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No one can commission you if you don't show your true form to other folks.

[...Just pointing that out there. How does Azul expect to be paid for anything sea-related if he's ashamed of his octopus form?

Though he isn't missing that either. Usually the octopus would say something about paying back a debt, but...he hasn't. Now, Leona can understand that they've been on better terms here than back in Twisted Wonderland. Out of necessity? Perhaps. They are the only ones here from their world and know each other to some extent.

Still, it's weird.

He scoffs at that.]

None of our business then to get involved in any of that nonsense.

[About that, actually: Azul's fingers begin to tap against his one of his own arms in some kind of random pattern, the only indication of something like anxiety perhaps when he speaks.]

There were a couple of people that ended up catching a glimpse of my merform while I was gathering ingredients or trying to investigate the differences here in comparison to the Coral Sea without being noticed. [A beat, before he gives Leona a bit of a look here.] Although, perhaps I should not be surprised that it's getting harder and harder to hide what I am these days. Especially when you've got people like Khalid-san who inquired about it, thanks to you calling me an "octopunk" in front of him...

[Leona raises a brow at that look.]

Then you may as well embrace it.

[No...guilt whatsoever. Sorry, Azul.]

[Eww, that's a terrible suggestion Leona, and it shows in the face Azul makes at that.]

I'd rather not, thank you very much--I may have to accept soon the idea of everyone knowing what I am, but I'm still not enthusiastic about actually being seen in merform if I can help it.

[Granted, he managed to avoid any encounters with people that actually insulted said form or the like during that trip, but... still. When he is in merform, he is prone to overthinking even more than usual, and about how his merform reminds him of all the things that he hates about himself...]

Just consider it once in a while.

[Leona shrugs.]

It was rather useful when I broke you out of that place.

Huh?

[That earns Leona some blinking, not unlike a startled owl. Azul had not been expecting to hear that at all.]

It was?

Yup. It was handy having all of your tentacles out to knock those guards away.

[This is Leona. This is Leona who thinks it's rather nice not being punted away by those tentacles.]

[Oh. Makes sense, he supposes, but Azul still averts his gaze a little here, trying not to seem flustered by the... compliment? Or whatever he should call the remark here.]

Yes... it is handy in that regard when wanting to keep one's distance from any predators that attempt to come too close... but outside of those kinds of particular circumstances, they can be rather cumbersome and prone to getting in the way for everyone else.

[Or so he's been told, multiple times in the past, despite the fact that the sea is far too wide for mers to be bumping into each other as one would probably think...]

How so?

[Leona blinks before raising a brow at him.]

It's like saying my tail's annoying and in the way, and in the end, it ain't my problem since clearly, other people ain't paying attention when I'm already taking up the space before they came across.

[Huh? Now it's Azul's turn to be confused by other man's words and actions here as he raises his own brow back at Leona.]

Th--that's different. Your tail isn't the same thing as having eight large tentacles moving around...

It's still an extension of myself and can get in the way.

[He looks bored as he continues to regard Azul.]

Either way, it's part of you and whoever's got a problem with it is their own fault, not yours.

[Azul looks away, not saying anything immediately to that. In fact he sits there silently for what feels like several minutes but might have only been two or three at most before he finally does speak again.]

I know that... logically, I know that it shouldn't be my problem what others think of me. At least, in regard to my true form, but it's really not as simple as you make it sound like it is.

[His fingers are still tapping to whatever random beat is going through Azul's head against his arm before they finally still as he sighs, sounding quieter now. Like he's talking more to himself than words that are actually meant for Leona.]

Not when I can only find myself thinking the worst of it rather than anything positive too, after all this time.

[Even when others have since come along that don't find it unappealing in comparison to those in the past, it still hasn't been enough to get rid of that feeling of utter loathing he has whenever he's in that form. Just take Jade and Floyd, for example, who can be a little careless with their words but genuinely don't seem to actually hate what he is... on a good day he can even admit that they're his closest companions, but Azul still carefully hides that part of himself away even from them, not having allowed them to see him in merform since his overblot.]

[Ah, finally getting to the core of the problem. Not that Leona hasn't been ignorant about it, but it's not like Azul is straightforward about it either.

He just grunts at that.]

Maybe that'll change. It won't unless you start taking the steps first, punk.

[Encouraging words from an upperclassman? From Leona? Maybe the sleep had gotten to him more than he thought. But--]

That being said, you're fine as you are in either form.

[Azul whips his head around to look at Leona proper again, unable to mask the flustered surprise on his face in time as he stares in wide-eyed wonder, mouth slightly open...

... And then there's a blink, a quick and far too easy shift in expression as if nothing the wiser happened, save for a pink that still touches his normally otherwise pale cheeks as he smirks in apparent amusement.]

My, I wasn't expecting that at all coming from you. Did that long sleep actually put you in a better mood or something?

It was one of the best sleeps I've had in my life.

[Completely deadpan even in the face of Azul's blushing.]

Highly recommend.

Really now...

[Azul chuckles a little at that before he shakes his head.]

I'm afraid I'll have to decline, at least in regard to any intentional attempt at sleeping for as long as you did. I have far too much work to do and cannot afford to spend a month in a coma...

[But then, his tone becomes a little more serious again as he tilts his head back toward where Leona's research papers are currently located.]

Then again, it seems like you've been up to something yourself here, judging by the notes you left lying out while you were asleep.

I disagree. You look like you could use a nap.

[To his credit, Leona doesn't even look in the direction of where Azul's gesturing.]

Simple research. Unlike you, I got no real plans of trying to experiment with it.

[Its true, Azul is not that particularly well-rested, though thankfully he's not quite as bad in shape as when he first came back from his kidnapping. At least one could say that right now, he's gotten enough sleep to do a much better job of hiding any lingering dark circles with make up unlike last time.

But he ignores that remark in favor of focusing on the topic now at hand.]

Is that so? It did not look that simple to me. In fact, I'd say that you've done quite a lot of work gathering the information you have and put a lot of thought into possible ways to use it to our advantage here.

[Its a compliment, but it's also a warning of sorts as he continues.]

If you were to experiment with this, it would not be easy. As such, I would be careful, if I were you.

[Better but no preferable. Has Azul been touching up on his make up?]

Really? You're warning me about the risks?

[It's almost funny to hear that from him. Leona knows the risks, of course. It's why he hasn't actually attempted anything. Yet. Still, it's almost hypocritical for the octopus to mention it.]

Yes, yes, surprising that I would do so without a price tag attached, I know. But consider that as a fair bit of advice to give, in exchange for when I accidentally fell on you during my own mistakes in experimenting with unstable magic before you had your coma, hmm?

[Azul is at least aware that it is a tad hypocritical coming from him of all people, but still: What Leona's research involves could be just as dangerous if something goes wrong with trying to create substitute magestones in case the ones they currently have are somehow damaged or broken beyond repair. At least he is saying something rather than just leaving him to his own devices, which he might have done in the past. Or extorted him somehow over this information, probably.]

Hm, I'll take it as compensation for that.

[It is something that Azul isn't trying to extort him for this. Then again, neither of them are exactly the same people they were either prior to coming to this world. It's...strange. But it does speak volumes that they can speak to each other like this as well without continuously throwing barbs at one another.]

Good.

[Azul appears satisfied by that response; he might have been annoyed if Leona had not accepted his generous offer of unsolicited advice otherwise.

Then again, he did come here and check up on Leona and clean up his place, still without mentioning anything about it as being a form of compensation. They both have changed a fair bit where the other is concerned... even if Azul is still trying to sort out his feelings on why that is and what it means.

And he doesn't particularly want to think too hard about that while he is currently sitting right in front of Leona, lest he ends up giving something away too carelessly, so...]

It looks like you're actually going to stay awake now instead of going right back to sleep, so... I suppose it should be fine to take my leave, as I'm sure that you've had your fill of my company by this point.

[Feelings that neither of them are good at admitting.

Leona can feel some sort of gratitude, but he's also not going to admit it. Not if he can help it.]

I sure am.

[He waves him out.]

No need to worry about me suddenly passing out for a month again.

Yeah? I'm going to hold you to that, Leona-san. If you suddenly take another one of these long impromptu naps without warning, I will be very disappointed.

[He almost said "displeased", but then he word-swaps to "disappointed" instead. After all, it's not like Leona had meant for that to happen intentionally... and it's also a little more honest to say, as he would in fact be disappointed if he couldn't speak with Leona again for another month.

But otherwise, unless there's something Leona thinks of that he needs or wants to ask about before Azul leaves, he's going to step out now.]

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cw: azul's self image issues

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