[OPEN] lays in the river while caramelldansen plays in the background

[simplicitas]

Who: Elsword & You!
What: Fishing! Camping! Depression—
When: End of September
Where: The river & surrounding forest
Warnings: None yet


I. Fishing

[Elsword has had kind of a bad day, but that's okay, because therapy can be done by fishing. If he looks upset at all no he doesn't, he doesn't want to talk about it. How could anyone look upset when they're in the MILF shirt anyway, am I right? Anyway he's fine (he's not fine) he's fishing his teen boy angst away. So it's all good. He's good. Like a true fisherman, Elsword is knee-deep in the river with the rod cast far out in the distance, the bobber almost reaching the black fog wall, and he's quite focused on the task at hand. He doesn't notice you as he's reeling in the line, pulling in what looks like an oversized carp... and overestimating how hard he needs to pull the line, apparently, because the fish goes flying out of the water and smacks right into you.

Hi! Good afternoon! He's so sorry—]

II. Camping

[Late at night, Elsword is on the southmost side of the river with a camping tent set up. The reason why he's sleeping out here is because going back home right now is too awkward for him to stomach, but he won't say that if asked. Actually, he really does like camping, it's just he hasn't done it here in light of the whole dangerous-forest-thing. That's the excuse he gives. More of a half-truth than anything.

There are only a few lights in the darkness out here, one of which is a small lantern set up nearby, another a little campfire, and the last being Elsword's halo.]

Were you going to stay out here with me all night, or are you heading back soon?

[He asks, while he's roasting marshmallows over the fire — s'mores are a classic treat, can't go wrong with comfort junk food.]

III. Foraging

[The morning after sleeping outside like the feral child he is at heart, Elsword takes to looking for mushrooms. He has one of those little survival books he got from the Shopkeeper, the ones that tell you not to eat or touch certain plants and outline local fauna. The issue is, there are no animals other than fish out here, and the guide isn't updated to include all the new fish species... but it does contain information on mushrooms. And that's what matters.

Elsword told you "hey let's go look for mushrooms to eat" and he's assuming you know which ones to not just shove in your mouth like an animal. But just in case—]

Don't eat those ones. [Whether you're about to pick them up or just happened to look to your right.] That's an amanita. A death-cap. It'll kill you.

[If it wasn't obvious by the name.]

Comments

[harmacy]

[As usual, Elsword's explanation is based entirely on vague, subjective opinions. It's all "love" but it's somehow different, despite not being able to give a clear example of how it's different. And then comparing this "love" to science and Dynamo like that isn't what confused him in the first place...

He sighs, giving up on the first half... well, he can at least try the second suggestion. Can he imagine himself doing more of... those kinds of things with Elsword?

kissing... dates... sleeping together, in the same bed...]

...

M...maybe we should... take it slow. [god. and to think he was okay with sharing a bed, back when this wasn't so weird. might be thinking about his hands all over Elsword's back muscles again.] The kissing is... I mean, it's fine, but if people are watching— ugh, this is going to make the rumours worse, isn't it? What am I supposed to say if people ask...

[head in hands, having a crisis... he's not ready for marriage what if people call them a cute couple he can't handle this]

[simplicitas]

[Listen Add you are not friends with Elsword for his intellect or his ability to explain things in a clear-cut way that doesn't involve word-vomiting for five minutes. That is not why you keep your pet himbo angel around.

Anyway.]

I'm not going to kiss you in public, don't worry. [oh but shoving fingers in mouths is okay got it] Those kinds of things are private. But we'll take it as slow as you want, okay?

...

And are they really rumours if we both agree we're actually dating? [Oh no wait he voiced it, now he's the flustered one, oh no—] I mean— if you want to be. If you want to have a title attached to it. You don't have to if you don't want to.

[harmacy]

Of course there are rumours, you were there when everyone started speculating about our dating status! [and since that dreadful meeting he's heard it again from Mizuki, and then Irene... clearly this is all everyone else has been talking about.] Ugh, if anyone catches wind they're going to start making even more assumptions... dating life, then sex life, soon we won't be able to go anywhere together without questions being asked... my reputation as a doctor will be brought into question...

[????????? it's probably not that bad, actually, but good luck explaining it to Add... give him a minute to wear himself down]

[simplicitas]

Yeah, but rumours aren't rumours if they're true! Rumours are supposed to be fake stuff. And if anyone gets too invasive, we just tell them "no" and make them go away.

...I mean, BB might be a bit annoying about it, since she's— [threatened to top Add and he's mad about it still] —like that, but everyone else will probably take "no" for an answer, and Irene can just levitate BB again. Problem solved.

[Elsword chooses not to comment on "sex life" at this juncture thanks.]

[harmacy]

Rumours are still rumours if they're true, it's the difference between certainty and speculation, not truth and lies! Denial will only make them more suspicious, if we deny it and we're already this obvious when nothing has even occurred then they're going to make even wilder assumptions based on our denial!

If we throw them off by making a statement... no, if we just act like it was this way all along... it's risky, but the chance of backfiring is lower than if we keep quiet. They'll believe they've won so they won't suspect further deception...

[... trailing off into mumbles, lost in his own little world like usual.

but after only half a minute or so he sits up and claps his hands firmly, a grave expression on his face.]

It's the best option we have. We... need to adapt to the situation.

If anyone asks, we're... [DON'T say experimenting] w-we're trying something new, by broadening the definition of our relationship... I guess that's the same as saying we're... dating? But don't use the word dating. That's too... it has too many implications... would it be more suspicious to avoid the term...?

i rolled a 7,

[simplicitas]

What are you talking about? They're our friends, so they're not going to go around gossiping about us. And I already told a whole room of people I had feelings for you anyway after Mizuki asked!

[—er.

Scratch that, anyway, moving on—]

I'm pretty sure Chung already overheard us the other night anyway— [stop talking] —since— uh—

W-well, you were there, you know.

im not even rolling for this he deserves the fail

[harmacy]

You told everyone?!

Before you even told me?!

[a

add that's how this normally works]

[simplicitas]

Did you want me to just walk up to you and say, "Hey Add, I know you don't want to date anyone but I have feelings for you I think, can we kiss?" Why would I do that?! I was still thinking about it at the time myself, and I didn't want to tell you I loved you because I didn't know what love felt like either until recently! I didn't want to hurt your feelings in case that wasn't true!

[harmacy]

So you couldn't just tell me, but it was perfect fine to kiss me unprompted at three AM, put your hands down my pants and start engaging in manual stimulation?! You could've given me at least a little warning in advance! I was recovering from a traumatic experience and you sprung all this on me, what if it had hurt my feelings?!

[simplicitas]

Wha—

[Hold on a second. Hold on a second—!!!]

The blame is shared! You were wearing my shirt and nothing else! Maybe don't have your bare thighs out in my room like that if you don't want me to have a whole moment about how hot you look! Is "manual stimulation" what you're calling me getting you off now? You were the one who wanted my hands on your ass!

[harmacy]

What are you, a brainless animal thriving off base instinct alone?! You're the one who insisted I change into something, and you didn't provide any pants, so what else were you expecting?! We've been naked around each other before, why would I think my undergarments would cause such a huge problem?! My bare thighs were entirely your machinations!

[no comment on the hands on his ass he's got nothing]

[simplicitas]

Me giving you my shirt does not mean you had to take your pants off! It's the fact that you were wearing my shirt and nothing else that was making my head spin!

If you weren't so goddamn attractive, we wouldn't be here!

[what]

[harmacy]

H-how is that— you were asking about my facial scarring when you lost it, how is that even remotely attractive? Are you into that kind of thing?! Or were you just staring lustfully at my thighs the entire time like I'm a piece of meat?!

[simplicitas]

Have you ever considered that maybe I think you're hot with or without the facial scars?!

[what are we even mad about at this point, guys]

Maybe I like when you show some actual vulnerability for once! Maybe I like comforting you because I know you don't like your scars and I wanted to help you feel better! And yeah, maybe I also like the rest of you, too, and maybe I was ogling a bit! It may or may not be because I'm in love with you, stupid!

[harmacy]

Hh— h— [hhhhhhhot????????????????????? ?????? ?? ?????]

You... are being utterly ridiculous right now!! Of course I make an effort to look good, but it's not like— you're not— have you even showered in the past three days?! You're not even trying, and it's completely unfair! How am I supposed to think I can compete with that?! You could be buried up to your neck in a compost heap and you'd still find some way to make yourself look appealing!!

[simplicitas]

You started it! You were ridiculous first! You and your stupid pretty long hair!! And your nice legs! And your stupid cute smile!

[HUFFS.]

[harmacy]

I started it? What about you, taking off your shirt and flexing in the middle of my room?! Did you forget about that little incident, like you weren't running your hands through my hair all night? You were ogling me then, too, weren't you?!

[simplicitas]

You ASKED me to do that! You kept telling me to keep flexing! You were running a fever—

[...wait.]

—you were the one ogling me first! Wait!! Wait a minute—!

[harmacy]

You SEDUCED me!

[simplicitas]

[...

..................

Just surges forward. Grabs Add's face in both hands.

Crashes their lips together.]

[harmacy]

[somehow he did not expect this to be how this conversation would end

but also, he is. completely into this.

fuck

hands in his hair, this makeout session is NOT over until HE says so—]

🎀

[simplicitas]

["Take it slow" they are not doing that, this is fine, they can make out by the river (viciously) for a bit before packing up and going home.

No one heard that argument, definitely. They're fine. Still no idea if they're going to say they're dating or not but they're fine now.]