week 3, sunday

[vigilantics]

[ stephanie is in her bedroom, which isn't a surprise. she's also awake, given that it's been hours since the execution and the sound of people knocking on and off has since made it kind of hard to sleep.

anyway. so belph. ]

Um.

[ she has no idea what to say. ]

Comments

[axilium]

[...

he's a bit wary, but he'll do it.]

[vigilantics]

[ she doesn't try holding his hand :/

honestly, she just... looks content at the closeness, even if they're not actually touching. ]

[axilium]

[... honestly, it's almost terrifying, how much steph seems to care.

he's quiet for a while, before:]

... By the way, I told Shirasu about me. So, be careful around him, or else he might figure you out.

[vigilantics]

... I won't act any differently than I normally do.

[ she leans back on her pillows. ]

How did he take it?

[axilium]

Well, he's apparently suspected me of knowing too much for a while now, so he wasn't too surprised. He agreed to help keep an eye on a few of my suspects.

[vigilantics]

He's definitely a smart one.

[ she sounds appreciative, despite the fact that could potentially screw them over. ]

[axilium]

Yeah, and I'm just hoping he uses those smarts for our sake. I don't think most people realize how shady that guy really is.

[though he's at least not goddamn hikage.]

[vigilantics]

I get along with him fine, at least.

[ they've reached a point in the game where you have to admit someone you like might kill you, and it's less to do with them being evil and more because their numbers are dwindling and there aren't as many victim options as before. ]

[axilium]

Good. That means if he's ever a Blotter, he's not likely to go after you. I had to tell him about Sousei to try and get him to spare Sousei if it ever comes down to that, but...

[he shrugs.]

We'll see.

[vigilantics]

I'm really hoping our partners won't ever be chosen for that.

[ ... or them. but she's not going to say that one out loud. ]

[axilium]

Hope doesn't mean much, unfortunately.

[vigilantics]

...

It does to me.

[axilium]

All right, besides you.

[vigilantics]

Thank you.

[ she smiles, but it falters after a second. ]

Can I tell you a secret?

[axilium]

... Between you and your partner, I'm getting a lot of secrets these days, but sure.

[vigilantics]

[ she raises an eyebrow at the hikage comment, but doesn't question it since she knows enough about her own partner to get that whatever belph knows, it's going to be A Lot. ]

I'm not sure how I can keep being Batgirl after this, and I think that scares me more than dying.

[axilium]

[it really was A Lot.]

... And why is that?

[vigilantics]

Being a vigilante was about the most useful thing I ever did, and I only ever started being good at it after becoming Batgirl.

[ she sits up, wincing slightly. ]

Back home, I have this friend. Babs. She used to be Batgirl a couple of years back, and she was amazing. But then she got shot by this psychopath, and was paralyzed from the waist down. But Babs, ya know, she's smart. A genius, even. She realized she could no longer fight crime in the literal sense, so now she's doing it in the... digital one? She does a lot of crazy stuff with computers and our jobs would be a lot harder without her. But I'm not Babs. I can't really bring something like that to the table.

[axilium]

... So, you're concerned that your leg will hold you back too much?

[vigilantics]

Everyone will take one look at me, and they'll know that they were right all along. "Oh, poor Stephanie, she had to do something on her own and look how badly she messed that up."

And I guess they're right? Although this is still better than last time.

[axilium]

[...]

And if we put aside what everyone else thinks? What is that you want to do, Steph?

[vigilantics]

Good.

[ she knows that is a vague answer, but it pretty much encompasses all of her feelings on the matter. ]

Maybe I'll figure something out later. But... when I saw Tiger's claws come out and go towards me, my first thought was, "I'm going to die," it was, "Don't take Batgirl from me." So...

[axilium]

... Then don't give up on it. If it's everything to you, hold onto it.

Without your dream, there's nothing left.

[belph is definitely not speaking from experience or anything.]

[vigilantics]

] of course he isn't. never. ]

You can sound pretty romantic sometimes.

[axilium]

I'm always romantic.

[he is the complete opposite of romantic.]