riverviewlogs | [Closed] Try to get out but we just keep sticking around

I'm an idol, you know? That's so out of nowhere? An idol isn't the type of person who does anything close to that, you know? What a blunt way to put it...

[He's not defensive at all. He sure does pick up his tea right away to busy himself with sipping at it, though, trying to settle his expression before he sets it back down.]

Ignoring the crude part of that for the moment... [All of it is crude, though, and he's not looking at Dodger now, just looking at the tea.] If it wasn't my health, then most people would be too afraid to even glance my way, at Yumenosaki Academy. Something like a date would have been impossible for me.

[There's something sarcastic in the twitch of his brow, as he finishes his glass and signals to get another... but he's already made it clear how he feels about Eichi's "job", so he doesn't see a point in rehashing it.]

Must be hard being rich. [His tone is flat.] If you want dates that badly, I'm sure you could get them by asking people yourself. It sounds like you just expect everyone to do things for you.

I wonder what my riches have to do with anything I just said?

[Their fear has to do with it in part, sure, but he likes to feign ignorance in general on that. He sighs lightly, bothered by Dodger's attitude in general, but still managing to stay polite.]

I never once said that I wanted a date. I've always been too focused on my goals for anything else, and I'm not good with matters of the heart. So rather than me expecting everyone to do things for me, it's just that I can look at a group of people and understand who can do what for me, and that there was no one who would be able to convince me on a date.

[He's turned poor Tsumugi down for karaoke before, so.] Just because I have others make moves for me doesn't mean that I'm refusing to do anything myself, you know, so I'm a little insulted. It's like something a king would do in war.

[That confirms it, this kid is definitely the strategic type... and reminds him a little of someone from the masquerade. Hmm.

More importantly, this is the type of person Dodger tends to have no problems with. Manipulative people just understand the world better, as much as it still bothers him that Eichi has done absolutely nothing to earn his place in the world.]

If you don't care for dates, why bother with the auction? Most likely, you would have ended up going out with some girl that only wanted to sleep with you so she could brag about it.

I also never said that I don't care for dates, you know? But there are a few reasons for that.

[He guesses there's no harm in explaining it, so he busies his hands with readjusting his teacup on the plate.] Since I didn't sign up for it myself, it would be a difficult thing to back out by the time I realized I was signed up at all. On top of that, since it was something like an auction, that can only bring more credit to my reputation, so I decided to stay and see how much money I could help this "cause."

[It didn't really matter what the cause was for, even.] In a way, you helped me quite a bit by spending all of that money. Though it would have continued without your help, it's nice to see that my name causes large numbers.

I guess. [He shrugs lazily.] Didn't know they were letting people sign their friends up, but I guess I wouldn't know anyway.

[Since the few friends he has wouldn't peg him as the type to be into that sort of thing.

He stays silent while the waiter brings over another glass of whiskey for him, and the appetizers he'd asked for... he really is kind of a pig, even when he's working on a budget. He's got decent table manners, eating with his mouth closed and keeping his sleeves clean and all, but he's not refined by any means.]

Auction ended up being the most boring part, anyway... sleeping with the guests was a better use of my time.

I had no idea either, until my name was called.

[Eichi just has a salad to start with, and even while he's left handed and Japanese, he has perfect table manners with a fork, as well. As expected. Still, he pauses a little while eating, thinking back to the masquerade.]

Were you really doing something like that rather than enjoying the dancing? [There's something that stood out to him in those words from Dodger, but he's trying not to think about it right now.]

[He shrugs, finishing a mouthful before replying.]

Did both. Danced with people, took breaks with them in the private rooms, got their clothes off while we were away... that sort of thing. [He smirks, although it's mostly hidden as he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.] Even had a few Cinderella moments with people who weren't as into it... but you'd be surprised how many people the whole thing worked with.

Cinderella moments, was it...

[Eichi wants to freeze in place, but he forces himself to take another bite of his salad as usual. Even if his eyes give him away, he has them pointed down at his plate stubbornly, mind racing. It can't be... Or it can, it actually really can?? He had considered the possibility from the start that Dodger would be around somewhere, but the person who had danced with him and been so thrilling...

He wants to continue in denial. It might not be the case. It might be a coincidence.]

I suppose it's the most "no-strings-attached" you can go, though to me it seems a little dull to end so predictably like that. Allowing your guard to fall too much is a weakness, you know.

[Well, it's hard not to notice that. And when he does, he suddenly stops paying attention to his food and instead leans forward with a playful look on his face. That's right, it's entirely possible that Eichi was one of the people he'd played with... hell, he'd managed to even get some alone time with Taako, so anything is possible.

And if "Cinderella moment" is what sticks in Eichi's mind... he wonders.]

It's funny you know so much about war... you've read Sun Tzu, huh? [He shrugs lazily.] I think I remember someone quoting Art of War while he was on my lap... but I'm sure you're too much of an angel to pull slutty things like that, right?

[Checkmate.]

[Well fuck.

Eichi puts his fork down, glancing across the table at that stupid playful expression. He has no idea how he missed someone with so many scars and one eye even beneath a mask, but... Magic is really mysterious, it seems. He tries to ignore his stomach dropping by stubbornly clinging to some type of confidence.]

Even Satan was once an angel, you know. [This is the third time he's had to say this to someone and he still hasn't thought that it was too ridiculous to stop saying.] So you've connected the shoe to a foot, but to do it this way was a little cheap. I'm a bit disappointed you weren't able to take a little longer and find out the hard way.

[He's just annoyed, really.]

Well, if we'd slept together that night it would have been more fun for me... but I guess that can always come later.

[It puts a lot of things in better perspective. This kid isn't the sweet, shy and bemused boy he'd seen at Carnivale... he really is a chess-king at the heart. And knowing that makes him much, much easier to play.]

It's your own fault for giving me an easy clue... and for not practicing your poker face.

Kissing you is above what anyone can hide with a simple "poker face."

[Ouch. Nevermind that he'd been into it, which he is now ashamed of— he can actually hide expressions really well behind that distant smile of his, but it's a little more difficult when he finds something out like this. God.]

Is it so strange to think that I know of war? I may just be an idol, but there's a reason I was known as "Emperor" back home. Regardless of what you might think, I did work for that all on my own, three times as hard as anyone else who tried to rise the ranks the same.

[He's picking up his fork again, stabbing a little harder into his salad.] So don't think that you knowing this has me at any sort of a disadvantage. I'd gambled with that much, so of course I was prepared to lose.

You seemed pretty eager to keep going with it, from what I remember.

[He'd kissed back... and it hadn't escaped Dodger's attention how long it had taken before he finally took his leave. But he isn't really aiming to make Eichi uncomfortable, just shooting down his attempt at an insult with a flat response.]

By the way, if you want anything else after dinner, I've still got money to toss around and we'll have some daylight around where people are still out and about. So don't put yourself into a coma eating too fast, yeah?

[ Eichi frowns, but other than that, he actually looks a lot less panicked than he did at the start of their date. If anything, this tells him a lot about Dodger. It's interesting, a bit, and as he continues to offer more for this date, Eichi is pretty sure now that it's just to see if he'll get some afterwards.

But he could use this, he thinks. ]

What sort of places do you normally go on a date?

I don't. Like I said before, dates are for other people... so when I go on them, I just do whatever the other person's up for.

[It's a surprisingly open response. He has no use for dates, he gets more information on people in other ways and he'd rather sit around at home getting drunk with someone he likes. But when dates happen, he figures the best way to make them work is by just going along with whatever his partner wants... and that's always ended well, in his experience.]

Do you know how to shoot a gun, Dodger-san?

[ It probably seems wildly out of nowhere, but Eichi is very aware that most people will either nag him about this or question him as to why he wants to. So... ]

[It doesn't seem odd to Dodger... he's taught people how to shoot before, so he has a sense of where Eichi's going with this.]

I do, but you might not like my methods for teaching.

What methods might those be? To be honest, your methods for all of this are a little sloppy, so I doubt it would be much different.

[He feels observed right now and it's a little creepy. But he's still relaxing enough to pull up his left hand like it's a gun, pointing it right at Dodger and closing one eye to shoot an imaginary bullet his way.]

Bang. ☆ I've always wanted to shoot a gun before, you know? But Keito would always scold me for ideas like that, telling me that I should be resting. Since he's not here, and those other nagging friends of mine are likely busy, it would be a perfect time to go somewhere like a shooting range.

[He doesn't mind being called sloppy, because he's been called it before. He prefers to think he's testing the waters - he doesn't know this city as well as he knows his home world, and every new person is a new puzzle that he has nowhere near the resources he had when he was younger. But having someone like Eichi to help him... that would honestly make things go a lot faster.]

I wouldn't use a shooting range, if we were doing things my way.

[And if Eichi doesn't get the hint, he doesn't plan to elaborate... but the kid's pretty smart.]

Still, I think if anyone wants to learn anything it's their business what they use it for. I'll teach you if you're willing to give me something in return.

[Now he's eating his fancy veal, slow and polite, but he'll glance over at that last sentence. Mm, he grew up thinking that's what friendship was, just exchanging services like this, but he's learned better by now. At the same time, he is aware enough to know that that's how the world works.]

Something like what? I won't agree to anything unless I get the specifics. On top of that, I'd feel more comfortable at an official shooting range.

It's your night, so I'll take you to a shooting range if that's what you want.

[He shrugs.]

You don't seem like the type that uses non-concrete "favors" as currency, so I won't waste your time with that. I'll teach you to shoot in exchange for information - not about Reaper, I expect that's something you'd want to hold over my head, but I'm sure we can decide on someone who's worth tattling for some new skills.

Your obsessive interest with information is a little strange, Dodger-san. So you know, I'm already being taught some skills by a few different people, so I could do without this if I wanted to. It's an interest of mine to shoot a gun, but I do prefer to stand behind a meat shield and issue commands. ♪

[In a way, this whole mess has him feeling a lot... better about this whole situation. Dodger is a scary person, yes, but he's trying something here, and there's something he clearly wants. He wants everything, probably. Everything he can get to feel on top. That's the impression Eichi gets, and he thinks he understands it a little.]

Why isn't this simply part of our date? You know, if you do anything to me now, the retaliation won't be something simple that will cause you enjoyment. You'll simply be dead. I'd rather avoid something like that.

Information is what the world runs on. And I have my own reasons for wanting the information I've asked for.

[This kid fancies himself an emperor... but Dodger doesn't have any aspiration to beat him. Just to use him where they're both mutually useful to each other.

Although... "retaliation that causes enjoyment", huh... he really has been talking to Reaper.]

If you were someone I wanted to make sure stayed safe, I'd teach you for free - but information is just a simpler currency than sexual acts. Asking for sex implies you hold some sort of power over me which you seem to think information gives you, too.

But if you're not willing to give me either, we can think of something else. Just understand that I don't believe in gaining things without giving back - and you'd be gaining a lot if I of all people taught you how to handle a gun.

Doesn't it?

[Give him some sort of power. Not much, he's very well aware, but he does think there's some there, or at least that's what he's saying... He really does follow the Art of War.]

I'm well aware of fair exchanges like that. For the last few years of my life, I've spent my time using those around me as stepping stools to get where I am now. My rise here isn't very different, though it took me far less time to accomplish it. I sent a handful of lazy wastes of space crumbling to pieces at the loss of their careers, and I'm certain they're waiting tables now.

...Anyway, I wouldn't mind giving you some information on myself, if there's anything you're especially curious about. It is a date, after all.

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