lempereur | IC Contact; MoM

Friends can cuddle, Yusuke. I've used you as a pillow more than once.

...She's not there yet, but she could be.

Friends can sometimes cuddle, but romantic interests absolutely cuddle. Don't argue.

hey

[The first message comes, and then there's just. Typing bubble. For like 10 solid minutes or more. On and off, on and off... Just the 'hi' had taken him this long to work up the courage for; but now that he's gone and sent it, he's freaking out over what he sends next.]

[Finally;]

did you mean it when you said I was your friend?

Hello, Blue. Are you ready to talk?

[ Judging by the bouncing typing bubble that won't go away, the answer is yes. He'll just sit here and wait... ]

Yes. Is that strange? Why would I say so if I didn't mean it?

[There are about a dozen reasons Blue can think of just offhand, but considering he's insecure enough to be asking in the first place, it isn't like he's going to give them in earnest]

[so]

most people just say stuff

[Which is still as honest an answer as he could give, as far as Blue is concerned. 'Friend' was a word most people threw around far too easily.]

I'm not bugged by all that superhero stuff btw the idea, I mean

I don't.

Good. I am glad you understand.

[ Wait for it... ]

I was needlessly harsh with your bird. There were more rational ways to go about it, but I panicked. I hope you can forgive me for that.

I noticed

[It's meant to come off playful, but in truth it's genuine. He had. Blue spoke without thinking. Yusuke said what he meant. It wasn't quite the same thing, but both led to a certain kind of honesty, he could recognize.]

[He may have understood it, with all the heroic impulses intrinsic to Red, but that didn't make it any easier to swallow. Especially not for someone he has begun to think of as a true 'friend'. With heroism came danger and with danger came fear, fear of losing, fear of being swept up into it, things he didn't think he was capable of.]

[He has already met the ultimate consequences of that once, in this place.]

[There's entirely too much shame and past failure and bad blood attached to the discussion of Pidgeot as anything near an explanation; it would have been hard enough, to someone of his own world. He simply can't.]

it's ok he's safe back home now anyway

[There's a pause, then he adds]

this place was hard on him

[Maybe not for the most obvious reasons, but those Blue will keep to himself.]

It's hard on all of us. I will not judge anyone for that.

But in my case, things are looking up. That means fewer secrets, I hope.

['Friends help one another'. That was what Red always said, right? Even if it terrified him.]

you can talk to me if you want to

[...What little and useless comfort he was, he thought. But it seemed important to offer.]

[ Yusuke doesn't need help he never needs help!! Everything is fine, but he recognizes that it's probably a big deal for Blue to even offer? ]

As I said, things are looking up. I believe that everything is going to be alright, but I appreciate that. I will extend the same invitation to you, if you need anything.

The latest clone nonsense was actually very enlightening.

I did meet one of yours, though. He propositioned me for sex.