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[myriadeclipse]

Hugo Inbox

Home of Mockingbird and the voice in his head

Mockingbird

Please forgive me for missing your message. I'll be right with you.

The Other Me

He isn't that sorry.

Mockingbird

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{Text; Video; Audio; Action}

Comments

direct text; shortly after the Zodiac post

[blossominghopes]

Heeeeeey, Hugo, I've got a question for you~

[ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ]

[myriadeclipse]

Yes, my dear?

Go on.

[blossominghopes]

Just when were you gonna tell me you were in Kaisou?!

Actually, more importantly, how long have you even been in town?!

[myriadeclipse]

I know it sounded lengthy when I was explaining to Lycaon, but truly I haven't been here long. I would have told you when I was settled.

I would have been here sooner, but you know how immigration can be these days.

[blossominghopes]

Ooh, okay, fair enough.

It's been too long since we've seen each other in person, we need to hang out so we can catch up! There's a proper Italian trattoria in Midtown, if you'd like to meet there?

[myriadeclipse]

And if not for my curiosity when it came to the stage, I could have stayed out of that man's attention a little longer. Oh well. That is a folly of my own making.

Tomorrow during the day, yes? I will be there. Since I will be in the city for quite a while, we can make a habit of it.

[blossominghopes]

Are you okay after that? :( I'm not going to pry or anything, but...

[She worries, okay!!]

Yep, just let me know what time's most convenient for you! It'll be nice to do this sort of thing regularly~

[myriadeclipse]

Just fine. Why should I care that he practically told the whole city he spends his time sniffing out a pale guy with an iron deficiency. Maybe I should just advertise that I'm a half vampire. I'm sure that would please him.

[ Apparently it's not just fine, but at least it's the subject that always upsets him. ]

What time do you usually take punch these days? My schedule during the daytime is often flexible.

[blossominghopes]

That sounds like it's the opposite of fine, you know. Like I said, I won't pry, but I am a pretty decent listener if you need it.

[She's said it before, but as far as she's concerned, it never hurts to reaffirm it.]

Whenever I feel like it. I've got a pretty flexible schedule myself. [Unless she has a mission.] That usually ends up being around one in the afternoon, though, if that works for you?

[myriadeclipse]

[ Give him a moment to calm down. It won't stop him from being mad at Lycaon, but it will help him focus. ]

It's quite alright. Lycaon is always like this, and my partnership with him has been over for many years now.

Instead of talking about the grouchy old dog, I'd rather talk about you. You ended up going with them didn't you? How have they been treating you?

[blossominghopes]

If you're sure, then.

Kind of funny considering how long I spent on the run from them, right? The new management genuinely seems like they're trying to do better, though. It's been... honestly more chill than I was expecting, missions aside? And I like the Kaisou team pretty well. One of the members is kind of annoying but, like. He's 19, I think we were all kind of annoying at 19.

[myriadeclipse]

I know what I was like at 19, and I can't imagine a fellow at that age in that organization fairing any better. Give him time.

[ Hugo was much worse at 19, but it was a tumultuous time. ]

It's good that it's working out better with this team. Should that change, however, we can be up and out in a night. We've pulled off riskier maneuvers.

[blossominghopes]

So we have. I'll keep you updated. Hopefully those updates won't be anything worse than me complaining about how annoying or tedious a mission may have been... I appreciate it. Thank you.

[Let's see, what else...]

Oh, you probably haven't had a chance to check out the stable gates around here yet, have you? We could take a few days and I can go with you to check them out, if you want?

[myriadeclipse]

Mundane conversations can sometimes be the best things to look forward to. I will certainly look forward to hearing about your co-workers.

I haven't. I won't say no to company, either. It's far safer not to step into those alone. At least not the first time. It will also give me a good idea of what sort of things to expect in my work.

Action;

[paraselenic]

[continuing from here.]

[It's actually a little pathetic how quickly Lycaon prepared himself to go out into the city. He was never one to rush--even under pressure he always seemed to have paced things perfectly. But this...well. He's glad he's the only witness to it.

Much like Hugo said, his scent wasn't so much masked as it was...just different. He can't describe it entirely. Thankfully, Hugo didn't stand him up, though he doubts the man would with his pride.

Either way, he finds Hugo at the park, eyes casting upon that bench where he's resting. There's something clenched in his hands. A bag.

And...seeing Hugo really does just make all the words leave his throat entirely. Except one.]

Hugo.

[blossominghopes]

Hyrule's definitely one you don't want to go into without company. That one might also, uh... take multiple days to look around. It's big.

[At least there will be parts of it they are definitely not getting anywhere near. Lia has no desire to get anywhere near Death Mountain when she doesn't have to, thank you very much.]

A couple of them won't take very long, at least.

[myriadeclipse]

[ By the time Lycaon shows up, Hugo has his head in his hand, covering his face as a coin rolled over his fingers slowly. He could hear the footsteps coming up before he saw him. It was different from the usual footfalls, a reminder he didn't need of what occurred in the past.

With the call of his name, he pushes himself up to his feet, taking the coin and pushing it in his pocket. ]

Lycaon.

[ He turns to face him, looking up his full height--and then back to the bag. Please don't be what he thinks it is. ]

[paraselenic]

[His own name shakes him out of his slight daze. For a moment, he had wondered if Hugo was a mirage. Sure he'd just talked to him, and they agreed to meet here, but with everything else going on in this city over the past few days, he wouldn't put it past fate to toy with him like this.

You could cut the tension with a knife.

His footsteps click against the sidewalk as he approaches, eye trailing up to Hugo's face as he stands.]

You've gotten a little taller.

[And almost instinctively, his head tilts up a bit in pride, trying his best to hide a little smirk. But not taller than him.]

[myriadeclipse]

[ The words were flying in his head faster than the thoughts were. Of course, he was taller. It had been far too many years since they last saw one another. His eyes narrow at the apparent pride, rolling his eyes and looking away to the scattered trees.]

Not as tall as you apparently are, but I would deem my height acceptable by normal means.

[ He agreed to meet, but he never considered what he was supposed to say now that they were face to face. And that bag was still there. ]

You wanted to meet, and so here we are. What would you prefer now? Walk? Sit? Standing is also fine; It makes it feel ...temporary.

[paraselenic]

[Hugo's remark causes the the corners of his lips to curl a bit more. Even after all these years it was hard not to have a little fondness towards this banter. He missed it...

He wishes the circumstances were better in the grand scheme of things, but maybe this pocket of time could turn a blind eye to reality.]

Hm. Are you trying to rush me back? Surely Mockingbird can spare me a few extra minutes.

[His tail swishes a bit idly.] I did bring you something, so perhaps sitting would be better.

[It's now time for the bag's debut, his hand pulling itself up to present it to him, waiting for hands to accept it. The smell of beef, cheese and potatoes waft from it. It's clear its from a chain restaurant, possibly nearby?]

[myriadeclipse]

The gift from Jane...

[ The blond man accepted the bag with a hesitant look on his face. Still, his hands curl around the bottom, looking the bag over. The comment showed that he paid attention to more than just the part of the conversation he spoke in, but also that his worries were founded.

He REALLY wanted to complain about the pickles, but decides to sit down instead, the bag held close so he could motion for Lycaon to also sit. ]

I'm not trying to get rid of you. Seriously. Not every remark of mine is a snide desire to be rid of you.

Weren't you going to have this with Anby?

[paraselenic]

Ah. I should have known that you had read that conversation, too.

[His tone gives off a more amused vibe than an upset one. But it saves him from having to explain where he received it from. Hugo's face says what his words will not--pickles generally were not what you wanted the main flavor profile of a food item to be, but beggars cannot be choosers.

Making sure that his tail didn't smother the man, he moves it to the other side before taking a seat, elbows on his knees as his hands clasp more together. He can be a little less formal than usual, he feels.]

Only some of them, then. [A small attempt at a joke.]

I'm sure Miss Anby will understand. In the end, as long as a burger is enjoyed by someone, she would consider it for the greater good. ['Enjoyed' is a theoretical term.]

[myriadeclipse]

I read them all.

[ Well, most of them. Both his sugar and iron were both low, and he had not gone to take care of either situation before all of this happened. Sitting in the same place could have been used to satisfy his nutritional needs, but instead it was spent lost on thought about what to do when Lycaon showed up. That venture also ended in nothing.

All of this elaboration was unnecessary to speak out. ]

Are you positive either one of us are poised to 'enjoy' this travesty of a burger? Here.

[ He held the bag back out to Lycaon once more. ]

You are better able to split it. I'll ...accept your judgment. [ Not trust, just accept. ]

[paraselenic]

I'd hoped not. My first day on social media blundering generational slang and you read every thread.

[His tail thumps against that park bench. He's not nearly as annoyed by that as he's putting on.]

Are you sure you don't want all of it? Your iron levels look low, so I would understand.

[Trying to pawn off the misery--

But he takes it anyway, half accepting that this is a fate they have to suffer through together. Pulling out the burger, he hands the bag back to Hugo with just the 'Groovy Fries' left. No he's not sure what those are. But they're probably terrifying.

After deftly unwrapping it, one of his claw-like nails cuts the bread and half way through the burger effortlessly, which lets him pull it apart in a nice seamless split.]

[myriadeclipse]

You aren't nearly as bad as you think you are. Your hesitation speaks louder than your mistakes.

[ The bag was accepted, Hugo looking inside to peer at the so-called groovy fries. Taking one out and looking over, he scrutinized it heavily before taking a bite. To his utter disappointment, it was just a well salted crinkle fry. Looking at the cut potato in offense, he gave it a little turn between his fingers. ]

I don't get it.

[ Was he too old to understand a fry? Too French??

Not being able to accept it, he pulls out another and holds it right up to Lycaon's snout while he's cutting the burger. ]

Here.