♚ eleventh step ♚

[polarization]

[ In the library, there is a sleeping boy. This boy has an egg! It is an odd, yellow egg with one pink dot on each side of it and black lightning bolt patterns along the crown. How curious.

Unbeknownst to Sefton, the egg begins to stir, rocking back and forth from its cradle of his curled up legs and arms. It's making sounds! It's about to hatch!

Crack...

Crack... crackcrack—

Congratulations! Your egg has hatched into a Pichu! And boy, is the little tyke just SO HAPPY to be alive. In fact, it's so excited, it discharges some electricity on accident. Zzzap. ]

O—ow! What—... uh. Hi.

Pi pichu!

[ WELL YOU GUYS SAID IT COULD BE A POKéMON I mean, standard Sefton disclaimer, yadda yadda. ]

Comments

[polarization]

[ He shrugs. ] I guess. I could try that.

[oliverplus]

Okay! Should we get some from the kitchen? Oh, or I could pop back to the flat and bring some. We wouldn't want to wake him up moving him...

[polarization]

... we can go to the kitchen. [ Because he really doesn't want to take any of Oliver's stuff or something when he can't pay the guy back. ]

[oliverplus]

[poor or not, Oliver would give it freely, but fine Sefton, be that way :P]

All right. Wanna go now?

[polarization]

[ It's not 'poor' so much as 'utterly without any sort of personal possession, including his wallet'. Sefton nods in response and carefully tries scooping his hand under the creature to hold it against his chest. It shifts, murmurs, and stays asleep when Sefton stands. ]

[oliverplus]

[but Oliver really is poor. just don't tell Sefton]

[whispers] He must've been really tired. [smiles at the cute little thing and starts heading out of the library]

[polarization]

It just hatched. [ Which is... weird to say, but true. Sefton follows Oliver at a distance. ]

[oliverplus]

Good point. [glances back to make sure Sefton's following him. keeps his pace slow, assuming that Sefton is trying to avoid jarring the poor thing]

[polarization]

[ Not entirely. He's got it held pretty well. With Oliver's slow pace, it's keeping Sefton at nearly a crawl since he doesn't want to get too close. ]

[oliverplus]

[frowns. okay, that's just weird. speeds up again] I don't bite, you know.

[polarization]

[ He mumbles his answer. ] ... Don't wanna bump into you.

[oliverplus]

[raises an eyebrow] I don't break either.

[polarization]

[ Glowers at him. There's worry in that gaze, some pain and too much guilt, underneath the annoyance at Oliver's flippancy. ]

[oliverplus]

[winces, turning to watch where he's going--not to mention to escape Sefton's gaze] Life's better with mates, you know. [glances back at him]

[polarization]

[ Nope, guilt's still there. Pain, too. Some self-loathing, and... yeah, he's looking down to Pichu now. Issues, ahoy! ]

For you.

[oliverplus]

[cringes but forces himself to keep his eyes on him. at least it's easier when Sefton looks away] Why do you think you can't have mates?

[polarization]

Don't want 'em. [ He shrugs. ]

[oliverplus]

[softly] You don't have to lie about it, either.

[polarization]

[ His free hand tenses, and his expression tightens. ] I'm not.

[ He is. ]

[oliverplus]

[when he responds, his words are frustrated. he's wishing he could help, and he probably got too big of a dose of Sefton's self-loathing] Like hell you're not! You're scared and worried and--oh god I sound like a nutter. Forget I said that. [turns quickly forward, picking up his pace]

[polarization]

[ Sefton stops, stares after Oliver, and then— ]

Wh-what?

[oliverplus]

Nothing! Forget I said anything.

Just--you're not alone. All right? The people here won't let you be alone. [glances back at him uncertainly, very tense now]

[polarization]

[ A lot of the emotions seem to have been pushed down for confusion... and suspicion. Sefton tilts his head slightly, then walks to begin catching up to him. ]

That wasn't nothing.

[ ... as he blatantly ignores the rest of that. ]

[oliverplus]

[turns away quickly at those feelings, cringing. his words are mumbled this time, all his confidence and put-on optimism gone. Sefton doesn't need Oliver's ability to be able to tell that he's scared of something, too] Sorry. I wasn't trying to pry...

[polarization]

[ If Oliver looks back up at him, there's... understanding. A lightbulb moment, of sorts. He tries to keep the accusation out of his tone. ]

But you did? Pried—how?