video (un: falcogrice)

[grice]

CONTENT WARNING: psychological changes, hoarding, and obsessive behavior related to lavish desires

[ this video opens up with the blink of two eyes and a disgruntled chitter. perle is filming falco and focusing on . . . quite a mess of books in various assortments, stacked upon each other until they were in danger of tilting. among the open spines on the floors pinned with bookmarks were scrolls of paintings, sketches, statues, sepia photography— anything resembling a loving relationship, falco has seemed to have snatched it and keeps it all hostage in his little cabin home's attic like a greedy little dragon buried in precious, hoarded gold. he's pacing left, right, and has been caught mid-explanation as he works a red thread between his fingers. ]

—ee this, Perle? What I read, [ he paces some ways to the right to splay his hands on oh dear god what mad science project is this— so many pieces of paper glued to each other until it forms one massive canvas taking up the entirety of the attic wall. he's written words, names, and has a wild amount of different colored threads connecting to the various names. ] there're different types of love in a relationship, but that goes for any relationship, so it doesn't have to be romantic so— See Paul, right here?

Yes, boy, I can see. I wish I could close my eyes, and unsee. Would you listen just a moment to me—

[ she seems very close to her limit to listening to all of this for hours— but she relents. falco points to the names written on the slips next to his. ]

There's Eros, like the story, for two people, [ he pins the red thread from paul to both, and as he does so, with his back turned, ] and that's really hard to pull off because it's easy for anyone that loves someone to feel jealous, and Brother already said he feels that way sometimes like there'll be nothing left, do you think there's some Mania in there too? I'm not sure if it's Pragma, that takes time to evolve— Erwin and Levi are definitely Pragma.

Boy—

But these started as Philia and that's what this green is going to be for, and this gold is supposed to be Storge because we're all from the same House so that counts as familial like these here, it's really different from, like, Ymir and Historia, or Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth in Persuasion—

I've had it!

Wh—

You heard me! This is too much! It's been days! Cease! Go play outside! Make bread, brew tea for your fathers! Read your books and not the ones you stole! Is everyone seeing this, hm?! Good! [ it's clear she's talking to the sleepers, now, hopping onto an entire stack of books. ] Is this yours? Or this? Come get it! And this? [ she flutters onto a statue, then someone's flowery gift to a loved one, an elaborate painting of a couple in the hues of a purple sunset, then pecking at a little box with . . . were those— rings? ] These! Those! Also stolen! You haven't even apologized to Jun! And before you start, I am indeed shaming you! You've never stolen! You've never been obsessive or nosy or combative or— [ she puffs up big and nasty for a falcon no larger than a human palm. ] This! It is worse than hormonal! I do not like it! [ peck!! peck!! peck!! ] Shame! Shame on you!

What's with you—?!

And what's with you?! I hope they talk some sense into that smitten little head!

[ falco's face changes so many shades then, going from lime, to slime, to a deep castelon green from the tips of his ears to his collar bones. he's hushing angrily: ]

No one was supposed to see, they'll want to have it! Just like Jun!

You are dreadfully mistaken! A problem must be seen!

[ the worst (or best) of it is his sputtering voice that just gives way to the harshest, cracked shriek in teenage rebellion: ]

This is beautiful!!

Comments

[grice]

[ oh, falco mouths, putting his omni down and going over to the wall chart to, hm. well, he's not removing the purple string nor his connection to paimon, but he does seem to be adding another piece of paper, scribbling on it over a hardcover pile of books—

when he pins the paper up and connects it to johnny with a red string, he'll see that the paper in question is not a name. drawn on it is a crude (but dedicated) drawing of a literal chick. ]

Sorry, Mister Johnny. I fixed it for you.

[strikefirster]

[Johnny just stares at this whole time it's happening.]

I meant chicks, kid. Actual chicks. Not chicks.

Do you not know what chicks are?

[grice]

[ he's looking so confused right now! he knows no other definition involving chicks, both in the dictionary and his time's slang. he's . . . no, he's not modern enough for this. ]

Actual chicks are . . . Baby chickens. [ ??? ] Is it slang?

[strikefirster]

It's not slang.

It's what you call mega hot babes.

They're chicks.

[That's slang, Johnny.]

[grice]

[ …… johnny your words are bringing fright to this child’s eyes??? ]

Babies . . . On fire?

[ ???? ]

[strikefirster]

[If only he understood what doing. He's incredibly used to scaring children unfortunately

Yeah. They're smoking hot.

Have you never seen a hot babe before?

[grice]

—I don't think I want to, Mister Johnny.

CW: Toxic Masculinity

[strikefirster]

Oh don't be like that, kid.

It's something you need to experience. It makes you more of a man. Like putting hair on your chest or balls.

i'm in tears

[grice]

[ ????? it's worse because falco is still imagining babies in fires. but the point still stands! he's seen worse than babies on fire! he's seen his brother on fire. that just makes him a mess. ]

I, um, [ alright. here he goes, ] I don't need to see smoking babies to be more of a man, sir.

Me too

[strikefirster]

[Johnny just stares at the kid briefly.]

Look- I get your parents or teachers or some other fucking establishment asshole has told you it's not right. But there is nothing wrong with enjoying and appreciating the finer things in life.

I'd kill to get an eyeful of that at your age.

[grice]

[ —wait a minute. it's clicking. queen. grease. but baby can't you see there's nothing else for me to do i'm hopelessly devoted to you— oh, gasp. ]

—Y-you're talking about women.

[strikefirster]

[There he goes.]

Of course, I'm talking about women!

I said babes, and chicks.

Fucking get it together, kid.

[grice]

W-we don’t use those words, where I’m from—

[ as . . . far as he knows!!!! his face is turning green and he busies himself with taking down the chick 🐥 drawing. ]

[strikefirster]

Well you should start, kid.

It's going to help you get chicks when you're older.

[grice]

What if they want to be called something else?

[ like. their name!! ]

Cw: toxic masculinity

[strikefirster]

Don’t worry about that, kid.

Chicks dig it when you treat them like shit. Trust me.

[grice]

[ falco nearly gawks, and his next words hilariously make him seem like the adult in this party when he asks, incredulously: ]

Who taught you that?

[strikefirster]

Who taught me that?

No one, kid. It's self taught and it's got me lucky more than once. If you know what I mean.

[Falco is the adult in the room. Have fun with that.]

[grice]

O— Oh.

[ johnny. this revelation is tremendously sad. ]

I just think . . . Girls are like everyone else, Mister Johnny. They want to be treated well.

[strikefirster]

[Johnny was lacking a reliable father figure growing up. And his mother was preoccupied with his step dad.]

Well yeah- I'm not saying they don't. But it's a part of picking up a chick. Like a secret code to their attention.

[grice]

[ THAT'S THE WRONG KIND OF ATTENTION JOHNNY ]

I think I'll stick to being nice. Thanks for your . . . Insight?

text; un: summerhound

[dohaeris]

[the insistent phrasing is getting a little disturbing.]

You're a little old for little birds.

[strikefirster]

Fuck you, I can get whatever kind of babe I want!