30 - Pepe

[radiantwingedone]

Who: Duke and anyone ever-
When: 4/13 (After no-longer part of Host Club, at least)
Where: Library, on way to library, somewhere shady and reading
What: Duke's actually out of the house! ... and in the library.
[ Style ]

[ So he'd been worrying people by not leaving the house, and since he didn't have a purpose in leaving the house daily - albeit one that he'd been ignoring recently - Duke is out and about today.

Mostly to the library. Even if he had been reading at .. home, and he would just be reading at the library, clearly the change in location was going to mean something.

At least, that was his plan. Hopefully actually going out and about helps lighten worries.

... Even if he casually skirts the hostclub just for reactions. ]

Comments

[symmetrophile]

[It happens either on Duke's way to the Library or on his way back, but it begins with the sound of sputtering bursts of air guttering out of small turbines in the air, and then:]

Beelzebub?! What's wro--

[And there's a startled cry, as something surges forward, does a large loop-the-loop in the air, dropping its rider -- a youth with white stripes in his dark hair -- only to catch him on its way back around.

Which just means as the flying skateboard careens on its way towards Duke, the 'rider' is clinging to the board with the sort of wide-eyed staring that suggests this was the last thing he had expected to do today.

It's a miracle he doesn't actually crash into Duke.

Rather, Kid is clotheslined right out of the air by a lamp post, and he lands in a painful heap on the ground at his feet. It's the sort of landing that should leave a regular teenager with terrible injuries and a long red smear on the pavement, but there's neither of these.

However, he still groans. Wow, that. Really hurt.]

[radiantwingedone]

[ This vaguely reminds him of the way that Lloyd had flown several.. curses, ago. Like those things that are vaguely horrible and someone shouldn't stare, but either they're stuck like a .. deer in headlights, that was in the books, or they can't believe what they're seeing.

What on earth is that flat-ish black thing. Duke definitely falls into the first category, which is probably noticed as Duke takes a step back... after Kid made a heap at his feet. ]

... I can heal. [ Because that groan is an indicator of "things are hurting", even if there isn't an accompanying scent or sight of blood. ]

[symmetrophile]

It's--

[The fallen youth starts to pick himself back up, clutching at a shoulder from which wisps of black something crackle and crawl across his immobilized upper arm.]

--mostly my pride, but I'll thank you for offering me a hand up.

[And judging from the way he releases his own shoulder and lifts up one sallow hand, he intends on requesting just that.]

[radiantwingedone]

[ That's one way of asking. He had offered aid, so Duke grasps the youth's hand in his own gloved one and takes a step back while pulling up. No need for awkward personal space invasions.

Some sort of self-healing would explain why Kid was not at the end of a red smear, and so nothing more is thought of it. ]

[symmetrophile]

[Kid, being so scrawny, is especially easy to help to his feet, and once he's back on them again, he releases Duke's hand to grasp his shoulder again.]

Thank you.

[Just as promised.]

You look vaguely familiar. Have we met, perhaps?

[No, Kid, you have seen his face on the Host Club roster, shortly after your hire.]

[ladyinscarlet]

[An has come to the library to look for something to read. It may get somewhat boring when she's on call the clinic. In the end that's good, because it means her patients are doing well, but she must still do her job.

As she looks for books, she finds Duke, entirely absorbed in a book. After a moment's hesitation, she decides to greet him.]

Good afternoon, Duke. How have you been doing?

[radiantwingedone]

... Average, I think. Physically good, mentally not so different.

[ He puts the book down, although leaves it open. ]

[ladyinscarlet]

[She smiles softly at him.]

Would you like some company? If you would rather keep on reading, I understand.

[radiantwingedone]

[ He studies the book for a moment, then gives an... attempt at a small smile back. ]

I am terrible at being company.

[beauchevalier]

[Angelo is sitting outside on a beach near the host club taking a break when his eyes see Duke. He doesn't say a word, he simply sits there on the bench and eats his lunch. He's cooled down since their talk, but he still doesn't excuse what he did.]

[radiantwingedone]

[ Duke doesn't do more than blink, and slow a little. He has a notebook and a book or two. ]

[beauchevalier]

[He eats more of his lunch before speaking up.]

If you have business here, you're free to say so.

[radiantwingedone]

... Curiosity, really.

[ Just as bland as the last time they talked. ]

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

[Duke had been absent from the club. Jade didn't want to admit curiosity, but the club had been so constant in the people that he found it odd that someone didn't show up.

He knew Duke vaguely enough to know that the man would be in the library, so in the library he would search. Finding him was no small task, but within a good span, he spotted the man and approached him with a knock on the bookshelf he was by.]

Mind if I intrude~?

[radiantwingedone]

[ Duke blinks up from his book. Oh, hey, he remembers you. ]

... I'm not terribly good company.

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

I don't seem to be great company either, so I suppose we're decent company combined.

[He found a seat and plopped himself into it.]

[radiantwingedone]

[ That's one way to put it. ]

Or will become such intolerable company that library will swiftly be vacated.

[ ... Which might not be that bad. Hmn. ]

[relinquishing]

[Between Zelda's arguement with him about the man and his absence from the club as a whole, it wasn't much of a surprise that seeing Duke cross right in front of the club windows immediately caught Guy's attention. Not that he could leave his station at this very moment - he didn't plan to, anyways - but as soon as he manages the break, he's slipping over to the library, quietly peeking around the bookcases until he finds Duke.

He lets out a tired sigh, hands on his hips.]

Hey, Duke... I don't mean to interrupt or anything. But are you doing alright?

[radiantwingedone]

[ Duke blinks at him from over the book. ]

... Well enough, if referring to events caught on SFC...

[ Duke never replies to that question with a 'yes', simply because he knows he's a mess. Also the hands on hips are vaguely reminding him of upset parents. He can't tell if that's what's making him feel uncomfortable... ]

[relinquishing]

Events caught on the SFC...?

[He scratches at the back of his neck, a little uncomfortable.]

...Sorry, I'm not exactly sure what you mean. I just know you've just been pretty absent from the club for a while... and, well, just in general lately.

Is it just because Zelos is gone?

[radiantwingedone]

[ Oh, Guy hadn't seen. Duke pretends he forgot about that already- ]

Did join because Zelos, and original reason for not being particularly interested in returning was lack of surety if ought to.

Call it excuse making, but... not particularly good at being social. Seemed... useless, being there.

[ And he'd been using it as routine to get out of the house, really. ]

[booyaka_boom]

*Soon as Selphie's eyesight had recovered from her unfortunate incident with Lloyd, she was desperate to do all the things she though she'd never get to do again, and that included reading. So Selphie's in the library too, only maybe that little bit less quiet than some. It seems she's found a book that she'd like, but it's a little too high up for her. She tries on her tiptoes, tries jumping up and down, and she's about to try climbing in a moment, glancing around to see if any one else is near by. She sees Duke, and recognises him as the one from the video that the other Zelos showed. Hmm... She'll ask for help if the climbing goes badly...*

[radiantwingedone]

[ Lloyd is a very silly boy-

Duke had heard the jumping, but didn't really place it until it had stopped. What is she-

... Shelves aren't usually meant for human weight, girl, what are you doing-

He waits, a levitation spell ready in case it goes badly. ]

[booyaka_boom]

*But of course she thinks the shelves will definitely hold her weight. Selphie seems pretty pleased with her efforts so far, standing on the bottom shelf, but as she reaches for the next one, she pulls the shelf, the books (thankfully paperback romance novels) tumbling with her straight towards the floor*

[radiantwingedone]

[ Duke winces, and flicks out his levitation spell. It doesn't stick too well to Selphie, but it does enough to cushion her head if she falls that far. The shelf and the larger books stop, and Duke gets up to get the shelf so he can start putting things back. ]