blueser | IC CONTACT

[Killua's expression flattens, his eyes searching Blue's face, noting his posture...]

Huh??

What do you mean?

[bed??? sitting duck?? why does Blue's anger feel weird. Killua just looks confused, now.]

What were you doing in his house? What happened?

[For whatever reason, Blue turns red.]

[The question has an explanation that’s too long and too complicated, so a dismissive half-truth comes instead.] Laughing at him. He looks pathetic laid up like that, so much for Big Bad Guzma, hmph!

[And with that out of the way, he tries to escape the topic.] ...but I don’t wanna be there anymore. He pisses me off. Let’s hang out instead.

[It’s obvious there’s a lot of missing pieces in this story, but it’s also obvious that Blue is dodging. It’s up to Killua whether to let him get away with it or not.]

[Killua stares at Blue's red cheeks for a second, then blinks back up to meet his eyes as he explains.

he decides he doesn't know Blue well enough to interrogate, even though he'd definitely like to know what the fuck is happening, but he's definitely going to keep it in mind....]

—Guzma?

[........Killua's gone a month without even knowing this dude's name.

but Killua finally feels like there's enough adequate implications to grasp on. he's too distracted to react to Blue's proposition, right away.]

He's bed-ridden? I thought you were in trouble! He's kind of dangerous... [what could he have possibly done. he supposes that lazy asshole would just sic a bug on someone making him mad if he were injured, but Blue's got monsters too...either way, Killua supposes, confidently, that Guzma is, above all else, a total asshole. not good company for sensitive people.] You were hanging out with him like that?

Are you the reason why he's bed-ridden, or something?

[??????]

...What? [Blue asks as Killua’s expression draws question marks, then blinks. He didn’t know his name, even? Sheesh.]

[His jaw sets and an uncomfortable look passed over him again. Dangerous, indeed... But telling Killua that he had been in trouble (and he had, hadn’t he?) feels like it would just cause unnecessary trouble. He’d escaped now, right? So he decides not to exactly say anything to that... just yet.]

[Instead he pulls a sour face.] Not hanging out, like I would hang out with a Diglett like him! [The child doth protest]

It wasn’t me. ....I don’t know what happened... and I don’t wanna... [A deeply troubled look passes over Blue’s face once more, the image of the scar fresh in his mind, and he squeezes his eyes shut to shake it away.] —Anyway, I don’t really wanna talk about it.... Since you’re here, I’ll just hang out with you.

[There is definitely, strongly the sense that he doesn’t want to be alone- whether for his safety or otherwise..]

Edited 2019-05-24 20:24 (UTC)

[Killua's expression softens with some concern. not for Guzma, cuz fuck that idiot for real. he's not sure what happened, but Killua decides he doesn't need the details, and he lets it go.]

Sure, okay, [he concedes, adjusting the straps on his backpack. full of, you know, shit he was gonna use to ruin Guzma's life. but it's cool. Blue's right; he doesn't want to get Guzma in his current state... ideally, he shouldn't be home at all. he was gonna just scout and wait.]

What do you wanna do? Go for a walk or something?

Mmm... I guess that's fine. [Not that he had a plan anyway. Blue forces himself to relax and stretches his arms behind his head, glancing a little hesitantly about the forest.]

[He'd been out here long enough now that he knew it pretty well...] Wanna hang out by the lake? You can meet my Pokémon. They're way cooler than his puny bugs. [Sorry Golisopod!!]

[Killua doesn't have the heart to tell Blue he doesn't give a fuck about Pokémon, of animals in general, really. maybe when Blue's in better spirits and can afford to get into a friendly spat with Killua.]

Okay. The lake sounds nice.

Also... anything's better than his bugs. [Killua scowls a little.] I really don't like bugs. Never have, but there's also kind of a negative association with them, for me.

Fitting for a trainer like that creep to have Pokémon like that.

[hey look at that, Killua's starting to adapt the correct vernacular.]

[Wow wow wowwww!!!! Clearly they can't be friends anymore!!]

Huh, really...? [Blue's not really in the mood to make a big deal of it, or tease about it, but plenty of people back home didn't like Bug types either. He never really minded them.]

[In a weak attempt at solidarity, he adds] I uh. I don't really like Ghost types... --I mean, I'm not scared of them or anything!! [He says that a little too quickly.] It's just I don't have a good experience with them, either.

[After a beat, mostly strolling through the woods in awkward silence, he nervously laughs.] I guess it's a trainer's fault if their Pokémon turn out bad, huh. His Pokémon are surprisingly well-trained for someone like him.......

Ghost—?

[from the look on Killua's face, he Does Not Like That. back home, he doesn't really believe in ghosts.... but also somehow, is kind of scared of them anyway. he hates the idea of that.]

Oh, are they...? I mean, I don't really know about stuff like that, [Killua concedes, shoving his hands in his pockets.] If they're like regular animals, that's probably true. It's not the Pokémon's fault, in Guzma's case.

[Killua's expression suddenly snaps into something irritable, just thinking about it.]

Tch, it's like that dude was tailor made to specifically piss me off...

[Blue chews on it for a minute, like he's deciding whether to explain. Ah, whatever, not like they were home anyway--] There's this old granny in the League that was my gramps' rival, back in the day, a Ghost-type specialist... I guess she was mad he quit training or something, but her Pokémon always used to tease me when the League would visit gramps' lab, hmph.

[Stupid Agatha!! He was so glad when he managed to send her sneaky little Gengar packing at Indigo Plateau.]

[He feels a little relieved when Killua agrees with him. Golisopod was a good boy, after all... Well, he didn't know the other ones well enough to say about them, yet, but in battle they were pretty impressive. Not that he'd ever let Guzma know that.]

Haha, right...... [And speaking of, Blue's thoughts on Guzma, by this point, were.... confused. He didn't know what to say to that- as much as he wants to flat out agree, after Guzma just grabbed him and cornered him about his injuries like that.]

[And yet, he'd come and pushed him to get out of the storm, and had talked to him, and listened... Just what was his deal, anyway??]

Whatever, let's not talk about that loser. What're you up to, other than laxatives?

[Killua's eyes widen and he chokes on a little laugh. he recovers, smiling a little.]

Nothing, really. Training, I guess. [Killua won't mention anything as sentimental as the fact that he's been making a lot of friends with his new found free time...] Been thinking about picking up some work and move out of the new arrrival's complex—I think I'm finally over the emotional adjustment of showing up here, so I'm looking to keep myself busy, now.

[mostly, anyway.]

[Emotional adjustment?? What's that] Training, huh. Me too. [With his Pokémon, of course- he was still sore about his losses here, and no way he was going to lose again. Not to that stupid smug Champion, and definitely not to Bug Boy. Stupid cheating magic rocks or no!!]

[Blue looks thoughtful at his mention of moving out and finding work, and a little troubled. Way ahead of what he'd gotten to.] O-oh, yeah? ...Where were you thinking you'd go?

[No reason!! He just.... has nowhere...]

I dunno! Anywhere that'll let a 14 year old hold a lease, I guess, [Killua says with a dry, wry smile, and he laughs darkly.]

I'm sure I can convince them if they don't want to... They've gotta make exceptions for people from different worlds. Not like my mom and dad are here to sign for me. Ha!

Y-yeah, that's true... [Blue quirks a nervous grin.] Everyone kept talking like it should be easy, so I guess if you tell them you're an Otherworlder they're supposed to let you lease just fine.

[Blue fidgets, plucking at a leaf that had dropped on his shoulder from the trees overhead. The sound of rushing streams is getting louder as they near the lake and the streams that feed from it.] Um, you thinking of living alone, then...?

[there's a pause. Killua's eyes are downcast, a moment. there's something he's been putting off confronting, but...]

I guess.

To be honest, I don't like living alone.

[it's embarrassing to admit, but he lived with Gon for years. then Alluka. despite being what he interprets as such a cold, broken person, he's so reliant on social bonds.]

[Blue's eyes widen a little, taken aback by Killua's change in demeanor. His mouth twists and he looks away, not wanting to make him even more self conscious, so for a moment.]

[Was he lonely? ...More than anything else, that makes Blue's heart ache. He hated being alone too, no matter how long he'd had to get 'used' to it, forced it even. Then again, maybe this was an opportunity, right?]

Well....... Everyone keeps bugging me to get someplace, too.... But I didn't like the idea, since my Pokémon need so much space to move around...

[He hesitates, and his face pinks a little, so he stays with his face turned away slightly.] But, I dunno. Maybe the places on the edge of town are cheaper to rent and a better spot, r-right? If you don't mind a spot like that, maybe you and I could...

[He trails off, peeking back towards Killua.]

[Killua watches Blue through the corner of his eye as he wanders through his sentiments...

then lifts his head, blinking his wide eyes. his heart thuds heavily, face reddening in turn, just a bit. it’s flustering enough so many people have been so forward about wanting to be his friend, but to offer to room with Killua? he knows it’s partially to Blue’s own benefit, but he can’t help but be a little touched.

it’s wild. people actually, really, truthfully like him.]

Yeah, [Killua answers after a beat.] That... that sounds good.

Edited 2019-05-25 19:55 (UTC)

Ah.... Oh. Really??

[Blue, flustered, didn't actually expect him to accept, and glances back over with his face still red. There's an awkward moment where they both just stare at each other wide-eyed and embarrassed before he breaks it and looks down, the grass suddenly much more interesting.]

....Ah, I still haven't figured out what kind of work I can do around here, though... [Quick, make the subject less awkward.] What were you thinking of?

[wow. yes. Killua is grateful for the change in subject.]

Really? With your monsters, I think you could do lots of stuff...

I dunno, I have a pretty versatile skill set. I could do most stuff... I just gotta stop being so picky. The easiest would be hunting.

[For a moment Blue frowns, and thinks about that. It was true Pokémon were used to help in all kinds of jobs back home, but usually a Pokémon adapted to their trainer's employment... Or someone caught a Pokémon because there was a kind of camaraderie in their skills, like a construction worker with a Rock type. Blue's team was all over the place; he had caught them for the wide range of uses they would have on his team and in the field, but 'in the field' he'd never had anything more than survivalist and camping in mind.]

[Not to mention, he didn't even know what his own interests were... Everything he'd ever done, he'd done because he was expected to...]

[Blue jolts out of his own thinking with a slightly horrified expression that he can't really hide.] H-hunting..!? You mean with that awful Beastmaster Guild!? [Blue stops, and clamps both hands on Killua's shoulders.] --Why!? They're the worst!

Edited 2019-05-25 20:45 (UTC)

Huh?

[Killua turns with a confused expression, then jumps, startled when Blue grasps his shoulders.]

B-Blue? What? What's the problem!?

[it's really easy money..............]

[Blue frowns, and he jerks his arms back again, suddenly very self aware of his grabbiness. He rubs his own arm instead, glancing away.]

That Guild or whatever.... They put tasks up— bounties, to hunt certain monsters... When I first arrived I didn’t realize they were to kill the monsters, I thought it was just catching and relocating or catching live specimens for study, something like that, you know?

But it’s— they want them dead... why would anyone kill a creature that’s just tryna’ live in its own territory!? It’s not right! So don’t.... don’t help those weirdos out, okay...?

...Huh?

[the corner of Killua's mouth twitches. in his opinion, all Pokémon trainers are wimps. Guzma couldn't even fight Killua using his own body, but talked about how tough he was, taking credit for the strength of his creatures. makes sense someone like Blue, then, would cry about the lives of animals... someone tender hearted, possibly unlike Guzma.

it's annoying, but a point of view he can't discount, even if he doesn't personally agree. murder is so trivial to him, but Killua of course realizes that isn't normal. and lots of kind, normal people here legitimately like him... Blue just offered to live with him!]

Sheesh, okay. [he'll ask Blue more about this on a day he's a little less...already super upset, but, maybe that guild has their reasons?] Only because I'm gonna be living with you...

Like I said, I'm talented enough for other jobs.

[Killua gently bats at one of the fluffy spikes of Blue's bangs, momentarily flopping it.]

In exchange, though, you better figure out what kinda work you can do. What're you good at?

[Normally, Blue gets a little annoyed when people touched his hair, but... Something about the little bat that Killua delivers...]

[It makes his stomach flip a little.]

Uh-- [Blue stammers for a second as he stares, but quickly he recovers and tries to think on that question. What he's good at... Other than Pokémon...] Well... I'm used to helping my gramps with his research, so... I guess I could help out someone in an office or a lab, like that. But usually you have to be an adult for that kinda thing- it was just cuz I was his family that I could help with that.

[Blue's mouth twists. What else? Well...] ...I'm okay at cooking...?

Tch!

[Killua looks annoyed, popping his hands on his hips as they walk, fixing Blue a stern, nagging scowl.]

Stop giving yourself so little credit cuz you're a kid! We're exceptional kids from different worlds, you know! The kids here are probably all weak and stupid.

Administrative stuff is a real skill. You could probably help with local fauna or something. Maybe help rehab wild animals, or train them for whatever local people want 'em for.

I can beat up men three times my size, and I can't even cook.

You should have more confidence.

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