(open) my heart is about to jump out of my chest

[flatteries]

Who: Inigo and you!
Where: The upper level of the music carriage
When: Imagination 19/20
What: Inigo thinks he's having a private dance practice moment. Thinks.
Warnings: Probably nothing, will edit if necessary.

---

(open to all)

If you happen to pass through the music carriage today - as people usually do when moving through the train - you may notice something. Either you can hear music coming from the upper floor, drawing your attention, or if you have a good heart, you may instead see an odd little creature sitting on the stairs, swaying from side to side along with the music.

If you decide to go upstairs, the creature certainly won't do anything to stop you, if you can see it. In fact, it seems to happily bounce right after you, following you up.

And upstairs the carriage is mostly empty - except for Inigo standing on the stage, dancing. The music is even more audible now. Inigo is dancing along to the beat, eyes closed, yet he doesn't seem to even come close to falling off the stage, as if he knows exactly where to place his feet. Which he probably does, considering his movements seem to be very fluid, practiced. It's a pretty captivating dance, honestly, and it's easy to just keep watching it without realising the time is passing until the song stops.

It's then that Inigo stops moving too, finally opening his eyes..

.. and therefore finally noticing that he's not alone. He lets out an absolute shriek, staring you straight in the eyes, before his foot slips and he finally ends up falling on the stage.

Temporary elegance gone. There is only a miserable little pile of Inigo on the stage now.

(closed to taiki)

Okay, okay. Maybe he just needs to get used to dancing in front of people. He danced in front of Tidus before, and that was only.. only mildly mortifying, so maybe that's what he should do. Make sure to dance in front of people he feels a bit more comfortable with.

Hence why Inigo gently dragged (read: made puppy eyes at until he gave in) Taiki along here. He said it was fine if Taiki would just sit there and paint or something, do whatever he feels like doing! It's just that Inigo has to get used to having an audience, okay! And Taiki is just about the most gentle person Inigo can think of for this sort of thing.

But thinking of that is one thing. The actual execution of this plan is another thing.

Which is why they're both here now, but rather than dancing, Inigo just sitting there on the stage, slumped over, groaning. His face is buried in his hands.

"Why is it so hard to get started when someone else is looking.." Is he whining to Taiki? To himself? Who knows.

Comments

what if i wildcard

[blitzcheer]

'When's the last time you did some you-know-what? You know-- the thing. ... I'm taking you to the music room. Let's find some more tunes you like!'

First in this decided effort came getting Inigo to understand what the you-know-what was without speaking its name (sometimes, their in-sync 1 braincell communication failed them spectacularly). Secondly was the (likely) reluctance of Inigo to show his moves to Tidus again. Not that Tidus was a guy to take no for an answer easy, not when he knew Inigo was just being shy - and he had promised to be around for dance sessions with him, to keep him company. Be his dancing bodyguard, or something.

As long as brought himself some entertainment along, right? ... so had been the agreement they made before, but Tidus isn't going to bring that up if Inigo isn't. He'll just ask after they enter the second floor of the music car (after the pleased 'Nice!' at seeing it empty), "So where should I sit? To the side outta the way?"

He moves through the set up chairs without pause, heading to the front of the stage, then looking over to the set more to the left. Walking over there, but still taking in the view of the stage from that position.

Which, the stage was visible from everywhere.

you can just ask me to make prompts for you, you rebel!!!!!!

[flatteries]

...

Death. That's what today is bringing him. Utter, absolute death. It was already bad enough when Tidus was watching him last time - despite the compliments, his natural shyness just still can't handle the idea of anyone watching him dance of all things! - but somehow it feels worse this time. Because by now Inigo has picked up on the fact that his feelings for Tidus may contain a little bit more than he thought before the whole mission had happened.

But it's not like he's going to say no to the other.

.. more than five times, anyway.

Inigo soon realises any and all protests are going to fall on deaf ears, so he drags his feet across the floor as he slowly walks towards the stage, feeling very much like he's headed to his execution site.

"I don't think it matters where you sit." Even that sounds defeated. Inigo has realised this is just his fate now. "I can see you anywhere."

He sighs, hoising himself up onto the stage, sitting on it, his legs hanging off to the front.

"You do know I get really embarrassed if someone watches me that directly, right?"

As if that somehow still wasn't clear yet at this point. Despite it being so obvious. Despite Inigo literally having said it.

"You really don't have anything else to do?" At least don't keep your eyes on him the whole time, bro! Please!

ok i'll take another thread, thanks

[blitzcheer]

"Who, me?" he asks with all the innocence in the void. Looks at the seats in the quickest of contemplations.

"What if I turned them round and looked the other way?"

And that too hasn't lost its feigned innocence. Maybe he's trying to be playful, even though he knows Inigo will whine; but won't Inigo whine anyway? It's that tough kind of love he needs to make Inigo endure so he can get better at having an audience. Even just so that one day, he can dance and not care about who is or isn't there. He'll keep on happily dancing, lost in his own amusement.

... but for the good intentions in Tidus's heart, he's turning around the chair and nodding his head at it, like look look, Inigo! See?, sitting down in it and giving two thumbs up over his shoulder.

This is good, right?!

open;

[deferences]

The music catches his attention first and as Sizhui moves closer toward it, it's the little creature that lures him further up the stairs. Funnily enough, it almost looks like one of the small friends Tidus had helping him fill waterbottles during the last mission (that went extremely sideways, but he's doing everything he can to not linger on it), which only piques his curiosity more.

When the adorable thing starts following, he hesitates, momentarily kneels and scoops it up into his hands, continuing up the steps afterward.

Seeing that it's Inigo who's dancing along to the music onstage is somewhat surprising, though it doesn't lessen his interest any. Sizhui's silently shuffling closer, wide eyes fixed on the other male moving with such fluid grace, it's a wonder he isn't gawking. Yet, anyway, there's still time for it to happen. Whatever the song is, it's not anything he recognizes either, but he can't help swaying side-to-side along with the beat, keeping his arms as steady as possible, considering he's still holding Inigo's tiny friend while watching.

It's simply a few minutes and then it's over, leaving the car rather quiet— at least until Inigo realizes he's being watched. This time, he does gape, mouth dropping open in his own astonishment before he tries to explain, “I'm sorry, Inigo, I—” but an abrupt shriek cuts him off. He winces, sheepishly ducks his head after Inigo drops then chances glancing back at him, one eye cracked open.

“Inigo!” After the higgledy's been set down, he's rushing to the stage, clambering up and crawling over toward his friend, a hand reaching to clutch his shoulder. “Are... are you okay?”

[flatteries]

The higgledy seems more than fine with being picked up by Sizhui. There's no protest, no attempt to get away - if anything, the moment the guy kneels down like that, the sun-shaped creature is putting her tiny limbs up in the air, like she's reaching out and asking to be picked up like some very small toddler. And once she's in those arms? She's just right snuggling away, making herself comfortable in the crook of his elbow. Perfect. She's content.

Until it ends, all of a sudden. Sizhui putting her down, running off.

To a fallen down Inigo. Who, in turn, just stares at Sizhui with his jaw hanging open wide. Like he doesn't even know what to say, completely frozen in shock. There's a tiny movement of his head, like he's trying to nod - sure, he's physically okay, but emotionally? I don't know, call him back in a few hours, maybe.

It's not until a few moments later, when the higgledy has finally caught up to Sizhui and climbed up on the stage herself, sitting next to Sizhui and in Inigo's field of view that he manages to finally speak up, his gaze shifting from the other human towards the creature.

"J-- Jumblie, you traitor!"

Why did she let someone pass, huh?! Just because Sizhui is sweet and gives nice hugs?! You think he doesn't know that, pal, that's no excuse!

[deferences]

It's true, you know? She deserves some soft hugs just as much as Inigo, though not at the cost of his safety, good golly! (While she was being held, however, you can bet he was giving her all the attention – and cuddling and soft admiration – he could muster as they ascended the stairs and whenever he makes sure his friend is alright, he'll be giving her more.

...sorry, Inigo.)

He meets the other male's gaze with worriedly widened eyes, head tilted, the hand on his shoulder squeezing reassuringly. To be frank, Sizhui's uncertain what he should say in this position too, words caught in his throat, no matter how hard he tries spitting them out. The slight nod he gets in return at least makes him relax somewhat, a quiet, relieved sigh passing his lips while he loosens his hold, but doesn't pull away. It still feels awful that he'd frightened Inigo so bad, though he can't help being a little excited that he's experienced something as lovely as his dancing.

The higgledy makes her way up beside them and Sizhui looks her way, eyebrows arched toward his hairline. Traitor? No, certainly not, she seems so sweet! He reaches his unoccupied hand out, gently rests it atop the creature's head, lips pursed again. Thoughtfully this time, like he's considering why she would be called such a thing, when it dawns on him a moment later: was she supposed to keep him from coming up here and completely ignored that because he'd one, distracted her and two, interrupted Inigo anyway without thinking about if he'd want to be disturbed? Realization dawns, makes his expression soften with sheepishness then he withdraws the hand from Inigo's shoulder, gestures toward himself.

“It isn't her fault, I diverted her attention by—” Well, he's embarrassed to admit it, but. “—distracting her from her duties. That is my fault, I shouldn't have invaded your privacy.”

Open - slams into this like a METEOR, then edits.

[unfavorableinstigation]

/Well, hello Jumblie! What's up?/

It's not the first time she's encountered the cute higgledy, but it is the first time she's seen her without Inigo nearb-

Oh.

/Your partner's upstairs, I take it?/

The new puzzle is enough to distract her from her newly-missing other roommate and bondmate, at least for the moment.

/Or is something else afoot?/

[flatteries]

Although Jumblie doesn't verbally answer, she happily giggles, which is probably enough of an answer by itself, isn't it? If something was up with Inigo, there is no way she would be so casually sitting here or happily giggling. So yes, he is indeed upstairs.

The higgledy stares at Nita for a moment though after that, as if she can sense something about the other. Then Jumblie holds out her tiny stump arms with a 'hiig!', like she's asking Nita to pick her up.

[unfavorableinstigation]

After that pause, and that gesture, there's no real hesitation before Nita kneels down to pick the higgledy up.

"Guess we're going up together. Up you go!"

Switching back to English for now, she'll move Jumblie as easily as she's allowed.

[subcircuits]

If Devero sees the little creature sitting on the stairs, he ignores it, in that wary way that a person ignores something they doesn't want to attract the attention of. What he does not ignore is the sound of music drifting down from the floor above. And given that the single-most enjoyable experience he's had on the train so far started with a stranger crashing his solo dance session on that stage, well-- he really can't help but investigate.

So he mounts the stairs, still ignoring the... whatever that is. His plan had been to sneak into a seat to watch, but he's so arrested by what he sees when he emerges that he stalls out right there, just at the top of the stairs. With so much experience of his own, he sees not only the beauty of the dance, but the technique on display here-- the practiced grace, the intimate knowledge of the steps. He thinks he remembers this guy speaking up at the meeting, and he can see why.

--Which is why he's absolutely dismayed to have triggered that shriek and fall when he's noticed.

"Shit-- I'm so sorry!" he calls, abandoning the head of the stairs and dog-trotting down the aisle. "Are you all right? I didn't mean to scare you!"

[flatteries]

Honestly, when Inigo initially shrieks, it hasn't even registered with him yet just who is watching him. It's bad enough that there's anyone there at all when he's so super shy about anyone seeing him dance, so it's much more of an instinctive reaction at seeing a presence there.

But when he lifts his head from where he's now crumpled up on the stage, slowly sitting up a bit, Inigo's face turns full on red when he slowly starts recognizing the figure dashing towards the stage. Oh no. Oh no. Why did it just have to be the other guy who spoke about dancing at the meeting? Of all people?! There's no way he isn't going to think Inigo's dance is bad when this guy sounded like some sort of expert, he figures, and the last thing he wants is to have to hear that from someone so handsome and cool-looking--

So Inigo frantically tries to speak up, despite still looking somewhere in the middle of embarrassed and mortified.

"N-No, it's.. um, it's.. b-by Naga, I'm so sorry you had to see that..!"

[subcircuits]

"What, a fall?" Devero slows as he reaches the stage, stopping at the end of the aisle. "Happens to the best of us, right? I've had my fair share of wipe-outs too. You're not hurt, are you?"

[consider8]

The sudden appearance of an ink tank had Eight pine for the days where she could move around as an octopus. So she's slowly sliding from place to place incognitio, ducking underneath objects as people pass by. The sudden presence of music is curious in the music so late at night quirked her curiosity, and she slowly flops her way up the stairs.

The presence of the higgledy is enough to catch her attention for a moment. She had seen Tidus's higgledy once, but this one was of an entirely different variety. She greeted it with a wave of her octopus and a warbly "Vee-mah!" before sliding her way on it.

She wasn't prepared for what she saw. She knew that dancing and music was important to humans, but watching Inigo move was... transcendent. The motion and depth of his strides and flowing motion of his arms was an elegance that she didn't know humans were capable of doing. Before she realizes it, she's morphing from her condensed form to her human one, staring in wide-eyed awe at the talent on display.

Then the music stopped.

Realizing that she too was visible causes Eight to scream in return. At the same time as Inigo hits the ground she quickly follows suit, reforming into her octopus form and sliding out of view.

[flatteries]

The higgledy just happily greets Eight in return, like there's nothing weird about an octopus sliding around like that. Sure, the higgledy does follow the octopus up the stairs, but it's not really because it's trying to keep an eye on it as much as it just wants to see what's going to happen!

And something sure happens alright. Inigo screams, Eight screams, it's a total disaster. By the time Inigo raises his head from where he fell down on the stage, his face is red, and he's frantically looking around only to see.. no one..? Well, his higgledy is there, but that sure wasn't what he saw a moment ago. He only caught a glimpse from a distance, but hadn't that been Eight? But if she's not here now.. Did he imagine it?

Why would he hallucinate about Eight of all people watching him, though?

The higgledy decides to lend Inigo a hand though. Jumblie happily giggles, pointing in the direction she saw Eight turn into an octopus and slide off to hide in.

Which makes Inigo slowly get off the stage, wincing from the strain of the fall on his muscles, and head over towards the higgledy.

"What, Jumblie, did you see something?" Even his tone sounds flustered right now. "I.. I didn't just imagine that, right?"

[consider8]

The terror was reflexive and in the moment it took Eight to hide, she came to the conclusion that she saw something she wasn't supposed to. She was about ready to peek out and apologize, but if he wasn't sure what he saw, then maybe it would be better for him to not know she was there.

The movement of the higgledy and confused voice of Inigo made her aware that this wasn't going to be that easy. While she wasn't supposed to, the best strategy would be to shift her skin tone to the darkest black she could make and slide her way from one pair of low-back chairs to the next.

With luck, she'll be able to make it to the door before they notice. That is, if they didn't notice the soft sloshing sound she made as she moved...

[goingthroughaphase]

Spending as much time in the music carriage as she did, it doesn't take long for Kitty to notice the music playing. As she heads up to follow the sound, she pauses at the sight of the little creature. A little confused, she nonetheless gives it a smile and a wave before continuing up, not really minding as it follows her.

As she arrives at the top, she pauses a moment when she sees Inigo onstage. She's about to call out to him, but stops herself as she watches him dance. It's a bit mesmerizing, and she's never quite seen him like this before. Fascinating, she quietly steps closer to the stage to be able to watch him better.

And she watches on silently until the music ends. Just before she can applaud though he opens his eyes, and she jumps a little herself when he yells and slips off the stage. With a gasp, she runs over.

"Inigio! Are you okay?"

[flatteries]

Is he okay? That's a good question, actually, because Inigo isn't so so sure of the answer himself. Physically he's pretty okay, considering he's had much worse than just one dumb embarrassed fall, but emotionally?

That's a whole different story. By the time he's able to pick himself back up a bit and sit up enough to look at Kitty while the other is rushing over, he looks so flustered, his entire face red.

"I.. I'm fine, I just.."

Ugh. Ugh, he's so embarrassed. Kitty saw all of that just now, didn't she? She must be thinking about how lame he is right about now!

Unable to say anything more, Inigo just lets his face sink into both of his hands.

[goingthroughaphase]

She frowns curiously as she watches him, wondering what's wrong. Then, guessing that he's probably embarrassed that she'd seen him dancing, she kneels beside him.

"Sorry," she says softly, giving him a reassuring smile even though he isn't looking at her right now. "I didn't mean to...I mean, I was just passing by when I heard the music, and when I saw you dancing, I couldn't help watching. You were just so...cool."

[longforgottenpromise]

It did not take much for Taiki to agree. He would love to see Inigo dance, both becasue he knows he is so good at it and because the fact Inigo is trusting him to dance in front of him is huge and not lost on him.

He has brought his paint case but is not planning on just ignoring Inigo at all. However he is using it to try and ease Inigo, to make him feel less watched. Better than him just sitting there.

"Tell me what will make it easier, do you wish me to close my eyes at first, or turn away?"

[flatteries]

"Um.."

Inigo does think about it, but the very moment he does, he feels so silly. Isn't it dumb? Taking Taiki all the way along here to watch him, only to tell the other to sit there turned around rather than directly look at him?

By Naga, this would be so much easier if he wasn't so uselessly shy.

"I don't know. I.. maybe I should close my eyes? That way you can still see, but maybe I can.. uh, I can tell myself there's no one there that way.." He rubs the back of his head, clearly awkward.

[longforgottenpromise]

"Can you dance with your eyes closed?"

It is probably possible and that might be better actually, for Inigo to pretend until he felt comfortable enough to open them.

But he thinks it might be difficult, to dance when he couldn't see.

"Whatever you think will help, Inigo."

[sos_pilot]

Della - now with her leg back - recognizes the little cute creature. Roland's pals seem to be everywhere, now-a-days! After giving it an affectionate petting, she goes to see what it's watching.

Inigio's show is not something she's used to - but it's still beautiful and praiseworthy! In fact, she was planning to give him applause, hands up and ready - before he shrieked like a banshee and fell over. She blinked, hands still in the "ready to clap" position as she watched him fumble.

"... Um. You okay?"

[flatteries]

There's no sound at first. Maybe that fall really was that bad? Maybe Inigo somehow got knocked out cold through sheer embarrassment?

But after a moment or two there is a sound. It starts quiet, but then it gets a bit louder. It sounds a little like a whine, or the start of a crying fit, even though - by the time Inigo sits up enough to be able to look at Della - there are no tears on his face.

Though he does look very, very embarrassed.

"H-- How did you.." Inigo starts, but then his gaze drops from Della's over to the higgledy that's now happily skipping around Della. "Jumblie! I thought you were supposed to keep people out!" How could he get betrayed like this by his own little tiny sun creature.

hi

[blitzcheer]

It's later on in the day of your choosing, and there's a small figure who's come to find Inigo.

And who else would it be but Gibbs? With how often - though it's far from common - it is he comes to find and hang out with him and Jumblie. Bambosh too, when the fiery higgledy ends up their way. But this is like another few times when the little spirit finds the pair, wherever they may be:

--not that Inigo will find out right away, when Gibbs's reaction upon squeaking and making himself know is to teleport in a blink from the ground and suddenly appearing on Inigo's chest.

clinging.

'Young heart, young heart! Higgggle!'

[flatteries]

Considering he's used enough to the other higgledy's presence, his initial appearance isn't too startling to Inigo.

But finding it suddenly right on top of his chest is a different story entirely. He lets out a brief, instinctive, 'w-what?' before moving his arms to support the higgledy. Knowing Gibbs probably doesn't need it, but unable to help himself with how used he is to babying and spoiling Jumblie as well by holding her in his arms.

".. Gibbs?"

It sure isn't like him to greet Inigo with a cling. It's weird. And considering these adorable creatures are connected to their hearts, Inigo can't help but frown in worry.

"Is everything okay?" Is this just Gibbs being a wild, wild higgledy, or is something up with Tidus that he'd cling to Inigo out of the blue?

Sensing Inigo's concern, Jumblie wanders closer towards them too, staring up at the two.