INBOX

[foolmetwice]

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[HIT HIM UP WITH SOME MESSAGES SHOULD YOU CHOOSE]

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[foolishjourney]

Water Lily: Sorry, it's not about anything bad, and I'm not hurt or anything.
Water Lily: Just some things on my mind I'd like to run by you.

[foolmetwice]

Mars: . . . okay.
Mars: lets meet up at the cafe

[foolishjourney]

Water Lily: That works for me.
Water Lily: See you soon.

[foolmetwice]

Mars: kay

[and of course, by the time Lily makes it to the cafe, Mars will already be there nursing a cup of coffee in between puffs of his cigarette. the smell of nicotine is almost stronger than it usually is; he's been kind of. chainsmoking a bit today]

[foolishjourney]

[y'kno what? very fair. Lily's head was kind of spinning still with everything he'd experienced in Joker's heart, but he would deal with THAT later. for now: Mars.]

Hey, Ren.

[he'd used the ordering app for the cafe once he was nearby, so a coffee cup is already waiting for him on the counter once he gets inside. he takes it and settles down across from Mars, taking a sip with his eyes closed before looking at him with a vaguely tired expression.]

Were you at the Game...?

[foolmetwice]

. . . hey.

[at least Mars has the decency to snuff out his cigarette (on an ashtray, even) when Lily sits down. and as soon as Lily mentions the game, he kind of stiffens]

The one they just ran earlier today? With the weird. . . dream-hearts?

[foolishjourney]

Yeah. That one.

...I ended up in Joker's.

[foolmetwice]

[oh my god]

[. . .]

[barks out a wry laugh, hand pressing against his forehead]

What are the odds. . .

[actually pretty high, buddy]

We must've missed each other. I was there, too. That, and Mori's.

[foolishjourney]

Really? Huh.

I was poking around in most of the cells, so I'm surprised.

[timey-wimey spacey-wacey shenanigans at work]

Too bad. You missed me wearing a maid costume.

[it's said so deadpan it's hard to tell if he's serious]

[foolmetwice]

[. . . . . . . . .]

What?

[did]

[DID HE JUST]

[ALLOW HIMSELF TO BE CONSUMED MY NERVES AND PARANOIA BECAUSE OF A MAID COSTUME]

[foolishjourney]

That's irrelevant, though.

I have something kind of serious I'd like to discuss with you? About something that happened in there.

[foolmetwice]

[. . . oh nevermind]

[he wants to revisit maids later, but. for now. . .]

What happened?

[foolishjourney]

I went into a cell that I think represented Joker's sexual desires. He propositioned me.

[takes another sip of coffee.]

I have no idea if it came from a place of interest, or if it would've happened to anyone that wandered in there, but I guess it doesn't really matter. I told him no, and then he asked for a kiss, and I told him no again. I think I upset him a little? But.

[get to the point, Lily!]

After our conversation a week ago, I just... it didn't feel right. I could only think of you. I know we agreed that this would be no strings attached, but...

[he trails off]

1/?

[foolmetwice]

[. . . there was a piece of Joker's heart representing sexual desires??]

[foolmetwice]

[IT WAS PROPOSITIONING PEOPLE???]

[foolmetwice]

[wait could one even bang a piece of someone's heart, like. . . how does that work?? it's all metaphorical???]

[foolmetwice]

[his head hurts]

[foolmetwice]

[wh]

[wait]

[he's not focusing on the right part of the conversation here]

[foolmetwice]

[... it didn't feel right. I could only think of you. I know we agreed that this would be no strings attached, but...]

[. . .]

DONE

[foolmetwice]

[his fingers curl around his mug a little bit, knuckles turning white. he's tense, but not withdrawing. both terrified and interested to see where this conversation is going all at once. his instincts tell him to interrupt and run, but he manages to quell them, to force himself to keep an even expression. to stick around to see what Lily is saying next]

[a shaky breath, in and out, and he speaks]

. . . but?

claps

[foolishjourney]

I'm not sure if that's the case anymore. It feels like... this has evolved past friends who kiss each other sometimes.

We... like each other, right? You never said it, but I... I felt it.

[foolmetwice]

[hunches his shoulders a bit, gaze flickering down so he can stare at his cup of coffee]

. . .

I-- [. . .]

[USE YOUR WORDS, MARS. this is one of those rare times where Buddy Bond just won't cut it]

I. . . y-- yeah.

I like you-- a lot.

[foolishjourney]

...Would it have upset you if I kissed Joker?

[foolmetwice]

[. . . would it have?]

[. . .]

No.

[that's the answer he settles on eventually, even though it's not quite. . . right. but saying "yes" wouldn't have been quite right either, would it have been?]

How could I get upset at you for something like that when we agreed there'd be no strings? Kissing is just kissing; it's not a big deal. And you're allowed to do what you want.

[tracing the edges of his mug with his forefinger, expression wrinkling to something disgruntled]

Besides. . . s'not like I don't-- I mean, I have. . . [. . .] Complicated f. . . feelings, for-- Joker, and a few others, and--

[AUGH he isn't explaining it well, and he winds up pulling back in frustration and raking a hand through his hair]

[foolishjourney]

[Lily carefully considers what Mars has to say, expression held neutral.]

It wouldn't bother me if you kissed other people, especially since that was the agreement. And it doesn't bother me that you like other people, knowing you like me a lot is enough. But...

[his fingers rapidly but quietly tap against the side of his mug, giving away that he's significantly more anxious than he was letting on, and he averts his gaze.]

I guess I... don't want to just be your friend who you happen to kiss anymore? Even if you still wanted to kiss other people at the same time, even if you were interested in other people, I think... I'd like to mean something more to you than just that.