( crau ) beau

[haw]

Comments

[disreguarded]

[ she makes a face. ]

No, what am I gonna do, like -- I can't take her home with me!

[haw]

Look, that's what I thought, an' I ended up gettin' to do just that at the end...

[ ... he's, again, ignoring the fact that even that's not a guarantee anymore. shh. ]

[disreguarded]

[ she's also going to pretend like that ending won't happen, thanks ]

Yeah, but you're you.

[haw]

Thought we established we're, like, the same person from alternate realities.

[disreguarded]

Well, yeah, but you're way better at romance shit than I am.

[haw]

Wh—how are you the judge of that? Not my fault I just so happened to hit Mizucchi's very specific niche of "dumb, funny, and handsome." In that order, by the way.

[disreguarded]

You're better at romance shit because you have someone waiting for you.

[haw]

Oh my god.

If you don't ask her out again, then I'm askin' her for you.

[disreguarded]

No! [ WAH ] Don't do that!

[haw]

Why not? I promised I'd help get you a girlfriend!

[disreguarded]

Not like that, that's so fucking embarrassing! You can't ask someone out for me, what are we, ten?

[ the obvious answer is to ask her out herself but like. ]

[haw]

Better than what you'd do which is fuckin' nothing, apparently!

[disreguarded]

[ screeeeee ]

Yeah, because people don't just fucking like me, Majima, there's some sort of catch, and I don't wanna get into it while we're nose deep in murder!

[haw]

All right, back it up there for a sec.

Did you just look me point blank in the singular eye an' say that people don't like you?

[disreguarded]

[ she opens her mouth, and then closes it. and then gives him a belligerent look. ]

It's not. People like me fine. I guess. Just not like that. [ she's going to say more, but after this week, after seeing people scream for her, it feels... almost disrespectful to say. ]

[haw]

[ while he stops being overtly on the offensive when she accepts the praise, majima still remains steadfast as he continues, ]

Shut the fuck up, ya said she had a great time, give yerself some credit.

[disreguarded]

[ her jaw works. ]

... I'm trying to. [ she says, a little petulantly. her admitting that shinobu probably had a good time is as much as she can manage without feeling stupid. ]

[haw]

Ya better keep workin' on it.

[ another shove, though this time, he keeps his hand on her shoulder. ]

[disreguarded]

[ there's a pause, where she tries to figure out what to say, and then, finally: ]

You've been a really good friend to me, Majima. [ maybe a little more genuine than she really means for it to be. ]

[haw]

[ ... he's soft... while he may have once balked at such a heartfelt sentiment, he has no difficulty accepting it now, giving her a warm grin. ]

Look, when yer first interaction with someone is chuggin' booze like a champ an' then beatin' the shit out of each other, ya either end up real good friends or a nightmare you only remember the next time ya go on a wildass bender. M'glad it was the former.

[disreguarded]

[ that makes her laugh, one of her genuine dumb giggles. she brings a hand up to rest on top of his. ]

Me too. [ she takes a deep breath. ] I think I'm starting to get the hang of not running into walls, finally. So - maybe we can practice fighting next week? I'll just not use my hand for now.

[ the broken one. ]

[haw]

Heh, we'll see how yer shapin' up an' figure out how to go from there.

Hell, maybe if I keep tryin' to win over the Directors, I might even get to ask them to do me a favor, see if we can't get ya healed a lil' faster. It worked like that in my game, don't see why it wouldn't be worth a try here.

[disreguarded]

Really? [ she's curious! ] Shadows gave me my eyepatch earlier this week, but I didn't ask them for anything else. Think they can actually do anything?

... Akira said I should ask for a robot eye.

[haw]

I lost a finger an' my god was able to give me a replacement. That kinda thing seems to be a host boon if they like ya well enough.

[ beat, as he gives her a sulky sort of look now ]

I'd be pissed if ya got a robo-eye, though.

[disreguarded]

[ she grins a bit at him. ]

I'm not gonna get a robo-eye. I kind of like matching with you. [ hum. ] I'm teaching Shadows how to hug, though. So I'm definitely their favorite.