amused[smile] Valory: “Oh, there you are, Keith. Did you just come back from practice?”
[grin] Keith: “Heya, Valory. And yeah, I did. Why, did you miss me?”
[CE smile] Valory: “Haha, no. I was having a nice time watching Bryce and his family practise their routine. Leon makes the cutest little clown.”
[nervous smile, looking away] Keith: “...C-cute. That's a completely adequate word to describe the charms of a clown. Now if you'll excuse me...” [leaves]
[confused] Valory: “...?”
[realisation] Valory: (...Ah.)
[smile] Valory: “Hey, Keith, wait.”
[nervous smile] Keith: [appears] “Y-yes, Valory?”
[CE smile] Valory: “By any chance... would you happen to be still afraid of clowns?”
[CE smile] Keith: “No.” [leaves]
[raised eyebrow] Valory: (Or so he claims as he runs away.)
[smile] Valory: “Come on, Keith. Why are you running away?”
[nervous smile] Keith: [appears] “Why would you think I was running away? I'm not afraid of c-clowns! Why would I be afraid of clowns? Clowns are wonderful! You know, with their charming, painted smiles and- and perpetually joyous attitude and--”
[raised eyebrow] Valory: “Keith, unless clowns have somehow learned the art of stealth in oversized, squeaking shoes, I don't see any around. Either that, or they're invisible.”
[alarmed] Keith: “!!!”
[exasperation] Valory: “...No, Keith, there are no such things as invisible clowns, so you can stop looking for an escape route. It... kind of worries me that you actually considered it, but okay.”
[nervous smile, looking away] Keith: “I don't know what you're ta--”
[annoyed] Valory: “There are also no pretty girls to lose face in front of.”
[nervous] Keith: “...”
[exasperation] Keith: “Okay, fine. You got me. I may still have a tiny fear of clowns.”
[raised eyebrow] Valory: “...”
[blush] Keith: “...Okay, okay, maybe it isn't that tiny.”
[nervous smile, looking away] Keith: “C-can we talk about something else now?”
a. Bring 'that' up.
b. Keep pushing him.
c. Go along with it.
a. Bring 'that' up.
[CE smile] Valory: “...Hehe, I remember the first time I found out about your phobia. Remember that party with the red clown?”
[blush] Keith: “Ahem, as much as I love strolling down memory lane...”
[grin] Valory: “I thought you'd be delighted, since clowns had something to do with the circus. But when he made a balloon animal for you you almost fainted!”
[alarmed blush] Keith: “Fainted? Don't you think that's exaggerating it a lit--”
[CE smile] Valory: “For a while there I thought you were afraid of inflatable giraffes, or something.”
[show: photo of child Keith panicking at a balloon animal]
[sound effect: paper rustling]
[remove: photo of child Keith panicking at a balloon animal]
[sound effect: paper rustling]
[angry blush] Keith: “Woah, hey! No need to bring up the giraffe!”
[laughing] Valory: “Ahaha, sorry Keith!”
[smile] Valory: “Though, really, how did you manage to survive all of last year? There's literally a family of clowns here.”
[nervous smile, looking away] Keith: “It may or may not have involved a lot of running.”
[raised eyebrow] Valory: “...I don't know whether that's impressive or a little bit sad.”
[anxious] Keith: “...Sad, huh? I guess it is rather pathetic for a grown man to be afraid of clowns...”
[concerned] Valory: “Oh, Keith, don't take it like that. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't slightly pathetic... But it's also kinda brave, isn't it?”
[raised eyebrow] Keith: “Brave?”
[soft smile] Valory: “Forgive me for being trite, but bravery is not having no fears, but being able to face your fears.”
[soft smile] Keith: “...Heh, that's pretty lame, you know.”
[raised eyebrow] Valory: “I don't want to hear about lame from the guy who described a girl's eyes as... What was it again? 'Limpid pools of cerulean bliss'?”
[surprised blush] Keith: “Y-you still remember that? I was young! ...and evidently very stupid.”
[laughing] Valory: “Anyway. What I was trying to say is that it was pretty courageous and not-at-all pathetic for you to be able to cope with living quite literally next to your worst nightmare for a whole year.”
[soft smile] Keith: “Hahaha, you make it sound a lot cooler than it really is, but... thanks a lot, Valory.”
[CE smile] Valory: “Not a problem. Now, let's go meet them!”
[shock] Keith: “...Eh?”
[CE smile] Valory: “You need to try overcome your fear, after all.”
[smile] Valory: “I'll start off by introducing you to, Leon. He's a really sweet kid.”
[shock] Keith: “...”
[laughing] Valory: “He's eight, Keith. Come on, if you're that scared, you can hold my hand~”
[worried] Keith: “...Lucky me...”
[END] (+3)
b. Refuse and mock him.
[laughing] Valory: “Hahaha! You're seriously still afraid of clowns?”
[anxious] Keith: “...”
[laughing] Valory: “I mean, really, you're a 21-year-old man. Don't you think that's pretty sad?”
[serious] Keith: “...Valory.”
[CE smile] Valory: “I wonder what all your little girlfriends would say if they knew that the confident, suave Keith was afraid of children's entertainment?”
[angry] Keith: “Valory!”
[surprised] Valory: “W-what?”
[serious] Keith: “I don't mind good-natured ribbing, but this is pushing it.”
[serious] Keith: “If you refuse to drop the subject, then I don't want any part of this conversation.” [leaves]
[concerned] Valory: “K-Keith, wait...”
[concerned] Valory: (Damn, he walked off...)
[regretful] Valory: (He's right, though; what I said was out of line... I'll have to go apologise to him later.)
[END] (+1)
c. Go along with it.
[smile] Valory: “Alright, then. What do you want to talk about instead?”
[nervous smile] Keith: “Uh... How was your day?”
[surprise] Valory: “...”
[raised eyebrow] Valory: “I... spent my day watching the clowns perform. You sure you want to hear about my day?”
[surprised blush] Keith: “...Right! Sorry, sorry, uh...”
[raised eyebrow] Valory: “...”
[exasperation] Valory: (It's kind of painful watching him trying to keep composed.)
[nervous smile] Keith: “...Uh, um...”
[soft smile] Valory: (Kind of cute too, in a way. Alright, I'll give him a break.)
[OM smile] Valory: “Oh, hi, Bryce!”
[panicked smile] Keith: “Oh, well, look at the time! I'm going to go... read stuff. In my caravan. Far away. Bye, Valory!” [leaves]
[raised eyebrow] Valory: (I'm pretty sure the only type of reading material you have in your caravan are magazines...)
[exasperation] Valory: (...and those magazines aren't generally the type you read.)
[noticing] Valory: “...”
[noticing] Valory: (He... went off in the wrong direction.)
[exasperation] Valory: (How's this idiot popular, again?)
[END] (+2)