maximumlegend | etraya ic inbox.

[ .. oh.

Uh oh. ]

do you mean those dumb hearts
i have actually been burning the ones i found in the manor

[ Yeah, Fabian's stance is probably pretty obvious, huh. But whereas he usually wouldn't have cared, now he feels a little bit awkward when Gorgug is asking after them.. ]

should i have saved them for you?

[ Wow... Fabian's answers was flames... ]

well
do you
want me to do them?

i don't know if i can do burned ones
unless i ask aurora what was on them?

[ Should he?? ]

i mean

[ Pause. ]

i don't want to have anything to do with any of this

[ Okay, that's the easy part. It's just the truth. And Fabian is pretty sure that anyone in this place who knows him also knows this about him. ]

but you can do whatever you want
i can't stop you

i don't care about them
i would do them if you wanted to do them too
it seems like a relationship kind of holiday?
so
but i won't do them either
we'll not do them together

[ Not doing something together is another way of doing something together. Obviously. ]

[ There's another slight pause this time - though without Fabian having written and sent something already. Like he needs a pause for thoughts right off the bat this time around. ]

you don't care about them?

no
they're just points

[ Hm. ]

do you think i care about points?

not points necessarily

[ Sure, Gorgug has bought a lot of stuff, but.. he also needs a lot of stuff! Life is much easier when your class just involves your own physical body and very little else. Other than like.. you know. A sword. Which Fabian already had. ]

but you often care about different stuff here than i do
i didn't know if this was one of those things

Edited 2025-03-11 18:19 (UTC)

[ It's interesting. Meaningless, really, but Gorgug still wonders enough to ask: ]

what do we care about that's different?

[ There's a slight pause.

Maybe Fabian doesn't really know how to put it into words until after he's considered it for a moment. Maybe he's trying to figure out how to not sound mean about it, since he doesn't mean it in a rude way, but-- you know, tone is hard to get across over text. Especially when you're not some expert texter. ]

you care about changing this place for the better

[ Or so it seems to Fabian, anyway. Which is a good thing, in a way. It's a kind thing. In fact, Fabian is pretty sure he's making himself sound like the worse one here when he admits-- ]

i would just burn it all down to the ground if i could

[ Does he want to make this place better? It sounds more virtuous than he feels about things, but maybe it comes across that way, somehow. In comparison to Fabian's bitterness, which comes through in the next message sent.

It's dramatic, but also probably sincere (he should never underestimate his friends), and Gorgug doesn't focus on its extreme nature. He considers the two emotions, and instead, after a moment or so: ]

i want to make things better for my friends
for you
but i don't think i can change anything about this place for the better

we're still trapped and far away from home
it's always going to be a cage
no one can change that

[ No matter what's inside it. ]

[ But that doesn't change the difference here, Fabian thinks. The more his mind lingers on that thought, the less he likes it, so he ends up not voicing it. Not even through text. He pushes it down. For another time, maybe. Or for never.

Instead-- ]

well i like this place better since we started dating
not that i like this place
and i still want to destroy it
but you know what i mean

[ ... ]

i suppose what i am trying to say is that you did change one thing for the better

[ He doesn't truly believe he can change anything--that's Gorgug's verdict on his actual capabilities within Etraya. What has he done to change anything? Except buy a couple of buildings... that's about it. Sure, maybe he helped with putting people's souls back into their bodies that one time, but it hasn't made an overall difference.

But Fabian's message back does make him smile. Boyfriend cute... ]

it doesn't have a lot of dating spots

[ Or any, really.... ]

but i like you too

i don't want to lose you and riz

[ There's an unspoken too, made clearer by the inclusion of Riz--because this is his team. Fabian and him might be dating, but there's more than that between them, a deeper bond underneath this side of their relationship.

And it feels unfair to exclude Riz in some subjects, even if they're not dating him... ]

unfortunately it seems like we have very little influence on that

[ Not to be a bummer after their cute exchange just now, but.. well, it's just the truth of the matter, isn't it? Fabian isn't even turned off by the way Gorgug words it, because Fabian feels the same way. It doesn't matter that he's dating Gorgug and not Riz - they're still all friends. A party. Fabian doesn't want to lose his boyfriend nor his best friend.

But that's the problem with this place. ]

i doubt adaine wanted to leave us here either
yet she's gone
and we don't even know where she is

i know
and i know she doesn't like you any less than i do
or any of us

[ Fabian!!! He was trying to share how much he cares about you (and Riz)!!!! ]

i just wanted to say that i care about both of you a lot

[ Can he make this better? Not really, but after a few seconds-- ]

should we ask aurora if we can stay until we all get kicked out? she told me people who don't want to go back can stay here
i want to go back, but i don't want to leave you and riz
so
i don't know how it's supposed to work but that would mean we still get to see each other?

[ ????????? ]

[ Sorry, Gorgug. This just happens to be one of those topics Fabian has a whole lot of feelings about! (You know, like pretty much any other topic ever.) ]

i'm not sure whether that is a good idea
it might be used against us
maybe it wouldn't ever let any of us go back home

[ He knows the other is willing to trust Aurora, but.. even with Gorgug's faith in her, Fabian has absolutely none. Maybe it's his father speaking through him, or just natural distrust, but he doesn't want to lay this sort of thing in anyone else's hands. ]

i will just do what i can to ensure i will be here with you two
nothing else we can do

[ It's never good to bring up asking Aurora for a favour, huh...

He might still do it, just for the chance of sticking with Fabian and Riz. There's no way Fabian will agree to it, so it's something they'll have to find out -- but hopefully not. ]

we can have a date. i set up another one for us

in an hour

[ Another text: ]

captain gets a kiss

[ Maybe this way he can lighten the mood... if just a little! With a tiny call back. ]

[ . . . . . ]

are you trying to distract me from thinking about how dumb this place is with a date
because it won't work

[ Literally not even ten full seconds later: ]

alright
it might be working actually

[ Dammit, Gorgug! Do you know what sort of power you hold over him? ]

[ Wow Fabian he was just about to answer that first part, but-- ]

good
i put a lot more work into this than the last one

[ The one that was them walking around Fabian's hedge maze... ]

and if i can't distract you from everything else by being your boyfriend
i don't know if that's a good sign?

i would have to work harder

[ Probably?? ]

are you going to at least tell me what it is

[ Because Gorgug is being all mysterious about it! He can't tell him that he put more work into it - a low bar, technically speaking, given what Gorgug had to think of on the spot earlier today - and then not say what that work lead to! ]

Edited 2025-04-14 13:19 (UTC)

[ Oh, Fabian wants to know? ]

i was thinking we could have lunch on that lake by the maximum? i can use the hangvan to get out on the water and we could open the side door and have a nice view

[ The waters aren't choppy, they don't have to worry about getting wet. ]

what do you think?

[ He's about to offer they stay on land if Fabian wants, but he'll let the other guy make the choice himself!! ]

[ .. oh.

That's actually kind of nice.

Sure, it may be on the simple side of things, but considering the way this place can get at times.. maybe simple is actually kind of nice. For once.

Fabian stares at the words for a moment, but then does reply. ]

that sounds good

[ Pause. ]

is it going to be romantic? [ B-Bro? Bromantic? A bromantic date, bro? ]

[ that sounds good

Phew!! Oh boy, great, he's never sure if he's hitting the mark--

is it going to be romantic?

Doesn't it sound romantic?! Gorgug deflates some upon reading that follow up, but he just needs to-- he needs to stay strong! He wants to mention about flowers, but decides instead: ]

i'll light candles

[ He's going to find all of the scented candles he can and then find places to sit them on a sway van boat. ]

[ Gorgug may be stressing over here, but Fabian is texting so absolutely casually.. A total mismatch of vibes going over here..

But thankfully for the other, the next reply that arrives is: ]

sounds good

[ A-Approval!!! ]

i will be there in an hour
you are working hard

it's no big deal

[ Even in the midst of working hard, he's gotta be cool about it...!

But after that, he gets to work: an hour is a good amount of time to prepare. He's got most of the details settled, just with an extra trip taken to grab the candles, and Gorgug spends the rest of the time setting up the back of the Hangvan, with Zaphriel's guidance, chill as always. Another trip is taken to look for double-sided sticky tape (so that the candles don't accidentally tip over), and all of this takes place out by the lake close to where the Maximum sits.

It makes Gorgug think about if Fabian were to look outside and spot them, but he also doubts Fabian would ever do something so random.

He does his best. He's got a basket with food inside, plates and cups and some choice of drinks set together, and the Hangvan is already in flotation mode by the edge of the lake. Gorgug's wearing clean clothes, a hoodie swapped out for a plaided hooded shirt and white tee underneath. Something to keep him cosy, though the weather is warming up.

And he got a cologne, too...!!

After it's been an hour since their last contact, Gorgug shoots Fabian a message, we're ready. can you see the hangvan from the maximum?, and he'll get off from the van and stand on the land between it and the lake-- with some flowers behind his back, ready to present once Fabian does show up... if he shows up... if he won't be delayed!!

We're doing our best Good Boyfriend attempt, here! ]

[ Gorgug is lucky in some ways - mostly the way that Fabian actually can't peek out from the Maximum, because he's no longer there. The moment he realizes this is going to be a date for real, it's not like he can just show up in any outfit! He has to shower, and then put on his normal clothes, and then head over to the Manor to actually pick out something that feels a little more date-appropriate from his huge wardrobe.

Which means that when Fabian does show up, he isn't coming from the direction of the boat-slash-dance-studio, but from their compound instead. Dressed to the nines. Does he know Gorgug probably won't be? Sure, but that doesn't mean Fabian can't dress up! Doesn't Gorgug deserve to have a little bit of eye candy while they're on their date?

Still, when he shows up and realizes that Gorgug.. well, did kind of dress up in his own way, Fabian smiles. It's just cute, watching Gorgug make these efforts to make this something special. Something special for them. It makes the smile a little grinny since it's amusing, but there's something very genuinely excited about it too. ]

Hey, handsome.

[ Same greetings as back on the train, even though he's not even putting on an act this time.. It's just a very excited-to-see-Gorgug-happy-puppy-style little tease, okay.. ]

Nice shirt.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject