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]

[...]

Speaking of which, are you aware of your partner's potential bucket list?

[vigilantics]

... you don't mean go to Spain or skydiving, do you?

[ she is now filled with a Fear. ]

[axilium]

[he doesn't really like talking about this, since it feels like an invasion of hikage's privacy, but this one thing is. kind of important.]

More like "make everyone here suffer". He's still deciding whether or not to do it... which, however, is better than how he was at the start of this, apparently?

[vigilantics]

[ the look on her face at least says that she is not too surprised by this. she also had a conversation with her partner. ]

Belph, I have no idea what to do with him.

[axilium]

... Just keep being friendly with him, and indicate that you'd accept him however he is.

[...]

To be honest, I think that he does want to change. He just has a lot of—baggage. He's scared of feeling alive again, or he feels like he doesn't deserve it.

[but a hand held out can do so much.]

[vigilantics]

He should have gotten another partner. Someone who's--better. At this.

[ she gestures vaguely. stephanie just seems to make him even more confused, she thinks. ]

[axilium]

... You're better suited for this than you think.

[though he isn't entirely thinking of hikage when he says that.]

Hikage probably confided in me because, at heart, I'm a lot like him. But because of that, all I can do is listen.

[he can't tell hikage to have faith.]

You're different, though. You're a part of a world he's forgotten about.

[vigilantics]

[ she's quiet after that, and it does not escape her that belph just made an admission about himself that he has been avoiding this entire time, even if it lacks context. ]

... I'm not going to give up on him. [ her gaze flickers to belph's hand before returning to his face. or you, but she doesn't say that out loud, since it's not the time. ] I'm just worried I'll say the wrong thing one day, I guess.

[axilium]

Just like a hero.

[he smiles wryly.]

... Well, he is pretty sensitive. I guess boys his age [100+] are at that stage?

[vigilantics]

All boys are babies.

[ this is her expert analysis on the subject. ]

[axilium]

I can't deny that.

[vigilantics]

If you did I would hit you with my leg.

[ ha ha

no she can't, she has no idea where that went and that disturbs her. ]

[axilium]

How morbid.

[vigilantics]

[ she actually has to stop and think about that mental image

and she starts to laugh. ]

[axilium]

[well, considering how many people would normally be traumatized from losing a limb, it's good that she can laugh over it. belph just smiles along.]

[vigilantics]

[ the day she is unable to laugh at her own expense is the day she snaps, unfortunately

but she does manage to calm down, and she rubs at her eyes. ]

Thank you.

[ she is. a little vague on what exactly she's thanking him for. ]

[axilium]

... You're welcome, I suppose.

[for whatever it is, even if he suspects he doesn't deserve it.]

[vigilantics]

I really couldn't do this without you.

[ well. she would have to, but

it'll be a lot lonelier. ]

[axilium]

[...]

Well, if it wasn't me, you'd probably have a different partner for it. I think you'd have gotten along fine—you seem to mesh well with most.

[vigilantics]

Hmm, maybe.

[ she can't actually deny that she tends to get along with people well for the most part. ]

But none of them are you. I would have missed out.

[axilium]

Yes, what would you do without my charming personality to brighten your life?

[vigilantics]

Be utterly miserable forever?