( It's a product of his upbringing, of what he was and wasn't shown in the form of emotion, that he struggles with basic ideas. That he gets so moody, so unfairly sensitive, and most of all so confused with it all. At the very least, Esikko has grown enough in this place to realize that maybe he's the one who needs to learn a few things, no matter how miserable he feels— so it's not as if he's holding any ill will towards Bakugo for not reading his mind. That would have been different before.
As it is right now, seeing him waiting for him outside of the elevator is enough to earn a pleased sort of relaxation. He reaches to grab one of his arms, again— so touchy— and breathes out a laugh as they move, the lonely moment of the elevator already forgotten. )
It's much faster than me on the stairway, though I certainly wouldn't complain if someone could make it faster. Or should I just ride you down the stairs, next time?
[Bakugo's never been fond of clingy people, whether it's Midoriya tailing him as a kid wanting to know all the things or it's Kirishima dropping an arm on his shoulder to chatter into his ear. Invading his personal space is a great way to piss him off, even though some people earned less violent reactions. He may be a lone wolf, preferring to stick to his own, but he's not a loner who spends all his days atop a mountain with no human interaction. Of course people are drawn to spend time with each other! But letting that saturate you to the point of being miserable without company is pathetic. Learn to be strong on your own rather than relying on others to be your only strength.
Bakugo rolls his eyes when Esikko latches onto him like a damn koala again. Ugh, this guy... He doesn't shake him off as he makes tracks across the lobby. Luckily it doesn't seem like the guards are coming after them. Cover the mark canceled their animosity. What other bullshit can the hotel brand their bodies with? He doesn't want to know.]
Haa?! I'll drop you over the railing next time! [And catch him, obviously.] Mattaku... [What a pain.] You can't fly with your magic?
( Ironically, it's Esikko's stubborn determination to find his own strength that always makes things end so poorly for him. Finding it never fixed anything. Strength never helped— even if he still thinks he can make it, still thinks he can change things to work the way he wants.
Bickering is something he falls into easily, and so he clicks his tongue in his irritation as they move down the stairs, using his shallow cling to Bakugo's arm as a source of warmth. )
My magic isn't some instant use nonsense like you quirk users manage to have. It takes time and set up and exchange. Do you have any idea the strain that flight would put on a human body? That's not a realistic spell at all.
( As if Bakugo could have any idea what makes sense or not with Esikko's magic... Still, it's a sore point. He can use magic "quickly" in some cases, cases like back with the paintings and the fire, but it puts a huge strain on his body, on his life. )
[Bakugo would challenge that notion immediately. How the hell can someone trying to get stronger always fail?! Ignoring stupid or evil choices that screw everyone else over or sacrifice things that shouldn't be. They'll have to talk about such a thing later, since he'll be incredulous, angry, but ironically doggedly supportive.
Letting Esikko sidle close to him is way more irritating in the cooler weather than the heat of the summer. He tolerates it for now, glad he's wearing a sweater at the moment. Despite focusing on Esikko for the most part, Bakugo keeps an eye out for any trouble approaching them.]
How the hell do people in your world fight then if it takes you so long to cast a spell?
[Unless the magical people sit behind lines of physical fighters, prepare shit, then fire once everything's set up. Not the worst way, but it seriously inhibits a magic-user's personal ability if someone gets in close range... Someone should've seen that major flaw and worked on fast-tracking spells by now!]
The look that question earns from Esikko is nothing short of puzzled, like he doesn't fully comprehend the idea. A brief pause allows him to see it, at least— sure, in a world where magic could fly from one's fingers so easily, if he could create explosions, or fire, or put people into little marbles, then of course that would be useful in a fight. But for him, that's not what magic is. His own use of it is far from standard, stretching its limits, and even then, it would not be useful in a fight without assistance. )
With blades and bows? Magic isn't really suited for war or anything, you know. Oh— firearms are a recent thing, as well.
( He loosens his death grip on Bakugo's arm a little, relaxing his hold as they move, and it's clear that he's already a little out of breath from this small walk down stairs alone. The chase from earlier didn't help. )
Most people don't use magic at all, anymore. My father didn't want me to learn it, either.
[Whenever he wants to try and hope Bakugo's not in a dismissive mood.
Great, getting that kind of look after such a question? Gonna have a hell of an answer, or a real shit short one. This guy's version of magic probably isn't the combative type. Bakugo comes from a world where most everyone's superhuman abilities are instant, ready to be activated whenever they want, bar the ones which require stockpiling "ammo" of sorts.
He glances to the side when Esikko loosens his grip on his arm, gauging it as relaxing the tension rather than preparing to let go. Hmph, if he had, Bakugo would've glared at him for being weird. Already starting to get winded after riding down the elevator. That's really sad. They reach the next floor and Bakugo makes for the door.]
Getting a drink.
[Give him a minute to bend over the nearby water fountain. Esikko can take a rest on a cushioned bench in the hall close by. How convenient.]
I thought your world was magical.
[It's half protest, half explanation for why he viewed Esikko's power the way he did. Thought the guy came from some fantasy-flavored version of the world. But with combat using physical weapons, even guns... huh.]
( A drink... Part of him is grateful for the break, though the other part wonders if stopping is just going to make it more difficult to start again. It's fine, though, with only a couple more flights of stairs left, and so Esikko sits down on the bench with a soft little sigh, setting his bag nearby and shifting to check the tag still hanging from his own shirt. He'll remove this properly in his room, so not to tear the fabric. )
The world has magic, but any world does.
( From what he knows, anyway. His fingers trace along the edges of his sleeve as he waits patiently. )
I learned it because I'm interested in it. I was sickly from birth, so I wasn't allowed outdoors. Most of my time was spent in the library, then, and reading those books about magic, about how you could create and shift and alter reality and wield your own type of strength— it sounded far more interesting than being a Prince.
I suppose I thought it might be some way to combat the weakness of my own body, too.
( He's looking off in some other direction now, frowning a little. )
[If he thinks Bakugo was joking about dropping him down the stairs, he's delusional. The stairwell isn't as grand as those lobby and up, but even drab stone descents with metal railings have a wide open area they circle round. Easily large enough to drop two or three bodies down without issue. He takes his time with his drink, leaving Esikko to rest without having to speak up about his exhaustion. Must be a bitch going up to the ground floor each time... two or three flights of stairs before he can reach the lobby elevator.]
Did your old man have a reason for not wanting you to learn it? Or was he a shitty bastard?
[Forbidding your sickly child from learning a skill that could give him strength and improve his standing in the world sounds really strange, even if the world didn't have common magic. Esikko had been simply trying to grow stronger. What parent would refuse that without a good reason?]
( That earns a laugh, at least, genuine if short. )
The latter. ( He gestures weakly with a hand, flipping it palm up in an almost half shrug. ) I came out the precise way he had hoped and planned for, I suppose, and he wanted to use me as his perfect little chess piece. According to him, magic was a waste of time, and he was far more obsessed with attempting to completely shift our customs and traditions into something more modern, with the countries from the south.
I was supposed to save all of my energy for my duties as a Prince, attending meetings and lessons and discussing politics, and so he had all the books related to magic removed from our library.
( He drops his hand again with a sigh. ) But he's an idiot, so I was able to find a few and hold onto them despite that, and I just practiced in secret and self-taught. I'm still learning.
[Great. Another sob story. Bakugo wipes the back of his hand over his mouth and gives it a shake as he leaves the water fountain. It makes some sense, if the man saw magic either as a danger, useless, or no one much wielded it anymore. Having your kid investing in something unhelpful would spoil those hard-laid plans to craft him in the desired image. It's a bullshit decision even if Esikko's father had logic in it.]
That's why your magic sucks outside best circumstances.
[Meaning having time to prepare and set up rather than snapping off lightning bolts from his fingers and shrinking people into mice with a flick of the stick.]
Have you looked in the library here? Most of it's shit, but you can find useful books.
It doesn't suck, it just doesn't apply in the way so many people expect. I can grow plants from my own blood, can alter fate, can defeat death— you know, it's just that no one stops to consider the alternative applications.
( There's a rush of heat in his answer, defensive and overly passionate despite his own exhaustion. He stands, once Bakugo moves back from the fountain, and scoops up the shopping bag, ready to head down the last two flights. )
In any case, yes, I have. I have a number of them checked out in my room, in fact, and I regularly look for new books that might appear.
( So he is serious about it, after all. )
Even learning about the forms of magic across different realms is useful, since I can apply it to knowledge of using my own magic here, for example.
[Bakugo turns a very wry expression on Esikko when he rattles off that list of bullshit. He doesn't want to believe it, though considering the magic he saw the man's copy pulling out of his ass during painting week, arguing it is awkward. Hence why he said magic outside Esikko's best conditions.]
If you're going to use offensive magic, you need to factor in the battle you're fighting in. Doesn't matter if you can pull the damn moon out of the sky, if it takes you five months, it sucks.
[Once Esikko gets his fire back and moves to the stairs, Bakugo pushes open the door, ready to use some of that passion to get the guy the rest of the way down to his room. Unless he wants to crash in Bakugo's third-floor room like last time. He's got an open invite.]
Hoh? [Esikko's found magic books and even cross-dimension-realm-world magic? Interest and mild impressed flickers across Bakugo's face. That's more ambitious than the guy sounded a few months ago. He likes to see that.] And your magic works with other world's magic?
Offensive magic isn't a thing. Say it sucks once more and I'll turn you into a frog.
( Can he actually do that? It's a mystery. It's largely his annoyance talking, anyway; his defensiveness, his desire to be clinging to something that matters, even if it's not instantaneous. )
But yes, in certain ways... and though this place limits certain abilities, I've yet to encounter a limit on my own. I've been slowly testing what I can between reading.
( Here they are, the two rank floor. Esikko walks slowly to where his room is located, his eyes focused ahead. )
Transfiguration's offensive magic. And I could knock you out first.
[Given what he's seen and knows of Esikko, the man's magic can be used offensively, defensively, supportive, and explorative. But it's also slow. Duh. He doesn't say it sucks though...
Besides, in Bakugo's opinion, it only sucks in the heat of battle. Given time to prepare, setup, and focus, he's confident Esikko can do impressive things. Hell if he's going to say that to his face.]
You already encountered a limit, when this place kicked your ass for yanking its roots. [Then indicates the other man's neck.] And that's still there.
[Suggesting Esikko couldn't remove it, even when it took a blade to it. Limits.]
The painting version of you. Is that what you were back home or what you could be in the future?
This— ( his free hand moves up, touching over the scarf that covers the mark at his neck ) —is a punishment, not a limit. I was able to change suit assignments and perceived memories, so all things considered, I wasn't met with much limitation.
( Even then, he wonders if he could have gone all the way if the House were less able to fight back. It's something to consider, something to poke at more and more, but the problem is that in order to make his magic do such extraordinary things, he has to break a lot of rules.
And his body can only last for so long through punishment for that.
The question earns a bit of hesitation as he slows his feet to a stop right in front of his door. It's beat up a little, scratched on the front since the staff hasn't bothered with fixing it, and he doesn't open it just yet— it's a mess inside, and he knows enough to be ashamed by that. )
Both, in a way. ( Unclear, vague... But he takes in a slow breath, smacking his Watch against the lock mechanism so that it clicks open. He doesn't swing the door open, just cracks it. )
That was me from the past. It was at that time that I wove a spell most would consider forbidden or impossible. I restarted my life, rewound everything, altered what I could and tried again. I was dying, but I wasn't ready to stop. ( He rests his hand on the doorknob. ) That was many lives ago.
... Tch. [Bakugo gives him that, though he narrows in on the idea Esikko was able to change suits. Doubtful that was a permanent thing, since it won't be for another month until everyone's suit will get swapped around. Limitations is likely semantics at this point and he doesn't want to argue it.
Of course he, all of them, could do more if the House wasn't able to fight back. Hiyori's companion could have blown through the roof, Bakugo could have wrecked the walls to the outside, the void suspending this entire thing would have been invaded by those pouring out. But frustrating as it is to admit, the House has more power than all of them. For now.
Bakugo notes Esikko's room number and location. He glances at his watch, though rather than check the time, opens the Map app and links the prince's room to a pointer so he can call it up as a destination when he needs to. He assumes Esikko pauses at the question rather than the state of his room.]
Many lives, huh... You mentioned something like that when we fought him. [As well as swallowing deities. Things Bakugo heard but didn't pay much attention to. Esikko keeps revealing new things about himself that undermine shit he said before or how the hero understands him. He's a very confusing person.]
How many lives have you lived?
[Running from your own life because you don't like it rather than bucking up and improving your state sounds cowardly and weak to him, but Esikko said he was dying, so... he holds his tongue on that opinion.]
( A tad defensive, as if he can feel the hint of judgement behind Bakugo's eyes, or that he at least expects some. He's heard it plenty of times, the words against what he's been doing, but he had been literally in the last hours of his life when first making the decision, and it's not something that can be so easily undone now. What he did undo was the chain that had been dragging another with him.
But now, where does that leave him? He tosses a cautious look to Bakugo. )
At least 20. It's difficult... for memories to maintain their integrity over time. They often take years for even flashes to resurface, and longer for me to realize I'm not simply going insane. Even here, where I've recalled so many things, I can't tell you an exact number.
( Finally, he pushes his door open. His twin bed is unmade and nearly entirely covered by folded clothes, for the lack of a closet, and a few stacks of books. The rest of the room is messy, indeed. There are plants everywhere, with lights that don't seem to have a source hovering above them, jars both clean and filled with blood, some filled with flowers, others with crushed leaves, or stems. There's bags of rabbit fur, wolf fur, and an assortment of books on magic from the library that are taking up the desk, the singular chair, the floor. There's hardly room to walk.
But hey, it smells like flowers? )
I thank you for the escort, but... well, if you wanted to stay, I'm afraid I'm limited in seating space.
[Bakugo gives him a look. If he didn't matter, he wouldn't've fucking asked! And he knows Esikko's going to answer anyways, so why the hell get defensive about it? While he has no qualms with someone escaping their own death (who the fuck wouldn't) doing so by redoing your own life seems... fucking insane. If he keeps his memories of his past life/lives, well that's fucking cheating. Obviously it's different in Esikko's world, but the entire concept boggles his mind.]
20?! You reset yourself twenty fucking times?!
[What kind of perfect life does Esikko think he's going to find if he keeps playing do-overs?! At least he says the memories aren't always prevalent, so that's... ugh, he doesn't know. If it works for Esikko, who's he to criticize him for his choices? He's from a whole new world, one Bakugo has no jurisdiction or say over. It all seems... cheap. Desperate. Foolish. But maybe that's what Esikko needs.
He can't help thinking it'll end in disaster for him.
They can focus on something else. Like this fucking room.] What the hell?! You call this a room?!
[How can Esikko take such care of his appearance each morning and live in a damn dumpster?! Bakugo instantly barges into his room, scanning over the various elements making up this wreck.]
Do you even know how to clean... Move.
[With that, Bakugo grabs a stack of books and heads outside with them. Yeah, he's gonna clean your damn room, dumbass.]
( Plenty of those lives were too short to even count, in Esikko's eyes. Lives where he died as a child were fairly regular, but even not counting those, it's well over ten... Well. It's fine.
Besides, he's heavily distracted by the way Bakugo just barges into his room like that. Esikko nearly protests, but considering his comments, he decides to just walk in and set his bag of shirts next to the bed, on top of a different pile of books. Moving one small pile of clothes on top of another, he takes that seat newly freed on the bed and looks over. )
Well, I know how, of course, but I'm used to having servants handle all of that. It's not as if it's that dirty or anything, is it?
( Largely cluttered— though there is dust layered in places that are hardly touched, such as the baseboards, the top of the doorway, the legs of the bed. The piles and piles of books and other sketchy materials, though, are not dusty. The plants, so numerous, are happy and healthy, well taken care of, some likely foreign in appearance due to them being from Esikko's world. They have no shelving to take advantage of, so they're just placed wherever they can fit.
The only place that has a bit of space is the desk itself is cleared just enough so that the journal laying out on it has enough space to be opened and written in. )
You know, if you're going to clean up, I've heard they have uniforms for that. ( He's teasing. Though he wouldn't refuse a show. )
[Esikko's eternal reset button is his problem to deal with. A man who can't die... He wonders if the magic ended up becoming permanent, trapping the prince in a forever loop of death and rebirth, or if he chooses whenever it happens. The former could drive a man insane. The latter... at least he controls his own loop.]
You've got plants everywhere! [Dirty? No. Busy? Fuck yes! Esikko could stand to straighten up his room and at least keep things in a proper place and order. Dammit, there are ways to tidy up even small living spaces! This guy has a habit of clutter from the looks of it. Books are the first to go, moving in and out of the room to stack them along the wall in a neat order. At least he notices the plants are happy and healthy. Esikko takes care of them well.]
Learn to keep your room straight, dammit! [Honestly, with the way the hotel's infinite space structures, people could use the hall outside the own rooms to store shit. Theft might be an issue in the lower floors... Anyways, Bakugo's already noted the lack of shelves, either nailed into the walls or bookshelf or cubby unit. Given Esikko's strength issues, he's likely never taken the time to put some up or procure furniture suitable.]
Say that again and I'll dust your fucking room with your head. [He's got a pink mop up there that'll serve a good enough purpose.] You need to put up some shelves or get a damn shelving unit.
[There's plenty of trashed items to use through the lower floors and the backs of shops if he's worried about payment. For now, Bakugo's simply trying to break all Esikko's belongings into groups. Then arrange them in the room once more (AFTER THEY CLEAN IT) in a better organization.]
( House husband material? But, Esikko quiets down after that, at least for a bit of time. He's exhausted from the day's events, and so he unwinds the scarf from his neck, folding it to put it in the pile next to him, and then shuffles through some of the piles on the floor near the bed to locate some scissors and snip the tag off the shirt he's wearing. Aside from that, though, he doesn't help— doesn't stand up, doesn't try to follow him in and out of the room, none of that. )
Even if I did have shelves, they'd be destroyed by now by one lunatic or another. There was a point where my walls were completely eradicated somehow during an all out brawl, you know? It's why I try not to stay in here if I can help it.
( Still, as Bakugo does get to grouping things, he'll hear chime ins from Esikko. Things like "treat my children gently" or "that one prefers that side of the room" regarding the plants, or for the materials, things like "be careful, that contains poison", "don't spill any of that" and "you're going to bring those back in here, right?"
In other words, he's plenty bossy even though he's getting help, sorry... )
[Don't you dare! Bakugo continues the complete and utter vomitting of Esikko's room out into the hallway. There's not a lot of stuff, and he does handle the plants with care while moving them. Though any that are magically enhanced or supported are left where they are so he doesn't break the spell he figures Esikko cast on them. Unless Esikko gives him permission to. Luckily there aren't a ton of things, so it won't take him a whole day to clear the guy's room out.
Where's the damn janitor's closet on this hall? Even if none come, there's still got to be a closet if this is a stupid hotel. Hm...]
Can't you keep people out of your room? Fuck!
[Why does Esikko have to deal with people fighting in his damn room?! How many enemies has this guy made that people actively hunt him down and destroy his stuff?! Down right ignores the bossy comments. In that he either doesn't respond or yells at Esikko for ordering him around. While obviously paying attention to handle poison carefully and keep plants separated by the side of the room Esikko wants them on.]
I don't have time to get shelves or anything. How many of these books do you need in the next week? Because we can use them to make some temporary shelving.
[Just can't have Esikko pulling a book out of the "shelf" and hope it stays up. IF he finds a janitor's closet with usable tools, then Esikko's gonna get his room cleaned. If not... so begins the return-but-in-order process.]
I have them all here because I look through all of them when necessary, you know? How am I supposed to know what might come up?
( But okay, with a sigh, he finally stands up from the bed and moves over to review the stacks of books, one hand on his hip. With the other, he eventually gestures out to point at a few of them. )
I'll have to return these soon before checking them out again. The rest I can do without. I try to take notes in my journal when particularly necessary, anyway. ( His journal which he has insisted stays on the desk. In any case, Bakugo can likely find a closet with supplies somewhere along the hallway, though its contents aren't the best. Some things are missing, others are just worn down— but they'll do.
Eventually, mid-cleaning, after watching Bakugo for some time: ) So, are you doing this out of the kindness of your heart?
You're not gonna use all of these in a damn week! Fucking guess!
[Make educated guesses, use some probability, pick priority, or get a notebook and make some damn notes if a book topic comes up said book isn't available! Make it work, Esikko!
Bakugo separates out the ones that have to be returned. He won't use those as support. Journals are not "books" in that sense and thus are not included in the build-a-shelf ambition.
While Esikko messes around with the books, the blonde rips into the supply closet. Shit, the lower floors really aren't well equipped. But they'll work. Stomping back to Esikko's room, he tackles the cleaning. Sweeping out his room, even a foot up the walls, using the vacuum to go over any rugs or carpet, slamming the life out of his bedding on the walls, brutalizing his pillow (which miraculously fluffs it well), wiping down his desk surface and whatever meager furnishings he has in his room. Luckily the lights and ceiling are either clean enough or there's no way he's gonna be getting stains out with these supplies.]
It'd be pathetic if you died cause of a pigsty. Kill yourself with magic, not your shitty cleaning skills.
[He can't stop Esikko from burning himself out. But he can remove one obstacle from the guy's path.]
( Ignoring that serious comment, Esikko takes a seat back on the bed, crossing one leg over the other and watching. ...The cleaning does earn a number of coughs and sniffles that he does his best to minimize, but it's a temporary thing cleared the more the cleaning goes on, and eventually, either near the end or after it, he hums. )
Maybe I'll just have to give you a thank you kiss.
( His little smirk says he's just waiting for him to yell about that. So, after a pause: )
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 12/4/24 02:06 (UTC)As it is right now, seeing him waiting for him outside of the elevator is enough to earn a pleased sort of relaxation. He reaches to grab one of his arms, again— so touchy— and breathes out a laugh as they move, the lonely moment of the elevator already forgotten. )
It's much faster than me on the stairway, though I certainly wouldn't complain if someone could make it faster. Or should I just ride you down the stairs, next time?
( Heheh. )
no subject
Date: 12/4/24 08:40 (UTC)Bakugo rolls his eyes when Esikko latches onto him like a damn koala again. Ugh, this guy... He doesn't shake him off as he makes tracks across the lobby. Luckily it doesn't seem like the guards are coming after them. Cover the mark canceled their animosity. What other bullshit can the hotel brand their bodies with? He doesn't want to know.]
Haa?! I'll drop you over the railing next time! [And catch him, obviously.] Mattaku... [What a pain.] You can't fly with your magic?
no subject
Date: 12/4/24 09:33 (UTC)Bickering is something he falls into easily, and so he clicks his tongue in his irritation as they move down the stairs, using his shallow cling to Bakugo's arm as a source of warmth. )
My magic isn't some instant use nonsense like you quirk users manage to have. It takes time and set up and exchange. Do you have any idea the strain that flight would put on a human body? That's not a realistic spell at all.
( As if Bakugo could have any idea what makes sense or not with Esikko's magic... Still, it's a sore point. He can use magic "quickly" in some cases, cases like back with the paintings and the fire, but it puts a huge strain on his body, on his life. )
no subject
Date: 12/4/24 20:28 (UTC)Letting Esikko sidle close to him is way more irritating in the cooler weather than the heat of the summer. He tolerates it for now, glad he's wearing a sweater at the moment. Despite focusing on Esikko for the most part, Bakugo keeps an eye out for any trouble approaching them.]
How the hell do people in your world fight then if it takes you so long to cast a spell?
[Unless the magical people sit behind lines of physical fighters, prepare shit, then fire once everything's set up. Not the worst way, but it seriously inhibits a magic-user's personal ability if someone gets in close range... Someone should've seen that major flaw and worked on fast-tracking spells by now!]
no subject
Date: 12/4/24 20:42 (UTC)The look that question earns from Esikko is nothing short of puzzled, like he doesn't fully comprehend the idea. A brief pause allows him to see it, at least— sure, in a world where magic could fly from one's fingers so easily, if he could create explosions, or fire, or put people into little marbles, then of course that would be useful in a fight. But for him, that's not what magic is. His own use of it is far from standard, stretching its limits, and even then, it would not be useful in a fight without assistance. )
With blades and bows? Magic isn't really suited for war or anything, you know. Oh— firearms are a recent thing, as well.
( He loosens his death grip on Bakugo's arm a little, relaxing his hold as they move, and it's clear that he's already a little out of breath from this small walk down stairs alone. The chase from earlier didn't help. )
Most people don't use magic at all, anymore. My father didn't want me to learn it, either.
no subject
Date: 12/5/24 04:41 (UTC)Great, getting that kind of look after such a question? Gonna have a hell of an answer, or a real shit short one. This guy's version of magic probably isn't the combative type. Bakugo comes from a world where most everyone's superhuman abilities are instant, ready to be activated whenever they want, bar the ones which require stockpiling "ammo" of sorts.
He glances to the side when Esikko loosens his grip on his arm, gauging it as relaxing the tension rather than preparing to let go. Hmph, if he had, Bakugo would've glared at him for being weird. Already starting to get winded after riding down the elevator. That's really sad. They reach the next floor and Bakugo makes for the door.]
Getting a drink.
[Give him a minute to bend over the nearby water fountain. Esikko can take a rest on a cushioned bench in the hall close by. How convenient.]
I thought your world was magical.
[It's half protest, half explanation for why he viewed Esikko's power the way he did. Thought the guy came from some fantasy-flavored version of the world. But with combat using physical weapons, even guns... huh.]
Why'd you learn it then?
no subject
Date: 12/5/24 04:51 (UTC)The world has magic, but any world does.
( From what he knows, anyway. His fingers trace along the edges of his sleeve as he waits patiently. )
I learned it because I'm interested in it. I was sickly from birth, so I wasn't allowed outdoors. Most of my time was spent in the library, then, and reading those books about magic, about how you could create and shift and alter reality and wield your own type of strength— it sounded far more interesting than being a Prince.
I suppose I thought it might be some way to combat the weakness of my own body, too.
( He's looking off in some other direction now, frowning a little. )
no subject
Date: 12/5/24 05:01 (UTC)Did your old man have a reason for not wanting you to learn it? Or was he a shitty bastard?
[Forbidding your sickly child from learning a skill that could give him strength and improve his standing in the world sounds really strange, even if the world didn't have common magic. Esikko had been simply trying to grow stronger. What parent would refuse that without a good reason?]
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Date: 12/5/24 05:21 (UTC)The latter. ( He gestures weakly with a hand, flipping it palm up in an almost half shrug. ) I came out the precise way he had hoped and planned for, I suppose, and he wanted to use me as his perfect little chess piece. According to him, magic was a waste of time, and he was far more obsessed with attempting to completely shift our customs and traditions into something more modern, with the countries from the south.
I was supposed to save all of my energy for my duties as a Prince, attending meetings and lessons and discussing politics, and so he had all the books related to magic removed from our library.
( He drops his hand again with a sigh. ) But he's an idiot, so I was able to find a few and hold onto them despite that, and I just practiced in secret and self-taught. I'm still learning.
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Date: 12/5/24 20:04 (UTC)That's why your magic sucks outside best circumstances.
[Meaning having time to prepare and set up rather than snapping off lightning bolts from his fingers and shrinking people into mice with a flick of the stick.]
Have you looked in the library here? Most of it's shit, but you can find useful books.
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Date: 12/6/24 00:17 (UTC)( There's a rush of heat in his answer, defensive and overly passionate despite his own exhaustion. He stands, once Bakugo moves back from the fountain, and scoops up the shopping bag, ready to head down the last two flights. )
In any case, yes, I have. I have a number of them checked out in my room, in fact, and I regularly look for new books that might appear.
( So he is serious about it, after all. )
Even learning about the forms of magic across different realms is useful, since I can apply it to knowledge of using my own magic here, for example.
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Date: 12/6/24 01:50 (UTC)If you're going to use offensive magic, you need to factor in the battle you're fighting in. Doesn't matter if you can pull the damn moon out of the sky, if it takes you five months, it sucks.
[Once Esikko gets his fire back and moves to the stairs, Bakugo pushes open the door, ready to use some of that passion to get the guy the rest of the way down to his room. Unless he wants to crash in Bakugo's third-floor room like last time. He's got an open invite.]
Hoh? [Esikko's found magic books and even cross-dimension-realm-world magic? Interest and mild impressed flickers across Bakugo's face. That's more ambitious than the guy sounded a few months ago. He likes to see that.] And your magic works with other world's magic?
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Date: 12/6/24 04:32 (UTC)( Can he actually do that? It's a mystery. It's largely his annoyance talking, anyway; his defensiveness, his desire to be clinging to something that matters, even if it's not instantaneous. )
But yes, in certain ways... and though this place limits certain abilities, I've yet to encounter a limit on my own. I've been slowly testing what I can between reading.
( Here they are, the two rank floor. Esikko walks slowly to where his room is located, his eyes focused ahead. )
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Date: 12/6/24 08:06 (UTC)[Given what he's seen and knows of Esikko, the man's magic can be used offensively, defensively, supportive, and explorative. But it's also slow. Duh. He doesn't say it sucks though...
Besides, in Bakugo's opinion, it only sucks in the heat of battle. Given time to prepare, setup, and focus, he's confident Esikko can do impressive things. Hell if he's going to say that to his face.]
You already encountered a limit, when this place kicked your ass for yanking its roots. [Then indicates the other man's neck.] And that's still there.
[Suggesting Esikko couldn't remove it, even when it took a blade to it. Limits.]
The painting version of you. Is that what you were back home or what you could be in the future?
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Date: 12/6/24 20:50 (UTC)( Even then, he wonders if he could have gone all the way if the House were less able to fight back. It's something to consider, something to poke at more and more, but the problem is that in order to make his magic do such extraordinary things, he has to break a lot of rules.
And his body can only last for so long through punishment for that.
The question earns a bit of hesitation as he slows his feet to a stop right in front of his door. It's beat up a little, scratched on the front since the staff hasn't bothered with fixing it, and he doesn't open it just yet— it's a mess inside, and he knows enough to be ashamed by that. )
Both, in a way. ( Unclear, vague... But he takes in a slow breath, smacking his Watch against the lock mechanism so that it clicks open. He doesn't swing the door open, just cracks it. )
That was me from the past. It was at that time that I wove a spell most would consider forbidden or impossible. I restarted my life, rewound everything, altered what I could and tried again. I was dying, but I wasn't ready to stop. ( He rests his hand on the doorknob. ) That was many lives ago.
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Date: 12/7/24 00:01 (UTC)Of course he, all of them, could do more if the House wasn't able to fight back. Hiyori's companion could have blown through the roof, Bakugo could have wrecked the walls to the outside, the void suspending this entire thing would have been invaded by those pouring out. But frustrating as it is to admit, the House has more power than all of them. For now.
Bakugo notes Esikko's room number and location. He glances at his watch, though rather than check the time, opens the Map app and links the prince's room to a pointer so he can call it up as a destination when he needs to. He assumes Esikko pauses at the question rather than the state of his room.]
Many lives, huh... You mentioned something like that when we fought him. [As well as swallowing deities. Things Bakugo heard but didn't pay much attention to. Esikko keeps revealing new things about himself that undermine shit he said before or how the hero understands him. He's a very confusing person.]
How many lives have you lived?
[Running from your own life because you don't like it rather than bucking up and improving your state sounds cowardly and weak to him, but Esikko said he was dying, so... he holds his tongue on that opinion.]
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Date: 12/7/24 06:36 (UTC)( A tad defensive, as if he can feel the hint of judgement behind Bakugo's eyes, or that he at least expects some. He's heard it plenty of times, the words against what he's been doing, but he had been literally in the last hours of his life when first making the decision, and it's not something that can be so easily undone now. What he did undo was the chain that had been dragging another with him.
But now, where does that leave him? He tosses a cautious look to Bakugo. )
At least 20. It's difficult... for memories to maintain their integrity over time. They often take years for even flashes to resurface, and longer for me to realize I'm not simply going insane. Even here, where I've recalled so many things, I can't tell you an exact number.
( Finally, he pushes his door open. His twin bed is unmade and nearly entirely covered by folded clothes, for the lack of a closet, and a few stacks of books. The rest of the room is messy, indeed. There are plants everywhere, with lights that don't seem to have a source hovering above them, jars both clean and filled with blood, some filled with flowers, others with crushed leaves, or stems. There's bags of rabbit fur, wolf fur, and an assortment of books on magic from the library that are taking up the desk, the singular chair, the floor. There's hardly room to walk.
But hey, it smells like flowers? )
I thank you for the escort, but... well, if you wanted to stay, I'm afraid I'm limited in seating space.
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Date: 12/8/24 00:58 (UTC)20?! You reset yourself twenty fucking times?!
[What kind of perfect life does Esikko think he's going to find if he keeps playing do-overs?! At least he says the memories aren't always prevalent, so that's... ugh, he doesn't know. If it works for Esikko, who's he to criticize him for his choices? He's from a whole new world, one Bakugo has no jurisdiction or say over. It all seems... cheap. Desperate. Foolish. But maybe that's what Esikko needs.
He can't help thinking it'll end in disaster for him.
They can focus on something else. Like this fucking room.] What the hell?! You call this a room?!
[How can Esikko take such care of his appearance each morning and live in a damn dumpster?! Bakugo instantly barges into his room, scanning over the various elements making up this wreck.]
Do you even know how to clean... Move.
[With that, Bakugo grabs a stack of books and heads outside with them. Yeah, he's gonna clean your damn room, dumbass.]
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Date: 12/8/24 02:15 (UTC)Besides, he's heavily distracted by the way Bakugo just barges into his room like that. Esikko nearly protests, but considering his comments, he decides to just walk in and set his bag of shirts next to the bed, on top of a different pile of books. Moving one small pile of clothes on top of another, he takes that seat newly freed on the bed and looks over. )
Well, I know how, of course, but I'm used to having servants handle all of that. It's not as if it's that dirty or anything, is it?
( Largely cluttered— though there is dust layered in places that are hardly touched, such as the baseboards, the top of the doorway, the legs of the bed. The piles and piles of books and other sketchy materials, though, are not dusty. The plants, so numerous, are happy and healthy, well taken care of, some likely foreign in appearance due to them being from Esikko's world. They have no shelving to take advantage of, so they're just placed wherever they can fit.
The only place that has a bit of space is the desk itself is cleared just enough so that the journal laying out on it has enough space to be opened and written in. )
You know, if you're going to clean up, I've heard they have uniforms for that. ( He's teasing. Though he wouldn't refuse a show. )
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Date: 12/8/24 03:48 (UTC)You've got plants everywhere! [Dirty? No. Busy? Fuck yes! Esikko could stand to straighten up his room and at least keep things in a proper place and order. Dammit, there are ways to tidy up even small living spaces! This guy has a habit of clutter from the looks of it. Books are the first to go, moving in and out of the room to stack them along the wall in a neat order. At least he notices the plants are happy and healthy. Esikko takes care of them well.]
Learn to keep your room straight, dammit! [Honestly, with the way the hotel's infinite space structures, people could use the hall outside the own rooms to store shit. Theft might be an issue in the lower floors... Anyways, Bakugo's already noted the lack of shelves, either nailed into the walls or bookshelf or cubby unit. Given Esikko's strength issues, he's likely never taken the time to put some up or procure furniture suitable.]
Say that again and I'll dust your fucking room with your head. [He's got a pink mop up there that'll serve a good enough purpose.] You need to put up some shelves or get a damn shelving unit.
[There's plenty of trashed items to use through the lower floors and the backs of shops if he's worried about payment. For now, Bakugo's simply trying to break all Esikko's belongings into groups. Then arrange them in the room once more (AFTER THEY CLEAN IT) in a better organization.]
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Date: 12/8/24 04:02 (UTC)( House husband material? But, Esikko quiets down after that, at least for a bit of time. He's exhausted from the day's events, and so he unwinds the scarf from his neck, folding it to put it in the pile next to him, and then shuffles through some of the piles on the floor near the bed to locate some scissors and snip the tag off the shirt he's wearing. Aside from that, though, he doesn't help— doesn't stand up, doesn't try to follow him in and out of the room, none of that. )
Even if I did have shelves, they'd be destroyed by now by one lunatic or another. There was a point where my walls were completely eradicated somehow during an all out brawl, you know? It's why I try not to stay in here if I can help it.
( Still, as Bakugo does get to grouping things, he'll hear chime ins from Esikko. Things like "treat my children gently" or "that one prefers that side of the room" regarding the plants, or for the materials, things like "be careful, that contains poison", "don't spill any of that" and "you're going to bring those back in here, right?"
In other words, he's plenty bossy even though he's getting help, sorry... )
lets assume this part of the thread takes, uh... a while, haha!
Date: 12/8/24 20:18 (UTC)[Don't you dare! Bakugo continues the complete and utter vomitting of Esikko's room out into the hallway. There's not a lot of stuff, and he does handle the plants with care while moving them. Though any that are magically enhanced or supported are left where they are so he doesn't break the spell he figures Esikko cast on them. Unless Esikko gives him permission to. Luckily there aren't a ton of things, so it won't take him a whole day to clear the guy's room out.
Where's the damn janitor's closet on this hall? Even if none come, there's still got to be a closet if this is a stupid hotel. Hm...]
Can't you keep people out of your room? Fuck!
[Why does Esikko have to deal with people fighting in his damn room?! How many enemies has this guy made that people actively hunt him down and destroy his stuff?! Down right ignores the bossy comments. In that he either doesn't respond or yells at Esikko for ordering him around. While obviously paying attention to handle poison carefully and keep plants separated by the side of the room Esikko wants them on.]
I don't have time to get shelves or anything. How many of these books do you need in the next week? Because we can use them to make some temporary shelving.
[Just can't have Esikko pulling a book out of the "shelf" and hope it stays up. IF he finds a janitor's closet with usable tools, then Esikko's gonna get his room cleaned. If not... so begins the return-but-in-order process.]
LMAOOO it sure would! thanks bakugo :')
Date: 12/11/24 07:29 (UTC)( But okay, with a sigh, he finally stands up from the bed and moves over to review the stacks of books, one hand on his hip. With the other, he eventually gestures out to point at a few of them. )
I'll have to return these soon before checking them out again. The rest I can do without. I try to take notes in my journal when particularly necessary, anyway. ( His journal which he has insisted stays on the desk. In any case, Bakugo can likely find a closet with supplies somewhere along the hallway, though its contents aren't the best. Some things are missing, others are just worn down— but they'll do.
Eventually, mid-cleaning, after watching Bakugo for some time: ) So, are you doing this out of the kindness of your heart?
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Date: 12/11/24 08:32 (UTC)[Make educated guesses, use some probability, pick priority, or get a notebook and make some damn notes if a book topic comes up said book isn't available! Make it work, Esikko!
Bakugo separates out the ones that have to be returned. He won't use those as support. Journals are not "books" in that sense and thus are not included in the build-a-shelf ambition.
While Esikko messes around with the books, the blonde rips into the supply closet. Shit, the lower floors really aren't well equipped. But they'll work. Stomping back to Esikko's room, he tackles the cleaning. Sweeping out his room, even a foot up the walls, using the vacuum to go over any rugs or carpet, slamming the life out of his bedding on the walls, brutalizing his pillow (which miraculously fluffs it well), wiping down his desk surface and whatever meager furnishings he has in his room. Luckily the lights and ceiling are either clean enough or there's no way he's gonna be getting stains out with these supplies.]
It'd be pathetic if you died cause of a pigsty. Kill yourself with magic, not your shitty cleaning skills.
[He can't stop Esikko from burning himself out. But he can remove one obstacle from the guy's path.]
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Date: 12/11/24 08:49 (UTC)Maybe I'll just have to give you a thank you kiss.
( His little smirk says he's just waiting for him to yell about that. So, after a pause: )
Do you like plants?
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