voidtreckerexpress

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Who: Inigo, Tidus (aka the two shared braincells duo) and you!
Where: The standard coach
When: Horseshoe 17
What: Inigo and Tidus are handing out free stuff because Tidus is the train's official sugar daddy.
Warnings: Probably nothing, will edit if necessary.

---

Hey guys, forget about that public breakdown the other day. Today Inigo is on the ICP with a big smile, seeming as cheerful as ever. It's fine. It's cool.

"Good day, everyone! Tidus and I brought some things back with us from Irivar to share with everyone. So why not come over to the standard coach and see if there's anything you'd like to take with you, hm? We have quite the selection! Oh, and.. erm, Taiki, Roland, Bryn and Della.. If you could make sure to come see us, we'd appreciate it! Otherwise I might have to send Ti--"

Before Inigo can even finish the sentence, there's an offscreen obviously very Tidus-y voice calling out, "Inigo! Ask for Sakura too!"

Inigo huffs, turning his gaze to the off screen source. "I was getting to that!" (No he wasn't.) Apparently he accidentally pulled his ticket off the ICP as he starts moving away from it too, because the feed just cuts out. Just come get some sweet stuff.

---

Their set-up in the standard car is a simple, if messy, one. They have a few of their offered freebies on the same table they occupy, each guy facing the other, sat by the wall. From the immediate front, fragrant bags sit no bigger than a palm, a variety of scents better to tell when held to the nose. Whetstones sit stacked mostly on top of one another, and then a cluster of hair ribbons and circular hair ties behind them. Behind the bags are a few scent oils--basically, perfumes, if not very big. There's a few to choose from, but...

...not as many as there are the soaps, which take up a half of the table in their choice. It's like a lush shop here of choice, different colours and sizes.

And Inigo and Tidus? Sit there, either playing cards or fiddling through the paper craft book available from the art supplies where the old library used to be.

A chalkboard sits balanced, with the words 'FREE 2 TAKE' written in big letters. In case you missed the public announcement.

1:
Come up, and have a look. Ask about what they've got.

2:
Or while you're here, maybe you can help Tidus, who pipes up to ask-

"Hey, quick question. How long 'til you're comfortable hugging someone?"

(ooc: as a note, all threads on this will be threeways! please enjoy trying to handle both teens at once. you can't seperate them.)

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"I'd be fine hugging you too," Tidus says easily, even with a smile and nod.

...

... ... that's it Inigo, that's all he's got to say. Who can say no to Kitty?

Kitty's answer is sweet. It's very much expected. And Inigo would really be responding to it positively, if it wasn't for the fact that the first thing he hears right after it is what Tidus says.

And that just makes him drop his head straight onto the table. Not even softly. There's a loud 'bonk'. (It's okay, there's nothing up there to injure in the first place.)

But really, what other reaction is he supposed to give when Tidus says that? So easily? This is ridiculous. He feels like he's trapped in some comedy skit.

When he raises his head again, his forehead is very red, though Inigo doesn't seem to show any signs of pain in his facial expression.

"Kitty, Tidus doesn't want to hug me because I'm a guy." THAT HAS TO BE IT THEN, RIGHT? Either that, or Inigo is very personally repulsive to Tidus, but he'd rather not think about that too hard.

She frowns a little, glancing between the two. "Really?" she asks. "Why would that be a problem?"

She'd seen the guys back home hug each other all the time. Except maybe Scott, but he didn't really hug most other people anyway.

Holy accusations, Inigo!? Maybe that knock on the desk rattled Inigo's brain up in there! Or he's always just had selective memory, pal!

"I hug Inigo all the time!" comes his protests. "I've hugged him more than anyone else on this train!" Does he need to get the fingers out? Let him! "That time in the luggage car, on the platform, when we bought the comic.... end of last mission!"

And there's a bunch more in there too!!

Dear Naga, what is this sudden callout. And right in front of Kitty too! It's a fact Inigo is very well aware of as Tidus starts listing all the occasions, and Inigo's face is gradually starting to grow red in more ways than just from his bonk on the table just now. Uggghh Tidus, please don't make her sound like a desperate weirdo in front of a friend!! Even though that's totally what he is!

"Well, t-- that's!" He starts, sputtering a protest. "You get really difficult about it though!"

And during half of those instances it was mostly just because Inigo was crying, but he hasn't forgotten that Kitty is here. He's not going to say that in front of her!

Kitty's frown deepens as she watches the two go at it, suddenly feeling kind of uncomfortable.

"Um...I think you guys have some things you need to work out."

He starts, "How am I difficult?!" with all the exasperation and offence one should rightly expected, but then Kitty speaks up from her side, and ...

Well, he argues with his mouth on whether or not to say something against that; but embarrassment wins out and he shifts in his seat, looking off at the wall.

... ... ..

"He started it." Mumble mumble.

There's definitely embarrassment with both of them now. Over the very same thing. But it's not like they both can just mumble something and look away, which means that the responsibility of somehow digging them out of this ditch of embarrassment they've plunged themselves into now lies squarely on Inigo's shoulders.

Thanks, he hates it.

".. Sorry, Kitty." For what it's worth, he sounds very genuinely apologetic as he says it. He even actually looks at her, the blush still lingering on his cheeks. "It's.. It's a dumb thing, please don't pay it much mind."

He gestures at their pile of items, quickly trying to put the focus on those instead.

"Is there anything you're interested in though? I mean-- You're my--" He glances at Tidus, trying to seek eye contact to try and figure out how close Tidus is with Kitty. But with Tidus looking at the wall, Inigo just tries to think, figuring Tidus and Kitty have to be friends if he's okay with hugging her. "--our friend. So we want you to have nice stuff!"

She glances between the two of them, hesitating a moment. She isn't really sure if it was really any of her business, but the two of them both had a tendency to push aside whatever was troubling them.

"Uh...sure," she said after a while. "Are you guys sure everything's okay, though?"

Look at this guy thinking and acting like he's more mature than Tidus! And making him out to be the immature guy, like he just folded his arms and sulked and...

...

... ... oh.

So maybe Tidus feels a tinsy bit embarrassed as he hears Inigo's apology, the way he deliveries it. His cheeks warming with it, and his look back at the both of them - if moreso Kitty - slow and hesitant. But it comes by the time she speaks up.

"We're fine," he reassures her, waving a hand back and forth. "We're always like this, squabbling about something. But we don't wanna chase you off. Treat yourself! You work hard on missions."

The question of whether or not everything is okay with them individually is a long, long story that mostly involves a lot of 'not really's.

But the question about whether everything is okay between them as a unit is very aptly answered by Tidus. Enough so that Inigo only feels the need to add, half-awkwardly--

"Yes, it's just.. just a thing.. guys.. do."

He couldn't sound more uncertain about that if he tried, and Inigo gives Tidus a look that matches his half-awkward tone. He guesses he squabbles a lot with his guy friends back home too?! Usually about dumber things though. Which is saying a lot, considering how dumb this topic is already.

"So really, you're not intruding or interrupting anything! Handing out these things is the whole reason we're sitting here!"

Kitty can feel her eyes narrow a bit as she stares at the two of them. "Just a thing guys do," she repeats flatly.

Seriously?

What was that, Inigo. What was that! Tidus gives Inigo a look back, like bro, are you trying to make her suspicious!? What is that, bro!? Watching him incredulously before he goes on, actually normal.

But it's too late. of course it's too late!

"Don't look at me!" Tidus puts his hands up. "Maybe he's having a me-lord moment." You know- "Catching up with what the future people say?"

Not to make Inigo sound incredibly old on purpose here.

What?! He was just trying to explain! Inigo glances between Tidus and Kitty, clearly not understanding what the problem is.

Until Tidus says those words. And while he may mean them lightly, if he happens to meet Inigo's gaze once he says them, he may briefly spot genuine hurt in them. It just feels like he's being thrown under the bus here. Right, he's the weird one, huh? Same as ever.

His gaze ends up cast down at the table for a moment as he tries to mentally gather his feelings, shove them behind the usual wall and then managing to shoot Kitty a small, apologetic smile.

"Forgive me, I just say dumb things sometimes when I open my mouth. Please don't think about it too much."

"Guys..." she says softly, a sigh trailing the word as she shakes her head. "I think there's something else going on here. Maybe some miscommunication of some kind? But you shouldn't try to pretend everything's okay if it's not."

Oh, Tidus caught that look alright. And then he's open-mouthed, flabbergasted, letting out nothing but air in the sounds he makes. Thankfully doing better once he has the chance to talk.

"Right, listen to Kitty!" Hello, yes, just let Tidus motion with both hands over to the smart one here. "I wasn't calling you dumb! I thought you were doing a...thing! A mistranslation!"

Because Tidus doesn't know how else to describe it, that earlier bumbling, but he doesn't want to accidentally insult Inigo a second (or third??) time here; trying his best to sound as sincere as he can.

The more he hears Kitty and Tidus talk, the more he just wishes the ground could swallow him whole. Inigo wants to be just about anywhere but here right now. The sounds of the thoughts in his brain swell, making him feel more and more like he's the dumb one here, making things awkward. Like none of this would be happening if only he just wasn't here.

It's dumb. It's so dumb, but it hurts. And he's not sure if smearing out their dumb problem here in front of Kitty of all people isn't just making things worse.

On the other hand, Kitty doesn't sound like she's about to let this go unless he says something.

It feels like this is going to go bad no matter what he does, but Inigo does speak, his gaze seemingly glued to the table in front of him.

"But you were calling me weird all this time, right?" It doesn't sound accusatory - at least, not in an angry way. It's not like even the wrong implication that Inigo was reading into Tidus's words isn't anything his insecurities tell him on the daily. "Isn't that why you're asking Kitty about the hug thing? Because you think I'm too clingy, that I'm strange for it?"

She glances between the two of them in concern as the tone of the conversation seems to shift. But she doesn't say anything, wanting to let the two of them work it out.

"No-!" Maybe it isn't vocalised as accusatory, but it reaches Tidus's ears as such. Another sputter, baffled how Inigo even came to any of that. "I was asking 'cause you make a big deal out of how bad I am with hugs! Like... I dunno-" he struggles, awkward. "I thought I was normal about them. But then I don't know if I am? I told you I hug fans that one time and you got upset with me!"

He dances between who to look at, but doesn't know what he's looking for, confused, his hands still raised in front of him, but Tidus about as sure as what to do with them as he is the rest of himself.

"My life wasn't like that," he goes on, feeling like he should or needs to, or something. "I was always training or...the other guys and girls on the teams weren't like that. 'Cept with who they were dating."

As far as he ever noticed.

"My friends back home weren't like that either," he mumbles. "Or they sure didn't like it when I tried."

Well, most of them, anyway. It's why it's so easy to feel like the strange one for actually liking to hug everyone. Inigo even casts a glance at Kitty, like he's silently wondering or asking if her world is like that too. She did say she didn't mind hugging friends, but then again, that's still a big gap from Inigo's weird touchy-feely levels.

"So it feels bad when hugging fans seems to be so easy for you, but hugging me isn't. It makes me feel like I'm.. repulsive, or something."

"You're not!" There's not as much conviction as the last time he jumped to speak, but it's not from any doubt. But he has to deny that- "I'd never find you repulsive. It's nothing like that."

But then, what is it, right? How to explain it to a guy that doesn't know anything about sports? A life the total opposite of his? Tidus struggles, trying to think.

"When fans wanna hug me, they... it's like hugging a persona, you know? Tidus, the blitzball star! It's nice, but it's not personal, you know? And I'm not really standing around and hanging out with them. It's like a quick thing, sign something, you're done."

There wasn't any comparison. Not to hugging someone closer, 'off the job' so to speak. Compared to them...

"The only other person I've hugged as much as you is Yuna. That's it." A half-hearted scoff. "Maybe my mom when she was alive?"

It's true. Inigo knows nothing of sports, and honestly, he knows very little about celebrity either. Despite being a prince, he was much too young when everything started to fall apart to really know how fame works, how famous people get treated. (And even then, there's still a huge gap between medieval royalty and modern sports stars.)

So Tidus's explanation is completely new to him. Even though he still looks a bit sad while he listens, but it's just his mood dragging on, really. He's trying to understand.

So he slowly nods.

"So you don't mind me hugging you..?" He first looks at Tidus, but then, nervous to hold his gaze while asking such a vulnerable question, he can't help but glance at Kitty too. It feels so awkward to do this in front of her, but.. "Or should I do it less? Or do something different? I want to do what's most comfortable for you. I-- I won't complain about it anymore either. Or try to, anyway."

"I'm okay with you hugging me," he confirms. Speaking calmer now, slowed down compared to when he was trying to get through his point; sensing they were getting somewhere with this after all. Maybe even finally on the page.

But he wants to be firm, or reassuring as he reiterates, "I said before you can, and I'm fine with it. You're my pal, and it doesn't bug me. I even try to do it more for you." He looks at Inigo in the eye, if Inigo will look back. "Just as long as you know - it's nothing personal. It was never like that. We're all different about how we act with people. And I know you didn't mean to make me feel like the odd one out either."

Because even if Inigo's preference for such physical affection was new for him personally, and sure, odd for that reason, he's never felt anything like disgust for the other guy. He's Inigo - Inigo who works hard, who wouldn't do anything to offend another living soul intentionally. He respects him wholeheartedly.

"I.. I know now."

Because Tidus's explanation is really clear. Maybe that's just what they needed, rather than stupidly going around in circles, rehashing the same pouty arguments. But Inigo gets it. That Tidus doesn't mind it. That he just has to do some getting used to it too. That he's trying his best as well.

The part that he's trying to do it more for Inigo even gets him to blush slightly. He desperately tries to shove down the worry about whether he deserves that.

"Sorry for having been so dumb about it," he offers Tidus. He won't throw another pouty fit about it now, okay. He doesn't want to do that to them. "I really appreciate you being so nice about it. And. Um. I appreciate you." In general.

And of course that's not the only person he should apologize to. He looks over at Kitty, suddenly feeling real awkward about having done all this ~~right in front of her salad~~.

".. And sorry to you too, Kitty. For all the dumbness. We're okay now though." And this time for real.

Kitty smiled and shook her head. "It's okay," she reassured them. "I'm glad you two were able to work things out. Sorry for uh...getting involved, though."

She did feel a bit awkward having been witnessed to something that probably should have been resolved in private between them. And it was really her involvement that led to all of it in the first place.

choo choo

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