[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.]
[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.]
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!
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.]
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.]
...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.]
[Cater hums, thoughtful. They were working on not underestimating Kalim and letting him be an adult and yadda yadda...so, maybe he'll just go out and say it. Unscrewing those training wheels! Here we go!]
Yeah, but we're talking about taking someone into bed to do the no-pants dance, you feel me? Not the kind of bed-sharing we've been doing...
[Cater's about to say something to Leona when Kalim chimes in with his suggestion, and damn it now his cheeks are getting hot again. No, no more misunderstandings!]
I really thought that was a clear-cut way of being obvious without being explicit. Horizontal tango definitely does not get the point across. We're talking about having sex again, Kalim. Usually when you say you want to get freaky with someone that's what you mean.
[Between the two of them, Cater lets out an indignant noise.]
You can't talk like you don't know if you actually know! It's confusing me!
[It is becoming completely incomprehensible what is and isn't understood at this point! He's trying to be considerate, not make assumptions! Stop bullying him!
But anyway he's being tickled now so his protesting cuts off abruptly as he starts thrashing instead.]
Stop! I yield! I'll go put myself in the naughty boys who assume corner!
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[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?
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...And so Leona just lets Cater have the question, not adding anything.]
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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!
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[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?!
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...no, that's okay, fight on by yourself, Cater. Leona still says nothing.]
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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?
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[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.
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...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!]
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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!!]
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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.]
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[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!]
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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!]
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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!
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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.]
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He does say something in reply but it’s too muffled to even be considered words. Try again later!]
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[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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Yeah, Kalim.
What were you saying?
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What he said.
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Yeah, but we're talking about taking someone into bed to do the no-pants dance, you feel me? Not the kind of bed-sharing we've been doing...
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'no-pants' dance? That's what you're going with?
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Well, half of the work is done already, right? You’re already here, where my bed is, so… all we’d have to do is take our pants off. And then we dance?
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[Cater's about to say something to Leona when Kalim chimes in with his suggestion, and damn it now his cheeks are getting hot again. No, no more misunderstandings!]
I really thought that was a clear-cut way of being obvious without being explicit. Horizontal tango definitely does not get the point across. We're talking about having sex again, Kalim. Usually when you say you want to get freaky with someone that's what you mean.
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that gets Leona to start laughing. the question becomes—
which of these two is Leona laughing at, now?]
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I knooooow! I was keeping up with the metaphor!!
[Launching an all-out assault on Cater's sides now with tickles!! Because how dare you assume!!!]
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You can't talk like you don't know if you actually know! It's confusing me!
[It is becoming completely incomprehensible what is and isn't understood at this point! He's trying to be considerate, not make assumptions! Stop bullying him!
But anyway he's being tickled now so his protesting cuts off abruptly as he starts thrashing instead.]
Stop! I yield! I'll go put myself in the naughty boys who assume corner!
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