ic contact.

[arcanepower]

[What is this strange goblin technology? Why is it not blowing up in his face?

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[ino]

[ Aha. This is where she needs to tiptoe around and let him talk himself into it, because she remembers how horrified he was when she suggested the term "lover" before ...

A little laugh ]

Well, maybe I shouldn't say "most" important. There are different people who can be important to you in different ways. My dad is important to me like family, but people like my best friend or Tadashi are important to me in other ways, too.

But that really just depends on what you think, how you feel when you look at him, you know?

[arcanepower]

Mm, I suppose...

[How he feels when he looks at Hiro?

He looks at his hands, and he can still see them lost in the fabric of Hiro's shirt. He still has a tendency to cling even though he's a little older now than when he first ended up in Exsilium, and then, Drift Fleet.]

My heart makes so much noise I wonder if he can hear it. It's almost like I've been running, even though all he's done is touch me. And I feel dizzy and--

I thought I was getting sick the last time that happened, so I drank a potion to help with nausea.

[ino]

[ Oh. Oh my god. IT'S EVEN BETTER THAN SHE SUSPECTED.

It is so hard to keep her reaction to that internal. But she manages, and after a moment, she gently asks: ]

What do you think that makes him to you, then?

[arcanepower]

[He's quiet for a long moment.]

... An allergen?

[ino]

[ She pinches the bridge of her nose. ]

No. Those types of reactions to certain people aren't abnormal, Bel.

[arcanepower]

Are you sure? He works with machines. It's highly possible there's some kind of dust or residue that I am not used to, and so it triggers an inflammatory response--

[ino]

Bel.


It's not an allergy. I promise. You would be having totally different symptoms if it were something like that.

[arcanepower]

[He shuts up immediately. He's... having trouble being this self-aware. Usually he is good at it, but not when it comes to feelings.]

I don't understand.

[ino]

Honestly? It sounds a lot like the way I feel when I look at Tadashi.

1/3

[arcanepower]

Wh--

2/3

[arcanepower]

[No way. NO WAY. He can't process this, not properly--]

3/3

[arcanepower]

[But of course thinking about being all romantic with Hiro makes him blush damn flourescently.]

N-- no!

[ino]

[ She raises her eyebrows. ]

No?

[arcanepower]

No!

[What does that even mean?

He stares at Ino, obviously somewhat freaked out, and then he just kinda... slumps and shoves his face in his arms.]

Yes...

[Sure is Sesame Street up in here.]

[ino]

[ There we go. ]

I had a feeling. That's why I came to talk to you about it.

[arcanepower]

[He continues to hide his face in his big sleeves. He's glad for them right now.]

What do I do? I never meant for this to happen! We're both so busy with studies, it's not like I know how to cultivate romance. The thought didn't even occur to me. Maybe when I'm a hundred, but now?

[He drags his hands down his face, then goes back to hiding his face in his hands.]

Oh, Light. This is so wrong. He'll probably think I am disgusting.

[ino]

[ She just watches this with mild amusement, chin resting in her palm. ]

It's not wrong to feel that way. And I know he's not going to think that at all.

[arcanepower]

[It's not that he thinks being gay or bi is bad. It's a simpler matter here.]

B-but I'm three times his age!

[ino]

Yeah, but you're an elf?

[ She's pretty sure mentally they're on the same level, anyways. ]

[arcanepower]

Y... yes. But he might find it weird. What if he finds it weird?

[He runs his hands through his hair, making it messier, and then tugs on it.]

What if he finds out I like him and he only wants to be friends? What if he leaves? I'll have to live with my shame for three hundred years! [He groans in that melodramatic way only a panicking teenager can.]

[ino]

[ Three hundred ... She tries not to laugh. ]

Hey, don't worry so much! I think if you decide to talk to him about it -- it will turn out a lot better than you're thinking.

[ She'll conveniently ignore the "leaving" thing, because ... well, it's a possibility that she doesn't want to have to address for them until she has to ]

[arcanepower]

[#elfproblems

He lets go of his hair and looks down at his hands again. Ino is being so gentle and supportive, but he's still scared as hell.]

You and Tadashi are so comfortable with each other. You've probably never been this scared over something stupid before.

[ino]

[ Okay, she does laugh a little at that. ]

Of course I have been, plenty of times. [ She never really doubted he liked her, but there were plenty of other issues to be worried about. ] But the most important thing is that we care about each other. As long as I think about that, I'm not really scared anymore.

[arcanepower]

Really? I can't imagine you being scared of anything. You're always so confident, but I've spent most of my life running away.

[He sighs again.]

Hiro tells me that he cares all the time. But I don't know if... I'm ready to try just yet.

[ino]

Everyone gets scared sometimes. Even the strongest and most confident people.

[ She smiles ]

I'm not saying that you have to do any one thing in particular. I just want you to think about this, okay? I know for a fact that Hiro cares about you very much. And I think he would be happy to hear it if you wanted to tell him how you feel.