.11 - audio;

[dualbladewarrior]

I understand the basic premise behind... Valentine's Day.

[Hubert sounds a little awkward, uncertain and even a little nervous as he speaks.]

But I wasn't here last year, and we don't have a holiday like this in Strahta. Would anyone be willing to give me a little more information behind it? What's common for ah... not... "couples" but perhaps two close friends... ?

[Short, sweet and... mostly to the point. Mostly.]

Comments

audio

[paladaddy]

[There is a long, uncomfortable pause right there. Because yes, Shiro knows exactly what that's like. But he also can tell where Hubert is going with this, and the parallels that can be drawn there do not bode well with him.]

...

Maybe.

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

[The hesitation doesn't escape him, but he takes as a sign to explain as much as he can.]

I've had women interested in me before, Mr. Fujimoto. [And men, but he'll spare Shiro that information.] And I'm not... completely inexperienced. But none of them have ever... ever lit this spark in me the way she has.

I wish I could understand why it is I'm attracted to her so much. Everything in my head tells me I shouldn't be but I can't ignore what my heart says.

audio

[paladaddy]

All the more reason to be upfront with her, then.

[Forgive him for his less-than-eloquent answers, he's still fighting off the terrible mental images of kawaii yaoi flirting.]

If you- If it's like you say, then she deserves that honesty. And it sounds like you won't be happy without her, either.

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

[Sorry, Shiro.]

... you're right. You're absolutely right.

audio

[paladaddy]

But it's going to be hard on you if she still says no. You know that, right?

[Oh, the woes of relationship trouble! Why do hearts have to be so fickle?]

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

Yes, I'm aware...

audio

[paladaddy]

Good.

...so don't do anything rash, if things don't turn out how you want them to.

[Not that he thinks Hubert has no chance, but Shiro is a realist. He's also grown fond of Hubert and doesn't want the poor kid offing himself over a girl.]

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

I won't. I'm not that hopeless, I assure you.

audio

[paladaddy]

Good to hear!

[He would give Hubert a pat on the back if he could.]

By the way, I found a sword, so we can practice anytime now.

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

Oh, you did?

[Sparring would be a welcome distraction from all of this.]

I'm actually free this afternoon.

audio

[paladaddy]

[Shiro is still a lazy butt so he has all the free time.]

Know of any good places to spar? I'm thinking the center of town is not such a good place for it.

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

[Get a job you bum]

I suppose that depends on how you feel about snow.

audio

[paladaddy]

[He's trying god!!1]

I wasn't aware that it could snow underwater.

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

[Try harder?]

No, no, there's an island above us, accessible by an elevator. It's open, and we're less likely to do damage up there than down here. It's just also been very cold and snowing for most of the winter season.

audio

[paladaddy]

[Another long pause goes here.]

You mean to say that there is a part above water we can visit, and nobody thought to mention this at some point?

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

[oops?]

... your sons didn't bring it up? As long as the eldest one has been here, I would have thought they knew.

audio

[paladaddy]

It's been a little busy lately. They probably just forgot to mention it.

[Yukio just got back, and Shiro and Rin had two heartfelt conversations in two weeks, which kind of drained all of their feels for the next month.]

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

Oh. Understandable. The curses have been particularly difficult lately...

Well, there is. It's a nice place to get away from the bubble from time to time. And they hold events up there from time to time.

audio

[paladaddy]

I think it's time we go check out this island.

[He'll be gathering up the stuff he got earlier so that they can do some training stuff.]

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

[Oop, Hubert is actually smiling. Not that Shiro can see it.]

Excellent. I'll meet you in the plaza.

audio -> action

[paladaddy]

[Shiro just shuts off his communicator there, but he can be found in the plaza later. He's actually carrying two swords with him: A wooden one and a steel one within a sheath. Both are completely normal, though. No demon swords here!]

action

[dualbladewarrior]

[Hubert arrives shortly after, in his usual uniform with no weapons in his hands. But as he walks, the movement of his jacket does reveal that there's something short and blade-like tucked in to pockets on the underside, one at either hip.]

Mr. Fujimoto, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person.

action

[paladaddy]

[Oho, secret weapons~ Probably a good idea, much better than just slinging them over his shoulder, like how Shiro is doing.]

Aah, we did only ever talk over those starfish, didn't we?

[This thought is kind of funny to him, because he's used to talking to people in person rather than over phones or communicators.]

action

[dualbladewarrior]

[Easier to carry them that way, too.]

Yes, but even here that doesn't last long. It's not a large city - people meet face to face eventually.

action

[paladaddy]

So I noticed. Which way do we need to go to get to this elevator?

[He's still not sure where everything is in this city.]