Oh my gosh, Hi! (Open)

[Erik Köler]

Eri laughed, unable to hold the sound back from passing his lips, "Stop blowin hole's in my ship! " Eri declared the line from one of the movies he also enjoyed. Wondreing of Lani knew of it as well. Though a small tint of a color pressed those pale cheeks as the other man told him that he would be a great captain. "you think so!? What makes you think so captain adorable pants!?" eri questioned. Curious as to why the other male believed that. Eri didn't see himself as someone who was a good leader let alone a good captain, but maybe Lani saw something in him that he could not. Eri would have developed the same fears of tubs, if it weren't for the fact that he liked to just soak in the tub, it was a nice way to relax and he felt like his ability didn't act out as much when he did.

Eri seemed to smile despite the conversation that made him a little sad. It wasn't as though Eri would let his sadness get to him though, no that was something he could do in private, mope that is. However, it wasn't often he did regardless, unless pressured by someone who had fallen for him. It had happened in the past, but he hadn't really felt the same about the person so it j ust turned into something very uncomfortable and awkward. He shook his head somewhat to the thought as he responded to the other man's words, "Probably!" he declared with a smile. "Maybe not everyone, but most people who stay around me long enough are influeneced. I can't really control it so i can't make it stop. How can I know who isn't effected by it and who is? I can't read minds you know !" he joked with a laugh. Though that laugh faded slightly as eri hugged his own arms a bit giving them a little shake. "People who are prone to mean intentions. Like creepy people on the bus! If they had bad ideas about touching me my ability would make them want to more ! it's happened before ! I don't like it at all nope nope!" He declared shaking his head at the memory of the old perver that had gropped him thinking he was just a 'pretty girl' on the bus alone. Eri smiled again more brightly at the sight of the color on eri's cheeks. "Oh captain adorable pants! That color looks nice on you!" he stated half tempted to pinch at the man's cheeks again.

"Awww!" he declared as his new nickname was shot down immediately. "come on! It's a cute name! Lani is a cute name too but i want to call you something special! That only I can get away with because i'm the swabbie, captain adorable pants! " eri touched his lips with a fingertip as he thought a moment. "What about võluv! That could work! " Eri declared happily. Pleased with his new suggestion, "It means adorable!" He informed knowing the man would likely ask if he did not understand the dialects of estonia.

Eri had barely noticed the scar and even if it had been more noticable Eri would never have pointed it out. Such things did not matter to Eri had scars of his own though most of them weren't anything like Lani's fo course. Eri would never believe that Lani wasn't a good person, that is, unless Lani proved to him directly that he was. If anyone ever said Lani was bad it would have made Eri mad for sure ! He couldn't imagine the other man being anything more than the sweet and funny guy he had seen so far. Then again, Eri saw the world through sunshine and sparkles, his judgement was biased completely on his beliefs of pleasantries. "That is so cute ! " eri declared to the other man. "ohhh võluv cares a bout someone here? " he questioned with a smile. "uhh ! i forget! Oh well, it's not important ! " he stated with a happy tone to his voice.

Eri laughed slightly, "Okay okay! I'll stop! I don't want to be creepy to captain adorable pants!" he stated still testing the waters with different nicknames for the other man. "I should help you see them for how cute they are too!" Eri declared with a happy tone. "I don't know what is creepy about dolls at all! They're so cute. I wonder what I would look like as a doll, huh?" he questioned with a sweet smile.

"No way! It's worth it! " he stated with a smile. "i'm usually awake anyway! it's better than being bored bored bored!" he declared happily smiling. "You can't? Well, um! " eri stated shifting a bit, sliding his fingertips along the front of the dress he wore, pressing his fingertips to a button of the dress, pushing it unfastened. He gave an almost impish smile as if he were going to take his clothes off right there to show the other man, sliding his hand into the fabric that had unbuttoned slightly, though he paused. Giving the other man a grin as he pulled his cellphone from the fabric. "Bam! Magic!" Eri declared showing him the phone as his other hand buttoned the fabirc once again.

He turned the phone on setting it on the table infront of lani. leaning against the table as he touched the screen to open up the photo album. Though an embarrassed squeek escaped his lips as to the first picture that came up. "woops! not that one ! don't look don't look!" eri stated sliding his finger on the screen. Then enlarging the second picture "See!" he declared flipping to one that was better quality right after it. "Oh and this one too! That's all you get to see unless you come visit me though!" he declared with a bright grin.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani laughed recognizing the reference. He did love those movies. Lani nodded his head and then reached a hand up to scratch his chin thoughtfully. “Because you’re a strong person. Your smart and I can see you take chances. You have all the makings to be a great captain. That is if you pay attention and learn from the master.” He nodded a little bit a smirk crossing his lips. This was really a conversation they were having? Lani shrugged it off, it might be a metaphor but it was a good representation of what Lani was trying to say. Eri had a big heart but big hearts often times needed to be guarded. Eri had a lot of strength but he also had a lot of innocence and Lani saw that as dangerous. Innocence made people easy targets. At least in Lani’s world they did. Someone who walked around without any idea that they could be a target was a target. Those that watched their back and walked with heightened senses were dangerous targets.

Eri didn’t seem very convinced, Lani wore enough masks to know one when he saw one. “So if they stick around it has to be for something other than your power right? I mean once they’re away from you your power can’t influence them anymore right?” Lani questioned, “So if they weren’t thinking clearly they would be when they were away from you and if they really decided that looking back they didn’t like you then they would just avoid you.” He shrugged, that sounded like what he would do. “So people that stick around long enough to get influenced really aren’t as influenced as you think.” Lani was spouting out theories as he thought of them. “What?” Lani hissed catching onto what Eri was talking about. Not people blatantly being mean but people who had intentions of doing something not so nice. Lani growled a little at the idea it was as if someone would find it ok to go after his little sister on a bus. They would meet a very angry big brother and now a very angry telekinetic big brother. Things would not end well for said person. “Do you have pepper spray?” Lani quizzed again his voice a little too even and low to be that of someone feeling as protective as Lani was. It was a strange thing that always happened. When he got really angry his mind seemed to shut down and he distanced himself mentally from what was going on but his body and voice still worked. Lani’s anger was quick to dissipate as he realized that there was no one directly around to receive it but he wouldn’t forget this conversation. Lani blinked at Eri and shook his head covering his cheeks with his hands. “Stop that.”

The next sentence out of Eri’s mouth struck a chord in Lani. He clenched his fists and reminded himself that Eri wasn’t saying such things to be cruel, he legitimately thought so. His name was his curse and his blessing. Eri was right about one thing, he was the only person allowed to get away with that. “My name is not cute,” Lani found himself saying before he could stop himself. It came out a little more harshly than his previous protests. But he had a feeling if he let one person do it others would think it was ok. No, his parents had given him a girlie name and he had had to earn his way up to the point where people didn’t even think to say anything about his name. “But you should consider yourself lucky Swabbie or you might have had to walk the plank.” He stated with just a touch of grumpiness because he couldn’t be angry with Eri. Eri didn’t mean anything by it he was sure, if Lani thought he was he would have shot him down the first time ‘captain adorable pants’ came out of his mouth. Raising a brow at the strange name Lani found himself smiling a little bit. “Fine,” he relented, at least if someone else heard it they wouldn’t understand it.

Lani was lost in his thoughts and watching the clouds drift by and didn’t really find it in his heart to comment on how what he said was cute. He still didn’t think he and Eri had the same definition of cute but then a word was a word as how it was defined by the masses and even then they had different variances. Eri thought dolls were cute, Lani did not. Lani glanced at Eri a soft smile on his lips. The first face came to mind was a particular redhead. Things were still very rocky but they were both dodging questions and keeping secrets and trying to tell secrets without telling other secrets. “Yeah…” Lani said absently then blinked coming back to himself, “I mean several someones. I mean my sister is here and everyone else so…” Lani smiled at Eri giving him a shrug and hoping he didn’t notice Lani’s minor daydream.

Lani laughed, “I don’t think you’ll ever convince me that dolls are cute, Eri. They’ve got these eyes that follow you and they see everything.” Lani shook his head smiling at Eri. Lani gestured at the dress and hid his smile with one hand. “I think you’re already on your way,” he teased. Dolls were creepy because they seemed to say things with their eyes and they made irrational people out of rational ones when they started to think that dolls were actually alive. Which was when everything ended up going to hell and the dolls were actually alive and killing everyone. At least that was how it went in horror movies. And this was why Lani didn’t go to horror movies. The one he had gone to with Adrianna he had been practically crawling into her lap he was so frightened.

Lani shook his head at her. “You’re a morning person?” Lani assumed with a mock sour look on his face. The only time Lani was up early was if he had gone to bed way earlier or just hadn’t gone to bed in the first place. Lani didn’t keep normal people sleeping hours. His job had made him a nocturnal person and now he had trouble sleeping during the night and he was all screwed up. Raising a brow Lani watched Eri and had to admit to a little bit of relief when he pulled out a phone. Lani leaned forward to look and the first picture showed up. Lani choked on his tongue and cried out. “Why do you even have that one on there?!” Lani’s eyes could not unsee what they had just seen and he covered his eyes trying to keep himself from blushing at the sight of it. Really it shouldn’t bother him so much to see a half naked man, right? Lani peeked from behind his fingers and deeming it safe looked at the pictures again. He laughed a little. “You look better slumming it than I do on a normal day-to-day basis.” He looked down at himself. Maybe Odion had a point…

[Erik Köler]

Eri gave a happy sound, clapping his hands together, "yes yes! Those movies are fabulous ! I absolutely love them you know ! I couldn't imagine it without captain jack sparrow though! He completely makes the movie !" eri cheered excitedly. "Which is your favorite of the series? oh my gosh picking just one is hard! He's so silly in all of them. " he would declare happily. Though as Lani explained the reasonings he'd said what he did Eri found his face growing unusually read. He didn't hear people say things like that about him. That he was strong, especially that, jeeze. Eri's hands raised to cover his cheeks as he shook his head a bit, "Captain adorable pants is making an attack on his own swabbie! " he declared with a soft laugh. "It makes me happy to hear that." he mentioned with a cheesy grin. "I will pay attention, master!" Eri declared throwing a hand in the air. Had this inspired a new nickname? oh dear what a terrible one that would be to hear shouted through the halls at lani.

Hearing Lani's logic Eri seemed to take deep though on it. A smile forming on those lips once again as he gave a gentle laugh, "You're really smart! I guess that could be the case too, but I don't know. " He trailed off a little. "I'm still scared of that though! I don't want to make someone fall in love with me if that's not what they want to do. NOt even for a minute. I want to be loved because I am worth loving. Not because i influenced them." he admitted with a hand on his own cheek. "Pepper spray?" Eri questioned shaking his head a bit, "nope! but i have hair spray! Do you need some?" eri questioned obviously missing the point. Though the protective tone in Lani's voice made Eri feel a little tinglie inside. "Awh, but you're so cute how can i help it!?" he declared happily laughing.

The tone of lani's voice started Eri, causing him to stop moving entirely for a moment as he tensed up, but then the moment of fearful sensation would pass and Eri would once again be Eri as always. "I.. it is so! It sounds much better than a name like Erik Nathaniel! " he stated flailing his arms around a bit. "I'll trade you names !" Eri offered with that bright smile. "I am lucky! I met you after all! " Eri stated with a cheesy grin once again. "Yay võluv!" eri declared happily.

"ohhh! You have a sister!? What is she like?! Is she as adorable as you? does she go here?" Eri bombarded him with questions. Excited to learn more about his personal matters or at least those pertaining to his family. She wondered what his family was like. If they were loving or cruel. If they were happy or the kind of family that avoided eachother. Eri didn't know anything about lani in that asepect and it made Eri quite interested in finding out.

"Ah! but so do people! People's eyes are always on other people. Always watching and judging. At least a doll cannot judge you ! " eri declared with a smile. "Oh!" eri declared looking ot his own clothing. "Maybe! You know I make costumes ! "eri declared. "They're fun to wear ! I think might get a job where i can make costumes one day it would be alot of fun! " he noted happily with a smile. "oh oh oh ! If i hide all my dolls will you come over and watch movies? I can show you some of the things i make! "eri declared excitedly.

"Hmmm I don't know! I'm an all day kind of person." he admitted with a grin. Though Eri first thing in the morning was a scary sight in his opinion. He couldn't help but to be happy all the time, it was amazing noone had put him on some sort of pill to try to level him out, but Eri would have never stood for that. he was happy with who he was regardless of what other people thought of him. Eri's face was beat ared over the first picture, "Oh my gosh! You saw it?! no! you didn't see anything ! It's not there at all!" he flailed his hands at the other man's face as if he were trying to wipe the memory away. Eri pouted somewhat half sinking into the seat as if he wanted to vanish into a hole, "How embarrassing!" Eri declared.

"What! That's not true! " eri stated as he leaned to the table, staring up at the other male as he did so, "võluv ! You're so attractive i'm jealous! " he declared as he smiled. "oh! " a thought occurred to him. "Do you have a phone too?!" he questioned enthusiastically.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani nodded in agreement and laughed a little. He did make the movie. “He’s so spazy but it is beyond awesome.” If he were going to be a pirate captain he would love to be like Jack Sparrow, though he would probably enjoy manning the Flying Dutchman as well. “I think the third one. I mean you cannot beat that whirlpool fight scene!” He gestured like the two boats tipping and colliding together. It also had the happy ending for Will and Elizabeth, at least as happy as it could get. Lani nodded, “He is, I have to say no one can beat Johnny Depp.” Lani nodded. He had never seen a movie with that actor in it that he didn’t like. And add Tim Burton to the mix and Lani would be in love before he saw the movie. Lani had an interesting taste in movies, horror movies freaked him out but those gothic fairy tales, especially the claymations were beyond amazing in his eyes.

A smirk crossed Lani’s face, it was about time he got Eri back for making him blush so much. Lani blinked at Eri giving him an innocent expression. It was an unintentional attack but at the same time it made Lani smile that his words might have an impact on Eri. Lani chuckled a little bit. “It’s nothing that isn’t true,” he commented and waved away the reference to master. He didn’t even think of the potential that Eri might find that a new nickname. He would quickly find out that that was not a good thing if he started calling him that. He could deal with the new nickname for at least chances of people knowing what it mean were slim. Really if it was between that, Captain Adorable Pants, and La-la he would take the Võluv one.

Lani was glad that Eri was smiling about this again. There was nothing to be said that no one of their own free will could like Eri. “Eh, I’m not that smart,” Lani shrugged it off, “Besides I find it really hard to believe that everyone who likes you only does so because of your power.” Lani smiled sympathetically and nodded. He could understand that. Lani considered Eri for a moment, “Trust me, if I can live happily ever after so can you.” Lani nodded as if he was as sure of that as he was of the rise of the sun. Lani sighed and shook his head, “Does it look like I need hair spray?” He asked his voice dripping with sarcasm, “No, Eri, I mean pepper spray to protect yourself.” Lani raised his arms in the air in a manner of defeat. He really couldn’t win with this guy.

An apologetic smile crossed Lani’s face. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it to come out that way.” He raised a brow and made a gag face, “That at least sounds impressive, do you know how many people here the name Lani and aren’t expecting me?” He rolled his eyes and he had had to earn his respect by being a hard person, but since he came here it seemed like people didn’t seem that keen on attempting to tease him for his name. No one dared at his old school. Lani shook his head and laughed, “I don’t think so, it would get awfully confusing.” Lani’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “You should be careful with luck,” Lani commented.

Lani nodded seeming to get really enthusiastic about something finally. He pulled out his wallet and pulled out a small picture of his sister turning it to show Eri. It was from just a few months ago. She was precious and Lani loved her more than life itself. He would do anything for her. “Her name’s Caroline and she is a thousand times more adorable.” He nodded though a worried expression crossed his face. He hadn’t seen Caroline in a while he was starting to think that something bad might have happened. “Yeah, she can control water. She’s amazing. She’s one of those people that can make the good come out of anyone.” Lani’s smile was warm, “She’s the sweetest person you’ll ever meet, and the smartest.” Praise poured out easily about his sister. He was a doting older brother.

“Yeah but people are alive,” Lani protested trying to get Eri to see his point. “Oh yes they do, it’s worse because they don’t say anything about it but you know from that look in their eye that they know. At least people are upfront about whether or not they like you.” Yes, Lani was giving dolls a personality. Really it was more comforting for Lani to know that someone was judging him rather than a doll. They had that look and it made Lani think that they knew what he was thinking and it made Lani ashamed of it. Not to mention you couldn’t win a staring contest with a doll. Lani raised a brow a little smile crossing his lips. For some reason that didn’t surprise him. Maybe Eri would be great during Halloween. “That would be great!” Lani said nodding enthusiastically, at least Eri had an ambition. Lani shook his head a little, “It’ll be fine,” he said with a laugh, “I’ll deal. Sure,” he said in agreement. Movies were fun to watch, maybe he could get Odion to meet Eri.

“Really?” Lani questioned with a little smile to show he was teasing. Lani was a night owl, that was for certain. Lani was embarrassed for Eri his own face crimson as well. It wasn’t everyday that those kind of photos were flashed his way. Lani shook his head, “Ah, yes, what picture?” He stated his voice a little shaky as he tried his best to shake the memory of it out of his head as Eri waved his hands attempting to do the same thing. But the sad thing was it was burned into his memory and nothing in the world would make him unsee that. Oh dear… He took a deep breath and tried to force his face to cool. He took a sip of water trying to help that along but had to be careful not to choke on the liquid as it passed down his throat. Lani raised a brow and shook his head. “Nah, I mean, I guess I’m ok.” He shrugged. Lani’s eyes flashed with humor and he dug out his brick of a phone. “Yeah, ready for this? Bam!” He dropped it on the table. It was freaking indestructible.

[Erik Köler]

"Spazzy? That's what makes him great ! " eri declared happily. Eri looked up to Lani as he explained which he liked and why, "oh! You're right! That was pretty sick! It was kind of scarey though! " he stated shaking his head a bit. "It was scarey because it reminded me of the drain in bath tubs! Like how the water sucks out when it's unplugged! It was like they pulled a big plug on a giant bath tub and were fighting until all the water would drain out!" he declared flailing at the thought. It almost made baths scarey thinking about things like that. "you're right ! Have you seen him in that old musical movie thinger called cry baby ! oh my gosh i melted through the whole movie!" eri stated laughing softly.

"Jeeze! My face is gonna stay red forever !" eri stated rubbing at his cheeks trying to 'wipe' the blushed color away from them with little success in doing so. If anything he made it worse doing such a thing, "Master Võluv! I like the sound of that ! " Eri declared toward the man with a happy smile. How could he not be happy? Lani, in his eyes, was a super great guy who was funny and fun to be around in general.

"Uh huh! You really are ! I never even considered that !" eri admitted. Though his cheeks darkened that tint of red with the other man's sympathetic words. "Jeeze...That's nice of you to say. I hope you're right!" Eri stated with a smile though there was still uncertainty about whether or not Lani was right about that. Though it did make Eri think about the option of those words he'd spoken. "I hope so. Eri wants a happily ever after too!" he decalred with a soft laugh following those words with Lani's sarcastic question. "Nope ! I like your hair like it is !" he declared. Though he tilted his head a bit, "I don't. Should I? I don't like hurting people. " It was true, if it could be avoided, Eri would do whatever he could to avoid having to hurt someone.

"hmm about as many people who hear the name Erik Nathaniel and aren't expecting me when they see me i guess ! " He suggested with a grin. "yeah. it would ! but it might be funny! " he stated with a smile staring up to Lani with a look of confusion shortly after. "Be careful with luck? but why! Luck made me meet you and i wouldn't change that !" he stated loudly flailing his arms a bit as if he were protesting any idea of his lucky being bad.

Eri shook his head a bit, giving a smile, "We're never going to agree on this !" Eri added with a laugh. Amused by the fact, giving the other man a bright smile, "that's not true! Not all people are upfront with whether or not they really like you. Alot of people hide that to spare other people's feelings. People also lie alot. A doll can't speak so it can't lie." he stated as he with a bright smile. As if he believed his argument couldn't be denied. "Yeah! It would be wonderful! I could make costumes and and and dress people up! AND OH! I could even dress you up too Master!" he stated again switching out Võluv with that 'master' line due to the earlier claim the man had made. "Yay! I look forward to it! How about tomorrow night? That would be super spectacular!" Eri suggested with the brightest of expressions yet given. If eri could glow he would have been a light bulb by then.

"yeah! " he responded nodding his head rapidly causing those strands and accessories to bounce somewhat as he did. "Y..yeah! exactly! what photo!" eri declared still hiding somewhat in his own little slouched position his face completely red still. He couldn't help it, he hadn't meant for anyone else to see that photo, though he should have remembered it was there. As he sat up a bit, trying to suppress that embarrassed feeling that was within him, "Yikes! If i did that with mine it would break!" he declared happily laughing as he picked up Lani's phone looking it over as if it were an alien device. "Ah! How do you get to the contacts ooof it's so much different than mine!" He stated turning it upside down as if it would help in some sort of way. Though it would obviously not do so. Eri, of course, wanted to put his number in there for Lani but his tactic was all kinds of flawed.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani laughed, “I agree.” Well those were two word he never thought he’d say. It was amazing how polar opposite they were but there were similarities, taste in movies for one. Fears as well, but Lani was never going to admit that. Lani blinked in surprise he had never thought of it like that. So long as the water in the movie stayed in the movie he was fine with it, though it had him twitching and holding his breath the whole time that someone was underwater. Lani shrugged, he couldn’t remember the last bath he had taken, it had been years. “I just love how they made Tia Dalma Calypso, that was spectacular.” Lani was a big fan of ancient civilizations and the Greeks were some of the most amazing innovators and philosophers ever known and yet they still worshiped gods. Lani shook his head and chuckled a little bit at Eri’s reaction. “No I don’t think so.”

“Paybacks a bitch, isn’t it?” He teased mercilessly. He found himself laughing, to think that leaving his advisor’s office he had intended to just go back to his room and sleep. Lani raised a brow and shook his head a little, “What’s wrong with Captain?” He asked a little wary about what Eri was going to do with that. It made him nervous. Hell, Eri made him nervous, mostly because he didn’t hold his tongue and it seemed like everything that popped into his head came out of his mouth. What if he just said that one day in front of someone? Lani would probably die right then and there on the spot. “Just Captain Voluv?” He suggested wanting nothing to do with ‘master’. That just sounded terribly wrong. But perhaps that was merely because Lani’s mind lived in the gutter. Oh well, it had to have somewhere to sleep.

Lani’s cheeks reddened as well but he did his best to shake it off. “I’m sure I’m right,” Lani said giving Eri a wink. Lani had a lot of confidence that Eri would eventually find that someone. Lani had found someone, now all he needed to do was not screw it up. If Lani, the person who had a hard time letting anyone in and didn’t trust most people, could find someone he wanted to share everything with then anything was possible. The situation Lani had gotten into was a long line of events that could have fallen one way or another but somehow everything worked out in favor of it. Perhaps the universe had something in the works for Eri as well. Lani knew he wanted to be friends with Eri for a while to come, he was just one of those people that struck Lani enough to make an impression. Lani grinned, he liked his hair the way it was as well. Lani nodded. “I think you should, and you’d only be hurting people who intended to hurt you.”

Lani let out a little laugh and nodded. “Fair enough.” He hesitated for a moment then his curiosity was too much to bear, “Is that why you go by Eri?” Lani laughed a little bit and thought of himself as Erik Nathaniel. Erik Nathaniel Hunter, now that had a ring to it. That was a name made for power. But he was Lani Karl Hunter, a name made for the shadows, that was where Lani belonged and that was where he was comfortable. “Lady Luck is a wicked mistress,” Lani said, “She’ll turn on you just as soon as grant you a wish.”

Laughing Lani nodded in agreement. “No probably not.” Lani shook his head he felt like he understood most people and those that he didn’t understand he knew how to get information on. “But dolls also can’t tell you the truth, they lie by virtue of staying silent.” Lani said and blinked surprising himself, well he had been like a doll, a speaking doll but not speaking about the job he used to have. It had exploded in his face. Well if only he had a habit of listening to himself when he spoke he would have seen his error. Oh well, the past was the past and no amount of wishes would make it change. And really he wouldn’t want to change it, there were a lot of lessons he wouldn’t have learned and changes he wouldn’t have made if that horrible night hadn’t happened. He was pulled back into the conversation about costumes and shook his head. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary.” Lani said quickly before realizing what Eri had called him. “Alright, no I veto that one as well. It’s that V one or nothing.” He pointed a finger at Eri and waggled it as if to emphasize his ‘no’.

Lani smiled, “Sure, I don’t think I’m doing anything tomorrow,” he said his mind running quickly through his schedule, no nothing planned. Dropping his phone it clattered a little but otherwise was fine. He laughed, “That’s because yours is one of the new ones, I mean they make those things to break. I don’t think this one will ever break.” He smiled as Eri picked up the seemingly prehistoric device. It wasn’t really that old, it was just sturdy and Lani had never really found a need to have internet in his hand at a moment’s notice so he never really cared to upgrade. It worked just fine. Lani laughed and snatched the phone back, “Gimme that,” he flipped the phone right again and brought up the contact list guessing what Eri wanted to do and not really minding. It would make getting into contact with Eri easier certainly. He held it back out. “This is a keypad,” he pointed to it as if he were talking to a child, “You type in your number here and I’ll take care of the rest.”

[Erik Köler]

Eri seemed quite happy hearing that Lani agreed. The fact that they could get along so well already, or at least Eri believe so, made him think that it was only the beginning of a beautiful friendship. He couldn’t tell the future though, who knows what could happen, but for now it was his belief and his hope. Despite being afraid of such things Eri could not resist taking a bath when he was able to do. Soaking in the water helped him relax sore muscles, but it also helped him relax. Though even so, he tried not to linger near the drain side of the tub it was just creepy. He never could understand how that worked so well anyway. For all he knew there could be some kind of monster sucking the water out ! “oh! They couldn’t have picked a more perfect person to play calypso! She did it so well! Oh my gosh! She was so awesome!” Eri agreed. “I love the way they included calypso into the story! It made it so wonderful to watch!” he would add happily. “Oh my gosh! Really!? You’ve never seen it!? Oh my gosh I’m going to have to change that ! It’s so awesome! It’s under appreciated ! Oh my gosh!” Eri swung his arms a bit. “I’ll add it to the list of things we just gotta watch!” He declared. Eri cheerfully smiled before singing out , loudly , though still in tone. “Pleassse mr jailer! Won’t you let my man go freee~? Please mr jailer won’t you let my man go freee ~! He don’t belong in prison though he’s guilty as can be ~ ! But the only crime he’s guilty off is simply loving me ! “ he sang out before falling into a small fit of laughter.

“ouh! I guess so !” eri stated with with a grin. Despite holding those hands over his colored cheeks. He gave a mock pout, “but you said you’re master! Then I should call you master voluv~! “ he declared giving the other man a bright smile. Not really thinking too much, obviously, on how terrible that word would sound to someone who did no know the reason he’d begun calling Lani such a name. “master master master of the pirates of awesome!” he declared happily. He couldn’t help it, he liked the sound of it, regardless of it’s meaning.

Eri’s cheeks still held that color, it was hard for them not to when Lani was being so sweet, and making him feel almost giddy. He kicked at the ground a bit before giving a playful exclaiming of the phrase, “awwh shyucks!” Eri seemed to watch Lani’s movements closely, even despite it seeming as though his attention could focus little on a single thing, he did watch those movements with slight tilts of his head . The other man’s demeanour between those suggestions and statements seemed to draw a curiosity to Eri’s features. Though it was blinded by that happy glow once again, that smile that is, “Okay then! If you show me where to buy it I will, but only because Master Voluv is worried ! “ he declared happily.

Eri nodded slightly, pointing his finger to his own head, “POW! It blows their minds when they see me after hearing that name!” he declared with an amused expression. “Mm! Just part of the reason. Eri was what one of my friends called me when I was younger! It just kind of stuck really. She used to say ‘you’re way to pretty to be an Erik!.’ I always felt like she was trying to pick on me !” He laughed softly. Despite it being a memory that held bad ties after such a time. “Hmm… Well, if that’s so, then I’d better wear good luck charms that I don’t lose the luck that brought me to meet you!” he declared happily.

Eri drew out a long ‘hmmm’ sound to Lani’s argument. He couldn’t really deny the possibility that he was correct in assuming such, but Eri didn’t really like to think about those dolls being capable of the lies humans were. “I guess humans and dolls have a lot in common, dolls just seem to have more of an unbreakable stubbornness, if that’s the case!” he noted with a laugh. “Awh !but it would be fun Master ! Dressing you up ! Oh I bet you’d look so handsome in a suit too!” he stated with a grin up to the man. “oh jeeze! I’m going to blush again thinking about that !” he stated covering his cheeks again. Though he made a surprised sound over the veto, “Voluv? Why not master? You said you were the master !” he noted with a playful grin. It seemed like Eri’s mind was all over the place. Repeating those things he’d said earlier. Eri’s hand made a curled motion like a parent playing ‘scary monster’ with their hands and then he would move his hand to try to ‘chomp’ at that pointing finger. “chomp chomp chomp” he stated childishly before laughing again.

“Oh yay! Tomorrow it is then! Oh my gosh I am so happy! I can’t wait !” he would exclaim to the world if he could. “Is it a nokia? Because I hear those things are invincible !” he would question with a laugh. Eri squeaked, more or less, as that phone was yanked out of his hands. Eri watched Lani with a certain eagerness, like waiting for a present on Christmas, funny enough. He leaned to that table giving a happy sound as he was presented with the phone and instructed with how to use it. It was a lot different than his own, but it was interesting for sure ! “Oh! Okay! I’ll do that!” he stated slipping his fingers beneath lani’s to take the phone offered to him, typing in his phone number, pressing his tongue past his own lips and against his upper lip in a manner as if he were thinking deeply on something. That tongue piercing glistening to the air for the moment that he did so. “Done!” he declared before handing the phone back to him. “I almost forgot what my own number was ! I guess because I never call myself.” he added with a bright smile. His stomach rumbled in hunger a little, his arms crossed over his abdomen a bit as he laughed, “shhh stomach! You’re being loud!” eri declared as if his stomach could possibly be louder than he was.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani nodded, “They did a spectacular job fitting in myth and reality into those movies. It made the world very magical and yet believable.” It had been a movie that Lani had brushed off as being impossible and completely fictional when he first saw it but had had also first seen it when before he got a power and before he knew this whole world existed. Now Lani had his doubts about whether all of these things could potentially be possible. Could someone’s powerful actions last beyond their lives? He wondered if he set up a powerful action and fixed something to balance in the air would it fall if he died. Chances were probably, so long as his power was tied to his mind as soon as he was gone it would be gone. He shook his head. The movie didn’t even sound familiar. Lani laughed as Eri started to sing. He shrugged. “Never heard of it,” he said. “Is it an older movie?” He asked curiously.

Lani shook his head at Eri. “No, no, I said I was the master.” There was no way he was going to let this go. “Just the latter will work, but you can still just call me Lani, whenever you feel like it,” he raised his hands in a gesture showing that it was up to Eri but really it wasn’t, it was up to Eri so long as Lani was satisfied with the answer. He rubbed his eyes and gave an exaggerated sigh. He never should have said anything, well this was a slippery slope. “Alright ‘master’ is vetoed.” He said firmly. Lani had a feeling that thought they seemed to agree on several things there were some things that they would just never agree on. A suitable nickname for one. Eri was just so childlike that he probably wasn’t thinking about the word ‘master’ the same way that Lani was and it made Lani’s face flush and he shook his head trying to cool it with the breaths of wind he created. Hell no.

Chuckling Lani wondered how Eri had gotten to be how he was. It was probably and interesting story, how had Eri gone his whole life especially dressing how he dressed and not become someone with a harsh dose of reality. He couldn’t imagine that there would be no one teasing him about his dress but he supposed that the pheromones would help prevent that. Hell Lani had only been teased because his name was cute and no one dared say anything about it after he left middle school. All it took was one burst of anger and one fight that he had won and it was all over. Soon it had become if he caught wind of someone at school he could help he would. And God help the person who tried to pick on his sister. He nodded and smiled glad that Eri was going to start defending himself. “Good, you know power or no power you don’t have to put up with the actions of people. You have to defend yourself sometimes.” It was a sad reality but if Eri didn’t go buy some himself Lani would have gotten it for him. If Eri didn’t feel right hitting someone he could at least do something. Lani didn’t even realize he let the nickname slide at this point he was just glad something he was saying was getting through.

“It is a little mind blowing,” Lani said with a gentle smile, it would take him a while to fully wrap his understanding around this. He smiled hearing the tales of childhood. Lani didn’t say anything but he could agree, she probably was just picking on Eri. But she must have been a good friend if the nickname was able to stick. “Well I think Eri is a nice name, it suits you,” Lani said with a nod. That and he probably couldn’t force himself to call Eri Erik for an extended period of time. Erik was a masculine and strong name and as much as Lani regretted admitting it Eri didn’t strike him as masculine or strong. But he was better than that. Kind and excitable. He supposed it was like Lani. Lani saw his name as a gentle name and Lani was usually gentle and hard to get to rise to any sort of emotion. “Who say’s I’m good luck?” Lani said it feeling strange that he was being honest with Eri. He kept telling himself it was the pheromones.

“Maybe that’s what makes dolls creepy,” Lani mused, “It’s the kind of things they would say if they could.” That was the reality of it Lani had an eerie feeling that dolls could see all of his sins and was just waiting for the right moment to say something about it. Lani flushed he hadn’t realized that Eri wasn’t talking about dressing him up in a dress. “Oh… I thought you meant… I mean… I have a suit.” He finished awkwardly looking at his hands. Sure it wasn’t like it was a tailored suit but it served its purpose for the amount of times Lani wore it. He nodded, “Yeah that one.” He wrinkled his nose, “Because I’m not anyone’s master.” And no one was his master. Not anymore. He was a master thief and that was the only thing he would ever be a master at. But he a fellow thief would never call their teacher master, it came them too much power. Thievery and business in the darker side of the world was all about power and one had to be careful who they let have power over them. Lani had made that mistake. He cocked his head and gave Eri a strange look. “What on earth are you doing?”

He smiled and nodded. It would indeed be fun, he really wasn’t sure how he felt about going into Eri’s room, dolls and all but he tried not to dwell on it. Eri was a friend and starting to be a really good friend. Lani looked over his phone the brand name had long since worn away. “You know I have no idea, probably. You know what’s invincible? Those industrial cell phones. I have a friend who called me once from underwater. Just because he could.” He laughed a little bit at the memory. That had been an interesting call. Lani smiled sipping a little bit on water as he watched Eri try way too hard to type in his number. Lani just raised a brow, he didn’t understand the need to pierce a tongue. Or nose or anything really. He had to admit that the earrings that Adrianna used to wear were beautiful. Lani laughed a little bit and pocketed the phone. At the sound of Eri’s stomach Lani glanced around. Why did it seem like their table had been abandoned? He caught a waitress’s eye and smiled charmingly at her. Soon she arrived at their table, “Who was supposed to take care of you? Can I take your order?” The woman asked. Lani asked for ravioli no longer very into getting a meatball sub.

[Erik Köler]

"They did! I love myths and when they put it into movies in a way that is true to the myth it makes my insides wiggles and i feel like dancing in happy!" he declared. Though he seemed still in shock that the other man had not seen cry baby. Then again he shouldn't really have been, it wasn't one of johnny depp's best or most well known movies, but he still loved it. "It was kind of like grease in a way! I think it was supposed to be like a spoof or something. It was really amusing! There's a woman in the movie they call hatchet face! " he laughed. "It came out in uhm..1990 i think! That song I was singing is from it ! It's called Mister Jailer ! It's the song the good girl sings near the end ! " he declared happily.

Eri stared up at Lani, enjoying the way his face reddened, though he wasn't really sure why it was doing so. Had eri said something that embarrassed Lani? Eri wasn't sure, but he couldn't help thinking that Lani was absolutely adorable when he did blush. "Ahh! But I want to use Masterrrr! " He whined out. Though as he heard Lani say he vetoed out he would stick out his lower lip in a mock pouting fashion. "Oh poo!" he would declare. Though a grin would replace that expression, "Captian adorable pants is still my favorite anyway!" he noted to the man. Regardless of whether or not Lani agreed to any of his nicknames it didn't seem like it would be something that stopped Eri from cycling through random ones until he found that perfect one that felt just right.

Eri shook his head a bit, "Even if i wanted to i'm just not strong!" he declared holding up his arms in a flexing manner. "See! Eri has no big muscles ! " he declared with a laugh. Eri shrugged a little, somewhat wondering if Lani was that worried about his safety, was there someone scary enough that Eri should have been afraid? Eri didn't know, he didn't really think a person like that could exist, though this person Lani had described to him before sounded pretty scary. "Oh! Does that pepper spray stuff work on monsters that are worse than the kraken!?" he exclaimed remembering how he'd refered to this Rhett (if he remembered right) fellow as worse than the kraken.

"Is it? Why!? Is it because I have man parts and i wear dresses?" he questioned as he grinned. He figured that was the main reason people found it so mind blowing. Though it was probably not only that but simply because of how over-the-top he looked. Eri's cheeks reddened a little as said the name suited him, "Does it? I am glad that you think so!" he stated seemingly putting alot of faith into the words that Lani spoke. "I do! usually by now i've fallen down at least.." he held his hands up pushing down fingers as if he needed them to count the number of times. "more times than i have fingers!" he stated with a laugh. It was honestly quite true, Eri was very clumsy, and often fell down at least ten times a day for one reason or another.

"oh gosh! I wouldn't ever want mine to talk! They would tell all of my secrets away! And everything I do infront of them! Oh gosh how embarrasing that would be ! " he stated touching his own cheeks. " Oh gosh! I can just imagine what Lola would say!" eri squeaked up his voice as much as he could trying to mimic his doll's voice in some way as if it had one, "Guess what I know! I know that Eri dances around in his underpants when noone's home!" Eri's voice returned to normal as he laughed. "Oh gosh that isn't even the worst thing they could say!" he declared flailing his arms a bit. "Yeah! I meant a suit! No silly! I wouldn't put you in a dress if that's what you were thinking !" He laughed. "A dress wouldn't be flattering to yoU! you're to manly and handsome! A suit would look really cute on you though!" he declared happily. "though it would have to be a comfortable suit! not one of those stuffy ones that make you feel like you're trying to hard. " he stated with a nod.

When Lani mentioned he was noone's master it dawned on Eri why he shouldn't really use that word. His face went beat red as he waved his hands, "oh gosh! I didn't mean to say it like that !I didn't mean that I think you're -my- master ! I mean not that I would mind that, but gosh that's not what I meant!" Eri declared in an embarrassed tone. "jeeze! bad mouth bad!" he stated patting his own lips slightly with the palm of his hand. though the gesture was lost as he tried to childishly 'chomp ' at lani's pointing finger with his hands. Though he laughed when lani asked him what he was doing, "I don't know ! The hand monsters were chomping at your finger! My big brother used to tell me if you pointed at people a monster would come to eat your fingers!" he stated cheerfully despite the morbid thought.

Eri smiled happily, he was excited, and happy of course about their plans for watching movies. He couldn't wait to be quite honest. "oh!! That's so cool! Under water?! Like in a submarine?! boop boop boop! " he stated holding a hand above his head as if he were pretending it was a 'scope. "That would be the coolest phone call ever !" he declared though he doubted his own phone would be able to withstand that. Eri loved piercings, they were just another way of decorating himself honestly, and the people he'd been intimate with in the past didn't seem to mind either. THough it wasn't as if eri was intimate very often.

Eri was the sort that couldn't make the first move, because of his own fears perhaps, but if someone were to come onto him he wouldn't really reject it. He may have been the way he was for a while but he was still human after all. Other than that piercing the labret one wore sometimes were the only he had so it didn't seem that odd to him. "ouh! I don't remember ! " eri admitted raising a hand to the air. Though that hand lowered as he declared, "Spaghetti ! With the balls of meat please ! " Eri would turn his attention back to Lani after placing his order giving a happy smile, "no sandwich of meaty balls? " he questioned with a tilt of his head.

[Lani Hunter]

Dancing with happiness, that was something Lani didn’t understand. Sure he could get singing with joy and singing with pain but he just didn’t dance. Odion had seen him in action and so had Adrianna. Even though he had warned them they seemed skeptical about his lack of skill dancing. Lani just laughed a little bit and nodded. “Grease was good,” Lani agreed and if that was similar to Grease he was interested. “So it’s a musical as well?” He asked. A sly smile crossed Lani’s face. “I have to say if we’re talking about musicals that are amazing I loved him in Sweeney Todd.” That was a spectacular one. Lani was a huge fan of Epiphany and after one got past all the blood and the idea that people were being baked into pies the Demon Barber of Fleet Street was really nothing more than a man wrongly accused and then becoming what society thought it was. Reasons Lani hated prison, nothing to do with his long list of transgressions or course.

“No,” Lani said shortly shaking his head. Eri could whine all he wanted he was not going to give in to this one. Apparently this vetoing thing was working. He’d have to remember that. Being a Captain certainly had its perks. Lani found it amusing that Odion and Eri had both called him a Captain at some point without knowing each other. Unless they did. Lani would have to check into that. Lani laughed a little. He supposed he would just have to live with that one. “Fair enough,” he said in yielding. Compromise. Well, compromise as much as it could be had. Lani had actually gotten a little into liking the Voluv one. It sounded different and not quite as cutesy as the other nicknames Eri had come throwing about. Lani supposed he would just have to live with that.

Lani smiled at Eri and shook his head, “It’s easy to change that.” Well perhaps not easy but hard to get started but easy to keep once habits were formed. There wasn’t one specific person Eri should be wary of, the world was full of bad people. Lani had long since been disillusioned to the fact that there were bad people and there were people who could only be described as evil. He was very careful of who he deemed in the last category because in that category was his ex boss. If someone were to be in that category as well they would have had to have done something close or equivalent to that. Lani nodded, “It works wonders on them,” he said with a little smile. For Lani’s sake he hoped that Eri would make an effort to protect himself. It would ease the telekinetic’s mind. The biggest thing that killed him was that he couldn’t be everywhere protecting everyone at once.

Lani winced and flushed as Eri’s question hit it on the nose. He gave Eri an apologetic look. It was partially that but also partially how hard it was to ignore someone dressed as Eri was dressed. “Sorry,” he said unsure if the grin on Eri’s face was forced or not. He nodded, “It does,” he reiterated. It was soft and sweet, like Eri. Lani laughed and his smile became one that was beaming as he laughed. “Well I’m glad for that,” he said between laughs, “I have to admit I’m impressed, I would end up on my face if I wore shoes like yours,” he said in a teasing tone. It was clear what he meant, if Eri didn’t wear such high shoes maybe he wouldn’t fall so much. Lani was steady on his feet and very well balanced, he had to be, he couldn’t remember the last time he was tripped over something. Falling off of roofs only happened so many times before one learned what not to do.

Lani nodded and then his eyes widened a little bit as Eri expressed what the doll ‘Lola’ would say. Lani laughed wondering if Eri was joking about dancing, but then again this was Eri and chances of that being truth were rather high. He shook his head a little bit and shuddered, “That’s why I don’t like dolls,” he emphasized now that he had Eri thinking about it. Perhaps they were never going to agree on this but that didn’t mean he would stop debating about it. Lani had to admit he was more than a little embarrassed that he thought Eri wanted him in a dress. Lani breathed a sigh of relief and ginned at Eri. “Oh good,” he said honestly glad that Eri didn’t think he would look good in a dress. Truly flattered Lani blushed, “I guess so…” He shrugged he had never really thought about it. “I’ve never been a big suit guy…” He shook his head and finally smiled, “Do you have a suit?” Lani asked curious if Eri had ever worn one.

Eri finally seemed to clue in and Lani nodded a little bit and then he added that he wouldn’t mind. Lani wrinkled his nose and shook his head and hands indicating that he was not going to even go there. He was glad the conversation moved quickly to other things. He laughed a little. “Are you serious?” Oh the things told to children to keep them from doing things. Some people might not agree but there was nothing more terrifying to a child than monsters coming to gobble them up. “That’s better than the ‘your face will stick like that’ thing.” He shook his head a little and shrugged at the phone conversation. “It was kind of ridiculous, you can’t hear anything but strange sounds.” Lani had thought it was a butt dial until his friend had told him otherwise. Then he thought it was hilarious.

The woman seemed a little skeptical of Eri and Lani could only hide a laugh behind his hand. The woman shot Lani a look and he just shrugged giving her a sly look. He couldn’t even being to explain Eri. He didn’t fully understand Eri either. Lani laughed and shook his head. “Not today I think,” Lani said and with that he rose to his feet, “I’ll be back in a second.” He headed for the bathroom using a little bit of his own advice and distancing himself from Eri. Away from the pheromones the reality of his advising appointment hit him and he became grim as he looked at the failure in the mirror as he washed his hands. But another thing dawned on him. It wasn’t the pheromones that made him like Eri. Sure they might have been what made Lani stop and talk but it wasn’t why he had gone to lunch with Eri. He smiled to himself as he walked back to the table. He would bet money that even Odion wouldn’t be able to resist Eri.

[Erik Köler]

“Yeah! I love that movie ! What can you not love about it! Tell me about it stud!” He jokingly exclaimed the line of the move. Wiggling his shoulders toward Lani before breaking into a small fit of laughs. “Yes! It’s more geared toward the comedy spectrum more than it is about love overcoming stuff thing though!” he assured. Though he smiled a bit, “ouh! I have not seen that one yet but it looks so cool. I think I saw an older version of the tale, but not the theatrical with him in it! We should watch that too! That would be fun!” he stated happily smiling. Eri would of course be somewhat disturbed by the aspects dealing with blood and baking people in pies, but it wouldn’t be something he couldn’t get through. Eri could deal with pretty much anything except fire. If Eri saw fire directly it would ruin any image of an unbreakable happiness that Eri seemed to give people. That was for sure.

“Awh fineee, but there’s bound to be one that I can use that is just perfect!” he declared happily. It was true in all honesty, eri just couldn’t let go of the cutesy captain name he’d given the other man, he liked it far too much. Even if he found another name that he could call him that would probably be the name he would always fall back on. Even if he did through the other in every once and a while. It was just to perfect a name given how it had already been used. Plus, imagining Lani in a pirate captain’s costume was making Eri a little to thrilled. He wondered if the other man would ever let him dress him up in one just for the heck of it.

“How?” Eri questioned with a tilt of his head. “Can you teach me how ?” eri questioned with a bright smile. Eri’s world was full of reasons to be happy and little did he even think of the bad in the world he should have been scared about. People could be dangerous and yet he didn’t even think so. He immediately thought that most people were by default good natured and kind until they proved otherwise, but even then Eri would be in denial of their cruelty. Perhaps it was a flaw, but Eri didn’t think so. Eri just wanted to see the good in people. “I will have to get some then!” he declared. He smiled brightly up to Lani, “You should protect yourself too then! If there are bad people that can hurt me there are bad people that can hurt you too!” He declared with a worried expression for a moment though it would fade back to that smile.

Eri smiled brightly to the other man, giving a small laugh, enjoying still the sight of that color upon the other man’s cheek. “That’s okay! I don’t mind people knowing really. It makes them ask questions, but I figure it’s better than them being mean or hating me.” he stated with a shrug. His grin fell to a smile, honestly, he wasn’t at all bothered by the facts as they were. “I am glad you think so!” he stated cheerfully. Eri’s heart almost fluttered seeing that beaming smile as the other man laughed, it made that color fill his cheeks a little, but he laughed along with the other man. “Maybe! But they’re cute !” he stated looking at his own shoes. “I like to decorate them too!” he noted

“Well, I guess it’s good that you don’t have any then, that way they couldn’t tell your secrets even if they could speak!” he declared with a happy tone of voice. “Did you know there are a lot of cultures that believe dolls can be possessed?” he questioned with a grin. Wiggling his fingers toward Lani in a teasing gesture. Again that blush, Eri couldn’t help thinking that lani would have to stop doing that, it was making him feel all fuzzy and weird. Though he couldn’t help but to enjoy making that color come to lani’s cheeks, “oh? Well there a lot of types of suits! I think I could make you one that you liked! Maybe you could wear it on a date with someone special or something!” eri declared happily. “New years is coming up !” he noted. “That means it’s going to be lucky kiss time!” though he’d never participated in the tradition himself with intention of wishing good luck to a relationship. “Huh? Oh! Yes ! But it’s not really a suit suit.. It’s kind of.. Well I can show you when we watch movies together! It’s hard to explain !” he stated with a smile.

Eri laughed slightly, “Oh I think he would have told me that one too! But he was still struggling a lot with English phrases so it was weird for him to say things like that.” He stated with a nod. “Where we came from it was more common to say things about monsters.” he noted with a bright smile. He wasn’t as loud when he spoke of matters pertaining to his family, but he still smiled all regardless. He laughed slightly at the thought, “strange sounds? ! Like bubbles and bloop bloop bloops? Blooop bloop! Can you hear me now bloop bloop?!” Eri laughed at the thought of such a phone conversation. It would be like trying to talk to a mermaid.

Eri looked toward the woman, though he didn’t really seem to notice the look she had, instead he looked back toward Lani. Giving him a bright smile there wasn’t a care in the world written upon Eri’s features in that moment. “Not today? Well, maybe next time then, but it’ll be good either way!” he noted. “huh? Oh ! Okay!” eri stated swinging his feet a bit as he leaned to the table. His eyes drifted down to the table seeming a little lost in his own wild thoughts for a moment. This was the moment where they don’t come back right? Eri had seen it a lot in moves. While they weren’t on a date or anything the thought had occurred to Eri that Lani would have every chance in the world to run away if he thought Eri was too much to be around.

Eri’s expression softened to a placid one. Not sad or upset. Just one that seemed, for a moment’s time, normal. He thought about the moment he’d first met Lani, wondering what the man had been in the office for in the first place, had he been looking for something too? He thought about the way the other man smiled and laughed. The way he blushed and he was a little worried for the short time Lani was gone that the other man had felt freed from the pheromones and took off to avoid them. However, Eri nearly exploded with joy when he saw Lani returning from the bathroom, “Captain adorable pants has returned!” he would declare happily waving his hands until he’d reach the table. He was really glad he had not already lost his new friend.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani laughed a little and the tail end turned into an awkward forced sound. Was Eri being so forward on purpose? He wondered about Eri and just chose to laugh it off as Eri joking around. Eri broke into laughter and Lani just shook his head at his new friend. “Isn’t it always?” Lani mused, “So often they say that love is the most powerful thing on earth but what they don’t tell you is how dangerous it is.” He nodded and smiled, “It’s really graphic,” Lani warned. Well, it wasn’t as bad as some things but there was something about slitting throats to a cheery tune that was more than a little unsettling. Sweeney Todd was really a love story. A very strange and damaged thing but a love story none the less. Lani couldn’t help but love Mrs. Lovett. Because she seemed to be just as disturbed as Todd but at the same time still shocked by the actual death of people.

“Keep looking,” Lani advised knowing better than to encourage Eri but doing so anyways. Lani found himself smiling, he would definitely introduce Eri to Odion and he might drop a few hints that Odion loved hugs. Odion would never forgive him for that but he could imagine it in his head and he almost started laughing for no reason. With a shake of his head he banished the thoughts for later and focused on Eri again. How? Was Eri really that bad off? Lani chuckled lightly, “Sure. Everyone needs to know self defense.” Lani smiled and nodded. A raised brow met Eri’s last comment and Lani gave a smirk and brush his thumb across his nose. “I can take care of myself fine.” When something was happening Lani was definitely the ask questions later kind of person. Planning went out the window when he thought someone needed his help. He could protect himself well and easily. He was strong enough to fight off someone who wasn’t bigger than him and quick enough that anyone out of his strength range could easily be run from. And when all else failed he had a little thing that could send people through a window with just a thought.

Lani nodded a little still feeling a little terrible, he was judging Eri just as much anyone else. He had never been one to stand and it seemed like Eri loved attention. “Why make yourself stand out like that?” Lani asked, if he was afraid of people being hateful, why put himself in a position that would make it possible for people to hate him without even knowing him. A nod was Lani’s only response. Eri was definitely different. Lani was suspicious and for once he couldn’t figure out any sort of ulterior motive that Eri might have. Unless Eri was much better at wearing masks than Lani was. It was hard to imagine someone faking this kind of enthusiasm. Lani shook his head he didn’t understand that, Adrianna had always done that she didn’t seem to understand that to him she would look just as beautiful in sweatpants and a tee as she did in those beautiful dresses she liked.

Color drained from Lani’s face a little at the mere idea of his secrets being told. Lani was a very secretive person, a liar to protect people from the darker side he knew was inside him. He had a lot of secrets and as much as he tried he couldn’t be completely honest about anything. Lani’s eyes flashed with mischief and scratch his chin. “Oh really?” He could have fun with that. Poor Eri really had no idea who he had gotten himself involved with. A trickster at the best of times and a thief at the worst. Lani smiled a little. He wondered if Odion liked suits? “Maybe,” He shrugged a little and blushed a little shaking his head. “I’m not sure about that.” Lani raised a brow and couldn’t help but laugh. “Eri it’s either a suit or it’s not.” There were no in betweens at least not that Lani could think of. If Eri wanted Lani to stop coloring he would have to be a little more careful with his word choice. Lani just wasn’t used to someone being so forward. Things were occasionally forward between he and his favorite redhead but part of their intricate puzzle was what drew him close and closer to the redhead.

Lani raised a brow. “Where are you from?” He asked. There were a lot of people from foreign countries at Hammel. Lani was left to wonder if it was just chance or if it was because of all the meta schools Hammel was the best. Lani felt a little boring being from Boston. He was pure breed American. Sure he knew bits and pieces of his ancestry but really he never really thought of himself as anything in particular. He was born and raised in America and as much as he might want to move to Canada due to the broken government he couldn’t help but feel a little bit patriotic and at the same time boring.

He had to admit the little break from Eri’s constant excitement was a little bit needed. He cooled his face with water on his face and reveled in the stillness around him in the bathroom. He rubbed his eyes and felt tired as if being around Eri pulled a lot of energy. He still didn’t understand how Eri could have so much energy. Eh, Lani needed a little excitement in his life, he thought to himself with a little bit of a smile. He was becoming to idle. He needed to start stealing more often he was losing his touch. Or so he thought. Reality was quite different. Reality also set in that he would have to eventually talk to his father about his future and his advisor. Hell if he said something about wanting to go to school he was sure both men would jump for joy. His father probably a little less so because all he would see was a waste of money. But hey, Lani wasn’t going to ask for monetary help. And he would be striving for a goal. He had lost his way when life changed so suddenly and he was starting to get a hold of where he was again.

When he emerged he caught sight of Eri and the almost melancholy expression. He shook his head a little and returned to his seat. Eri would have to give him a little more credit than that. Lani laughed and wondered if he should have just walked away. Instead he mimed tipping his hat. He couldn’t just leave Eri here after all; Eri’d never make it back to school in one piece, at least that was what he was telling himself. “It’s not like I was gone forever,” he said clucking his tongue at his bright friend. Lani rolled his eyes a little and accused, “You’re so dramatic.” Lani hoped that their food was ready soon he was starting to get rather hungry. He unrolled the silverware and started to twirl the spoon on its head with his power, it needed something to keep it occupied it was being rather active today. “How long have you been at Hammel?” Lani wondered aloud still unhappy that Eri had managed to slip his attention.

[Erik Köler]

Eri laughed softly, he wasn’t really trying to be forward, though he did realize how that part of the movie had been meant to be expressed. And well, he did believe that Lani was attractive, but that was a matter that was off in space somewhere as Eri continued to be as he was. Plain and simply just Eri. “You’re right! It is always!” he declared with soft laughter. Though he paused looking to Lani to those words, “I think that if they told you how dangerous love is or how much it hurts then people wouldn’t want it as much. “ Eri stated this with a small nod. Though he still smiled it seemed that discussion about love in general was uncomfortable for Eri in more than one way. There wasn’t much Eri could say over the matter of that movie, but he hoped that would change soon enough.

“Okay! I will captain adorable pants !” eri declared happily. He couldn’t help himself, it made him happy, almost overly so when the other man encouraged him to do so. Though the way the other man started laughing for no reason in particular made Eri confused. Though he did enjoy the sound, “hee! Your so adorable captain!” Eri nodded slightly, giving a happy sound, “Okay! I will learn and try really hard to make you proud !” Though he seemed to smile way to brightly at the other man’s claim that he could take care of himself. “Oh wow ! You must be super strong then! You do look strong! I wish I was strong too. Maybe I can be when I learn huh?” he stated with a series of small laughs at the thought of him ‘learning’ to be big and tough like Lani.

“Why not? I like to make people happy. People smile when they see me. Even if they think I am strange or silly they do smile. I think the world is a lot better when you’re able to smile if even for a minute!” Eri stated happily. “Making people happy is worth dealing with the people that are mean.” he stated though pausing for a moment to simply take a breath of air and think about the fact for a minute. “I really do like meeting nice people! I can’t help wanting to make people happy. No matter who they are or what they do or have done I just want everyone to be happy.” he stated truthfuly.

“yeah really!” He declared though he really forgot to elaborate on the facts when the other man gave him a maybe shortly after. Eri’s face lit up more so, shockingly possible, seeming completely excited about the thought. “oh oh oh! Please let me make you one! It would be fantastic super duper awesome! “ he stated excitedly bouncing a bit. “Ohhh ? Don’t you have someone you’re going to give a bit ol’ smoochie smooch on new years?” he questioned with a laugh. “okay ! Then I guess it is!” he stated with a laugh. “but it’s kind of not! You’ll see when I show you so you can see what I mean!” he stated at last.

“Berlin!” he declared. “Originally anyway. After my big brother and I came to America we lived in the room at the island until they would let us stay! Then then we lived in a hotel for a while. That was fun! My big brother had a lot of people to go visit back then though. They were strange men with funny smells, but I always stayed with the ladies. They were nice and liked to dress me up ! We had so much fun! They even let me wear their big fancy hats !” he stated placing his hands over his head to simulate a large hat. “Where are you from? Are you from America ? Did you come from another place too?” he questioned with a smile.

Eri wasn’t really sure about his family besides his brother. He didn’t really remember what had happened that night he got hurt. It was a long recovery and Eri didn’t really care to think about it. The entire time that Lani was gone would seem like an eternity. All those mixed emotions seemed to plague over his features like a wildfire. Flickering from this and that until the sight of the other man filed his eyes with a happiness that he displayed so clearly upon those features. “I’m so happy you’re back!” Eri declared with a gentle smile. “ouh! I don’t know! How long where you gone? It did feel like forever! It was like the sun stopped shining and I didn’t like it at all!” he stated giving a mock pout before he laughed to the other man claiming he was dramatic. “Better dramatic than traumatic !” eri declared happily.


Eri seemed to squeak out a sound of surprise seeing that spoon twirl on its own. “OH WOW !” Eri exclaimed leaning toward the table. Staring at the spoon as if it were the most mystical creature on the face of the earth. “How are you doing that!?” he looked under the table to see if there were some sort of magnet, but then back up once he’d seen that there was not. “uhm.. Since I was 13 !” eri declared with a laugh. “My old school kind of freaked out and told them about what happened and then I was brought here.” he stated with a shrug. “It’s not bad though! I like it here !” he added.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani grinned and nodded. After a moment of thought he added, “You’d think. But I don’t know there are a lot of people who believe that there is nothing better than finding ‘the one’ no matter how much pain there has to be muddled through.” Eri had said he was afraid of love perhaps that was why. Odion was afraid of getting hurt but he still took the risk of falling in love. “Besides there are always going to be those movies and stories about true love and how wonderful it is.” He shrugged and quoted, “‘The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.’” Lani had never actually seen the movie that that was from he just knew his mother said it all the time when comments on romance came up. Sometimes Lani wondered how someone like his mother had ended up with someone like his mother but there were certainly those sparks that they got occasionally when they thought no one was looking.

Laughter pulled out of Lani easily and he shook his head at Eri. “There’s really nothing I can do to keep you from calling me that is there?” He questioned with a grin figuring he already knew the answer to that. Lani shook his head at Eri and did his best to keep himself from reacting but he couldn’t help but utter a sigh of defeat. What was he going to do with Eri? Maybe teaching Eri to fend for himself was a bad plan, maybe he should just teach Eri the best way to run away. After all that was Lani’s first course of action in all situations, well situations that didn’t involve the potential of losing a bit of his pride by doing so. “Nah,” Lani said waving a hand, “I’m a good runner,” he said holding up a finger. “Lesson number one: Learn to pick your fights.” Lani had a bad habit of not doing that very well but hey those that couldn’t do taught. Lani had gotten into the terrible habit of not backing down because he had the illusion that his power would protect him.

“And you don’t think you could do that by not dressing like this?” Lani raised a brow, he didn’t think that was the reason but he was snooping around Eri’s purpose of life. Maybe Lani had no right to be snooping about, but then again when had Lani really respected boundaries. If he wanted to know something or wanted to get something he got it. It was as simple as that. Lani’s eyes widened as he listened to Eri. That made sense to him. He loved making people happy but dealing with mean people. But Lani could understand dealing with someone who was mean because of doing something he thought was good for them. “I see.” Lani said softly. “You’re a stronger person than most,” Lani pointed out. Not a lot of people could say with all seriousness that they wanted people to be happy no matter who they were. Lani wanted people to be happy and he often times put that ahead of his own happiness but there were some people that had wronged him in ways he couldn’t forgive and he wished them no happiness, but he didn’t wish them ill either. He just found it a waste of time to spare a thought on them.

Eri’s enthusiasm startled Lani a little and he leaned back in his seat and found himself laughing again. “Alright, alright,” Lani said holding up his hands in yielding, “just no bright colors, ok?” Brilliant, Lani, convince him to make a dark colored, gray or blank suit so it’ll match all of the other dreary clothing he had. Of course Lani didn’t really care all that much he just knew that he didn’t want some crazy color. Lani scratched a hand through his hair and blushed crimson. He didn’t want to talk about his love life and how terribly confusing it was. “I don’t know,” he started and after a moment of thought decided not the finish. What was he going to say? He and his girlfriend just broke up, but by ‘just’ he meant a few months and he was… had already fallen for his best friend and they had gone on a date and now Lani knew what he wanted and was too terrified to go after it? No Lani didn’t want to talk about that. “Don’t you have someone?” Lani teased taking the focus and flinging it back at Eri. He laughed a little bit and had to admit he was more than a little worried about this not-quite suit.

Germany! Lani’s eyes widened in fascination. So Eri was German. “How old were you?” He interrogated, curiosity killed Lani. Lani’s brow raised and his eyes narrowed, “What kind of people?” He asked warily wondering if Eri had gotten to be a part of those strange people. Lani did not want to get caught up in another mob situation, but then he was jumping to conclusions, maybe they were just people that Eri’s older brother worked with. “I’m from here, America I mean.” He said feeling rather boring following Berlin. “Boston.” He added the name. Lani smiled a little bit, sometimes that surprised people since Lani’s accent wasn’t very strong at all. It came from having a very southern mother. He certainly had picked up a bit of it but it never really stuck. Lani didn’t have the quick paced cadence and harshness of a normal Boston accent.

“Dramatic,” Lani repeated as he took his seat and gestured as if Eri had just proved his point. Lani wondered how Eri’s family felt about his dress, but then Eri had only mentioned an older brother. Any question now would be terribly belated so Lani stalled it for a curious question to ask in the future. Lani snorted out a laugh which was more like a puff of air passed quickly through his teeth. Not a full laugh but something that showed he was amused. Yes Eri was absolutely dramatic. And several other things. Lani couldn’t claim that being dramatic was a bad thing, Lani had his moments and most of those where his panicked the world is ending moments because something simple had fallen out of place and thrown off his plan.

Lani nearly dropped the spoon startled by Eri’s sudden exclamation. He glanced at the spoon and smiled a little embarrassed. He belatedly realized he probably should have been a little more discrete. One would think that Lani was the first telekinetic that people met for the way most of them reacted. Lani shrugged and let the spoon come to a rest. “Telekinesis,” he answered reading between the lines, “I’m sorry, sometimes it gets restless…” He said gesturing in the general direction of his head. Lani frowned. Damn. Even Eri had gotten to Hammel earlier in age than Lani had. Was Lani the only one? Lani smiled, “I’m glad, are you graduating in the spring?” He asked curious about how old Eri actually was.

[Erik Köler]

Eri tilted his head slightly, rattling those accessories in doing so, though he looked back up toward the other man a moment later. “It would be nice. To find someone who can love me past my ability! But I’m okay if that never happens too! I will just keep making people happy until the day I’m old and wrinkled and can barely move ! Then I’ll go away into the ground and be reincarnated and do it all over again! Ooo maybe next time I’ll be a bunny rabbit !” he stated holding his fingers above his own head to simulate rabbit ears. Hearing that quite Eri’s face lit up brightly once again, “Ohhhh! That was my big brother’s favorite !” He grinned widely before reaching toward Lani’s hand as they walked. If the other man didn’t dodge it as usual he would grab it into his arms and hug it while singing out, “ You think that people….would have had enough with silly love songs ~ I look around me and I see that it isn’t so… oh no. Some people want to fill the worldddd with silly love songs…” Eri sang out with one arm raising to the air in front of himself.

“Nope! Not unless it made you cry! Than I would have to stop ! Because Eri would die! Seeing you cry would be sad! I don’t ever want to make you cry!” eri declared with a happy smile. Though he looked up toward Lani at mention of him being good at running, “really?! Like the road runner? “ he asked with a grin. “Picking a fight? But I wouldn’t do that ! I don’t like to fight. I like to make friends! Lots and lots of friends !” eri declared throwing his hands in the air. Obviously missing the meaning of what lani was trying to pass him the knowledge of, Eri just seemed to have a lot go right over his head, perhaps it was because he could only think about things that were peaceful. Eri had enough sadness in the past, he wanted to live a happy life, so he made his own happiness. He never would see anything wrong with being the way that he was right then.

“Hmm. I suppose I could, but I like dressing this way! It makes me happy and it’s comfortable ! It’s like that feeling when you get out of the shower and you’ve only a towel around your waist! It feels free !” he stated giving a twirl. Though Eri seemed to draw a thoughtful expression for a moment before shrugging a little. “I don’t really know if people would smile if I wasn’t so bright and colorful to match my personality! Some people get angry at me for being so happy! When I dress like this they think that I am silly instead of just obnoxious!” he added with a laugh. “At least that’s how it seems!” he declared with a happy tone. Despite how much it bothered him to consider the fact that people might have found him more annoying and less silly and humorous if he looked normal. “I am? How am I strong?” he asked poking at his own weak arm a bit.

“yay! Okay!!! I can work with other colors too! Oh my gosh I’m so excited ! I’m so happy! Oh my gosh!” he declared fanning himself with his own hands a bit. Though eri couldn’t say that he wouldn’t add colors, he would just try to use more muted colors, that would compliment Lani, rather than making him a beaming ball of bright like Eri tended to be. “You don’t know?” eri questioned with a tilt of his head. Giving a happy expression, “Well! If you don’t have anyone by new years I’ll give you a big ol’ smoochie smooch for good luck!” eri promised. Sure it may have been awkward to offer such a thing, but Eri didn’t really think that Lani had no one in his life that he could get to share a new years kiss with him. Lani was to great a person, in eri’s mind, not to have someone special in his life. Though as the question was fired back at him, his face went beat red, “ouh.. I don’t have anyone special like that !” eri admitted though he smiled anyway. “I’ll just have to kiss cupid ! His job has to be hard ! Spending all that time making everyone else happy, but he can’t have that himself because of his job !”

“I was Eight! My brother was seventeen. I was really sick at the time. I remember it a lot because uhm…” he stated as his brows strained a little. Showing a great discomfort with the words that passed his lips. “it was the day that I got trapped in a fire.” he stated before shaking his head a bit. “I don’t know really! They seemed nice, but they all had a lot of different looks! Some where big and fat and looked at my big brother like they loved him more than food ! Uhm.. And then there were ones in suits ! There was this one who always looked really angry when he came to pick my brother up, but when he and my brother would go out they always seemed so happy together !” he declared with a bright smile. “I was only uhm.. Twelve I think back then. Big brother always said that he would make sure I never had to work though. He wanted me to be really happy! “ he stated with a smile. “And I am ! So I had a good big brother yeah?” he stated with a laugh. “oh! Boston! What’s it like there?!” he exclaimed excitedly.

“Puff! Dramatic isn’t a bad thing! It just means that you’re not boring and that you are capable of expressing yourself!” he stated with a bright grin. “At least that’s what I think!” he declared happily. Though Eri silently wondered if maybe he was wrong about that. Was being dramatic a bad thing? Did it make people uncomfortable? Was lani uncomfortable by his dramatic behavior? He didn’t seem to take too much offense to it, he didn’t seem angry, or sad because of it. So it was okay right? Either way, he wasn’t really sure that he could change that factor of who he was even if he did decide that it was something that he wanted to do.

Eri seemed completely awe struck by the sight of the other man’s ability being in used. Though he made a small startled expression as the spoon dropped, “Ouh!” Eri smiled brightly as Lani explained what the other man explained his ability. “Wow! That’s so much cooler than pheromone manipulation! I’m so jealous! “ he stated with a happy laugh. “Oh goodness! It must be so cool to have that power ! You don’t even have to get up to get yourself something to drink!” he declared with a bright smile. “oh my gosh could you be anymore wonderful ?!” he declared while laughing gently. Though his expression did display a certain curiosity. “restless? You mean like if you don’t use it ?” he questioned with a smile. Though as the question of his graduation came around Eri frowned slightly, an odd expression upon those features. “I don’t know, my ability isn’t aggressive, but it’s really hard for me to control. I have a really hard time concentrating. I’ve been doing badly in classes again too! It’s really hard for me to concentrate ! I don’t want to be 20 and still in hammel! I like hammel but I don’t want to be a failure !” eri declared with a shake of his head. “I hope I graduate this year so that I don’t turn 20 in there. “ he stated half pouting over the fact. Though the expression faded as he smiled, “How about you, captain adorable pants!? Are you going to graduate soon?”