idealism | Fuda # 2 (Dial 1 to deny everything, dial 2 to dig yourself deeper.)

It's fine to talk here.

You're used to these things happening for weeks at a time?

They very rarely go longer than one. But yes, usually they come once per month.

If they pass by themselves, then I won't fret too much.

This is hardly as damaging as some of the others. There was a period where nobody could resist following commands. It could have gone worse than it was...

I don't know, this could be damaging in other ways. So they were like soldiers? Or slaves?

Both. Neither. It was just this feeling that you had to do what you were told. There wasn't any reason behind it. Not that there's a lot of reason behind most things.

[He drops his eyes after that, partly to keep from having to watch that stupid bubble over Tsuzuki's head feel sorry for him.]

So it mind-controlled people, or put compulsions in everyone's heads. How strange.
[Tsuzuki has a visceral reaction to that sentence. Disbelief and denial, mixed with a heavy dose of warm understanding. No pity, though. It's just that he's used to Hisoka being the strong one that the insecurity took him by surprise.]

[He places a finger beneath Hisoka's chin, as if he wants to lift it up.] You are, though.

[He hesitates to continue the spoken conversation, mostly because he's finding it difficult to focus on that thread under his own angst and Tsuzuki's emotion; normally, this would be when he closed off and threw a book at something. He looks up at the pressure from Tsuzuki's hand.] ...Shut up.

[The hand that lifted Hisoka's chin moved slightly upwards. Tsuzuki strokes his knuckles against his cheek, carefully. There are ways to distract you from your angst that doesn't involve words, you know.]

[Hisoka doesn't shove the hand away. Project:distraction has been a complete success.]

[\o/ And Tsuzuki got to show affection, so everybody wins.]

[Whatever the end of Tsuzuki's thought is, Hisoka doesn't watch, instead watching Tsuzuki's eyes intently, wishing to feel his answer in the conventional way without the weird psychic reverb that came from the bubbles.]

[The bubbles are more like training wheels for those of us that aren't empaths. Tsuzuki holds Hisoka's gaze, and feels like a hidden tension in his chest is finally unwinding. ...It is probably a good thing he doesn't see the bubbles, since Tsuzuki can't control his thought processes properly anymore.]

[After some hesitation, he offers a small smile, more of a mouth twitch than anything else. He's trying, at least.]

[Well, Tsuzuki didn't really expect anything in return because he knows how hard feelings are for Hisoka. And he's not going to touch without permission. :|]

[Leans forward until their foreheads almost touch, then straightens again. It was an almost-caress. And he's still smiling a little.]

[And Tsuzuki just realizes that might not have been the best thing to say.]

Are you all right? You look a little pale.

[Hisoka appreciates this. And considering how touching brings up Muraki-flavored memories more often than not, it's really in Tsuzuki's own best interest to keep his hands to himself for a the duration of this event.] I'm fine. -- This kitchen's filthy, though. [Because clearly the best way to handle what just happened is to pretend that nothing out of the ordinary occurred.]

[Actually, he was already waiting for permission before touching him again now. He has a few Muraki-flavored memories himself, after all.]

[Denial and alcohol is Tsuzuki's weapon of choice, but since there's no alcohol...Ignoring it for a while is totally okay.] Do you want to help me clean it? That way we'll get it done faster.

[Oh there's plenty of alcohol in the village. Two bars, in fact.] I'll probably have to help you anyway. Knowing you, you'll get bored and wander away if left unsupervised.

[Tsuzuki does not know this, but just you wait.] Hey! I only did that once.

[Oh dear.] Because I've been there to supervise every time since.

[Shark-intro music. Poor, unsuspecting drink.] Are you sure I can't bribe you so we can get out of here? [And while he says this, he goes and gets the broom and sponges. Clearly, his mouth is not connected to his brain.]

[Hisoka hopes Tsuzuki doesn't expect him to mop up after his drunken antics.] Bribe me with what?

[He rather expects Hisoka to talk loudly while he's hungover, then get him some painkillers.]

I was going to say, I'm open to suggestions. I don't think you really liked the pie you had earlier.

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