towerofanimus | [CLOSED] It's quick. It's clean. It's pure.

Entry tags:

[CLOSED] It's quick. It's clean. It's pure.

Characters: The waffailsprits, Jade!Eridan Ampora and Yellow!Equius Zahhak.
Setting: Floor 8, the forest.
Format: Action.
Summary: In which marksmanship and shooting lessons are interrupted because Equius hair is a crime against humanity and Eridan has run out of spare sunglasses at long last.
Warnings: Awkward, awkward teens in love. Also brushes and hairbands and long-winded bitching about the cold.

[Eridan is a few minutes late to his appointment with Equius - it's not a date, none of them are dates, can his brain please stop making this weird - for the first time since they began. He walks down the staircase and into the snowed floor of the forest, rifle already in hand.]

Sorry.

[He's trying really hard not to make this weird and hoping Equius won't say anything about it, but it's kind of hard not to considering he feels so goddamn naked as it is.]

Ready for this?

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[...What happened to his sunglasses?]

[Equius' first thought is that maybe he broke them. Because to be honest, he's pretty sure Eridan wouldn't be caught dead without those glasses in a normal circumstance. Much like Equius wouldn't be caught without his 3D asshole shades. So maybe he just... didn't have any left? Well that's a shame.]

It's fine.

[He looks down. That sure is another gun in his own hand, borrowed (he refuses to say 'given') from Eridan. Somehow, they have gotten to the point where Equius getting shooting lessons is a thing that actually happens. He still finds the whole idea unreal and faintly ridiculous, because there is a long-range weapon that Equius is supposed to use, and a laser rifle is not that weapon. But there are some times when arrows just don't take away as much health as one would like...]

Yes. I am.

[Please don't ask about the shades. We don't want to go talking about that. Eridan offers his usual half-smile, which looks odd when you can actually see his eyes soften a little. Even if he's still very cranky about the whole thing. He puts a hand on Equius' shoulder, nudging him further into the forest.]

Then let's get to it. You did some really nice shots yesterday.

[Let's go find a spot of landscape to completely destroy.]

So let's take it from there, okay?

[Yeah, wow, seeing Eridan's entire face? It's a pretty alien experience, now that he thinks about it. It's been a long time since he's actually seen him like this. Forgive him if he just does a little... staring. At your eyes. Staring at your eyes. That's what's happening right now.]

[~~Hopefully he doesn't shoot a beam into them.~~]

Oh. Okay... sure.

[What are compliments and how does he receive them?]

[He is trying so very hard not to notice, because if he notices he'll have to actually deal with it, and as we've all learned, Eridan deals with thing with the Egyptian approved, river-proof method.]

Right.

[Once they're far away from the staircase than an accidental shot won't hit it, Eridan lets out a drawn out sigh.]

So. You know the drill, hon. Deep breaths. Relax. And when you're ready, go for it. You're going to be aiming for that tree, the one with the broken branch near the top.

[You know, the one that's about fifty feet away?]

[Egyptians are cool! ...Just not when they're trying to deal with the loss of some very emotionally valuable eyewear. Sorry, man. Maybe you can wear his for a while? They're kind of dorky and make you look ten times more like an asshole than even those shades can do, but they cover your eyes (kind of), and he doesn't mind walking around without them. Really. It's not that bad. (Here, take all the other things he's ever owned too, while you're at it!)]

...Right.

[That's going to be quite interesting. But he does remember what Eridan had him do yesterday, and he tries to emulate that today, since apparently it was right. But... it takes him a few tries.]

[Okay, more than a few tries.]

[He sighs himself, a very well-disguised sign of irritation, and pulls himself out of the proper shooting position. Or, at least, his weak and frail imitation of the proper shooting position, as Eridan would like for him to believe.]

...I don't suppose we could... try a closer target first? ...And move on to that one directly afterward?

Let's be adventurous today.

[That is his nice way of saying no. Also, his eyes are glinting with amusement and now you can actually see it. Whoops.]

Just relax, hon. Take it slow, we're in no rush. I want you to feel the difference between ranges. Remember what I said about the arc in your arrows, okay? The rifle arcs too, but differently. You just need to get a feel for that.

[But adventurous is bad! Adventurous gets people hurt! Adventurous gives you that weird look that's in your eyes right now, that kind of makes him want to run for the hills and never come back! No way he's going along with your 'adventure'!!]

...okay.

[Well, that was easy.]

[It's true, though, what he said; the rifle does arc, too. He still can't keep a grip on it, though he had to admit, yesterday was pretty close. Obviously all he needed was more practice, but...]

[Pchooo. Pchooo.]

[Neither quite hit the mark.]

[Everyone wants to have an adventure, deep down their hearts, you know it's true, Equius. Eridan's smile melts away as he studies his efforts, eyes narrowed a little as he moves behind Equius, to analyze his posture better.]

Try spreading your feet a bit more.

[Yes, that's one of his feet nudging Equius' left foot a little, while Eridan puts his hands on his shoulder.]

And remember to keep your back straight, but relaxed.

[Fingers poke at the center of Equius' back, rubbing little circles around a giant knot of tension.]

You're waiting for the kickback force and let it flow back through you, you need to compensate for that, so that your second shot doesn't get thrown off. Try aiming for the tree, but also try to hit the same spot twice, okay?

[Equius follows the jadeblood's instructions about as far as moving the foot... but as soon as those fingers touch his back, the giant knot of tension gets worse. At least he doesn't pull the trigger like that.]

Oh, uh. Compensate... [He considers that for a moment.] ...I think I know how to do that, alright...

[Blissfully unaware of this, as usual, Eridan pulls his hands away and goes stand by Equius' side, wanting to see his posture again.]

Alright. Whenever you're ready, hon.

Right, right... ready.

[He makes an attempt to loosen that big old knot of muscle. Unfortunately, it ha grown to almost an ever-present fixture of his body by this point, so Equius can't be rid of it completely... but he does a pretty good job, all things considered, and it's much less glaring now. Combining that with the other things Eridan pointed out, Equius stood in position for quite a long time. He was waiting for Eridan to point something else out he was doing wrong.]

[When that didn't happen, he shot. Twice. They hit the mark much better than last time.]

[Eridan approached after the two shots.]

That was good! Now you might want to...

[Hands on Equius arm, he trailed off a little as he took a moment to actually see Equius' hair.]

...yeah okay. Sticking my foot down my throat in the name of marksmanship. Hon, can you actually see through those bangs?

[...Well that was quick.]

[Give him a second--]

O-of course I can!

[This is Eridan forgetting all about personal space bubbles and trying to push some of Equius' hair behind his ear and finding he sort of can't.]

Are you sure? Because bangs can be distracting sometimes. I know mine are.

[Bitch, this hair ain't going noplace.]

Yes, I'm sure...

[He doesn't sound very sure, but then again, that could just be Equius.]

[Yeah, the hair ain't going noplace, but Eridan's fingers might be stuck in it, though.]

Because you could always pull it into a ponytail or--

[Yep. Stuck.]

Eq?

What?

[Probably the most mortified 'what' that this world has ever seen.]

[He's trying hard not to laugh.]

I think your hair is trying to eat my hand.

It's trying to--

[Pause.]

[And suddenly he goes utterly yellow.]

Shit! Oh god, I'm sorry! Oh god! [...and so on, as he tries to untangle the hideous mess that is his hair and Eridan's poor forearm.]

[his canon one. "Pity". Because encryption modus for Karkat. Yea.

Eridan laughs, smiling wryly up at Equius as he finally extracts his hand. Equius hair looks, if possible, even gnarlier.]

Yeah, okay. That's it. C'mon, lesson adjourned, your hair has a date with my hairbrush.

What?

[fhjdks]

I-isn't this more important than the state of my hair?

[Eridan tugs Equius by the wrist, before he holds onto his arm by the elbow. Then he pats that arm with his other hand, leaning in to smile patiently up at him.]

Don't argue hair with me, hon, you're not going to win.

[...]

You're probably right.

[He's grumbling, but as he said, Eridan is correct. You really can't argue hair with him. Look at that stuff.]

[Wait until you realize the hair strip is natural.]

And this might possibly be the one thing I'll ever be right on, so let's bask on it. Besides, everyone likes having their hair brushed.

[Unless you're Gamzee. But then, Gamzee.]

You'll like it.

[Equius sincerely doubts this, and it shows.]

Ugh... fine.

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oh my god

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you know, this reminds me of one au i had where karkat's hair was so messy it was his fetch modus

...my new headcanon is that it WAS his fetch modus until Sollux took pity on him and gave him

that's a good headcanon and you should feel good.

you always give me the best ideas, I swear

I am not sorry

good, you shouldn't be

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