I will never, ever fall, never stumble, and I don't need to be humble

[mooninthewater]

Who: Mizuki & you!
What: Mizuki's here to talk to people now.
When: Couple days after the meeting.
Where: Inn or Therapy Building.
Warnings: Will be in the titles as they come up.

[ Mizuki hasn't really shown himself around the Grove since being outed by Irene. Add and Elsword got to see him, and Vash got to see him the one time, too, but overall? He just kept to his camouflage and sauntered around the place in secret.

Now he thinks he's finally ready for people to come talk to him. He gets the feeling that no one beyond Irene (and Lancer, though he hasn't realized this, yet) is actually mad at him, but he knows there's bound to be a lot of questions. Questions he's not really ready to answer.

Doctor Kal'tsit is going to be so disappointed in him.

You'll visibly find him in one of two places. One, the lobby of the inn, of which he'll be in the chair on the opposite end of the lobby of the Inquisition fireplace. He just stares at it, even as people enter and exit, lost in thought. Two, he'll be at the therapy building. Either just outside, putting cute stickers on the door outside, or in the lobby, playing Frogger.

He doesn't make the effort to actually talk to anyone, but he won't immediately bail if you walk up to him, either. ]

Comments

[livlaughlove]

He does look safe in your hands.

[Honestly, Livio doesn't even want to play anymore, just watch. The guilt spiral hurting poor little Frogger would send him into...]

[mooninthewater]

[ Hop hop hop hop hop… Mizuki finishes a level or two before he speaks up again. It's very quiet, but it's there. ]

…You didn't just come in here to play video games, did you, Mister Livio?

[livlaughlove]

Well, no. I haven't been in here before at all. I've been trying to familiarize myself with everything in town.

[mooninthewater]

'M surprised no one's offered to give you a tour. Just be careful if you intend to check out the part of town up north that's all burnt down. The sinkholes up there haven't stopped being an issue yet, and I really don't want you to fall in any of 'em.

[livlaughlove]

That's okay. I try to avoid asking people to hold my hand. But thank you for the warning.

[... While he's here, though.]

How are you holding up?

[mooninthewater]

You don't gotta avoid that with most of us. There's a lot of really good people here who would be happy to help out.

[ There's also a couple who might scoff at Livio, but Mizuki's pretty sure Livio's realized who those people might be thanks to their behavior at the meeting. ]

Hm? I'm doing good. There's actually roughly over thirty levels and I've gotten through a good twenty and some change, so I should be able to get to the end here soon...

[livlaughlove]

It's more a personal preference. [Most of the people around here seem kind enough to do something like that. Livio would still feel guilty.

... Which he kind of feels, pressing, when he can't tell if Mizuki is being genuine or avoidant. But even so...]

Oh. That's good. But I meant more... after you were attacked.

[mooninthewater]

Oh. [ Not avoidant. Just genuinely too focused on video game. ] Mhm. I'm okay. Miss Irene wasn't lookin' to really hurt me or nothin', so it was just a little scratch. It was basically all healed up I left.

[livlaughlove]

[Livio stares hard at Mizuki for a moment. Maybe this is a little harsh, but he needs to be aware if he's in real danger, and Livio knows the body language of a fight. Irene may not have been going for anything vital, but a scratch it was not.]

She was trying to impale you, Mizuki.

[mooninthewater]

She… [ … Mizuki slumps a bit, but manages to click along at his game just fine.

Until he slips up and jumps into the water while his fingers move just a little too fast and his thoughts are just a little distracted. A pause. He sets the controller in his lap. ] She was upset. It’s my fault, I… I was careless.

She isn’t a bad person or anything like that. I don’t think she ever had any real intention of killing me or anything like that, so it’s alright.

[livlaughlove]

[Maybe Livio's five minutes of moral crisis on No Man's Land have made him... just a little self-righteous. He can't help but scoff at that sentiment.]

If she had good intentions, she should have just spoken to you instead of all but calling to have you tossed to the forest fucker.

[mooninthewater]

Please don’t say that, Mister Livio. Her intentions may not have been totally good, but her country and my kin have been at war for a very, very long time. She only sees Us as m-mon… [ … ] -savage beasts because that’s all she’s ever gotten the chance to see.

From her point of view, I lied about one of the worst things I could have.

[livlaughlove]

[Livio catches that Mizuki doesn't seem comfortable using the word "monster." Makes a note not to use it around Mizuki, himself.]

It sounds like you had to lie just to protect yourself, if that was always going to be her reaction.

It's... noble of you to defend her, but you won't change my opinion. I formed that based on her own actions.

[mooninthewater]

Mister Livio… [ He adjusts himself a bit to try to give him a hug the best he can from how he's sitting. ] I appreciate it. Honestly, I do. But things back from my home aren't so… simple. I don't quite get it, but… I know there's a lotta good people that just got dealt real bad hands.

[livlaughlove]

[Okay. So Mizuki knows that a hug will deflate any irritation Livio harbors like hot air from a balloon.]

... I'm sorry if I'm being harsh. I just think that if someone is actually good, they can at least attempt to see past their own bias.

[mooninthewater]

…People can make mistakes, too. Sometimes they'll do something wrong and realize it later.

I'd like to give her that chance, too. [ lol. lmao. ] Thank you, though, for caring so much about me. You don't even know me that well, ehe… You're a good person, Mister Livio.

[livlaughlove]

Eh... [He sure as hell looks... uncomfortable, to say the least, after that last part.]

That's your decision, and you won't find me getting in your way. I just hope you make sure to look after yourself.

[mooninthewater]

I’m a lot tougher than I look, promise. I’m not the sort to go seeking danger out or anything, either, so… I’ll be okay. Don’t misplace your worry on me like that.

[ Casually gonna bonk his head against the tall cowboy. ]

You have to do the same, okay?

[livlaughlove]

It isn't just about how much your body can take.

[What does he do. Does he... pat Mizuki's head? If not, this is about to get real awkward, because he very much does -- ]

... I'll try, okay?

[mooninthewater]

[ On the one hand, he's very excited about headpats. He lets Livio go after, of course, but he's smiling ear to ear at him.

On the other hand, what's this about his body??? ]

...? What do you mean?

[livlaughlove]

[Cute... Stop that. Liv is trying to be serious, not fawn over Mizuki like a kitten.]

I mean, whether it's a papercut or a gunshot, one little insult or someone tearing you down... it's all pain. And the more of it you can avoid, the better. [The happier Livio will be about it, he means, but he doesn't say in such clear words.]

[mooninthewater]

Ah, well, I... I can't exactly control how people treat me. The only thing I can do is be kind to them and hope I get the same courtesy. But, really, it's alright if they don't. It's impossible to be friends with everyone, right? As hard as I might try, there's just some people who aren't receptive to that sort of stuff...

But, it's alright. I'm fine, really. It's not easy to get under my skin. I'm never really alone, after all, and that certainly helps.

[livlaughlove]

No, not necessarily. But you can control how vulnerable you let yourself be around them.

... Like I said. I won't tell you what to do. I just want you to be safe.

[mooninthewater]

[ …Livio is really too kind. It's only fair Mizuki listens to him, right? He doesn't want to upset him. Be safe is easy enough.

He can simply fix anyone who's mean to him, then.

He picks his game back up to restart the level, attention turning back to the little frog with a soft hum. ] I will be, Mister Livio. Don't worry~.