awashlogs | as the youths say, a catchall

[...A rabbit? A rabbit. Hmm. Lalli looks off to the side, almost like he's seriously considering this—because he IS—before he wisely decides to, uh, keep his opinion to himself. He doesn't Get people, but he knows how Emil can be about... some things, so.]

Mmn. Ken's. And Koromaru can use something like magic. [The kids can, too, but wait for this, Emil—] ...It sets things on fire.

[How long will it take for Emil to track this doggy DOWN...]

[They have to steal this dog immediately. Or, luckily this is enough to distract him from Lalli's suspicious pause. Whyyy didn't he immediately agree that Emil is nothing like a bunny rabbit, huh? Huh?? Doesn't matter-- there is a Fire Dog somewhere in this horrible town.]

Hah, what? Really? At least you had one useful companion.

[No offense to children as a general concept but they're surely all useless, source: he's met children before. Second source: spite, because he's not a rabbit.]

[Lalli's thought process: Rabbits look soft? Emil's hair is soft. But rabbits can run fast, so—

Soooo it's a good thing Emil isn't asking him to explain himself. Some things... are best kept secret, you know? And some things should be kept secret, especially if Lalli wants Emil to continue thinking that he single-handedly beat that monster down, but—well, they did help a good deal. This is a Reynir 2.0 situation.]

They used magic, too. Weird magic? It... helped.

[Teamwork saved the day, and yet... hey, what's a little pettiness between friends?]

But they were annoying! Renne called me— [HUFF.] It doesn't matter, because I don't like her.

Well— [All magic is weird, Emil brilliantly stops himself from saying. That doesn't mean it's not useful and impressive? But it's still weird, but Lalli wouldn't appreciate that, so, hastily:] kiiiids are always annoying?

[GREAT save by Emil... anyway, what did she call Lalli... he must know.]

Forget about her! You brought me this... probably haunted doll... and now I'm fine again!

[You did it!!!]

[Emil Will Never Know. Anyway: yes, forget about kids... Lalli doesn't want to think about them any more than he absolutely has to, because they bul—they were rude. There are other, better things to think about, like the way Emil stressed that you there. Yes, he did this! And every time Emil drives this point home, he gets closer and closer to being real smug about it, but—um, Emil?]

...It's not haunted.

[Look, he'll poke it with a single finger, just to prove a point. There is no spirit there!]

You should keep it with you, and you shouldn't go back to sleep.

Hmm, maybe! [Maybe it's not haunted, he means, because it probably is! Sorry Lalli, he's definitely an expert in haunted artifacts... or at least, deciding that creepy things are haunted because he says so. He still hasn't yeeted it across the room, at least, because he does vaguely understand that this thing woke him up somehow.

And, hmm, he doesn't want to sleep for two days again, but--]

Uhhh, Lalli, I have to sleep eventually. I don't think I've ever stayed up all night!

[There's a first time for everything, you whiny baby, which is why Lalli reaches out to pat Emil on the head. This is non-negotiable! Deal with it!!]

It's not hard. I'll keep you company.

[Using Emil's earlier request against him, even though he, himself, is likely to pass out if things stay quiet for too long. Don't worry about it.]

[Lalli!! This is bullying! Even patting him on the head will not convince him that this is a good and possible thing to do. On the one hand: Lalli keeping him company is nice, his very first slumber party... on the other: he's sick and whiny, let him sleep.]

Well, can I at least eat something? I haven't had any food in two days!

[Feed him or he'll sleep, that is the ultimatum.]

[Oh, right! Food! Lalli nods, turning back to the little pile of fruits and veggies he made on his desk forever ago. What did he get, anyway? It's winter, so...

So.]

...Aha.

[Today's menu: some shriveled potatoes and, like, four tiny apples. Lalli grabs two of the latter and holds them out for Emil to grab, knowing full well what's coming.]

I can go look for more things? In the kitchen. [...] But you have to stay awake.

[Surely Colette has stockpiled some supplies? What is courtesy?? He doesn't know, which is why he's totally willing to pull the ultimate roommate move... and raid the fridge.]

[These apples... are so small... he's glad Lalli skipped the gross potatoes entirely, buuuut hmm. He'll take them? But he has doubts.]

I don't even know what the point of having apples this small is.

[How does he eat this?? Whole???? Oh, but Lalli is still talking--]

I'm not going to sleep right this second, Lalli. I'm definitely staying awake for these... tiny apples.

[It's going to take him approximately two seconds to eat those things? Lalli wouldn't put it past him to fall right back asleep the moment he's out of things to munch on, but after studying his face extra closely—just to make sure there isn't the slightest trace of sleepiness to be found—Lalli decides that he can... probably... risk it. Probably.]

I found them in a garden, but it's too cold for them? And I didn't have time to hunt for anything else.

[Because he was sitting by Emil's side most of the time! Or running for his life in the castle! Anyway, Emil, think about that as he slips over to the kitchen and quickly grabs... I don't know, a (stale) loaf of bread, because I can't remember what does and does not have color. What MATTERS is that he sprints back over to offer it to his sick friend, but only after he tears off one end and, after careful consideration, perches on the edge of the bed. The desk chair is too far? And he needs to keep a close eye on this boy.]

[Emil passes out immediately after taking a bite of tiny apple just like Snow White-- No, he's just going to roll his eyes after Lalli leaves and nibble lamely on one of his tiny apples. He has to make it LAST... Still, he can't say he's really mad about all this fussing, or anything. Does he think he'll really be able to stay awake forever? No, not at all!

But Lalli did save him and he is being... some kind of nice, which is just enough for Emil to appreciate the effort. Or whatever it is, because stale bread is nasty.

By this point he has managed to sit up and slouch against the wall, to prove how awake he is. See? Opposite of sleepy.]

Hmm. [squinting at the bread.......] This is gross. I wish we could have real food again. Thank you for finding something, anyway.

[There are worse things than stale bread? And there are better things, too, but Lalli is trying not to think about them as he methodically chews his way through his half of the loaf. Maybe next time he should go find a green squirrel and throw it in a pot... hmm...

But he pauses his snacking for a moment, thinking very seriously about something before he quietly says:]

...You're welcome.

[Because he's, you know, glad that Emil is here, even if he's whining about food. But before Emil can possibly make a big deal about it, Lalli tears off another chunk of bread and shrugs.]

We can... try to go fishing one day. When you're better.

[And then roast them with the flamethrower—no, no.]

[Actually yes, definitely roast them with the flamethrower? That's the exact level of stupid Emil lives for. He smiles a little, for the first time since he was attacked by plants really, but it's for the manners and not the fishing. His friend... is such a good friend.

So good, he'll eat this bread, but he won't really like it, whatever. Good enough.]

...Do we have fishing rods? [Failed step one? And--] Are the fish okay? They're in that weird water.

I don't know, but other people eat them.

[He's been around the town! He's seen things! Well, heard things, but—hey, if no one has died from eating a gross-looking fish here, then they should be okay? Desperate times call for desperate measures.

And he also, you know, lives in a BOAT that he's poked around every inch of, which is why he points toward his bedroom door. Scouts have to be resourceful...]

There are broken fishing rods in the other room? We can fix them, or look for better ones.

[Hmm they can just fish out the window, they don't even have to go outside. Genius idea by Emil TM TM TM.]

Oh. [Sounds terrible, but,] Sure, I guess. Some other time.

[Fishing isn't exactly trying to get back home, but... sure, why not? Sitting around eating questionable fish is better than stale bread!

He looks down at his haunted doll, considering...]

Did the castle thing have any food in it? We should not go there, but, you know...

[They can make Mikkel's Fish Stew™ for their long journey home. Provisions are important! But oh, Emil, don't do this?? Don't ruin this okay-ish mood?? Lalli cuts him a Look, because no, they definitely should not go there...]

Some, but all of it was bad. Just like everything else. [Spoiled and Wrong, but he looks back down at the doll. Hmm.] ...That was the only thing that wasn't.

[Which is why he brought it back for Emil... cherish it forever...]

[He's just saying! Maybe it was possible! He shrugs and picks up the doll properly, like he's very interested in it an not just avoiding Lalli's judgmental looks. Stop that!!]

I said we shouldn't go, but maybe someone else will? [And then they mooch off their food like real adults who can provide for themselves.] You don't have to look at me like that!

[Hmph!! Now this doll is his best friend. More like this doll reminds him again that he slept for two whole days while Lalli had no idea what was going on and got upset, which, hmm...]

...Were you scared? I was scared, back then, before you started talking to me.

[You know, calling him stupid and stuff. Buddy.]

[Lalli will look at Emil any way he likes, thank you, but—oh. Well. That question catches him by surprise, honestly, and he promptly shifts his attention over to the bread he lowers right into his lap. Admitting that he was scared isn't an easy thing for him to do, but not because he's worried that Emil will, like, make a big deal about it; it's more like... admitting that he was scared is the same as admitting that he didn't know what was going on, or how he could help? After all, the castle—finding it, making his way through it, killing that monster—wasn't entirely his doing...]

...Mm.

[So that's essentially a very quiet yes, because there's no point in lying about things, but it's followed by... silence? Just a bit. Watch him tear this bread into pieces as he thinks.]

I thought you were... lost? That you couldn't find your way back. [Like he was, during that awful, awful time.] I waited for you to show up in my dream, but you didn't. And I couldn't find yours.

[Because he's not a mage... and maybe that was the worst part of all! Maybe so! Thinking that that... bond, or whatever it is, was broken for good. He never realized how little he actually minded Emil popping into his space...]

[Don't just make sounds, talk to him-- oh, he is, okay. Emil does indeed watch him tear up the bread, since that seems easier than the herculean task of making eye contact right now. Now they both know what it's like to be on that side of wondering if your only friend is going to disappear forever, huh? That's... not a great feeling. In fact, thinking about Lalli feeling the same worry he felt just makes him feel worse.

So that's great. He hadn't stopped to wonder yet if their inscrutable dream bond can break, because he already assumed it would and then it didn't, but only sometimes?? Now though-- well, he wants to keep it. If Lalli wasn't so hellbent on keeping him awake, they could doze off right now and look at some flying fish...]

I don't know anything about dream... things, [duh] but like I said, I don't think I was anywhere.

[Which is terrifying, now that he thinks about it, so maybe he won't sleep ever again. Cool! Cool. He reaches over to pinch Lalli's sleeve and tug it a little; stop ruining that bread and stare at him instead.]

You know, I think I'm starting to see your point about staying awake.

[Tearing this bread into bite-sized chunks is so engaging, though... so interesting... except that it isn't, which is why does indeed chance a glance back at Emil when he feels that tug on his sleeve. Yes, he knows that Emil knows nothing about dreams and how they're supposed to operate, but—it's fine? It's better that he doesn't know what terrible things can happen in them.

...And besides, it's hard to keep thinking about bad things when Emil is here, looking right back at him. Oh, a part of him is still worried, but... hmm. There's something about those stupid eyes? Probably the fact that they're actually wide open.]

Good. You should stay awake.

[Forever! Yeah! He pops one of the bread pieces into his mouth, wondering if he should, like, look away by this point in time... but he doesn't. This is just in case Emil starts getting sleepy, you see. Definitely.]

You just have to keep talking? You're good at that.

[Uh, no shade?]

[Hmm, thanks... He's not sure if that's rude or not, so he's going to decide it's fine and look back at Lalli without frowning or even looking whiny. A miracle!

The problem, though, is that he's going to run out of things to talk about, especially when he's still feeling a little gross... He tugs Lalli's sleeve again, more pointedly. Come here, look at him from this spot by the wall, that would be much better.]

I don't know what else to talk about. [...alright,] Come sit back here, I don't want to talk to the back of your head.

[And he's kind of worried about falling asleep again, now? Not that Lalli sitting right next to him will somehow keep him awake, but if he's going to stare, he might as well sit next to Emil. Let's go, buddy.]

[Lalli has the utmost faith in Emil's talking abilities... probably because Emil says ten words for every one word Lalli says, but! Still! He's sure that Emil will think of many things to complain about, just like he's sure that how he's sitting has nothing to do with the act of speaking, but—fine, fine. Allow him to turn slightly, to survey that side of the bed before he eventually scoots back up against the wall.

...There. Is this better? Lalli isn't quite convinced, but he chews on another chunk o' bread as he looks over at Emil. Their arms are kind of touching... weird...]

You have to think of something. It's important.

[Says the boy who explored a spooky castle, but doesn't really care about sharing any of the details? Just do the best you can, Emil.]

[Arm touching will keep Emil awake, so yes, this is better. He can finally let go of Lalli's sleeve and he does, after about another five seconds when Lalli scoots back near him. Now they're here, just cool dudes eating gross bread and talking about talking-- he's got nothing.]

Can you think of something? I'll talk about whatever it is.

[That's Lalli's task... prompt him and he'll do his best, or he'll just have to start talking about how disappointing the food is again.]

[Jesus, Emil, but this is the most challenging request of all time? Lalli continues eating his rapidly diminishing snack supply as he tries very, very hard to think of something halfway interesting to say. There were other monsters in the castle? ...But he didn't get a very good look at them. The castle itself was huge? ...But everything inside it was falling apart. Renne tried to push him out of a window? ...Mmph.

Well! His options are, in his opinion, quite limited, but he thinks about what Emil would probably like to hear and decides to start there.]

The dog licked my face? Koromaru. [Fire Dog.] After we fell through the floor.

[It was A Lot.]

Edited (i had to make it worse) 2019-01-27 06:19 (UTC)

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