[ Like the rest of Marcille's acquaintances, Ishmael gets a box of LILITH's chocolate and a small rectangle of orange-scented soap wrapped in burlap and tied with twine.
Tucked under the knot is a small business card— Marceline Amato, Hairstyling Specialist, REDACTED Salon, REDACTED address. I'll think of those later. Because it's Neo Tokyo, the facilities aren't as pristine or trendy or up-to-date as Marcille would like, but she's working with what she has.
On the back of the business card, in elegant, elven handwriting: ]
Thank you for everything! Message me or come visit if you ever want your hair done for free!
I made it when I first came here. I usually make my own soap. I'm available! I'm not sure how to turn on that function though, but I'll try Is there anything I should do?
I'll turn it on in a minute. Just accept it when it pops up.
So... someone gave me hairclips during White Day, and I was wondering how to style my hair with them in case I feel like putting them on. As you can probably tell by now, I don't really have experience with these kinds of things...
[ okay so she's going to send a video feed now... when marcille chooses to accept it, she'll see herself staring into a mirror in ishmael's pov (because i forgot the oculars don't have a selfie option rip) in the comfort of her bedroom in brimstone. it's pretty plain, don't expect too much from it. ]
You can see me, right? [ waves at the mirror hiiiiiiii ] Here they are.
[ she dangles a couple of flower accessories in front of her eyes. aren't they pretty. she couldn't believe it either. ]
I figured that I can just clip them on the side of my head, but...
[ When Marcille accepts the invite and opens the feed, the first thing Ishmael will see from her side is the other end of Marcille's bed, legs crossed underneath her. Marcille is still new to Neo Tokyo, so there isn't much to see: a fluffy, deep green quilt; a neat (and growing) pile of books on a small wooden stool beside the bed; flowers being dried from a string near the corner of the room.
There's also a very plain-looking doll sitting beside the pile of books, facing away from the camera. It's hard to get a good look at, though, because Marcille is quickly scrambling to her mirror at the side of the room. If there's one thing she'd buy right away that's not a brush, it's a mirror. ]
[ Marcille finally sits at her desk and faces the mirror, folding her fingers and giving the feed of Ishmael her full, undivided attention.
She immediately gasps and brings her folded hands up to her chest because those are SO CUTE ]
Look at them! They're so adorable! It's perfect for your hair color too, since it'll stand out against the orange. You could clip them on the sides around your bows, you can put your hair up in a bun or in a braid and clip them on there, you could even make a crown with the braid and clip them there... You could do so much with these!
[ AKA please let Marcille help. ]
Who got you these?! They must've known you'd look cute in them!
[ wow. she is... so girly, in a way that rodion and malkuth aren't. ishmael's trying to envision the hairstyles marcille has brought up in her mind, but to no avail. no time to be cute when it's the literal survival of the fittest out there in the City, after all.
she blinks at the question, though. does... he know she'd look cute in them? much to think about. ]
Er, do you know Wriothesley? From Revelation. I got him chocolate last month, so I was expecting the same thing in return, but...
[ Unfortunately I don't know if Valentine's Day exists in Dungeon Meshi; I assume it doesn't, which might make the situation that much more serious in Marcille's eyes.
"Serious" being "romantic." She knows this scenario. She read about it in the Daltian Clan.
Her eyes are wide like Ishmael suddenly started speaking in another language, bus she's processed every single word. ]
I know Wriothesley! I, um... [ She sinks into her shoulders a little. ] I... accidentally made him trip and spill a drink everywhere during that one mission, but we're friends! Anyway, that's not important right now.
[ She sets her hand on the desk and leans into the mirror a little. ]
You gave him chocolate? And then he gave you pretty hair accessories? [ Her eyes narrow a little. ] How long have you two known each other?
[ wtf is that reaction, girl... ishmael even leans back from the mirror. ]
Er, we're in the first batch of people that came here so... more than three months? And to be perfectly fair, LILITH made us give away chocolate last month too. It didn't really mean anything.
[ which is why she's confused with this gift? but maybe it didn't mean anything to him either. ]
The answer deflates her a little, though. Okay, so the chocolate exchange last month was mandated too. But those hairclips are something else. ]
But he didn't have to give you hairclips like these, right? He could have just given you chocolate too! If he really went out to find something like this for you, paid for it using his own Kryptos... Don't you think that means he likes you?
Huh? I mean, I sure hope he does. He's been nothing but nice to me since we met.
[ she's missing the point... but she knows him well enough to know that he'd never play around with her feelings. that's the last thing she ever wants. ]
But you're right. He could've just gotten me chocolate and I'd be happy with it. Although, I could see him do the same thing to his other peers too.
I MADE THIS A TEXT THREAD AGAIN ON ACCIDENT LIKE A FOOL makes it video again
[ I sure hope he does. Marcille's face falls completely. Just 😑 for a second. At least Ishmael picks up the pieces again right away. ]
You think he would buy gifts like this for his other friends? [ She rests her chin on her hand, looking genuinely perplexed. ] Well... what do you think about it? Have you really never thought about the idea before?
CRYING i also just followed your lead like an idiot........
[ hold on, she's going to give this bit of a thought. it really hasn't crossed her mind till now, evident with the look on her face. ]
You've got to understand. I don't have a reference when it comes to these things. The City we're from more or less discourages emotional attachment to anyone. How was I supposed to know?
[ she thinks of heathcliff, and how he was so obsessed with looking at the mere ring his beloved cathy had given him. how ishmael had almost bludgeoned his head because he was that much in love, and how heath had stopped her by pointing out that the both of them aren't all that different. ]
Besides, I don't want to ruin our friendship if it ever comes to that. That's the last thing I ever want.
[ Marcille gives her time to contemplate, but she's got stars in her wide eyes, obviously eager to hear the answer. When it comes, it deflates her a little bit, making her furrow her brow and jut out her lip.
Another romantic trope—perhaps one of the most frustrating of all. The person (people?) who won't make a move for the sake of preserving their friendship, when all along they were meant for each other. Marcille can recognize that she doesn't know either of them well herself, but if there's a chance that she can wedge some bit of unsaid romance from the situation, she's ready to dig for it. ]
I guess I'm not surprised. We have the same unspoken rule about adventurer parties, and your world sounds dangerous from what you've told me. [ She sets her elbows on her the and her jaw in both hands, still pouting. ] That sounds like an awfully sad existence though... You've really never read any books about it? Or met anyone else that's been in love?
[ she remembers it all too well -- her seeing red as she stares down at a downed heathcliff with her mace held high, heathcliff letting out a scoff as he braces himself for impact. it'll be fine, he said. he'll be right as rain in a minute once dante restores their battered and broken bodies despite the excruciating pain it causes them. more importantly, his words that made her stop her fit of blind rage would pop up every now and then in her thoughts, especially now.
"I was a fool to think you'd be any different from me."
ishmael blinks, and shakes her head. ]
Never mind. This isn't about him. And he hasn't really talked much about his so-called girlfriend either, so that's also a bust.
[ I wish I could see whatever you and Val are saying about this thread.........
Oh, what was that? Marcille lifts her head from her hands and folds her arms over the desk, watching with interest as Ishmael's expression seems to darken for a moment. Then that darkness gets shaken away.
Interesting. And yeah, none of this is her business at all, but has she ever cared about that? Certain people would say No Way, and they would be right.
Also. She definitely does go off and ask Wriothesley about this later, so.
She sets her jaw back in her hands, pouts, and tilts her head. ]
Well, if you don't really view him that way, I guess it can't be helped. [ Where is the DRAMA! The PASSION!!! ] Just one more question and then I'll let it go, I promise. If he said he was interested, what would you do?
[ we're both crying over how marcille is working VERY HARD in making this ship happen, help
and it seems her efforts are slowly coming into fruition. ishmael stares at marcille like the elf has grown two heads all of a sudden, and she slightly opens her mouth to retort that she minds her damn business - but her own mind suddenly goes somewhere.
it's not a good point of reference, but that fated night at the sapphire room is the only one she has on hand that didn't involve other people's experiences. even when they were both just faking their relationship for the sake of appearances and for the mission, what they had was nice. it even felt like they can continue their usual banter if everything about it was real. wriothesley had told her that he only wanted her to be comfortable around her, and she was, to the point of asking for a kiss from him and he even readily gave it to her without complaint.
but all of that wasn't real, was it? the clock had already struck twelve long ago, after all. ]
I...
[ she bites her lip as she mulls over this carefully. man, where's a nearby body of water to look into when you need it most? then she closes her eyes and exhales, choosing her words very carefully. ]
...I'm not ready for that. I don't think either of us are ready for that. Those kinds of feelings are just going to make us more vulnerable than we already are.
[ but it won't happen, she hopes. this is for their own good. ]
[ Marcille seems to have struck the right chord. Her contemplative expression gives way to surprise and then rapt interest. Ishmael is both looking at her and looking past her, remembering something from far off. Marcille doesn't dare to disturb that moment.
When Ishmael lowers her head and closes her eyes, Marcille's brow knits in worry and she lifts her head from her hands. They don't know each other well, but Ishmael has a good head on her shoulders. If vulnerability makes her nervous, being honest about this was probably difficult.
Ishmael might not be someone who appreciates it, but if they were next to each other, Marcille would have taken her hands and squeezed them. ]
...Okay.
[ Marcille made a promise. She'll leave things there, also because Ishmael seems very sincere with her answer. She did enough digging for this answer alone. It doesn't seem like the right moment to press for more—and maybe this will get her to think harder about the situation. That's as much as Marcille can ask of someone she only knows so well. ]
You'd know what's best. Thanks for being honest with me though.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
♥️ white day
Tucked under the knot is a small business card—
Marceline Amato, Hairstyling Specialist, REDACTED Salon, REDACTED address. I'll think of those later. Because it's Neo Tokyo, the facilities aren't as pristine or trendy or up-to-date as Marcille would like, but she's working with what she has.
On the back of the business card, in elegant, elven handwriting: ]
Thank you for everything!
Message me or come visit if you ever want your hair done for free!
- Marcille
🥺
Are you available right now? Er, on video at least. If you still don't know, it's basically seeing each other's faces without having to meet up.
Oh, and thanks for the gifts. Where did you get the soap?
🥺 hi. ratgrabs you
I'm available! I'm not sure how to turn on that function though, but I'll try
Is there anything I should do?
is grabbed 😳
I'll turn it on in a minute. Just accept it when it pops up.
So... someone gave me hairclips during White Day, and I was wondering how to style my hair with them in case I feel like putting them on. As you can probably tell by now, I don't really have experience with these kinds of things...
🫳🐀
Show me, show me!
🪤🐀 ; video
You can see me, right? [ waves at the mirror hiiiiiiii ] Here they are.
[ she dangles a couple of flower accessories in front of her eyes. aren't they pretty. she couldn't believe it either. ]
I figured that I can just clip them on the side of my head, but...
1/2
There's also a very plain-looking doll sitting beside the pile of books, facing away from the camera. It's hard to get a good look at, though, because Marcille is quickly scrambling to her mirror at the side of the room. If there's one thing she'd buy right away that's not a brush, it's a mirror. ]
Just one second—!
2/2
She immediately gasps and brings her folded hands up to her chest because those are SO CUTE ]
Look at them! They're so adorable! It's perfect for your hair color too, since it'll stand out against the orange. You could clip them on the sides around your bows, you can put your hair up in a bun or in a braid and clip them on there, you could even make a crown with the braid and clip them there... You could do so much with these!
[ AKA please let Marcille help. ]
Who got you these?! They must've known you'd look cute in them!
no subject
she blinks at the question, though. does... he know she'd look cute in them? much to think about. ]
Er, do you know Wriothesley? From Revelation. I got him chocolate last month, so I was expecting the same thing in return, but...
[ yeah she still sounds confused by that. ]
no subject
"Serious" being "romantic." She knows this scenario. She read about it in the Daltian Clan.
Her eyes are wide like Ishmael suddenly started speaking in another language, bus she's processed every single word. ]
I know Wriothesley! I, um... [ She sinks into her shoulders a little. ] I... accidentally made him trip and spill a drink everywhere during that one mission, but we're friends! Anyway, that's not important right now.
[ She sets her hand on the desk and leans into the mirror a little. ]
You gave him chocolate? And then he gave you pretty hair accessories? [ Her eyes narrow a little. ] How long have you two known each other?
no subject
Er, we're in the first batch of people that came here so... more than three months? And to be perfectly fair, LILITH made us give away chocolate last month too. It didn't really mean anything.
[ which is why she's confused with this gift? but maybe it didn't mean anything to him either. ]
no subject
The answer deflates her a little, though. Okay, so the chocolate exchange last month was mandated too. But those hairclips are something else. ]
But he didn't have to give you hairclips like these, right? He could have just given you chocolate too!
If he really went out to find something like this for you, paid for it using his own Kryptos...
Don't you think that means he likes you?
no subject
[ she's missing the point... but she knows him well enough to know that he'd never play around with her feelings. that's the last thing she ever wants. ]
But you're right. He could've just gotten me chocolate and I'd be happy with it. Although, I could see him do the same thing to his other peers too.
I MADE THIS A TEXT THREAD AGAIN ON ACCIDENT LIKE A FOOL makes it video again
You think he would buy gifts like this for his other friends? [ She rests her chin on her hand, looking genuinely perplexed. ] Well... what do you think about it? Have you really never thought about the idea before?
CRYING i also just followed your lead like an idiot........
You've got to understand. I don't have a reference when it comes to these things. The City we're from more or less discourages emotional attachment to anyone. How was I supposed to know?
[ she thinks of heathcliff, and how he was so obsessed with looking at the mere ring his beloved cathy had given him. how ishmael had almost bludgeoned his head because he was that much in love, and how heath had stopped her by pointing out that the both of them aren't all that different. ]
Besides, I don't want to ruin our friendship if it ever comes to that. That's the last thing I ever want.
GRIPS YOUR HANDS
Another romantic trope—perhaps one of the most frustrating of all. The person (people?) who won't make a move for the sake of preserving their friendship, when all along they were meant for each other. Marcille can recognize that she doesn't know either of them well herself, but if there's a chance that she can wedge some bit of unsaid romance from the situation, she's ready to dig for it. ]
I guess I'm not surprised. We have the same unspoken rule about adventurer parties, and your world sounds dangerous from what you've told me. [ She sets her elbows on her the and her jaw in both hands, still pouting. ] That sounds like an awfully sad existence though... You've really never read any books about it? Or met anyone else that's been in love?
no subject
I have met someone like that. He's...
[ she remembers it all too well -- her seeing red as she stares down at a downed heathcliff with her mace held high, heathcliff letting out a scoff as he braces himself for impact. it'll be fine, he said. he'll be right as rain in a minute once dante restores their battered and broken bodies despite the excruciating pain it causes them. more importantly, his words that made her stop her fit of blind rage would pop up every now and then in her thoughts, especially now.
"I was a fool to think you'd be any different from me."
ishmael blinks, and shakes her head. ]
Never mind. This isn't about him. And he hasn't really talked much about his so-called girlfriend either, so that's also a bust.
[ spoilers: it's incredibly fucked up. just wuthering heights things. ]
Anyway, I don't really view Wriothesley that way. I'm satisfied with what we currently have, and I'm sure he'd say the same if you ask.
[ not that she should. that's none of her business 🧍♂️ ]
no subject
Oh, what was that? Marcille lifts her head from her hands and folds her arms over the desk, watching with interest as Ishmael's expression seems to darken for a moment. Then that darkness gets shaken away.
Interesting. And yeah, none of this is her business at all, but has she ever cared about that? Certain people would say No Way, and they would be right.
Also. She definitely does go off and ask Wriothesley about this later, so.
She sets her jaw back in her hands, pouts, and tilts her head. ]
Well, if you don't really view him that way, I guess it can't be helped. [ Where is the DRAMA! The PASSION!!! ] Just one more question and then I'll let it go, I promise. If he said he was interested, what would you do?
no subject
and it seems her efforts are slowly coming into fruition. ishmael stares at marcille like the elf has grown two heads all of a sudden, and she slightly opens her mouth to retort that she minds her damn business - but her own mind suddenly goes somewhere.
it's not a good point of reference, but that fated night at the sapphire room is the only one she has on hand that didn't involve other people's experiences. even when they were both just faking their relationship for the sake of appearances and for the mission, what they had was nice. it even felt like they can continue their usual banter if everything about it was real. wriothesley had told her that he only wanted her to be comfortable around her, and she was, to the point of asking for a kiss from him and he even readily gave it to her without complaint.
but all of that wasn't real, was it? the clock had already struck twelve long ago, after all. ]
I...
[ she bites her lip as she mulls over this carefully. man, where's a nearby body of water to look into when you need it most? then she closes her eyes and exhales, choosing her words very carefully. ]
...I'm not ready for that. I don't think either of us are ready for that. Those kinds of feelings are just going to make us more vulnerable than we already are.
[ but it won't happen, she hopes. this is for their own good. ]
no subject
When Ishmael lowers her head and closes her eyes, Marcille's brow knits in worry and she lifts her head from her hands. They don't know each other well, but Ishmael has a good head on her shoulders. If vulnerability makes her nervous, being honest about this was probably difficult.
Ishmael might not be someone who appreciates it, but if they were next to each other, Marcille would have taken her hands and squeezed them. ]
...Okay.
[ Marcille made a promise. She'll leave things there, also because Ishmael seems very sincere with her answer. She did enough digging for this answer alone. It doesn't seem like the right moment to press for more—and maybe this will get her to think harder about the situation. That's as much as Marcille can ask of someone she only knows so well. ]
You'd know what's best. Thanks for being honest with me though.
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