victory_road | What is this? Are you some kind of hypnotist?

Hythlodaeus is seated in his usual place at his usual time with three cups of tea accompanying him. He can trust Steven to be on time, so the tea is perfectly steeped by the time he arrives. He pulls the bags, setting them on a small saucer.

He waves to them with his usual slow wave before signing once they're close enough. His cutieflies buzz and resettle after a moment. There are now... five of them.

Welcome, welcome. It seems we will need to pull out a couple more chairs.

Thankfully, signing with Steven, Lydia, and Emet-Selch has diluted his eerie Tylerisms in his spelling.

It's not just the presence of Teller, but also a lack of Isis - something that Steven knows Tyler has only done previously in the context of Rocket missions.

Teller immediately moves towards his son with a pleased snort, but Tyler sits down with a somewhat notable stiffness. It's alright. I'm not planning on staying long.

Yeah. Something's definitely up, although Steven's fucked if he knows quite what.

As Mesmer gives his father a happy hug, Steven signs, So why did you want to tag along to our lunch anyway, Tyler?

Hythlodaeus knows better than to answer a question meant for someone else, he simply raises his brows and tilts his head. He is, thankfully, maskless.

At least don't let your tea go to waste.

The tea gets spared a glance, and is forthrightly ignored, in favour of angling towards Steven.

Hythlodaeus - and whatever Steven plans on using, Tyler uses HYF in fingerspelling - asked me about work, and I agreed to do so in person rather than over text. Given how my job directly involves confidential information, I felt it the least likely way to incidentally leak something vital.

It's a very different set of mannerisms that Tyler's using, versus when he talks to Steven solo; he's much more stilted and formal in the way he shapes his words

Steven's look of alarm is unmistakable. He immediately turns to Hythlodaeus.

My God, Hythlo-- (he rapidly fingerspells HYTHLO) --please tell me you aren't going around questioning everyone that you suspect might be my coworker. I'd trusted you to be discreet.

Edited 2020-07-26 07:45 (UTC)

His smile spreads before he trains it back down.

Oh, no, certainly not. This is quite the simplification. I merely deduced who likely is in Team Rocket based on their opinions of my dear ex-boyfriend. But more to the point, I meant only for an inside look at how Team Rocket might be impacting the development of your cognitive empathy.

Such information would be useful for myself, as well. Little do I fear for my self-control. Well. Under usual circumstance, perhaps.

Hythlodaeus glances between them, watching and thinking as he sips his tea.

There is an extremely flat, extremely unimpressed glare sent Steven's way at his panicked expression. He doesn't care that Hythlodaeus and Solus were apparently once boyfriends - if anything, it sours him a bit more towards Hythlodaeus, somehow. He's probably just really biased at this point, he muses.

Regardless. He turns back towards Hythlodaeus, and Teller looks up from grooming Mesmer.

That you assume you know anything at all about them is cause for concern, he argues stiffly. If word were to spread, or you were careless or spiteful. It puts you in danger, whether you're right or not.

Teller shifts position slightly, standing out of Tyler and Steven's immediate line of sight as Tyler signs, and the Hypno's coin comes out and starts gently swinging, pulling on Hythlodaeus's attention to lure him subtly and powerfully into a trance.

For God's sake, Hythlodaeus, Steven signs with jerky, annoyed movements (and here he does use Tyler's HYF), use codewords! You don't know who knows sign!

And that's when he notices the subtle shift of Teller's position out of the corner of his eye, enough give the Hypno a second's glance to see the upward swing of the coin before immediately wrenching his attention over to Tyler.

What the fuck do you think you're doing? he signs frantically. Hades-- (Tyler, having never encountered this name sign before would parse it as 'H-spirit.') --is going to want our fucking heads for this.

Oh, I thought that it was a non-native language—

Hythlodaeus' eyes are drawn instinctively to the movement. The last remnants of his smile drops as he's pulled down deep into that trance.

Hythlodaeus' interior world is calm and quiet, perhaps...

Too quiet?

If Hypno is looking for a particular memory, he will need to rifle through over a hundred thousand years of memories, perfectly preserved. Amaurotines forget little, after all. Some are his, some Emet-Selch's.

There really does seem to be no turmoil, save for one riptide. And it seems best to not get too close to that.

Hythlodaeus' emotional landscape seems to be fully motivated by his desire for absolute control. As in, there are very few fully affecting emotions in here at all, it seems.

Tyler's position hasn't really changed; he's still stiff and on alert, watching Hythlodaeus with a guarded intensity as he falls into the trance, and for a moment his mouth tightens in a brief sign of vindication.

Then Steven's signing catches his attention, and his energy turns aggressive, snapping words back at Steven with biting speed. What the fuck were you thinking, telling him about work and everyone fucking involved in it! If word of that got back to our bosses do you know how much trouble you could get in?!

Mostly unnoticed by Tyler, caught up in his annoyance, Teller's snout wrinkles and his ears flick back a little. This is nothing like what he's seen in other people around here, and he's not quite sure how to handle it. There's simply too much for him to examine before he finds the true memory - but, he's going to give it a try anyway, and see if he can't dig through just briefly to find something with Steven talking to Hythlodaeus.

I've been goddamn recruiting him-- Steven starts to protest, but no, fuck, this isn't what he needs to do. Tyler's being fucking unreasonable and he's going to fuck both of them over in one stupid futile gesture, and--

He turns his face, so Tyler can't even attempt to read his lips and hisses, "Mesmer! Go hug your daddy now! Hug him from the front and pin his coin and don't let go!"

Little Mesmer, who's been watching all of this with a look of confusion on his tiny face, like if he isn't sure he should be helping his papa or not, gives a little nod, grateful for being given the order.

"Drowzee!" he squeals, launching himself at Teller.

Inside of his own mind, Hythlodaeus walks up behind Teller.

"Oh, good morning, friend," he says in his echoing bell pitched voice that seems to be coming from everywhere at once. He places a hand on his chest and bows very slightly, not doing much to diminish his great height. "Might I help you find something in the archive?"

The floor, that seemed to simply be still waters loses its firmness, plunging them into the depths like an elevator with a cut cord until it crashes in at the bottom floor. The glow of lamps turn on one by one, illuminating a hallway with great, vaulted ceilings and so full of doors the mind spins.

"Recent memories? Ah, this way, please," he says as he begins to lead Teller down from where they started. As they advance, it seems like they're not moving at all for how much hallway is even left in front of or behind them. Eventually, they come to a door that opens of its own accord into what looks like library.

"Memories of talking to Steven? Very well. I must warm you, however, that I've accidentally filed the hypothetical conversations and thoughts about him there as well."

And then he leads him to a bookshelf full of loose leaf paper.

This isn't normal - Teller knows the people who come in different, like Steven and Tyler, are unusual, but this is well beyond what the poor Hypno could have anticipated, and when he does follow Hythlodaeus it's mostly out of shock than any current real desire to screw with him.

So it's actually a relief when Mesmer jumps into his arms and rather forcibly yanks his focus out of the Dream Eating; the Hypno stumbles, under the sudden and unexpected weight, as well as the abrupt shock of reality, but he's quick to correct and hold his baby properly. Perhaps even a little too tightly, in relief.

Tyler's own eyes narrowed when Steven turns his head away, but with Teller occupied he has no idea why until Mesmer suddenly launches at Teller and grabs his attention. Ruins Tyler's plan, and he slams his hand down on the table so hard that he upsets his teacup, sending scalding tea all over his arm as he shoots to his feet and gestures with violent intent at Steven.

What the fuck are you doing?

Saving both our asses, Steven signs back, every bit as angry and frustrated as Tyler. You've never been a target of [H-spirit]'s revenge like I have. It is fucking clarity destroying and if you'd finished with that, he wouldn't have just blamed you, he'd have blamed me. How dare you throw me right back into the shit with him when it hasn't even been two weeks since we got me out of it? I fucking get it, you're pissed off, you've got every right to be pissed off, but think a fucking moment about all the other people who'll get caught in the crossfires when you go off all half-cocked and summery.

For fuck's sake, Tyler--the answer to everything is not goddamn casual hypnotism!

Edited (html etc) 2020-07-26 09:57 (UTC)

Hythlodaeus comes out of it like being hit with cold water.

"Oh, that was interesting—" he says before he remembers himself and starts to sign.

Oh, goodness. I wasn't aware these creatures could do that...

And then he seems to take in the situation.

"Steven. Tyler's arm," he says as he signs it.

Come now, boys, let's get Tyler cleaned up and then we can talk about it. I'll get some ice.

Edited 2020-07-26 10:16 (UTC)

What about this indicates to you that I'm doing this casually?! He's furious, and his arm hurts when he moves it but he's ignoring that in favour of whip-crack signs at Steven. You told him everything and you don't expect me to act on that when he goes and uses it against me?! I am not letting someone dangle threats over my head to keep me in their neat little roles again, especially not one of them!!

With a gesture at Hythlodaeus, so aggressive that he makes himself wince when the act pulls on the deepening burn he gave himself, and when he retracts his arm it's with eyes narrowed in pain.

Teller loosens his grip on Mesmer, holding the baby with one hand so he can put the other on Tyler's shoulder - even if a second later Tyler's other arm lashes out to knock it off.

"I'm not leaving him alone with you," Steven says between grit teeth. "You get the ice, Hythlo. And we're going to need to have a talk together, just as soon as I'm done explaining to my best friend why he's being a stupid, careless asshole."

I didn't tell him everything, he replies to Tyler in sign. I told him I worked there. Not you. Not anyone else. I didn't even confirm any of my coworkers when he guessed at them. And I didn't expect you to make me a goddamn accessory to everything! You didn't even fucking warn me so I could tell you I wanted no part in it! Jesus Christ, Tyler!

Hythlodaeus manages to keep his explanation brief enough that he returns with a cup of cold water and one full of ice within the minute.

Give me your arm, he signs before he wets down a napkin.

"Oh yes, Teller here can translate, isn't that right?" he says, his hands now full as he reaches out for Tyler's wrist.

"I'm not going to use this against you," he starts. "I have no interest in that. I simply want to help Steven and make good environmental choices for myself."

He opened by telling me you told him about your fucking durance! He's signing with such fury now that when certain signs impact it looks legitimately painful. What the fuck else am I supposed to assume after that?! And the only reason you're here at all was because he was very obvious about the fact he wasn't going to see me alone and the other option was fucking Solus, otherwise you wouldn't have been involved at all! I didn't ask for you to be dragged into this!

Tyler's too busy being furious at Steven to look at Hythlodaeus; he doesn't see the giant man leaving, and certainly not his return. His only conscious warning is a gentle mental nudge from Teller (he learned from that slap) and the translation, before he actually sees Hythlodaeus reaching down to touch him--

It's instinct, not thought. His fists are already balled from stress and he's not thinking straight: and he slams his fist down on Hythlodaeus's arm, sending the giant's wrist at dangerous speed into the cafe's table and very nearly shattering the empty mug with him. Before he stumbles back with surprising speed, putting a few feet of distance between himself and the table. He's visibly trembling now, and Teller puts Mesmer down very gently on the now vacant seat before he goes and stands with Tyler; not touching him, but the Hypno is ready to act just in case.

Yes and I didn't tell him about yours, Steven signs exasperatedly. Who I tell about my durance is my own goddamn business. You told [H-spirit] about yours!

"Hythlo," he says out loud, "put the water and ice on the far side of the table and let's both of us take some steps back so that Tyler can get them if he wants them.

Look, Steven signs. If nothing else, take care of your goddamn arm. I'll keep Hythlo from getting too close. And I'll take care of my goddamn mess, not you.

Hythlodaeus makes a soft noise in his throat as his wrist hits the table hard and bounces. He spills some of ice in pain and surprise, simply setting it down in general as he steps back, holding his wrist with a slight wince. Damn, were those things weapons?!

“Please be careful, I cannot heal myself in this state.”

They absolutely are, and frankly it's a blessing that his face is too high up for Tyler to have gone for instead.

Tyler stays where he is, ignoring the stares of other customers as he takes shaking breaths from that outburst. He feels sick, now, and there are visible goosebumps in the areas that aren't scalded red and prickling unpleasantly. He's not angry - or at least, that hot flash of anger from the argument got so successfully drowned by panic that he's just numb and trembling from adrenaline. There's some abstract part of his brain, the actually logical part, that realises he's fucked up, fucked this up, and gotten hurt for it. Like an idiot. Stupid. Useless, if he'd just let Hythlodaeus touch him then he wouldn't be making a scene, he should have just sucked it up and let it happen, it was always easier that way...

With the anger gone he's just. Sick, pale, and tired, and sore, and watching Steven move away from him, towards Hythlodaeus. Of course he'd choose them over him. Why wouldn't he? Who would ever choose him?

Teller's ears press back a little, and this time when he steps forward to put a hand on Tyler's shoulder it doesn't get slapped off. But Tyler doesn't make any attempt to move towards the cooling supplies. He just stays where he is, balling his aching hand in and out of a fist as he doesn't look at the two other men.

Fuck. This isn't working.

"Teller?" Steven says, gently. "Can you ask if Tyler will let me touch him to help him with his wrist? He's going to really fuck it up if he doesn't get help soon. And-- if he doesn't want that, do you think you could help take him to a Pokecenter so a Nurse Joy can look at that. He. Probably would want to go to Ecruteak from here anyway."

Hythlodaeus begins to regulate his breathing as he looks down at the bruising and swelling that begins to form.

Well, that's bad!

"I should go. I'll call you later, Steven."

And he does just that, moving hastily away from the scene, aware that he isn't helping, cannot help here and now.

Edited 2020-07-26 23:56 (UTC)

Teller looks at Steven when he talks, and Tyler's brow creases sharply, his mouth pulling into a thin line to hide how his lips are quivering. So now Steven won't even talk to him, just his Pokemon. Fine. That's. Totally fine. Why would he want to, anyway.

Don't touch me. His sign is... weak, his burned wrist sore, and he doesn't look at Steven when he turns to walk away.

Teller lets him go for a moment, ears back in concern. But he looks at Steven and gives a firm nod, before he pats Mesmer and teleports after Tyler.

In his chair, Mesmer makes a confused little noise. Why were all the trainers fighting? His papa looked scared. Is his papa going to be okay?

Steven, after watching both his friends leave with an ever-widening lump of ice in the pit of his stomach, looks down at the little drowzee as if he's confused that he's still here. And then, quite suddenly, he's wrapping his arms around Mesmer and hugging him tight.

"We should probably go to the Tower soon," he murmurs. "I don't want to be late for work."

Just give him a moment. Before he feels like moving again.

Edited 2020-07-27 15:54 (UTC)

What is this? Are you some kind of hypnotist?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

CW major self loathing soz

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject