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Week 2.
Two people are dead. Ken Kaneki has been murdered, Reaver has been executed - and perhaps most uncomfortably, the Conductor is proud of you all for adhering to due process. (As always, by which he means that there is a process, and you all are certainly doing it.) Saturday is given to regrouping and sleep; come Sunday morning, the clock chimes the hour at seven o'clock and there are no dead bodies to be found, so it can be assumed that all of you are safe for the time being. That said, you'll be feeling a little groggy when you wake up; it seems you've regained something that you didn't realize you'd lost... However, once you've shaken that off, there are new things to be looked at; the previously closed-off area near the kitchen has been unlocked, and there's a new floor to be explored - consider it your reward for a job well done. |
SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY
[OOC: Welcome to week two of Trustfell! Save your threads for coins and the coming week's activity check; don't forget to check in to this week's activity check and submit your memory regains as well!
The Letters and Switchboard posts are still active, for the sake of contacting the jerk who's keeping you here, to be used at your leisure!]
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...You're obviously in pain. I thought it might help to talk about it. How am I to understand what you're going through if I don't know the person you're talking about?
[The words are as gentle as he can get. His expression is still entirely too stiff, but that's how Logan always looks.]
I may not be able to understand your situation, but at the very least I can listen. You do not have to bear this alone, Youko.
[And that's... that's funny, isn't it? The one person who had been there to help him handle what had happened is dead now, yet his first response is to attempt to be there for her so she doesn't have to deal with something horrible alone.]
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The difference is certainly enough make her consider that maybe she should have ducked her head, rather than - unthinkingly - letting him see that. ]
...You're not just saying that because you think it'll help.
[ It's as blunt and clumsy as she feels right now and the moment it leaves her mouth she regrets it. Stupid.
She gives up and hunches over, burying her face in her hands. ]
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No, I'm not. I'm genuinely trying to do what I can, Youko.
[Sure, he could say it's to repay what she did for Reaver, but that's not it at all. He likes Youko. It's as simple as that.]
...I may not be able to do anything for you, but I wish to try.
[He's not going to try to get her to look at him though; she probably needs a moment.]
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...when she is she's sort of on her own in terms with dealing, yes.
That's... yes, give her a moment, please. His words bring her shame and would be the reason why, when Youko finally raises her frowning face from her hands, her cheeks are burning red. ]
...
[ The silence continues as she sits back up properly, shoulders slumped. How does she respond to that? If someone wants to help her... what is it they can do for her? What does she want? ]
...
[ ...She's not quite at a loss, but it's stupid. Yet in typical fashion, the more she tries to push it out of her mind, the more it's all she can come up with.
Shame hasn't left her expression, but tiredness has joined it. The silence has dragged on for too long. Quietly: ]
Please sit next to me. I'd like that better.
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...Admittedly he wasn't expecting that, but after a moment of thought he stands. He's not entirely sure why she wants the proximity, but he's never been a very physical person. Logan sits beside her, leaving enough space for it to be comfortable.]
...Is there anything else I can do?
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[ And we're right back to giving no fucks! If she's going to be this much of a disgusting mess, why not go all out?!
...That's what she tells herself, but the shame hasn't left her expression. It's genuinely what she wants, but actually asking someone - let alone Logan? It feels wrong. She feels wrong for saying it. But her misery is stronger. ]
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Give me a moment.
[Let him get the chestplate off first, that's... going to be uncomfortable otherwise. It doesn't take him long to remove it and he sets it on the floor before settling back beside Youko.]
I don't mind.
[Though it's sort of awkward since he never does this with anyone. Comforting isn't something he does in general, but boy is he trying. That's sort of the summation of his entire stay here in murderschool: #trying.]
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Thank god one of them isn't a disaster today. You go, Logan. ]
...I actually didn't think of that. Thanks.
[ The surprise has a similar effect to a gentle shake, and Youko pulls herself out of what had been the beginning of a quickly-advancing sneaky hate spiral. ]
...You're better at this than you think, you know.
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[Because unlike normal people, Logan is actually very fond of wearing a piece of metal at all times. Part of it is safety, he feels far too exposed when he's not wearing it, and part of it is Logan's a weirdo who genuinely finds it comfortable.]
I will continue to do what I can for you.
[Though he's really not good at this, he's awkward as hell. He hasn't hugged his sister in years much less offered anyone else physical contact. This is... strange, but it's not bad.]
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[ With that, she closes her eyes and leans against his arm, because that's where her head comes to rest more than Logan's shoulder.
...There are some dropped words between 'just' and 'wouldn't' that Youko hasn't realized didn't quite make it out. Probably because what did come out is the actual truth. ]
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I didn't hear that. What were you saying?
[Well, of course he's going to ask. He doesn't mind her leaning against his arm, but his posture is surprisingly stiff for once. Normally he's slouching all the hell over when he sits, but this is... sort of awkward.]
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Hm? I said... 'You're not wrong, I-
[ ...what had she said, exactly.
Her eyes aren't shut anymore. ]
I said... that it just... I'm... surprised? I...
...Why do you care? If I'm okay or not? Even over little things, like if I'm comfy or not?
[ Her voice actually breaks on that last part. This is... surprisingly distressing.
She'd learnt that he had a good heart, somehow, as unlikely as that was. But maybe... she hadn't properly processed what that could mean. Like concern. For her.
...Logan's no longer the only stiff one. ]
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[No, hang on, this is really confusing--]
You're obviously going through something incredibly difficult right now. I wish to help in whatever way I can.
[?????????]
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[ She shakes her head vigorously, but actually manages to calm down. ]
How can I matter so much to you?
[ ah, the human-youkai divide... ]
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[??????????????????
...yes, he really is that simple about these things]
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...And I'm fortunate you're not one of them.
[ Shooting him a shaky smile, because even if it's incredibly weird to have a good person in her life who doesn't need much to care about others, or expect a heavy debt in return - it's nice. It's incredibly nice, and she's grateful. ]
Please... feel like you can rely on me more than ever. It's new to me, but I like... 'this'.
[ This... way of supporting each other. ]
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...It's not something I've done very often, but... I like "this" as well.
[It feels kind of nice, honestly.]
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[ She sounds so touched - and it sort of surprises her. But... being valued and acknowledged felt good, didn't it?
She finally settles back into leaning against Logan. ]
...Let me tell you about Kan-chan - Kantarou, but Kan-chan's my nickname for him. I wonder what you'll think of him...?
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He's very important to you, correct?
[Go on, he's listening.]
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...He's lazy, and selfish, and greedy, and we're always broke because of him. He slacks off when he should be writing articles for money, because not many people want to hire an exorcist that often anymore. For as long as I've known him, he's been chasing after "The Legendary Demon-Eating Tengu" - someone who hasn't been seen in over a thousand years - so he can name and befriend him, like he did me.
Last night, I... [ yep, she can't keep her voice from breaking here. ] I dreamt he finally got to meet him...
...No, more than that. He named him, and brought him home to live with us. He gave him a really girly name, too - "Haruka". [ Youko makes a heartbroken little smile before shaking her head. ] And I thought my name was bad.
...But that was just a dream. A nice one, until... [ you know, she found evidence to suggest Kantarou was dead. ]
...He's childish, too. Extremely so. And whiny.
...I'm pretty sure he's kind of messed up, by human standards. I think he hates most of them. He would have loved youkai anyway, but maybe because of that he's got all this... extra love that should have gone elsewhere that he directs towards youkai instead.
I don't know. He's a total youkai nut. But he fights for us when no one does that anymore. That's why he became an exorcist, I know it! [ and she actually brightens up here! ] So he could make money off of humans happy to kill us by just guiding us elsewhere. [ she hums ] I meant it when I said no one does that. Kan-chan's a real anomaly.
I guess I should also mention that he loves me like family, so you aren't totally lost as to why he matters to me. He loves me, he acknowledges me, he's the reason I'm no longer lonely. So I love him back.
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[He thinks he does. Youkai definitely don't exist in Albion and he's not sure what to compare them to since "monsters" definitely isn't right, but he understands family and he thinks he sees why she's so fond of him.]
Having someone like that sounds incredible. He must care about you all so much, to be willing to do something like that.
[...]
What does that mean for him, if that is here?
[He indicates the bracelet with a brief gesture. He's pretty sure it means death, but Logan has no idea why.]
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That's... amazing. She never would have thought... Had she misjudged him? Youko slowly nods her head, surprise plastered all over her face. ]
I... yes. Yes, you're exactly right.
As for the bracelet... [ Okay. She can do this now. ] I think it's all he has left of his mother. [ The less said about that, the better. That's all anyone really needs to know. ] But it also keeps him safe. See the bells? They'll ring when there are threats to Kan-chan about, even when they're hidden, or thoroughly disguised.
...If he's not dead, he will be. Kan-chan's a magnet for youkai and danger...
[ If this is real, there's nothing she can do now. ]
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[Well, if he isn't dead now he'll probably be dead soon. Logan glances down at the floor.]
...I'm very sorry, Youko. I sincerely hope it isn't his. Is there any way to tell if it's real?
[Though to be honest, he's not sure if that will help or not. If it is real that will mess Youko up. If it isn't, then at least she can hold onto hope that he's alive. But taking that risk... is it worth it? Or is it better to ignore it and pretend that it can't possibly be real?
Logan knows what he'd do, but not everyone reacts to things like he does.]
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I don't think so, not while our powers are locked out. All I can do is ask the Conductor himself. [ Who may or may not tell the truth, whatever it may be.
At least Logan's sweet. Youko falls back into shutting her eyes. ]
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...What sort of powers do you have?
[He's been pretty curious about that, but he's not sure if now is a good time to ask or not. Hopefully it won't be too bad??]
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