[ akira & lili are 2rebellious ]

[coastal]

Comments

[survivaltricks]

[STOP????]

I'm not going to punch you any harder than that. [AMUSED. . .] I almost didn't punch you at all, but I knew you'd be offended if I didn't.

[coastal]

It's true. I would've been so offended. I'm still partially offended.

[that's like 20% the moodiness talking and 80% the fact that he held back in hitting her at all! annoying!]

If I ever hurt you, you should demand to claim the same from me.

[survivaltricks]

I'm satisfied with what I got.

[anyway since there should have been an emotion share with that punch I'm just saying Akira totally didn't notice it?? it's fine??? next time]

. . . anyway, I really do want to know how you're doing. Are you okay?

[and that's a sincere question X(]

[coastal]

[lili probably got the fond amusement and just wrinkled her nose about it in confusion. she's not going to talk about it, she doesn't want to talk about it!!! she doesn't want to know akira's feelings!!!

anyway her sincere answer to that is - ]

... no. I know who cursed us after in order to try to keep us from tearing each other apart, so that's one mystery solved. But I don't know who made us angry at each other in the first place - I still think it might've been Nie's plush and he lied about using it with Beau earlier.

But I can still hate what I was forced to do, and how I contributed to throwing us into chaos.

[and the time they lost for it... she's still mad about those things. she was made into a puppet.]

[survivaltricks]

Mmm. You can also hate that someone messed with your emotions, even if it was for a good reason.

[he tilts his head at her, hands dipping back into his pockets]

[DANA TELL WHOEVER HAS THE LOVE ARROW POWER TO HIT AKIRA DAMN IT]

Did it make things awkward with you and Kara and Ash?

[coastal]

[absolutely fucking not i'm terrified it's gonna come right back to me somehow anyway]

... no, we're still managing fine. I was a bit short with them this morning, but they can handle me pretty well.

[which is. probably why they were stuck together like that in the first place.]

Kara and I are always going to be fine - we talk through everything. I'll... figure out what to do with Ash. [that pc is still ongoing who can say what happens] But I don't plan on letting it affect how well we work together, or how much I want to be there for him.

I told him last week to rely on me more, and I don't intend on letting a power turn me into a liar.

[survivaltricks]

[. . . hm. Akira lets out a thoughtful hum, and he finds himself wondering how much of Lili's feelings for Ash were truly the curse and how much of them were not]

Ash is a good guy. He's probably one of my best friends in this place. I'd trust him with my life and then some.

[flashes her a smile]

But he can be a bit avoidant when it comes to feelings, so don't let him get away with trying to play things off.

[nts: check on Ash to see how he is doing, too]

[coastal]

[she has absolutely no idea what akira is thinking, so she's just going to huff a bit at that.]

Ah, so you have that in common?

Then I'll be able to handle him just fine.

[she bugs the shit out of akira until he talks about his feelings. she has practice.]

1/2

[survivaltricks]

Hey.

[HE FEELS CALLED OUT, but honestly his protest is just. laced with amusement]

And you will. I believe it.

[survivaltricks]

And he's also still really hot.

[NO]

[coastal]

[she just manages an amused huff at that]

Sure, as far as boys go, I guess.

I normally don't waste my time with teenagers. Anyone under the age of 35 is still immature.

[i hate her

i hate her so much. kill this line of conversation.]

[survivaltricks]

. . . aren't you around my age?

[LILI YOU ARE A TEENAGER?????]

[coastal]

I don't see your point.

[SHE SHOULD]

[survivaltricks]

My point is you're basically calling yourself immature.

[SHE SHOULD]

[coastal]

[fuck]

I - Girls mature faster than boys! Do you know how many boys my age there are in nobility that are worth anything?!

Even if someone's good-looking, that doesn't mean they're worth trusting or paying attention to!

[survivaltricks]

[he is just]

[staring at her]

[his expression is blank but there may be judgment in his eye]

[coastal]

[STOP

SHE'S HUFFING]

Don't give me that look! I'm right!

If I'm going to be stuck in an arranged marriage, I should at least not have to deal with some youngster who's been spoiled all his life just because he was born a boy into nobility!

[survivaltricks]

[wait]

[back up the fun bus!!!]

Hold on-- an arranged marriage?

[HMMM HE SURE IS GETTING SOME DEJA VU, HERE]

[coastal]

[how was this the fun bus

but she's going to just blink at his surprise then, startling herself out of her upsetti]

... yes?

I'm the daughter of the General of the Water Tribe. He's already trying to marry me off to the king for political points -

Isn't it a bit of a given?

[survivaltricks]

[well. his features suddenly twist into displeasure, brow furrowing and mouth carved into a frown]

That's not fair.

[he says that like it's a given fact]

You should get a say in who you marry. It's not your dad's choice.

[coastal]

I try to escape out the window every time I have a courtship meeting?

[that's. that's her version of trying to get a say in who she marries.]

He just sent me to the capitol without explanation this most recent time. I don't think it's going to work out, so there's that?

[she will try to comfort akira with knowledge of her ditching every time her father's tried to get her married]

But ultimately if I want to retain control of my tribe, it'll probably be easiest for me to agree to marry someone my father wants to pass his title to.

[because she has a feeling he won't pass it down to her, no matter how much she wants it]

[survivaltricks]

[. . .]

[this is not comforting!!]

Just because it's "easier" doesn't mean it's fair. Don't you want to marry Ookurikara? Someone you trust? Someone you genuinely care about?

[coastal]

I just need to marry someone who doesn't get in my way.

[she says it so plainly, because it's true.]

Of course people want to marry for love - we wasted hours talking about it a few weekends ago. I'm not exempt from that.

But if I get married to the right person, and he becomes General, and he doesn't ignore what I say - I get to take care of my tribe.

And I love my lands, and my people, just as much as I love Kara. He knows what I have a responsibility to do. I'll probably have to negotiate to keep him...

.... though if they won't let me, there's always exile, I guess. Though even Kara liked that plan less.

[LILI'S BACK-UP PLAN: EXILE]

[survivaltricks]

[EVEN AKIRA DOESN'T LIKE THAT PLAN???]

[but he also can't argue against her wanting to take care of her tribe, either. in a way, her devotion to her people reminds him of Haru and her devotion to her father's employees. although. . . he wouldn't wish what happened to Haru's father on anyone]

[. . .]

Is there not a way to convince your father do let you choose your husband?

[coastal]

[she looks

so befuddled at the idea]

That man would lock me in my room for weeks before he banished me, and I haven't seen him since then - he didn't show up even after I nearly died at the gallows.

Why would he ever give me that much control over my future?

[lili is fairly convinced she's just a bargaining chip to her father]