6/9: Ion

[randori]

[ Some time after the trial, before any of them can get too far, Natsuo seeks one of the Ions out. Has he met this one before? Both of them? The same one three times...? He hates the fact that there are two— the fact that he has to think of them as two, instead of them being their own person.

After everything he said in the trial, he isn't even sure how to approach this again. So he does it with a stiff march up to Ion, hand straight out in a handshake. ]

Hi. My name's Natsuo.

[ Can't remember if they've met before? No problem. He will just scrap everything he's learned about either of them, and start everything all over again. ]

Comments

[fragileprophet]

[Ion, to his credit, although he looks a little surprised, doesn't react with anything other than a soft smile as he takes Natsuo's hand and shakes it.]

It's nice to meet you, Natsuo.

[He pauses.]

I'm really sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to frighten you.

[randori]

[ He's a little surprised that Ion— whichever one... this is...— can even smile at him after completely lost it during the trial and Monika had to lead him away and teach him how to breathe for the next half hour so everybody can get back on track. ]

No! It's okay! I panicked and it's like my mind stopped!

[ Completely blanked out as he just. screamed his confusion. ]

[fragileprophet]

[He shakes his head.]

It was an understandable reaction...why would anyone expect there to be two of us?

[Okay, it was an over the top reaction, but he doesn't want Natsuo to feel bad!]

You're feeling better now, aren't you? Please don't be afraid to ask if there's any way I can help clarify the situation for you. I know it's unconventional...even twins don't share a name.

[randori]

[ In all honesty, it just feels as if he exchanged one confusion for another as the day went on, and at the end of it, he still understands very little of anything that had happened. But this, at least, is something he can tackle— he's got somebody he can directly ask, who isn't as likely to wave him off or give him cryptic non-answers like The Dragon and The Tiger do. ]

Yes! Question! I want to tell the two of you apart— how do I do it?

[fragileprophet]

Well, um...I'm a little bit taller, and we have somewhat different ways of behaving...

[But he knows that's not good enough. Not for Natsuo and not for anyone else who can still mistake them at a glance. Ion's not so much taller than his counterpart that it's really easy to notice unless they're standing side-by-side, anyway.]

I'm sorry. It's more obvious to the two of us, I think, so it's harder for us to assess on our own, but I was going to ask him what he's comfortable with doing to make it easier on everyone else. I suppose I could cut my hair...?

[He doesn't sound entirely thrilled at the idea, but it's just hair. It's not like he's attached.]

I've never really had the opportunity to make this kind of decision, so I'm a bit at a loss. Do you have any ideas?

[randori]

[ It's hard to say what would help besides the extremes of shaving one of them bald or color coding their clothing. It shouldn't have to come to that, and neither of them should have to force themselves into doing something uncomfortable for them, just for the sake of being told apart. ]

I dunno... I've never met two people who looked so much alike, and had the same name. It'll probably be simpler if I just get to know you, and also him, and learn those different ways myself?

[ The harder path of things, but it will be much simpler in the long run, if by any chance both of them decided to shave their heads or wear the same shirt and Natsuo would be back at square one. ]

Let me learn about you. Like- what's your favorite food? Do you know how to cook?

[fragileprophet]

[Ion hopes that this will work. He's afraid that Natsuo is asking for the impossible...but he keeps that to himself. The negativity won't do either of them any good.]

I'd like to get to know you, too.

[He starts to smile, and it quickly turns bashful.]

I don't know how to cook. Admittedly, I lived a relatively sheltered life in the Cathedral, so I've hardly even so much as been in a kitchen. My diet could be strict, at times, for my health...but I have a soft spot for parfaits with fruit.

[randori]

[ Natsuo isn't quite sure what goes on in a cathedral, but Ion's somebody frail and sickly and apparently isn't allowed to eat certain foods just like Eichi isn't- and the unfairness of it makes Natsuo frown a little. ]

I like parfaits too! With lots and lots and lots of strawberries! If you like that sorta stuff, you should eat as much as you can here while there's all sorts of food around! I bet Sanji'll make one for us! We can all eat together!

[fragileprophet]

[Unable to help himself, Ion starts laughing. It's just...such a simple thing, to talk about food.]

If I eat too much, I'll get sick...but I'd like to do that, eat together with you, whether or not I get sick.

[randori]

[ The laughter surprises him, but after that initial shock, it's contagious and Natsuo smiles wide too. ]

If you get sick, I'll eat the rest! I'll eat whatever you don't finish, so you don't have to force yourself to eat until you get sick! I just want to be able to eat together!

[fragileprophet]

Okay, it's a promise.

[He holds out his hand again, but this time, to shake on a promise.]

We'll definitely eat together, no matter what.

[randori]

Yes!!

[ He takes Ion's hands in both of his, and instead of shaking on it, he raises their arms way up in the air over their heads ]

It's a promise, then!

[fragileprophet]

[Not expecting the gesture, Ion stumbles a little, but then he's just laughing more, happily, allowing his hands to be held up in the sky. He can't remember the last time he's laughed--laughed like this, without a care, at least in a single instant. It makes his cheeks flush with warmth.]

Thank you, Natsuo. I think we'll become good friends!

[randori]

[ Natsuo grins widely, letting their arms linger up there for a moment before dropping them again, not yet letting go. ]

We will! I won't stop until we're friends, so let's eat together and get along and be good friends!

[fragileprophet]

Okay! We'll do that--all of it!

[Lewd. Handholding.]