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[astonishing_xmods]

THE TEST DRIVE MEME

Hello, True Believers!

This is for anyone wanting to test out their characters in the setting before the applications open, see what clicks. Multiples will be allowed for this post, and you can generally assume any threads are a self-contained continuity unless you feel like getting creative.

Just post a thread with your CHARACTER NAME and CANON NAME in the title with a prompt and others will reply. Prompts and threads can be action spam or prose or whatever. These threads can be used on the sample section of your application, as well. Go out and have fun!


Be sure to read up on all game information and the "!event" tag, as well as the weekly updates to make sure you have all your ducks in a row.

Comments

I know I am~

[comparative_insanity]

You know, people keep saying things like that. I can't think what they mean.

[Fai's tone is flippant and light still, but it's followed by a small eyeroll which might or might not go unseen. Either way, he doesn't exactly let himself be deterred; instead he swans in with an advanced version of his old grace, and with the air of one who belongs right where he is.

He then scoots onto the desk and tilts his head a bit in an effort to get a glimpse of what Lovino is doing.]

Aren't you even going to say hi properly? You know, if I treated all of my exes like that, I'm sure it would give me an ulcer. [...on the other hand, Fai doesn't actually see most of his exes much, considering how many of them turned out to be way more problematic than Lovi ever was. He does so try.]

o u

[il_tipo_sorto]

[Lovi hugs the magazine to his chest defensively and looks up just to give Fai his most unimpressed look. Well, it's better than an outright scowl. See? He's being nice.]

Not my fault you've got so many. [He sighs, places his pen between his teeth and leans over to shut off his music. It's startlingly quiet without Fabri Fibra's harsh rhymes in the air.] For real, do you need somethin'?

[At the very least, his tone is more open than it ever would have been when he was younger. If anything, he's bemused that Fai wants anything to do with him.]

[comparative_insanity]

[Fai is fairly used to receiving looks like that from people - and from Lovi - so he just smiles blithely back, shaking his head.]

Not really. I just wanted to come by and say hi.

[He looks around the office for a moment, and then his gaze returns to Lovi. They are both different from what they were, and both still the same in some ways. Fai has a lot more yellow in his gaze now, a faint scar across his left eye, and a little less overwrought insecurity about his person. Lovi seems... calmer, somehow, and definitely more grown up despite the music and the porn magazine.]

It's been quite a while, hasn't it?

[il_tipo_sorto]

[Lovi snorts, but it's more a sound of amusement than annoyance. Same old Fai.]

Five years.

[Quickly resigning to the fact that Fai will not leave him alone just yet, he turns back to work on his... he's hiding a crossword puzzle in his porn magazine. What the hell, Lovi.]

Kinda sad 'hi's all you could come up with, isn't it?

[comparative_insanity]

Five years.

[He repeats the words softly, because in a way, all of what happened back then feels like an age and several worlds away. He'd been so... not young so much as just clueless. And then the Sentinels; then the battle and the fear, and Yuui raising his hand against him for the first and last time ever, and losing Lorna to diplomatic tension, and seeing several of his friends frozen in time, and Lovi sort of... slipping away at some point there. It was all pretty fuzzy.

But he wasn't supposed to focus on all of that now.]

And be fair now. I had plenty of clever bantering and eloquent dialogue planned, but you have been pretty persistent in shooting me down, you know. [He grins.] At least that hasn't changed.

[il_tipo_sorto]

[He marks down another answer before glancing at Fai with a calculating look. That look he always has on his face when he's trying to gauge the other person's intentions.

A lot happened between then and now, from escaping the Sentinels to running back to Italy to getting caught right back in the mafia and somehow managing to string his web of lies all the way back here to get away again. It's been a ride. And yet it's somehow comforting to be back and see everything's basically the same, and it's him that was a complete idiot.

Once he considers him, he gives him a smug half-smirk.] Well, I had plenty planned to tell you, but it turns out you're not as annoyin' as I remember. Wait, that's not the word... [He snaps his fingers as he glances over the puzzle.] Obnoxious. There. [Sketchy pronunciation, but he's proud of his sick burn.]

[comparative_insanity]

[Fai returns Lovi's look with one that is surprisingly direct, even for the person he is now rather than the mess he was back then. And then when he smirks, Fai laughs, a little bit of tension leaving his shoulders for real.

It seems as if, somehow, his presence has been accepted. Like maybe they can build some sort of tentative understanding on the long-since cold ashes of one of the stupidest teenage romances since that Romeo and Juliet thing.]

You're only saying that because you're happy to see me, of course. [There is definite warmth to his glibness, even as it's followed by a melodramatic hairtoss - and then a giggle.] I kind of have a lot to tell you too, you know. I haven't only been staying here and wearing a grove in the floors, after all.

[il_tipo_sorto]

And I guess you're not happy to see me, huh? I expected a hug or some shit by now.

[He knows it'll come eventually - or rather, he's been waiting for it. He's never considered himself a particularly affectionate person, but it feels out of place to spend so long without someone forcing a hug on him.

He sets the magazine down and gestures Fai closer.] C'mon, get it over with.

[comparative_insanity]

[Fai could say something like "Well, if you insist..." or something equally glib, just to keep with the joking tone and all. But really, he doesn't feel like it, and he's never been one to control his impulses unless he figures that he has a really good reason to do so. So instead he laughs once more, a sound that is instantly followed by a happy little squeak as he pounces on the other man and wraps him in a flurry of draping noodly limbs and blond hair and more laughter.]

Still as graceful as ever about affection, I see.

[He finally manages to catch his breath and straighten up a bit, smiling teasingly down at Lovi.]

I missed you, you silly thing. But I didn't want to just jump you without permission. Wasn't that nice?

[il_tipo_sorto]

Shut up.

[Only Lovi could manage to say it so affectionately, all while wrapping his arms around Fai tightly and melting into the warmth of the moment. This feels awesome, aaand... he feels terrible for how attached he still is. He immediately releases him.]

Yeah, yeah, you're real sweet. [He puffs up his cheeks for just a second.] Where'd all this 'waiting for permission' bullshit come from, I thought you got off on being a royal pain in the ass.

[comparative_insanity]

[It's a little bit alarming, how naturally it still comes to him, as if those five years hadn't happened. Except if all those years really hadn't happened, then hugging Lovi now would hurt him, and make him feel like he'd lost something. But it doesn't. It just makes him feel like a small part of the world has found its home after being somewhere else for a while.

He pokes Lovi's left cheek playfully, trying to get it to unpuff.]

Nonsense, it's like you don't know me at all. [There is a definite hint of self-humor there, because it's not as if Fai doesn't enjoy being a pain in the ass every once in a while.] But that just means that we clearly have to catch up a bit with each other, ri~ight?

[il_tipo_sorto]

[He immediately attempts to bite the offending finger, and blows a raspberry when he fails.]

Hey, you're gonna tell me five years' worth of bullshit either way, right? Might as well let you. [This is him casually hinting that he won't return the favor, because what he's been doing is his business, thank you very much.]

[comparative_insanity]

[Back when they were younger and Fai had more feelings for Lovi than sense, he would still have understood the hint that Lovi wasn't going to say very much about the past five years well enough, but he would have taken it as an invitation to push. And half of the time that had been what Lovino wanted, Fai pushing back, and half the time not, and down that road madness lay. Not that Fai is thinking about it with any particular resentment now.

Worse things than Lovi had happened - and deeper feelings had taught him to grow up. He's not pushing unless given a good reason, regardless of what Lovino wants or doesn't.]

Fine, be mysterious if you want to~. [He momentarily gets up and returns to the door, but only to get a bottle of wine he'd left outside. What is being a responsible adult.] But don't worry, I'll give you the short and dirty version, since I know how impatient you can be. Number seven horizontally is "diligence" by the way. [Yes, he saw that crossword. It's adorable.]

[il_tipo_sorto]

Diligence? [He stares dumbly at the puzzle before jotting it down.] Well, it fits... hey, who told you you could look?

[He smacks Fai's side with the magazine and a small chuckle.]

I already figured out a little. You work here now, prob'bly dated some people after me, somethin' happened to your eye I'm dyin' to hear about... [He tips his head.] Hey, you single right now? I bet not, huh?

[comparative_insanity]

Nosy busybody, remember?

[He says it lightly enough, starting to pry the cork out of the wine bottle. He makes an amused little sound at Lovino's words, shrugging shoulders that haven't really grown much less scrawny over the years.]

Only just started working here, actually - I've mostly been studying. And you know how it is, I'm pretty good at meeting people. [The offhand nature of the statement might be taken as a hint that plenty of the people he meets aren't really people that he dates - unless one-night arrangements count.]

But I think I'm taking a bit of a pause in trying to date right now. I'm sure you'll be shocked to hear it, but my relationships have a tendency of ending a bit... chaotically. [His tone goes dry for a moment there, and his hand darts up for a moment to touch the scar Lovino had mentioned.]

[il_tipo_sorto]

Chaotically? Not for you, surely.

[He's tempted to touch the scar himself, but it seems impolite. He doesn't consider their interaction as much of a minefield as it was back then, but he knows what sort of things are completely out of place.]

I haven't dated anyone since I went back to Italy. [He shrugs.] Too much trouble for them, but- I did get this sorted out. [He holds up his hands in a flaunting gesture, and look at that - they're not shaking. Mainly because he's currently willing them not to.]

Turns out you did some good after all, huh?

[comparative_insanity]

[Fai grins a bit sheepishly at first, because what can he say? Honestly, as problematic as the relationship with Lovi had been, the memory isn't painful. They'd been kids, really, and the emotional abuse largely unintentional. That didn't make it okay, but compared to what it felt like to be very intentionally hurt? It was fairly mild.

It's as if he's drawn to worse and worse, honestly. Maybe he simply needs to stop completely until he gets over Feliks - if he ever does.

But then his eyes slowly widen, his hands still, and he looks honestly and completely dumbstruck for a moment. For all that he's acting confident, it's obvious that one thing hasn't changed: Fai still has next to no confidence in his own ability to do good things for people.]

I'm really glad. [And then his smile returns with a soft laugh.] Though I'm not sure I deserve any credit. It seems you've done quite a lot to help yourself get better. It's kind of impressive.

[il_tipo_sorto]

[Even if his recovery isn't entirely truthful, Lovi has always had enough faith in Fai for the both of them. If there's anyone he could genuinely say to do good in the world it would be him.]

Hey, it wouldn't have happened without you. You got me started, I just finished it. [He leans back in his chair, lets his hands go back to their normal, though much more subtle, shakiness now that they're out of focus.] Hell, if you hadn't gotten it in my head I needed help I prob'bly woulda just killed myself to make shit easier.

[...Well that's a really odd thing to say so casually. Honestly it's not the worst idea Lovi's ever had as far as he's concerned.]

'Course, not everything's better... I just figured out how to be a man about it.