Text | UN: HelplesslyWeak

[life_ethereal]

WHO: Harumasa and you!
WHERE: Libra Network
WHEN: 1/17
WHAT: There's another newbie on the Libra network! Hopefully he's friendlier.
WARNINGS: None, but will update if it comes up! Please remember to fill out his permission/opt-out post~

Okay, so, I ran all the antivirus programs I've got on my phone and this app keeps coming up clean.
So I guess I'll introduce myself!
Hi, I'm Harumasa, nice to meet everyone, etc.
Don't know why I'm here on this app, but here we are!
Guess I'll do a little bit of an icebreaker or something.
I'm between jobs, I'm a Cancer (crab), and I was born in the year of the rabbit.
Favorite word: sleep!
Favorite color: probably yellow or green!
Fun fact about me is that I'm oh so very delicate and frail! My health is so poor, just the worst. There's never enough sick leave. Woe!

[Even through text he manages to make that sound so fake.]

Even thinking about work gives me SO much fatigue.
Anyway, I got a really, critically important question to ask:
Is it always this cold in the winter?!?!
I feel like just stepping outside is going to make me come down with something!!
My poor, delicate constitution isn't cut out for this....

Comments

[droptheious]

...Ugh, I mean. I guess you've got a point.

[ That'll be a fun thing for him to learn later! ]

Yeah, I do have to do that. I can't control the change on the full moon. I get out of the way mostly because it's easier than being around people. Other than Jun.

[ For. Reasons. ]

Jun suggested grading me? Which... look, I know probably sounds weird but I kinda have a thing where I really need to feel like I'm achieving something for me to do it. I'm working on it. It's... a work in progress. Maybe if we start slow and try it that way?

[life_ethereal]

[Harumasa is nodding as he listens along.]

And that's totally fair. So that also doesn't count since you're not in control of yourself during those times.

[He hums a little as he thinks about that. Grading what's essentially meditation is going to be difficult, but he thinks he has some ideas.]

Okay... so let's see how long you can last in total silence with nothing to do first? That gives us a baseline as we work our way up incrementally to half an hour. As for grading... hmmm.

[He pauses for a moment to think.]

The goal is either self-reflection or to simply take in the scenery. And it can change each time we go out. So, with that in mind, I'm going to trust you to be honest with me when I ask you how many times you thought about work or math or whatever. I'm not gonna, like, punish you if you don't do as well each time. Just means we'll talk about a different strategy to get you a higher score on your 'test.'

[droptheious]

I mean, I've definitely gotten better about being in control of myself. [ Again. For... reasons. ] But no, I still turn into a monster no matter what.

[ Oh! That one's easy, he chippers up at that. ]

That's fine! I like the quiet. That's easy. It's just keeping my brain quiet that's the tricky part.

[He considers the offer on the table here, huming softly. ]

I think I can work with that, sure. I won't lie about it- the whole point is to teach myself a new skill, and I always take that very seriously. So sure, that's fine. We can just keep trying things until we find something that works. That's the core of experimentation, after all!

[life_ethereal]

You're not a monster. You're just human with a bit more animal in you than normal.

[Even if it's accurate, he refuses to use that word to describe Varian.

He's happy to have gotten Varian on board with the idea.]

You'll be the master of relaxation before you know it! [Because god knows Harumasa will be trying to trick him into taking more frequent breaks between "sessions."] Let's try this out two weeks from now? That should give you time to rearrange some of your schedule, right?

[droptheious]

Okay, maybe that's... not the best term. I haven't really found one that encompasses multiple... creatures.

["Monster" is just a lot easier.

He does laugh at the master of relaxation comment. ]

That's extremely hopeful- I like the confidence. You'll regret that. [Varian knows who he is!] Okay, that's fair. I can definitely make space for it.

[life_ethereal]

Yeah, I could see that being a tricky thing to come up with. We'll just have to workshop it.

[Harumasa grins.]

Maybe! But it can't be worse than the new recruits I had to train in my past life!

[He makes an exaggerated sound like he got a chill down his spine.]

Eugh, nightmare.

[droptheious]

[ Oh, bless you. You poor little fool. ]

You say that now, but you'll see. Me and Jun can absolutely out-stubborn each other.

[ He is not defeated so easily! ]

Were they that bad?

[life_ethereal]

[Yeaaah that's why Harumasa has to play the sneaky game.

Varian will quickly come to regret asking for details. He could go on about how his constant sick days ended up with him being completely overwhelmed by well-meaning people who really took on way more of his tasks that even Harumasa was uncomfortable by it.

No... instead, it's just one recruit he'll kinkshame here.]

So we had one recruit. Don't remember his name, and honestly if you see him, run for the hills. He was tasked to collect data in the field. The problem with him was that he... would get distracted... if you got hurt. Near him. He said he'd be fine for like a little bit, but if you kept getting hurt around him, he was gonna stop what he was doing to watch.

He didn't wish harm on us, but he just... wanted to watch us get hurt. Something about our expressions or I don't know! I don't know, and honestly I was afraid to find out!

[droptheious]

[ Well.

That's deeply worrying. Varian purses his lips, humming softly to himself as he digests that. That's- ]

I mean, like. Was he okay? Because I'll be honest from that it didn't sound like he was even remotely okay. It kinda sounds like he needed uh... some serious professional help, there.

[life_ethereal]

Either he needed serious help or that guy had an awakening to sadism the kink and he was gonna make that everyone's problem.

So yeah I'll easily take a stubborn student over that guy!

[droptheious]

[ Varian kind of just... stares into the middle distance for a moment. Does he want to talk about kinks with his boyfriend's brother?

No. No he does not. So he's gonna just.

Not. ]

Hah hah. Yeah. I don't blame you on that one.

[life_ethereal]

[He will help spare Varian the pain.]

Great! See you in two weeks?

[droptheious]

[Oh thank god. ]

You sure will!