First Bloom

[lotus_bloomed]

[The print is the neat block of someone accustomed to taking notes, but there’s a slight flourish to it, as if for all the neatness the writer was too busy moving onto the next word to let the ink of the prior dry.]

It feels like I can fly! Well, not fly exactly, but I feel light and it is so easy to move and it feels like the entire world is

Comments

[grab_my_bells]

[after a moment]

What do you look like, Lotus? We've had someone here with that name before.

[lotus_bloomed]

What do I look like? Um. I am not really certain.

[There's an inkblot as the pen hesitates, then, moments later, after he's pulled one out to check-]

My hair is black. Does that help?

[grab_my_bells]

Kind of, yes. How old ar

We may have known a Lotus, once. My roommate and I. Would you like to meet?
My roommate is Youth, the guy you're talking to in another set of comments. [Draws an arrow to Youth's first comment]

[lotus_bloomed]

You might have known me? [The words are written very quickly, with a bold, slashing hand that comes from being too impatient to finish one letter before moving on to the next.]

Yes, I would like to meet! But, um, where? Everything is cold and icy outside.

[grab_my_bells]

Maybe. No promises there, but...we knew a Lotus. It's worth a try.

We can invite you back to the house? We have blankets. I can get some hot chocolate or tea if you'd like some?

[lotus_bloomed]

Thank you! That sounds wonderful. I am still near the- well, the place where I woke up. I am not really certain what it is called, but if you tell me where you are from here, I am certain that I will be able to find it!

[grab_my_bells]

Ok. Well, that's where I work, so I can tell you it's fairly easy to get from there to here. You'll need to take the elevator up, and we're in Section 3 housing, at house []. We'll meet you at the elevator?

[lotus_bloomed]

Okay. I will see you there!

[QUICKLOG which might be quick for once because it won't end in smut]

[grab_my_bells]

[Having cleaned up his stash of books in the bathroom and those that were under the table in the livingroom, Bell huddled under a mound of blankets and multiple scarves and watched Youth change in anticipation for meeting Lotus. He had to wonder what was about to change if this was Youth's Lotus, and Bell couldn't yet decide if he hoped for Youth's sake it was his Lotus, or hoped for his own that it wasn't.]

I assume you're already planning to get him a matching outfit, hm? [He reached out to appreciatively smooth out a 'wrinkle' in the spandex that just happened to be over Youth's rear.]

...Anyway, speaking of clothes, I can loan him a jacket for now, but I think we better hurry and get him inside.

[QUICKLOG yeah yeah... That's all Bell's fault. Somehow.]

[spandexisyouth]

[He'd changed into the spandex. After all, he knew he wore that back home, and he wanted to be as recognizable as possible if this was his Lotus. Youth wanted this to be that Lotus so badly, though he didn't want to hurt Bell. It was going to be complicated. But they could make it work.]

If... yes. [Youth smiled as Bell touched him.]

I have an extra hat he can borrow. Truth has offered him a place to stay already, so... If this is... He will be housed no matter.

[Youth nodded decisively, ending his mess of a sentence and headed for the door, opening it.] Let us go!

[QUICKLOG Hey, you're the one prone to lapsitting and kissing and ...stuff.]

[grab_my_bells]

[Bell didn't have the blind faith that Youth had, but he would wait and see.]

That's good. [A pause as he gets up, dumping the pile of blankets onto the bed, and follows Youth to the door, grabbing the extra jacket and his own gloves along the way.] I... assume that means we're housing him if he is your son. Did you decide where he's staying in the house? Your room, I guess?

[No more sneaking in to spend the night. Bell closed the door behind them and stepped out onto the ice confidently. His shoes transformed to ice-skates. That was still a rather neat little trick.]

You're not going to fall on your ass or crack your head open like Genius, are you? We have to go all the way to the elevator and back.

[QUICKLOG But if Bell didn't flirt all the time Youth would have fewer ideas.]

[spandexisyouth]

[He got his balance quickly and looked over at Bell.] I think that it depends on how old he is. If he is very small, then he should share with me. But if he is older... I was thinking that perhaps I could give him my room. And share with you. If you are fine with that.

[In answer Youth started skating.] I have already been trying these out! They are fun! I am bruised from it, but I enjoy it. [Quickly he lead the way to the elevator, only slipping a couple of times when he got distracted wondering if this was LOTUS, if Lotus remembered him, if, if, if.]

[QUICKLOG No smutting in the chibi's journal!]

[lotus_bloomed]

[It's cold. More than anything, that's what Lotus has learned about Edensphere so far, and the supposed one-size-fits-all clothing is far too big for a boy of his age and build. It doesn't offer much protection from the cold, and when he tries to stand still outside the elevator Lotus gets this nervous feeling, like it's not something that he's really used to doing. The pushups start naturally and without thought- his body falling into rhythm in an attempt to keep warm, muscle memory taking over.]

112. 113. 114. [He isn't certain when he started counting, but it seems to be right. The stretch and burn in his muscles feels familiar, and it helps ward off the worst of the cold. He looks up when he hears footsteps, and pushes himself to his feet. Bell and Youth look older than he expected them to- he'd assumed up until that point that they were his age- but he smiles brightly.]

Hello! It is nice to meet you both!

[QUICKLOG But chibi journals are the best place to smut! Must taint them!]

[grab_my_bells]

[Bell heard the counting before he even saw Lotus, and felt his heart sink. He was Lotus, THE Lotus. He was just like Youth in so many ways; the journal had made that clear and now here he was, doing exercises and...

He had a bowl cut, and black hair, and bushy brows. ...Damn. There was no doubt this was the kid Crow had met. Younger, perhaps, but still Lotus. His eyes were a little funny, but it lent him a youthful look. All in all, Youth produced a cute kid. Lucky woman, whoever she was. Bell's skates stopped awkwardly a few feet in front of the boy.]

Hey. [He handed over the jacket, realizing belatedly it was going to be too big.] Uh...In case you get cold. [And then stood back, hands in his pockets, waiting for Youth to introduce him, if he even remembered Bell was here at this point.]

[QUICKLOG No corrupting the miniYouth! Not yet!]

[spandexisyouth]

[Youth stopped and stared. It was the boy from his memory, most definitely. Though this time he wasn't beaten up and bleeding. And the counting. Of pushups. Even Genius had noticed the familiarity in the writing style. Oh wait. They were talking. He blinked, trying to catch up with the words.]

Lotus. [One day, Youth would get better at talking. He hoped. Looking down, Youth saw the hat in his hands. He held it out.] This is for you as well.

[He needed to stop being awkward. That could only make Lotus feel awkward too. Focusing on hope, Youth gave Lotus a thumbs up. He wasn't sure how much he should say, but he could at least start small.] Welcome to the Sphere, Lotus! I am Youth, and this is Bell! You are from our world. But I do not know if we were in your dream at all, or if you remember either of us.

[By us he really meant him, but he wasn't going to cut Bell out.]

[QUICKLOG I'm so scared of that 'yet'...]

[lotus_bloomed]

Thank you both. [He smiled at first Bell, then Youth, and slipped the jacket on. It is, as Bell had suspected, too large for his frame- but it's warm, and that's all that matters. He does up the zipper to it before taking the proferred hat.] I appreciate the clothing! It has been very cold here so far. I am glad that it is not normally like this.

[At Youth's words, Lotus' already enormous eyes widen.] I am?

[When Youth mentions the dream, Lotus hesitates.] I... not much was clear in it. Mostly it was just the voices. There was something important that I needed to do. I do not remember what it was, but it was important. And everyone kept telling me that I could not do it. [He glances down, and his voice is quiet.] Then someone said that I could. And that is all that I really remember.