2023-01-13: Clasp
- Cast: Eisen Daiwel, Yuta Hibiki
- Where: Tsutsujidai - Arcade
- Date: U.C. 0097 01 13
- Summary: In which a 'Kaiju' seeks to reconnect with a Giant of Light.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
"I wheeled myself all the way to the arcade when I was with Kaworu and Rei. I can handle this." Gridman says, arms propelling himself forward all the while.
Max, walking beside the redhead, nods. "If you say so, Gridman. Just know I am here to aid you should you become tired, or feel the slightest bit of pain."
Before Max can worry too much, the pair makes their way through Tsutsujidai High and into the newly-created Arcade. Gridman parks his wheelchair just inside the entrance and stands, wobbling slightly. Using Max's hand, he waits until he has his balance.
"Thanks, Max." Gridman manages a there-and-gone smile for his comrade. "Do you want to play any of these games? You came all this way, after all."
"Hmm." Max rumbles, looking along the offerings. "...I would not mind trying the," He squints at the game's title. "Dozoo Degwa DX Kanpeito Kampello." Every word is said with a serious tone.
Gridman looks at the puzzle game, nodding. Next to it is 'Lychee Cross Gekigangar', which makes the 'young man' pause. "...I think I'll try this one. I'll be right next to you, so don't worry and have fun, okay?"
With a nod, Max turns to his puzzle game. Gridman can't help but feel a little thrill of excitement at seeing the magical girl he crossplayed as. What are the odds? It almost feels like destiny. Now, to figure out how to play...
<Pose Tracker> Eisen Daiwel has posed.
Eisen has been looking for Gridman.
This would normally not be difficult to do. How far can someone in a wheelchair really go? And in a city that is clinging to life, someone should have seen him. Anyone would have been able to point him to that boy. But... he didn't ask anyone.
Connecting with humanity is hard, and asking for help can be problematic at times when you want to avoid that one question which he is not fully ready to answer yet.
'Why'.
It is perhaps more luck, than intent, when Eisen shows up at the Arcade. He's been coming here for a few days now when he wanted to get his mind off of things. Of course, it wouldn't really seem like it. Even with him having tried a few things on the Getter themed game, he's not been able to make his scores on the high score board last at all!
Stepping in from the usual rain, dripping wet, the youth pulls a black hood back from his longcoat. It seems he's forgone the tricone hat for the day, sticking with just the glowing inner-lining and detail work aesthetic. There's this urgent 'splatter' of drips that come down from the coat, and the kicking of his boots as he tries to get some of the water off of the leather.
Looking up at the arcade, this late in the day, he is a bit unprepared to spot his quarry. Not to mention, he's with Max. His mind quickly races towards what to say, before he lands back on the words he'd repeated over and over in his head a few times. Still, he doesn't immediately speak them.
Instead, he slowly takes his time to get into his own cadence. Heavy boots striking the ground, a more confident step. Eisen bringing himself back into that place he wants to be in as he fishes something out from his pocket. Then, as he gets closer, he suddenly calls out; "Catch!" As he throws a small package towards Yu~Gridman. It's a small black box, with a green ribbon around it. It's not as neon and shiny as Eisen probably would have prefered, but in this town, he had to make due.
Then, just as he practiced in his head a few times...
"You know, your handwriting is awful, put more effort into it when you are writing to someone who means something to you." He declares firmly, as he comes to a halt rather closely to Gridman, and puts his hand on the edge of the console's control surface. It's not so much a hand-slam, but there's a certain level of firmness to the way that gloved hand ends up on the metal. Eisen's gaze turning towards a spot just beneath Yuta's eyes. His own expression tense.
Yuta, Gridman, can probably tell that Eisen is putting a lot of energy into this for some reason.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
"Combo!" Lychee Cross Gekigangar chirps, cheerfully, as Gridman frantically presses buttons. Any combos that wind up happening are out of pure luck -- he has no /idea/ what he's doing. Despite all that, this is actually pretty fun! The characters are colorful and well animated, especially Magical Girl Natural Lychee herself.
Someone enters the Arcade, but Gridman is focused on his game. It's probably a civilian, here to unwind. Gridman pays them no heed, until--
A quiet, disapproving rumble from Max.
Gridman finishes the stage he's on and turns around, unlike the last time Eisen saw him, those yellow eyes glimmer faintly with life. Shock crosses the redhead's face, expressed only in his eyes and a slight opening of his mouth. Meeting Eisen's gaze for a moment, Gridman immediately looks away again.
What does he say? The last time they met, Gridman swore not to bother Eisen again. But Eisen's approaching, that must mean he wants to talk, right?
Eisen tosses a little black box, and Max vanishes in a blur of motion, reappearing directly in front of Gridman. The large man catches the box easily. He examines it carefully, seemingly surprised at the green ribbon, tied with care. Hmm.
"Max?" Gridman calls, voice uncertain, from behind the Hyper Agent.
Max turns, placing the gift box on the arcade cabinet. "I believe you two have much to discuss. I believe I will try the karaoke game. Gridman," Max says, seriously. "If you have any need of me, just call my name."
With that, the masked man turns and enters one of the karaoke booths. He has to bend to enter, but it seems like Max is willing to deal with it.
Gridman, suddenly left to handle this on his own, turns to face Eisen again. Though his face doesn't move, there's emotion in his eyes. Eyebrows slightly tilted in, and his glance darting from Eisen's eyes to the door behind him.
"My... Handwriting..." Gridman repeats, slowly. Eisen approaches, and Gridman backs up, his back bumping into the cabinet. Natural Lychee's voice chirps something as the game lingers on the character select screen, but Gridman doesn't pay any attention.
"You got the flower." He says, quietly, realizing what Eisen means. Gridman jumps slightly as Eisen brings his hand down hard. It's almost agressive, but... Thinking back to that day in the restaurant. Eisen hates this sort of thing. He's really giving this his all.
A deep breath. "Are you... sure you want to talk to me?" Gridman asks, that metallic edge clear in his voice. "The last time we met, you said--"
Yellow eyes turn their gaze to the floor.
<Pose Tracker> Eisen Daiwel has posed.
Eisen glances up to Max when he hears that disapproving rumble. Eisen practically wants to comment on it, but he decides to keep his focus on Gridman in that moment. But when Max decides to intercede on the package, he does comment; "It's not for you, Max. I didn't really know what to get you for Christmas." The youth admits to the large metal-mawed man.
It's returned to Gridman.
He lets things play out. Knowing that Max will relent on this. He's just overprotective of Gridman. Even though a part of him wants to anguish about the 'injustice' of Max viewing him with suspicion, he knows why he deserves it. It just doesn't make it any easier to take.
"Your handwriting." Eisen repeats after Gridman as he recalls what handwriting he must mean. Gridman is backing up, back to the cabinet.
> ~Do you fear, their fear?~
Eisen relaxes his position a bit, taking just a few inches back. Giving Gridman some space. Hearing that metalic edge in Gridman's voice, Eisen grimaces a bit. His hand on that console closing just a bit, then opening.
"I'm angry." He starts. He was angry last time. Is he here just to yell at Gridman some more?
"I'm angry at myself." Eisen then corrects himself, before lifting his hand from that console and touches a thumb to his chest, pointing at himself. "I, Eisen Daiwel, shouldn't fear pain." The youth declares, forming a toothy and almost monstrous grin on his face.
Then, that grin fades, just a little, and he puts that fist very softly against Gridman's chest. A soft 'bump', right over his heart. "And I shouldn't hurt Yuta's heart... I shouldn't hurt you, Gridman." His eyes shift just that little bit up. Just in order to make eye contact. Kind of drifting between. Unable to decide exactly what eye he should focus on. How he should make proper eyecontact here.
He still doesn't get Yuta... Gridman... how that works. How Yuta both is there, and isn't there. But he understands this at least. After some thinking. After talking with Rei. After seeing the other people hurt by Gridman's announcement, and seeing that pained look on his face each time.
But more importantly, seeing that letter. Just how hard Gridman must have tried. It was something so simple to say, but...
He then opens that fist, into almost a claw over Gridman's chest. Gloved fingertips against his shirt. "Sometimes, these talons can't help but reach out, and hurt those around me." Eisen explains, as he reaches his limit and looks away. Gaze traveling towards the cabinet. Almost like he is ashamed. "This demon within me, this Kaiju, isn't good at reaching out at humans, at understanding them."
> ~Kaiju also seek people~
"But this one still wants to try." He then states, firmly, before making eyecontact anew. His gaze is fierce. Almost like a wild beast, wanting to attack. Or rather...
A Kaiju, ready for a fight.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
Max raises a hand at Eisen's words as he leaves. He knows. He would never expect a gift from Gridman's friends, that would be selfish. Though... within his jacket pocket, a small puzzle-piece ornament proves otherwise.
Eisen relaxes a bit, and Gridman mirrors him. A small part of him wonders if Eisen was going to hit him, but it's okay. Eisen grimaces, but opens his hand. Gridman watches him with a gently wary look in his eyes. The dim glimmer of expression there is so different from the young man Eisen knew.
He's angry. Gridman's shoulders slump, and he doesn't raise his eyes. Here it comes. Eisen must've found him just to speak his mind. Maybe Gridman shouldn't have sent that flower and note--
He's angry... at himself?
Yellow eyes, look up immediately, shocked. Eisen goes on, and Gridman listens. Slowly, his shoulders raise back up. Hope glimmers, ever so faintly. Eisen even /smiles/... Though it's a strange smile. Gridman, again, mirrors this, greeting Eisen's fierce grin with a clumsy, sweet expression of his own.
Gridman has a heartbeat. It's strong and sure. Something that's taken a bit of getting used to, really, but something he bears with pride. "It's okay." Gridman says, quietly. He meets Eisen's gaze, for the moments Eisen's ready for it. "You came back, so it's okay."
Eisen's fist turns into a claw, and Gridman looks down, quietly watching it. "As long as you come back, I'll always forgive you. Even if you hurt me. I think a lot of people feel that way."
At the word 'kaiju', Gridman looks up, a little startled. Could Eisen be like Kaworu?
"I'm halfway new to this." He starts, yellow eyes looking just beneath Eisen's, giving his friend space. "I have two sets of memories, stacked next to each other like books on a shelf. It's difficult to read from both at once, even though I know what's inside them. It's getting... easier. But."
"I want to try, too." Gridman brings his hand down to Eisen's. Slipping his fingers into the spaces between Eisen's claw, until they're grasping hands. It's like a handshake, if still a bit close to Gridman's chest. "Kaiju can become human. Did you know?"
A little smile. It's held, for longer than Gridman's been able to hold it before. A few seconds, as he waits for Eisen's response.
<Pose Tracker> Eisen Daiwel has posed.
Touch.
Eisen hears Gridman's words, and shakes his head. He lowers it then, letting his hair hide his gaze for a moment. It's gotten so long now. He hasn't visited a barber in a while now, so it's starting to get in the way of his face. It's gotten especially long in the back. Little bits of black showing past the green, revealing that the green is a dye-job, not a natural feature of his hair.
It makes it look that much more wild looking.
Eisen's arm is practically fully extended, creating a distance, but at the same time, touch. There is a connection there. But this isn't a bond that is starting from nothing. The Arcade Machine doesn't stand between them.
"Don't do that." Eisen then whispers to Gridman. "Don't let people hurt you over and over again." He bids for Gridman. "There is a point where you can't forgive them. Where it's okay not to forgive them. Even if you can't give up on them." He remarks, huffing at the yellow eyed youth.
Then... touch.
There's a startle. Eisen isn't great with touch normally. But he initiated it, so this is easier to handle. So when Gridman brings his hand into the spaces between his 'claw', he squeezes back. The strangest handshake in the world.
"No thanks." Eisen then whispers, going quiet for a bit. He's tried being human. He's not good at it. He can pretend. Put on the mask of a human. But... this is easier. This is the Lens that Rei has provided him. And more importantly, it allows him to hold onto the things he needs to hold onto.
It makes holding onto someone easier.
A squeeze of his hands. Claws digging in, but not hurting.
Before Eisen takes a half step forward. A small adjustment to his elbow, and he looks back up, tilting his head a bit to the side so his hair gets in the way only of that glowing 'eye' of his, and not the one to the left of it.
The distance has been shortened. Just a little.
"I'd really rather not." He then answers, with a toothy grin, before letting out a sigh with a look that seems to say 'That was easier than I thought it was going to be'. As if taking that first step, passing that hurdle, somehow released some of the fetters.
But then... what now. The moment, this touch, it's starting to feel strange. So, Eisen starts to retrieve his hand. Shifting it a bit to signal that he wants to be let go of, and brings it up to his own chest. His gaze turns away again, looking into the depths of the Arcade instead now - off to the side. At least, his head positions that direction.
But his eye, it finds Gridman again, as he brings his right hand up and touches the left behind the palm.
"I wanted to fix what was broken between us. Even if things are a bit more... complicated than that. Unlike Akane... I think I'm okay being a Monster." Looking to bring it back to a topic that I know is closer to Gridman's heart than he is.
<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.
Gridman's eyes turn soft. "I won't be helpless. But there's some people I refuse to give up on. And no matter how much they try and push me away, I'll never stop believing in them. If what they need is my forgiveness, I'll offer it every time."
He's talking about Eisen. He's talking about Akane.
He hopes that he's talking about himself.
But Eisen holds the handshake, and Gridman's smile lingers just a moment longer. The warmth of the other 'young man's' hand feels comforting, and instantly, Gridman knows they're going to be okay. Gridman's skin is soft. Perhaps a consequence from not existing for very long?
"That's okay too." Gridman answers, Eisen. "Neither of my halves is human, and I'm okay with that. If you want to be a kaiju, I'll value you just as much as if you wanted to be anything else."
Even if Eisen's claws dig in, Gridman doesn't flinch. Their bond is reforged, now. Eisen could tear into his arm like a wild beast, and Gridman wouldn't let go. It's so easy for him to forgive, and to have faith in others. This is Eisen's battlefield, and he's fighting bravely. That's all Gridman could ask.
"Ha. Ha-ha!" Gridman laughs, a little stilted, as Eisen grins. It's a new sound, one all his own. Eisen wishes to pull his hand back, and before he lets go, Gridman adjusts his hand's position, mimicking the 'brothers in arms' type of gesture Eisen gave him, what feels so long ago now.
Then, Eisen's hand is released. Gridman watches him. Though he can't quite seem to manage another smile, his eyes sparkle with a new light, as though he's come alive just a bit more.
Gridman nods, as Eisen speaks. Personally, he doesn't consider Eisen a Monster. But Eisen's definition of 'Monster' is something different than his own. To Eisen, this is something empowering. And that's okay.
"I'm okay with that too. And everything is forgiven..." Gridman raises a single finger, "Play a few rounds of this game with me."
Gesturing to the game cabinet behind them, Eisen is sure to be... well, maybe he'll have respect for something so committed to its aesthetic? Ribbons and hearts decorate the cabinet, displaying cute magical girls posing and winking at the viewer. Bubbly, cheerful music echoes out over the two friends.
If Eisen turns back to Gridman, he may see just a hint of a mischevious smile. And once they've played a few rounds... Gridman picks up that black box, opening it with great care. The green ribbon is placed carefully in a pocket.
As for the gift itself? Gridman bounces in place when he sees it, looking up to Eisen as if to ask if this is real, then back to the gift. A singular hairclip, similar to those he's envied on the Evangelion pilots. Blue, as blue as Yuta's eyes. Gridman immediately reaches up and fastens it into his hair, just above one of his red spikes.
"I love it. Thank you, Eisen." In return, Eisen is given a smile. One that comes naturally, it seems.
<Pose Tracker> Eisen Daiwel has posed.
"Don't be the Foolish Traveler." Eisen mumbles, though he doesn't explain further on the matter as Gridman says he'll offer his foregiveness over and over again. The man may not be very familiar with Yuta, but he knows exactly who this boy is talking about.
'Thanks for understanding.'
Eisen only thinks this, it's not words he's capable of expression. It's not that he can't say the words. But there's just this dense 'blockage' that stops him from speaking the words. Like a frustrating gag on his lips.
Gridman's hands may be soft, but thanks to the gloves he is wearing, the Evangelion Pilot can't really feel it. "We're all working hard to fix this place." Eisen then whispers to Yuta. "I don't think you've been brought up to date on some of the plans yet. But... Triple-G is looking to 'fix' the environment of Tsutsujidai, in the hopes it'll help Akane, or aleviate some of the pressure on her." He brings up, since Gridman will no doubt want to hear this about the person he is so concerned about helping.
"Though I don't know that we can really repair the kind of madness of a God that forced his will upon the girl. I don't think we have that kind of power." With his hands free, he puts one hand at his hip and lets out a sigh, his head still sideways. Looking away when Gridman stares at him with those big sparkling eyes.
"You're hard to be around when you're being like that." Eisen teases Gridman, running his right hand through his own unkempt hair, and then puts that hand onto Gridman's head, into his hair, as if not wanting to see those eyes. But it's clear that Eisen is calculating the angle of how much of his palm ends up over Gridman's face. Perfectly cutting the ability for Gridman to see Eisen's eyes -- and thus Eisen to see Gridman's -- but Gridman can still see the smile on Eisen's face.
"But I don't mind it." He then adds, as he drops his hand off of Gridman's hair - after tussling it a bit. Almost like a teenager playing around with his younger brother.
Gridman does misunderstand Eisen a bit when he talks about calling himself a monster, but he has good reason to misunderstand his meaning. Eisen doesn't elaborate either.
"Hmm? Ah, sure." He looks at the ribbons and hearts on the cabinet. "Sparkling Witch Athrusa really evolved the genre that Lychee set. But making this a crossover with Gekigangar is a bit of an odd one." The youth remarks, before grabbing the controls and grinning like a fool.
"Prepare to get crushed, Giant of Light!"
Minutes later, Yuta has crushed Eisen multiple times in a row now, at which point Eisen touches a hand through the hair over his glowing 'eye', and draws some of the hair back. "Hah! I was just taking it easy on you. Now you've awakened the beast in me. Prepare to be defeate~ ah." Pausing, as Gridman has decided to grab the little box.
That right hand moves from a confident Chuuni pose, to an anxious sound for a moment as he runs that same hand to the back of his head, scratching a bit into the back of that mess, before he just decides to put it at his hip.
Watching him, as he opens that single hairclip.
He smiles a bit, seeing that happiness in Gridman's eyes. That light coming into him. The way he bounces. Seeing Yuta peering through it all.
'It looks good on you'. He wants to say. But he fails to.
"It is one of my old ones, that broke after we came here, in a battle against some kind of electronics thief." He explains to Yuta. "I had to repaint it with some of my modeling paints." Which is now empty. Blue isn't easy to come by! Especially not such a spark and particular kind of blue! This is not something Eisen will mention.
"It's not going to let you pilot an Evangelion. But it will maybe help keep some of your hair out of your face... or something." The youth is looking every which way but Yuta's.