final curfew pcs in sitting room

[fetteredwings]

a succubus,a normal? boy and a doll gather in a room full of books, snacks and plushies

Comments

[renjou]

Yes!

( Enthusiastic. He loves it in any context, but this was truly eye-opening. It was great. )

Throughout the years, I'd been given a bad impression of hosts, but it turns out it's quite a respectable profession at its core. Lonely individuals come to spend time with hosts of their choice, and these hosts pamper and adore them in turn. While I disagree ardently with the idea of an establishment charging money for it, I feel very fortunate to have taken part in this practice and learned the ways of this art. My customers were quite enthusiastic and kind to me, too.

( the joys and wonders of being an emotional hooker... you even get some obsessive superfans if you're good at it... truly amazing... )

If anything, I'd be happy to do it for free, even now. If someone is troubled and lonely, nothing could make me happier than to make them feel happy. To help them understand they are truly loved, and they are truly special. And they truly are, to me.

[revengier]

[ Kurapika lets out a sigh, holding back a snarky comment, only because Yuki is so... oddly enthused.

He probably was a really good host. ]

They have volunteer opportunities for that sort of thing, you know. I've never had time for it, but you can visit nursing homes and spend time with the people there.

[ Because... he thinks... Yuki would like that, honestly. ]

[renjou]

( He perks up, very much liking the sound of that— )

Ah, you're right, I could . . .

( . . . And then he seems to realize something, and his demeanor grows a little more hesitant. )

. . . Well, if the opportunity arises, I would love to. I've always thought it might be a nice idea.

[revengier]

[ He looks up at Yuki, furrowing his brows. There’s something there, something he could nudge and ask about…

But he decides not to. Not right now. ]

You would do well at it. Older people like your type.

[renjou]

( He smiles, not at all displeased by the distraction. )

Oh? What would you describe as "my type"?

[revengier]

Overbearing. The kind of person who doles out too much affection.

[ He has a sip of his tea. ]

You fuss too much, but that would be welcome too.

[renjou]

No such thing as "too much" when it comes to these things.

( Does he actually believe that? Well... he thinks so. Does he believe most other people like that? That . . . is a more complicated question. Honestly... probably... not... but... He doesn't know any other way to be. )

I do quite like the elderly, and I believe they are worthy of this excessive affection in their venerable age.

( He's obviously met his share of crochety folk, but shhh. )

Besides, they're often generous with their compliments. They would always call me cute and beautiful . . . and if I could have returned the favor at those times, I would have loved to.

( guy who mostly only gets to meet old people while a doll, )

[revengier]

[ Ah, yes old ladies going "look at that lovely doll"....

There's definitely too much of those things, but not everyone agrees. Some people seek it out, after all. ]

So you mostly want compliments?

[ An incredibly pointed question, but he sips his tea as he asks. It's not totally serious. ]

[renjou]

( Shamelessly: )

I accept any and all kinds of love, but I certainly like and appreciate compliments, physical affection, heartfelt gestures, homemade meals, attention . . .

( the list could go on, but he will spare pika )

[revengier]

[ Just....

Staring at him over his mug. ]

Are you being serious?

[renjou]

Why wouldn't I be? I am a doll. We live and die by how much we are loved.

( He's probably been sipping his own drink idly, but he seems pretty happy to see other people drinking the thing he made. )

As long as it means something to the person giving it, then it is meaningful to me.

[revengier]

You should think about more than how much you're loved.

[ For his own sanity. It's fine to an extent, he thinks... but it shouldn't be all one cares about.

It all goes back to free will. ]

[renjou]

( pika is right on the ball because it truly is a strain on his sanity, )

What else is there?

[revengier]

Anything else.

[ Like. Anything. Anything at all. ]

Is it all you think about?

[renjou]

Well, of course I also think about my duties, my masters . . . And the people I've met here.

( And, uh, all the stuff going on here, but that's a given. )

Until I came here, I will confess my world was ( still is? ) rather small. It extended as far as my master's home, collector's shops, the clan compound, the sites of purification . . . and wherever my masters might take me in their purses and bags.

[revengier]

[ Oh. Huh. He didn't think about it that way—it's hard to reconcile Yuki here, as tall as him and also... in a purse?

But he relates, in a way. His world used to be limited, too. ]

You never thought about what might be beyond all of that?

[renjou]

( He falls into a brief period of thought. )

. . . Sometimes. Even I am not above it. But, I cannot move when I am fully a doll, and when I was in this form, I would be carrying out my duties - purification, or attending to my master. There was no space for me to do anything else.

( At least, that's how he seems to view it. )

I've just felt fortunate I can move and talk at all, sometimes. Almost no other doll can. ( The exceptions are but a handful, or thereabouts. ) And if I am greedy . . . well, it is not so here, but, in my usual circumstance . . . to stray from my purpose means I might stop being able to move and speak entirely.

( So it's not super worth it to wonder. He wouldn't be able to pursue it. )

[revengier]

[ His purpose is tied intrinsically to his ability to exist the way that he does... It's a strange limitation, but one that he supposes makes sense. ]

You'd be giving up on something important to you, then.

[ Something that makes Yuki himself, that allows him to exist as he is. ]

I grew up in a small village, where we were isolated from the rest of civilization. Getting out felt impossible, but as a child, I was solely focused on it.

[ He has a sip of his tea. ]

There's always a loophole somewhere.

[renjou]

( Oh, that's . . . hm.

well let's hope the loophole isn't genocide in yuki's case )

. . . What was your village like?

[revengier]

[ He settles back against the couch, mug still clutched in his hands. There's a bit of distance in his voice as he speaks, like the memories are far away. ]

We moved around a lot, so we didn't settle in one place for too long and mostly relied on what the forest provided. Our numbers were small, but we were happy.

[renjou]

( worryfrog... But Kurapika is pretty assertive about when he doesn't want to talk about something, so Yuki trusts that. )

... It doesn't sound like you ran away, then.

( Since Kurapika mentioned a loophole, and all. Despite my meta, he can't imagine Kurapika would describe what happened eventually as a loophole, either. So... something else? )

[revengier]

I left, but it was for good reason.

[ He wonders if he should divulge more, and he takes another sip of his tea to buy himself time.

…

Why not. ]

We had to pass an exam if we wanted to leave, so I studied for it and passed the written portion. The other portion… I cheated.

[renjou]

( Huh. Surprisingly pragmatic way to leave.

He raises an eyebrow at the cheating bit, taking note of the delay in answer. )

Cheated in what way?

[revengier]

My people possessed a specific trait that we needed to hide if we wanted to live in greater society. One of the tests was to ensure we could spend a day out without letting that trait get the better of us. I was supposed to take eyedrops that would reveal whether or not it had, but my friend switched them at the last moment to regular eye drops.

[ … ]

I failed it, but passed because the village elder never had evidence that I failed.

[renjou]

... That was terribly kind of them.

( Maybe it was cheating, and maybe the test had a purpose, but ... well, the past is past, and the dead are dead. It doesn't need to be more complicated than that. )

Was the world beyond the village what you'd hoped?