CALL ME OUT

[bootyhunter]

CALL ME OUT:

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Currently writing Dandy (Space Dandy) / Rex Splode (Invincible) / and Simon Laurent (Infinity Train)

bootyhunter / himbomb / incelligent



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*Note: Sakamoto Tatsuma (Gintama) kaihentai and Asher Millstone (How to Get Away With Murder) moneyballer available on request



Also voicetesting Mike Wazowski (Monsters Inc) googlybear / Eddy (Ed, Edd, n' Eddy) edboy / Reagan Ridley (Inside Job) madcryentist / Abdul Ali (Squid Game) aitbaar / Portia Davenport (Search Party) portialain / Elliot Goss (Search Party) confabulous / Fleabag (Fleabag) feminitwit / Johnny Bravo (Johny Bravo) pretteh / and Joel Hammond (Santa Clarita Diet) screechy

Comments

[sixthnonsense]

[Well, at least the comment was made in good company. Hagakure casts his worries aside and melts into Dandy’s touch for a brief moment of bliss. Even the hot water against his sticky skin feels particularly soothing tonight…]

Huh?

[He blinks out of his daze, realizing he’d definitely been making googly eyes at Dandy until he was interrupted. Whoops. Maybe this is a problem when they’re supposed to be showering.]

Oh, uh. Sure. Okay.

[He’s a little reluctant, but he does what he’s told. Hey, some back scrubbing could be nice too!]

I think they’re closer to whales than regular fish.

[Helpful dolphin discussion during intimate bathing time.]

Either way, I don’t think we gotta worry that much about water usage where we’re at. There’s no shortage of it here! Fontaine’s probably got some fancy-schmancy water purifyin’ system and everything.

[bootyhunter]

[The sounds of running water and Hagakure's voice blur together. It's nice, actually. If he could be certain he'd remember, this is exactly the sort of noise he'd love to listen to before falling asleep at night.

As soon as the fortune teller's back is turned, Dandy's face falls almost instantly, and the alien hunter violently fights the urge to wrap his arms around the other's waist and bury his nose between Hagakure's shoulder blades.

They've hooked up one time.

This is so pathetic.]

Have you ever seen one up close?

[He means a dolphin.

Once again, the hand that isn't smeared in soap gingerly brushes masses of hair from Hagakure's back and over his shoulders. Dandy then begins to scrub away, splaying the palm of that clean hand flat over the right half of the younger man's upper backside, moving up and down in generous strokes.

Maybe a massage will cool him down.]

They're so weird, man!

They blow all of their snot atcha through those holes in the middle of their heads. 'S basically a nostril! Or one big face bootyhole.

I don't like it.

[Dandy, haven't you seen stranger things?!]

They might as well puke their water back up the regular way- Through the mouth.

[sixthnonsense]

[Hagakure tenses up a little when he feels Dandy's hand on his back. This is a place that he's always been alone in, so it's still pretty wild to be feeling another person's touch on him. But the tension quickly leaves him once he gets used to it, and he sighs contentedly as Dandy scrubs away. Yep, this is nice alright.]

Nah, not up close. 'cept for maybe at a zoo? But even still, there was glass separatin' me an' them.

[Speaking of between Hagakure's shoulder blades, Dandy will find a scar there if he's taking in the details of the younger man's back while he scrubs it. It's not terribly big and in no way recent judging from the way it's faded and stretched.]

You're right, though! It's a big nostril. When they come up to the surface, they blow all the air they'd been holdin' in outta it. They don't have gills, so they gotta hold their breath the same way we do.

[He lets out a laugh.]

But yeah, it's pretty gross when you put it like that.

The ocean in general is such a weird and creepy place... There's so much we don't know about it, 'specially in the deepest parts. That's where they say the Old Gods sleep, 'cause it's not easy for any ol' regular person to come and wake 'em up.

[Casually talking about Old Gods like they aren't a major occult topic, it's fine.]

[bootyhunter]

[He notices the scar. There's no telling what it's from- An accident, abuse, hell, it could even have just been there, popping up out of nowhere, although Dandy makes the mental note to wash around it.

For some reason, the initial flinch hurts Dandy's feelings. He curses himself for being so sensitive.

Dandy soon snakes a sudsy hand over Hagakure's left side, feeding into his urges and resting his chin on the psychic's shoulder. He hopes that his current bathing partner's lack of experience and googly-eyed naivete will keep him from holding contempt for such a sentimental stranger.

Are they really strangers anymore?

Strangers, friends. After time, in years and that spent apart...

It all begins to blur together.]

You okay, baby?

[Perhaps it's ironic. Why, there's an old god right here, only he too is largely unaware of the strange, eternity-long existence that he's lived. Starting at the end of his first week in New Rapture, things started going awry in his head and they are only worsening still.]

People used to say that about space.

There's still plenty of uncharted territory, though. Even now! Hundreds of years into the future.

[Dandy's voice gains a faltering wilt, a subtle vibrato, the kind that you'd blink and miss.]

Do you mind if I take my time?

It's been a while since I've gotten the chance to do something like this.

[With somebody else. For somebody else.

Don't say it-]

So I'd like to savor it, if ya don't mind.

[Quickly, he'll add-]

You're so cute.

[sixthnonsense]

[Part of Hagakure had hoped that Dandy would do this. He lets out a pleased hum and tips his head to nuzzle Dandy's cheek.]

Whaddya mean? Of course I'm okay. This is honestly the best I've felt in a long, long time.

[There's no mistaking the sincerity in his voice- he means it. He's been living a nightmare for gods know how long, and this has been such a welcome reprieve.

...though he guiltily adds:]

Verbal kick in the ass 'n' all. I know I needed it.

[And he really does intend to take all of Dandy's advice to heart, no matter how harshly it comes at him. Funny enough...he finds himself wanting to be better for this man. Dandy is far more than a stranger. Maybe even more than a friend.

He's probably moving too quickly with this. It's new and shiny, he could be getting trapped in the novelty...

But he's pointedly not paying such concerns any mind. He brings a hand up to place on Dandy's. His cheeks burn hot as he responds, but...]

And has anyone told you that you have a voice that can make even a grown-ass man like me melt?

Take as long as you need. I'm not goin' anywhere, even if I get all pruny. [Playfully:] You'll just have to find a way to enjoy that too.

[After a moment of content silence, he makes a sweeping motion with his other hand.]

I wonder where this falls in the "uncharted territory" scale, between the bottom of the ocean and the depths of space. 'cause this definitely feels like a big enough adventure to compare 'em to.

[It feels so unbelievably corny to say, but it's true. These are waters he's never navigated, but at least he has a guide.]

[bootyhunter]

[And what is Dandy supposed to say to that?

With compliments, he can be a little too eager to accept any praise that comes his way, often seeing or misinterpreting hope to be where it shouldn't, much to his own detriment. What's it like to reach for and pick out a rose without being scratched by its thorns.

Dandy decides that he can be a tad more indulgent, moving his palms upwards to grab and rub against either side of Hagakure's chest, messing around with whatever he can get a hold of while pressing his own body flush to the clairvoyant's.

This is close to what Dandy wanted anyway.]

Grown? You?!

[He chooses to focus on a different part of that statement.]

You've never even had your own place!

Don't be silly. As far as I'm concerned, you're still a baby.

[Dandy snorts. Again, weird thing to say to a guy you just fucked?! But(t), okay, sir...]

I'm glad you're likin' it, though.

[He neglects to reply with the truth.

That he echoes the sentiment. One night stands for Dandy only feel easy because there's so much he typically ignores.

Dandy can't help but nuzzle back- That stubble feels good, damn it.]

So! How does it feel to get lucky on your first date? Dunno if we can call it that, exactly, but...

It felt a little fishy when you came to see me, I'm not gonna lie.

[He is absolutely lying.]

I let you in 'cause I like ya.

[Dandy was so happy to see him.]

[sixthnonsense]

[There isn't a whole lot to grab as Dandy well knows, but there's just enough to get a hold of. There are also Hagakure's nipples, of course, and he'll happily allow them to be touched as much as anything else.

With a satisfied moan directly into Dandy's ear, he arches up into that touch. When he relaxes, Dandy's up against him...and he can feel. Everything. While the running water against him may be hot, a shiver runs up his spine regardless.]

Mmmmph. [He wheezes out a breathy laugh.] Okay, okay, you've got me there. But I'm legal to drink! That's an adult thing!

[Either way, the point stands. Of course, Dandy's voice is but one of many things that Hagakure enjoys about him. His storied history has made Hagakure's first sexual experience about as exciting and memorable as he could hope for, and even now, he knows exactly the best places to touch in order to incite a reaction. More than that, though, is how kind he's been. He has made Hagakure feel so valued and appreciated, but also hasn't hesitated to provide a little bit of tough love when it's needed.

Hagakure really hasn't met a person quite like Dandy before. Sweet but spicy, silly but serious when it matters... He's not perfect, but who is? Perfection would just be boring anyway.

Hagakure smiles when Dandy nuzzles back, then silently offers up his neck for a kiss should the spaceman feel so inclined.]

It feels great.

[He kind of blurts it out without thinking, but when this fact occurs to him he does his best not to get flustered about it. He just rolls with it.]

I mean, I didn't come over with any of this in mind. Seriously, I didn't. You probably know how it goes better than I do. One thing leadin' to another...

[And here they are, taking a post-coital shower that almost feels like a second round at this point.]

I'm real glad you let me in though. Even outside of all of this, you're my friend, y'know? I wanna be there for ya when I can, 'cause I've never really gotten the chance.

[bootyhunter]

So you're old enough to make bad decisions legally.

[Be still, his beating "heart!"

He murmurs the aforementioned lines with all the hokey, false-bravado he can muster, doing his best to act as though those moans won't be etched into his shoddy memory somehow. They're so real... And so much deeper than the oddly manufactured sounds you'd hear from a professional actress, bouncing up and down on the kind of fleshy meat-stick that you really only do see in dirty pictures.

Dandy hardly ever gets the chance to be with anybody young, in part because beautiful young women are seemingly at the top of the dating food chain. They've got so many potential suitors, they'd be looking for a winning combination of handsome, well-mannered, and rich. Unfortunately, Dandy is shady, sloppy, and often likely to pinch stray Woolongs poking out of an old ladies' purses.]

Suuuure, yeah! That's a recipe for maturity. Tooootally.

[He's just going to pinch those nips for good measure. Dandy?! That's not washing...

The alien hunter will take this opportunity to plant that desired kiss, though.]

Oh, good~!

[He continues posturing, as if this isn't the best possible thing to happen to him in a while. When your life is a series of bon voyages, getting close to people is difficult.

It's always easier if you don't say shit.]

I never really thought about it this way, but I guess if your first time was with a dude, it'd be easier.

They usually aren't this, uh, smuh-huh-hooth, baby. For example...!

D'you have any idea what the "clitoris" is?

[Somehow, he figures that Gooby does not.]

The first time some girl mentioned it to me, I thought it was just another fancy word for a venereal disease!

Safe to say, she wasn't very happy with me.

[DANDY YOU FORGET SO MUCH

BUT THAT YOU REMEMBER?!]

[sixthnonsense]

[The transition from a rub on his nipples to a pinch makes Hagakure yelp. Ow??? He's also quick to stammer, albeit jokingly:]

Hey now! It still means I'm grown in some way! I never said I was the picture perfect adult.

[Far from it. Even before Hope's Peak, Hagakure's late teens and early adulthood were filled with nothing but stupid, costly mistakes. He's an absolute disaster and he knows it. Honestly, he could stand to feel a bit more remorse about it than he typically does. After all...how did he ever manage to face his mother when she showed concern over his financial situation? Or when she asked about the shady men hanging around the house that she had to tell to piss off? How could he tell her that everything was okay when his life had been threatened repeatedly?

...man. He's still going to have to deal with all of that if he makes it through this second game, isn't he. If it even still matters, considering the world might be in shambles.

Fortunately, none of this is anywhere near the forefront of his mind right now. All he can think about is how good Dandy feels against him, even if he's being chided in the process.]

Uhhhh...

[His face scrunches up in concentration. Does he know what that is? Well, the fact that it didn't ring a bell in the slightest is probably a good giveaway that he doesn't.]

No. The heck is that? I'm guessin' it's a girl thing?

[...that poor hypothetical girl, had Hagakure's first experience been with one.]

[bootyhunter]

Oof!

[As a sort of "apology," Dandy returns to just rubbing the last remainder of foam over those sensitive areas. He's making a few mental notes- Hagakure appears to enjoy attention to his neck and isn't all too aware of what kind of touching brings him the most pleasure. He's got grand ideas of what should or shouldn't make him feel good, but in practice, has such little experience that any sort of bedroom shenanigans may as well be their own segmented, personal safaris.

Dandy's hands momentarily leave Hagakure's body- Only to replenish some of that lather, though.]

You should really stick to bros, bud.

[Dandy says that line with a snickering air of satisfaction.

It's petty of him, but he'd rather not compete with the very few (if very beautiful) women in this place for Hagakure's attention. In all fairness, Dandy is well aware that neither Hild nor Zinda are looking at either of them.

But for once, Dandy doesn't really care.

He's not looking at them either.]

Love in theory and in practice aren't the same thing, most of the time.

What feels right might not look like what you've dreamed up in your meaty mind-prison.

I've learned that the hard way.

[sixthnonsense]

[The "apology" is easily accepted, though Hagakure wasn't all that upset in the first place. The rubbing does feel soothing, though.

The moment Dandy draws back, Hagakure peers over his shoulder as though he's missing that touch already.]

C'mon, man! You can't fault me that much. I've barely just started my sex life!

[He complains, in complete contrast to how he was asking to be seen as an adult just moments ago.]

...I think I get whatcha mean, though.

[It's because he's so new to love that there's still so much to discover about himself that he never would have considered otherwise. Tonight was a perfect example of that. He was so convinced he would've only been satisfied with a woman, but his experience with Dandy blew that assumption out of the water.

"Blew." Yeah, it sure did, huh.]

I kinda doubt I'll lose my attraction to girls, but tonight really has been eye-opening. I'd definitely do something like this again with you.

[Ah. He turns around to hastily add:]

I-If! That's something you'd like too, obviously!

[He's being surprisingly candid, but he feels that strongly about this. He'll even repeat as much in the morning, after a lot internal processing.]

this dialogue is so cursed

[bootyhunter]

[Dandy is in the middle of getting his hands ready, loading up on soap-juice or whatever-the-fuck body wash they have available, when there it is, creeping up on his psyche again.

The gravitational pull, or perhaps more aptly described "yank," of dread.

He makes prolonged eye contact with Hagakure, searching for an answer to his own dismay within the other's face, scanning his eyes, nose, and stubbly chin, before realizing-]

The splashy part? Or the sploogey one?

[They've been involved before.

Not them, per se, but versions of them.

A long, long time ago.

It didn't end well.]

If this is your way of askin' for another handy J, I was gonna do that for you for free, baby, don't...

[He lets out a pained breath.

The walls are starting to look like shrubs to Dandy, although in reality, he's still in the same place, water pouring over his scalp.]

I think I'd like that.

I just don't know if it'd be a good idea.

Icki you can't distract me from the pain

[sixthnonsense]

...Huh?

[Hagakure's face falls. He's not upset, exactly, but he's certainly confused and concerned.

He tentatively reaches out, gauging what sort of reaction he'll receive. He doesn't know what to do. Not really.]

How come? Was it something I said? Or did?

["Is it me?"

Dandy just said he'd like doing this again in theory, so it can't really be that. Hagakure just can't figure it out on his own. There's a cloud in his mind blocking out all of the perfectly logical reasons why continuing this romantic endeavor here of all places is a bad idea. What if one of them dies? And even if they both survive, where would they go afterword?

There are times when getting caught up in the present could be a trap, and this is one of them.]

[bootyhunter]

[Dandy doesn't outright reject the outstretched hand, not at first.

But he doesn't take it either.

Instead, he kneels.]

...No.

[Dandy's head is clearly somewhere else, with the way his eyes have just glazed over. He hesitates to share more information. A wash of it comes rolling back, yet another rough tide from an emotional tsunami.

All he can parse out are a few details of "The Beginning."

They're in a lush field of greenery, there's some kind of tree-]

I'll do your legs, c'mhere.

[sixthnonsense]

Dee?

[Okay, so "confused and concerned" doesn't even begin to cover it anymore. Hagakure immediately drops down to join Dandy. Like hell he's just going to offer up his legs like nothing's happening?! His eyes dart nervously, scanning for any sort of recognition in Dandy's own eyes but finding none. This is bad. This is really bad, right? But Hagakure has absolutely no idea what is possibly going through the other man's mind right now, so all he can do is offer a hand. Two, actually.

Gently, he reaches out once again to put his hands on Dandy's shoulders- a sincere attempt to be comforting. The water from the shower head is coming down at an odd angle now, but Hagakure does his best to protect Dandy from getting hit in the face with the stream.

If only he could protect Dandy from the rough waters in his mind.]

Come on, Dee. What's wrong?

[bootyhunter]

Nothin'.

[Even amidst his cosmic haze, Dandy can't shy from the legitimate concern being thrown his way. He is touched, so much so that he misery consumes him, misery and guilt.

This is nice. Again, there goes the ripple in the metaphysical pond, the one constituting the misery and mayhem of his eternal existence. Equal parts a blessing and a curse.

He's been given the opportunity to experience all of life'es pleasures through time, everything good and great about the mundane, over and over again. Joy seems to feel as though it's redundant, but Dandy would argue that isn't necessarily the case. Even similar experiences can feel slightly different, why, one could taste the same kind of ice cream at the same time of day, standing in the same spot...

But the whether could be different. Or the person who passes you by.

So why then?

Why can he not escape this?]

Not right now.

It's just that I don't have a great track record when it comes to this kinda shit.

I don't even know why.

[sixthnonsense]

[Ah. So that's it. Dandy hasn't had a lot of luck with romance either. Part of Hagakure had wondered about it- just a tiny thought in the back of his mind during their amazing time in bed together.

"How is this guy even single? How hasn't some lucky lady snatched him up already?"

Is it just that no one's really seen Dandy the way that he does? Has no one else managed to find the brilliant diamond hidden beneath that rough exterior? No. It has to be more than that. He can't have been the only one.]

I'm sorry.

[First and foremost, he wants to get that out there. He brought this on.]

...I could do a reading, if it would help you feel better. A lotta people come to me when they have problems in their love lives.

[Normally this is when he'd throw in the sales pitch, but he doesn't even consider it. He's more than willing to do this for free.]

I just... I know sayin' "well, maybe it'll be different with us" doesn't mean shit. There's only two ways to find out, and one of 'em can save you more pain.

[There's an unmistakable melancholy in Hagakure's tone when he talks about his own potential future like this, because he absolutely wants to believe it could work without getting his talent involved.

After all, what if his vision confirms that it will end badly?]

[bootyhunter]

[The answer to that question is fairly simple- Dandy doesn't mind going the extra mile for his partners, but he'll be damned if he's made to abandon his lifestyle. He can be loud, obnoxious, and even downright mean-spirited sometimes, and oh, he's also terrible with money.]

That's a pretty sweet deal you're offerin'.

[Dandy's eyes crinkle at the edges again, gentle as ever, and he slowly takes hold of the hand shielding him from the stream of water.

Now they're both going to be drenched.]

But, it's okay, baby.

I'd rather not know.

Most of the girls I've dated wanted to bag the baby-makin', picket-fence type.

I sure as hell know that ain't me.

[And as for the others, they were too cool for him.

He toggles Hagakure's hand a little bit.]

You might be a professional 'n all, but~! I've gotta ask...

Wouldja let me read your palms, for a change? I'd like to see what's in your future.

[sixthnonsense]

[Hagakure's eyes widen slightly as Dandy takes his hand, his gaze getting lost in that expression. Internally, he concludes that those women had no idea what they were missing out on.

And for once, just this once...he's glad that someone turned him down for a reading.]

D'you see me as the settling down type either?

[For now at least, the tension eases considerably and Hagakure allows himself to let out a tiny little laugh. Of course he'd love companionship, but his job doesn't really lend itself well to the 9 to 5 grind. No, he's always played kind of fast and loose...

Uh? He blinks a few times, wiping some water that's run down onto his face with his other hand.]

You...wanna do a reading? For me?

[It would certainly be a first. Funny enough, he's never had his fortune told by someone else. Why bother when he can do it himself?

He's thrown off by the offer, to say the least. But he finds himself nodding slowly.]

Sure. Tell me whatcha see.

[bootyhunter]

Isn't it too early to tell for you? You've never been with anybody.

[Anybody else, now.]

Not long term, not serious, right?

Hmmm.

Let's take a look.

[Dandy takes hold of both of Hagakure's hands, which, to an expert, is probably a dead giveaway that he's kinda-sorta bullshitting. Still, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, and honestly? It's a miracle he didn't inhale more recycled bathwater.

Dandy lets his thumbs trace the lines he feels beneath them. Seconds pass, and then-]

Somebody might get on your case aboutcha bein' a little too earnest, in the future. Good news is, you don't gotta listen to that bull-froggy-crap!

It's your best feature. So, go with your gut!

It's gonna hurt ya most of the time, but don't let that stop ya.

On your last try, you'll find the one.

The universe is a big place, and actually! There's a whole bunch of 'em.

So, one day, you'll run into the kinda person who's gonna love that about you.

[And, at the risk of sounding corny as hell-]

I know I already do.

[sixthnonsense]

[Damn, Dandy has him there.]

W-Well...no, but...do ya gotta have a storied history to know?

[There's always a chance he could end up upending his lifestyle, but the traditional family life? That's pretty wild to imagine. Alien hunting, though...what a dream.

Hagakure files these considerations away for the meantime and focuses completely on Dandy's impromptu palm reading. He watches closely, feigning a critical eye here and there. While he can certainly tell that there's a lot of improvising going on, he doesn't seem to mind at all. It's the thought that counts, and he can see the effort being put into the act.

By the end of it, Hagakure's actually grateful for all the water around. He has a better chance at hiding how choked up he is over all of this.]

Y'know, Dee, I think you're a natural at this.

[Even if the act itself wasn't 100% legit, that really was a masterful reading. Hagakure certainly feels better after hearing it, and he's the one who does this for a living!]

Go with my gut, huh...? [He repeats, closing his hands around Dandy's.] I had to do that back at Hope's Peak- when we confronted 'shima. When I had a vision that told me not to leave, I had to listen to Naegs and follow my instincts, or I'd have been trapped in that prison forever.

[He smiles brightly.]

Well, my gut's tellin' me not to let this one slip by me.

["This one" being of course...]

I know I'm askin' a helluva lot from you, Dee, but...will you at least gimme a chance?

[bootyhunter]

[Dandy's hands squeeze Hagakure's back, and there the clairvoyant goes again- Hitting him right in the feels, as Dandy would say.

Despite any attempt to brush him off or perhaps encourage the younger man to take a step back and re-evaluate, the sometimes musician is being told repeatedly and consistently that he's desirable, and that perhaps he of all people is worth getting a heart broken for.

The thing is, Dandy has no right to determine how much he means to other people- That's their business. He knows who he is, and he likes himself this way. He's comfortable in his own skin.

Being loved by someone else is something else entirely. His "heart" is going crazy right now.]

It's not too much.

I don't mind gettin' my heart all punched up...

But are you?

[Dandy's consciousness is encroached by a darker thought. What if they die? Or worse, what if Hagakure dies, never knowing what it's like to be in loved or be loved?

Maybe this is for the best. Maybe Dandy can give him some of the affection he was denied in his youth, from his peers and probably his father.]

If it helps, I... I'll do my best to take good care of you.

And love you down real good, just the way you want, baby.

[sixthnonsense]

[Dandy's not the only one whose heart is going crazy. When his hands grip onto Hagakure's, he'll be able to tell that the clairvoyant is shaking. Is it nerves? Excitement? Maybe both. It's a new frontier that Hagakure is venturing into, after all.]

Yeah. I'm prepared for the possibility. If I don't take the risk, then it's gonna hurt even worse down the line.

I'd be kickin' myself for the rest of my life.

[Dandy is far from the first crush that Hagakure has ever had. However, he is the first who he's felt a genuine connection of this caliber with. That's why he's being so persistent. He's not just trying to make Dandy feel good- he has sincerely meant every word of affection and every compliment.

If he comes to regret any of this later, well... He needed to start somewhere. He can't be young and inexperienced forever.]

I'm not gonna try to punch your heart up though, ya know... I'm gonna do everything I can to avoid it, even. This kinda thing's not supposed to be painful, right?

[Not all the time, at least. That's not fun at all.

His smile softens into something goofy but gentle.]

I'd love nothing more. Seriously. And you can expect the same from me. I wouldn't be chasin' you this hard if I was just gonna turn around 'n' start slackin'.

You're worth it. I dunno what those other girls mighta said or thought...but you're worth it.

[bootyhunter]

[Dandy blinks in response, his expression growing cloudy as his features relax in a way that may seem almost unreadable.

As per usual, a litany of excuses slough their way into his prototypically empty headspace. Dandy's rolodex of bodacious babes and catty chicks didn't work out, so, what, he's moving on to dudes now? He can practically hear the chiding of QT and Meow, that between muddled mutterings of sheer bewilderment.

And yet the truth still stands. There's no denying that Dandy had enjoyed having Hagakure's cock in his mouth and making him feel good, like the clairvoyant was on top of the world instead of constantly being topped by it for a change. It's nice to be with a younger man, someone wide-eyed and full of wonder, without the jaded outlook that Dandy's come to expect from most everything in the cosmos, human, alien, divine...

Whatever.]

It is, though.

But I think I get whatcha mean.

[Dandy shakes his head at the last line.]

I know my worth, baby.

Do you, though...? Know yours.

I can't give it to ya, even if I think you're plenty special.

[He repeats himself just to be sure.]

The truth is, it was there all along.

How much you mattered.

It was there since the start.

[There's a stillness in the air.

Is it cold? Warm?

That's for Hagakure to determine.]

Kicked off the minute you were born until now.

[Dandy knows he shouldn't talk so much.

He's going to regret this tomorrow morning.]

It just breaks my heart that nobody seems to see it the way I do.

More for me, I guess.

[sixthnonsense]

[Does Hagakure know his worth...?

Ah. He doesn't like having it turned around on him. The question leaves him with a look of uncertainty, because he truly doesn't have an answer.

Self-worth is something he's struggled with a lot, especially after going through the killing game at Hope's Peak. He's pretty sure no one there found him helpful or useful- in fact, many of his classmates made it perfectly clear what they thought of him, and it wasn't good. In fact, while no one said it outright, he wouldn't be surprised if any of them wished someone else had survived instead of him. As much as he'd thought he hadn't let it get to him, he found himself concerned about it here in New Rapture. He desperately wants to help, and while he's doing his best...is it enough?

Is he even enough for Dandy?

He opens his mouth to voice that uncertainty, but Dandy beats him to the punch...

All of the sudden, it's like something has a stranglehold on his heart.]

It was...there all along?

[He repeats, breathless. Maybe Dandy's right. Maybe this is supposed to be painful, but not just in the standard way.

He lets go of one of Dandy's hands to clutch at his chest, his expression contorting from the overwhelming wave of emotion crashing down on him. Dandy didn't just tug at Hagakure's heartstrings. He may as well have played a song with them.

He lets out a laugh, though it's choked up.]

W-Well. I guess it's good to know I've been doin' something right this whole time.