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 Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 12:44 pm
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:21 am
follows this
Ayuu knew ze was not that good of an actor. There was no way this imp hadn't seen the exhaustion and distress on zer face, and yet he wasn't dwelling on it, nor had he suggested ze go whine to a teacher. He was simply offering candy and companionship. It was the first anchor ze'd found in this storm, and the grimm clung to it desperately.
"Thank you," ze said, reaching a bulky paw toward the cone of sugary fluff and claiming a mouthful. Ayuu popped it between zer teeth and smiled faintly as ze chewed. "Are you having a good time? I usually come to festivals with a friend to distract me. All of this is a little overwhelming without him."
[ 122 ]
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:21 am
Ellis watched the grimm relax as ze chewed, glad to have been of some small assistance. It wasn't that he had failed to notice zer discomfort or anything, he had just thought trying to minimize it was the right thing to do. He supposed he might have also wanted to have a reason to speak to grimm for more than a couple of minutes, thought admitting that made him feel a little selfish and ashamed. He supposed it was all right in the grand scheme of things. It wasn't like he was hurting anyone.
"I just got here myself. But it seems fun so far." He grinned. "I can walk around with you if it'd make you feel any better? I've been accused of being distracting, but the Nightmare who said so didn't mean it as a compliment."
[ 138 ]
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:21 am
The grimm's tremulous smile was interrupted by another mouthful of cotton candy.
"Well, I think you've been very kind. And I would appreciate any distractions you could provide, I'm sure." Even the imp's bright ears and tail were already nearly captivating enough to calm zer. And his eyes... Ayuu squinted. Did he truly have doubled irises?
"You're... you have a mutation!" ze exclaimed. "I... I'm sorry to be so blunt, but this is... it's fascinating!" Ze leaned closer, and after spending several more seconds beaming at the boy's eyes, a light bulb of sorts went off in zer head and ze took a step back.
"I shouldn't stare. I should... introductions! My name is Ayuu."
[ 115 ]
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:21 am
To be honest, Ellis didn't often consider his mutation anymore. There had been a time when Amory had made sure he couldn't forget it, but even then it didn't bother him as much as he was sure she had hoped it would. It wasn't like he could change it, and he actually thought his eyes were kind of neat.
"My pupils too. They're hearts."
Ze was so close that he forced his voice to a whisper so as not to shout at zer, but his breathless reply might have also just been because ze was... so close. Ellis dragged in a deep breath when ze stepped back, smiling nervously.
"It's nice to meet you, Ayuu. I'm Ellis."
[ 117 ]
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:21 am
Ze bounced on zer toes, unable to pin down the source of zer new acquaintance's discomfort, only that it was there and ze wished it wasn't.
"You too! Um... I want to thank you again for stopping. I'm feeling much better and... Did you have anywhere in particular you wanted to go?"
Ayuu hoped the question wouldn't be turned back around on zer, considering that ze didn't have a particular opinion. Ze would be happy with whatever Ellis chose, in fact, just thinking about making a decision made zer feel antsy. Ze took another hunk of cotton candy and cast zer gaze out over the festival. Games, pets, food, lights, it was quite the spectacle.
[ 115 ]
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:21 am
His heart slowed, and as it did, his smile grew more genuine again. He didn't really know what to do either, but he also didn't have a problem with just making something up.
"We should play a game and try to win something," he declared. "And we should tell each other stuff about ourselves while we play." It was such a silly, matter-of-fact course of action that Ellis laughed and shook his head, but since it was precisely what he wanted to do, he didn't take it back.
Motioning for the grimm to follow, Ellis made his way over to a wide table covered with fish bowls and ping pong balls. "So, is there anything you want to know?"
[ 119 ]
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:21 am
Frankly, telling other people things about zerself always put Ayuu on edge, but in this instance, no one would be asking zer to come up with interesting facts on zer own, and ze had a feeling anything ze said would be accepted, maybe even appreciated. Ze thought ze could do it. But first, a question for Ellis.
"I guess... do you have a family or did you come from the cache?" Ze realized it might be a little intrusive once it was out in the air, but the question was really no more personal than getting in Ellis's face about his mutation. Ayuu picked up a ping pong ball at the prompting of the senior running the booth and gave it an underhand toss, missing the bowls entirely.
[ 128 ]
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:22 am
"Both!" Ellis said brightly, rather proud of his upbringing in spite of his fake sister's perpetually sour attitude. "My dad came to Asphodel with the first group of chimera and ended up mentoring another chimera, Amory, from the cache. He was younger then, and I don't think he realized how much he meant to her. When he agreed to take me in, she got very angry. She's still angry." Ellis chuckled. "She could never figure out how she wanted to treat me, I don't think. We grew up together, so we were close, but she resented me too."
He launched a ball of his own. It bounced off of the rim of one of the bowls. "I don't know who imbued my stone or why I was awakened in October." He shrugged. "I'm fine with it though. It makes me interesting."
[ 141 ]
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:22 am
Even though Ellis seemed content enough with his lot in life, Ayuu found zerself feeling bad for him. Ze might not have had a family, a pack, but ze'd had no one who'd actively despised zer in zer life either. Ze wanted to say ze was sorry, but ze knew how that would go. A chain of apologies that would only leave zer feeling awkward.
That meant it was now time to return the favor. Ellis would ask a question, Ayuu would answer, and insight would be had. The more Ayuu thought about it, the less ze wanted to answer any questions at all.
"I... um..." Ze had agreed to this by asking Ellis something in the first place. Ze couldn't back out now. "If you've got anything you want to ask me, I'm ready." Ze smiled. It looked more like ze was in pain.
[ 145 ]
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:22 am
It was immediately obvious that Ayuu was not prepared to finish the game. Ellis couldn't be sure whether it was because ze had never wanted to play or had just gotten cold feet, but he was prepared to stop nonetheless. He rested a paw on Ayuu's own.
"I think I know all I need to right now," he began, speaking again before zer face could fall. "You're a very nice grimm who likes to be alone sometimes and, right now, you want to hear more about me."
In his whole life he'd never had the opportunity to make someone smile like Ayuu was now. He thought it was something he could get used to.
[ 114 ]
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