far from it, actually-- this man is built entirely differently, thinner and maybe even a little shorter. still, the thing most different about the person before him is his face; red, slanted eyes stare sharply back at him where Crona had expected the kind, easy expression he's used to from Juuta. ]
Um...
[ although his feet remain firmly planted in place for a moment, Crona spares a look at the job notice again, assuring himself this is indeed the right place. once he's completely sure, he steps inside (eyes on Izaya, but not directly looking at him), closing the door as delicately as he can; flipping the piece of paper over so Izaya could see the text.
Crona isn't sure why he had expected Juuta to be working alone (there had been other openings in the shoppe, he recalls)-- perhaps he's become too used to the comfortable solitude of their few meetings-- a selfish realization he tries his best to stomp down once it hits him, otherwise the next thing out of his mouth would surely be some depressing, stuttered apology (followed by a quick exit). ]
I came to...help Mr Juuta with the shop. Y-You are...?
[ that feels really awkward to say (his assistant manager, as in Juuta was the boss of him, eeugh), but whatever, he's going to have to get used to it. Juuta hadn't mentioned anything about other workers, but it just figured that given that he did recruit others, the help would be more burdensome than valuable. he didn't seem the kind of person who knew much about businesses or work ethic-- though frankly, those things didn't matter all that much without the exchange of money. ]
[ - he says it almost as an afterthought, mulling the other's words over nervously. why is he even nervous? this is going to be his. . . "coworker", so he should at least try to get acquainted.
feeling a little like a stuck balloon, air sweeping out of him in one great motion, Crona opens his mouth to give his own name, only to close it shyly when Izaya continues. ah... ]
Oh. Well- I thought I'd just bring this, and...
[Crona blinks, gaze jerking back to the paper for only a second. why is he feeling so intimidated? there's nothing wrong with this situation. he's simply come to help-- maybe he should have used the seal to ask if Juuta was around, first, but there's certainly nothing wrong with checking in person...right? ]
-is there a problem? I can come back another time, or ask at h-his house if he isn't here.
[ whether Juuta is here or not isn't in Izaya's interests to speak about to Crona. no, he wants to assess this person, maybe to make him just the tiniest bit uneasy. he knew that from the moment he spoke with familiarity of Juuta. just a tiny bit-- a little push. if he happened to fall, that wasn't his fault because the only thing he had done was give a tap on the shoulder. thus was his logic. don't hold him accountable.
he comes to stand next to him, leaning forward-- not an invasion of space, but an invasion of comfort, his face in a perfectly pleasant smile. ]
There's no problem, so why are you so nervous? If there's a reason to be --
[ and that pleasantness is pulled away with a quirk, a twist of his lips into a much more sinister, distorted expression. ]
-- perhaps you shouldn't have come in the first place? You wouldn't want to intrude on 'Mr. Juuta's' work, to cause him trouble. Right? And it's discourteous to come into someone's shop to distract them from their work, unless you're a customer.
1/? oh my godsablemeisterJanuary 21 2011, 08:17:21 UTC
[ Izaya's suddenly closer-- not enough to cause the meister to jump (he's toughened up, in that aspect) or too abruptly, but Crona can't help but lean back just slightly, his grip on the paper tightening. Izaya's face is different, the smile almost reassuring. ]
But, I-
[ he can feel his face growing hot, the back of his neck prickling with nervousness and- ]
Juuta...would he be mad that Crona had visited the shop without notice? is it so rude? he did just want to help (although his courage in that regard is quickly stretching thin), but maybe his decision is misplaced-- maybe he'd just be doing more harm than good.
this cycle of thoughts repeats again and again as quarter-second by quarter-second passes by, beads of sweat jumping to Crona's forehead as he stares straight forward into that dark, hawk-like expression.
he didn't want to 'cause Juuta trouble. if it's as this-- this man is saying, than perhaps he should be glad the other doesn't seem to be immediately present, and just leave before-
'What? Don't be silly, I always have time for you.' -- that's what Juuta had said, right?
oh wait nvm donesablemeisterJanuary 21 2011, 08:21:01 UTC
[ Crona's back straightens now, eyes turning sharp, fingers twisted in parchment finding the junction of his other arm and gripping it tightly. painfully.
maybe Izaya is right, on some level. but even so, and with words shaking at the edges, quiet and forced; ]
You must not know Mr Juuta well, Mr Izaya. He wouldn't think that.
[ ah, it's almost refreshing to see his face contort in worry as he speaks. he can practically hear him doubting himself, the wheels in his head turning to slowly process his own actions. yeah, kids are so easy to deal with. he liked that. ]
[ hesitation, hesitation, and then a certain determination-- that's better. he was starting to think this would be too easy. ]
What's wrong? You're so tense. And you look so frail, too, almost like I could tip you over with a single [ hands are shoving his shoulders forward, not with significant force but enough to make a small impact ] push.
[ he continues, taking a step back. ]
Did you consider that maybe you're the one who doesn't know him well? How certain can you be that what I'm saying is wrong? Maybe he's not as honest of a guy as you think.
[ his goal wasn't for Crona to believe him. it was for him to cast at least one seed of doubt in his mind. and that was all. ]
[ -Crona's body stiffens up noticeably as the man's hands touch his shoulders, but he doesn't tip over. that's not of his own (partially scared) will, however-- his drawn up shoulder blades had touched the glass of the door, the coolness of it to thin cloth of his tunic combined with the situation sending a chill down his spine and keeping his knees steady.
deep inside of him, ringing in his head, Crona is vaguely aware of Ragnarok bustling, swearing, pushing at the corners of his mind in irritation. as affected as he is, Crona pushes the swordblood down out of consideration for his friend's shoppe, but he can't deny a spark, a growing twitch of irritation at this man. ]
What...? No, that's not-
[ the meister doesn't look away, though every instinct he possessed tells him to. as much as Crona would like to tell himself it's out of courage, that would be a boldfaced lie he couldn't begin to form on his slightly-quivering lips; you don't look away from a snake as it draws itself up, coiling back and showing its teeth- you stare it straight in the face, transfixed and terrified.
on some level, Crona knows he's prey. but-- the things he said, the way Izaya rewraps them for him like some sad award, something you should know you've done but need the physical proof for it to ring home...they feel so real. familiar.
they feel almost like Lady Medusa's.
maybe they are real. maybe he's frail and useless (his mind helpfully adds)- no, he knows he is, but there's one thing he can't concede to, even...if he feels off about saying it, uncomfortable with the presented idea. his voice starts quiet and wobbly, only gaining strength towards the very end. ]
-Mr Juuta is kind! Are you saying you know him better, then? -and that he's dishonest? Even if I couldn't trust him, and even though he may not know me very well, I- [ a beat, a breath; his words slur together ] -at least trust him more than I do you! Who are you to say these mean things about him? Aren't you his friend?
[ maybe it's naive to assume Izaya is his friend just because he must work so closely to him, but it's what slips out of his mouth before he can stop it. immediately, he feels the pit of his stomach drop at his outburst, but he doesn't budge or apologize. not yet. ]
[ it only fueled Izaya's want to bend him when he saw such reactions, his anxious posturing speaking for itself. it wasn't fun when there wasn't any challenge at all, but something sadistic in him liked to watch the faces of tormented humans and it was even sweeter when he was the one tormenting them. he hadn't been able to get such a rise like this out of Juuta-- at least it wasn't the kind of rise he wanted. maybe he hadn't wanted it as much as he thought he did in the first place was more the case, but regardless, his worried little voice's trembling was really kind of pleasant to the ears.
"Mr. Juuta is kind." heh. it almost made him sick, really, to hear those words, and not because they weren't true. it was a given that he trusted Juuta more than himself, but that didn't matter to him. it was just a hint, like always, that he wanted to give. never anything too loud or blustering. words were so powerful when used the right way. sometimes they were powerful even when one didn't realize their impact. harnessing that power was as simple as understanding the psyche and pressing, pressing in just the right spot. the one spot that could demolish it all.
he laughs-- it's soft, just a chuckle, but eerie. a premise. ]
I wasn't saying anything-- merely suggesting things, presenting possibilities. Don't make me out to be such a bad guy. How am I to know if it's you or I who knows him better, since I don't know your relationship to him nor do I know what the two of you have experienced together? I can't, and I never said I did.
[ but anyone with two brain cells could see that he was being antagonizing on purpose, so it was obviously a matter of not making him out to be a bad guy while accepting that he was. ]
I don't think it's "mean" of me to say the things I did, speaking only in possibilities. Juuta-kun is my friend, that much is true, but whether he's my friend or not is irrelevant if I'm not causing him any harm by my words.
In fact, [ tapping a finger to his chin ] I think removing this burden from his back can only do good.
[ while Izaya is nowhere near as close as he had been before, the chuckle brings a greater shiver to his back, the job notification pressed to his arm crunching under his grip, forgotten. Crona can feel a nervous, almost-chatter forming on his teeth, no words yet making it to his lips; frozen entirely. it's not that he doesn't want to say something-- even to confirm it, but it feels like the entire atmosphere of the room has collapsed and reformed around Izaya and his words, pressing every little sweetly cruel nuance into his mind like so many daggers.
how could he say-- or "suggest" such things about Mr Juuta if he's his friend? Crona can't pretend to know for sure, as strongly as he felt about his friends from Shibusen, but... maybe he'd heard him wrong? no- he's sure something Izaya had said was out of line, something that made him so uncomfortable and on-edge it couldn't have been nothing. ]
Burden...?
[ maybe some of-- well, a lot of the things Crona's said or done to Juuta have been burdensome; the man had kindly helped him find his house, and Crona had frankly failed entirely thanking him by becoming a depressed, sobbing mess on him, as well as usurping his couch (and maybe getting a little bit of drool on that red pillow). terrible, terrible. but did that really make him a burden...? Mr Juuta...
Crona's eyes finally break away from the other, scanning the floor in short jerks of vision, brows screwing inward. he speaks more to himself than to the other, mouth twitching into a grimace around the words. ]
[ as tense and thrilling as the atmosphere was, it has to come to an end. perhaps it was the tension in the air, but apparently him approaching izaya's back wasn't entirely noticed (or was it?). he reaches for the other man's apron, pulling at the straps behind it with a death grip to make him jerk his head back, or at least get his attention away from the boy. he's smiling, and it's a smile clearly aimed at his prospective employee. ]
Cute Crona!! You're here!
[ he lets go immediately, pushing izaya aside in a very non-gentle fashion. he leans down a bit, hands on his knees and over his own apron. ]
Is that an application? Can I see?
[ he extends a hand to him-- meanwhile his head slowly turns to izaya with a murderous glare. he could say a lot of things right now, but he's going to save it for later. or for as long as possible, anyway. ]
[ nope, he had no idea that was coming and what was previously such a threatening expression was quickly reduced to that of a surprised blink and slight gape, his neck bending backwards with the hard jerk. he's about to say something but he's let go quick and shoved away, taking a few quick steps forward to catch himself.
he turned back, looking over his shoulder with a scowl-- but Juuta is facing the opposite direction and by the time he turns to give him an angry glare, Izaya has regained a neutral expression, crossing his arms against his chest and returning his gaze with indifference. he would have rather not had Juuta see that, but it shouldn't come as any shock to him even if he's never exhibited his crueler behaviors to quite that extent towards Juuta himself.
reaching into his pocket and retrieving the scissors he had been pruning with before Crona came in, he returns to his previous task, kneeling down in front of the same plant. you can be sure he's listening though. ]
Crona feels an almost guilty relief pull at his harried breathing and wash over his distressed expression the moment Juuta appears, despite Izaya's words-- even more so when the artist simply pushes that jerk out of the way. it almost feels odd to see the smile he'd been expecting when he first looked into the shop after what had just happened, but he tries to push the feeling down and the frown off his mouth to greet Juuta with an (at least) vacant expression. ]
Mr Juuta...!
[ sparing Izaya a nervous look, he tries to straighten up as smoothly as he can, remembering the poor, crumpled application and attempting to spread out the edges with shaky fingers, expression again busy with conflicting emotions. ]
Um... i-it was, [ holding the mangled paper out to Juuta, he resolutely ignores the urge to look at where Izaya is again. even Crona knows that'll only help push him back into the trap of replaying the last five minutes over and over, and that would have to wait now that Juuta is here. ] - I'm not sure what it is now, though...
I- [ ... ] I wanted to ask. Ah, um, what I mean is, if you still need help-
[ he takes the paper gently, smoothing it unconsciously. in that brief moment when the only sound was paper, he turns to izaya; still looking pissed, but trying to be pleasant as to not scare crona any further. ]
This is Iza-chan. He likes to tell bad lies, but you'll get used to it. So from here on, you're free to assume everything bad he says isn't true, okay?
...ah. that's...
definitely
not
Juuta.
far from it, actually-- this man is built entirely differently, thinner and maybe even a little shorter. still, the thing most different about the person before him is his face; red, slanted eyes stare sharply back at him where Crona had expected the kind, easy expression he's used to from Juuta. ]
Um...
[ although his feet remain firmly planted in place for a moment, Crona spares a look at the job notice again, assuring himself this is indeed the right place. once he's completely sure, he steps inside (eyes on Izaya, but not directly looking at him), closing the door as delicately as he can; flipping the piece of paper over so Izaya could see the text.
Crona isn't sure why he had expected Juuta to be working alone (there had been other openings in the shoppe, he recalls)-- perhaps he's become too used to the comfortable solitude of their few meetings-- a selfish realization he tries his best to stomp down once it hits him, otherwise the next thing out of his mouth would surely be some depressing, stuttered apology (followed by a quick exit). ]
I came to...help Mr Juuta with the shop. Y-You are...?
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[ that feels really awkward to say (his assistant manager, as in Juuta was the boss of him, eeugh), but whatever, he's going to have to get used to it. Juuta hadn't mentioned anything about other workers, but it just figured that given that he did recruit others, the help would be more burdensome than valuable. he didn't seem the kind of person who knew much about businesses or work ethic-- though frankly, those things didn't matter all that much without the exchange of money. ]
Was he expecting you?
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[ - he says it almost as an afterthought, mulling the other's words over nervously. why is he even nervous? this is going to be his. . . "coworker", so he should at least try to get acquainted.
feeling a little like a stuck balloon, air sweeping out of him in one great motion, Crona opens his mouth to give his own name, only to close it shyly when Izaya continues. ah... ]
Oh. Well- I thought I'd just bring this, and...
[Crona blinks, gaze jerking back to the paper for only a second. why is he feeling so intimidated? there's nothing wrong with this situation. he's simply come to help-- maybe he should have used the seal to ask if Juuta was around, first, but there's certainly nothing wrong with checking in person...right? ]
-is there a problem? I can come back another time, or ask at h-his house if he isn't here.
Reply
he comes to stand next to him, leaning forward-- not an invasion of space, but an invasion of comfort, his face in a perfectly pleasant smile. ]
There's no problem, so why are you so nervous? If there's a reason to be --
[ and that pleasantness is pulled away with a quirk, a twist of his lips into a much more sinister, distorted expression. ]
-- perhaps you shouldn't have come in the first place? You wouldn't want to intrude on 'Mr. Juuta's' work, to cause him trouble. Right? And it's discourteous to come into someone's shop to distract them from their work, unless you're a customer.
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But, I-
[ he can feel his face growing hot, the back of his neck prickling with nervousness and- ]
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Juuta...would he be mad that Crona had visited the shop without notice? is it so rude? he did just want to help (although his courage in that regard is quickly stretching thin), but maybe his decision is misplaced-- maybe he'd just be doing more harm than good.
this cycle of thoughts repeats again and again as quarter-second by quarter-second passes by, beads of sweat jumping to Crona's forehead as he stares straight forward into that dark, hawk-like expression.
he didn't want to 'cause Juuta trouble. if it's as this-- this man is saying, than perhaps he should be glad the other doesn't seem to be immediately present, and just leave before-
'What? Don't be silly, I always have time for you.' -- that's what Juuta had said, right?
... ]
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maybe Izaya is right, on some level. but even so, and with words shaking at the edges, quiet and forced; ]
You must not know Mr Juuta well, Mr Izaya. He wouldn't think that.
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[ hesitation, hesitation, and then a certain determination-- that's better. he was starting to think this would be too easy. ]
What's wrong? You're so tense. And you look so frail, too, almost like I could tip you over with a single [ hands are shoving his shoulders forward, not with significant force but enough to make a small impact ] push.
[ he continues, taking a step back. ]
Did you consider that maybe you're the one who doesn't know him well? How certain can you be that what I'm saying is wrong? Maybe he's not as honest of a guy as you think.
[ his goal wasn't for Crona to believe him. it was for him to cast at least one seed of doubt in his mind. and that was all. ]
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deep inside of him, ringing in his head, Crona is vaguely aware of Ragnarok bustling, swearing, pushing at the corners of his mind in irritation. as affected as he is, Crona pushes the swordblood down out of consideration for his friend's shoppe, but he can't deny a spark, a growing twitch of irritation at this man. ]
What...? No, that's not-
[ the meister doesn't look away, though every instinct he possessed tells him to. as much as Crona would like to tell himself it's out of courage, that would be a boldfaced lie he couldn't begin to form on his slightly-quivering lips; you don't look away from a snake as it draws itself up, coiling back and showing its teeth- you stare it straight in the face, transfixed and terrified.
on some level, Crona knows he's prey. but-- the things he said, the way Izaya rewraps them for him like some sad award, something you should know you've done but need the physical proof for it to ring home...they feel so real. familiar.
they feel almost like Lady Medusa's.
maybe they are real. maybe he's frail and useless (his mind helpfully adds)- no, he knows he is, but there's one thing he can't concede to, even...if he feels off about saying it, uncomfortable with the presented idea. his voice starts quiet and wobbly, only gaining strength towards the very end. ]
-Mr Juuta is kind! Are you saying you know him better, then? -and that he's dishonest? Even if I couldn't trust him, and even though he may not know me very well, I- [ a beat, a breath; his words slur together ] -at least trust him more than I do you! Who are you to say these mean things about him? Aren't you his friend?
[ maybe it's naive to assume Izaya is his friend just because he must work so closely to him, but it's what slips out of his mouth before he can stop it. immediately, he feels the pit of his stomach drop at his outburst, but he doesn't budge or apologize. not yet. ]
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"Mr. Juuta is kind." heh. it almost made him sick, really, to hear those words, and not because they weren't true. it was a given that he trusted Juuta more than himself, but that didn't matter to him. it was just a hint, like always, that he wanted to give. never anything too loud or blustering. words were so powerful when used the right way. sometimes they were powerful even when one didn't realize their impact. harnessing that power was as simple as understanding the psyche and pressing, pressing in just the right spot. the one spot that could demolish it all.
he laughs-- it's soft, just a chuckle, but eerie. a premise. ]
I wasn't saying anything-- merely suggesting things, presenting possibilities. Don't make me out to be such a bad guy. How am I to know if it's you or I who knows him better, since I don't know your relationship to him nor do I know what the two of you have experienced together? I can't, and I never said I did.
[ but anyone with two brain cells could see that he was being antagonizing on purpose, so it was obviously a matter of not making him out to be a bad guy while accepting that he was. ]
I don't think it's "mean" of me to say the things I did, speaking only in possibilities. Juuta-kun is my friend, that much is true, but whether he's my friend or not is irrelevant if I'm not causing him any harm by my words.
In fact, [ tapping a finger to his chin ] I think removing this burden from his back can only do good.
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how could he say-- or "suggest" such things about Mr Juuta if he's his friend? Crona can't pretend to know for sure, as strongly as he felt about his friends from Shibusen, but... maybe he'd heard him wrong? no- he's sure something Izaya had said was out of line, something that made him so uncomfortable and on-edge it couldn't have been nothing. ]
Burden...?
[ maybe some of-- well, a lot of the things Crona's said or done to Juuta have been burdensome; the man had kindly helped him find his house, and Crona had frankly failed entirely thanking him by becoming a depressed, sobbing mess on him, as well as usurping his couch (and maybe getting a little bit of drool on that red pillow). terrible, terrible. but did that really make him a burden...? Mr Juuta...
Crona's eyes finally break away from the other, scanning the floor in short jerks of vision, brows screwing inward. he speaks more to himself than to the other, mouth twitching into a grimace around the words. ]
If I'm a burden, why would he...?
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Cute Crona!! You're here!
[ he lets go immediately, pushing izaya aside in a very non-gentle fashion. he leans down a bit, hands on his knees and over his own apron. ]
Is that an application? Can I see?
[ he extends a hand to him-- meanwhile his head slowly turns to izaya with a murderous glare. he could say a lot of things right now, but he's going to save it for later. or for as long as possible, anyway. ]
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he turned back, looking over his shoulder with a scowl-- but Juuta is facing the opposite direction and by the time he turns to give him an angry glare, Izaya has regained a neutral expression, crossing his arms against his chest and returning his gaze with indifference. he would have rather not had Juuta see that, but it shouldn't come as any shock to him even if he's never exhibited his crueler behaviors to quite that extent towards Juuta himself.
reaching into his pocket and retrieving the scissors he had been pruning with before Crona came in, he returns to his previous task, kneeling down in front of the same plant. you can be sure he's listening though. ]
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Crona feels an almost guilty relief pull at his harried breathing and wash over his distressed expression the moment Juuta appears, despite Izaya's words-- even more so when the artist simply pushes that jerk out of the way. it almost feels odd to see the smile he'd been expecting when he first looked into the shop after what had just happened, but he tries to push the feeling down and the frown off his mouth to greet Juuta with an (at least) vacant expression. ]
Mr Juuta...!
[ sparing Izaya a nervous look, he tries to straighten up as smoothly as he can, remembering the poor, crumpled application and attempting to spread out the edges with shaky fingers, expression again busy with conflicting emotions. ]
Um... i-it was, [ holding the mangled paper out to Juuta, he resolutely ignores the urge to look at where Izaya is again. even Crona knows that'll only help push him back into the trap of replaying the last five minutes over and over, and that would have to wait now that Juuta is here. ] - I'm not sure what it is now, though...
I- [ ... ] I wanted to ask. Ah, um, what I mean is, if you still need help-
Reply
[ he takes the paper gently, smoothing it unconsciously. in that brief moment when the only sound was paper, he turns to izaya; still looking pissed, but trying to be pleasant as to not scare crona any further. ]
This is Iza-chan. He likes to tell bad lies, but you'll get used to it. So from here on, you're free to assume everything bad he says isn't true, okay?
Reply
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