fiddlestick | IC Contact

It’s not . . . Bad, though.

[ once the open flesh seems to have closed, it stops steaming, but the rest continues to mend and smooth out. it doesn’t hurt anymore. flexing his fingers, it looks . . . wow. he’s a little hot, but. nice and smooth again. eren begins rolling up one of his sleeves. ]

That’s why this disappeared, too?

[ oh wait that’s his tattoo arm— where’s the tattoo . . . ]

[!!!!!!!!!]

What?! Your tattoo's gone?!

[NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]

. . . Yeah. [ geez, from the reaction, he really did enjoy it. don’t worry, eren heavily disliked the disappearance as well, that thing was his pride and joy. ]

It started fading out when I got that fever. I went back to the shop and thought it was something wrong with their ink. [ because that could happen, but only if it’s a lot more than shitty, and eren was the only case. he presses a finger into his skin and runs over it, brows creasing. ] If it heals scars, then it can heal this.

[Honey he totally stared and felt it up every time he saw it of course he enjoyed it.

But man, this power is intense. First scars, and now the tattoo? Having something that can heal you up is handy, but losing a tattoo was a bit much. And if Eren did somehow get it from him.......]

...I'm sorry.

[ when ya boy too good for this world, much too good. eren’s eyes narrow off as he looks at his own lap, taking in a deep breath and pinching the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes while he exhales. when he looks back to elliot, he looks— completely rueful. maybe the steaming sidetracked them a bit, but . . . he didn’t forget one bit what they were talking about. ]

You’re not the one who should be saying sorry, Elliot.

[ it’s just— a dumb tattoo. a nice asthetic, but what’s that compared to complete regeneration? if it truly came from eren, it brought on some questionable . . . things. but if it came from elliot, that apology would make him feel worse, now. ]

Look at this, [ he holds his hands out to him, palms up, smooth and clean from any sort of blemish. ] And look at what I did.

[Sorry Eren, it's just still very easy for him to fall onto the guilt train. But Eren reminding him of that much brings him back down a little. He sucks in a little air]

R-Right...Sorry. Got sidetracked...

[He'll ask his roommates later if they noticed anything off about themselves. No need to jump to conclusions and guilt until then. Not when they were dealing with a bigger issue at hand right now.

Which the first step of trying to figure out how to better control this stuff? Is to try to understand it. ]

You said...i-in that memory...you were biting yourself to try to use your power...?

[ he shakes his head, because— it was hard not to get a little sidetracked when you’re steaming. he just . . . didn’t want to be the one to get an apology from all this. it wasn’t deserved or the place for it.

he’s already feeling bad for dumping that information on elliot earlier, and now, since he’s already got it out there, makes an effort to keep the finer details at a minimum. if he didn’t want to know about it, he can imagine other people. his gaze turns a little stoney when he looks for the words to pick. ]

Yeah. But nothing happened. [ . . . ] I’ve had ones where it’s worked though, so I know they’re real.

I believe you.

[That they're real, anyway. Outside dreams of freedom, Eren was far from the whimsical type. He wouldn't think to use powers that weren't there. ]

I...I think next time you try to figure out what the power is, you should have someone with you. It'd be safer that way, especially when you don't know what it is...

And...they can make sure you don't get carried away again.

[ the fact that he isn’t hearing this the first time makes his chest sink a little and gaze look away, almost in shame. eren, why didn’t you listen to your friends the first time? dave and john told him. they even offered themselves. and he just had to go and be stubborn, even if he didn’t have full intention of doing what he did— he still got caught up in a memory, alone, and james only got there when most damage was done. ]

. . . I’ll have to plan this out more than I thought.

[ even the right type of people— he wouldn’t ask for elliot to come alone with him, for example. ]

It’ll be worse if someone gets hurt because they’re there.

That's why you should pick people who would be careful, and know the risks. And I can always go too, I mean, might not be a bad idea to have a healer...

[Yeah, that's not going to fly as a reason to let him do it alone. Not after this.]

And you should do it somewhere secluded. Somewhere where we don't have to worry about people passing by...

[Though that, admittedly, is a challenge in a city the size of this one]

I thought about you. Dave and John, too.

[ and then he’d feel more comfortable than either of them alone. hah— elliot was an asset to a team, and that wasn’t because he was biased! as for a place . . . since people walk around the woods, and that’s the only place secluded enough . . . ]

Recollé Woods, but— deeper. A lot of people go there to practice their things, so . . . It’s the farthest I could think of.

Oh, Dave and John would be good choices! They like you a lot, and they're strong!

[He's not even sure of all of their powers, but it seems like a Lot]

Good thinking. I had a lot of people come upon me when I was practicing magic in there, so deeper than where I was would be better.

[ sometimes eren gets the feeling that what he knows is like, 1%. what is homestuck.

but, this seems like the better plan. dave with time stirring and swordplay, john with the windy thing, and elliot with his magic. there’s worry, inevitable worry, but the trust here seems to grow much taller than that. he could count on those three to keep things under control far more than he could. that was enough of a given with his own failure.

which leads to eren’s reflecting silence, hunching over to lean his elbows against his legs and take a deep breath in, motioning to take elliot’s hand. ]

. . . I don’t know what I’d do right now if you weren’t around.

[ the presence to calm him, the care to comfort him, the honesty to put him back in his place, without disrespect from either of them— he’s never had something like it and he can’t imagine himself without it now. ]

[And like always, he takes that hand. This time he'll hold onto it in a supportive grip. ]

You don't have to know. I'm here for you, just like you're there for me.

[Was he shaken and upset by the way things have turned out? Yeah, and it'll take time for things to fade. But there was no doubt he still wanted to stay by Eren's side, to help him work through this.]

[ it’ll probably take just as long for this guilt to pass, if it’ll even pass. doesn’t feel like it. he fucked the whole day up, and between the dim and warm lighting of the apartment, the smell of food gentle on the senses (thank god its the sort of thing to take a while to bake), everything else was there. what was he waiting for? ]

I’ll match up to it. [ and just to leave this air on the couch, or preferably, out the door, eren retreats a hand to . . . smack himself. yes, smack himself. not enough to beat himself up, even if he’s capable, but just— to leave his cheek a little red, for the clap and sting to bring him back. bring eren back. he takes elliot’s hand in a better hold and gets up, grumbling. ]

We got better things to do than give this miserable bastard attention.

[ yes he’s mumble grumbling at himself— he won’t let it take away the rest of the night. he called elliot over earlier for a reason, and everything that had to be said was said. everything that needed to be understood was understood, but wallowing in it was starting to piss him off. the kitchen awaits delights. nothing would be in vain. ]

[!!

When Eren smacks himself, Elliot's response is to reach out to gently take hold of his wrist. There...is no way he could actually hold Eren back if Eren really want. Elliot is way too weak to win against him But it's not like he wants to see Eren beat himself up like that]

Hey, don't hit yourself. You're not a miserable...

[Bastard, even if he doesn't say that second part, because Elliot swearing twice in the night would probably trigger Ragnarok. ]

B-But you're right about the rest. I got here early so... we can still have our full date night, alright?

[ at least he won’t smack himself twice— there’s something about the hold that even if he had every ability to, he just . . . couldn’t go against it. eren’s hand is a little tense, but begins to relax with elliot’s there.

it’ll just take a minute for that frown on his face to lessen. afterwards, his fingers lace with elliot’s and he leads him to the kitchen with a nod. ]

You’re right, I’m not. [ let’s— let’s put on some music? where’s the speaker system’s remote . . . ] But what was sitting there looked pretty miserable to me.

[ i’ll beat him up he mumbles. was he trying to lift the mood or was he being serious? maybe the latter, but both works too. ]

[When those fingers lace with his, he'll give a gentle, reassuring squeeze]

W-Well, it wasn't fun. I'll give you that. [Complete opposite of fun.] But let's table that for now. No more bashing yourself tonight, okay?

[Because if he let Eren, he could go on all night like this. But he'll spot the remote that Eren is looking for and grab it, holding it out for the other to take]

You're still my wonderful boyfriend.

[ it was gross. and truth be told, he probably would keep beating himself with a stick. after elliot cuts it off from going any farther though, eren looks down at nothing in particular before exhaling out through the nose, features finally relaxing some.

to still see him as that, elliot was by far, amazing. he motions to take the remote, and instead, takes elliot’s wrist, and pulls him to his front— to hug him. just hug him, earnestly and tightly. ]

. . . Thanks. [ not for those words, but— for everything. and after a pause, retreating to look him in the eyes: ] And that’s what you are.

[He'll return that hug. But he'll also stand up on his tip-toes to give Eren a kiss on the forehead.]

Aww, c'mon now. [He lowers himself back down, and smiles up at him] Maybe I should put you on kneading and dough shaping duty until your morale improves.

[Nothing makes a person feel better like punching bread dough. Eren's muscles are so much more suited to that sort of manual labor than Elliot's anyway]

[ not only is elliot the good boyfriend, the best boyfriend, but he knows what his man needs to blow off any extra steam the barbaric way. also the helpful way, he’ll tenderize that dough like a machine.

and, the first one this evening, eren ends up getting caught off guard, blushing some at the reach elliot had to make for that kiss and leaving his head lowered to accommodate. there . . . is a smile. a small smile with not so much energy, but it sees a small ray of light in the dark. ]

Wanna finish the cake for us, then?

[ Erdbeerküchen! he already separated enough strawberries in a bowl to stick on top and cover the cake’s entirety. he probably doesn’t have the right weight on his hands for placing fruit in calm and collected manner. he’s better off PUNCHING THINGS. ]

[Aw yais. There's that smile he loves. Things were a bit rocky, but he didn't want Eren to spend the whole night punishing himself. They'll just have to figure out things as they come, and be more careful than they had been before. But for now? It was better to put it aside and relax some.

Which at that question, Elliot gives a little grin and holds up an index finger]

Hehe, sure! It'll be a piece of cake!

[....Remember. This is the guy you fell in love with]

[ oh my god. a good oh my god, because he has no regrets. elliot, as much as he stares for a few moments with something of a blank look . . . oh no, maybe he thought it was dumb. maybe he’s contemplating his life choices. ]

. . . That’s not half-baked.

[ and then he smiles. look at what you’ve STARTED ]

[With that blank look, he was expecting to get judged, or an eye roll. He's used to that really.

But then, Eren comes out with that pun. He lets out a surprised happy laugh as he moves to give a quick hug of Eren's arm, clearly smiling]

Ahaha! Good one! ♪

[ he made him happy. at least, he made him smile, and he made him chirp in a sing-song voice that brings back a little spirit. while not grinning, it’s still feels . . . too early for his energy to bounce so quickly, but eren holds his arm out in a hook to lead elliot over to the counters. let’s see— there’s the dough, and he shuts off the oven just in time.

let’s see . . . ]

So, I just have to a salt this thing?

[ assault, salt, kitchen puns THIS IS YOUR FAULT YOU FEED THE FIRE ]

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