Deer Country | Inbox

[syncopathic]

 

TEXT ✦ VOICE ✦ OMEN ✦ ACTION

 

CODE

Yo, it's Dito. Talk to me.

Comments

in speaking of these two....random text sometime after them meeting.

[givehead]

Hey, birdie. How's it going? Still molting?

I only ask because if you are, I highly recommend hitting up the hot springs. Might help with the process.

[syncopathic]

["Birdie" does something to him, causes something to twist strangely inside his chest in a way that he's uncertain if he likes or not. Normally it's not a nickname he'd tolerate. Normally whoever was stupid enough to call him something like that would be the recipient of a particularly acidic dressing-down.

Normally.]

why am I not surprised that it took this long for someone to tell me that we have hot springs here?

[Well maybe if you engaged in things like "gathering information" or "talking to people" or "taking initiative for once in your goddamn life" you lazy sack of shit...]

[givehead]

People are mega prudes and the hot springs happen to also be a popular location for men to get it on with other men. It's not all over the springs, but I guess the idea of dudes possibly fucking in a hot spring over is enough to deter the local population from bothering at all.

Though I would bet my entire reproductive system that at a "normal" hot springs, dudes and chicks fuck all the time, but whatever.

The point is yes we have hot springs. They are dope and feel awesome.

(Dirk spitting FACTS here today. But also it's probably fair enough to give the guy a warning. Just don't hold eye contact with another dude for longer than five seconds and you'll be fine!

Anyway who even likes talking to people? Overrated hobby. 0/10. Sucks.)

[syncopathic]

I've definitely seen worse. as long as they don't bother me and make sure I'm out of the splash zone, I don't really care what people get up to in there.

a soak does sound good right about now, though.

text; un: sallyface

[sallyface]

hey dude
something you asked me the other day had me thinking
you don't know what movies are right?
i don't think i explained it well enough

[ Maybe very briefly. His mind wasn't in the right headspace at the time. Hell, it's still not altogether there this month. But sitting alone with his own thoughts isn't helping any. ]

i meant stuff like this

[ And then he will send a link to a trailer of the movie The Things. Dito strikes him as the kind of guy who might appreciate the practical effects and horrendous gore. Whatever gave him that impression one will never know. ]

[syncopathic]

[A few minutes pass, long enough to assume that Dito has just watched the trailer. Unfortunately that assumption is quickly proven wrong with Dito's message.]

so am I supposed to understand this gobbledygook you just sent me or are you just fucking with me right now?

[Go easy on him, Sal. There's a considerable lack of internet in the year 1000 AD.]

action

[terriblepurpose]

[A few days after an unusual network post, a gift basket that could be cupped in two hands appears on Dito's front doorstep while he's out, covered in neatly tucked wax paper and topped with a green ribbon bow that secures a note written in a delicate, looping hand.]

Dear Neighbor,

My name is Sophie, and I'm new in the neighborhood! I wanted to say hello to everyone and let you all know that I've moved into the house with blue shutters up the street. I'm a chocolatier, so I thought, what better way to make a good impression than giving out some samples?

I hope you like them, and if you ever want any more, please come knock on my door. If I'm not home, leave a note, and I'll talk to you soon!

Your (hopeful!!) new friend,

Sophie Tantalos

[As promised, the basket contains a selection of individually foil wrapped chocolates, each sealed with a drop of black wax. Almost all of them are perfectly mundane chocolates - except one gooey, enticing caramel.]

[syncopathic]

[Most people would have been delighted by the surprise gift; the chance to meet a potential new friend. Most people would have accepted the basket of chocolates with a smile, pleased that a total stranger had shown them such a kindness.

Unfortunately Dito is a suspicious and cynical little shit, and not one to take a random gift at face value.

Leaving the basket of chocolates on his kitchen table, Dito heads out the door in the direction of this Sophie's house, the taste of the caramel chocolate still lingering in his mouth. He couldn't say why he'd decided to indulge just this once-- after all, he didn't even like sweets all that much. But there was something about the way the milk chocolate glistened in the light that he just couldn't resist.

Whatever. Back to the task at hand.

Dito spies the house with blue shutters that the letter had described, and with large purposeful strides, marches up to the door and pounds on it with his fist. Something is rotten here, and damn if he's not going to figure out what it is.]

[terriblepurpose]

[The house was chosen only because it was empty. Paul hadn't anticipated this being the site of what he will euphemise as a conversation only because it scratches at some cloying, unhappy itch (like the edge of a blister) of dark humor.

But Paul didn't plan for anywhere specific, either. He doesn't know the neighborhood beyond his brief scouting, or what Dito is capable of, or even what he truly looks like outside of the veiled revelation of futuresight. Plans in Trench never survive contact with the unknown. There's no purpose to them, and he is sick of being meticulous and restrained when everyone else does whatever seems to please them, moment to moment.

So here will serve. Any place with a door would. This one opens into a dark hallway, where Paul stands, smiling slightly.]

May I help you?

[His tone is low and pleasant, if touched lightly by consternation at the intensity of the knock. He's an excellent actor. There's not a twitch of microexpression out of place.]

[syncopathic]

[Later on, Dito would be hard-pressed to explain exactly what came over him when his eyes first met Paul's. An overwhelming aura of authority seems to permeate out from the man, causing Dito to immediately drop his gaze as if staring into a bright light. His heart clenches-- anxiety stirs in his stomach.

He's positive he'd never met this man before in his life, but something in him feels certain that he owed him for something-- perhaps in exchange for a favor or to correct some great wrong.

When Dito speaks his voice is quiet, lacking none of the cocksure exuberance he was known for.]

I... I'm Dito. Do I have the wrong house?

Voice; UN: Player One

[comecatchthesehands]

It's been one month. Call me back or don't. Make your decision carefully. One of them might cost you your life.

[syncopathic]

[There's a thrill that runs down Dito's spine as he listens to the message on his Omni, and it's not entirely due to the implied threat. Dito's reply is confident and flirtatious, perfectly masking the way his blood is pumping in his ears.]

You flatterer, you. Implying that my life might be worth something. I bet you say that to all the idiots you know.

[comecatchthesehands]

[In reality he didn't think there'd be a response.]

I can find worth in idiots. I haven't destroyed this place yet so that should be testament.

[Okay so there's a pause on his own part because Shigaraki doesn't normally just call people.]

Text; UN: Player_One

[comecatchthesehands]

Did you survive this month or am I texting a corpse?

[syncopathic]

Surviving, but not exactly thriving. You doing anything tonight? Boredom's got me in its clutches again. I need rescuing.

[You seriously do not waste any time, do you?]

[comecatchthesehands]

You can't do both anyway. Pick one and stop whining about the other.

[Says the man who's texting the rando he met.]

I'm texting. That's what I'm doing. I'm not an on demand puppet show.

Text; UN: Player_One

[comecatchthesehands]

You wanna see what I made?

[syncopathic]

Can I ask what it is?

[comecatchthesehands]

Why? You afraid I'm going to give you nightmares?

Christmas Gift Delivery!! | 12/25

[floatsaway]

[On the morning of the 25th, Dito will find a delicately wrapped package outside on his doorstep. It's nothing overly special - just a box wrapped mostly in brown paper with some twine on it, though it does seems like someone went to some extra effort to draw on little pinecones and holly berries...maybe a snowflake or two. There's also a hint of glitter on there, because fuck you everything is cuter with a little glitter.

Inside, along with a cozy looking scarf and a pair of insolated leather gloves is a baggy not of cookies or anything but...some spiced, dried meats and cheeses. Ochako remembered that Dito wasn't a fan of sweets, so she asked one of the shopkeeps at a butcher's place for something more hearty.

Atop the non-edible gifts is a simple card with a drawing of a gift box on one side and a note on the other:]

Dear Dito-san,

I'm not sure if your world celebrates, or even knows about it...but there's a winter holiday in my world, called Christmas!! On that day, you're supposed to give gifts to people you care about - friends, family, loved ones...etc. You can gift sweets and stuff too, but I know you don't like that kind of stuff. I hope the food I put in is to your liking!! It's a little bit spicy, and the store owner said it'd go especially well with some mulled wine or cider!

I hope you're staying warm with all this terrible snow, and everything else going on, too... There's never a dull day in this dumb place. Stay safe, and please let me know if the gloves are too big or too small, I can exchange them for something that fits better.

Your friend,
Uraraka Ochako ♥

[syncopathic]

[Dito needed to read the card a few more times before he was able to accept what the message had already confirmed-- Ochako had made good on her threat to get him back for the birthday present he'd gotten her so many months ago.

The fucking audacity.

There was no inherent need for her to do this, the debt had already been paid. So the only reason that Ochako would have to do something like this is to feel good about herself-- or worse, to put him once again in her debt. Well, if she thought he was going to take this sort of thing lying down, she had another think coming.

Which is why he's currently storming up the pathway to her door like a man preparing to lay siege to his greatest enemy... which isn't really too far off the mark when you really think about it. Muttering vague curses under his breath, Dito wraps the woolen scarf tighter around his neck-- no point in wasting use of it on his trek to return it, after all-- and pounds vigorously a few times on Ochako's door with one gloved hand.]

I know you're in there, you smug little chit! Open up!

[floatsaway]

[The funniest thing about this scenario, on top of Dito being so completely WRONG about everything is...Ochako isn't in her home. Both she and Bakugou are out, each one doing either their usual patrols or some basic errands and chores they usually do around Trench. The godawful weather makes it far more difficult, yes, but sometimes you don't exactly have a choice in what you want to do versus what you need to do.

So imagine the sight Ochako comes upon after going to gather some more essentials. Water and firewood mostly, as well as the anything still sold in the shops. It's all loaded up on a cute little sled she's pulling behind her (borrowed, she has to give it back to the shopkeep tomorrow). Like Dito, she's equally bundled up in cozy winter gear - boots, scarf, mittens, some adorable earmuffs, and...a familiar looking coat. Yes, it's the one he got her, the one that resembled an owl, with the feathery "ears" at the top.

The crunch of her boots on the snow is probably overshadowed by the raucous hammering of his fist on their door, and she just sort of...pauses and stares at him for a moment before tilting her head and coughing just loud enough to grab his attention.]

D-Dito-san...? [You good, dude?]

Voice;

[comecatchthesehands]

Whatever you're doing, stop it and answer me. I need to know you're alive.

[syncopathic]

Alive and kicking, my alabastrine Adonis. Finishing up a hunt at the outskirts of town right now.

What's the matter-- did I stand you up or something? You're not getting lonely without me, are you?

[comecatchthesehands]

I was talking to someone from my world. There was a battle in Crenshaw, people are dead. I don't know who or how many, I just wanted to see if I had to shake the hand of someone who did me the favour or not.