effortaverse | Heckin Inbox

[Like the...like the mummy costumes for Halloween...]

Close! You've...got the right idea!

[Definitely a start. Cater wasn't sleeping on those leather chest cages. Delicious. But, anyway. He is a cool and collected senpai. He is not going to lose it laughing again. He is determined.]

I don't think they'd mind if you didn't dress full leather baby, but probs would be good to tone down the angel vibes in general if we're going places in Hell.

[The bigger question here, now that sex aspect was outright stated and Kalim glossed over it so easily...was this really a wise decision? Cater was confident he could keep Kalim out of trouble, he really was, but would this be, like, mentally damaging to virgin eyes?

He'd been dead for, what, close to half a year now? He had to learn sometime, right? Okay, Cater. Full send.]

I think we're all more-or-less on the same page, at this point. When're we going? We'll call it a boy's day!

[Leona, however, is staring at Cater like Cater has just said something absurd.]

...He's got a permanent glowstick around his head, Diamond.

How do you tone that down?

[wait a second]

— and there was nothing right about the idea he got!

[Listen, there's a certain level of underestimation from others Kalim shoots for on the regular (he has his reasons, okay) and this is actually so far below that threshold, he's wondering if maybe he should be... insulted??

Is that what this feeling is? Has he been insulted???

He was really going to let them just see for themselves how well he could acclimate to a more mature atmosphere, but Leona's reaction has somehow managed to rub him the wrong way and now he's gotta say something.]

Look, I-- [Nngh.] I know that I'm not all that smart. And my attention span is... lacking. And I can't always read the room! But--

[Smacking his hands down on his knees and sitting up straight, puffing out his chest. His little bean brows are furrowed tight above ruby red eyes filled to the brim with burning determination.] But I wasn't born yesterday!

I'm not a little kid! I've been to hell! I know what's down there!

[Oh...ouch. Even if Kalim's self-assessment isn't exactly wrong, there's still something that makes Cater wince internally at hearing him say those things about himself. His teasing, jovial attitude evens out into something a bit more serious as he reaches over to plop a hand on his head, between those big ol' ears.]

Hey, I get it.

[Kalim was definitely sheltered, but there were also things that he'd experienced most people didn't have to. Really serious things. Of course Kalim had some kind of understanding of more mature aspects of reality.

...Even if it still felt weird imagining Kalim in a sex club.

He glances over to Leona.]

It's not like either of us doesn't want him getting new life experiences. I'm serious, I'll tone myself down. No benders. If things get too freaky, we can leave.

[Leona's in a similar boat. it's... weird, hearing it from Kalim, and it's also weird to confront being a little incorrect. he's still not sure that it's a place Kalim actually wants to be at.]

Still can't turn off the halo,

[he mutters, sitting up to get crosslegged and resting an arm on his knee.]

I don't get what's in this for you, Asim.

What's the big deal about goin' to a hell park, anyway?

[he gets why cater's going ok]

[Huff. His head lowers with the hand placed upon it, ears drooping before flattening against his head. Normally this encouraging sort of comfort is fine, welcomed even, but right now it just makes him feel...

Well, like everybody thinks he's a baby!]

"Tone yourself down"?? Why would you have to--

[Ohh... Cater is admitting that he'd have to restrict or restrain himself from having as much fun as he'd like. That's the long and the short of that, isn't it? Damn. The very idea crushes Kalim's dancing soul. The whole idea is the antithesis of the world Kalim has endeavored to create, and if something about his presence at a place like that could ruin the amount of fun Cater could be having... Well. Either he has to keep up, or stay out of the way, right?

Man, this sucks.

Leona butts in with that too-casual line of questioning and it earns a deeper furrowing of the bunny's brow, along with a barely visible prickling of his hackles beneath Cater's hand.]

That's a good question, Leona! What is the big deal about going to a hell park? Why are you guys acting like it's "too much" for me or something?

[Oh, no. They were absolutely making things worse, weren't they? Cater hesitates--because he's never seen Kalim get quite like this. He takes a deep breath, retracting his hand and sitting up a little straighter. Okay, no more dancing around it, then.]

Because around the thrill rides, the whole thing is probably going to be one big orgy--literal. I don't want to see you get uncomfortable when you're expecting one thing just to find out that it's something completely different.

[He wasn't going to speak for Leona, though he was sure the sentiment was similar if not exactly the same. And Leona was certainly not going to sugarcoat anything, if he did express himself.]

[Leona's fairly taken aback, too, not rwally expecting this reaction— but Cater covers pretty much anything he could say, and as he thinks, much less harsh. so even though he doesn't speak for Leona—]

Yeah, that's pretty much it.

You don't have anything to prove just by goin' somewhere everyone else wants to go.

[he is absolutely completely misreading Kalim's wishes here, though.]

I'm not gonna be uncomfortable! [Probably! And even if he was, he'd FIGURE IT OUT!!] I want to go with you guys because it sounds like it would be a fun thing to do together!

[The more they talk the more aware he's becoming of how little they trust him and his ability to be a normal, functioning (young)adult male. Liek sure, yes, he's inexperienced, yes he's got a lot to catch up to compared to these guys (apparently) but he's still a guy!!! It's not like he's completely unaware of people's needs-- his own included --but this whole ordeal has made him sure that what he's been seeing these past couple of weeks has to be the truth...

Maybe this isn't about them thinking he's too stupid and childish to know what sex is, maybe it's That Other Thing.

He sighs, exhaling all his tension in an attempt to bring himself down a notch. It's not like he wants them to think he's angry at them or anything, after all.]

But if this is all just because you two would rather go together, without me, you can also just say that.

Dude, seriously, I...

[He's about to go on some sort of reassurance pipeline about how he really does want to have a good time with Kalim, and he does think that he will, and he didn't mean to make Kalim feel like a kid because he does want to empower him and it's just that he's maybe a little bit uncomfortable with the idea of himself--

But then Kalim comes up with this new secret surprise idea about why they're trying to discourage him or change his mind and he practically wheezes.]

Wait...what? That literally isn't a thing?

[He had not even considered the idea that he and Leona would go to Lust Themepark together. No, if anything, he wanted to go by himself where nobody could see him make very stupid choices.]

Why would you even think that?

Edited 2025-06-03 03:43 (UTC)

[meanwhile, Leona looks around the room as though he is trying to find the secret fourth person who is supposed to be a part of "you two", but Cater goes ahead and solidifies the assumption that yeah Kalim is talking about Cater and Leona here.

...And so Leona just lets Cater have the question, not adding anything.]

Well, it has to be something!

It's either that I'm interrupting something important again or you guys actually think I don't know what sex is and think I wouldn't have fun being around people who are maybe having it!

Which is silly! It's all silly!

Of course I think you know what sex is! But there's also literally nothing silly about not wanting to be around other people fucking while you're trying to have a fun time at an amusement park with friends!

[Cater's voice might have tapered off into a squeak by the end of that one. Interrupting something?]

And what do you mean again?! Since when has anything important happened for you to be interrupting?!

[Leona, too, keeps his eyes as wide as saucers, looking between Kalim and Cater. This. this isn't a conversation that has to be happening, right? Leona looks away from them both. there is one thing he can remember that Kalim could have been around to see.

...no, that's okay, fight on by yourself, Cater. Leona still says nothing.]

[Looking between the two of them like are they serious right now??????]

Ever since the party! You guys have been acting...! I don't know? Weird?

[He isn't crazy, right? He knows he saw what he saw!]

Unless you guys have always been like this and I just hadn't noticed til you were sleeping in my room all the time?

The party?

[Cater's eyes snap over to Leona, imagining at once two very particular moments that happened that night. Damn it, his face is turning red.]

We're not acting weird. We've just never spent this much time together, before, so it's understandable that the dynamic would seem a bit different.

[Leona, meanwhile, is avoiding eye contact with everyone. his face isn't a giant, readble sign like Cater's, but his tail sure is fidgeting.

...Calmly, quietly, he tries to redirect, denying nothing.]

...I never said you couldn't go, Kalim. I just wanted to know for sure you know what you're getting into.

[see? we don't have to talk about that other bit!]

[Wait...

Was he really on to something?

Cater's complexion is betraying him and Leona pivoted so fast Kalim's amazed he didn't get whiplash. It's not like he expected either of them to cop to this ridiculous accusation but... those responses aren't really helping their case either.]

Yeah, ha. I guess that's true... [He chuckles, scratching at the back of his neck. Man.] Hadn't really thought about it like that.

[Even if he doesn't really believe that at all... He shouldn't push it. They've been fussing over his comfort this whole time, the least he can do is put forth some effort to make sure they're comfortable, too. No matter how much it's burning him up to stick to the sidelines on this, if they really wanted him to be a part of it, they'd probably say so. It helps, though, having a better understanding of what they really thought about him this whole time... Explains a lot, really. Can't blame them for not wanting that guy to catch on to whatever this is supposed to be.

He purses his lips for a long, thoughtful moment, his gaze tracing the pattern woven into the massive rug spread beneath them as he considers the best path from here.]

I know, Leona. And I promise I'm gonna be fine. [Stretching his leggies out in front of him with a light-hearted little laugh.] And hey, you don't have to worry about chaperoning me or anything! I can just go to the places I think look fun and you guys can do whatever you want to do! [Compromises are cool!! Isn't that basically how it worked at Playful Land anyway?? Also totally not implying that he still thinks the two of them should get to go do things together or anything!!]

[Cater is very, very happy to take the out. Leona has redirected the conversation, and Kalim seems to have accepted it. Except, he's still sort of trying to push them into spending time alone together, apparently. Cater takes a breath, re-settling himself. Fine, this was all fine. What was important was not whatever was happening between him and Leona but making sure they didn't give Kalim some kind of complex.]

I want to go and have fun with you, Kalim. I was, like, already on board to do that. I think the things you've pointed out as fun are fun.

[This whole everything felt so weird, now. Buzz = killed.]

All things considered--if you'd be happier this time on your own, I'll step off for reals. I'm chill with all of us doing our own thing, too.

[He will be incredibly worried the entire time! And be very tempted to have a Split Card tail him! But, yeah, if Kalim legitimately felt like he was being smothered, Cater was not about contributing to that. Flopping backward, Cater pulls out his phone.]

Edited 2025-06-03 07:13 (UTC)

...Am I the only one who thinks this whole park sounds like a scam?

[he really is in the minority here, isn't he? Leona's the only one who'd be fine not going.

...but even he doesn't actually want to ruin the mood. especially when they're not going to get expelled from anywhere. no greater expulsion than being a fucking corpse.]

Fine. We'll all go to the damn theme park.

[which is a bit contrary to what Cater said but he did not ask!]

[He can feel the vibe being sucked out of the room and ughhhhh this is why he doesn't!! Say things!! That will make things more complicated!! Next time he's just gonna keep his big mouth shut.

In the end he still gets what he wants, sure. They can all go to the park together!! Yay!! But... at what cost? Cater has disengaged! He's bummed! Kalim's gotta fix it ASAP! He groans-- not unlike a zombie --and shuffles over to Cater to flop on top of him, resting his head on the other bunny's belly and snaking his arms around his waist.]

I knooow, you always have my back. And I really wanna have fun with you, too! [Can Cater really stay bummed at this face??] All kinds! Maybe even the freaky kind!

[...whatever that may entail, Kalim seems pretty willing to tackle it head-on and that's gotta count for something, right? He wiggles a little, casting a look over his shoulder to Leona.]

And if it ends up being a scam, then we can kick the scammers butts or something and have fun that way. How about that? [Best of both worlds! ...or something!]

[Kalim should be allowed to speak his mind whenever he pleases! He simply has the misfortune of being saddled with a couple of people really bad at expressing themselves in healthy and appropriate manners.

Anyway, Cater cannot stay bummed when Kalim is making those eyes at him. He peeks at him from around his phone, but chokes on an incredulous laugh at what he says.]

You gotta work on your phrasing, buddy. Don't think we'll be having any kind of freaky fun with each other. Buuuuut let's just see what we do get up to, yeah? I'm sure we'll have a great time!

[another sigh, and Leona leans his chin into his palm, bracing his elbow on his knee. it's kind of amusing, but he can't give either of them the validation of his laughter right now, alright.]

Hey, now, Cater. Don't go assumin' again.

Maybe Kalim does wanna get you in bed.

[listen if the boy's gonna insist he's old enough to talk about this and pull that shit on him and Cater, then this is where the conversation is going.]

[You can’t tell if his face is red if he’s hiding it in another guys stomach, right?

He does say something in reply but it’s too muffled to even be considered words. Try again later!]

Kalim gets both of us in bed every night.

[He'll pat a hand on Kalim's back, giving Leona the mildest of looks. C'mon, man.]

What'd you say? Didn't quite catch that, buddy.

[Try again now!]

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