She still laughs at the way he says it, but-- man. This is the second time an adult has offered her a place to stay. Not like the locals and the inn, not out of some bizarre ~Chosen One Cult Garbage~ but because they... wanted her to. Her hand goes to her heart in spite of herself and squeezes her blouse, but she just laughs and tilts her head with a smile.]
Maybe it's because I'm nice to him? You could try that! But I wouldn't want to intrude on whatever the two of you have going on.
(kotone, too awfully telling. he's seen that many times, her hand over her heart, clutching the fabric, like her heart is talking directly to her, and she's trying to squeeze the emotion out to look at it, to try to understand it from a closer look. he's hit something, whatever that is. probably the living conditions - she's never said it outright, but with how happy she is with the attention, and something so simple as nail polish and homecooked meals made her overjoyed as she was.
It seems really complicated from what you told me!
[She rests her elbow on the bar and her chin in her hand, finding herself on the easier footing of talking about someone else instead of herself.]
I mean, you guys yell at each other a lot, but you're also important to each other -- [she will go so far as to put her free hand over his mouth if he tries to protest.] Don't be dramatic, it's really obvious. I think you should figure that out before adding a third person to your living situation!
(oh, damn, he has been silenced as soon as he started to protest, so it's just mhppph!! mphmm!!. will she let him go so he can refuse!! let him speak!! he has things to say!!!)
[She swings her feet a little in the air, propping her chin in both hands to let him speak. Mmmm... she likes them both, she really does, and she doesn't want to take sides, but maybe Dazai could do fewer things to make Chuuya want to punch him? That seems like the obvious answer.]
I don't get it. How do you work well together if you fight so much?
... It's impossible to explain. We just-- know each other and everything the other thinks and does really well. It's been like that since we were snotty kids.
(maybe that explains a bit why they hate each other so much, doesn't it? imagine all this vulnerability laid open? not healthy!!)
I can tell by his breathing what sort of kick he'll give, and I bet it took him almost no effort to find me. Correct? Ah, infuriating.
[She still doesn't totally get it. If that's the case, why can't they simply, like... not antagonize each other? Or is it because they know each other so well that they find it difficult to get along?
But she pats his shoulder. Thanks for telling her.]
I think... that's the kind of thing that the two of you have to figure out. Putting me in the middle like a shield isn't really going to help.
(she's so damn precious, look at her!! he hasn't felt this warm inside about a kiddo since gin!! the laugh he gives, absolutely genuine, like he's just a little bit tired of pretending, just a little bit, a slight hug because look, she's so damn mature, and precious...
he'll be better with this one, he promises.)
I was joking. We're fine. I'm never going to stop annoying him, and he's never going to stop kicking my ass! It's how we deal with both hating having the other in our brain! It's really, really irritating, so we just figured out how to deal with it, but I was not at all serious about you coming so he's nicer! It's actually keeping me sane in this place, a little bit of grounding!
[She relaxes a little into the hug, but wiggles her hand up to gently pat his head, this time. There, there. Sorry to your brain for having Chuuya in it.]
It's nice having someone you can rely on, right?
[Because even if they're Like That, she knows they can rely on each other, and that's important.]
Besides, Astralin-san offered Aragaki-senpai and me a room on his farm. If Senpai wants to live there, I'll probably move there!
(if only she knew how much he loves being petted!! he perks up immediately, head and fluffy hair moving around so she keeps the petting. like a cat, really, he's suddenly in the best of moods.)
Ouch, don't punish me, that one was totally on you!!
(but, alright, it doesn't sound like as what she put at the beginning of this conversation; but he can't help but notice that she didn't answer his question.
[She knows he isn't worried, but she snorts a laugh anyway.]
I knew him before I came here. I trust him with my life. I'm sure you've seen him around? I think he's a little taller than you, but his shoulders are like, way broader.
[She uses her free hand to indicate her guesstimate of Shinji's Wide Shoulders.]
He always wears a big red coat and a beanie. He's going to run Cooking Club for me!
Do I look worried? If he were cute, I'd be cheering for you.
(he's not the abstinence police!! have fun!! discover!! make mistakes!! sometimes, the mistakes have names and addresses and phone numbers and send you bombs!!)
Is he like you? I haven't told anyone, nor will I. I have seen him, just never talked to him myself.
(she can understand what he means, hopefully.)
You know. I'm glad you're-- pet, pet, pet-- doing this club thing. You're a good-- pet, pet, pet? -- kiddo. You're having fun, right?
[Tech...nically true. She told Dazai about the power of the wildcard, which Shinji doesn't have. Everyone else was even able to evolve their Personas to a more powerful form, but Shinji... either never had the chance, or was powerful enough already without it.
Besides, if Shinji wants to tell anyone about his Persona, that's his thing to say, not hers.
But she laughs and keeps petting his hair. Sure, why not, everyone already saw them dancing like idiots to music only they could hear, why not this, too?]
I am having fun. I just hope everybody else has fun, too. You don't have to join anything, but you'll stop by sometimes?
... So not as cute? Please, find someone just as cute. Ah-- and most importantly! Find someone sane! This is the first rule!! Don't date crazy!!
(it's funny, because -- that doesn't mean he isn't an ability user. she said she had a journey, and she had died, and he left it open enough for her to say anything and still have enough deniability to say she hadn't lied in the first place. it's exactly how he would do it, so -- whether it's a half truth or not, he smiles fondly before he stretches his arms forward, fingers intertwined.
after all, she's not the only one keeping secrets. right next door to him, terrorists to the highest degree, who could have dropped by all the times she had been over. one whose a single touch could explode her from inside out - the one she has met, after all.)
May~be! You need to learn how to convince me~ fufufufu!! Ah, pet? Pet! Cigarette... Can you reach my head if I stand?
Hmm... There are a lot of girls who are cuter than I am, but I think Ryoji Mochizuki is the only boy who might have been as cute as me?
[The set to her smile implies that this is a joke specifically for her, and that's because Ryoji was her for a while, kind of. If she'd been a boy, maybe they'd have looked more similar?]
I think I can reach, yeah. Are you saying that pets like this aren't enough to convince you to stop by the club?
[She scratches her fingernails gently against the top of his scalp like she does when she's washing her hair.]
Huh. Classmate? Crush? Enemy? Sane? Sane, right? Tell me he's sane. Don't tell me you have trash taste. I can't deal with it.
(because one is enough. his own!! but she did drop something, and he doesn't care if it wasn't for him. he's drunk, his level of how many fucks he should give at any given moment, which is often very low, drops even lower.
he's so happy, though, she can probably see it in every bit of his expression. after putting his massive tab under a certain other redhead, he stands, bending knees so she can get on his back -- it's a backpack kotone!!)
Two hands, and we'll think about it. Ok? Ok? Think is ok? Pet!!!!!
[Which three apply to him is for Dazai to puzzle out for himself, if he bothers. She laughs when he bends his knees and -- sure, alright. Why not. She hops up on his back without hesitation and pats his head with both hands.]
It's the only thing I adk you, Koto-chan!! Sane has to make the list!! Ok? Promise?
(ah, there, she's secure, and he she's on top of the world! two meters tall super kotone, he's laughing about it so much, and exiting the bar is easy even with her on his back like that.
it's starting to burn away, all the alcohol, and he just keeps walking to... who knows, wherever his feet take them, he guesses? there are pets, so he isn't caring too much about many things right now.
he's also stronger than he looks, so it's not at all tiring.)
You and me! We have to negotiate these visits! You've found my one true weakness!!! Let's be fair about it, okay? 10 minutes of petting for 20 minutes of Dazai in the Clubs!
[Ah, the night air is brisk, a welcome relief from the heat of the bar. Anyway, she can't guarantee sane, because... well. Back then, she'd assumed she'd never see him again. But if she could arrive here, then maybe he could, too. Though would he be Ryoji, or the Appraiser...? That's scary to think about.
So she doesn't. She just buries her hands in Dazai's hair and lets herself enjoy the ride, giggling a little.]
I don't know, you seem to enjoy this a lot... five minutes of petting for twenty minutes of club time?
[Honestly if he hadn't said they "have to negotiate," she'd have just accepted his terms.]
Anyway, is this what it's like being tall? I can see so much!!
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She still laughs at the way he says it, but-- man. This is the second time an adult has offered her a place to stay. Not like the locals and the inn, not out of some bizarre ~Chosen One Cult Garbage~ but because they... wanted her to. Her hand goes to her heart in spite of herself and squeezes her blouse, but she just laughs and tilts her head with a smile.]
Maybe it's because I'm nice to him? You could try that! But I wouldn't want to intrude on whatever the two of you have going on.
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orphans recognize orphans, you see.
either way, his eyes roll at the last words.)
The hell you mean, 'whatever you have going on'?
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[She rests her elbow on the bar and her chin in her hand, finding herself on the easier footing of talking about someone else instead of herself.]
I mean, you guys yell at each other a lot, but you're also important to each other -- [she will go so far as to put her free hand over his mouth if he tries to protest.] Don't be dramatic, it's really obvious. I think you should figure that out before adding a third person to your living situation!
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Putting me in the way so maybe he won't yell at you isn't going to fix anything, you know.
[Okay, fine, she'll let him speak BUT if he just starts going EW EW CHUUYA EW she might put her hand right back over his mouth again.]
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(but he's gonna need... about five of these? all that he downs in succession.)
We just work well together. I ghosted him for a long time, but when I needed him, it worked exactly as it would if I hadn't become a traitor.
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I don't get it. How do you work well together if you fight so much?
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(maybe that explains a bit why they hate each other so much, doesn't it? imagine all this vulnerability laid open? not healthy!!)
I can tell by his breathing what sort of kick he'll give, and I bet it took him almost no effort to find me. Correct? Ah, infuriating.
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[She still doesn't totally get it. If that's the case, why can't they simply, like... not antagonize each other? Or is it because they know each other so well that they find it difficult to get along?
But she pats his shoulder. Thanks for telling her.]
I think... that's the kind of thing that the two of you have to figure out. Putting me in the middle like a shield isn't really going to help.
this icon is exactly how he feels
(she's so damn precious, look at her!! he hasn't felt this warm inside about a kiddo since gin!! the laugh he gives, absolutely genuine, like he's just a little bit tired of pretending, just a little bit, a slight hug because look, she's so damn mature, and precious...
he'll be better with this one, he promises.)
I was joking. We're fine. I'm never going to stop annoying him, and he's never going to stop kicking my ass! It's how we deal with both hating having the other in our brain! It's really, really irritating, so we just figured out how to deal with it, but I was not at all serious about you coming so he's nicer! It's actually keeping me sane in this place, a little bit of grounding!
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It's nice having someone you can rely on, right?
[Because even if they're Like That, she knows they can rely on each other, and that's important.]
Besides, Astralin-san offered Aragaki-senpai and me a room on his farm. If Senpai wants to live there, I'll probably move there!
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--- You're gonna live with a boy?!?!?!?!
(don't. stop. the petting.)
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Probably not in the same room. It's a whole house.
[Also like, it's Shinji? It wouldn't be weird even if they were in the same room. At least, not for her.]
But it's really his decision.
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(he's even got his eyes closed. the curls on top of his head undo, and then slowly spring back into shape.)
... He's cute at least? Diss, girl, diss.
(and he calls himself straight.)
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I didn't hear what Astralin-san said to Aragaki-senpai. He offered me a room and said he made the same offer to Senpai.
[She pats his head again in apology for the tug.]
Besides, didn't you just offer for me to stay with you and Chuuya? Two boys?
[Men but like, still. It's the principle of the thing.]
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(but, alright, it doesn't sound like as what she put at the beginning of this conversation; but he can't help but notice that she didn't answer his question.
putting that on [x] yes...)
We're too old for you!! It's not the same!!
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[She knows he isn't worried, but she snorts a laugh anyway.]
I knew him before I came here. I trust him with my life. I'm sure you've seen him around? I think he's a little taller than you, but his shoulders are like, way broader.
[She uses her free hand to indicate her guesstimate of Shinji's Wide Shoulders.]
He always wears a big red coat and a beanie. He's going to run Cooking Club for me!
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(he's not the abstinence police!! have fun!! discover!! make mistakes!! sometimes, the mistakes have names and addresses and phone numbers and send you bombs!!)
Is he like you? I haven't told anyone, nor will I. I have seen him, just never talked to him myself.
(she can understand what he means, hopefully.)
You know. I'm glad you're-- pet, pet, pet-- doing this club thing. You're a good-- pet, pet, pet? -- kiddo. You're having fun, right?
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He is cute! But he's not like me.
[Tech...nically true. She told Dazai about the power of the wildcard, which Shinji doesn't have. Everyone else was even able to evolve their Personas to a more powerful form, but Shinji... either never had the chance, or was powerful enough already without it.
Besides, if Shinji wants to tell anyone about his Persona, that's his thing to say, not hers.
But she laughs and keeps petting his hair. Sure, why not, everyone already saw them dancing like idiots to music only they could hear, why not this, too?]
I am having fun. I just hope everybody else has fun, too. You don't have to join anything, but you'll stop by sometimes?
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(it's funny, because -- that doesn't mean he isn't an ability user. she said she had a journey, and she had died, and he left it open enough for her to say anything and still have enough deniability to say she hadn't lied in the first place. it's exactly how he would do it, so -- whether it's a half truth or not, he smiles fondly before he stretches his arms forward, fingers intertwined.
after all, she's not the only one keeping secrets. right next door to him, terrorists to the highest degree, who could have dropped by all the times she had been over. one whose a single touch could explode her from inside out - the one she has met, after all.)
May~be! You need to learn how to convince me~ fufufufu!! Ah, pet? Pet! Cigarette... Can you reach my head if I stand?
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[The set to her smile implies that this is a joke specifically for her, and that's because Ryoji was her for a while, kind of. If she'd been a boy, maybe they'd have looked more similar?]
I think I can reach, yeah. Are you saying that pets like this aren't enough to convince you to stop by the club?
[She scratches her fingernails gently against the top of his scalp like she does when she's washing her hair.]
C'mon, up you get, Mister Kitty.
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(because one is enough. his own!! but she did drop something, and he doesn't care if it wasn't for him. he's drunk, his level of how many fucks he should give at any given moment, which is often very low, drops even lower.
he's so happy, though, she can probably see it in every bit of his expression. after putting his massive tab under a certain other redhead, he stands, bending knees so she can get on his back -- it's a backpack kotone!!)
Two hands, and we'll think about it. Ok? Ok? Think is ok? Pet!!!!!
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[Which three apply to him is for Dazai to puzzle out for himself, if he bothers. She laughs when he bends his knees and -- sure, alright. Why not. She hops up on his back without hesitation and pats his head with both hands.]
Who's "we" thinking about it?
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(ah, there, she's secure, and he she's on top of the world! two meters tall super kotone, he's laughing about it so much, and exiting the bar is easy even with her on his back like that.
it's starting to burn away, all the alcohol, and he just keeps walking to... who knows, wherever his feet take them, he guesses? there are pets, so he isn't caring too much about many things right now.
he's also stronger than he looks, so it's not at all tiring.)
You and me! We have to negotiate these visits! You've found my one true weakness!!! Let's be fair about it, okay? 10 minutes of petting for 20 minutes of Dazai in the Clubs!
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[Ah, the night air is brisk, a welcome relief from the heat of the bar. Anyway, she can't guarantee sane, because... well. Back then, she'd assumed she'd never see him again. But if she could arrive here, then maybe he could, too. Though would he be Ryoji, or the Appraiser...? That's scary to think about.
So she doesn't. She just buries her hands in Dazai's hair and lets herself enjoy the ride, giggling a little.]
I don't know, you seem to enjoy this a lot... five minutes of petting for twenty minutes of club time?
[Honestly if he hadn't said they "have to negotiate," she'd have just accepted his terms.]
Anyway, is this what it's like being tall? I can see so much!!
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