Seizhi whimpers. “Please tell me you didn’t turn into a giant snake,” he begs.
“Oh, of course not ! It never helps,” Chuubo nods sagely, as though he hadn’t just shaved off two years of Seizhi’s life expectancy. Although… how does that work ? Seizhi’s not exactly, well, real. Is his lifespan linked to Chuubo’s ? Is he – Chuubo wished him into being, right, so is he immortal ? The only thing he knows for sure is that he can’t be wished into non-existence. That fight he and Chuubo had last month was at least good for proving that. Boy, that wasn’t a fun time.
And if something happened to Chuubo…
Seizhi’s not sure if it’s selfishness or being Chuubo’s Best Friend that drives a spike of icy dread down his spine at the thought. God, Chuubo needs to be more careful.
Still, it’s fine.
(Seizhi forces a breath through clenched lungs, and physically makes himself look Chuubo up and down. Chuubo looks basically okay, aside from the grass stains on his jeans, and those are a lost cause.)
Chuubo’s fine.
Chuubo doesn’t notice Seizhi hyperventilating himself into near catatonia, or is kind enough to pretend not to, bless him. Which makes sense; most of Seizhi’s existence since he realised he’s a Fake Person has been spent high-key worrying, about stuff like homework and being late and pretending really hard to have a lifetime supply of totally normal real-person life experiences and also pretending really hard he’s not worried about Chuubo learning his best friend is a fake! The former stuff he also does on Chuubo’s behalf, as part of his job as Chuubo’s best friend, and Chuubo takes it in stride. It’s a system. Chuubo provides the fun and Seizhi provides the freak-outs.
“So what happened ?” Seizhi asks, in an attempt to stall his racing heart, and also because Chuubo’s shenanigans are good for a laugh, looking back. Seizhi’s privately betting on Leonardo showing up to drive the point home of how much he can’t stand Chuubo, and solving the problem to show Chuubo up, but he’s keeping his suspicions to himself for now.
“I wished I could talk to snakes,” Chuubo says, candidly.
Oh, Seizhi thinks. Like me. He’s suddenly feeling very small and very alone, more alone than he’s ever felt. The summer breeze still ruffles warmly through his hair, but he only feels cold – like in his nightmares about non-existence, small and unable to scream, frozen in a realm of nightmares in Outer Space.
“Like you!” Chuubo beams. “And turned out they were trying to hypnotize me into reverting, so, you know, I left.”
“Right,” Seizhi acquiesces. These things happen to Chuubo. Then the part of his brain that’s not stuck on worrying about being replaced catches up. “Wait, so the snakes are still in Miramie’s basement ? You didn’t, like, talk them down, or, or wish they didn’t try to hypnotize people ?”
Chuubo does a little shrug-and-shaking-of-his-head when Seizhi says the W-word. “It didn’t feel like it would work right?...”
Seizhi nods.
“I thought I’d better ask you,” Chuubo continues. “You’re better at making friends.”
Chuubo’s is a TTRPG, and I’ve sort of fallen in love with the pregens. Chuubo probably comes across as worse than the goofy ordinary boy whose wishes do occasionally turn interesting, because I think when you don’t know the setting, Seizhi’s kind of an uncomfortable PoV, but they’re earnest kids.
I like to think it goes like this
“Oh, of course not ! It never helps,” Chuubo nods sagely, as though he hadn’t just shaved off two years of Seizhi’s life expectancy. Although… how does that work ? Seizhi’s not exactly, well, real. Is his lifespan linked to Chuubo’s ? Is he – Chuubo wished him into being, right, so is he immortal ? The only thing he knows for sure is that he can’t be wished into non-existence. That fight he and Chuubo had last month was at least good for proving that. Boy, that wasn’t a fun time.
And if something happened to Chuubo…
Seizhi’s not sure if it’s selfishness or being Chuubo’s Best Friend that drives a spike of icy dread down his spine at the thought. God, Chuubo needs to be more careful.
Still, it’s fine.
(Seizhi forces a breath through clenched lungs, and physically makes himself look Chuubo up and down. Chuubo looks basically okay, aside from the grass stains on his jeans, and those are a lost cause.)
Chuubo’s fine.
Chuubo doesn’t notice Seizhi hyperventilating himself into near catatonia, or is kind enough to pretend not to, bless him. Which makes sense; most of Seizhi’s existence since he realised he’s a Fake Person has been spent high-key worrying, about stuff like homework and being late and pretending really hard to have a lifetime supply of totally normal real-person life experiences and also pretending really hard he’s not worried about Chuubo learning his best friend is a fake! The former stuff he also does on Chuubo’s behalf, as part of his job as Chuubo’s best friend, and Chuubo takes it in stride. It’s a system. Chuubo provides the fun and Seizhi provides the freak-outs.
“So what happened ?” Seizhi asks, in an attempt to stall his racing heart, and also because Chuubo’s shenanigans are good for a laugh, looking back. Seizhi’s privately betting on Leonardo showing up to drive the point home of how much he can’t stand Chuubo, and solving the problem to show Chuubo up, but he’s keeping his suspicions to himself for now.
“I wished I could talk to snakes,” Chuubo says, candidly.
Oh, Seizhi thinks. Like me. He’s suddenly feeling very small and very alone, more alone than he’s ever felt. The summer breeze still ruffles warmly through his hair, but he only feels cold – like in his nightmares about non-existence, small and unable to scream, frozen in a realm of nightmares in Outer Space.
“Like you!” Chuubo beams. “And turned out they were trying to hypnotize me into reverting, so, you know, I left.”
“Right,” Seizhi acquiesces. These things happen to Chuubo. Then the part of his brain that’s not stuck on worrying about being replaced catches up. “Wait, so the snakes are still in Miramie’s basement ? You didn’t, like, talk them down, or, or wish they didn’t try to hypnotize people ?”
Chuubo does a little shrug-and-shaking-of-his-head when Seizhi says the W-word. “It didn’t feel like it would work right?...”
Seizhi nods.
“I thought I’d better ask you,” Chuubo continues. “You’re better at making friends.”
Chuubo’s is a TTRPG, and I’ve sort of fallen in love with the pregens. Chuubo probably comes across as worse than the goofy ordinary boy whose wishes do occasionally turn interesting, because I think when you don’t know the setting, Seizhi’s kind of an uncomfortable PoV, but they’re earnest kids.