Your heart's a mess

[wounds]

Who: Genos, Squalo & YOU
What: A performance
When: Feb 12
Where: On stage at some club
Warnings: ... Squalo?

[Check those sweet top levels]

Comments

POST-PERFORMANCE

[wounds]

Genos, open

[wounds]

[Once it's over he can be found backstage for at least a few minutes. There he just looks half lost and half dazed. The song felt real still, even if he's not sure if he really meant a word of it.

Still, he's eventually shuffled out to a table to do a meet and greet with his fans... He'll seemingly happily shake hands, sign merchandise- the usual things celebrities are asked to do at public functions like these.]

BACKSTAGE

[agains]

[ Keith, never the master of subtlety, had been making a very considerable effort to be open about his presence lately. Everyone spooks so easily (and for that matter, so does he). He's careful to not take anybody by surprise out of politeness and... also the desire to not take a fist to the face, if anyone reacts poorly.

Of course, he doesn't know the story behind what Genos went through. He can't know. He didn't want to know much, hasn't talked extensively to his... his rival. They are in competition. Still, Keith can't forget their friendship, even as he remains fearful of Blanche's influence.

He only means to greet Genos. But the sight of his friend and the overwhelming sound of the performance -- "sound", sight, feeling! all on that subconscious level -- makes him act out.

INITIATE SILENT BEAR HUG, perhaps a moment too long for bromance, even though it's totally platonic. ]

[wounds]

[Genos isn't afraid of his label- unlike so many others. But he was brainwashed a little differently than most. Still, he has no desire to disobey them- at least for now.

He has no idea how strongly his performances tend to affect people- so he's surprised when he's suddenly wrapped into a bear hug. If Keith notices, his torso is considerably less pliant than before- maybe he's worked out since they've last seen each other?

Nevertheless, he lets out an embarrassing noise of surprise.]

... Gonna let go in the next century?

[agains]

[ Still reeling from the performance, Keith is the pliant one. He feels very protective, and a little on the verge of tears himself. ]

A few more years, Genos. [ ...Okay, now he'll let go. ] I'm sorry. Your voice has only gotten better since I last heard you perform. Was it for someone special?

[ open can of worms because you're an oblivious teddy bear, y/n? ]

[wounds]

[He seems to pale immediately when Keith asks if it's for somebody special.]

I've no idea what you're talking about. It's just a Valentine's romance song.

[agains]

But there was so much passion! And heartache! [ While the brainwashing has made him too smart to argue the point any further, he's. Um. Not necessarily smart enough to consciously understand the stalkerish connotations. ]

If I were the type to get jealous, I would steal you from Pride and spirit you away to Virgo this instant. Those people [ because he still can't say anything negative, even though competitive spirit artificially burns within him ] don't deserve you.

[wounds]

That's what a romance song is supposed to sound like. [And Genos is absolutely the weird stalker. He's Mr. Steal your Fries.]

Ha! I think the higher ups would have words with you if you pulled a stunt like that.

[agains]

[ Nico Nico Niiiii~ Your fries are toast. It's Keith's turn to back off a little. The air's a little stale. When he goes quiet, it's wrong. ]

Ah... You have a good point. They do know what's good for us, after all. [ He can't just tell Genos what's wrong. Although in public, they're less likely to be watched or overheard. ] Pride is a safe-- Manticore is an excellent place for you. You and Squalo, and you and Ms. Kido, are also unstoppable duos.

[ Real smooth, buddy. ]

[wounds]

Of course they do.

[Of course they don't.

He'll bow his head just a bit.]

Thank you. I hope you'll keep coming to these. And invite me to one of yours.

[heroforfun]

[Saitama didn't exactly approach, nor did he show up to this gig on time. But he did show up, hoodie tugged over his head (it's chilly, okay).

Something about Genos' performance, though... normally, he's pretty sure he'd be kinda weirded out by a song like that. Wasn't that song used in one of the horror movies about stalkers he watched? But he gets it, this time.

He wasn't going to necessarily walk up to Genos, since things are still risky apparently... but hey. A few minutes wouldn't hurt. He tugs out the CD that Squalo gave him, and that he had Roy sign.]

Hey, Genos. Squalo's there, too?

[He has no idea what's about to hit him.]

[wounds]

[Genos practically freezes as soon as he lays eyes on Saitama.

This is the person he put on a pedestal for so long, the person he would have done anything for. He said, right to his face, that no matter what happened he would follow him.

It rings true in his heart, but false in his mind.

Instead of perking up at the sight of him, he backs away. He has no idea how he wants to approach- or even if he wants to approach at all, and so-]

Leave me alone.

[heroforfun]

[Whoa. What? Saitama blinks, surprised.]

Whoa. Is it not safe?

[He looks around, assuming that the guards are on to him.]

[wounds]

[He doesn't know if it's safe for Saitama or not...

He wraps an arm around himself and starts backing away.]

I don't want to see you. I don't... ever want to see you again.

[It takes him a long time to spit the words out, and he looks conflicted about it. Does he really mean it?]

[heroforfun]

[Wow. He's used to being rejected in a bunch of different ways, but this one kinda sucks. He just sort of holds out the CD.]

Uh. I listened to the whole thing. I was wondering if you'd sign it, or something. That's what fans do, right?

[wounds]

[His heart, no, it's his core now- either way, it's screaming that no, he wants to see Saitama every day of his life. But his head is saying that's a terrible idea, that Saitama was the one who murdered his family. And yet... and yet...

He takes the CD, writes his name just as exactly as he used to.

His voice is soft, timid as he asks.]

... Did you like it?

[heroforfun]

Yeah... your voice sounds great, dude. I never knew. You weren't joking about that perfect ear for pitch, or whatever you called it...

[wounds]

[He's always known he's had a perfect ear but... He's also sure he's never mentioned it to anyone.]

... What are you talking about? I don't know you.

[He just thought he did...]

[trn451]

Hi, hi, from the label, sorry, excuse me. [So it turns out you can bullshit your way to the front of any line and behind any table as long as you're confident about it, and besides, it's not like Parker's really lying. She's from a label, after all.

She very casually insinuates herself next to Genos, leaning sideways against the table as he signs things.]

That was...gentle. Branching out?

[wounds]

Parker?

[He signs the next CD they side over to him without much thought.]

Yeah, it's still rock after all. Why? Did it sound too weird coming out of me?

[trn451]

A little. [She shrugs.] I tried to put something subtler together a couple weeks back and I still think I went too hard on the chorus, but. [Another pause.] Mostly I wanted to ask who the lucky guy was.

[wounds]

[He seems a little startled, a very faint blush over his face.]

What? No, it's just a Valentine's thing.

[He's not even a good liar. There's no way those feelings would come across that strong if he wasn't so into Saitama.]

[trn451]

[That gets a raised eyebrow.] If I believed that I wouldn't have come.

Seriously, tell me about him. What's he like? Is he cute?

[wounds]

[Now that it's after Saitama's been here, there's a dreamy little smile on his face.]

He's my hero. He's strong and handsome, and I've never met anyone as amazing as him.

[trn451]

[Parker's smile grows in spite of herself — she plays a lot grumpier than she is nowdays.] That's adorable. What's he like personality-wise?