02 ▌action in...wherever

[creepinginmy]

( Because Jack apparently refuses to make use of his key or accept that he's supposed to live in a house of his own like any normal person, he's been wandering around Splendor and in select Districts, choosing hidden spots and corners to spend the night whenever he brings himself to fall asleep. Cerbos allows him these moments of rest, knowing what

Comments

[aut_augur]

[Oh Mr. Monster 8\ Jast crouches down next to him quietly. He balances his elbows on his knees and his chin in the cup of his hands. What to do... If he wants to sleep outside, that's okay. Jast likes to do it too, but he's not so sure this man is as immune to the elements as Jast happens to be.

He wishes he had a blanket to put over him... and Splendor obliges him.

Oh. Well. Jast puts it over the man, trying not to disturb him.]

[aut_augur]

Jast. [He gives a nervous, fluttery little laugh.] My name is... Jast.

[This talking thing is so hard. Maybe he should just give up and use his seal, but he's made it this far.]

Y-you?

[creepinginmy]

[There's a very strong quality about Jast that both throws him off and keeps his eyes completely locked on him. Maybe it's just his eyes, but his struggle with the language certainly has him paying extra attention to the boy's mouth, making sure he reads whatever comes out a little less clearly.]

Jack.

[I feel nauseated already.]

-kills html dead.-

[aut_augur]

[Jast cannot hear the creature, but he is faintly aware of its stirring. He does not react much besides a faint twitch to his lips, he knew it was there when he approached, it won't scare him off now.]

Nice to... Nice. Nice to m-meet you.

[He might have done better with such a familiar little string of words earlier on, but he's gotten himself a bit flustered now.]

[creepinginmy]

[He nods softly.]

Where are you from?

[aut_augur]

Mmm. One of... Earths?

[That's where his body came from anyway, his soul was a slightly more complicated matter that he was not up for explaining without using the seal.]

[creepinginmy]

[He thinks about it for a moment, going through the words a couple of times to see if they make sense after mental repetition. Sorry, Jast, he's probably just going to make you feel flustered.]

I don't understand.

[aut_augur]

[Oh dear. Jast looks down, fiddling with his fingertips as he thinks.]

Th-there are... there are many. Ah. [Words... how do they work...] Stories? Different... different worlds?

[creepinginmy]

Ah. Right. [It gets easy to forget such a thing is reality, as amazing as that might sound. His mind is still getting used to many of the things going on with all kinds of people in this place.] But English isn't your first language, obviously.

[aut_augur]

Ah...

[It was the one he had grown up with, but no, not the first. He fiddles his seal up from under his shirt.]

N-no. I... C-can stop. If it's... trouble-troublesome.

[He does not say that it would be such a relief if Jack said yes, although maybe Jast should.]

[creepinginmy]

[He's pressing his lips with a slight frown. Jack takes it as Jast suggesting he wants to leave.]

Yes, of course. I apologize.

[aut_augur]

[Jast's lips don't move all that much as he presses his tongue to the back of his teeth and begins to twitter and whistle softly,]

I'm sorry, this will be much easier.

[creepinginmy]

[Augh, voices in his head. Jack winces the moment it comes, even though it's obviously not the first time it happens in Splendor and certainly not the last time Cerbos will have to share Jack's mind for communication purposes. Thank you, stupid seal, for not making his reaction any worse.]

[aut_augur]

[He's watching curiously, your twitching about just makes him feel bad, Jack.]

Is that all right?

[creepinginmy]

[Keep it short. You know I don't like this shit.]

I'm sorry, I just. [His voice is a little thick, but he's brushing things off.] I didn't think that this was what you meant.

[aut_augur]

[...the creature is stirring again. Jast lets the seal go from his hands, and says plainly,]

Sorry.

[He offers Jack a sad little smile, because they've apologized to each other an extraordinary amount, he is earnest, but they lose the impact of that earnestness with repetition. He crosses his hands quietly at the small of his back, looking up at the sky for a moment before he decides,]

I... will, hmm. Practice. For... for next time.