jigokulogs | (no subject)

[The knives do stop their approach, hovering a few feet away from the other two.

Without the snap of immediate anger, the reality of what he's just done hits him all at once. He used magic in front of somebody who didn't know he was a wizard. There's nothing here that he could blame for all these knives.

He sighs to himself as the knives get dismissed, fading away into nothing.]

[ Why does he feel like things only became even more awkward...... He stops flailing once he's turned around, because he was expecting to be asked this

...Oh right, they wouldn't know that he knows about wizards. Whoops. ]

Uhm, transformation and flight count as wizard magic, right?

[ Please don't ask why his alarm about the unlimited silverware was purely that they were knives pointed in his direction and not because they came out of nowhere. ]

[ nero won't share the sentiment, but bradley's immediately in a good mood, lifting him even higher! ]

They do! Haha! So you know about Nero, then!?

[ just assumes, immediately. surely this is why he was hired? more importantly!!! ]

How about me!? Did you know of my reputation as the scariest Northern Wizard!? [ okay ONE OF the scariest ones but, details! ] I'm the Great Bradley, leader of the most notorious and terrifying gang of thieves in the already terrifying North Country!

[ just introduces himself again, hopefully now with more context! ]

[The fight has drained out of him, only leaving sheer exasperation behind. Bradley didn't even apologize for one of the worst lies he's ever come up with. Thankfully Lark didn't seem like he was buying it.

Nero crumples up in one of the cubicle seats. His head goes straight into his hands.

Bradley, you're so embarrassing.]

Who told you?

[ He makes a surprised noise as he's lifted even higher, and somehow this is embarrassing? He's not a little kid!

Hhh. Okay, fine. One thing at a time . ]

Cain told me, but uh...I didn't know Mr. Bradley was a wizard until just now. [ Sorry (not that sorry) Bradley. Even if the bandit thing sounds like there's a story behind it, there are more pressing things to deal with, like... ]

...Uhm, can you put me down and apologise to Mr. Nero?

[ ugh. cain. fucking dumbass kid.

he puts lark down, shaking his head with a disgruntled sigh. fine, he never told him, but how come cain didn't tell him that, then? that feels more important (granted he wasn't here yet, but still!) ]

I ain't apologizing for shit. Nero's the dumbass always trying to hide he's a wizard, so I gotta cover his ass whenever he gets caught.

Get a better lie than "all Tamamo members are whores". I know you're not that dumb.

[ Also Lark clearly didn't believe that for a minute. ]

I think the apology is deserved when the lie is bullshit?

[ He clearly didn't believe it for even a minute. ]

[ he might have said it just to cover for nero but he didn't think it was a lie??? he still doesn't think it's a lie! his personal experience with three different tamamo proves it!! but admitting it's a lie means admitting he was kissing nero! nero needs to stop sending him mixed signals about what he wants him to do...

rather than worrying about that, though... lark. your presence here made nero put his face in his hands. that's unforgivable.

he grips lark's shoulder. ]

...I like you, kid. But I need to know what you're planning to do with this information before I let you leave.

[ And of those three Tamamo representatives how many of them were from home? ]

We could just not talk about it. Ever.

[ Lark still isn't sure what he did for Bradley to like him. Not that it's bad, but his eyes dart to look at Bradley's hand on his shoulder. ]

Honestly, I wasn't planning to do anything with it.

[ Whether it's the wizard thing or them apparently being a Thing. Apparently, he's just here to collect information he wasn't supposed to find out about and then proceed to sit on. ]

...Well, I don't care either way. I'm proud of being a wizard, and I'm proud of having Nero by my side.

[ in which way? good question. he pats lark's shoulder happily. ]

So it's up to Nero, here. If he doesn't like you knowin' anything, I'll have to kill ya.

[ sorry kid, he likes you, but he loves nero the most. ]

Absolutely do not kill him.

[He doesn't like people knowing anything about him, but honestly that's mostly Cain and Murr talking way too much. Besides, Lark is currently the only other cook in the restaurant. It wouldn't do to lose him like this.

The Bradley stuff...]

Let's never speak of this again.

[ Mumble mumble grumble,] Why is it death threats? Why can't people threaten to break my damn nose or arm first before saying they'll kill me, getting real sick of... [ Mumble mumble grumble, ]

[ But eventually he just sighs once he's got that out of his system. ]

I'm not gonna tell anyone else, but... [ He vaguely gestures at both Bradley and Nero. ] What exactly is...going on, I guess? [ Because you don't need maxed out social stats to see that only one of them is particularly invested in trying to hide this...relationship? ]

[ "nero's my right-hand man, the smartest guy i know, the best second-in-command a thief boss could ever ask for, the best damn cook in the entire world, the only one that trusts me enough to take my power-up bullets straight at the chest, the only person i'd rather be with, the best lay you could ever ask for, the one with the best smile, the scariest motherfucker ever, the one i'd do anything for, the only one who could ever get me to work a job, the best kisser, the one whose praise i care about above all, the most important person in my life, the one i lo--"

he looks excited for a second, then, deflates, clicking his tongue.

he can't say any of that because nero doesn't want him to. ]

...Yeah, Nero. What is going on?

Edited (missed the d (haha)) 2022-09-28 19:40 (UTC)

[ "Bradley was my former boss, the person I owe my life to, the person I trust more than anyone else, the person who's safety I would do anything to protect, the person who makes me sick with worry, the person I have betrayed so deeply and so personally I don't think I can ever be forgiven, why won't he kill me?"

What he actually says is, ]

Nothing you need to worry about. He's somebody I know from home.

[ So what Lark actually gets from all this is that the answer is complicated. He just needs to look at the way they're reacting. ]

...I kind of already figured all the wizards know each other.

Back home, we don't know all the wizards that exist. But there's four of us per country that were chosen to fight something, so we know each other. Nero and I go way back before then, though.

[ yeah he said it, nero!! our child deserves to know!! it's this or brand yourself as someone that just kisses his employees, so, you're welcome. ]

So yeah, we have history. I don't think it matters if anyone here knows, but this dumbass is a ball of anxiety and everything bothers him for no reason. It's fucking annoying.

Shut up.

[Delivered with a whack of his hand against Bradley's arm. It's not that hard, as he sighs and resigns himself to talking about himself. Just a little bit.]

That's all true. I don't like people knowing stuff about me.

The moon, right? [ Thanks, Cain. ] And all the wizards who are in this city know each other.

...I see. If you really don't want anyone else to know, then I promise I won't tell anyone else, Mr. Nero.

[ wow imagine saying "i promise" like it's nothing. fuck you kid, flexing like that.

it does break his heart a little that lark is willing to listen to nero, though. he knows it's not the kid's fault, but he sort of wanted someone that would spread the bradnero gospel around.

if anything, there's something he does have to ask lark, though. ]

...Hey, kid. Are the people you're stayin' with treatin' you right?

[ are they feeding you???????????? ]

["I promise" has always held so much more weight to a wizard than anyone else. It also doesn't mean nearly as much from somebody who isn't a wizard, but he'll accept this. For now.

Realistically there's not that much of a problem if people here know they're involved. The problem is what if they remember it when they go home?]

You do look a bit skinny. [Your arms!] Ask me for a meal to take home if you need one.

[ When the person saying it has absolutely no idea what a promise means to a wizard...

...And then they're fussing over him now? Huh? Huh??? ]

They're treating me perfectly fine, and I'm eating fine too. ...In fact I usually end up making dinner if I'm not working the evening shift...

[ oh?? this kid cooks???? ]

Yeah? You can cook?

[ he wraps an arm around lark's shoulders, lowering to his level! ]

Do you think you could cook better than Nero? I'll give you a hint: nobody can! But hey, if you know how to make fried chicken, I'll try it out.

He works here as a cook, y'know. I've been teaching him my recipes.

[Actually, maybe Brad doesn't know since he takes the deliveries out and only hangs around after and before work.]