GGaD » [@Echo] Here's to a thread with no assassination involved.

GalaxianExplosion · February 7, 2021 00:31:28

"I have...five dollars in my pocket," Kaori is telling Francis despite the other saying it's free, trying his best to remain in his pose while checking for what he has on him.
If someone were to mug him, they'd be in for a horrible experience, to be honest, but hopefully that doesn't happen.
He adds a laugh. His laugh is as warm and soft as Galaxian in bunny form. "I'm really happy to hear that, but I should pay you something in return for your services on that note as well."

Echowo · February 7, 2021 08:25:16

"Ah, but that wouldn't be fair to you, sir! I'm the one who asked you to pose for me, ya know, so I shouldn't take money," Francis said, a slight frown on his face. "So, please, don't try to give me money for this one!"

GalaxianExplosion · February 7, 2021 19:07:07

"Okay, but I should return the favor in some way sometime, then," Kaori muses after some thought.

Echowo · February 7, 2021 19:37:28

"Only if it'll not be trouble for you," Francis said.

GalaxianExplosion · February 7, 2021 19:40:13

"It won't be," Kaori assures. "It will probably have to wait a little bit, though, sorry about that."
Namely, he can't buy things that aren't food right now, lol.

Echowo · February 7, 2021 20:42:24

"I do not mind waiting at all, so it's fine if it takes a really super long time. I'm super awesome at being patient!"

GalaxianExplosion · February 7, 2021 20:46:55

"Oh, I mean," Kaori clarifies, embarrassed, "it probably will take a few months, maybe even a year. Hopefully no longer than that."

Echowo · February 7, 2021 20:57:57

"I don't mind if it takes that long or if it takes longer than that! Hey, that means we'll stay in contact then, right?" Francis asks, sounding very hopeful in that.

GalaxianExplosion · February 7, 2021 21:01:07

Kaori thinks about all the ways they can't stay in contact and then tries to sort out the remaining possibilities, which aren't looking too bright right now. "I can tell, and also, I'd really like that. Maybe letters?" he offers.

Echowo · February 7, 2021 21:05:50

Francis gasped, grinning, "Letters are awesome! That sounds good to me!"

GalaxianExplosion · February 7, 2021 21:07:59

Kaori's gonna spend a lot of his time practicing his handwriting now, lol.
He smiles. "We have a deal, then."

Echowo · February 7, 2021 21:12:15

(why are they so freaking adorable, my hEART-)

Francis nodded, confirming that he agreed. He stepped back from his painting a bit and studied it, bringing a hand to his chin as he tilted his body to look at the painting.

"Hmm... It needs to dry before I can add the final details. You can relax from that pose now, it must be uncomfortable for you."

Francis smiled and stretched his arms up, popping some of his joints.

GalaxianExplosion · February 7, 2021 21:18:30

(For some reason I read "tilted" as "melted" lol what's wrong with me???)

"Actually, I couldn't pick a more comfortable pose," Kaori counters, and that's the bare-laid truth. After all, a harder pose would probably result in him no longer being able to stand. Yay physical fragility. He does lean a bit more on the tree, though careful not to bend it.

Echowo · February 7, 2021 21:42:26

"Oh, okay!" Francis nodded. "A lot of times my painting models choose uncomfortable poses, so I was worried you might get sore."

GalaxianExplosion · February 7, 2021 21:43:27

"Oh no, I'm no professional model," Kaori laughs. "Or I daresay, I'm not someone that impractical, either. I can't really afford to push the limits right now."

Echowo · February 7, 2021 21:59:16

Francis nodded and said, "But you did very well at standing still! I wouldn't be able to stand or sit still for so long."

GalaxianExplosion · February 7, 2021 22:03:38

"Really?" Rhetorical. "Thanks."

Echowo · February 7, 2021 22:14:54

"You're welcome!" Francis smiled, twirling his paint brush in his hand.

GalaxianExplosion · February 8, 2021 02:16:30

Kaori smiles again. Well, it's more like he smiles a bit more. His smile is like a tide--rising and then falling and rising again, but never really does it truly fall, or so it seems.

Echowo · February 8, 2021 20:56:38

Francis started quietly putting away some of the art supplies he didn't need for the final touches.

GalaxianExplosion · February 13, 2021 20:43:13

Kaori watches him do that with a tinge of interest and maybe a sense of familiarity.

Echowo · February 13, 2021 20:56:28

Since the Narrator has no idea what to POV, he is going to point out random details.

Francis has very graceful movements, careful with each paint tube or paint brush he has. For some reason, it seems that the supplies clean themselves? One moment the paint brushes has paint on them, then Francis flips his hand over and the brushes are clean and new-looking. Same with other art supplies that Francis flips over in his hands.

Francis has paint on both of his hands, his overalls, face, and a bit on his pale arms as well. He doesn't seem to mind this, or maybe he doesn't notice? As well, some paint had somehow ended up on a bit of his glasses lense. He in fact does notice that, but he tells himself he'll fix it later.

Francis is very calm looking, finding some kind of tranquility as he puts away supplies. Or maybe he is naturally peaceful? It somewhat seems that way. Francis has a small smile on his face, kind and gentle.

The wind slightly ruffles his bleached and dyed hair. Francis fixes the golden hair clip holding back his left bangs, surprisingly not smudging paint into his hair.

GalaxianExplosion · February 13, 2021 23:17:01

He still watches, patient and graceful in his own state of repose and composure. Indeed, he seems as if a part of the beautiful tree he leans upon for support, completely content with the world around him.
The leaves of the tree move from a passerby: The wind, which also tumbles through Kaori's hair, now completely ruining the way he had moved most of his hair behind his ears. He remains unperturbed, however, instead just lifting his left arm and hand to move all the hair that has fallen back over his left eye to the side once again.
Just about everything wrong comes in a moment where one least expects it; for this case, however, it's not as if something could be changed if he had, in fact, expected it. A dagger of pain pierces through his head, causing him to wince silently and lean a bit more against the tree involuntarily. Splotches of white appear around the edges of his vision like paint spots, quickly covering everything around him.
What he doesn't know is that he somehow catches himself and almost finishes the action, his fingers pressing closely against the strands of hair on his left eye but not doing anything to brush the hair aside like he intended. Instead, from his eyes, a cold blood-red glint grows, ensnaring all the brightness and strangling it until it can no longer breathe. Almost as if he himself was the light, an attempt of a choke winds its way up through his throat and tries to move upwards, only to be muffled and forced back down again. Kaori's constant tide-like smile falls as if crushed into the earth, almost completely replaced.
He still watches Francis, but now, his gaze is more like a lion's gaze fixated on its quarry. Everything seems too calm, save for the ignored bird that stumbles off of a branch nearby, feeling the terror no one else can seem to feel. Its wings entangle with each other as its instinct is completely taken over and it crashes into the ground pathetically.
That crash seems to be the precedent to a different moment. Kaori's eyes dim again. For now, though, that dimness is only temporary. His eyes widen with a parallel to that of the creature that tried to take flight and failed. His attention swerves to said creature out of instinct. A brother seems to know when his younger siblings are in trouble, and in the same way, someone attuned to the world around him will sometimes know immediately when something is wrong. Without calling attention to it himself, he starts for the poor pathetic creature, his pace slow but steady.

Echowo · February 14, 2021 00:22:37

(oh my godsssss, oh my godddssssss, you just. Flex on me. Oh my godsssss that is some SPICY writing holy smokes,,, oh my godsssss I am literally,,, I simp for your writing,,, oh my godsssss how am I suppose to write something equally amazing to thank you for blessing my eyes and soul with that WHHDJS holy smokes wjdhjw)

For Francis, the entire thing wasn't exactly unnoticed, but it wasn't noticed either. For Francis, pain is something... something quite vile and pleasurable. Something Francis hated most in in the world but craved more than sugar. This wasn't his fault, it was his biological father's fault. As well as being a death god, his father was a god of torture. It was in his DNA that he would feel some sort of disgusting pleasure from pain.

No, not pain inflicted on Francis. What was the most horridly satisfying thing was pain inflicted on others. The loud pain in the form of screaming and wailing, the silent pain in the form of winces and teeth gritting. Francis, he hated it. It felt good for others to be in pain, and Francis despise this curse ever since he was young. He didn't need to see the pain. If it was in existence in the scene around Francis, his body would leech it and drain some cruel joy from it.

When he was younger and Francis walked around the world, he would usually feel some kind of cheerfulness as pain was never-ending and constant around him. It wasn't something that would ever stop. Francis had taught himself to ignore it, taught his body to stop feeling good from pain that was constant and pain that was steady. But the abrupt pain from Kaori and possibly from the bird was a different than what Francis had taught himself to ignore. It was an unexpected shot upwards, and without warning Francis has sensed it and leeched from it.

The most Francis felt in that moment was that something was off but wonderful. There was a giddy moment of pure ecstasy Francis had felt bubbling in his body. A purely innocent, blissful euphoria that was hard to explain.

Francis, he knew something was wrong with it, but he couldn't pinpoint anything in the moment he felt it. He couldn't tell the feelings was derived from pain, but there was something about it that felt disturbing and awful. It felt like sickness from how good he felt, how happy he felt. It was saccharine and horrible, it was strange and yet he felt like he wanted more of that sudden emotion. It was toxic, addicting, and truly something cruel.

It had been a long time since he had an emotional high from sensing pain. Francis had almost completely forgot what it had felt like. He almost forgot he could feel it at all.

Francis glanced up to look over at Kaori, about to start up a new conversation to ignore what he was feeling as an upset realization was slowly dawning on him. Frustration from the reminder of his father was dawning. Sadness was dawning. A horrible mix of clashing emotions was dawning.

Francis saw Kaori walking away, confusion swirling into the horrible array.

"Oh, are you leaving?" Francis hid his disappointed, self-loathing tone, sounding kind and gentle and innocent.

"W-wait, sir, your painting! It's not finished..."

GalaxianExplosion · February 14, 2021 22:00:10

Kaori's suffering from effects that are a bit similar to a variety of those caused by different conditions. They are similar in many ways but also a bit different. His vision swims, but he's looking past the water and at the sky, where a bird that should have been writhing lies completely still. He can't tell if the bird still has any light within its eyes, and that is why fear implants itself into his heart. One could say that somehow, the first thing he sees after the grayout is the sole object of his attention.
Walking as if in a trance, he stumbles to a pause a little bit away from the creature lying on the concrete. For a moment, his figure wavers, as if he is also about to fall onto the cold concrete and then lie horribly still. His shadow falls over the creature that seems so small and frail even in comparison to he, and then it falls away to the side as he bends down slowly, at a speed that is as fast as he can manage, keeping a bit of distance from the creature as if to try to get it accustomed to his presence and his outstretching hand.
The young man can barely register the fact that someone's talking to him, but the bits and pieces of realization click together like puzzle pieces moved by a paralyzed hand, making him realize that there is something he hasn't quite done yet and that it is something he must do. What is it? His vision slowly grows beyond the fallen and prone creature on the ground to include the rest of his monochromatic world. He has crouched down all that he can. His hand stops. And the bird twists around as hard as it can and pecks.
To a creature that relies on animal instinct, what it sees is not a young man with boy-like features slowly reaching out a hand kindly. It does not register the pause he has given for it to realize that he means no harm and that he is there for its sake. For the bird, this is the entity that spawned its fear and its current predicament. No, "predicament" as a word does not suffice. This is someone who would tear off its wings and break its bones one by one while looking to another scene, like a movie-watcher eats away at his popcorn as he watches the screen on which a movie is playing. The outstretched hand is worse than any claw that could ever tear away at it. At least a greater bird with its sharp talons would give it a quick end. It wouldn't give that cruel pause in between for it to realize that the end is coming and it is powerless to stop anything.
Yes, that peck was a last attempt to leave a mark on the one who would hurt it. A scab, a scar, or anything would suffice. It wanted to cause a bit of pain or at least a bit of annoyance. A bird would perhaps not think of it as that normally, but all normality has its end at one point, and all definitions of it blur at one boundary or another.
Kaori is about to try to form words to synthesize an explanation for his behavior when the little addition of pain is about to be registered. In comparison to the last time, the pain is almost nothing, but at least it gives space for his instincts to react to. React he does: He winds back a bit, his arm shooting backwards before it can even register any feeling. Out of instinct, his eyes flicker to the torn skin and vaguely beak-shaped space for blood to fill up in the very near future.

Echowo · February 14, 2021 22:39:05

Francis, when Kaori was crouching down, had followed Kaori in interest and curiosity. He saw the bird and gasped, then flinched when Kaori was pecked.

Francis quickly went to Kaori's side, worry taking over and pushing away all other emotions from before.

"Your hand! And this bird!" Francis said quietly, crouching beside Kaori. There was nothing but a warm kindness and melancholy ripple of feeling in Francis' eyes, his usual smile replaced with an uneasy, slight frown.

Francis hesitated to do anything for a moment, unsure of really what to do as his mind was full of panic from going from one state of emotion to the next.

Then he started humming, then he started singing.

His voice was soft and gentle, low-noted but not intimidating. He wasn't singing words, but instead it was a calming melody of some sort. A handful of notes in, three different octaves of voices joined in and overlapped, all three voices being his own. The three octaves didn't sing the same notes, though, almost as if three other people had joined in. It created a strange but wonderful melody, sweet like a bird's singing. It was warm and caring, angelic even.

Francis had started singing for two reasons.

Firstly, it would help him calm down. Francis, in the nicest way possible, is eccentric. No one would just start singing like that in reality. Someone normal would ask, "Are you okay?" But not Francis. He doesn't know what social cues are and he is not going to soon find out. The boy is going to SING this situation away.

Secondly, his singing has special properties. The big main three is healing wounds, soothing pain, and calming emotions. There was some hope Francis had in which the bird would calm down and that the cut Kaori just got would heal up. For both of them, they were probably in pain. Kaori's due to the peck. Francis guessed the bird was in pain and scared, which was why it lashed out. That's what a lot of animals do, right?

Francis doesn't reach towards the bird or Kaori. Instead, he stays in place and continues singing. In a way, he looks like a dork doing so, but the boy is panicking because Kaori got pecked and there is a bird that, Francis assuming, is hurt.

GalaxianExplosion · February 14, 2021 23:10:27

Unfortunately, the singing doesn't work in any way. The bird is pretty much trying to get at another peck, assuming that the threat it's facing is hesitating enough to give it another chance to strike. Maybe the singing would have helped emotionally, but Kaori's already very calm. Or, if there was something that went against that calmness, he hasn't registered yet. And blood is filling up the wound. It looks like it really lacks the oxygen-rich color that it's probably supposed to have.
Kaori looks the opposite of offended that his well-meaning intentions were completely misinterpreted in their own way, but that doesn't mean he's gonna just let the bird peck him again. That would be stupid. He just proceeds to ignore the wound and sighs slightly, focusing on the bird. "Sorry, little birdie. I guess I messed up. I put my hand way too close to you. Sorry I scared you."
The bird is actually not little.

Echowo · February 14, 2021 23:43:02

Francis continues to sing, mostly because he's panicking at seeing blood, even if it's not a lot of barely any. He's quieter now, but the notes he's singing are still drifting in the air, maybe a bit quicker of a tempo now. Francis reached in his overall pockets to see if he has any bandaids.

Francis focused his eyes on the bird to see if it had any wounds that would make it agitated. He tries to find every detail he can. He wants to reach towards the bird but he didn't want to scare it even more than it probably was. I mean, two beings that are much bigger and stronger looming over you would be scary, right? Francis thinks so.

GalaxianExplosion · February 15, 2021 18:20:36

It's hard to tell what's going on with the bird. It's kind of like it has a barrier over it. It's looking at Kaori extremely critically.

Echowo · February 15, 2021 18:32:09

Francis stopped singing for a moment to ask Kaori, "Are you okay?" He found a cute kitty bandaid in his pocket and held it up.

"Maybe we should a bandaid on your cut so the bleeding stops, yeah? It probably needs to be checked out at a hospital, though, since this is a wild bird. It'd be bad if your hand got infected or something like that."

Francis was speaking very carefully, trying to not raise his voice in panic. It is certain that he is worried.