![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
[ family ]
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANANANANA! I hope that you have all the best this year, and know very well that we all love you to death. I LOVE YOU FOR DAAAAYS and that will always be the case, okay?
OKAY.
I'm not going to be too sappy today because it's starting to get a little silly with how long we've known each other. SO ONWARDS.
--
Karl had a short list of observations upon finally managing to make it to Otome's world.
The first was that Otome was as kind and warm as he remembered (and...well, warmer in a lot of ways, though it was hard to be warmer than that kiss he recalled all too vividly--), and she welcomed him back into her life without hesitation. He didn't entirely fit in, and he didn't have any great purpose in Japan, but even so she was more than willing to have him there, and seemingly happy to just have him around.
He couldn't say he entirely understood, but he was grateful.
The second was that Japan was peaceful in a way that he truly hadn't ever experienced.
Even when his home was peaceful, there were monsters, bandits, people with harsh plans and cruelty in their faces. Here... well, life trundled on in its own peaceful way, and there wasn't any immediate threat. He knew that Otome had fought hard to make it that way, but even so... it was strange.
Strange in a good way, certainly--but he went to lunches and dinners with Otome, read books and watched movies, and learned that really--there was no call to action. No reason to jump to his feet with his weapons in hand.
There was simply... peace and enjoyment.
It was undoubtedly strange, but for now, Karl was willing to take her word for it and enjoy it.
The final thing was, of course, that Leon still didn't like him.
This wasn't super surprising. Karl'd been beyond pleased that Leon had gone home with Otome instead of returning home to his own death; it was a better way for the boy to live, and he sincerely thought that he deserved it. But Leon watched him with narrowed eyes and a frown on his lips no matter what Karl said, and he was pretty sure that no matter what he did... Leon wasn't about to accept him.
The one blessing, he supposed, if he could call it that, was that Leon didn't kick up a fuss around Otome, which allowed for a mostly peaceful existence between the three of them. Mostly.
And thus Karl was able to pass his time in Japan, eating meals with them, spending time with them and...wondering, really, if he should be going for more. Was this selfish of him? To want to spend time with Otome but also to be loyal to his world--was it selfish of him to want to pursue more as well?
Otome hadn't commented on the kiss since it had happened; she seemed to be patiently waiting, which made Karl feel even worse. Shouldn't he at least come to a conclusion for her?
...But he didn't. It wasn't entirely that simple, after all--and what was simple was spending time with them regardless of what he intended to do. So when Otome suggested movie night, it was plenty easy to agree.
Generally, Leon cooked dinner; he was good at it, and even if he glared at Karl, he always made enough for all of them. But this time, the boy was sick with a light cold, and Otome had decided to order in. So instead, Leon remained on the couch on Otome's other side, wrapped in blankets, while Karl remained on her other side.
She popped in the movie, smiling brightly and stating very easily, "This is one of my very favorite movies. I hope you both enjoy it."
Karl didn't think that would be particularly difficult until the title popped up on the screen, and made it all too clear that it wasn't going to be a light, happy film at all. In fact, judging by the blood and screams, it was probably going to actually be quite scary.
Not that Karl was scared, of course. He'd fought in a number of perilous situations, was more than capable of leading troops and handling monsters, and--
And--
When the doorbell rang, he jumped, tensing and preparing his powers--it had never done that before, as Otome never had visitors...
Leon snorted, lips twitching in amusement, even as Otome looked at him in a mix of concern and well-hidden amusement of her own. She tried to spare his pride, though, simply saying, "Oh, that must be the deliveryman", bustling off to open the door and pay him.
(Karl was pretty sure, even if he hadn't actually done anything, he was never going to live this one down.)
Still... Leon was still smiling, even if it was at Karl's expense, and Otome seemed pleased--and after setting the food before them all on the table, she settled back between them on the couch and gently leaned against Karl, instead of sitting upright.
And really, it wasn't that bad of an outcome at all, was it?
OKAY.
I'm not going to be too sappy today because it's starting to get a little silly with how long we've known each other. SO ONWARDS.
--
Karl had a short list of observations upon finally managing to make it to Otome's world.
The first was that Otome was as kind and warm as he remembered (and...well, warmer in a lot of ways, though it was hard to be warmer than that kiss he recalled all too vividly--), and she welcomed him back into her life without hesitation. He didn't entirely fit in, and he didn't have any great purpose in Japan, but even so she was more than willing to have him there, and seemingly happy to just have him around.
He couldn't say he entirely understood, but he was grateful.
The second was that Japan was peaceful in a way that he truly hadn't ever experienced.
Even when his home was peaceful, there were monsters, bandits, people with harsh plans and cruelty in their faces. Here... well, life trundled on in its own peaceful way, and there wasn't any immediate threat. He knew that Otome had fought hard to make it that way, but even so... it was strange.
Strange in a good way, certainly--but he went to lunches and dinners with Otome, read books and watched movies, and learned that really--there was no call to action. No reason to jump to his feet with his weapons in hand.
There was simply... peace and enjoyment.
It was undoubtedly strange, but for now, Karl was willing to take her word for it and enjoy it.
The final thing was, of course, that Leon still didn't like him.
This wasn't super surprising. Karl'd been beyond pleased that Leon had gone home with Otome instead of returning home to his own death; it was a better way for the boy to live, and he sincerely thought that he deserved it. But Leon watched him with narrowed eyes and a frown on his lips no matter what Karl said, and he was pretty sure that no matter what he did... Leon wasn't about to accept him.
The one blessing, he supposed, if he could call it that, was that Leon didn't kick up a fuss around Otome, which allowed for a mostly peaceful existence between the three of them. Mostly.
And thus Karl was able to pass his time in Japan, eating meals with them, spending time with them and...wondering, really, if he should be going for more. Was this selfish of him? To want to spend time with Otome but also to be loyal to his world--was it selfish of him to want to pursue more as well?
Otome hadn't commented on the kiss since it had happened; she seemed to be patiently waiting, which made Karl feel even worse. Shouldn't he at least come to a conclusion for her?
...But he didn't. It wasn't entirely that simple, after all--and what was simple was spending time with them regardless of what he intended to do. So when Otome suggested movie night, it was plenty easy to agree.
Generally, Leon cooked dinner; he was good at it, and even if he glared at Karl, he always made enough for all of them. But this time, the boy was sick with a light cold, and Otome had decided to order in. So instead, Leon remained on the couch on Otome's other side, wrapped in blankets, while Karl remained on her other side.
She popped in the movie, smiling brightly and stating very easily, "This is one of my very favorite movies. I hope you both enjoy it."
Karl didn't think that would be particularly difficult until the title popped up on the screen, and made it all too clear that it wasn't going to be a light, happy film at all. In fact, judging by the blood and screams, it was probably going to actually be quite scary.
Not that Karl was scared, of course. He'd fought in a number of perilous situations, was more than capable of leading troops and handling monsters, and--
And--
When the doorbell rang, he jumped, tensing and preparing his powers--it had never done that before, as Otome never had visitors...
Leon snorted, lips twitching in amusement, even as Otome looked at him in a mix of concern and well-hidden amusement of her own. She tried to spare his pride, though, simply saying, "Oh, that must be the deliveryman", bustling off to open the door and pay him.
(Karl was pretty sure, even if he hadn't actually done anything, he was never going to live this one down.)
Still... Leon was still smiling, even if it was at Karl's expense, and Otome seemed pleased--and after setting the food before them all on the table, she settled back between them on the couch and gently leaned against Karl, instead of sitting upright.
And really, it wasn't that bad of an outcome at all, was it?