(no subject)

[tigerpoet]

The Ware Wolf Shop has a two item limit per month, even if you have enough Chroma for more. How does anyone decide what to buy?

I know I want one orb to get one of my books that Caster asked for, and I know I want to have another orb for some of my coworkers' works... But how am I meant to choose just one? Even if I can get more later, I find it hard to say whether Kyouka's works are a higher priority than Dazai's or Chuuya's or Yosano's or Kunikida's or - well, I could go on. And that's just limiting myself to buying the orbs and limiting what I could summon to books.

I could use advice? Or opinions about Japanese literature, if you have those.

Comments

[scarsnstripes]

[Ah...

Well. He's probably right.

Considering how hard people have tried to kill him so far.]

I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bring up what's probably a painful subject. I was just so surprised, I didn't think.

I'm sorry! You look very good for being dead!

[....]

[tigerpoet]

Oh - thank you, that's kind of you to say.

Really, it isn't such a painful subject that I can't talk about it. I've always known I was going to die young anyway.

[scarsnstripes]

[...Does this mean he made out with a ghost?

Um-- Hm.]

Really...? You said I'm healthier... but were you really that sickly? I never really had to deal with illness much, but it might be the tiger's influence.

[tigerpoet]

I was really that sickly. I was hospitalized just about every winter from breathing problems, and I died age 33 from asthmatic heart failure.

[scarsnstripes]

[There's no response for a long, long moment. Dying at 33, sickly all his life... It was so different from his own life, though he certainly had plenty of brushes with death himself.

At least he'd had his health, though. At least he'd always recovered, even when he feared he wouldn't. He'd never realized that the reason for his survival all these years was likely the tiger, until the agency.]

That sounds Painful. Lonely, too.

[tigerpoet]

...it was. I don't remember very much about the moment of death, but I remember that I was alone. It was routine for me to be hospitalized, so there was no need to visit, I suppose.

[scarsnstripes]

[...He'd died alone... It's like some sort of childhood nightmare come alive, honestly.]

I'm sorry.

It's always worse to suffer alone, without anyone there to support you. And to die alone... that sounds terrible, Atsushi-san.

[tigerpoet]

[What else is there to say about that day, about that hospital room, besides-]

Thank you.

It is what it is - I can't go back and change my life now. And - truthfully, it makes me feel a little better to know you don't have the same sicknesses as me. Even if we aren't connected that closely, and there's no reason to think you'd share my fate... I'm glad to know your future is brighter than mine was.

[scarsnstripes]

[It's surprising really, that his existence makes Atsushi feel better. Jealousy, hatred he'd expect. He'd even understand it. But this...?]

Honestly, I think if I'd also been sickly growing up, I wouldn't have lived nearly as long as I have. In a way you're far stronger than I am, having fought against something I don't know if I could.

I'm trying my best, so... hopefully, I'll have that sort of future you hope for. I want to, at least.

[Neither of them can go back, can they? But...]

And... this is like a second chance for you then, isn't it?

[tigerpoet]

[What good would jealousy and hatred do? Just to drag someone down while stewing in his own misery? He isn't that kind of a person.]

It's a lot like that. Or at least it's a chance to do things I was never able to do in life, like meet very cute tiger boys.

[scarsnstripes]

[Wow way to derail, there! Though it's certainly working. He's glad this is text, because any verbal response he could give to that would include some serious flustered stammering. With text, he can actually sound semi-confident!! And not baffled by being called 'cute'.]

Ah. I suppose that's true! There's lots of things you can do now.

I didn't know you found me cute, though...?

[tigerpoet]

[Talking about dying is depressing. Time to flirt.]

Of course you're cute. I thought it went without saying, but I can tell you plenty more if you want.

[scarsnstripes]

[#priorities.

Not that Atsushi would blame him. Though he might die from blushing first.]

Huh?!

voice

[tigerpoet]

You're cute. Not to mention incredibly handsome.

Voice

[scarsnstripes]

[Of course, of course Atsushi would switch to voice right when Atsushi is about to self immolate from being so flustered at all these compliments. There's a noise that sounds like a failed attempt to start talking that cracks out in more of a squawk, then the sound of a palm hitting skin as he covers his mouth.

A few beats, before--]

H-How can you just... say things like that so easily?

Voice

[tigerpoet]

[Oh nooo. Atsushi really should have mercy on him-]

It's not hard to say the truth.

[-but he won't.

After a moment, he does feel bad enough to add:] I can say it, but I'm weak to hearing it. So don't feel bad about being embarrassed.

[scarsnstripes]

[There's probably something comedic about hearing the high pitched wheeze that escapes Atsushi at that without an expression attached to it.]

So you already guessed I couldn't handle it but did it anyway?

[Said in a whine... admittedly, he's also bright fucking red behind his phone, good job.]

I-I'm just... not used to this sort of thing, yet. I mean, I've been here for a couple of months now, but... I didn't exactly... get compliments like this back home? It's not something you just expect, you know?!

[Whineeeee--]

Besides, you're way more handsome than me. You're cute but almost elegant looking, you know?

[tigerpoet]

E-elegant? Surely that's too much...

[Yep, he's just as weak as predicted. Now he's blushing and stammering too.]

[scarsnstripes]

No, it's really not. Elegant, refined... It was really easy to believe you were an author, you know? You just have that look about you. Like a handsome scholar you'd see in paintings.

[He's blushing too, but at least he's not stammering as much??? Turnabout was fair play.]

Though the other Atsushi is a little more on the wild side of things.

[tigerpoet]

[That it is. Atsushi's really in no place to complain, especially since he told the other Atsushi about his weakness for the sake of fairness.]

I-I'm really not as handsome as all that. I certainly don't have beautiful eyes like yours...!

[scarsnstripes]

[This is just a blush, flirt feedback loop, isn't it?]

B-Beautiful...? Why would you-- everyone usually calls them weird!

[tigerpoet]

[that's exactly what's going on]

Why would anyone call them weird? They're stunning.

[scarsnstripes]

[Rude, tbh.]

I-I mean... all the kids at the orphanage I grew up in called them weird? Two colors certainly isn't normal, anyway.

[Is there anything Atsushi didn't get bullied over?

...No, not really. He's pathetic like that.]

[tigerpoet]

Kids are mean and will bully people over anything.

[This is just an objective fact, and Atsushi should really not let his self-esteem be affected so much by kids he used to know.]

I think they're lovely. If I could paint, I'd gladly paint your portrait before anything else.

[scarsnstripes]

[Well, it wasn't just kids...]

T-That's... that's really too much, Atsushi-san, They're not... I'm not... I think your eyes are far more lovely, personally. They shine, not quite like metal but more like light....?