September & October Catch-All

[spiritwalks]

Who: Vyng spiritwalks and YOU
What: Catch-All for September + October. See comments for prompts!
When: Various
Where: Various

Note: Style veers wildly between prose and brackets. Just choose whatever style feels good when responding, and I'll match it ♥

Content Warnings: Listed in subject lines when applicable

Comments

[spiritwalks]

[Yes! Obviously. Most definitely.]

Okay. Here it comes...

[Deep breath. Orpheus is too good, too pure to injure. Even by accident. The fact his friend even agreed to this stunt at all is proof enough, bless him.

Don't overthink it, Vyng tells himself. Just do it. After taking a moment to center himself — mentally and physically — Vyng twists his body around, brings his long leg up toward Orpheus's crown. And then:]

WHACK!

[That's what Vyng literally shouts as his foot collides with the bottle. Partly as an outlet for the sudden spike of anxiety he got just now, partly for fun. Either way, the bottle flies off Orpheus's head and gets lodged in the sand.]

Whew!

[Vyng straightens up, grin lighting up his face when it finally registers that he didn't give his friend a concussion.]

That...actually turned out better than I thought it would, ahahah.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus takes a deep breath and to his great credit does not flinch as Vyng swings his leg up and over his head - an impressive feat! He's not a short man! When the bottle goes flying he does turn to watch it go, though, and throws his hands up in a celebratory gesture. ]

Oh, good! [ he says, blissfully oblivious to the implication that Vyng was worried about kicking him in the head. ] That was really impressive! I'm not sure I could do anything nearly that coordinated.

[spiritwalks]

Hey, thanks. And thank you for, uh, standing in. My buddy Tuck is wayyyy too tall for this exercise.

[Vyng moves to retrieve the bottle.]

You're pretty dexterous, aren't you? Sounds like you're selling yourself short to me.

What do you normally do when shit hits the fan?

[themuseabandonsyou]

Mostly when it comes to my hands. I don't think I'd have good enough aim to... [ He kicks experimentally, mimicking Vyng's form but not managing to get his leg up nearly as high or as fast. ]

And - what? [ It takes him a second to catch up with what Vyng means, having not heard the expression before, but he gets it after a moment. ] Oh! Um, I guess it depends on the situation? Usually I try to keep people calm, or just leave before things get bad, if that doesn't work.

[spiritwalks]

It takes practice, that's all.

[And...you know, the motivation to do it. Not everyone has it. Hell, some days Vyng just wants to nap and pick his nose under a tree.]

But it also takes wisdom to know when you'd be useless in a fight. Sometimes you just gotta cut and run.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus nods. ] I can usually stop people before it gets that bad, if it's just an argument and not, um, something bigger.

[ Which was a useful skill to have, as a bartender in a small town. ]

But I've never been any good at fighting, myself. People have tried to teach me, but... [ He shakes his head. He just doesn't have the heart for it. ]

[spiritwalks]

Do you want to be good at it?

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus thinks about the question for a moment before shaking his head. ]

No, I don't think so. I know it's - it would be useful, and I'd be able to keep myself safe instead of getting other people into danger to protect me all the time? But I - I don't think I want to hurt anyone, or anything, even a little. I don't think you or anyone else is bad for being good at it! But I can't.

[spiritwalks]

That's fair. Not everyone has the stomach for it. Your music is plenty powerful, anyway.

[themuseabandonsyou]

Right. I feel bad about it sometimes? Like when everyone else is going into battle or some other dangerous place, and I have to stay behind. But I guess not everyone can be a warrior or a hunter, and that's okay.

[ He fidgets with his bandana, chewing his lip thoughtfully. ]

And, thanks! I'm just glad to be able to help in some way, even if it's small.