31st Combo - Searching for people who need hugs

[redcladidealist]

Who: Lloyd Irving and anyone
Where: All over!
Style: Either
Status: Open

[Lloyd's on a mission. He has no doubt it'll probably be awkward at some points, but it's an important one nonetheless. The nurse told him that people need hugs to keep warm, but not everyone would know that. Who knew who might be freezing to death because they didn't know what they needed to cure it?

Not that hugs fix the problem completely. The effect of the last hug Lloyd had gotten is already starting to wear off. Still, once people know, it'll be easier for them to make sure they get enough physical contact to keep them warm.

So here he is, searching for anyone who looks like they need a hug.]

Comments

[zipperlips]

[There's definitely someone around who looks like they need a hug. Kurloz has spent the past few days with his moirail, when Mituna wasn't spending that time with Latula, and the result of that was the effect wearing off pretty quickly. Kurloz isn't exactly the warmest troll around, but he's still ended up feeling uncomfortably chilly recently.

The result is a slightly grouchy mime wandering around the bubble, looking for appropriately skeleton-themed clothing that he can wear.]

[honeyflaaash]

[Honey definitely looks like she could use a hug. She's sitting on a bench in the plaza, hugging her arms close to her chest. She knows how to relieve the effects of the curse, but she doesn't know too many people around. Walking up to a stranger to ask them for a hug just feels too awkward for her.]

[redcladidealist]

[They only talked once before (for a relative definition of "talked") but Lloyd recognizes Kurloz almost the moment he spots the troll. Odd as that first conversation had been, it left Lloyd with a generally positive impression of him.

So seeing him now, clearly chilled to the bone, Lloyd doesn't hesitate to approach.]

Hey, Kurloz.

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd hasn't ever met Honey before. Under normal circumstances, approaching her for a hug would have been incredibly awkward, probably something he never would have actually considered. Under these circumstances, though, hugging has become something different. It isn't just affection, it's something people need, and that makes all the difference.

...although it's definitely still an awkward idea.

Even so, when he passes by someone who looks half-frozen from the cold, his footsteps slow.]

Hey... Are you all right?

[soldierofloveandbeauty]

[Minako had been in worse cold places before, so she knew what the cod was like. But ever the young girl herself had her limits. So running around, in hopes that it will build up a sweat and possibly warm her up was the best idea she had for the meantime. Until of course she found some other way. Though after about ten minutes she was tired and out of breath ... and still freakishly cold.]

Jeeze, why does it feel like I've been to the North Pole and back. Can't a girl catch a break.

[honeyflaaash]

[She looks up, her eyes lingering on the bright red shirt for just a brief second before moving further upward to meet Lloyd's gaze. She gives him a strained smile.]

I-I'm fine! Just a little cold, that's all.

[zipperlips]

[Kurloz glances over, gives a little wave of greeting, then tilts his head a little, as though asking what Lloyd wanted. What he doesn't do is move closer. If Lloyd doesn't initiate the hug here, it's clearly not going to happen.]

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd has no problem moving closer, though he doesn't initiate a hug just yet. Maybe Kurloz is just between hugs and he's already got it covered as to where he'll get his next hug. Lloyd's just going to check.]

You okay? You look pretty cold.

[redcladidealist]

[Catching a glimpse of blond hair from the corner of his eye, Lloyd turns, half-expecting to see his friend Colette, but no, that's not her. No one would blame him for making the mistake, though, the similarities striking even though there were very clear differences. Blue eyes, blond hair (a little longer than Colette's), and slim figure, she could have been Colette's cousin. That, and the fact that she's clearly cold and out of breath, has Lloyd angling his path to meet her.]

Hey, you okay?

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd hesitates. Altruistic intent or not, he's not used to giving hugs to girls. Colette's a different story. She's one of his best friends, and he practically grew up with her. Lloyd doesn't know this woman.

But... she might need his help.

Trying to swallow his embarrassment, he nervously holds out a hand.]

Have you hugged anybody yet?

[zipperlips]

[Kurloz frowns, but nods. He definitely is, and he's not at all happy about it.]

[soldierofloveandbeauty]

[She Stood up straight and turned her head slightly. She honestly hadn't expected there to be anyone else around, but alas there was. So with a laugh and a smile, she turned around, making sure to hide just how cold she was.]

I'm fine. Cold, but perfectly fine.

[redcladidealist]

[Despite the nod, Lloyd's still getting the feel that something's off.]

Do you know about the curse? The one making people cold?

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd eyes her for a moment, trying to figure out if she really is fine, or if she's just saying it the same way Colette says it, trying to convince people she's okay when she's not. He's never really been good at picking up on subtle things like that, though, so even looking for it, he still can't tell. It's just easier to ask flat out.]

Are you sure? I mean, if you... if you need a hug...

[Altruistic intentions or not, he can feel his face heating up - a weird sensation because it's not actually warming him. But offering a hug to a girl he doesn't know, even if he has a good reason, is still enough to make him blush and fidget. Man, this curse...]

[soldierofloveandbeauty]

[Ah, she recalled that physical contact was something you were meant to do during this curse, but Minako wasn't exactly someone who could ask someone so easily, it made her blush just thinking about it.]

Are you under the curse too? [It would make sense as to why he would mention a hug, which while one would love to jump at the chance to hug a boy, Minako wasn't exactly the type. At least, not openly.]

[redcladidealist]

[He... probably should have asked first if she knew that hugs were part of the cure for the curse, but oh well, it looks like she did. That makes this a little easier.

But only a little.]

Yeah. So, um...

[She didn't answer his question. Lloyd takes a breath. Come on, Lloyd man up.]

You're cold, right? I'm... I'm a little cold, too. We could... you know...

[soldierofloveandbeauty]

[Minako stood there for a moment, arms lightly wrapped around herself, getting that tiniest bit more colder.]

I am cold. it's like we're in the north pole, I'm that cold. [She shivers ever so slightly before she slowly starts to assume what he means. She might have assumed the wrong thing.]

We could what? I really hope it's not what I thought it was because I'm a little too young for that.

[redcladidealist]

Too... young...?

[Lloyd stares at Minako, cold temporarily forgotten.]

How can you be too young for that?

[Nobody's too young for hugs!

...yeah, he's totally missing what Minako thinks he's implying. O o p s.]

[honeyflaaash]

[A blush appears on Honey's cheeks. It'd be much easier if Lloyd were a girl, but... He's a boy. In her mind's eye, she can already hear Miss Miharu shout an embarrassing lecture at her about how physical closeness with boys can lead to a wasted life. Not that she ever took Miss Miharu seriously in the first place.]

Uhm... N-no, I haven't, but...

[zipperlips]

[The way Kurloz scowls is probably an indication that he does, but he nods again anyway. Then he shrugs expansively. Knowing about it doesn't make it any less cold sometimes, unfortunately.]

[redcladidealist]

[It's already been a few days since this started. Man, she must be really cold. That decides it, then. Awkward or not, she needs a hug. Who knew how much time she has left before she turns into a blond popcicle?

No, he doesn't know that people won't freeze to death. As far as he's concerned, this is a legitimate concern.]

That's not good. H-here, um...

[He steps forward, with the clear but hesitant intent to slip his arm around her.]

Just... just to warm you up.

[tsundyne]

[It's been a couple days... so it's likely Yukari's figured out this curse's "trick" by now. Doesn't make it any less annoying, though, and it certainly doesn't mean she can't put it off for as long as possible -- or test out alternative methods.

She's in the marketplace at her favorite coffee shop, getting a hot chocolate. If Lloyd is nearby, he'll probably catch sight of her walking out with it -- annnd most likely nearly bump into her as well.

Ah.]

S- Sorry.

[A mumbled forced apology that she doesn't really mean. If it'd actually been spilled, this would be an entirely different story, but since it's still safe, she's letting it slide for now.

Of course, she doesn't realize who it is -- just yet.]

[honeyflaaash]

[She can tell Lloyd's a little uncomfortable with this, but she can't blame him. She feels the same way. Still, she's not about to fight him off. There's no shame in accepting help from someone. The moment that arm's slipped around her, she can feel the warmth spreading through her body.]

I-I'm sorry. ...I don't mean to be a burden.

[redcladidealist]

[Ah, that must be it. Well, that's easy enough to fix. Lloyd moves those last few feet closer and moves to put an arm around Kurloz's shoulders.]

Here, I can help with that.

[What? What's weird about something like this? They're friends already, right?]

[redcladidealist]

Wh-whoa! Sorry, I- Yukari?

[Yeah, after bumping into someone coming out of a shop, it takes a moment for Lloyd's brain to catch up and recognize who it was.]

Hey, I haven't seen you for a while.

[But his tone should make it pretty clear he's glad to see her again - even if he nearly spilled her coffee all over her.]