( crau ) beau

[haw]

Comments

[haw]

[ he tries to mask it, but there's a shiver that runs through him remembering that. ]

We didn't even have this twisted-ass shitshow in mine. Are ya tellin' me that was the norm for the rest of ya?

[disreguarded]

[ what the fuck did y'all even do in plasma was there even any murder ]

... Yeah? We'd go and watch someone get picked to put down the monster that week, in the House. Every Sunday. It was a fight, but. Not like that.

That wasn't a fight.

[haw]

[ THERE WAS INDEED SOME MURDER but, well, look, ]

There wasn't even a murder. That was just... bein' in the wrong place at the wrong damn time.

[disreguarded]

Yeah. [ deep breath. she looks away. ] A scared kid. I hate it the most when it's the kids.

I gotta see if there's a way to volunteer, because like - I don't want to fucking kill people but I'd rather it be me doing this shit than end up with like, Escha and Flayn having fight each other to the death. At least I'd make it quick.

[haw]

Doubt it.

[ while she averts her eyes, he fixes his one on her. ]

We all saw. The whole point is to make everyone involved suffer.

[disreguarded]

[ she fidgets. seems like it. she still doesn't meet his gaze. ]

I have this pact, you know? With Huaisang.

[haw]

Yeah? What're the terms?

[disreguarded]

Uh. It's carried over from the House, but. If one of us ended up being the killer, the other was going to volunteer to be the executioner. Just because we could both handle it, if it had to happen.

[haw]

[ he pauses... and then nods completely understandingly. ]

The two of ya really are ride-or-die for each other, aren't'cha?

[disreguarded]

Yeah. [ she smiles a little, finally. ] Long story short - I helped save his life, and then he helped save mine.

[ literally, then metaphorically. ] We've been trying to keep our friendship quiet because we don't want people to use us against each other. I don't know how much longer that's going to last, because I really don't want people to think he has nobody in his corner.

[haw]

...hah. Sounds just like me an' my bro.

[disreguarded]

[ she perks up just a little! ]

Yeah? Can you tell me about him?

[haw]

We've been sworn brothers for as long as I can remember. Grew up on the streets together, joined the yakuza together... shoulda gotten thrown in the slammer together. Went through hell an' lost my eye instead.

[ it's his turn to look off in the distance now. ]

Before my game happened, stayin' alive for his sake was all that kept me goin'.

[disreguarded]

[ mmm. she's more careful with her words this time around. ]

I know how that is. Having one person to stay alive for. [ she offers, first. ] He sounds like a guy worth his shit, if you're standing by him.

Did you find more people worth staying alive for in your game?

[haw]

[ he nods, clearly in response to both points. ]

S'what I was gonna tell ya guys before we got knocked out. [ that's what happened, it's fine, we're fine, ] ...There was a week where me an' a couple of people pretended to be a family unit. It was for shits an' giggles at first, but... those kids started treatin' me like their dad for real, an' it got to me.

[ ... then, his expression softens considerably. ]

An', y'know, my partner happened. So.

[disreguarded]

[ ahhhh... that's so cute, what the fuck. beau is soft for this. she looks that way too, arms folded and expression pleased. ]

Sometimes partners happen. [ beau says, with a little huff of a laugh. ] Come on, you can gush about them to me, I won't tell anybody.

[haw]

Their name's Mizuki, they're fuckin' beautiful, an' they are way outta my league. But hey, weirder shit's happened before, so who'm I to judge their taste.

I can't go dyin', knowin' they're waitin' for me.

[disreguarded]

Yeah. Yeah, that's a good reason. You can't keep them waiting.

[ she tilts her head back. ] Both of us have people relying on us to get home, so I guess no dying for us, huh.