[ the warning is less for jayce's sake than oushi's, whose experience tells him it's far better to address the elephant in the room from the start, instead of allowing it to fester into something just as unavoidable but ten times more awkward.
the freckles in question do not actually appear until jayce himself walks into view, and oushi's eyes land on him. the very sight of him is a trigger of some kind, and considering closer inspection reveals those scattered pink and red spots to be heart-shaped... and considering the context of the unique situation they're in thanks to this hotel... one can probably put the pieces together about what it is about jayce that might have prompted them.
(it's your face, jayce. your stupid, handsome face.) ]
Hey. Jayce?
[ there is, of course, no need to really ask. jayce's picture had been part of the profile, after all. rather, it's more important he announces who he is, especially considering he doubts the older man would have had enough wherewithall to glance at his own profile via his username. even someone as used to smart technology as oushi had to take some time to figure out how to navigate his way through the watch's unique settings. ]
I'm Oushi.
[ freckles aside, he does not make for a particularly distinct sight. average height, average size. dark hair and eyes a deep green you'd only be able to notice if you were up close. in a hoodie and a pair of jeans that somehow fit him just fine but also swallow him up. plain and unremarkable in every way oushi has become resigned to accept about himself, amidst the backdrop of all that is spectacular about and within the hotel and its other guests.
he half-turns towards the grand double doors that lead out towards the cloud dwelling garden, just a few feet away from where he stands. ]
[He looks much like how the picture presented him: a somewhat unmaintained haircut, a mostly trimmed beard, but with an additional four purple ovals along his hairline like glowing tattoos. What the picture didn't show was much of his body- clearly muscular but on the thinner side in a slightly unnatural way, and over six feet tall. Further down is a metal brace on his left leg from the thigh down; it clicks quietly with every step he takes. His clothes are fairly plain as well- maybe even a little too casual. It looks like he just found some gym clothes and has taken to walking around in them.]
Nice to meet you, Oushi.
[He holds out his hand, the reflex of good manners taking the wheel before he remembers why that's not the best idea, and he freezes, quickly dropping his hand back to his side. Maybe that will go ignored if he just doesn't explain it.]
Lead the way, you're my guide.
i'm so sorry about the delay 😔 pls feel free to ignore if it's been too long!
[ oushi's eyes, ever betraying him, linger along those glowing marks — but not long enough it might be considered rude. just long enough to certainly be staring, to be of notice, but his attention is soon drawn to the hand that had tried to reach out to him, only to stutter along the way and quickly withdraw.
despite himself, oushi can't help but feel morbidly curious, and gestures towards that hand. ]
...Did the hotel give you a curse too?
[ too. yes, those heart freckles are not natural to him or his world, that's for damn sure. ]
[No point in hiding it now, and not from someone who's apparently cursed as well. On second glance, heart-shaped freckles aren't really that common, are they?]
It won't be an issue as long as we don't touch, or at least for too long.
[ oushi opens the door towards the gardens, waiting until jayce has followed him before letting it fall shut behind them. all the while, he glances between the man's haggard face and the hand in question. too untrained not to let his obvious interest (and wariness) show. ]
That sucks. Sorry.
[ he wonders if all touch is affected, or if it's just with hands. all the same, he's mindful not to accidentally brush arms or anything, as he starts to lead an idle path towards the pond. ]
They call mine a "love rash." [ he isn't usually so keen to divulge the details about his particular curse, but really only because he hates to suffer the embarrassment that comes with it. he scratches at a cheek now — not because it itches, but because it gives him something to do as he avoids jayce's eye, nonchalant as one can possibly be. ] They seem to show up anytime I see someone attractive.
[The name startles a little laugh out of Jayce, and he grins lopsidedly even as it's described further. He leans in just a smidge closer to take a look.]
A "rash," huh? That's a little mean when it's just a case of the freckles. Implies it's an infection of some sort.
[He'll lean away again, giving Oushi back his personal space, and his grin softens a little from teasing to more genuine.]
[ it had been a shot in the dark, confessing to the particulars about his own little curse in the hopes it might alleviate some of jayce's own worries about his. oushi can't tell for sure if that actually succeeded, but in any case, there's absolutely no way oushi can even so much as glance in jayce's direction now, so he keeps his gaze firmly on the path before them. the gardens are expansive and beautiful, if one can sort of just forget that all this "outdoors" isn't actually outdoors.
he clears his throat. ]
Once we find a seat, I can help you with the Watch. Was there anything else you were curious about it?
[Jayce can at least pick up a little on the hint and starts to look around to the gardens instead of staring at Oushi further. It sort of smells right, like a proper "outdoors," but there's a certain stuffiness he's picking up on that sits like a constant reminder.]
Oh, yeah. There's a few other things. The Watch is the most important, but I've seen a few things I don't understand either. Do you know what a computer is?
[ there are people here pulled from all sorts of places, but oushi is used to being the one more ill-prepared (at least in terms of handling the fantastical and supernatural); it's almost refreshing to find himself being the one with more experience, even if it's about things that are a lot less consequential. ]
Yeah, I can help you with those, too, though you'll probably not have to interact with that many unless you decide to go to the library or something.
[ he picks a bench that's further away from the path, just in case jayce isn't looking to have their impromptu lesson interrupted by other visitors. once seated, he holds his wrist up, tapping his own Watch's screen to activate it. ]
You're already familiar with texting, which is what most people use this for. There's a video and audio function too, for communicating. You can look people up by their profiles. See?
[ that earns jayce a curious look — one that unfortunately involves a once-over that, in this particular setting, could easily be misconstrued as something a little more scandalous... but in reality it's oushi having to reassess his assumptions about the man. he looked — well, haggard, to be blunt, but beyond that he seems to possess a body type that oushi wouldn't normally acquaint with someone who prefers the library..........
but he supposes jocks can also be nerds, if they wanted.
anyway, he realizes he's staring a second too late, and hastily glances away.
the frank question has got him stalling a bit, and for someone who has come to take this kind of technology for granted, he finds himself a little unsure how to even explain it... ]
It's... like moving pictures? The Watch has a camera — somewhere — and it can record you so you can see who you're having a conversation with at the same time.
[ very likely for scandalous reasons, but it's not as if video calls are uncommon in his own world. ]
If you aren't too familiar with the settings, try not to touch the screen unless you really need to. Otherwise you might accidentally start a video call when you don't mean to be seen...
[ oushi keeps as straight a face as possible — which, for him, isn't all that composed — as he nods once. a curt movement, but enough to get the point across. ]
The way this place works, you probably don't even need to do anything for it to embarrass you like that, but it's at least a good idea to know better so you don't go handing it some easy fodder.
[ oushi has been indirectly involved in a tech issue not too long ago; it could have been plenty more mortifying than it already was, and he's not exactly eager for any others to experience anything similar. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jayce.
the freckles in question do not actually appear until jayce himself walks into view, and oushi's eyes land on him. the very sight of him is a trigger of some kind, and considering closer inspection reveals those scattered pink and red spots to be heart-shaped... and considering the context of the unique situation they're in thanks to this hotel... one can probably put the pieces together about what it is about jayce that might have prompted them.
(it's your face, jayce. your stupid, handsome face.) ]
Hey. Jayce?
[ there is, of course, no need to really ask. jayce's picture had been part of the profile, after all. rather, it's more important he announces who he is, especially considering he doubts the older man would have had enough wherewithall to glance at his own profile via his username. even someone as used to smart technology as oushi had to take some time to figure out how to navigate his way through the watch's unique settings. ]
I'm Oushi.
[ freckles aside, he does not make for a particularly distinct sight. average height, average size. dark hair and eyes a deep green you'd only be able to notice if you were up close. in a hoodie and a pair of jeans that somehow fit him just fine but also swallow him up. plain and unremarkable in every way oushi has become resigned to accept about himself, amidst the backdrop of all that is spectacular about and within the hotel and its other guests.
he half-turns towards the grand double doors that lead out towards the cloud dwelling garden, just a few feet away from where he stands. ]
You wanna take a look?
no subject
Nice to meet you, Oushi.
[He holds out his hand, the reflex of good manners taking the wheel before he remembers why that's not the best idea, and he freezes, quickly dropping his hand back to his side. Maybe that will go ignored if he just doesn't explain it.]
Lead the way, you're my guide.
i'm so sorry about the delay 😔 pls feel free to ignore if it's been too long!
despite himself, oushi can't help but feel morbidly curious, and gestures towards that hand. ]
...Did the hotel give you a curse too?
[ too. yes, those heart freckles are not natural to him or his world, that's for damn sure. ]
it's ok!
[No point in hiding it now, and not from someone who's apparently cursed as well. On second glance, heart-shaped freckles aren't really that common, are they?]
It won't be an issue as long as we don't touch, or at least for too long.
🥺🙏
That sucks. Sorry.
[ he wonders if all touch is affected, or if it's just with hands. all the same, he's mindful not to accidentally brush arms or anything, as he starts to lead an idle path towards the pond. ]
They call mine a "love rash." [ he isn't usually so keen to divulge the details about his particular curse, but really only because he hates to suffer the embarrassment that comes with it. he scratches at a cheek now — not because it itches, but because it gives him something to do as he avoids jayce's eye, nonchalant as one can possibly be. ] They seem to show up anytime I see someone attractive.
[ .. ..... ......... ANYWAY,,, ]
no subject
A "rash," huh? That's a little mean when it's just a case of the freckles. Implies it's an infection of some sort.
[He'll lean away again, giving Oushi back his personal space, and his grin softens a little from teasing to more genuine.]
But I'll take the compliment.
no subject
he clears his throat. ]
Once we find a seat, I can help you with the Watch. Was there anything else you were curious about it?
no subject
Oh, yeah. There's a few other things. The Watch is the most important, but I've seen a few things I don't understand either. Do you know what a computer is?
no subject
Yeah, I can help you with those, too, though you'll probably not have to interact with that many unless you decide to go to the library or something.
[ he picks a bench that's further away from the path, just in case jayce isn't looking to have their impromptu lesson interrupted by other visitors. once seated, he holds his wrist up, tapping his own Watch's screen to activate it. ]
You're already familiar with texting, which is what most people use this for. There's a video and audio function too, for communicating. You can look people up by their profiles. See?
no subject
[With how unfamiliar this place is, and honestly pretty overwhelming, being in the library will be a relief. Even better if no one else is in there.
Oushi continues to explain the watch, and Jayce leans in again, this time to see the more nuanced details.]
Right. Uh. What's "video?"
no subject
but he supposes jocks can also be nerds, if they wanted.
anyway, he realizes he's staring a second too late, and hastily glances away.
the frank question has got him stalling a bit, and for someone who has come to take this kind of technology for granted, he finds himself a little unsure how to even explain it... ]
It's... like moving pictures? The Watch has a camera — somewhere — and it can record you so you can see who you're having a conversation with at the same time.
[ very likely for scandalous reasons, but it's not as if video calls are uncommon in his own world. ]
If you aren't too familiar with the settings, try not to touch the screen unless you really need to. Otherwise you might accidentally start a video call when you don't mean to be seen...
no subject
That’s incredible! And the fact it’s so common place it can fit in such a small device, and you don’t seem all that surprised by it at all.
[The future seems so advanced by his standards. Not to even mention the level of advancement in medicine…]
I hadn’t thought about that. You mean in the middle of… personal moments.
[Actually, that’s mortifying to think about. Giving someone the business and you accidentally have live, moving pictures, showing exactly that…]
no subject
The way this place works, you probably don't even need to do anything for it to embarrass you like that, but it's at least a good idea to know better so you don't go handing it some easy fodder.
[ oushi has been indirectly involved in a tech issue not too long ago; it could have been plenty more mortifying than it already was, and he's not exactly eager for any others to experience anything similar. ]