[ She slowly walks after him, sitting down next to him - she must look almost comically small next to him, really.. - and sips from her drink a little too, but she's mostly just holding it inbetween her hands as if she's warming herself up. It's starting to get colder, after all.
And she's meanwhile thinking about how to subtly bring this up. But in the end it just comes down to the fact that Ange isn't really great at being subtle, so.. ]
[Oh boy... what is it this time? Lately he's been helping out so many people, even offering advice to others. He normally would only do that with Ganta, but seems like he's branched out even more.
...How stupid.
Senji grunts in response before speaking up.] Yeah, what?
[ He's already sounding annoyed over this.. it just means the tightrope she has to walk is getting thinner and thinner. But it's not like she can back down by now - it wouldn't be her style, either way. ]
Are you okay?
[ The question seems so.. well, ridiculous in this situation, since it's such a normal conversation question.. but she means more with it right now, and it's obvious. ]
[ He really doesn't know? Well, that's easier than it just being denial or something like that-- the only thing left is trying to figure out how to explain it to him exactly, but yeah, he's not really up for a wait. ]
This is exactly what I mean. You've become more aggressive, and less.. well, less caring. Like you used to be in the very beginning. Not that you've ever cared a whole lot for random people, but you used to at least want to help your friends here. [ .. there's a very short pause, but-- ] Like when you helped me, remember? Back with those stabbings?
[Senji stared at her, trying to understand what she was even talking about. He had never really cared about anyone else- he needed to focus on himself, it was easier that way, right? It was much easier to simply not care so when someone might get hurt then he wouldn't....
...He wouldn't give a fuck- ....right?
Ah, that's it. He had come to care about people here without even knowing it fully himself. He had been.... actually having fun with them, he had come a long way, he had become less sadistic and more willing to open up to people. Three people even knew about his past, and to him that was a massive achievement by itself.
The convict continued to look into her blue eyes, for a moment the coffee entirely forgotten as he contemplated her words. Slowly his gaze slid to the floor, that cup moving up to his lips once more and he took a sip of the warming liquid. After he took it away from his mouth he finally spoke.]
....Is that so?
[It's such a simple statement, really. But it speaks volumes that he's not blowing up at her right now. Normally he would have, but in this case.... she really was right, wasn't she? He had become far too attached to people without realizing it, and when Chie got hurt.... he just got so overly angry at everything. Why though? This was obviously the answer.]
I tell people not to take steps back and then I'm the one that does it....? Keh- what a fuckin' joke.
[ Without even fully realising it, Ange had started to grip her cup a little tighter - mostly out of.. some sort of nervousness, she never knew how he would respond to something, just like the time he had suddenly grabbed her and lifted her off the ground. But luckily he actually seemed to be taking this well, so.. did he finally start to understand? ]
It's only human to do that. [ The least she can do is help him out more in return for not exploding, huh. ]
Sometimes it hurts so much that it's just.. easier to close yourself off. [ She knows all about that, it's practically the story of her life. ] Most of the time it even takes effort to not do that when bad things happen.
[He nods at her words, fully understanding them. Back when his friends died that's exactly what he did, close himself off and tried to get as far away from the person that he used to be. Slowly though he had started to open up again, he had started to care- but after someone got hurt it pained him way too much. It freaked him right out.
Still...
Senji looks at her, a hand reaching out to her and patting her on the head.]
This makes us even, doesn't it? [since he helped her out before.]
[ She almost looks a little sulky at the headpat - it feels too much like being treated like a kid again, she's an adult, okay!! Not that she doesn't enjoy it, it's just.. a little embarassing, but at least nobody else can probably see this.. ]
It has nothing to do with being 'even' or whatever. You're my friend, so I'd help you out whenever you'd need it. [ Honestly saying it for once, yup. ]
[He takes his hand away, that lopsided grin appearing on his face as he sips his coffee.]
Since when are you a fuckin' softie? Cheh... but just so you know.... I still don't give a shit about most people, got it? A lot of them deserve what they get. [but he'll help his friends.]
Maybe I'll swing by and assist ya when you're in trouble, if I'm in the neighborhood. But other than that I'm not helpin' any of those shits out there.
[ There's a half-mumbled 'shut up' at the first part as she strokes her hair a little to get it back in order. ]
I wouldn't expect any different from you, Senji. [ just let her dere once in a while, geez!! ] But it's not like I particularly need help either way. I know how to fend for myself.
[Senji takes another sip of his coffee, standing and placing it on the bench where he had been sitting. He goes over to an area in the workout room, grabbing what looks to be a blade. He moves to slip it on his arm, and of course when he turns back to her the blade juts out, and it looks identical to his Branch of Sin.]
I wonder how well you can fight against an armed opponent, red. There's all kinds of shit around every turn.
[ .. So it comes down to this, huh? She can't exactly pretend, so.. ]
I haven't fought anyone using swords or whatever before, nobody uses those back home. Only guns. [ at least she admits it honestly, even if the pokerface doesn't fade. ] I've learned more how to survive by making good escapes.
BEFORE HE LUNGES AT HER!! Sorry Ange, he was really messed up after Chie died, he needs to see what she can do so he doesn't have to worry about her as much. He swings his blade at her, and even if she doesn't dodge it'll stop right before her neck- but hopefully she'll attempt to move.]
It's a good thing that her reflexes are still as good as ever after having had to endure so many surprise attacks and chases back home.. so the moment she notices him approaching that quickly her brain immediately starts working overtime. Dodging to the side or moving back won't help much, he's faster than her, so-- she quickly ducks, sliding to the floor and under the blade past Senji, hopefully ending up at his back instead then. ]
When she attempts to move behind him, he merely turns, bringing his blade back and he drags it across the floor and upwards right to where she is. Yet again he's making it easy for her to dodge, but if she doesn't dodge it'll stop right before her side.
She was doing alright, but he could read her movements and she could try and be faster too. Training, she needed training.]
[ He really is pretty fast too.. although she supposes it can't be helped, he's much more used to combat than she is, after all. All she can hope is to keep dodging him - attacking is practically impossible like this, her only option is trying to tackle him by kicking him at the ankles or something but he's so heavy there's no way even that would work, huh?
She quickly tries to dodge - backwards now she has more space to do so, away from him with a backflip. ]
[He grins at that, bursting out into laughter. Oh man he hadn't expected that from her at all! That's really interesting. She has some really good moves it seems! But okay, he's going to wrap this up already.
Senji dashes towards her, it seems like he's moving at a very fast pace unlike before, not actually holding back in this moment. In an instant he's closed the distance between them, and he's in his regular fighting stance, swiping at her and it seems far too fast for her to even see properly. His blade stops just short of her neck though, and Senji holds that position.]
Shit..! [ It's more out of instinct that she actually curses, since the moment he comes at her that fast she knows she's cornered. And she knows he won't really hurt her - which is why she's not surprised to stop it right in front of her neck there - but the situation almost made it feel that way all the same.
A moment or two later she seems to stop tensing up like that though, instead letting out a sigh. ]
.. Well, it's not like we were evenly matched to begin with.
....But there might be enemies out there that will be as strong as me, maybe even stronger. Don't go around claiming you're strong or that you'll be fine on your own, that's a way to get killed.
Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it, the difference between life and death for you could be another person watching your back.
[ Suddenly something that's so very simple but which she never really thought about seems to click in her mind with those words. Don't go around claiming that, that's a way.. to get killed.. That's right. She always has said that, but that's exactly because she was fine even with dying, right? Since she had nothing to live for anymore.
But here.. she does. That's why his advice suddenly seems even more important, as something that should be taken seriously no matter what. But even so-- ]
I wouldn't want to bring anyone else into trouble though. [ Even so, her selflessness is even stronger. ]
[He's going to remove that blade from his arm, setting it down somewhere. It's a damn good thing he got these custom made a long time ago, they've really come in handy.]
Either you train and get stronger or you ask someone that's strong enough to handle anything that comes your way. [HIM, PICK HIM.]
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And she's meanwhile thinking about how to subtly bring this up. But in the end it just comes down to the fact that Ange isn't really great at being subtle, so.. ]
.. I can ask you something, right?
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...How stupid.
Senji grunts in response before speaking up.] Yeah, what?
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Are you okay?
[ The question seems so.. well, ridiculous in this situation, since it's such a normal conversation question.. but she means more with it right now, and it's obvious. ]
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...What'dya talkin' about? I'm fine. [what's her deal?]
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I meant if you are okay or not. [ But she realises it's not very direct, so-- ] You're regressing. Don't you notice that yourself too?
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...What?
He frowns at her words. He straightens up, his eye narrowing as he watches her closely.]
You got about five seconds to explain yourself. The fuck d'ya mean by that? [In other words, no he hasn't noticed.]
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This is exactly what I mean. You've become more aggressive, and less.. well, less caring. Like you used to be in the very beginning. Not that you've ever cared a whole lot for random people, but you used to at least want to help your friends here. [ .. there's a very short pause, but-- ] Like when you helped me, remember? Back with those stabbings?
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...He wouldn't give a fuck- ....right?
Ah, that's it. He had come to care about people here without even knowing it fully himself. He had been.... actually having fun with them, he had come a long way, he had become less sadistic and more willing to open up to people. Three people even knew about his past, and to him that was a massive achievement by itself.
The convict continued to look into her blue eyes, for a moment the coffee entirely forgotten as he contemplated her words. Slowly his gaze slid to the floor, that cup moving up to his lips once more and he took a sip of the warming liquid. After he took it away from his mouth he finally spoke.]
....Is that so?
[It's such a simple statement, really. But it speaks volumes that he's not blowing up at her right now. Normally he would have, but in this case.... she really was right, wasn't she? He had become far too attached to people without realizing it, and when Chie got hurt.... he just got so overly angry at everything. Why though? This was obviously the answer.]
I tell people not to take steps back and then I'm the one that does it....? Keh- what a fuckin' joke.
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It's only human to do that. [ The least she can do is help him out more in return for not exploding, huh. ]
Sometimes it hurts so much that it's just.. easier to close yourself off. [ She knows all about that, it's practically the story of her life. ] Most of the time it even takes effort to not do that when bad things happen.
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Still...
Senji looks at her, a hand reaching out to her and patting her on the head.]
This makes us even, doesn't it? [since he helped her out before.]
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It has nothing to do with being 'even' or whatever. You're my friend, so I'd help you out whenever you'd need it. [ Honestly saying it for once, yup. ]
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Since when are you a fuckin' softie? Cheh... but just so you know.... I still don't give a shit about most people, got it? A lot of them deserve what they get. [but he'll help his friends.]
Maybe I'll swing by and assist ya when you're in trouble, if I'm in the neighborhood. But other than that I'm not helpin' any of those shits out there.
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I wouldn't expect any different from you, Senji. [ just let her dere once in a while, geez!! ] But it's not like I particularly need help either way. I know how to fend for myself.
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[Senji takes another sip of his coffee, standing and placing it on the bench where he had been sitting. He goes over to an area in the workout room, grabbing what looks to be a blade. He moves to slip it on his arm, and of course when he turns back to her the blade juts out, and it looks identical to his Branch of Sin.]
I wonder how well you can fight against an armed opponent, red. There's all kinds of shit around every turn.
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I haven't fought anyone using swords or whatever before, nobody uses those back home. Only guns. [ at least she admits it honestly, even if the pokerface doesn't fade. ] I've learned more how to survive by making good escapes.
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[he nods, looking down at his weapon...
BEFORE HE LUNGES AT HER!! Sorry Ange, he was really messed up after Chie died, he needs to see what she can do so he doesn't have to worry about her as much. He swings his blade at her, and even if she doesn't dodge it'll stop right before her neck- but hopefully she'll attempt to move.]
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It's a good thing that her reflexes are still as good as ever after having had to endure so many surprise attacks and chases back home.. so the moment she notices him approaching that quickly her brain immediately starts working overtime. Dodging to the side or moving back won't help much, he's faster than her, so-- she quickly ducks, sliding to the floor and under the blade past Senji, hopefully ending up at his back instead then. ]
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Far too predictable.
When she attempts to move behind him, he merely turns, bringing his blade back and he drags it across the floor and upwards right to where she is. Yet again he's making it easy for her to dodge, but if she doesn't dodge it'll stop right before her side.
She was doing alright, but he could read her movements and she could try and be faster too. Training, she needed training.]
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She quickly tries to dodge - backwards now she has more space to do so, away from him with a backflip. ]
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[He grins at that, bursting out into laughter. Oh man he hadn't expected that from her at all! That's really interesting. She has some really good moves it seems! But okay, he's going to wrap this up already.
Senji dashes towards her, it seems like he's moving at a very fast pace unlike before, not actually holding back in this moment. In an instant he's closed the distance between them, and he's in his regular fighting stance, swiping at her and it seems far too fast for her to even see properly. His blade stops just short of her neck though, and Senji holds that position.]
...But you're still too slow.
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A moment or two later she seems to stop tensing up like that though, instead letting out a sigh. ]
.. Well, it's not like we were evenly matched to begin with.
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True, but you do got some good moves. I guess I don't need to be concerned about you all that much. [...whoops.]
Well, not like I would ever be concerned, but still.
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....But there might be enemies out there that will be as strong as me, maybe even stronger. Don't go around claiming you're strong or that you'll be fine on your own, that's a way to get killed.
Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it, the difference between life and death for you could be another person watching your back.
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But here.. she does. That's why his advice suddenly seems even more important, as something that should be taken seriously no matter what. But even so-- ]
I wouldn't want to bring anyone else into trouble though. [ Even so, her selflessness is even stronger. ]
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[He's going to remove that blade from his arm, setting it down somewhere. It's a damn good thing he got these custom made a long time ago, they've really come in handy.]
Either you train and get stronger or you ask someone that's strong enough to handle anything that comes your way. [HIM, PICK HIM.]
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.. i meant to say someone LIKE that up there, what happened..
koz happened
koz' swag renders me unable to type normally
yep thats it totally
nailed it
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