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asukashikimoney:

✜ – ❝ it’s the same thing. ❞ everything is when you’re a child prodigy starved of love and affection. unfortunately, that’s just the way the world works. those with less brain cells have more fun because they’re out there getting amused by the smallest of things, while she’s stuck on some train in some city in some universe that isn’t her own. asuka wasn’t happy with the praise back home, and she’s definitely not happy with getting none here. if she has to pull praise out from behind a boy’s teeth, she most certainly will.

asuka’s expression is somewhere between surprised and a self-satisfied smirk. ❝ what, do you want general, or do you want mine ? ❞ she smiles her glittering smile. ❝ because mine is much more interesting. you did fall on me for this information, didn’t you ? ❞ it’s not really a question.

♟ ┋ “Yours, then?” he says, not willing to risk another bump in the conversation, willfully ignoring the pokes at his apparent flirtatious attempts.

Maybe it would help. Though his socially awkward plight may not be girl-exclusive, there’s a subtle disparity between girls and other human beings of the world. The more information he can get on anyone’s inner workings are protection from the inevitable backlash of... just being him. Even if it has to come from someone a little more extra than the type he’s used to.

( But hey. If we’re both narcissists, at least she’s bold enough to own it. )

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@iustixia

STROLLING in the dark is something Lane is all but familiar with, yet he’s never at ease with it. He fears men, he fears spirits, he fears bad luck; and he fears the dark. Not obsessively, nor in particular. Humanity fears the dark. He’s just slowly becoming human.

As he walks, he spots him. Bloody, unkempt-- visually devastating. A confirmation of Lane’s relentless paranoia down the roads of Sector 3. At times like these, he’s had enough street experience to know to keep his head down and keep walking.

Keep walking keep walking keep walking keep walking--

♟ ┋ “Hgh--!” He bumps square into the man he tried to avoid, heart pumping, blood rushing. And blood smeared on his shirt.

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@deviloftherhine

APRIL ended long ago, yet its showers seem relentless. Lane’s not sure if Hive City is in any way affected by climate change, but this weather is ridiculous; and it only seems to take effect when he decides to step out of the den of blankets and pillows he’s made for himself. Rain isn’t his only plague-- Lane swiftly trips over a rise in the pavement and watches his cellphone clatter to the asphalt.

♟ ┋ “Oh god, oh no--” he says increasingly louder, desperately reaching for his only solace in this dreadful hellscape of a city. It’s about to go down a gutter. “Fuck!”

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@inherited-vanity

WITH ambience almost like white noise, there’s something relaxing about this particular cafe. While the city puts Lane on edge, this Bo’s in particular had some sort of otherworldly energy to it that put him at ease, securing its place as his one and only hangout spot in the entirety of Hive City.

Yet, he usually doesn’t see any customer as a familiar face. Today, on the other hand, is different.

♟ ┋ “You again.” He wishes he would’ve said it less blunt, but that’s just how he is; with a voice that always sounds somehow strained no matter how fine he’s feeling. “Uh-- hi.”

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asukashikimoney:

✜ – ❝ only to compare our living arrangements. ❞ she smiles sweetly, like the angel she absolutely is. ❝ context is key. if you hadn’t fallen on me as a way of getting my attention, it would’ve been slightly less weird. whereas if you had just straight up asked me that, it would’ve been definitely more weird. ❞ asuka raises her brows. ❝ is that enough for your slow-thinking brain ? ❞

small talk is mostly all she has these days. jokes on you. or her. jokes on everyone.

❝ you have to start thinking about it from a PRETTY GIRL’s perspective. ❞

♟ ┋ “I don’t think slow, I think normal.” At least he thinks he thinks normal. But he’s worked his way up watching celebrities and kids in the movies, how they walked and talked; he knows this is a normal question by media standard, no matter how much fiction hyperbolizes things. He’s not putting unlit cigarettes into his mouth, nor is he writing all of this down onto a Humiliation Sheet-- no, he’s asking a normal question.

And a little snark from a girl he’s just met shouldn’t be making him so self-conscious about that. Being a narcissist is more about minding scratches than being proud of the finish; he’d hate for anyone to think of him as a pretentious freak rather than a misunderstood wallflower. 

Deep breaths. He barely stifles one, but it’s difficult not to appear bothered when you’re deeply disturbed. 

♟ ┋ “And what would a girl want me to say, then?” he asks, tone a little more pointed, though his curiosity is piqued. 

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asukashikimoney:

✜ – asuka glances at the hand he offers and she gives it a lazy shake. no one under the age of thirty shakes hands with other people anymore; not unless he’s one of those weird ‘old people trapped in a young body’ things this place has got going on. yikes.

❝ now it sounds like you’re trying to STALK me. ❞ there’s a hint of suspicion in her tone. ❝ i’m going to work. is that vague enough for you ? ❞ asuka cants her head. ❝ how about you ? are you on your way to fall on more cute girls ? ❞

FUCK! Come on.

Why is this so difficult? He opted out of high school for a damn good reason, so it shouldn’t be crashing down on him in the form of these torturous microcosms. The physical transformation he paid for was supposed to make him look more cool and less creepy. Maybe this city is actually hell. Maybe he’s on the second season of The Good Place.

♟ ┋ “... Ha ha. I’m going home. You want my address? Specific enough for you?” Since you’re so obsessed with me? No, he doesn’t dare say that bit. “’Where are you off to’ is a normal thing to ask. You sound like you’ve never tried having small talk.” Much like himself-- but she doesn’t need to know it. 

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like for a starter! most likely will not be related to the children’s day festivities. uncapped, but i will be selective. (because lane is, well... extremely selective.)

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asukashikimoney:

✜ – asuka is wary, but she’s pushed him this far. the words are a bunch of letters scrambled together to make a diagnosis – it’s the hedgehog’s dilemma ( it always is ) . she keeps everyone at arm’s length, and this is just another case of it. they won’t be friends; probably nothing more than acquaintances. it’s pointless, but she needs something to do. her hands curl around the edge of the seat.

❝ well, you could start with your name. ❞ asuka says, projecting an air of confidence. ❝ i’m asuka. ❞

♟ ┋ “Lane,” he offers. And then the common courtesy-- a hand, for a handshake. There’s a tightness in his jaw, but his hand is relaxed, slack, open. He’s not the type for handshakes, but maybe she’s the type of girl who would prefer them? ( He can’t tell. He’s never able to tell. )

... Now what?

♟ ┋ “Where are you off to?” he follows up, not at all smooth. It’s quickly and clumsily delivered, as if he’s trying to beat a time limit. He can see it in her eyes; she’s thinking “dreadful”. No surprise. So is he. There needs to be classes on starting small talk and getting it over with.

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♟ ┋ RANK UP: CITIZEN.

received ┋ one (1) cellphone.

received ┋ wi-fi connection.

OH. ... Oh.

Well, that’s not embarrassing at all.

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princesshcrxine:

Kyra blinks. The brand? There was supposed to a brand to this thing? She looked down at the phone in her hands and pressed the middle button to turn it on, to see if there was any sort of general name that could’ve made it. The only thing she could make out was the tiny HIVE in the top left corner, but other than that….nothing. 

“Oh, it’s alright. No need to apologize.” 

“I don’t think they sell these at all… I never saw these things in stock anywhere I went, I just woke up one day and it was there at my side.” She gives a small, nervous laugh before she holds out her phone towards the boy.

“Would you like to take a closer look at it? Maybe it could help you out!” 

LANE gets a better look at it when she turns it on. The OS isn’t anything he’s seen before, and he’s gotten a good look at all of them-- from ancient to newborn, as if it’s something to be proud of. The transitions are a lot smoother than some of Apple’s newest, and that’s saying something.

He almost whistles. It’s a stunning phone. What a lucky girl.

( And what a lucky boy he is. )

♟ ┋ “Sure thing.”

Gracing his fingertips over the phone’s sleek frame, it appears as if he’s almost hesitant to touch it. It must be so very expensive. Imagine having that handed to you on a silver platter, and you didn’t even know what it was? Wow, that finish is gorgeous. Is this a reworked Galaxy? What sort of organization has the money to hand these out for free...?

He takes the phone into his hand. Curiously, he turns it over once, twice.

♟ ┋ “Well, I think it’s a...--”

And he books it.

It’s a beeline out the door, feet skimming the floor like he’s running on water. In a graceful victory lap, amidst yells of “Hey!” and “Stop!”, he’s actually smiling-- smiling, he’s really smiling-- because what a joyous occasion this is! Sure, it’s wrong. But god, does this feel right.

He can feel the frown of disapproval towering over him, but he just doesn’t care.

♟ ┋ “Sorry ‘bout it!” he yells behind him, literally jumping for joy.

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asukashikimoney:

✜ – ❝ you’re completely CLUELESS, aren’t you ? god, i thought it was illegal to be this much of an airhead. ❞ asuka leans back against the seat, arms folded over her chest. ❝ context is key, idiot. leaving me alone only works if you had never bothered me in the first place. you can’t just hit on a girl then ignore her. it’s rude. ❞

she’ll completely ignore the ‘not hitting on you’ part. forever. after all, who WOULDN’T hit on a girl like asuka langley shikinami ?

♟ ┋ “But I’m n...” Lane falters. He’s had his show of confidence for the day. There’s only so much energy he has, and on a long underground ride like this, he doesn’t want to waste it butting heads. She’ll barely hear him exhale through his nose for three seconds-- expelling the negative energy in a way he rarely bothers to do-- and then return to slouching in his seat.

He won’t ignore her. No, that doesn’t work. He’ll take the conversation and then get it the hell over with.

♟ ┋ “I’m sorry. Let’s start over,” he says. There’s a practiced sincerity in his voice-- every time he’s had to say sorry, sir as a child, with less of the slur and a little of the singsong.

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princesshcrxine:

Kyra had not the slightest idea of what a cell phone was supposed to be. She just woke up one day and found one at her side, and although she’s been messing around with it and very slowly learning what it can and can NOT do, she had absolutely no idea what it’s main purpose was.

While walking through the streets, her eyes came across a store with different types of accessories and extensions for a phone. She blinked and approached the window, taking a moment to examine everything from the outside before she walked up to the door and opened it up. 

There were so many cute things she saw upon entering the store. She saw a bunch of little charms hanging off a string, and soon came to discover that she could easily hang it off her phone and make it reflect her personal taste. Kyra reached out and grabbed at a charm with a small bear hanging off the string, and pulled out her phone as she looked back and forth between the phone and accessory.

Too engrossed and focused between trying to figure out where to attach the charm, Kyra didn’t exactly notice someone was staring down at her and her phone with a distasteful look in their eyes until she glanced up and noticed him.

She jumped in place and pulled her phone up to her chest, hiding her screen(although nothing was on it) and blinked. “Hello…may I help you?” 

WHEN she looks up, he tries to avert his eyes as fast as is possible, but to no avail. There’s a visible slack in his shoulders once she takes notice of him. As if he’s deflated. Defeated. He can’t just tell her the truth-- no, it’d make him look like a total idiot, not knowing where to buy a phone. A socially inept loser who’s spent all his life asking Mum to buy his toys. 

As always, a lie sprouts from his head all natural, as if there’s nothing to it. It sinks through his brain. It rolls off his tongue.

♟ ┋ “Sorry, I was just, er, checking the brand.” Not too suspicious. There’s no way he can get out of this one without coming off a smidgen of dorky. “I didn’t know they sold those.” That way, if it’s old or new, it still makes sense. Nice ambiguity. “D’you mind if I ask where you got it?” And he gets the answer to his question.

Perfect execution. 10/10. The boy deserves a standing ovation.

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asukashikimoney:

✜ – asuka takes the time to scrutinise his appearance for a few seconds, summarising her findings with a ❝ hmph. ❞ she doesn’t even try to keep her chaotic blood in check – she may care what people think about her, but it’s not like she’ll ever see this boy again. asuka might as well give him a well deserved telling off, and they’ll all be better off for it; he’ll learn manners, and she’ll get the satisfaction of playing teacher.

she raises her brows in a silent challenge. ❝ what, do you not have ears now, too ? i’m saying it’s rude to ignore a girl when she’s speaking to you, especially when you desperately try to get her attention. playing hard to get is so… ❞ asuka wasn’t alive when it was cool. it was a completely different time. ❝ nineties. ❞ she finishes rather lamely.

IN generosity, Lane offers a sigh. As much as he’d like to keep a straight face and look dead ahead, this is a long train ride. And he doesn’t plan on spending all of it listening to the worst podcast in history. Slowly but surely, he turns to look her right in the eyes-- with which she’s glaring. Like a child. It’s a look he feels the need to provoke. Luckily for her, 90′s culture is unbeknownst to him, so the insult is righteously taken (but not happily).

♟ ┋ “Look,” he says at his own steady pace, not daring to press his words or raise his voice. “You wanted me to leave you alone. That’s what I’m doing. Is that bothering you too? I wasn’t hitting on you, so I’m not interested in getting a scolding for it.”

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inherited-vanity:

“I guess you can say I have high standards of villainy and treachery…And these mechanical misfits made by some loser, don’t make the cut. I mean, red, really? Plus what kind of villain name is Condy? A villains name should never sound like a cute nick name for a condom… So lame…Perhaps I think this way because I’m not from a normal world. I didn’t realize it, at the time of course, not till I came here. If you come from a typical Earth; you’ve heard of where I’m from…Probably didn’t think it was real, but I didn’t think people like you were real either…I’m from a world where Fairytales are real. I’m The Evil Queen’s daughter, of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs fame. Because of that we don’t have the same curse words, as your world. Instead of, fuck,” It sounded so weird for Evie just to say it, it wasn’t something she’d ever regularly say. “We say things like; Hades, Street Rats, Dalmatians, Goblins, Maleficent, etc. I guess that sounds kind of lame to you, right?” Evie could help but laugh a bit.

♟ ┋ “Condy? Is that that thing’s name? I thought it was like... Ferrari or something...” He spares the ghost of a laugh-- if only because that’s the name of the demon from a web comic threatening his very life. And he’s not sure how villainous this stranger is if she thinks these drones are misfits, but she hasn’t murdered him. Yet. “Yeah, that’s cute. Though I... don’t think throwing shade at the city’s current dictator is the best idea.”

♟ ┋ “The Evil Queen’s daughter,” he repeats when she’s done. “It’s crazy that I actually believe you. But hey, that’s fine, you can like, uh... learn to swear properly? I could make a list.” He laughs for real afterwards, just because of how bizarre that whole idea is. “But, after this whole thing is over...”

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asukashikimoney:

✜ – asuka has never been good at keeping her mouth raw with words she cannot fathom; it’s more like she loves to speak her mind. and what’s on her mind right now is a whirlwind of annoyance and bubbling anger –– how dare he ignore her like that ? after just… THROWING himself at her ! dare she suggest that the boys in this place are even worse than the ones at home ?

❝ hey, ❞ she says, folding her arms over her chest with an air of haughtiness and knitting her brows. ❝ it’s RUDE to ignore a girl when she’s speaking to you. what is this ? a crash course for idiots ? ❞

GIRLS. Lane will never understand them, no matter how hard he tries. How difficult is it for her to get an implicit goodbye through her thick skull? First she’s scolding him for apparently hitting on her, and now she’s doing the same when he leaves her alone? Is this how the culture is here? Brazen, aggressive tones: the vessels of a charming remark? 

He figures that either way, she’s going to be irritated, so he might as well hold his breath and hope to see the surface.

♟ ┋ “Sorry,” he says, in his best attempt to keep his voice level. “What?”

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sanguinaryprince:

          “Oh sarcasm, how very original of you. Here I thought this city was devoid of personality. Congratulations on proving me wrong.”

♟ ┋ "Uhh, most people don’t parade their love for sarcasm before they take a crack at it. Just saying.”

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inherited-vanity:

“No. We totally had killer drones last year. I mean different reason why they were here, sure. But at this point, it is pretty passé. Is it so much to ask for hostile takeovers to be interesting?” Evie tucked a cobalt lock behind her ear. “I’ve only heard that word once before….fuck. I didn’t know it could be made into a verb. Is that word common in your world? I’m Evie by the way.”

♟ ┋ “I don’t know about you, but interesting isn’t the word I’d use to describe a small-scale apocalypse. Personally, I’d go for ‘fucked up’-- there’s another verb form for you, uh, Evie. I thought you were from Earth, but I guess I was mistaken...? I’m Lane, actually from Earth. We Earthlings say fuck pretty fucking much.”