[1511] "cold water and hot lava"

[arimareiji]

New comic up on Patreon, woo...

(My apologies if this was premature, and someone was just about to get one of these. (^_~) )

[GreyWolfe]

Fred, as you said, dialog is everything. This is beautiful.

[paarfi]

Well, from my perspective (and I know a lot of folks will disagree), that turned out about as well as it could have. Kimiko heard the "no" that Piro couldn't say straight out, and she not only understood and respected it, she ran with it. She turned his confused mumblings into the equivalent of "go take a cold shower", but she did it with a genuine smile. She made him feel less bad about how close they had both come by both excusing herself as "being Miho" and giving him the out of assuming that he was thinking the same.

Piro and Miho aren't married, but in his heart Piro is committed. This near hook-up with Kimiko could have been something Piro would come to really regret. Once Kimiko really saw that, she thought of more than herself and did more than most would do. She's a good friend.

[GreyWolfe]

Paarfi, you're missing the last panel here dude. That is the 'fuck the past, shared shower time bitch' moment. There is no ambiguity there.

[paarfi]

@GreyWolfe: I hear ya, and I see what you mean. But I think that's more Kimiko getting a last tease in. I don't think Piro will be joining her, and I don't thinks she expects him to. We shall see.

[eomdal]

If Paarfi is right, then does that mean Kimiko is finally acting the way Fred wanted her to?

[DracMonster]

@GreyWolfe: I hear ya, and I see what you mean. But I think that's more Kimiko getting a last tease in. I don't think Piro will be joining her, and I don't thinks she expects him to. We shall see.

I think it's an invitation. A last chance for him to make himself clear on his choice.

[paarfi]

@DracMonster: Ok, I can see that. "Are you really sure?" I still think she's expecting him not to though.

[arimareiji]

As much as I wish it weren't so, I think things are still very much up in the air.
1) Never underestimate the power of hormones in a guy. Robin Williams was right - we have two brains, and only enough blood to operate one at a time.
2) I don't think even Piro is willfully-clueless enough to misunderstand an underwear-clad (nominal?) girlfriend straddling* him. Then hugging him to her chest. Then unclasping said underwear in front of him as she goes to shower, while telling him "Don't just stand there". (I could be wrong, it's been known to happen. )
3) That self-deprecatory snerk in panel 4 could be Piro's way of saying "Ok, back to reality...". But it could also simply be reminiscent of panel 4 in 1287 (i.e. Fred thinking "good God, my fans pick the weirdest things to talk about ").
4) His expression in panel 5 could be irritation (and probably looked that way to Kimiko), but to me it suggests a self-angry "Ah, crap, I said something stupid and I didn't mean it to sound that way ".
5) Both expressions were easy to misinterpret during the drawing. It wouldn't surprise me if they were Fred herrings, or even if we were being trolled.

* - In the end, I suspect panel 1 will actually get a lot more "OMG NFSW Y U MEK KIMIKO A HOAR!11!1221!!!" than the last panel. Visually, the last panel is much more subtle than Fred was giving himself credit for.

[GreyWolfe]

@DracMonster: Ok, I can see that. "Are you really sure?" I still think she's expecting him not to though.

Fred was adamant that this would all be about choice and consent. The last panel is her asking him very clearly whether he wants to move from making out in the back of a car to something slightly more involved (and comfortable). I *really* hope he's not dense enough to at least give a clear answer, because the setup has been so very nicely put together.

Seriously Fred, I can't see anything about this strip that would worry you. I mean, the *next* strip might be interesting....

[Liminaut]

I have a new theory about Piro, and that is that he's been playing way too many VNs and taking them way to seriously.

After all, Piro's tag line used to be that "he could win any game with any girl". But let's think about VN relationships.

Normally, a player has to make every choice exactly right in order to win. And it is a 'win': the play makes all the choices, determines all the actions, and the love object is just that: an object of action.

All that has left Piro completely useless in a real relationship. Real relationships are sloppy. Both sides make missteps and work through it. And both sides make choices and take action. This is what Kimiko is doing here: being clear about what she wants. That's not something that typically happens in VNs.

Paradoxically, Largo's shooter games, where players are expected to be equal partners with all players taking initiative, was a much better preparation for real relationships than Piro's relationship games.

[Invisigoth]

I have a new theory about Piro, and that is that he's been playing way too many VNs and taking them way to seriously.

After all, Piro's tag line used to be that "he could win any game with any girl". But let's think about VN relationships.

Normally, a player has to make every choice exactly right in order to win. And it is a 'win': the play makes all the choices, determines all the actions, and the love object is just that: an object of action.

All that has left Piro completely useless in a real relationship. Real relationships are sloppy. Both sides make missteps and work through it. And both sides make choices and take action. This is what Kimiko is doing here: being clear about what she wants. That's not something that typically happens in VNs.

Paradoxically, Largo's shooter games, where players are expected to be equal partners with all players taking initiative, was a much better preparation for real relationships than Piro's relationship games.

Except...Piro is much much better at FPS games than Largo, in fact it was a running gag earlier in the strip that Largo's skills were anything but l33t

[Mightion]

For some reason, I think "Don't ask me how I know this" could make a great new meme.

[louisxiv]

<Don’t stand there in the lava, You’ll burn up.>

“’tis better to marry than to burn...”

(1 Corinthians 7:9)

[GreyWolfe]

Except...Piro is much much better at FPS games than Largo, in fact it was a running gag earlier in the strip that Largo's skills were anything but l33t

I think that's all fast twitch response...

I actually would have said that Piro would appreciate someone telling him clearly what they want, instead of being ambiguous and mysterious (ie Miho). It boils his potential decisions down to just two options and even he can appreciate the simplicity of a yes/no question.

Live in the moment Piro, because you never know what the future will hold.

[Teddy-Werebear]

That is an invitation to join a woman in the shower if I have ever heard one... and I have. Piro should go cool off in the bath so Kimi can heat things up even more.
Hummanah hummanah hummanah BOYOYOYOYOING!

[GreyWolfe]

Also, there are flames painted/decaled on the vanity off the 'lava' room. Tehehe ^_^

[louisxiv]

Over the last few pages usual cartoon clue to emotional state, the blush, has been hidden by layers of hospital collapse dust and toner, making it rather more difficult than usual to assess quite how the characters are feeling here.

Though I do rather hear Kimiko's last shot in Bacal-ish “Put your lips together and blow…” tones, particularly with the over shoulder glance.

(Purely pagmatically, both concrete dust and toner are bad things to breathe, so they both really really need a shower, asap…)

[cidjen]

Hmm, the repeated reference to the children's game ('floor is lava') and Kimiko being playful, is turning Piro remarkably child-like (the second-to-last panel, is it me, or Piro's proportions there resemble a pre-teen boy? The kind of teen- pre-teen that does not have all the men's hormones yet, and actively avoids even talking about girls... ? ). Are we going to see some childrens-games allegory next ?

Haa, I know what I wouldn't like to see next : a bath scene with chibi-figures.

If @Paarfi was right, all this buildup would lead to a "I'm sorry, we can't do this, I just realized, that my heart is taken" moment... really hoping this wouldn't happen ;J

Piro's expression in panel 4 actually resembles ... the snarky bear ? [1293] Thank you, sir

Wonder if someone actually 'researched' what happens if you try to wash toner out of your hair with warm water.

[Tiger]

Piro how many more signals do you need???

At this point I actually am starting to think thats he's just oblivious to what she is doing. Like maybe he just doesn't get it.

[Wesker888]

Piro, you fool, get in there! She's giving you an open invitation, get in there!

(I hope Paarfi isn't right tbh, I've invested way too much in these two from my high school days)

[GreyWolfe]

Piro, you fool, get in there! She's giving you an open invitation, get in there!

(I hope Paarfi isn't right tbh, I've invested way too much in these two from my high school days)

If Fred does that (and it's within his rights as a creator to do whatever the hell he wants), there will be literal riots. Hoolibas may burn the place down.

[w4llyb34r]

At this point, if Piro does not understand the invitation, the possibilities are reduced to two:
1) He's gay
2) It is irremediably dense
Even my geranium understood Kimiko's wishes and intentions ...

[DracMonster]

(I hope Paarfi isn't right tbh, I've invested way too much in these two from my high school days)

Same, same here. Waited a long time for those two.

But I'll be content if Piro just grows a backbone and says what he wants for once.

[macloud]

first thing i thought when i saw this post:
https://youtu.be/gzHfPN2SC1I