( it's been a productive day to say the least, if a little bit odd β his visit to briar's apothecary has him feeling an almost bouncy sort of excitement, an optimism that's been further encouraged with each passing day he spends on this island after years of hiding in the dark, of keeping his head down and avoiding human interaction at all costs. sure, briar's dark, spotted cat seemed to glare at him the entire time he spent in the shop, watching the fae grind up the ingredients with a mortar and pestle and combine everything into a cream for him, lashed out with its claws as he tried to pet it in an attempt to make more friends, even went so far as to hiss at him on his way out, but chance still thinks that today's been successful.
there's only one way to put briar's concoction to the test, though, and that's to go to chance's favorite place, the place that welcomed him here, the place that very well might be trying to kill him despite how much he loves it: the beach.
there's a floppy hat on his head, shielding his already reddened cheeks from further damage, clothed in a loose, brightly colored long-sleeved button down and light pants, and there's beach bag hanging from his arm and a towel bundled up and held close to his chest as his already-burned bare feet trudge through the sand towards his favorite spot β a little further back from the ocean itself, beneath the shade of a palm tree β only to find it occupied already by a boy with a shock of purple hair. chance is more surprised than anything, because though he's only lived here for a few months now, the population is small enough that everyone seems to know everyone else's names in a heartbeat.
his smile is a soft thing when he stops before the boy, maybe a little shy, genuine even if it doesn't quite reach his deeply sleepy-looking eyes, and he tips his head, asks, ) Do you mind if I sit here? You look a little lonely.
[ he hadn't expected anything to remain in the realm of normal in his book, though he also has a very skewed perception of what normal really is at this point. his greeting had been unprecedented though perhaps the only sort of introduction one mainlander should have to such a place. it had been a gamble to get here, but if he has to take one major risk in his life, he's glad he's made this one his first choice.
to say he didn't have expectations would be a lie, but it is too soon to say of they have been met or even surpassed. what he does know is that people have a lot of questions, perhaps more than even he has, even as someone who regularly employs the scientific method in his every day life.
of course, such socializing is taxing on the soul, even as someone who hasn't had much friendly contact for most of his life. it feels good to take a breather, to simply spread out a towel and enjoy the shade the trees have to offer. he's testing his skin theory, naturally, beneath the sun's rays, though he has at least brought a pair of electric blue wayfarers. there's an old book keeping him company β dune, for anyone keeping track β and a soft smile on his face when someone approaches him.
oh. ]
Well, I'm not entirely alone. I'll have to ask my book. [ hiding his grin, he spares the novel a quick glance before looking back up at this. odd-looking fellow. ] I think we're both very okay with company.
( chance doesn't know what he's expecting, but he doesn't think that it's this β a dorky boy with his nose in a book, endearingly so. it makes his shy smile widen into a full-blown grin, the closest thing this boy will get to a laugh considering: ) That was really cheesy.
( but it's said in a teasing voice that's all too endeared as he drops his bag lazily to the ground, unrolls his brightly colored beach towel and spreads it across the sand, nearly touching this stranger's own spot, but he's not worried about it. he has his own matters to attend to, pretty important ones, like figuring out if briar's about to change his life on this island forever.
he sits, finally, legs crossed, rummaging in his bag for something β something β and making idle conversation all the while, comfortable with it. ) I don't think I've seen you before. Are you new? ( and he pulls out a small container, unscrewing the cap. )
β Sorry. I'm sure everyone asks you that. I'm kind of new, too.
( and he looks over at the boy with an apologetic smile before dipping his middle and index fingers into the cream, smearing it on his cheeks, across the bridge of his nose, feeling the burn beneath tingle a little, tinged with its usual sting, but the sensation isn't entirely unpleasant. hm. time to ditch the hat. )
[ haru points. ] You still laughed, so I guess the impression wasn't all too bad for a first one.
[ he says that now, but it's a relief that someone wants to talk to him first without burying him under a barrage of questions about the mainland. he had been warned upon arrival, but that still hadn't prepared him for everything that followed.
haru finds himself staring at his new friend ( yes, we're calling it that ), watching him as he situates himself under the shade. it's hard not to notice the state of his skin; anyone else might find that blush endearing but he is immediately worried, a slight wrinkle in his brow that lasts for a few seconds. he decides to reserve those questions for later, if they get that far. ]
Very new. Very overwhelmed. I β are you okay?
[ oops. looks like that didn't last long. he leans forward to watch him apply the cream, his eyes narrowing curiously. ] Are you allergic to the sun?
( oh, cheesy or not, this boy has one thing right: he's made a good first impression on chance.
... not that it's a terribly difficult feat to accomplish, considering how socially starved he is at the moment. but still! his strange day seems to perk up even more as the mere thought of making another friend seeps in. it isn't that the people of nawala are unfriendly, but they're wary of newcomers β and understandably. it takes a little longer for them to warm up to people.
luckily, chance has had a few months to integrate into the community a little better, but he still remembers what it was like at first, even still feels that way sometimes. befriending someone similarly on unsteady grounds is pleasantly easy. )
You could say that, ( comes his laugh of a reply, a quiet thing, hardly self-conscious about it because ... honestly? being himself out in the open is kind of a novelty. his fingers brush dirty blonde hair out of his eyes so it doesn't get stuck in this pseudo-sunscreen, and then he starts to open his shirt, one button at a time. ) I'm okay, though. It's kind of a work in progress. The people here are really nice once they get used to you.
( and it's time to start applying said cream to the pale skin of his chest, apparently very carefully hidden away up until this point considering the lack of redness; he does it slowly, makes sure to be really thorough about it, because if he misses a spot, he's going to be aching like a bitch later. )
[ he isn't naturally shy and did have some acquaintances growing up; having been constantly surrounded by adults has left a few missing links in haru's social skills which hasn't helped him much here, though it hasn't quite worked against him. for the most part, people are understanding. the history of the island's foundation makes it so, even if his own abilities stem more from experimentation than magic.
questions are good and logical. questions are better than outrage and shunning, so he'll answer them as much as his social stamina will allow. kindness and extensions of friendship are even better. chance seems quiet and easy to be around, though haru already knows he will constantly worry about his physical state judging from his sun preparation habits. ]
I've met some friendly people already, though I'm starting to think nosiness is part of the culture here too β [ he cuts himself off to ask another ( probably nosy ) question. ]
Are you ...? [ he has a feeling, instantly imagining brooding young men and weeping young women at their windows, tragic love stories and lots and lots of blood. ] Would you mind if I asked ... ?
( chance is just about down to his ribs with briar's concoction, working slow, steady circles of it against his skin by the time haru's question hits, and honestly? he can't help but laugh β certainly not a cruel thing, just light and airy and amused. )
Oh, I don't mind ... ( considering the onslaught of questions he'd been thrown practically from the moment he stepped foot in the sand for the first time, an interrogation possibly worse than the magazine interviews he'd been subjected to back in his pseudo-idol days. ) I am.
[ jaw slack, he watches in rapt fascination, watching this. vampire work some magical concoction into his skin. he isn't used to it, not yet, watching everything and everyone with wide-eyed wonder. it's more like tourist behavior and all he's missing is the camera strapped around his neck.
at least.... it seems like they don't mind. most of them stare at him with the same curiosity since newcomers don't come so often, especially those who have somehow found out about this island without any established connections to family there. it seems to be a pretty even exchange between parties involved.
at chance's admission, his dopey smile widens with sparkling eyes and he clutches the book between his hands to cover half his face with it. ]
Cool.
[ he almost giggles. almost. he doesn't to maintain a single shred of dignity. ]
I'm β I was born human. As you were, I'm sure. Maybe. [ haru puts his book down finally, setting that aside to fold his hands over his lap. ] I was changed, growing up.
( it's in times like these that chance finds himself grateful to have such sensitive skin, because with the way this boy's smile widens, so bright and genuine in response to something a lot of people have found repulsive, well ... perhaps this cheeks warm a little, disguised entirely by that spread of freckled red across the bridge of his nose.
cool.
at least this purple-haired newcomer seems just about as excited about this place as he is in the kind of embarrassing way that still makes him hide his face behind his sprouting plants in their pots when he takes them for walks into town because he figures they probably like the sun as much as he does; it'll help them to grow as it has for him.
he watches this boy with equal fascination, idly shrugging off his shirt altogether and folding it up to use as a pillow later. this is probably the riskiest thing he'll probably do, but if it doesn't work out for him, it's a risk worth taking. one arm at a time, he applies his sunscreen, nodding while he speaks. wryly: ) Were you bit by a radioactive spider?
[ he clenches his jaw in worry once more skin is exposed and, briefly, haru glances up towards the sun where those rays shine directly over them both. at least the science-minded one can monitor the progress as they go, though he supposes that treating a burgeoning friendship as a science experiment isn't .... great.
it's a pretty new thing for him. he hopes he doesn't make too big a fool of himself as they go along, though he has a feeling that chance won't judge him so much for it. ]
I wish, [ there's a laugh in his voice as he shakes his head. ] I β [ that's when haru hesitates, staring into his lap, at his folded hands, wondering the best way to phrase this. it isn't something he has ever really discusssed with anyone outside of fellow scientists, officials who seemed to matter at the time. ]
( chance has seemingly run out of places to apply his magical sunscreen by now, except β well. his back. but chance isn't nearly bold enough to dare ask a near stranger β a new friend β to do that for him; that's why he is content to re-cap the small container and slide it back into his bag, lay back onto his towel with his folded-up shirt as his pillow.
he can feel the sun, can feel how hot it is as it hits his pale skin, but it's hardly a thought compared to his interest in this boy's story.
and it sounds like quite the story, especially with the way that he hesitates just briefly before continuing. a science experiment. maybe it's not the happiest story β but maybe, if he's lucky, it can have a happy ending. though chance's brow might furrow, he still finds it in him to turn his head back towards him, peek an eye open, and even smile, a soft thing. )
You're here now β maybe that's what matters the most.
[ he isn't sure how to continue, if to continue. but there is something disarming about chance and his gentle nature, something that makes him want to say more even if he ends his chatter there for the time being. and suddenly, that simple response has him all but physically relaxing. it's such a small sentiment of acceptance, but wholly appreciated. ]
I worked very hard to get here, [ he informs him, nodding a few times mostly to himself. ] I had to find a place for. Well, for people like me.
[ he pulls his knees up to his chest, making himself even more compact than he is already. chance smiles and haru finds himself smiling just as widely in return, the corners of his eyes crinkling. it's very, very sweet. ]
I think your efforts will be rewarded, ( chance says with a small nod, turning his head back so he can face the sun once more, feel its warmth spread across his cheeks. ) I know mine have been β and then some.
( it wasn't an easy journey for him to make, either β it took years and years of forced isolation and near-crippling loneliness, his only solace the occasional nighttime walk through the streets of seoul with his hood up, head angled downwards, not daring to make eye contact, too paranoid and worried he'll be revealed. he missed the sun β desperately. nawala had saved him.
[ he's worked so hard to come this far and to make a friend who isn't a lab assistant, to have conversations with someone who isn't his parents. he's not a crier but he wants to yell in relief. it feels good to even feel a sense of understanding with someone who knows what it's like to be different. ]
Chance. I like that name! [ he was once told to repeat someone's name to help you remember it and he certainly doesn't want to forget this one. his first friend on the island. ] I'll remember this one. Not that I'm especially forgetful. I have a pretty good memory, actually, kind of exceptional. I wouldn't call it a photographic memory but β
[ he clears his throat and shakes his head shyly. ] S-sorry.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 27 Apr 2019 20:07 (UTC)there's only one way to put briar's concoction to the test, though, and that's to go to chance's favorite place, the place that welcomed him here, the place that very well might be trying to kill him despite how much he loves it: the beach.
there's a floppy hat on his head, shielding his already reddened cheeks from further damage, clothed in a loose, brightly colored long-sleeved button down and light pants, and there's beach bag hanging from his arm and a towel bundled up and held close to his chest as his already-burned bare feet trudge through the sand towards his favorite spot β a little further back from the ocean itself, beneath the shade of a palm tree β only to find it occupied already by a boy with a shock of purple hair. chance is more surprised than anything, because though he's only lived here for a few months now, the population is small enough that everyone seems to know everyone else's names in a heartbeat.
his smile is a soft thing when he stops before the boy, maybe a little shy, genuine even if it doesn't quite reach his deeply sleepy-looking eyes, and he tips his head, asks, ) Do you mind if I sit here? You look a little lonely.
no subject
Date: 28 Apr 2019 02:34 (UTC)to say he didn't have expectations would be a lie, but it is too soon to say of they have been met or even surpassed. what he does know is that people have a lot of questions, perhaps more than even he has, even as someone who regularly employs the scientific method in his every day life.
of course, such socializing is taxing on the soul, even as someone who hasn't had much friendly contact for most of his life. it feels good to take a breather, to simply spread out a towel and enjoy the shade the trees have to offer. he's testing his skin theory, naturally, beneath the sun's rays, though he has at least brought a pair of electric blue wayfarers. there's an old book keeping him company β dune, for anyone keeping track β and a soft smile on his face when someone approaches him.
oh. ]
Well, I'm not entirely alone. I'll have to ask my book. [ hiding his grin, he spares the novel a quick glance before looking back up at this. odd-looking fellow. ] I think we're both very okay with company.
no subject
Date: 28 Apr 2019 03:40 (UTC)( but it's said in a teasing voice that's all too endeared as he drops his bag lazily to the ground, unrolls his brightly colored beach towel and spreads it across the sand, nearly touching this stranger's own spot, but he's not worried about it. he has his own matters to attend to, pretty important ones, like figuring out if briar's about to change his life on this island forever.
he sits, finally, legs crossed, rummaging in his bag for something β something β and making idle conversation all the while, comfortable with it. ) I don't think I've seen you before. Are you new? ( and he pulls out a small container, unscrewing the cap. )
β Sorry. I'm sure everyone asks you that. I'm kind of new, too.
( and he looks over at the boy with an apologetic smile before dipping his middle and index fingers into the cream, smearing it on his cheeks, across the bridge of his nose, feeling the burn beneath tingle a little, tinged with its usual sting, but the sensation isn't entirely unpleasant. hm. time to ditch the hat. )
no subject
Date: 28 Apr 2019 04:52 (UTC)[ he says that now, but it's a relief that someone wants to talk to him first without burying him under a barrage of questions about the mainland. he had been warned upon arrival, but that still hadn't prepared him for everything that followed.
haru finds himself staring at his new friend ( yes, we're calling it that ), watching him as he situates himself under the shade. it's hard not to notice the state of his skin; anyone else might find that blush endearing but he is immediately worried, a slight wrinkle in his brow that lasts for a few seconds. he decides to reserve those questions for later, if they get that far. ]
Very new. Very overwhelmed. I β are you okay?
[ oops. looks like that didn't last long. he leans forward to watch him apply the cream, his eyes narrowing curiously. ] Are you allergic to the sun?
no subject
Date: 28 Apr 2019 18:07 (UTC)... not that it's a terribly difficult feat to accomplish, considering how socially starved he is at the moment. but still! his strange day seems to perk up even more as the mere thought of making another friend seeps in. it isn't that the people of nawala are unfriendly, but they're wary of newcomers β and understandably. it takes a little longer for them to warm up to people.
luckily, chance has had a few months to integrate into the community a little better, but he still remembers what it was like at first, even still feels that way sometimes. befriending someone similarly on unsteady grounds is pleasantly easy. )
You could say that, ( comes his laugh of a reply, a quiet thing, hardly self-conscious about it because ... honestly? being himself out in the open is kind of a novelty. his fingers brush dirty blonde hair out of his eyes so it doesn't get stuck in this pseudo-sunscreen, and then he starts to open his shirt, one button at a time. ) I'm okay, though. It's kind of a work in progress. The people here are really nice once they get used to you.
( and it's time to start applying said cream to the pale skin of his chest, apparently very carefully hidden away up until this point considering the lack of redness; he does it slowly, makes sure to be really thorough about it, because if he misses a spot, he's going to be aching like a bitch later. )
no subject
Date: 29 Apr 2019 15:33 (UTC)questions are good and logical. questions are better than outrage and shunning, so he'll answer them as much as his social stamina will allow. kindness and extensions of friendship are even better. chance seems quiet and easy to be around, though haru already knows he will constantly worry about his physical state judging from his sun preparation habits. ]
I've met some friendly people already, though I'm starting to think nosiness is part of the culture here too β [ he cuts himself off to ask another ( probably nosy ) question. ]
Are you ...? [ he has a feeling, instantly imagining brooding young men and weeping young women at their windows, tragic love stories and lots and lots of blood. ] Would you mind if I asked ... ?
no subject
Date: 4 May 2019 00:40 (UTC)Oh, I don't mind ... ( considering the onslaught of questions he'd been thrown practically from the moment he stepped foot in the sand for the first time, an interrogation possibly worse than the magazine interviews he'd been subjected to back in his pseudo-idol days. ) I am.
( what haru's implying that he is, anyway. the word still feels weird on his tongue, even after all these years. vampire. chance doesn't really feel like one, considering he's never really partaken in any of the clichΓ© activities that he's seen on tv and in the movies. mostly, it's been a lot of loneliness and a hunger that both rumbles in his stomach and burns at his throat. oh, and sunburn. lots and lots of sunburn, considering the care with which he's applying the mixture to the slats of his ribs, down towards his navel. )
I have a feeling you're not entirely human, either, but correct me if I'm wrong.
no subject
Date: 6 May 2019 03:21 (UTC)at least.... it seems like they don't mind. most of them stare at him with the same curiosity since newcomers don't come so often, especially those who have somehow found out about this island without any established connections to family there. it seems to be a pretty even exchange between parties involved.
at chance's admission, his dopey smile widens with sparkling eyes and he clutches the book between his hands to cover half his face with it. ]
Cool.
[ he almost giggles. almost. he doesn't to maintain a single shred of dignity. ]
I'm β I was born human. As you were, I'm sure. Maybe. [ haru puts his book down finally, setting that aside to fold his hands over his lap. ] I was changed, growing up.
no subject
Date: 11 May 2019 17:34 (UTC)cool.
at least this purple-haired newcomer seems just about as excited about this place as he is in the kind of embarrassing way that still makes him hide his face behind his sprouting plants in their pots when he takes them for walks into town because he figures they probably like the sun as much as he does; it'll help them to grow as it has for him.
he watches this boy with equal fascination, idly shrugging off his shirt altogether and folding it up to use as a pillow later. this is probably the riskiest thing he'll probably do, but if it doesn't work out for him, it's a risk worth taking. one arm at a time, he applies his sunscreen, nodding while he speaks. wryly: ) Were you bit by a radioactive spider?
no subject
Date: 12 May 2019 21:26 (UTC)it's a pretty new thing for him. he hopes he doesn't make too big a fool of himself as they go along, though he has a feeling that chance won't judge him so much for it. ]
I wish, [ there's a laugh in his voice as he shakes his head. ] I β [ that's when haru hesitates, staring into his lap, at his folded hands, wondering the best way to phrase this. it isn't something he has ever really discusssed with anyone outside of fellow scientists, officials who seemed to matter at the time. ]
I was a science experiment.
no subject
Date: 23 Jun 2019 20:05 (UTC)he can feel the sun, can feel how hot it is as it hits his pale skin, but it's hardly a thought compared to his interest in this boy's story.
and it sounds like quite the story, especially with the way that he hesitates just briefly before continuing. a science experiment. maybe it's not the happiest story β but maybe, if he's lucky, it can have a happy ending. though chance's brow might furrow, he still finds it in him to turn his head back towards him, peek an eye open, and even smile, a soft thing. )
You're here now β maybe that's what matters the most.
no subject
Date: 1 Jul 2019 20:57 (UTC)I worked very hard to get here, [ he informs him, nodding a few times mostly to himself. ] I had to find a place for. Well, for people like me.
[ he pulls his knees up to his chest, making himself even more compact than he is already. chance smiles and haru finds himself smiling just as widely in return, the corners of his eyes crinkling. it's very, very sweet. ]
I think I like it here already.
no subject
Date: 23 Jul 2019 01:13 (UTC)( it wasn't an easy journey for him to make, either β it took years and years of forced isolation and near-crippling loneliness, his only solace the occasional nighttime walk through the streets of seoul with his hood up, head angled downwards, not daring to make eye contact, too paranoid and worried he'll be revealed. he missed the sun β desperately. nawala had saved him.
nawala has given him a new friend, now, too. )
I'm Chance. What's your name?
no subject
Date: 12 Sep 2019 02:22 (UTC)[ he's worked so hard to come this far and to make a friend who isn't a lab assistant, to have conversations with someone who isn't his parents. he's not a crier but he wants to yell in relief. it feels good to even feel a sense of understanding with someone who knows what it's like to be different. ]
Chance. I like that name! [ he was once told to repeat someone's name to help you remember it and he certainly doesn't want to forget this one. his first friend on the island. ] I'll remember this one. Not that I'm especially forgetful. I have a pretty good memory, actually, kind of exceptional. I wouldn't call it a photographic memory but β
[ he clears his throat and shakes his head shyly. ] S-sorry.