AUDIENCE: SHIRO

[retellers]

Comments

[lionson]

[Making him walk, how dare.]

First off, you're still getting stuff.

Secondly: is that place over there- [He jabs his thumb in the direction of the bridge to Space Station Whatever.] -actually outer space, or is it just an illusion?

[retellers]

[ they sigh, because!! no!! no stuff!!! but: ]

Realm connects to everything through nova. [ they turn their head in the location of the bridge ] It can connect and affect other worlds. This should be one of them. So try not to go out without a spacesuit.

[lionson]

...huh. Guess it's a good thing me and that kid didn't actually break a window with that rock.

[Yeah, that sure happened today.]

Any idea why it's doing that? I thought we needed to collect nova to keep it from dying, and then it turns around and uses the nova on this?

[retellers]

This is why you guys need babysitting.

[ tiredly. anyway; ]

It's not using it. It's connecting to places where the flow has gotten disturbed so we can track it. Nova's not a resource it uses, the Realm just transports it through.

[lionson]

[Wolf so tired of everyone's nonsense. Shiro does offer them an apologetic grin.]

So we gotta fix the nova at this space station or whatever? Does that mean another scavenger hunt game?

[retellers]

Probably not a scavenger hunt... but maybe something similar. [ they tilt their head ] Group event, anyway.

[lionson]

Hopefully it doesn't involve hornets this time.

[He waves a hand at Wolf, showing off his mostly-healed stings. They're not red anymore, all that's left are the tiny pinpricks where he actually got stung.]

Because if there's space hornets or some shit, I'm outta there.

[retellers]

[ ... ]

I can't guarantee there won't be space hornets.

[lionson]

[...]

Can you at least get me some herbs to make ointment with?

[retellers]

... Uh...

[ they look a little blank. it is very hard to give herbs for ointment when you do not know what those are ]

Might be some in the space garden?

[lionson]

I'll check there first.

[A pause.]

If I give you a list of ingredients I can't find, can you get those for me?

[He actually hadn't considered just asking before. He's used to having to get stuff on his own.]

[retellers]

... Depends. We sort of have to know what we're providing. I'm not... great with plants.

[ and that is why they just gave taako a pen when he wanted ink for fingerprints. ]

[lionson]

Oh? Does that mean I get to teach you about them?

[Learning time with Shiro and Wolf sounds like a good use of time.]

[retellers]

[ a beat ]

Why?

[ must they ]

[lionson]

Because we're allies, yeah? Allies share information with each other like that. Besides, it'd give us a chance to get to know each other better.

[retellers]

I don't really want to get to know you guys better.

[ how is wolf's team winning when they are like this ]

[lionson]

Aww, and I thought we were such good buds!

[He's teasing a little there.]

Why don't you want to get to know us?

[retellers]

Don't like or care about people that much.

[ lovely. ]

[lionson]

That's the unfortunate thing: people have this habit of making you care about them, even if you don't want to. It's happened to me so many times before, so I guess it's my turn to be the one to bother the 'tsuntsun' one.

[Does this mean Shiro is going to constantly pester Wolf?

Yes. Yes it does.]

[retellers]

Everyone keeps saying that. I don't know what it means.

[ the sheer exasperation in their tone. what the fuck is a tsundere ]

[lionson]

'Tsuntsun' means being grumpy, and is like the opposite of 'deredere', which means being affectionate. Sometimes you might hear it combined as 'tsundere', which means someone who is grumpy at first but gets affectionate as you get to know them.

...actually that might be accurate here. Is that accurate for you, Wolf?

[retellers]

No.

[ they sound so offended? they don't explain how this is inaccurate to them, possibly because they have been Read ]

And part of that description is-- no one likes everyone right off the bat when meeting them.

[lionson]

Of course not, that's why you spend time talking to each other and getting to know each other. Part of becoming friends is growing that trust, little by little.

Here, I'll start us off on this friend-building exercise: My family is me, my sons, and the three other priests we live with. The other priests and I have been friends for decades, and they're all like uncles to Rin and Yukio.

[That's where he pauses, waiting to see what Wolf says.]

[retellers]

[ ... well, wolf does listen. ]

... That's nice, I guess?

[ they seem supremely awkward about this ]

[lionson]

[Wolf is a good listener. And it's okay if it's awkward, they'll get it eventually.]

It is pretty nice, yeah.

So now you share something about yourself. It doesn't have to be super-personal or anything, so long as it's something I don't already know. Even something like a favorite food or hobby is fine.