IC CONTACT

[blueser]

"Hello... Whatever... Don't worry about me. I'm doing peachy over here! I was just looking for something to do! Wanna battle me again?"

[telepathy | Pidgeot-mail]

Comments

action; backdated to mid-August

[blueser]

[After Pidgeot hauled back home the several dozen macarons that Marinette had set aside for him, Blue decided that it would be a nice surprise for Killua to just come home to on his own time. He'd gone out earlier in the midday, with Blue having still been out from the morning's training when he'd gone and come back in the meantime, but he isn't quite sure what Killua had planned for today..... Well, whatever! He'd come back eventually.]

[Until then, Blue sits at the kitchen island and reads, the several bags of macarons covering the table and counters. The scent of all the crispy wafer cookies is filling the kitchen and soon the apartment with a gently sweet smell, tinged with notes of almond and cream.]

[trypanophobic]

[Killua is ...well, up to no good, but the good news is that it's for money, so it's okay.

suffice to say, it's because of that that Killua has a little bit of a pep in his step, feeling satisfied from his time spent doing recreational, occupational crime. his bag has in it a canteen, a towel, and some bandages faintly smeared with old blood, the ones that Killua uses to wrap his fists to soften the blows on his opponents. Killua himself is merely scuffed up, in a way that's...frequent enough, even prior to these engagements—especially since Gon's arrival, the two of them always getting into reckless trouble, falling from heights, things like that. without Alluka around, reunited with Gon, it seems Killua's often eager to get in trouble.

he swings the door open after he unlocks it, smiling when he sees Blue's chilling in the kitchen. he and Gon have plans for the evening, but he has time to kill—so he's pleased to find Blue.]

Hey! Sup?

[Killua slings his bag off his shoulder, peering curiously at Blue.]

What smells so good??

[blueser]

[Blue hears the apartment door open, and then the lack of footsteps.... Right away, he knows it's Killua, and brightens into a grin as the other boy rounds the corner.]

Yo, [He starts, then glances to Killua's scuffed-up appearance with a bit of a frown. He was growing ....more used to it, but he still had a lot of questions he wasn't sure he wanted answered about whatever it was that Killua came home from so frequently, banged up and cheerful.]

[Oh well. He sets his thoughts aside for a moment, waving a hand over the bags on the table.] Some girl on the network was giving these cookies away and you were the only person I could think of that wouldn't barf after eating so many sweets. [Blue grins toothily] Think you can eat 'em all?

[He says it like he was doing a favor, but.... Blue was the one who pushed so hard to take so many of them. He may have had an ulterior motive, in hoping his friend would be happy with this....]

[trypanophobic]

[Killua's expression shifts from jovial, to curious, to... surprised, maybe sort of distracted, as he stares at the bags of macarons.

Killua's heart twists, his face flushing as he glances from the bags to Blue.]

H-huh?

[his heart races, a little. it's the same sort of embarrassment he feels from earnest compliments from people he loves, and it makes Killua feel a little strangled. he straightens up, though, reigning himself in. something about it, Blue thinking of him... even if he's kind of negging, just—]

I mean, obviously I can. But not in like, one sitting, if that's what you mean...

[Killua drops his bag by a stool, swinging his weight into one of them as he hoists himself on his elbows over the counter, peering at the bags again. and, once again, he glances back at Blue, pursing his lips, too flustered to thank his friend, even though he feels he should. Killua's face is still pink.]

...You don't like them?

[not that he expects Blue could eat so many, but he wonders if he'd eat any at all. he wasn't big on sweets, just like Gon... but...

it'd be nice to share... maybe.]

[blueser]

Haha, really!? I had a bet with her that you could. Guess I overestimated you.

[Blue raises his brows in an obvious, teasing show, and watches as Killua joins him. He reaches into one of the bags, unwrapping a foil-wrapped macaron, and turns it over in his hand- crisp, with a delicate wave of cream pressed in the middle. This one is orange, and the light scent of orange-cream wafts from it.]

I like sweets fine here and there I guess, but no one likes sweets like you do.... [Blue teases, resting his chin in hand as he takes a tiny bite out of the one he's holding. He seems to consider the taste, then munches the rest slowly. He liked it fine! But he could probably only have one...] You're like a spoiled Wigglytuff. Come on, you have one!

[He pushes the rest of the first bag towards him- inside was an assortment, pinks and different shades of browns, light delicate greens and deeper red colors. Each one seems to be a different flavor, each with a different cream piped inside of it.] You ever had one'a these things? I forget what they were called.... ma-something.

[trypanophobic]

Macarons, [Killua mumbles, scooting the bag towards himself after Blue pushes it towards him. he plucks one of the minty colored ones, inspecting it. he smiles a little at Blue.]

I've definitely had them before. They're one of Alluka's favorites.

I wonder if it's a Zoldyck thing, having a sweet tooth. But it's hard to tell with her, since she only just turned 12...

[Killua had loved sweets even more, when he was younger than even that. more than even a kid should... but he just never really outgrew that. Illumi had a palette for refinery; sweets wasn't his thing, but it was something he enjoyed. Killua doesn't know it, but his indulgence in that craving is more pursued in alcohols.

Killua, unlike Blue's experimental, dainty first bite, basically bites the thing in half. it seems by the look on his face that Killua likes the taste of it as he chews.]

[blueser]

Eh, really? I think they're popular with super girly types. My sis sometimes brought them from the department store with her fancy tea, but I never paid attention to them.

Guess sweets really are a girl thing....

[He grins again, shittily, but there's fondness in it too. Killua's unbelievable sweet tooth had always been a source of amusement for Blue- not only because it had tipped Blue off to his nature in combat, but because it was so childish. But that was really cute to Blue, too..... That super casual side of Killua that Blue gelled with so well, trouble-making and immature, just seeking casual fun wherever.]

[He watches Killua munch down half the cookie, and takes another little bite from the corner of his own cookie, feeling the melt of the crumbling wafer on his tongue.] So, whatcha think? These pass your high-end standards? I think she said her parents run a bakery or something.

[trypanophobic]

[Killua's with Blue's musings, until—his expression flattens with unamusement, chucking his half eaten macaron at Blue's head.]

Hey.

[he fetches another, this time a brown one—Killua seems to have affinity for chocolate, cream and strawberry—and takes another bite, munching thoughtfully as he leans on his palm.]

Yeah, these are actually really good. Did she make them, or something?

[if she was on the network, it meant her parents probably weren't here, after all...]

[blueser]

H-Hey!!

[Blue laughs, bringing his hands up just in time to barely deflect the crumbly cookie, which falls somewhere on the kitchen floor. Eevee, who had been hiding under a counter somewhere, quickly scurries out of hiding to snatch it. Take that, bitch.]

...Yeah, I guess she was homesick or something. [Blue frowns for a slight second, then fixes his expression back to neutral.] Actually, she was saying she's more into clothes and stuff like that. Um, making them. So I guess she just does this as a hobby cuz of her parents....

Heheh, I was talking to her about getting roped into family businesses. Hers sounds more rewarding than getting stuck with field research, though.

[.... Uh, but maybe better than... Some other family businesses.... Blue kindly doesn't mention. Hm, let's change the subject.] So if you've had these before, is there a flavor you like?

[trypanophobic]

Clothes?

[Killua's eyes widen, eyebrows raising, suddenly seeming much more interested.]

—Oh, ah. I was surprised I liked some lavender ones I had, once. Those are Alluka's favorite. Chocolate macarons usually aren't as flavorful as I want them to be... Mint is okay. I think strawberry's probably my favorite?

[Killua glances at his cookie, pondering it, before he pops it in his mouth to finish it. he should probably be eating something healthier after fighting, but those bitches weren't shit, and he didn't expend as much energy as he normally even does when he trains alone. he fishes around for a pink one...]

[blueser]

Um, yeah, you know... Like fashion and stuff. She was talking about like, opening a store... I told her it'd be a good idea! You know, cuz all the clothes around here are so boring and weird. [Blue gestures with his hand, tiredly- he and Killua had spent many a shopping day in the city, loudly complaining in the clothes shops about the selection, to many stink-eyes of the shop owners.]

You'd be into that kind of thing, right? I told her lotsa people would.

Huh, strawberry...? I wonder what that it. [Blue tilts his head. There were so many berries he wasn't familiar with, in this world.] Mint sounds like it would be kinda weird, but then again... I guess it's cream, right? Mint cream is okay.

[Blue watches him rummage, peeking into the other bags as well.] Are there any like, savory or spicy flavors? The ones she said sounded kinda normal. Oh, and that they all got some kind of nuts in them.

[trypanophobic]

I would!! Tell her I wanna help. I try to make what this place has work, and it... kinda does, but it's so not my style. Ugh. I hate it.

What's her name?

[when Killua finds his Desired Cookie, he offers it to Blue.]

Your world has different names for fruit... Maybe you'll recognize the taste? [or maybe there's straight up nothing that tastes quite like a strawberry in his world, which would blow Killua's mind completely apart.]

Oh... yeah. Almonds, I think. Maybe that's why I'm not so into them. I don't like nuts and stuff, I prefer fruit and cream. Whenever Gon likes any kind of sweet thing, he seems to like dried stone fruit and nuts and stuff like that... Kinda more his thing than mine.

[blueser]

I guess she was saying that she hadn't thought of opening a shop cuz... It's like, expensive, you know? And she didn't know if people would care. But I think I convinced her people would be into it, so maybe people'll make an investment?

Oh, um. Mari... something.... [Blue trails off, taking the cookie from Killua and thinking on it for a second.] --Oh! Marinette!

[He takes a suspicious bite, and chews thoughtfully, trying to place the taste. It was..... hm. There was something familiar about it, but... It was so sweet, he isn't sure that the flavor he's imagining is the same.] Well... Maybe it's similar to something back home, but these taste really sweet, so honestly, that's kinda what I taste. [He laughs, and takes another bite.] It's not bad, though. For one cookie.

[He lids his eyes a little and nods around- pretty sure this kind of super-sweet confection isn't quite the sort of thing forest-boy would like, but....]

[He leans back again, dusting his hands off.] Well. They're all for you, so you better keep your appetite open. [He grins, glancing at the other bags on the kitchen counter.] ...It's a lot.... I figured you'd get through them eventually.

[trypanophobic]

Marinette? I'll try to remember...

[if he could, he'd encourage her if he had the chance...

Killua listens to Blue's review of the strawberry flavor, then just laughs.] It's a really distinct flavor! It's good on cakes and stuff. You've probably seen strawberries all over all kinds of stuff without realizing it.

[when Blue directs his attention to the bags of cookies, teasing him, Killua flushes. his mind spins, trying to decipher this—if it's meant to be a prank, but... Blue doesn't seem to be annoyed at how well received it is. he reaches into the bag, grabbing another, and considers it for a moment.

Blue thought of him. Blue thinks of him? Killua supposes that's normal; he thinks of his friends as well, and Gon does all kinds of weird, thoughtful stuff all the time.

it's just... nice... to have people who care about you, and remember things about you, and think of you, even when you aren't together, or do silly stuff like this. it's nice having friends.

Killua scoffs, munching his new cookie. god. he's probably really stupid, feeling so happy about this.]

Sooner than you think, prolly. I eat more than you probably think I do.

[blueser]

Huh. Really?

[Blue wonders what they look like... He'd had plenty of desserts with strange fruits all over them already- although he can't immediately call to mind one that tasted quite like this.]

[He sits, and just enjoys watching Killua pick through the cookies, find the flavors he likes, and munch. He enjoys talking to him over his snacks, sharing little, stupid, unimportant differences about their worlds, learning about each other.]

[He wants to know so much about Killua- there's so much he doesn't know, so much Killua is too nervous to tell him. And he knows... There are things he doesn't understand, or can't understand- but he wants to try. He wants to understand, and he wants to be understood, too.]

[Blue snaps out of his spacing out and blinks, then smirks.] What, you're saying you eat stuff other than my home cooking? Tch, and I go through all the trouble of finding stuff you'll actually eat! ...Picky...

[trypanophobic]

I'm not that picky, [Killua says rudely around a mouthful of macaron, then laughs a little, pointing at Blue with it.] You just have a low tolerance for my complaining.

[that's right. he knows he's spoiled, and he knows Blue's an enabler! and also, it's funny!]

Besides, Gon cooks too! And I eat out sometimes...

[like after matches...]

Don't you?

[blueser]

Hmph. You shouldn't keep saying that, or I'm gonna stop letting you get away with it. [Blue's eyes lid, mouth twisting, because he's trying to fight back a charmed smile.]

[He shrugs.] Well, yeah, obviously. ...But even if I eat, I gotta feed my team anyway, so it's only natural that I end up just making you food, too........

--Ah! That reminds me. [Blue sits up straight again. For a moment, the way he looks at Killua is a little hesitant, and then he glances away. His cheeks pink a little.]

...Before I ask, the cookies were just coincidence. I wasn't trying to bribe you or anything! ...But, I wanted to ask you a favor.... With my training.

[trypanophobic]

[Killua only believes that because he hopes Blue knows he wouldn't have to bribe Killua for favors. what kind of shitty friend would he be, in that case?

still, the clarification makes Killua lean on his palm as he bounces his eyebrows, eyes half lid as he smiles like an asshole.]

Uh huh, [he says disbelievingly, crossing his legs.

but when Blue gets to his point, Killua's eyes widen, lifting his jaw off his palm.]

—Training?

What is it?

[blueser]

[With Killua's attention caught, Blue folds his hands thoughtfully on the counter, his brows focused, just the barest flex of tension in them.]

Um... That power you have... 'nen' or whatever... You said it's like, the energy that's in living things, right? And you can like, sense it in other things, right?

.....Well, I guess to put it simply, Pokémon have much stronger power than people do, so I was thinking ...I guess my theory is that... that must mean they sort of have that same kinda strong energy, like you said Hunters do.

[Blue glances to Eevee, who is busying himself trying to sneak himself into a bag of cookies and hoping no one notices.] For example... When you look at Eevee, or when he uses a technique, what d'you see? Compared with like, a normal human.

[Eevee freezes up and whips his head towards them, sounding caught-out. Blue smiles limpidly. Hi pal.]

[trypanophobic]

[Killua gazes at Eevee with a tired look. did he really think no one would notice??

he glances back at Blue, eyes stuck on Eevee by their corners for a moment.]

Eevee...?

I guess you're right; I see an aura around him, like I do everyone. But seeing that aura at all means something, I guess—it's not like plants have that.

Though, now that you mention it, I don't think I've seen him ever do anything unusual. Headbutts, tackles...

[blueser]

Huh.

Oh...

[Blue stands from the kitchen island, and turns to Eevee.] Hey, quit pigging out for a sec, and show him your Swift. Just a little one.

[A real one was sure to blow up half the room, Blue figures..... In any case Eevee gives a withering look, but then grins directly at Killua... before seeming to inhale a little, and suddenly, forcefully spitting out a volley of star-like energy projectiles. They're too weak to be more than a bit of a sting as they hit Killua- or, presumably, miss him- but even with the breath inward, there was a strange pulse of energy from Eevee, and it didn't all entirely come out with the Swift, either.]

[trypanophobic]

[Killua lifts an arm to guard against the little baby-ways attack, just as a precaution. he of course used gyo on instinct to Eevee's initiation, and ryu on his arm to block.

he frowns, looking a little confused. like an emitter's hatsu, or something...]

Yeah. I see it.

[it kind of reminds him of one of his grandfather's hatsu...]

I don't think it's exactly the same as Nen, but...

[he notices the—charge? what was it that Eevee did? if it was like a hatsu, maybe it was like Killua's, some condition that required a charge...]

I saw streams of what I guess was probably his aura come at me. That's a thing Emitter type Nen users do at home.

[...it makes Killua a little sad, to be reminded of Gon's Scissors.]

[blueser]

Emitter, huh. So then... That's probably what we would call a 'Special' attack.

Um, I could go into the more technical aspects of how we classify Pokémon's moves another time, but there's something in particular I wanted to test that for.....

[Blue frowns to himself, thinking on how to explain this. He knew Killua wasn't.... really interested in Pokémon. But he'd had this theory, ever since Steven had explained Mega Evolution more clearly to him- he had this sense that there should be a connection between the power of the trainer and the Pokémon, if they were required to be in synch in order to release this powerful ability.........]

There's a certain new technique I'm trying to learn right now- it's called Mega Evolution. Normally, as Pokémon battle and grow stronger, they evolve- they permanently grow into a totally different Pokémon, the next stage of their species' family. Not all Pokémon evolve, and some evolve once, or twice, and in different ways, too...

But I recently learned there's also a technique achievable by highly trained Pokémon that's like.. a temporary activation of an evolution that pushes a Pokémon to the maximum potential it's capable of. But... This technique requires certain effort on the part of a trainer, as well as a pair of certain objects...

[Blue digs the Key Stone he'd found out of his pocket, setting it on the table. It looked like a marble.] This is one of the things I need, but... I won't even be able to use it until I figure out how to train this power.

[trypanophobic]

Temporary... max potential?

[Killua's head suddenly swims. he gets it easily; he knows Pokémon evolve, and he knows it's permanent. which he always found weird about their world, contrast to animals, and how they were similar to humans. all life grew; an infant was different from an adult, but human babies didn't abruptly evolve into physically perfect evolved forms.

not naturally, anyway.

he feels a cold twist in the pit of his stomach, remembering Gon's empty, tired eyes on a face Killua couldn't recognize, reassuring him in a strange voice that Killua didn't know, "it's okay; it doesn't hurt."

and then he'd almost withered away. he only didn't instantaneously die because of Killua's interruption, but he was going to die slowly anyways. he swallows, ignoring how his head and field of vision feels kind of weirdly bobbly, his fingertips cold, like he's suddenly a little out of line with his own body. aside from the pensive crease of his forehead and the brief, vacant stare in Killua's dark eyes, there's not much more of a tell than all of that that he was maybe reminded of something disturbing.

he's used to repressing and rolling with trauma. and he feels stupid. it's been enough time.]

...Yeah. That makes sense.

[Killua glances at Eevee, then at Blue. his facade isn't perfect, around Blue—it's hard, around friends he really cares about. with some concern, he holds the lower half of his face.]

...it doesn't... I know you'd never hurt your Pokémon, so it doesn't—hurt them, or anything, right? That sort of thing... There's no negative consequences?

[blueser]

Eh?

[Blue thinks he senses... something. Something about the mood has shifted, from their lighthearted joking and his wishful pining, watching Killua enjoy his gift, to his dry recitation of classification data, to...]

[Whatever it is Killua is thinking about, now. Negative consequences, huh.... Blue's brow furrows, and he glances down to the Key Stone on the table, suddenly wondering if he's missing something.]

I don't-- No one's told me anything about that. [He pauses, and for a moment, looks... disturbed. Like he's back in the past too, all of a sudden.]

[Was he doing it again? Foolhardy, blind pursuit of power, in spite of his Pokémon's loyalty and happiness? He'd been trying so hard. This was supposed to be his way of proving himself, of proving his bonds to his Pokémon, not....]

...Steven said it was about the bond between trainer and Pokémon... That that was the most important thing. If it's something like that, it can't be anything bad, I think?

[But suddenly, he... doesn't seem so sure.]