lucetilogs | This Can Only End in Tears

Entry tags:

This Can Only End in Tears

Who: TWEWY Kids [

proxyerror,

so_shik,

neverplaysfair,

forgetfulchime &

skaterbrain]
What: Rhyme brings her new biffle over.
When: March 5, evening
Where: House 10
Summary: Rhyme brings her new friend Joshua over. Yeah, this is going to go well.
Rating: PG for brief violence

[Beat is so tired of not having a voice, but he's dealt with it. Even more nerve-wracking than not having a voice is the fact that all of them are getting together again after Neku has been out of the house for so long. And to add to that little slice, the invitation of Rhyme's friend - a Beat doesn't know about? He's a wreck, but trying to hide it. After all, this is his sister's friend!

And Phones can scream at the mystery friend if the kid turned out to be uncool. Yeah, he'd just make Phones do it.

Beat is grumpily sitting in the kitchen, waiting for the others to show up, drumming his fingers against the tabletop. Better to just get it all over with.]

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[ Beat, you're a lot easier to predict when Josh can hear you coming a mile away.

Joshua catches a blur in his peripheral vision, but before he can so much as think to guard or teleport or anything, pain sears through his face. He goes down hard and lands awkwardly on a wing, but though that sensation shoots through him, it's not long before it fades and gives way to the pain from the punch.

Whether because he was dazed or simply caught off-guard, Joshua doesn't immediately make any move to stand. It takes a couple seconds before he slowly reaches a hand to his face, trying to regain his bearings despite the searing pain.

... Ow. ]

[Rhyme doesn't even notice Beat herself until he's right next to Joshua and by then she doesn't have enough time to react and stop him.

She watches the punch and him go down and quickly moves to his side, kneeling and puts a hand on his shoulder when he doesn't move. This is what she was afraid of.

Granted Joshua has lied to her, hidden who knows what and obviously isn't on good terms with the others for some reason that she hopes will be explained, but she didn't want him to get socked in the face like that. She still does care for him as a friend because he has helped her so much since she's been here.]

Shiki, Neku, please hold him back! [She doesn't need him coming over here to pick the poor guy up by his shirt. Looking back at Joshua:] Is anything broken? [Because you know. that punch looked like it hurt.]

[ To his credit, Neku's reaction times are usually pretty good. Most of the time, he is (at least sort of) on top of things. When Joshua comes strolling through the door and Beat socks him in the face, though?

He is left standing there, absolutely stunned.

Is this really happening. Is this real life?

Because Neku gapes and then laughs, shaking his head and holding one hand up as if to say, no no, hold on, wait a second. ]

Jeez, Rhyme, you couldn't have warned him?

[And she in turn moves to just stare at Neku. Laughing is totally not an option right now and she's rushing to Beat's side, moving to stand in front of his so he can't swing another punch.] Oh my god, Neku, laughing isn't helping!

Beat. Beat, you have to calm down, or I swear I will tie you to another chair.

[Broken?! Why should he care if Joshua's broken anything? He's about to get a broken face anyway!

Beat starts heading for Joshua again, ready to smack him another time, when Shiki steps between them. He isn't about to slug a girl, let alone a friend, but damn if he isn't wanting to push her aside to keep going.

At least Neku has the right idea.

He starts trying to go around her, stepping from side to side. His mouth is moving even if sound isn't coming out as if he's screaming as he points at Joshua:

Move, Shiki! Screw chairs! I'm gonna beat his face through the center of the earth! He--]

--'s gonna get what he deserves!

... A good question.

[ Really, with how much raw strength Beat has, Joshua isn't so sure everything isn't broken. He tentatively presses fingers to his face, trying to determine if anything feels like it's separated where it shouldn't be.

Neku, you're going to get the repercussions for your laughter later.

He suddenly notices he's tasting blood, so Joshua puts a finger inside his mouth to feel what's wrong. All his teeth are in place, but when he pulls his finger out it's red. Looks like his cheek got cut on his teeth. Well that's going to make dinner taste lovely.

He slowly sits up. ]

I think I'll be fine. [ Assuming Neku and Shiki... or just Shiki (8|) are successful in keeping Beat off him until he's recovered enough to defend himself proper. ]

[She helps Joshua sit up, taking note of the blood on his finger and her frown deepens. Definitely not something she wanted to happen.] I'm sorry, Joshua.

[When Beat speaks for the first time in a while, she does notice and even looks back at him but she doesn't comment on it (as happy as she is that he can speak again). Instead, she stands up in front of Joshua as a shield and speaks up with a loud but calm voice]

Beat, that's enough! [It's not very often that Rhyme raises her voice but she needs to get him to notice her above his anger] I don't know why you're mad at him, I know you must have a good reason, but now isn't the time for this. I invited him over to talk.

[ Alright, alright- Joshua hit the ground pretty hard, and when Shiki is the one to go restrain Beat? Neku's right behind her. Protective, as subconscious as it might be; not that he thinks Beat would ever haul off and hit her on purpose, but who knows with the sort of thing that goes on here?

He scrubs his fingers through his hair, the other one reaching out to clap Beat on the shoulder, still feeling vaguely like he's stepped into the middle of some sort of sitcom without context. ]

Dude, Rhyme is right- chill out.

[She's left blinking at Beat, puzzled by the fact that words just came flying out of his mouth.] ...oh. [But she's busy bobbing and weaving to stay in his way. It's not just that she's concerned about Beat beating Joshua to a pulp. It's all about Rhyme. She soon grabs Beat by the shoulder, trying to pull him down to her height.]

Dude. [Yeah, she's going to talk in a language Beat understands, hissing just loud enough for Beat and Neku to hear.] Can't we just pretend for tonight? Just for Rhyme?

[Hrk--!! Wow, his voice came back and then he was immediately being pulled in different directions. Being pulled down to Shiki's level and having hands holding him back, plus Rhyme actually putting herself between his still roiling anger and Joshua's battered face is just enough to get him to focus though. Even if Beat is not very good at whispering, he'll try.]

You know I'd do whateva' it takes for her, but I ain't sittin' wit' that prissy kid like it ain't nothin'!

[He growls and looks up again at Joshua, noticing the red finally.]

....Told you I'd get you, Prissy Boy. You lucky Rhyme likes you or I'd be punchin' you back to Shibuya the hard way.

Yes, I suppose I am.

[ The most injured part of Joshua is probably his pride. But he can nurse that in silence, not giving Beat the satisfaction of knowing that he's actually Very Not Amused at being silently ambushed and slugged.

Before anyone can move to help him, he picks himself up all on his own. Salvaging what's left of his dignity, he pulls himself to his feet. ]

Well, this isn't exactly how I excepted tonight to go, but I'd be lying if I said I haven't had worse.

[She sighs quietly to herself, relieved that everything managed to calm down even though there is still a very tense atmosphere hanging about the room.] Thank you. [To Beat for calming down and Neku and Shiki for helping.

She turns to Joshua when he stands and pulls a cure drink pin out of her pocket, holding it out to him] You can use these, can't you? It may help with your wound.

.. seriously, dude, calm down. Shiki's right.

[ Neku's words aren't as heated or hissed, but they're low and solemn- he's serious about what he's saying, his hand not leaving Beat's shoulder. Honestly? He's still pretty off-kilter here, but they're his friends.

He doesn't offer Joshua help outright from where he is. Doesn't bother moving at all, in fact, but he does glance at him- a cursory sweep of the eyes, subtly checking to make sure the injuries aren't worse than they appear. ]

The four of us can deal with that later. But not right now okay? Let's just. Let's just have a calm dinner and not flip tables yet.

Rhyme, do you need another one of those? [The pins, she means.] Come on guys, let's just go sit down.

[Ugh, this evening is going to suck. The only upside is that he got to punch that smug jerk in the face. Getting his voice back is a side prize, but the fun of having it back is dampened by the fact that he actually has to be nice. He can't forgive Joshua for everything he's done, even if the others are okay with him, Beat can't be.

He pushes Neku's hand away and storms back into the dining room. This evening would be easier if he didn't have to bite his tongue at every single opportunity.]

Le's get this done wit'.

[ Joshua takes the pin from Rhyme, not really surprised but appreciating the confirmation that by this point, one of the others has told her that they're all from the same world.

He turns it over in his head. On the one hand, cure drink would take the sting off the wound and probably give a quick heal to the cut on his cheek. On the other, it's one thing to be able to use psychs, but quite another to be able to use them here, in a place where powers are lessened, without a pact.

Joshua heals faster than a normal human, anyway. He hands the pin back to Rhyme and giggles softly. ]

I appreciate the gesture, but Neku's always been the psych whiz, not me.

[ He's alright with her finding out who he is. What he is, though, is something he'd still like to avoid as long as is possible. ]

[ .. it's been a while since Neku has even thought about psychs at all, and he just shrugs when Joshua passes the pin back to Rhyme. What the hell is even going on here, anyway? ]

Gonna have a pretty gnarly bruise later, man.

...we can at least get him some ice. [And she's breaking away to do just that. Boys. Behave plz.]

[Beat huffs as he drops into his chair, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He glares at Joshua from across the table, trying to burn holes in him with his non-existent laser powers.]

Let it throb. Pain's just showin' you alive.

[She takes the pin when it's handed back to her and holds it for a moment, staring at Joshua curiously before putting it back in her pocket.] Alright.

[Then to Shiki as the girl walks away:] Thank you, Shiki. And Beat, please be nice.

[She gestures for Joshua and even Neku to follow her into the dining room so they can all sit down to talk properly.]

[ Joshua follows Rhyme, once more pointedly ignoring Beat. He's not exactly alive, per se, thank you very much. ]

Ice sounds like a good idea. Thank you.

Dare I ask what's for dinner?

Uh. Great question, dude.

[ Shiki no where are you going don't leave him he still has no idea what is going on really, so Neku is sort of just backing up. ]

I can go ask. -- dude, try not to punch him again.

[ This last part directed at Beat. And he'll just scurry after Shiki. ]

[She doesn't give a verbal response, but she waits until the two of them are in the kitchen and she's getting ice before she turns to Neku.]

I know, I know. I should have told you guys before this happened but Rhyme doesn't know. I couldn't just say no to her...how was I supposed to know Beat was going to punch him? [That last sentence though? That's probably loud enough to carry out to the others.]

I ain't gonna! [In response to Neku, Beat throws his hands up before crossing them again, glaring at Josh.] Not yet an'ways.

[Being nice is for people not like him. He's had a bone to pick with Joshua for awhile and he doesn't understand how everyone else can be cool with him after everything the guy did. Weren't they trying to overthrow him the entire Game? Ugh, he cannot fathom this stuff. He huffs and pulls his hat further over forehead. He'll be nice enough to not floor Joshua again this dinner, but next time, his ass is grass.]

Shiki, you know me how long? 'Course I'm gonna punch him!

[He looks to Rhyme and then suddenly drops his eyes, looking a little guilty. His next words are to her and most decidedly not to Joshua.] ...Sorry.

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This Can Only End in Tears

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