I guess I should have given you a heads up, but I didn't notice this until I went to change.
[...that said, he's absolutely still in his pajamas, because they're oversized and comfy, and he's very Particular about clothes when he's a kitsune.]
[Colour her disappointed that there are no cat ears.
Try as she might, Lucy cannot stop her mouth from falling open.There were two consistent warnings regarding the moons: Iris is the sex moon and avoid kitsune. Ranpo in particular avoided her about that one... But he seems too sad and miserable to be a threat. Lucy shoves the warning aside.]
I-It's fine. It's not as if I like your cat ears. [So transparent.]
[Not that she can get a good look at them, with how they're all folded down from how sad he is, blending in with his white hair. He can still purr like this, too, but the mood is unlikely to be right for it.]
[He'll move to let her in, making his way over to the couch. But obvious sulking aside, there's something off. He's moving slowly, as if very tired. And really-- he is. He hasn't had much of an appetite, but cordis needed a lot of food and moonlacing to compensate for their fast metabolism. Normally, it's never a problem, but right now...]
But I don't think this will be an issue. Usually I get a personality change, but I don't feel any of that right now.
[Lucy is racking her brains for memory of what Cordis means. Atsushi said food and help from friends, right? She hadn't pressed further, because she assumed he would have better friends than her to get help from. The same would normally be true for Ranpo, she assumes...
But he doesn't look too great.]
Yeah. The tails are a nice touch, too. [She offers compliments, too distracted to filter her words. Following him to the couch, all Lucy has on her mind is worry.]
You doing okay there, Ranpo? You look kinda... pale. [Wait. That's stupid. His hair is white, so of course he looks pale. ]
[Thankfully, his condition isn't one he's putting himself in intentionally. But for Lucy to notice, he must look as bad as he feels right now.]
I'm pretty tired. I couldn't really get down much of breakfast this morning... I know cordis moonblessed need to eat and moonlace more than usual during the full moon, because our bodies burn through chroma faster, but usually a lack of appetite isn't a problem for me.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Wow thank's DW for no notif!!
It didn't go very well. So she's still upset.
[He's not going to say "probably" still upset when it's obvious she's definitely still upset. Ranpo is too, obviously, but he'll fight to keep it to together on the phone.]
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[Well, that's a lot. Lucy looks back at the door to Inaba's room. She knows that her roomie probably needs some time alone to process everything. Who wouldn't? Ranpo is a really kind person and Lucy can easily imagine that if you fall for Ranpo, you fall hard. look at poe.
She's silent for a minute. The only sounds come from Lucy picking up her shabby purse (if that's what we call the free tote bag she keeps her stuff in,) and exiting the apartment. She makes a note to call into the apartment that she's getting a snack, hoping that an empty apartment will encourage Inaba to use the kitchen.
Then, after she's put a few steps of distance between herself and the door, she sighs.]
How are you holding up? Is Atsushi-sensei there?
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I'm... h-hanging in there. Atsushi should be home from work soon. So I'll be okay.
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Mm. Well, you can leave Inaba to me. Just wanted to make sure you two hadn't found trouble. [Instead, they made it! Which is better than the alternative.
There's another pause. Lucy doesn't know how to worry about her friends. She doesn't know how to friends, period. But it's hard to simply hang up on Ranpo now and trust he'll be okay... Friendship is such a strange burden.]
Do you... ye know. Need anything?
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[It's hard. He was to worry about her, to make sure she has people around her to make sure she's safe... but wasn't that part of the reason they needed to break up in the first place? Ranpo can't just keep playing the hero and taking care of her whenever she needs it. Sometimes, she needs to take care of herself.]
[But he loves her. So it's not like he can turn the worry off.]
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She wants to tell Ranpo that he's an idiot to think that way. Both that he would ever need a right to care and that he trusts Lucy to be of any use. Her offer to help is, as far she's concerned, empty. It's just there to get Ranpo to calm down. Lucy's got no idea how to cheer people up. She's even BSing her way through this conversation right now!
But this isn't the time to tell Ranpo he's stupid. Lucy tucks her defense mechanisms deep in her heart, exposing a vulnerable side of herself when she admits;]
Okay, I'm gonna level with you: I've got no idea what the heck I'm doing. But I meant like... if you needed sweets. Or uhhh. I dunno. Take out? However this works. Your wish is my strongly considered suggestion~ or something.
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...some sweets would be nice, but... maybe tomorrow? I don't know if I could stomach any right now, and... I-I'm kind of mess?
[His voice cracks on that last word -- he's really trying not to cry into the phone right now.]
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But that won’t help. She knows that who he needs is Atsushi. Not her. The best place for her is on the sidelines and that’s fine. As long as he gets the best help, Lucy doesn’t need to be the one to give it. She can just kick a trash can later and vent this worry with her feet.]
Yeah. Well! I’ll drop a big basket by tomorrow, so... so if you have a least favorite flavor, you should say so.
[...] I’m sorry it didn’t work out with Inaba.
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[He's not so far gone that he'll turn down a basket full of sweets. This is his favor to future-Ranpo.]
[But her last sentence breaks the dam. And from the other end of the line, she'll hear a whimper, that almost certainly would have led to a sob if he didn't cover the receiver for a few moments. When he does speak again, his voice is more notably tearful.]
Thank you.
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When he speaks again, Lucy has no idea what to say. Maybe she should have spent that time planning her words? Something meaningful and thoughtful? Instead Ranpo gets a worried mumble, as if her words are tripping over her feelings.]
Yeah, well, licorice is gross anyway. [That... addresses a topic from like a minute ago.
But it's the best that she's got.]
Do you need some time before Atsushi-sensei gets there? I won't be insulted if you wanna hang up. You should drink some water and close your eyes anyways.
[She knows he's been crying.]
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[He's going to hang up, is the implication.]
...thanks. For worrying about me. You're a good friend.
[She'll hear the sound of another near-sob, before he hangs up.]
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Lucy lets him hang up, staying on the line until the last minute. Just in case. She isn't sure what to do, what the protocol is... They don't teach you how to handle sadness in the orphanage! Just how to wallow in it.
When the line goes quiet, Lucy is still listening. She's still uncertain. She does a round of shopping, spending her precious bits of chroma on a modest bag of candy. She decides to leave it by his door tonight, because she doesn't trust herself to be 'nice' tomorrow. Then, with no other excuse, she retreats to her apartment.]
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[Ranpo won't find the candy until the next morning. But while his mood is definitely better, seeing it a reminder of why it's there -- so he won't be calling her and thanking her.]
[He will send a picture of Watty sniffing at the bag, followed by a cryptid-esque picture of a three tailed white blur trying to take off with some of it.]
Thanks for the snacks. They were nice to wake up to.
Watty appreciates them too, even if he's not allowed to eat them.
[...he manages to fight to urge to ask how Inaba is doing, but not before typing and deleting and rephrasing and deleting a few times.]
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He will receive a quick text in response;]
Glad you found them.
Are you holding up okay over there?
[Lucy is alone in the living room, feeling kind of awkward. It's only been a day, so she sends a white lie.]
I think we're fine here.
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Better than I was yesterday.
Atsushi even managed to make me smile.
[The implication that such a thing was difficult enough to warrant a mention says more about how he's doing than his actual answer.]
But
That's good.
[Not that he believes her for a second.]
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[Lucy had ample time to wait in silence for his response, while hers come very quickly. Almost desperately. The quiet of the apartment is driving her crazy, but where's she supposed to go? Most of her friends are Cordis.]
Actually, don't answer. You must be stressed.
Just let me know if you need anything.
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[He hesitates on what to say next, but ultimately--]
Actually
If you don't mind that I won't be the best company right now, could you come over for a bit?
I told Atsushi I'd be fine while he was at work today, but even with Watty here, it's a little lonely.
[He's already sure she might wonder why he's asking her and not someone else. And truth be told, the answer is a little selfish. He hasn't told anyone else about the break up yet, and right now? He doesn't want to have that conversation. ]
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Yeah, I can come by. You free now?
[Not to imply that she's desperate for company or anything, but......]
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[The fact that this reply comes almost right away says a lot about how much Ranpo needs the company too.]
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Usually, Lucy might meander on her way to Ranpo’s. She doesn’t want to seem desperate for friendship, nor does she want to miss any interesting sights or sounds along the way. But today is different. She hurries along and wastes no time.
Reaching his apartment, she knocks loudly at first... then slows to more timid and polite knocks.]
Ranpo? It’s Lucy!
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[The person at the door is definitely Ranpo. But it seems cordis has decided to be rather mean to him right now. His hair is stark white, his eyes are a bright golden color, and he has two white tails hanging low to the ground behind him.]
...I guess I should have given you a heads up, but I didn't notice this until I went to change.
[...that said, he's absolutely still in his pajamas, because they're oversized and comfy, and he's very Particular about clothes when he's a kitsune.]
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Colour her disappointed that there are no cat ears.Try as she might, Lucy cannot stop her mouth from falling open.There were two consistent warnings regarding the moons: Iris is the sex moon and avoid kitsune. Ranpo in particular avoided her about that one... But he seems too sad and miserable to be a threat. Lucy shoves the warning aside.]
I-It's fine. It's not as if I like your cat ears. [So transparent.]
[She shrugs,] May I come in, then?
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[Not that she can get a good look at them, with how they're all folded down from how sad he is, blending in with his white hair. He can still purr like this, too, but the mood is unlikely to be right for it.]
[He'll move to let her in, making his way over to the couch. But obvious sulking aside, there's something off. He's moving slowly, as if very tired. And really-- he is. He hasn't had much of an appetite, but cordis needed a lot of food and moonlacing to compensate for their fast metabolism. Normally, it's never a problem, but right now...]
But I don't think this will be an issue. Usually I get a personality change, but I don't feel any of that right now.
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But he doesn't look too great.]
Yeah. The tails are a nice touch, too. [She offers compliments, too distracted to filter her words. Following him to the couch, all Lucy has on her mind is worry.]
You doing okay there, Ranpo? You look kinda... pale. [Wait. That's stupid. His hair is white, so of course he looks pale. ]
Do you need food and friends?
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[Thankfully, his condition isn't one he's putting himself in intentionally. But for Lucy to notice, he must look as bad as he feels right now.]
I'm pretty tired. I couldn't really get down much of breakfast this morning... I know cordis moonblessed need to eat and moonlace more than usual during the full moon, because our bodies burn through chroma faster, but usually a lack of appetite isn't a problem for me.
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