Mostly birdseed, but they also eat berries! And insects, but I DON'T want to catch those. They're quite capable, so they can hunt for those themselves. Jun-kun was the one in charge of feeding Hina-chan her worms when she was young, since I don't like wriggly slimy things.
[Like tentacles, for example. Cough, cough.]
Speaking of Hina-chan, I had a theory about what she might like. I thought she might like strawberries, since that's Jun-kun's favorite food! And sure enough, I was right! βΊοΈ Like father, like daughter~π
Then they all like gathering shiny things, but not to eat. Just to collect them, or offer them as gifts! Isn't that sweet of them? π
Great! Let me know when it's bought, and I'll meet you somewhere to pick it up! Preferably somewhere close to the Rank 8 suites, since I don't feel like traveling too long a distance.
[Is he wary? A little. He is not accepting a package of live worms, or anything toxic to birds! Not that he thinks Kleken is heartless enough to harm such defenseless creatures on purpose, but you never know what you're getting with him (or at least Hiyori sure doesn't).]
[And then he leaves his suite to go wait at the entrance to the 8th floor stairs. He'll just be scrolling his watch and perhaps participating in further Truth or Dare hijinks.]
[ Two things Hiyori gets to see before laying eyes on Kleken himself. The first, a bag of birdseed that looks the size of a large bag of dog food. Like that is a lot of birdseed. An excessive amount even. Carried happily by a tentacle that appears rising from the depths of the stairwell followed closely by another. ]
[ The second tentacle? Holding a single strawberry. ]
[ And there's Kleken bringing up the rear behind them both. ]
[It'd be silly to complain about the tentacles. He arranged to meet with The Tentacle Man, after all. Still, he was so not expecting that. He bolts upright and reflexively steps back, startled by the sight of tentacles with no owner attached!]
It's creepy when they appear on their own like that!
[He calls down the staircase, assuming Kleken must be behind around the corner. Then he sees what they're carrying.]
Hm? ... you bought all that?
[His eyes widen even more at the size of that bag!]
[ Please, they're behaving, how dare someone call them creepy. ]
I could have them make more noise when they appear next time.
[ Because there will be a next time. ]
[ Kleken comes to a stop as the pair of tentacles deliver their packages of sort, the sack of birdseed placed on the ground between them, while the singular strawberry is placed delicately into the conman's waiting palm. A palm he proceeds to hold up and examine the strawberry contained within as if Hiyori were addressing this and not the literal sack between them. ]
I had thought it might be too much, but young have healthy appetites I hear.
Yep, you should! Though if you mean a writhing, slimy noise, I'll pass on hearing that! So on second thought...
[Sorry he's such a tentaclephobe. The encounter with Splat surely didn't help. But at least this time, the tentacles are being used for good (delivering gifts for his birds) rather than evil (tweaking his nipples in public). He examines the strawberry for a moment before glancing down to the hefty bag of birdseed, then finally up to Kleken.]
Well... thanks, I suppose. You went above and beyond what I asked. I'm sure they'll be very grateful.
[He hadn't meant to make Kleken spend the chips on a larger bag. But, well, it is what it is. Hiyori eyes the bag for one more moment (still not bending down to pick it up off the floorβhe's never been one for carrying things), then comes to a conclusion.]
Since it's quite a lot of birdseed, I wonder if we should share some of it with your bird. With Eel, that is. Either way, we ought to head straight to the Vale! You'll accompany me, won't you?
[And now he looks at Kleken again. Who could say no to his face??]
[ It's a spur of the moment suggestion, but an amusing one once he lets it settle in. Enough of one that he's actively thinking about purchasing some small jingle bells now. The main problem would be effectively attaching them to his tentacles, not to mention which ones... ]
[ He's dragged out of his chaotic thoughts though by the invitation, which merits a raised brow in response at first. He'd been expecting the other man to take off with strawberry and birdseed in tow, but to invite Kleken along is, well. Interesting, at least. Enough that he picks up the bag with one of his tentacles without thought, offering a winning smile and nod. ]
Of course- Oh, is that what Eel eats?
[ Father of the year, right here. To be fair, Splat's diet is markedly different from his sister's, but in a way that made sense considering everything going on in this resort. ]
[He blinks, picturing that for a second... and then smiles.]
Now there's an idea. Then they'd sound like a children's choir! βͺ
[Hey, it is an amusing visual. Perhaps it would even help him get over his tentaclephobia.
Though another thing that might help is Kleken using the tentacles to do things for him, like carry his stuff. That may just be the thing to endear him to them, since Hiyori is well-known for refusing to lift anything heavier than a chopstick. As Kleken picks the bag back up and smiles at him, he smiles back! He'd wondered if Kleken might show some strange reluctance to go to the Vale and meet his bird, since they don't seem to have much of a relationship, but it appears not! Which means now is the time to form one, clearly.
Though, as for the question...]
I assume so. I wouldn't know since she's not my daughter. Since we're both unsure, perhaps it's best we ask her other dad.
[And then he's toggling his watch and shooting off a quick message to Baizhu.]
[ Either he gets past his tentaclephobia or he develops a new terrible Pavlovian response to ringing bells. Which would be rather terrible for Hiyori's day to day life, not to mention his idol one... ]
I'm certain they could take the time to learn a pleasant tune.
[ He's oblivious to his role in this inadvertent exposure therapy, his uncharacteristic helpfulness a result of his interest in the Vale more than anything else. He's been terrible at visiting it on his own, and this seems the perfect opportunity to investigate it further. Not to mention bound to be much more interesting than a solo trip by virtue of Hiyori always being interesting. ]
[ At the comment about the responsible father of the pair, he glances over with some interest, a tentacle curling around to try and peer at the exchanged conversation. ]
He's been quite the diligent father, hasn't he?
[ Kleken has no idea, he's the deadbeat absentee father- ]
[Hey, his fans don't ring bells for him, they wave penlights!
At this point he's beaming, tickled pink by the idea of Kleken putting on such a unique performance.]
Then you should try it! Perhaps if they get good enough at it, you can even join me onstage sometime! There are a bunch of us who've been gearing up to put on a concert. Me, Jun-kun, Reira-chan, Till-kun...
[He knows he's seen collars with bells on them in some of the shops. Though those are definitely for people with petplay fetishes. People like him, in other words.
Hiyori taps away at the timescreen, asking Baizhu if Eel eats birdseed just like other birds (and throwing in a few emojis, of course). After sending the message, he drops his wrist.]
Yep, he seems plenty diligent, alriβ eeek!
[Then he jumps when he notices the tentacle hovering near his shoulder, giving Kleken a pouty look afterwards.]
That spooked me!
[But then his watch beeps, and he looks back at his message screen again. Baizhu has responded! And his response is: that she'll eat almost anything, as long as it's small enough to fit in her beak. This includes seeds and grains.]
Sounds like your birdseed should be fine. Which means we'll just have to feed all our birds. Then maybe they can have a playdate! We'll just have to keep our eye on Eel, since she tried to squeeze Hiro-kun awfully tight last time.
[ It's a 50/50 whether or not he'll actually do any sort of practice, or even get the bells they're discussing, but it's not a bad gamble. Especially since he does see some appeal in surprising Hiyori with the sudden skill development. It's hardly his fault that the other man wears surprise so well- even his reaction to the unexpected tentacle is just amusing enough that it won't be the last time Hiyori finds a tentacle hovering over his shoulder. ]
[ Sorry, Hiyori. ]
A playdate sounds enjoyable. A shame Splat will miss it.
[ It is in fact better for all parties involved that Splat is absent, even and especially Eel. ]
Perhaps that's simply how Eel expresses affection. Her brother is quite the same.
[He doesn't truly believe it. But then again, Kleken did pull through when it came to the birdseed. Maybe in a few months there will be another Truth or Dare game, and he can dare Kleken and his tentacles to play him a little jingle.
In any case, he nods along to what Kleken's saying while tapping away at his watch.]
That's just what I thought. I wondered if it was her way of showing love! Though that was supposedly their first-ever meeting, so I guess that would make it "love at first sight."
[He is very tempted to make a crack about Eel's feelings for Hiro mirroring Kleken's for Rinne. But he'll be nice and refrain from doing so, since Kleken bought food for his pets and is even carrying it. Meanwhile Baizhu says some less-than-flattering things about Kleken himself during their text convo ("I'm surprised he's being so responsible"), but Hiyori doesn't repeat that. He does, however, say this:]
I guess you're the one they got their "unpredictability" from. That's what Baizhu-san seems to think, anyway.
I'm quite the romantic, so perhaps she takes after me in that regard.
[ Nothing about Kleken's usual behavior suggests he's any sort of romantic, but surely Eel's aggressively... 'loving' behavior came from somewhere. It's an explanation at least, even if one pulled out of thin air given he has very limited knowledge about Eel's habits. ]
[ He really has been a terrible 'father' to her, and perhaps bringing Splat around for more frequent meetings might teach them all something. Or just keep Kleken entirely entertained, either or. ]
[ His gaze shifts over at the relayed comment from Baizhu, brow raising delicately as he smiles suspiciously sweetly in return. ]
Oh? I had always thought he was the one for surprising turns of events. I think I'm rather predictable in comparison.
[His eyes gleam, and then he smiles at Kleken, all bright and innocent!]
I'd love to hear all about that. We should talk about romance sometime. Perhaps we can even share date ideas! βͺ
[He doesn't need more ideas, and he knows full well that whatever Kleken would plan for a date probably isn't something he'd enjoy, but he can't resist the urge to tease. Maybe he'll get the chance to nauseate Kleken with his feelings for Jun, after all. Or maybe he'll just bully him about Rinne some more. Who's to say?
Hiyori taps out a quick reply to the message from Baizhu (commenting on the fact that Kleken is reading over his shoulder), and gets one in return. The return message is somewhat insulting towards Kleken ("I don't think surprises are a good idea as far as he's concerned"), but Baizhu does at least wish them good luck and say he thinks Eel will come around to Kleken eventually. Awww.]
Sounds like you're birds of a feather in some ways. You both do magic, you both like slithery things, and you both see each other as "unpredictable"!
[(Plus they both wear glasses!)]
But I love some good gossip, so if you want to tell me something Baizhu-san's done to surprise you, be my guest. I'm all ears~βͺ
[He is definitely willing to play both sides here :)]
[ One of them is going to end up with a lot better date ideas than the other and spoilers, it isn't going to be Kleken. Kleken's current running idea of a date is consensual kidnapping and carrying around people in his tentacles, something which Hiyori might find himself a little hard pressed to do on his own. Or completely disinterested in doing. Still, he is quite honestly interested in seeing what other people would think of as dates. Particularly someone as animated as his current companion. ]
Myself and Baizhu? One might say we're a match made in... duress.
[ Considering their numerous encounters up to this point and the circumstances they'd often found themselves in, he's rather sure Baizhu would agree, at least internally. He's not fully sure what the doctor has been going around saying about him, but he imagines the man tries his best to retain a better impression than Kleken does, and so wouldn't be talking terribly of him. Maybe. He might be warning people, actually... ]
[ Which meant it was only fair of Kleken to talk about the man in turn. ]
Hmm... perhaps when he introduced me to his plants? You should ask him the details on that.
Great! We can talk about that in the treehouse~βͺ
[Inside the Vale, he means. They're almost there. But in the meantime: more gossip! He smirks as Kleken describes his relationship with Baizhu, commenting:]
That's not very romantic.
[Or is it? Sometimes romance is in the eye of the beholder.
Hiyori's brow arches ever-so-slightly when he hears that last bit, and it's obvious he's curious. But he won't ask Kleken; he wants to hear it from the plant man himself.]
Will do! Now I'm curious, since that sounded a tad ominous. I can't picture Baizhu-san doing anything too bad, though. You didn't get your hand stuck in a Venus flytrap, did you?
[ He has also never been to the Vale so still true. He's not much for that sort of scenery, after all, and his relationship with Eel was close to nonexistent, so why bother? ]
And I'm afraid the romance has died between us in spite of my best efforts. He's quite the difficult soul to court.
[ There has never been a romance between them, unless the strange, one-sided rivalry, one-sided active distrust they had going on counted as some kind of romance. Kleken thought it could, but it's likely that Baizhu would disagree with that opinion. Vehemently. ]
No, he's quite... stubborn. I've only ever been patient with him.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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They're quite colorful.
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Hiro-kun can be quite a handful. He's the red one who likes to steal casino coins. But the other two are well-behaved, and they're all so cute! β€οΈ
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[Like tentacles, for example. Cough, cough.]
Speaking of Hina-chan, I had a theory about what she might like. I thought she might like strawberries, since that's Jun-kun's favorite food! And sure enough, I was right! βΊοΈ Like father, like daughter~π
Then they all like gathering shiny things, but not to eat. Just to collect them, or offer them as gifts! Isn't that sweet of them? π
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[To the point where he almost bankrupted himself over Christmas...]
That red one mostly takes after his other dad, though. To the point where the resemblance is uncanny, honestly.
Anyway, if you're feeling generous and want to throw in something extra that's fine, but the dare *was* just for birdseed.
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I'll pass along an introductory gift.
[ Is there wine for birds- ]
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[Is he wary? A little. He is not accepting a package of live worms, or anything toxic to birds! Not that he thinks Kleken is heartless enough to harm such defenseless creatures on purpose, but you never know what you're getting with him (or at least Hiyori sure doesn't).]
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[ Kleken? Heartless? Perish the thought. He is simply aggressively misinformed about some things and has zero interest in informing himself. ]
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[And then he leaves his suite to go wait at the entrance to the 8th floor stairs. He'll just be scrolling his watch and perhaps participating in further Truth or Dare hijinks.]
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[ The second tentacle? Holding a single strawberry. ]
[ And there's Kleken bringing up the rear behind them both. ]
Were you waiting long?
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It's creepy when they appear on their own like that!
[He calls down the staircase, assuming Kleken must be behind around the corner. Then he sees what they're carrying.]
Hm? ... you bought all that?
[His eyes widen even more at the size of that bag!]
That's so much!
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I could have them make more noise when they appear next time.
[ Because there will be a next time. ]
[ Kleken comes to a stop as the pair of tentacles deliver their packages of sort, the sack of birdseed placed on the ground between them, while the singular strawberry is placed delicately into the conman's waiting palm. A palm he proceeds to hold up and examine the strawberry contained within as if Hiyori were addressing this and not the literal sack between them. ]
I had thought it might be too much, but young have healthy appetites I hear.
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[Sorry he's such a tentaclephobe. The encounter with Splat surely didn't help. But at least this time, the tentacles are being used for good (delivering gifts for his birds) rather than evil (tweaking his nipples in public). He examines the strawberry for a moment before glancing down to the hefty bag of birdseed, then finally up to Kleken.]
Well... thanks, I suppose. You went above and beyond what I asked. I'm sure they'll be very grateful.
[He hadn't meant to make Kleken spend the chips on a larger bag. But, well, it is what it is. Hiyori eyes the bag for one more moment (still not bending down to pick it up off the floorβhe's never been one for carrying things), then comes to a conclusion.]
Since it's quite a lot of birdseed, I wonder if we should share some of it with your bird. With Eel, that is. Either way, we ought to head straight to the Vale! You'll accompany me, won't you?
[And now he looks at Kleken again. Who could say no to his face??]
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[ It's a spur of the moment suggestion, but an amusing one once he lets it settle in. Enough of one that he's actively thinking about purchasing some small jingle bells now. The main problem would be effectively attaching them to his tentacles, not to mention which ones... ]
[ He's dragged out of his chaotic thoughts though by the invitation, which merits a raised brow in response at first. He'd been expecting the other man to take off with strawberry and birdseed in tow, but to invite Kleken along is, well. Interesting, at least. Enough that he picks up the bag with one of his tentacles without thought, offering a winning smile and nod. ]
Of course- Oh, is that what Eel eats?
[ Father of the year, right here. To be fair, Splat's diet is markedly different from his sister's, but in a way that made sense considering everything going on in this resort. ]
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Now there's an idea. Then they'd sound like a children's choir! βͺ
[Hey, it is an amusing visual. Perhaps it would even help him get over his tentaclephobia.
Though another thing that might help is Kleken using the tentacles to do things for him, like carry his stuff. That may just be the thing to endear him to them, since Hiyori is well-known for refusing to lift anything heavier than a chopstick. As Kleken picks the bag back up and smiles at him, he smiles back! He'd wondered if Kleken might show some strange reluctance to go to the Vale and meet his bird, since they don't seem to have much of a relationship, but it appears not! Which means now is the time to form one, clearly.
Though, as for the question...]
I assume so. I wouldn't know since she's not my daughter. Since we're both unsure, perhaps it's best we ask her other dad.
[And then he's toggling his watch and shooting off a quick message to Baizhu.]
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I'm certain they could take the time to learn a pleasant tune.
[ He's oblivious to his role in this inadvertent exposure therapy, his uncharacteristic helpfulness a result of his interest in the Vale more than anything else. He's been terrible at visiting it on his own, and this seems the perfect opportunity to investigate it further. Not to mention bound to be much more interesting than a solo trip by virtue of Hiyori always being interesting. ]
[ At the comment about the responsible father of the pair, he glances over with some interest, a tentacle curling around to try and peer at the exchanged conversation. ]
He's been quite the diligent father, hasn't he?
[ Kleken has no idea, he's the deadbeat absentee father- ]
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At this point he's beaming, tickled pink by the idea of Kleken putting on such a unique performance.]
Then you should try it! Perhaps if they get good enough at it, you can even join me onstage sometime! There are a bunch of us who've been gearing up to put on a concert. Me, Jun-kun, Reira-chan, Till-kun...
[He knows he's seen collars with bells on them in some of the shops. Though those are definitely for people with petplay fetishes. People like him, in other words.
Hiyori taps away at the timescreen, asking Baizhu if Eel eats birdseed just like other birds (and throwing in a few emojis, of course). After sending the message, he drops his wrist.]
Yep, he seems plenty diligent, alriβ eeek!
[Then he jumps when he notices the tentacle hovering near his shoulder, giving Kleken a pouty look afterwards.]
That spooked me!
[But then his watch beeps, and he looks back at his message screen again. Baizhu has responded! And his response is: that she'll eat almost anything, as long as it's small enough to fit in her beak. This includes seeds and grains.]
Sounds like your birdseed should be fine. Which means we'll just have to feed all our birds. Then maybe they can have a playdate! We'll just have to keep our eye on Eel, since she tried to squeeze Hiro-kun awfully tight last time.
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I'll begin practicing right away then.
[ It's a 50/50 whether or not he'll actually do any sort of practice, or even get the bells they're discussing, but it's not a bad gamble. Especially since he does see some appeal in surprising Hiyori with the sudden skill development. It's hardly his fault that the other man wears surprise so well- even his reaction to the unexpected tentacle is just amusing enough that it won't be the last time Hiyori finds a tentacle hovering over his shoulder. ]
[ Sorry, Hiyori. ]
A playdate sounds enjoyable. A shame Splat will miss it.
[ It is in fact better for all parties involved that Splat is absent, even and especially Eel. ]
Perhaps that's simply how Eel expresses affection. Her brother is quite the same.
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[He doesn't truly believe it. But then again, Kleken did pull through when it came to the birdseed. Maybe in a few months there will be another Truth or Dare game, and he can dare Kleken and his tentacles to play him a little jingle.
In any case, he nods along to what Kleken's saying while tapping away at his watch.]
That's just what I thought. I wondered if it was her way of showing love! Though that was supposedly their first-ever meeting, so I guess that would make it "love at first sight."
[He is very tempted to make a crack about Eel's feelings for Hiro mirroring Kleken's for Rinne. But he'll be nice and refrain from doing so, since Kleken bought food for his pets and is even carrying it. Meanwhile Baizhu says some less-than-flattering things about Kleken himself during their text convo ("I'm surprised he's being so responsible"), but Hiyori doesn't repeat that. He does, however, say this:]
I guess you're the one they got their "unpredictability" from. That's what Baizhu-san seems to think, anyway.
[Referencing this text.]
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[ Nothing about Kleken's usual behavior suggests he's any sort of romantic, but surely Eel's aggressively... 'loving' behavior came from somewhere. It's an explanation at least, even if one pulled out of thin air given he has very limited knowledge about Eel's habits. ]
[ He really has been a terrible 'father' to her, and perhaps bringing Splat around for more frequent meetings might teach them all something. Or just keep Kleken entirely entertained, either or. ]
[ His gaze shifts over at the relayed comment from Baizhu, brow raising delicately as he smiles suspiciously sweetly in return. ]
Oh? I had always thought he was the one for surprising turns of events. I think I'm rather predictable in comparison.
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[His eyes gleam, and then he smiles at Kleken, all bright and innocent!]
I'd love to hear all about that. We should talk about romance sometime. Perhaps we can even share date ideas! βͺ
[He doesn't need more ideas, and he knows full well that whatever Kleken would plan for a date probably isn't something he'd enjoy, but he can't resist the urge to tease. Maybe he'll get the chance to nauseate Kleken with his feelings for Jun, after all. Or maybe he'll just bully him about Rinne some more. Who's to say?
Hiyori taps out a quick reply to the message from Baizhu (commenting on the fact that Kleken is reading over his shoulder), and gets one in return. The return message is somewhat insulting towards Kleken ("I don't think surprises are a good idea as far as he's concerned"), but Baizhu does at least wish them good luck and say he thinks Eel will come around to Kleken eventually. Awww.]
Sounds like you're birds of a feather in some ways. You both do magic, you both like slithery things, and you both see each other as "unpredictable"!
[(Plus they both wear glasses!)]
But I love some good gossip, so if you want to tell me something Baizhu-san's done to surprise you, be my guest. I'm all ears~βͺ
[He is definitely willing to play both sides here :)]
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[ One of them is going to end up with a lot better date ideas than the other and spoilers, it isn't going to be Kleken. Kleken's current running idea of a date is consensual kidnapping and carrying around people in his tentacles, something which Hiyori might find himself a little hard pressed to do on his own. Or completely disinterested in doing. Still, he is quite honestly interested in seeing what other people would think of as dates. Particularly someone as animated as his current companion. ]
Myself and Baizhu? One might say we're a match made in... duress.
[ Considering their numerous encounters up to this point and the circumstances they'd often found themselves in, he's rather sure Baizhu would agree, at least internally. He's not fully sure what the doctor has been going around saying about him, but he imagines the man tries his best to retain a better impression than Kleken does, and so wouldn't be talking terribly of him. Maybe. He might be warning people, actually... ]
[ Which meant it was only fair of Kleken to talk about the man in turn. ]
Hmm... perhaps when he introduced me to his plants? You should ask him the details on that.
[ Let Baizhu be the one to explain it. ]
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[Inside the Vale, he means. They're almost there. But in the meantime: more gossip! He smirks as Kleken describes his relationship with Baizhu, commenting:]
That's not very romantic.
[Or is it? Sometimes romance is in the eye of the beholder.
Hiyori's brow arches ever-so-slightly when he hears that last bit, and it's obvious he's curious. But he won't ask Kleken; he wants to hear it from the plant man himself.]
Will do! Now I'm curious, since that sounded a tad ominous. I can't picture Baizhu-san doing anything too bad, though. You didn't get your hand stuck in a Venus flytrap, did you?
[Actually, he does ask one question.]
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[ He has also never been to the Vale so still true. He's not much for that sort of scenery, after all, and his relationship with Eel was close to nonexistent, so why bother? ]
And I'm afraid the romance has died between us in spite of my best efforts. He's quite the difficult soul to court.
[ There has never been a romance between them, unless the strange, one-sided rivalry, one-sided active distrust they had going on counted as some kind of romance. Kleken thought it could, but it's likely that Baizhu would disagree with that opinion. Vehemently. ]
No, he's quite... stubborn. I've only ever been patient with him.
[ ... Is that a lie. ]
sorry, I thought I replied to this (also sorry for the deleted comment)
no worries, my inbox likes to play hide and seek with my tags
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