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.. my dignity..

[ You never had that in the first place, Inigo. No matter in how much of a kicked puppy way you say that, before slowly - finally - dropping the blanket and just sitting down on the bed. ]

It doesn't feel like I'm going to feel any more confident while walking around wearing these. [ Quite the opposite, considering how awkward they make him feel. ]

[ Tidus could get up and sit beside him- and maybe he will get up, at least cross-legged to begin with. ]

A lot feels that way to begin with. 'Til you get used to it, right? [ Now, he'll come to the edge of the bed next to Inigo - so he can spread out his legs, give them a wiggle. ] If I thought you just didn't like them, I'd be like, 'kay, that's fine. But it's weird, right? Different.

[ Just like if he went round in those Irivar clothes. Which is a comparison he thinks to make, but then leads to an idea. ]

Oh! How about if you go around wearing shorts... I'll wear my Irivar outfit more! That's different. It'll be like we swapped looks!

[ There's a part of him that wants to protest at that. After all, it's not like those clothes were particularly revealing, considering how close they were to the kind of clothes they wore back in Ylisse..

.. but then he slowly gets that's kind of the point. That's what Tidus isn't used to, in turn. Being as covered up as Inigo often is.

And can he really say no in the face of this and still call himself a friend? Or someone who's at least attempting to better himself? ]

.. if you're sure. Then we can try it. [ He offered Tidus a small smile, with a hint of shyness still in it. ] Just don't be surprised when you suddenly hear me screaming all the way over from the other side of the train.

[ good, thanks for not getting offended by thinking Tidus was calling your clothes weird!!!

He leans on Inigo's shoulder, an arm coming to rest over the top of it. ] If I do, I'll know it's the most doing-his-best kind of scream.

[ Heh! ] Just wait 'til I drag you into the training gym with them on. I swear, they're great when you're on a treadmill or running. You don't get so stuff in shorts!

One moment I agree to try out shorts, and the next moment you're already combining them with the next horror.

[ It isn't whining though. Inigo sounds kind of amused, even though it's in a half-I-have-resigned-myself-to-this-fate-now sort of way. ]

Are you trying to make me explode? [ D-Don't mind him leaning into that arm across the shoulders hold a little here, bro. ] Is that your end goal?

Maaybe. [ Feeling Inigo lean in, he does tilt his head to face Inigo better. ] You just figured that out?

But- [ but ] -it hasn't worked yet. Guess you're stronger than you look.

[ Maybe it's true. He has to be strong, to have survived the sheer amount of times Tidus has actively tried to fluster him.. and that's not even counting all the times he got him accidentally flustered. That's so much panic on his heart.

But rather than saying that, Inigo just hums, that slight smile still on his face. ]

I think it's since I've got a friend who keeps pushing me to try new things. [ Even when Inigo might whine about it.. sometimes. ] That must have toughened me up real good.

[ ''sometimes'' ]

See? [ Hah. ] Just think of everything you've tried, and what past you woulda thought about it. Pretty amazing, huh? And one day you're gonna think back about how you even went along with wearing clothes like this!

[ That he ever had a problem with it, whether he turns out not to like shorts after all, or does.

It's all about peeling away at the anxieties. ]

Oh, sure. One day I'm going to go back to Ylisse and introduce the concept of shorts. [ That's a definite joke.

If not just for the fact that he absolutely cannot let Owain find out about shorts. Absolutely not. It would be the world's greatest disaster. It's a power that guy doesn't need on top of everything else..! ]

Except we'll call them Tiduses. In your honour.

[ Is he aware that's a terrible joke? Yes. Of course. It's why his tone is a near-laugh. ]

Heyyyy! [ Tidus celebrates, maybe a little too early, to this big announcement. Yes, it's a big announcement, to bring shorts - like Tidus is the head prophet teller of the goodness of shorts - to another land.

But then Inigo goes on, and-

Give Tidus a second to cleeearly think about this, looking up with a squint. ]

Mmmmmm- [ mmmm- ] --Can't you name me after a sports game instead?

[ Inigo laughs before shaking his head. ]

First you try to convince me that I just have to try wearing these, but then when they're named after you, you suddenly refuse the honour? [ Not.. that anyone would most likely want shorts to be named after them. Ever.

But it's such an easy joke to make here. ]

I'm starting to get the feeling you don't like them after all!

How'd you come to that? [ That's making some jumps in logic, Inigo! ] In that case, I'll take back with me...

[ ...aha! Pointing! ]

A dance called Inigo! [ Oh! ] Or wyvern toys! Little tiny cute faced wyverns, like your pal up there.

[ He lifts his chin in the direction of the oversized plush, and its home in their cabin. Its only home if they don't want to trip over it. ]

I like that idea.

[ The wyvern toys, that is. Not the dance, thanks! That's way too embarrassing to think about, and for once Inigo is halting his brain from even contemplating it for long enough for the fluster to set in. Nope, he's moving on to the idea of some wyvern toy line.

Because even though he totally bought this one for Gerome, he thinks it's adorable too. ]

Do you have any idea how many hugs that's going to net something with the same name as me? It's living the Inigo dream!

Wait wait wait. [ Here, he's leaning his arm on Inigo's shoulder closest to him, a brow quirked. ] You're telling me that your name makes you huggable. Is that it?

[ 'You just wanna hug anything with a name like that'? ]

No! I'm--

[ This might be where Inigo is realising that what he said is utter ridiculous, even without the angle that Tidus is putting on it specifically.

It's exactly why he slows down, starting to blush a little, but refusing to give up to the extent that he'd just shut up entirely. ]

I'm.. saying.. that perhaps the hugs anything with my name gets transfer onto me!

[ Yes, because that's clearly how names work.

Right. ]

[ Oh. Inigo just made this way better, how Tidus's brain is parsing this. ]

So you're saying, [ he starts, pointing in one direction, then slowly dragging the finger along to another in the air, ] that if I get a cute doll and call it Inigo and hug it, you'd feel it?

[ Inigo, can you feel this grin radiating beside you, faced turned in your direction?

Because it's right there. ]

What--!

[ There's another sound after that word, but it's so sputtered that it's entirely incomprehensible. Inigo does look over at Tidus, but he looks wary. So wary in this very moment. ]

Where are you going with this? [ She moves a hand, pointing at Tidus's face so closely that he's practically poking the other's cheek. ] What's this face for?!

Thinking about a cute toy I could get. [ Very innocent. So, so very innocent. ] Name it Inigo. Poke it on its cute little nose.

What do you think? Ohhhh. [ A delayed ohhhh. ] And whenever you want a hug, I'll just hug that lil' guy! Perfect!

[ B-But Tidus!

What if he wants you to poke him on his cute little nose?! ]

You've got to be kidding me! [ That's definitely Inigo's whining tone coming out in full force. He doesn't even sound angry, nor offended at the idea. He just sounds like he's desperate to stop this plan.

This obvious joke of a plan. ]

Tidus, I was just kidding! You know I was just kidding! Also-- you would never voluntarily hug any plush so tenderly! [ HE KNOWS YOU, DUDE!! ]

Tenderly? [ Where did this tenderly word come from, are you calling his hugs tender, bro. But nevermind that, when there is a plush that he remembers having; a second or two needed to ask himself, should he?, and-

Why wouldn't he, ever. ]

Well, wouldn't you know! [ Down come his leaning arm, and bringing them both together, from his arms poofs a friend-shaped plus: an otter in an aquafir shirt.

Tidus raises 'him' up, held in both hands. ] I already had him with me the whole time! Hi there, lil' Inigo! You're pretty cute, aren'tcha?

[ Who's a cute little Inigo? ]

[ Inigo's jaw drops.

Not realising that this was some spur of the moment decision - mostly since he apparently didn't know about the plush until just now - it feels like Tidus somehow planned this entire prank. Even though it only came to be through a dumb conversation they had just now.

He has no idea how the other pulled it off, but it doesn't stop Inigo from looking any less flustered or confused when he speaks up. ]

S-Stop!

[ Inigo might be reaching out to try and grab his 'namesake' from the other's arms. ]

You have no idea how embarrassing it is when you actually do that! ]

It is? [ Oh nooo, Inigo hand, you can't have it! Moving the otter to safety! ] But I thought it's what you wanted! We can see how good it feels getting a proxy hug from Inigo Jr here!

[ Inigo Jr, how do you like the sound of that. ]

Let's get you here...! [ But here is goes, trying to give this guy a huuuug before Inigo can rip him out of his arms! ]

[ Behold: two grown guys, acting like they're toddlers. With Tidus trying to hug that plush otter he's holding, and Inigo still trying to make a grab for it, one way or another, even when Tidus is clearly holding it out of his reach.

They're very mature. ]

I can't believe you bought a plush animal just to torment me! [ Inigo whines.

(His hands are still reaching, still trying to grab.)

Also, that's clearly what happened, right. That's obviously why Tidus has this thing. Just to bully Inigo. ]

Torment? I thought you wanted this! --stop pulling on his head!

[ Does Tidus need to make a hand shield to keep Inigo's paws off of Inigo Jr?! He will! ]

He'll fit right in when we go to sleep at night. No need to hug each other anymore!

[ How could Inigo ever get the idea he's being tormented here. ]

No!

[ But despite the answer, Inigo does release his hold on the poor otter after another moment or two. Not necessarily because Tidus told him so, but mostly because he's worried about actually ripping the toy.. Even with as whiny and dramatic as he's being here, he doesn't actually want to go that far.

But at the same time as he lets go, he also scoots backwards on the bed, no longer being as close to Tidus. ]

Y.. you know, you can just tell me if you don't want to hug me! I will just sleep here [ - he's dramatically pointing to the very edge of the bed, this is very important information - ] if my presence bothers you that much!

[ DUDE.

BRO.

DOES HE NEED TO CRY?? ]

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