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[substrictus]

Hello~!

If you've gotten this message, it means that i'm not able to answer you at the moment but I'll get back to you as soon as I can, okay?

[ Then he forgets to turn it off right away. So technologically inexperienced. ]

Ah... that should work right?

Comments

video; un: echo

[individualized]

[While Echo appears completely safe, there are some very loud crashes clearly audible, probably through those thin walls of the Valentia.]

Are you all right, Lord Oz?

[She's absolutely fine with him getting to this whenever he can and with it not necessarily being something like a facetime call; she'd just like some visual confirmation on how he's doing.]

video | un: charmingrabbit

[substrictus]

[ It takes a second for him to remember how to use the video function but sure enough? He appears on screen with a bit of a concerned look on his face. ]

I am... but I haven't been able to find Gil anywhere.

[ Which, given the circumstances didn't leave him with a very promising aspect here. ]

[individualized]

[She's instantly more relieved. He's not gone, but she's still very concerned about the problem she knows exists.]

Yes, Master Vincent—

[There's a thud that's so loud it startles her into silence for a second.]

—has mentioned that. Do you...need anything?

[She still hasn't figured out how to do this, ugggghhhhhh...]

[substrictus]

...Then it means he was probably taken away with a lot of the others...

[ He visibly looks a bit angry at this, but then exhales a bit. It was fine. He had an idea of where he could go for possible answers and nobody could stop him at this point. ]

Company. When you're here... maybe we can talk about going and finding out what those Patho-Gen guys know about where the other Augmented were all taken.

video > action

[individualized]

[She knew this was going to be hard on him, hence the call. She frowns sadly and nods.]

I will leave immediately.

[Vincent can break all of his furniture (again) by himself; on the off-chance he truly needs something, he can message her anyway.

It doesn't take Echo long to get there. It's about as quickly as someone could get there if they ran the whole time. She's only a little out of breath as she knocks on the door, though.]

action

[substrictus]

[ It doesn't even take a whole 30 seconds before he opened the door, flashing a relieved grin at her. Mainly because he was happy to see her, still happy with the knowledge that at least one of his friends hadn't been taken away from him. ]

Thank you for coming so quickly, Echo-chan.

[ Oz moved aside so she could come in, already debating if there was anything he might be able to offer her for having come this way so fast. ]

[individualized]

It's Echo.

[She says this flatly as she's walking into the room. Once she's cleared the door, Echo pivots to face him. She hasn't actually thought about where she's supposed to go in the tiny space. Just standing somewhere works for her.]

It is no trouble.

[She gives him a concerned frown.]

Do you know anything about what may have happened?

[substrictus]

[ Shutting the door behind her, Oz moved over to sit on his bed as he looked up and over to where Echo stood. His brows drawn into one of mild annoyance - not at her but the situation itself - as one foot tapped against the floor. ]

I just know Gil and a bunch of others went missing and Patho-Gen sent us those messages claiming some of us have 'faulty' augmenters and they took them away to handle them... but I just don't buy it.

[ A lot of it was going off instinct alone but he couldn't help it. None of this gave him a very good feeling whatsoever. That, and coupled with his apt worry of Gilbert wasn't helping anything in the slightest. ]

[individualized]

[Echo feels bad for Oz, and really wishes she was better at this "cheering up" thing or whatever this is called. She has even less to work with than the last time she tried this.]

Yes. I am not aware of anything that supports their claim as of yet. However, no one has found any explanation for what's actually taken place. The selections seem to have been made at random.

[Information gathering for Vincent was the only reason she was saying this with any confidence. Knowledge was helpful to her, but recalling how Vincent was currently taking the state of things...]

...This is not helpful, is it?

[substrictus]

[ Oz shook his head and offered her a smile, knowing truly that Echo was doing her best to help. She provided information where others hadn't been able to, and she was supporting him at a time when he was feeling incredibly frustrated with the whole situation. ]

No. It is!!

[ He used one hand to pat the bed next to him, eyes bright and hopeful. ]

Thank you for telling me and coming here so i'm not on my own, Echo-chan.

[individualized]

It is Echo.

[It comes out as the default response that it is, and then she acts like it never happened.

She answers his actual comments with a stiff nod, then goes to sit next to him. Echo wouldn't be able to think of a reason not to even if she tried. That's why she's not sure why she suddenly feels a little nervous as she settles near him.]

Searches are already being organized. Hopefully this will not last long.

[substrictus]

[ Being more than happy that she'd actually came and sat next to him, Oz seemed to relax a bit. It was nicer than having her be the only one who was just standing, plus being close enough to someone else was helping him feel a bit grounded instead of antsy. ]

Hopefully.

[ Barely a pause lingered and he exhaled a soft huff, annoyance then flashing across his face. ]

It just makes me so angry that they just up and decided that some of the augmenters were faulty like that. Sounds more to me like they just wanted an excuse to do something.

[individualized]

[Echo's mouth scrunches a bit in a frown.]

I believe they are lying, yes. I don't totally understand the Augmenters, but it seems too unlikely to become so drastic this suddenly.

[Her eyes drift down.]

But there is no knowing what they are trying to do yet.

Backdated for Valentine's Day | Voice

[belovedscars]

[It's there first Valentine's Day together and for a week Gil has agonized over making sure it's something Oz will cherish. Oz has never been one to follow traditions to the letter. As much stress it has given Gil in the past, it's something he adores about him. Still, it's important to him that he gets this right. After nearly hyperventilating and mumbling to himself for several minutes about everything that could go wrong, he finally gathers enough courage to message him.]

Oz, are you free right now?

Voice | UN: charmingrabbit

[substrictus]

Oh! Yeah, actually I am!

[ A small chuckle follows this as he'd been meaning to show Gil something - though he probably knew about it already - that had happened with his corruption. ]

What's up?

[belovedscars]

[Hearing Oz's cheerful voice, Gil feels like he can breathe again. He isn't sure why he's as nervous as he is. They've been through so much together. Oz knows everything about him. But he can't shake the feeling of his heart racing.]

Uhm. I was...I-- I was actually wondering if you are free today? It's Valentine's Day, and I thought we could spend it together.

[substrictus]

[ There's a small pause but the smile sure is evident in Oz's voice when he speaks again, alongside a definite warmth that tended to be present when he was around Gil. ]

I'd love to spend it with you~

[ Oh he's more than a little delighted, really. ]

Want to meet up soon then? Should I dress up any..?

[belovedscars]

[Gil had been holding his breath during the pause. In fact, he keeps holding it for a few seconds, forgetting he needs to breath to speak.]

You would. You would...I would. I would love that!

[Oz wants to go on a date with him. He can hardly think!]

Yes. I'll meet you soon! I think we should probably both dress up...

[Does he have anything nice enough to wear on a date with Oz???]

[substrictus]

Hehe okay~! I'll meet you outside the café when you're ready then!

[ He grinned, even if Gil couldn't see it. Humming to himself as he then went to go find something he could wear. It took a couple minutes but he found a fairly nice vest in his closet, a nice black one with some emerald trimmings and a pair of black trousers. He wasn't sure what else to add, so he grabbed the black tie from the outfit he had when he'd arrived here, fixing it up as neatly as he could and then worrying about his hair.

It was harder to tame now that he had the rabbit ears, and the trousers he had? Intentionally had to put a small hole in it to accommodate the now fluffy tail he had, wishing he had a tailcoat or something to cover it up but knowing there was no time to go and find something like that. Once he was content with how he looked, Oz headed downstairs and once outside, leant against the wall near the front door of the café while pretending he wasn't entirely giddy and yet nervous for this all at the same time. ]

[belovedscars]

Okay! You needn't take too long. Or take as long as you like? I shall...I...what [What should he wear??? Which black pants would match with his black shirt?]

I-- I'll see you outside!

[After panicking and eventually settling on the nicest clothes he owns that aren't his host uniform, Gil runs out of his room, forgetting to close the door. He stumbles downstairs and rushes to the entrance, the ribbon he tried tying his hair back coming undone.]

Oz...!

[His heart and thoughts are racing, but everything slows down when he sees Oz. It suddenly occurs to Gil that this is really happening. A warm smile blooms across his face.]

Oz. You look wonderful.

[substrictus]

[ It was hard to deny the way his heart fluttered in his chest when he looked up and saw Gil all nicely dressed up. Not that it was the first time or anything, but it was a reminder to just how handsome the older man was.

He was also seeing things in a new light with their added relationship, his smile growing a touch even as he tried to pretend he wasn't blushing any from that compliment. ]

Thanks, Gil. You too~

[ He straightened up and took in Gil's outfit with an appreciative nod of his head, that smile turning into a full-blown grin. ]

You always look great but now? Even better!

[belovedscars]

[Oz blushes and Gil feels he must look rather silly right now, smiling shyly. He's never been good at receiving praise, but hearing it from his boyfriend makes him giddy.]

T...Thank you. [He offers his arm out.] Are you ready?