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[selfconcept]

Congratulations! You survived the first week of Personal Enrichment Class! Or at least, your body did if you feel like astral projecting. It's time to mingle with your fellow students after the Saturday lesson. Maybe get revenge. Or maybe you're going to your room right away. Either way, it's free time! Let loose. Go wild.

Comments

[selfconcept]

... Yeah.

[ He quietly breathes out. ]

You can live with this too?

[ The head resting on shoulders thing. He doesn't need pain share to feel anxiety from Fai. He can tell, mostly because he already knows Fai's situation. ]

[partymagician]

...Do you like it?

[ He probably does, considering that Hien initiated it in the first place. ]

[selfconcept]

Yeah, it's nice. I like it.

[ No hesitation. ]

You didn't answer my question though. I know that you already know that I like this.

[partymagician]

...And you can tell that I'm not used to this.

[ Putting his hands on people—grabbing their elbows, touching their shoulders, grabbing their wrists—is easy for Fai, but extended affection like this is new. It feels strange, for someone who is so touchy. ]

I can live with it.

[selfconcept]

Good. I'll take that as invitation to do it again. And you can do it whenever you want to.

[ He smiles a little and closes his eyes, taking in the comfort in his current situation. ]

[partymagician]

Is my shoulder comfortable at least?

[ He would hope so... even if he's a little bony. ]

[selfconcept]

[ Hien lifts his head off Fai's shoulder and gives him a dead look. ]

You ask that now? Damn, read the room.

[ It's his way of saying yes. It was comfortable. ]

[partymagician]

[ Wow!! Rude!!

Fai just smirks. ]

Oh, such a feisty puppy!

[selfconcept]

I'm not a puppy.

[ He almost growls at him for that too. ]

Also, you called me by my name earlier. I'm never gonna forget that.

[partymagician]

Never?

[ So absolute...

Fai settles back against the bench, giving Hien a sidelong glance. ]

You said that it was inevitable that I would grow closer to people here short of being a hermit, right? There's nothing I can do, so I may as well use your name.

[selfconcept]

Good. I like the progress. Also... you're not really being a hermit. We got an actual hermit.

[ Idia. ]

[partymagician]

Mm... the one who told me not to look him in the eyes, I presume.

[ That's the most logical conclusion Fai can come to here.

He sighs softly, but he doesn't look too put out. ]

I hate to admit that I was wrong, but I was. There simply isn't anything I can do about all of this.

[selfconcept]

[ He shouldn't feel so smug, but here he is, being smug. ]

Heh.

[partymagician]

[ He much prefers to see Hien smug instead of feeling empty. It's a fair trade-off.

Even at his expense. ]

Hmmm? Should I wipe that look off your face right now or show you mercy?

[selfconcept]

You think you can try?

[ Yeah, he's still smug. ]

[partymagician]

[ Hm. He doesn't know if he can, not without doing something that would immediately make things awkward between them, so he doesn't really answer the question. ]

I like it when you're smug like this.

[selfconcept]

I could say the same for you when you actually show that face.

[ Unfortunately, the smug train has ended relatively quickly, so he goes back to his usual expression. ]

[partymagician]

This face?

[ He even points at himself for emphasis. ]

[selfconcept]

No, that's just your face when you want to annoy me.

[ Can be both. ]

[partymagician]

I think it's both.

[ He can totally be smug and annoy Hien at the same time. ]

[selfconcept]

Rascal.

[ He reaches over as if he's going to pinch his cheeks, but he just smushes them instead. Infinite nimunimu time. ]

[partymagician]

[ uuuuu ]

I think I like it when you lay on my shoulder more...

[selfconcept]

Are you sure?

[ He stops the squishing and just caresses his face with both hands instead. ]

[partymagician]

[ He smiles a little. Even this is somehow easier than Hien simply resting on his shoulder, but Fai chalks it up to the belief that Hien isn't going to do anything more than this. ]

Absolutely. I'm surprised you didn't pinch my cheeks, but I guess you didn't want to feel the pain yourself.

[selfconcept]

On the contrary--

[ This is the part where he pinches Fai's cheeks and pulls. ]

I can handle some pain if it means dishing it out.