awashlogs | (open) amphibiène lupin

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(open) amphibiène lupin

WHO: Lupin and You!
WHERE: Ruga
WHEN: early January
WHAT:

WARNINGS: none

[ Lupin normally starts his days with a cup of tea, then a jog around town. Today, he's not even making it all the way through step one. A lot of weird things have happened to him since he got here, including but not limited to being forced to wear exclusively clown pants, turning into a werewolf, and looking for leaves in the woods with a giant gun-toting pigeon. He thinks turning into a frog and falling into his mug is among the worst.

Fortunately, he manages to not drown in hot leaf water. Also fortunately, he takes one look at his hands (if he can even still call them that) and realizes very quickly what's happened - he saw that quest posted on the forum the other day, and, now that he thinks about it, they never specified where the frog would come from. It's a little bit flattering to be considered analagous to a prince. A little. That's really the only good thing he can say about this situation.

He considers that it might be wiser to stay inside where it's warm; then he realizes that means he's definitely never getting his kiss (from anyone other than Akechi, anyway), and figures he has no choice.

So? After some time (like, a long time, because he doesn't have thumbs anymore), a singular fist-sized red and black frog can be found hopping down the roads of Ruga. He's noticeable not only for being out of season, but for having what looks like half a napkin tied sloppily around his neck - presumably for warmth, except he's cold-blooded at the moment - and holding a bobby pin in its mouth. Unless you catch him holding it in one froggy hand, instead, trying to fend off one of the town's handful of curious cats. He's holding his own... better than you would expect a frog with a bobby pin to?!

Unfortunately for Lupin, he can't fight off the weather with a bobby pin, and can be found an hour or two later passed out in the snow on the road towards Bluo. Frogs don't do very well in the winter. ]

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[ If he had his wits about him, he'd probably think that his current state of affairs is decently humiliating, what with the combination of being a frog, then having nearly passed out as a frog, then being pressed up against Noctis's chest; fortunately for him, he doesn't (yet), and all he really registers is that he's suddenly much warmer. The feeling begins coming back to his arms and legs, and, slowly, he starts remembering what he was doing -- and his current predicament, when he sees a red webbed hand in front of him.

Ugh. Right. Someone must have helped him. From this angle, he can't really tell who it is; he just settles against their hand groggily. ]

Yeah... Thanks. That was a bad idea. [ he rubs his face with one hand (paw?) ]

[ Okay, so what Noctis keeps hearing is croaking, but he's pretty sure the tired frog is talking to him, possibly. Which is a good thing and a damn sight better than the frog passed out in the cold. Sorry, buddy, you're getting tucked nice and warm near his armpit, but thankfully Noctis is a stickler for personal hygiene here??? ]

Okay, buddy. I need to get you to the person who's gonna kiss you after you're nice and warmed up. Do you have any idea who it might be?

[ Aaaand of course, Noctis is talking to a frog. A nice red frog who, very fortunately isn't poisonous. ] Okay, hold that thought. [ He's stepping into his house before carefully setting Lupin!Frog onto a counter. He's bundling up the frog up with a clean, warm towel, and turns to fetch a bowl to start a small fire in.

Also, Spot's coming up to the table to inspect the frog, he's so very sorry, Lupin. ]

Cairngorm?

[ he's slowly coming to his senses, and that's really the only reasonable answer he can come up with to that question. He'd been going to Minato's house, but that was mostly because he figured Minato would be better at frog care than Cairngorm.

More importantly, he's realizing he's dangerously close to someone's armpit right now - but he's thankfully released onto the counter before he really has to come to terms with that. Lupin shakes his head; the counter is cold, but he feels pretty much warmed up now, and - yeah, that's Noctis, and there he goes, and here comes Spot. ]

-- Uh, Noctis! Wait! Your bird's here! [ PANIC. He doesn't have his trusty bobby pin with him to shove up Spot's nose!! He does his best to scramble away, but it's pretty clumsy on four frozen legs. ]

[ Oh! Oh, shit -- Noctis spots Spot, who is a very curious bird trying to figure out just what that little reptile is doing on his table, and he's rushing over to scoop the frog up again. ]

It's okay, it's okay, little buddy!

[ He's holding him tight, shooing the bird away, who makes a betrayed, sad little noise before retreating. Noctis, for one, looks down at the frog, blinking. Okay, is he crazy, is this frog actually maybe talking to him? He's lifting the frog up carefully with both hands, bringing him level with his face. ]

Sorry, if you're trying to talk to me, all I'm hearing are froggy-noises. But anyway, if you can understand me, I'm going to put you in a warm little tub, okay?

[ He's already strolling into the kitchen, trying to look for a big enough bowl that he can fill warm water in. ]

[ well, thank god he didn't die by getting eaten by a huge bird - he'd hate for that to be the way he's killed off in those books they write about him later. Lupin makes a sort of deflated squork noise when Noctis picks him up again, letting out a big, froggy sigh.

Okay. Yes. He has to organize his thoughts here. He must have passed out in the snow and been found by Noctis - who doesn't understand or recognize him, but has at least brought him inside. And knows how to take care of a frog, evidently. Lupin feels a weird sense of eagerness at the idea of being put in a warm tub. ]

Please. And thank you for the rescue twice over.

[ Noct can't understand him, but he finds himself replying, anyway. Unlike a real frog, he doesn't put up a fight while being held, instead glancing around curiously. ]

[ What? Okay, he's pretty damn sure the frog's talking to him -- and it's such a smart, well-behaved frog, too, with intelligent bright eyes and evidently calm enough to behave.

He's setting the little guy on the counter when he finds a bowl big enough, filling it with warm water but testing it with his fingers first. Okay, right, not so hot; comfortable enough and slightly on the cooler side, but it'll do with not accidentally cooking the frog, right?

He's gently lowering him in it, rubbing light fingers down the frog's back -- sorry, he can't help himself, Noctis really loves small critters. ]

You okay in there, buddy? Splash twice if you need it warmer.

[ everything about this situation is really weird. He almost wishes he'd stayed knocked out longer so that he didn't have to deal with the reality of Noctis carrying, bathing and caressing him, because he doesn't exactly know how to... not that he has many options other than accepting it. All he can do is ribbit and feel distinctly uncomfortable inside about this clueless intimacy.

Oh well. At least the bath feels nice. With an uneasy croak, he nods his head, while also casually lifting one arm and (apparently) trying to push away Noct's fingers. ]

Uh, yeah, it's fine. [ a beat. ] I guess you really like animals...

[ ...Sorry, Noctis is practically a disney princess. Who, you know, gets along better with little critters than people. He pulls away when it's clear the frog is pushing him away, and he murmurs a soft apology.

He's searching out a dishtowel now, clean and unused and fashioned from some of the stuff scavenged, and he's setting it by the bowl. ]

We're going to use my laptop later, okay? And I'll take you to whoever you need to go to.

[ Oh! The laptop! That's a good idea, actually. Lupin nods energetically at the mention of it, splashing over to the edge of the bowl clumsily with his half-numb limbs and quickly forgetting his momentary awkwardness. ]

Later? How about now?

[ ribbit ]

[ Noctis might never understand Frogese, but he's very aware that he's clearly interested, and really does sound like a pretty good idea, doesn't it? ]

That eager, huh. [ He can't help but smile a little, though, because this clearly means that he has someone he loves(?) waiting for him. Noctis would want to go back to his person ASAP, too. So he shifts the fluffy dishtowel closer, gesturing to him. ]

Okay. You don't mind if I carry you again? Just gotta put you on your towel and get you dry before I take you there.

[ how to communicate that he doesn't mind?! He shakes his head back and forth and hopes that Noctis takes that as a "no, I don't mind" and not a "no, don't put me on the towel." (Although he has to admit that being in the water feels uncommonly nice... It's like he was struggling to breathe before, and now he feels rejuvenated and lively. Must be the frog thing.) ]

[ All right, buddy, he's totally taking charge! He's bringing the little froggy to his own laptop, and sets him on the keyboard after making sure that he isn't tracking any wetness onto it (the last thing he or froggy needs is to be electrocuted or something).

But hey! He's taking a seat, too, and deciding to ask him a question. ]

Okay, so. Who are you?

[ that would be unfortunate for all parties involved. Once he's there, he hops out, seeming reenergized at the prospect of actually being able to communicate despite also feeling cold and a little out of sorts once he's removed from his makeshift hot tub. He rubs his webbed hands together, then reaches out to start typing...

Turns out, it's harder to do this as a frog than he thought. ]

loupinj

[ he sits back, looks at his work, and... deflates a little bit at the errors... ]

Lupin?

[ Thankfully, Noctis knows how to connect the dots. It's actually kind of really cute, watching a frog be this crestfallen at his work, but he supposes that it really is a pain in the ass to be a frog. Those webbed limbs aren't good for much out of water. ]

It's all right, buddy. Do you know who I should return you to?

[ he brightens up when Noctis guesses correctly, hopping once in place and nodding enthusiastically once again. Now we're making progress! ]

Easy for you to say. Hold on...

[ this is going to be harder to type, but he does his best... concentration mode, activated. ]

cairnjbgyormk

What?

[ He stares down at the jumble of words blankly, then at the frog. ]

Okay, I don't know what that is.

[ he makes a sort of... displeased squeaky sound? It's adorable, frankly. But even if he's frustrated, he can't blame Noctis for not getting that one. Time for attempt two: ]

cainjgkirm

[ ... that's not any better... why does their name have to be so long!! and weird!! Quickly (relatively), he bangs out another two words. ]

rock gemk

[ rock gem -- oh! oh. noctis brightens, he remembers them! ]

Oh, you meant Cairngorm? [ wait, oh, obviously there's realisation dawning in his eyes. ] Oh, dude. You and them are together?

[ oh, thank god, Noctis knows who they are. Lupin turns away from the laptop, looking back up at his looming face. As for the question - he offers a sort of playful, noncommittal shrug (or frog equivalent, at least), not quite willing to lay all his cards on the table. ]

Well, yes. Not very gentlemanly to go telling the world, though, is it? [ he'd be smiling if he could... instead, he's just ribbiting. ] They're going to think this is some sort of prank, I bet.

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(open) amphibiène lupin

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