[ He peers over Jack's shoulder, recognizing his familiar scrawl and letting out a light huff at his friend's self-admonishments, although as he continues Kyle's brow begins to furrow again, his mouth settling into a frown. ]
... I'm not sure. [ That's the problem. He sighs, frustrated for a second. ] I thought I felt something when I grabbed you, and you started moving so suddenly - [ he scowls, guilt coloring his features again as he shakes his head. ]
I worried that I did more than just physically push you. [ His gaze settles on the pages again. ] The priests could do that, sometimes, to control someone in a panic.
[ Force them into a kind of trance, keep them calm and command them to do simple things, like walk somewhere they might otherwise run away from. He had worried he was manifesting something similar, but what Jack describes sounds like the opposite. He shakes his head again, this time looking down at his own hand. ]
Whatever it is, I don't want to use it by accident again.
( He chews on the inside of his cheek, considering it all. He has, in the past, demonstrated kind of a passive resistance to mind control. The compulsions of the Dark God managed to break through every now and then, but anything less strong than that has generally had a hard time controlling Jack. The Mayfly Queen, the fox lady, the shapeshifter... these beings never really managed to sink their claws into him the way they do other people.
But then again, Kyle is a friend, and whatever he'd been doing would've had different intentions. Does that matter? Does that have any impact on Jack's weird, impossible, malfunctioning brain? )
I mean, there's only one way to find out, I guess. ( He suggests, tucking his journal away and deliberately dropping his pack off to the side to free up is arms. Once his hands are clear, he holds them up and shrugs. ) Whatever you think you did before, maybe try doing it again? I'm cool with it, I trust you.
[ Jack says I trust you, and maybe two years ago a voice in the back of his mind would've countered should you?. He lets out a small breath like a light laugh, eyeing Jack's hands - then it's back to frowning. ]
Well, I grabbed you - [ he's going to telegraph that, raising his own hands for a few seconds before setting them on Jack's shoulders, seemingly with permission to do so. His brow furrows again. ]
And I wanted you to get up...
[ But, they're already standing so... he gives Jack's shoulders a slow, small shake. ]
( Sure, yeah, grab away man. His hands fall down to his sides and just kind of... hang there, passive, expectant. A totally malleable figure for whatever it is Kyle thinks he needs to do to make that happen. Grab his shoulders, apparently, which is also fine.
[ Trying, anyway. With a sigh he drops his arms to his sides. ]
Sorry. I was hoping this would be...
[ Easier. Why? He doesn't know. It seems stupid now. He doesn't usually get easily put off by a challenge, but this has him frustrated more than usual. ]
( It's a testament to his Casper Van Dien training that he instinct-dodges surprisingly gracefully and lightning-quick. The berry goes flying past him, and an opportunistic bird descends upon it. As it turns out, all those tennis balls Jerry threw at his head to cement the muscle-memory has finally paid off. )
That's definitely not how I flirt. If I wanted to flirt, you'd be, just- so seduced, it's crazy how seduced you'd be.
( Which is hilarious and also vehemently incorrect on a fundamental level, and they both know it. Jack has never in his life flirted with anyone on purpose — though he's flirted tremendously well on accident without realizing it until afterward, to his deep and profound regret. )
But I like Viktor a lot, we've Book Bonded, so you're safe from my irresistible charisma. Lucky you.
[ Kyle lets out a small snort and grins, more warm than wry despite the teasing. Having been on the wrong side of said accidental flirting yet effective earlier in their friendship, he makes no comment on that. ]
I'm glad - that you get along, I mean. [ Genuinely. He's never had to care or even think about people in his life actually having to interact, ever, mostly because there were no people in his life. Now he has so many, and these two are particularly important to him.
The birds continue to eye them expectantly, and now Kyle scowls at them, holding his palms open and then shooing them. ]
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no subject
... I'm not sure. [ That's the problem. He sighs, frustrated for a second. ] I thought I felt something when I grabbed you, and you started moving so suddenly - [ he scowls, guilt coloring his features again as he shakes his head. ]
I worried that I did more than just physically push you. [ His gaze settles on the pages again. ] The priests could do that, sometimes, to control someone in a panic.
[ Force them into a kind of trance, keep them calm and command them to do simple things, like walk somewhere they might otherwise run away from. He had worried he was manifesting something similar, but what Jack describes sounds like the opposite. He shakes his head again, this time looking down at his own hand. ]
Whatever it is, I don't want to use it by accident again.
no subject
But then again, Kyle is a friend, and whatever he'd been doing would've had different intentions. Does that matter? Does that have any impact on Jack's weird, impossible, malfunctioning brain? )
I mean, there's only one way to find out, I guess. ( He suggests, tucking his journal away and deliberately dropping his pack off to the side to free up is arms. Once his hands are clear, he holds them up and shrugs. ) Whatever you think you did before, maybe try doing it again? I'm cool with it, I trust you.
no subject
Well, I grabbed you - [ he's going to telegraph that, raising his own hands for a few seconds before setting them on Jack's shoulders, seemingly with permission to do so. His brow furrows again. ]
And I wanted you to get up...
[ But, they're already standing so... he gives Jack's shoulders a slow, small shake. ]
no subject
Get up.
Jack raises an eyebrow at him.
Kyle shakes his shoulders.
Jack's eyebrows raise a little higher. )
So... are you gonna do something, or...?
no subject
I am.
[ Trying, anyway. With a sigh he drops his arms to his sides. ]
Sorry. I was hoping this would be...
[ Easier. Why? He doesn't know. It seems stupid now. He doesn't usually get easily put off by a challenge, but this has him frustrated more than usual. ]
no subject
Maybe you're just having performance anxiety?
( He volunteers with a little shrug. )
Do we need to, like, set the mood first to get you into it, or...?
no subject
Is this how you flirt? I'm taken.
[ He pulls a berry out of thin air and chucks it at Jack's head.
Some birds picking at the sand perk up in their direction. ]
no subject
That's definitely not how I flirt. If I wanted to flirt, you'd be, just- so seduced, it's crazy how seduced you'd be.
( Which is hilarious and also vehemently incorrect on a fundamental level, and they both know it. Jack has never in his life flirted with anyone on purpose — though he's flirted tremendously well on accident without realizing it until afterward, to his deep and profound regret. )
But I like Viktor a lot, we've Book Bonded, so you're safe from my irresistible charisma. Lucky you.
no subject
I'm glad - that you get along, I mean. [ Genuinely. He's never had to care or even think about people in his life actually having to interact, ever, mostly because there were no people in his life. Now he has so many, and these two are particularly important to him.
The birds continue to eye them expectantly, and now Kyle scowls at them, holding his palms open and then shooing them. ]
There's no more. Go away.