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[swordfucker]

Guren Ichinose | Red | #A5211F

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[passio]

...!

[ dextera takes the potion, holding it like a treasure, especially because leliel eyes guren suspiciously—as if she could understand him. does it go both ways? is this about to be the best day of his life?

leliel clucks, and dextera can’t stand not understanding her for a moment longer, so he takes a sip of the unpleasant fluid and is immediately crouching in order to look at his pet.

a bok. she wants to know why he’s looking at her like that. dextera inhales. ]

[swordfucker]

[ This is probably the definition of purity. Guren watches, waiting quietly for a moment before he nudges at Dextera with his leg. ]

Maybe she’ll understand your signing better? Either way, she’s impatient.

[ to be honest, he’s still worried that Dextera took it with him, but he knows he’s paranoid. The potions like this have zero or tiny side effects if they’re not immediately terrible. ]

[passio]

[ dextera tries signing to her, but he doesn’t get very far before she’s sticking her head between his fingers in a gesture that clearly demands she be fed and watered now, even without speaking.

she has a strong personality!! ]

Sorry. [ is what he says to her, and she blinks, regarding his apology with some mild surprise, and bobs her head in something that could be a nod. dextera turns to look at guren immediately, eyes practically sparkling.

DID HE SEE THAT ]

[swordfucker]

[N...no... He can't look at this! Guren is trying to look unimpressed by it all, a hand on his hip and glancing half away, but he keeps looking back, and he definitely meets those almost-sparkling eyes with his own.]

I hope you're remembering that only some of the potions end up like this. It was good that you came to me first. Don't forget that.

[Guren...... let him be excited in peace...] It looks like she can understand, too.

[passio]

[ dextera nods. he really did learn his lesson, after the first one, but now he’s so happy that even guren’s slight chiding can’t bring him down.

he stands, though, gesturing for leliel—and guren—to follow him downstairs so that he can change her water and give her some food.

her little sounds are pretty straightforward, but dextera is delighted to hear them anyway. he’s already going to miss her questions of food? food? drink? ]

[swordfucker]

[This warms his heart, which he can always use, so he hangs back behind Dextera and his chicken and follows after them.]

Come to think of it, your house is filled with animals. It's probably going to be noisy. [But like, good noisy.]

[passio]

[ dextera doesn’t mind the noise, and it’s with a good mood that he reveals something that might otherwise make him sad. ]

Neuro Tower, so quiet. [ guren may not know what the neuro tower is, but context clues are helpful enough. ] Sounds of life—good.

[swordfucker]

[Neuro Tower is an odd name, but he can guess what he means. He'll just file that away rather than interrupt everything to ask small questions.]

Yeah. I forgot, you were the guy who was about to cry over seeing grass.

[Light teasing, and a fond memory already. He can't believe it's been over two months now.] But I don't disagree with you. It's a nice sound.

[passio]

[ strangely, it's nice to be teased about something like that. it's a reminder of how far he's come—from crying over the grass to actually tending to it himself, planning to grow any number of things for however long he's allowed to be here.

that's how he thinks of this place, after all. despite everything that's happened, it's a gift to be a part of the community. ]

Want a cat.

[ an incredibly brave statement from dextera, and as soon as the potion translates that word—cat—for leliel's little chicken brain, she squawks angrily. what does dextera MEAN he wants a CAT ]

[swordfucker]

[He has to laugh at that little exchange.]

A cat? When you've got your own chicken? You've gone and offended her now. [He pauses, glancing down at the water, thinking.] Besides, aren't you kind of a cuddly guy? Cats don't really dig that, I think.

[He doesn't know... and I hate that he said dig]

[passio]

[ ...is he cuddly?!

he's never thought of himself like that, and between leliel's anger and guren's sly little comment, he finds himself embarrassed. ]

Ngh...

[ he wants to protest, but deep down, he knows it must be true... so he crouches instead, cuddling his chicken as if to prove that he isn't cuddly. leliel ignores him, drinking her water. ]

[swordfucker]

[lol]

See? Do that to a cat, and it'll scratch you in the face. [This is his impression of cats, it's probably Shinya's fault.] Something that suits you would probably be a puppy.

[passio]

[ no!! this hypothetical cat that dextera has only in his imagination would never scratch him, but he's also judging every single animal by leliel's extremely chill standards. she's got a bit of a haughty personality, but she isn't violent in the least. ]

... [ he pauses. ] "Cuddly"?

[ assertively questioned. that's the reputation, right? that dogs love people... dextera is still thinking about how apparently he loves to touch. ]

[swordfucker]

Dogs are cuddly, just like you. You're kind of like a puppy, yourself.

[GUREN]

[passio]

...!

[ GUREN

leliel isn't even helping him out here. even if she understands guren, she's busy with her nice, cool water, and pecking at the food that dextera set down for her. he shakes his head! vehemently!

if dextera is a puppy then guren is a donkey because he's an ass ]

[swordfucker]

Haha! If you're offended, then stand up for yourself!

[Come on, this is a lesson in bullying! And all Guren does is lean down from behind Dextera and place his hand on his head, like a pet... Then he ruffles his hair.

He is kind of an ass.]

[passio]

[ if dextera had been anywhere close to standing up for himself, guren's playful ruffle of his hair gets him to quiet down—because he reaches up, and instead of pushing his hand away like someone who is trying to defend themselves might do, dextera just touches guren's fingers as if he needs to affirm that is, indeed, guren's hand on top of his head. ]

...

[ but he does huff. ]

[swordfucker]

[Oh... He doesn't do anything to push him away, or even tell him to knock it off, it's just this... gentle touch? Guren blinks in his surprise, and he's glad Dextera can't see his face because it's so obvious, and his hand settles in its place. He grabs at Dextera's fingers, a light little grip, and lets that linger as he pulls back and stops.]

...Anyway... [Yeah,] We should make use of our time while we can understand animals. I wonder if the strange creatures in the forest might say anything, for example. Or even the other chickens, outside. Or, you can make use of it spending time with Leliel.

[passio]

[ it’s so easy to rile dextera up with words—but touch is always strangely comforting to him, when he’s been denied it for so long. guren can’t ruffle his hair and expect to get away with it not being a little tender. ]

...

[ all of guren’s suggestions sound good... they should try talking to the forest creatures, but dextera has just a few more questions for leliel before they establish that.

so he looks back at guren, asking for patience in his gaze, and then taps leliel to get her attention. once he has it, he has one important thing, above all else, to ask her...! ]

Happy?

[ and she looks at him, tilting her head this way and that, until finally she clucks out a yes. ]

[swordfucker]

[What an obvious question! Guren says nothing, watching this tender moment with plenty of patience. It's nice to watch. To see someone, even if it's an animal, telling Dextera that he's doing good, that he's making her happy. He wishes he could have this all the time. But of course, these potions are all so dangerous. What he has left is probably all he'll get.

Guren keeps his hands in his pockets and glances away after a moment, like he's not really watching, even if he totally is paying attention.]

[passio]

[ it’s not obvious to him!!

dextera worries, often, that he’s not doing enough for her. that maybe his hands are too covered in blood to take care of such an innocent living thing, and he’s going to ruin her because that’s what he does.

so, having her approval... it’s a relief. ]

...

[ he lets himself indulge a few more questions, to find out what food she likes the most and if she needs anything—then he nods, satisfied.

there’s still some potion left, but he wants to save it. for now, they should probably do more than just bum around. dextera didn’t expect that the potion would be so useful! ]

[swordfucker]

Ready?

[He assumes that's what that nod means.] I doubt the other chickens out front will have much more to say, but we might as well stop there, first.

[passio]

[ guren, please don't insult the ladies!! they probably have a lot to talk about, like bugs, and dirt, and how hungry they are all the time. leliel seems like she'll be satisfied with this water and her treats, so dextera nods.

on his way out the door, though, there's a soft kweh from the window, and dextera glances back—it's a meaningless sound, just to get attention, or else they both would have been able to understand it. ]

...?

[ it's spot!!! with a very important secret!!! ]

[swordfucker]

[Being called to by a chocobo... This is what his life has become. Guren turns back, stepping into the house to find the bird-thing and glancing back to be sure Dextera is with him.]

You got something to say, too?

[passio]

[ another sound, and this one definitely means for guren to SQUARE UP, PUNK, for taking that tone. ]

Ah—

[ wait, dextera doesn’t want the two of them to fight? be gentle with spot, guren. ]