probe | Audience: Gojou Satoru

[in a show of true maturity, miles reaches forward and knocks one of gojou's pieces over before pointedly staring at the board.]

We're friends. We fell out of touch for several years, but we've made amends.

[ Looks at his piece for like a whole five seconds, then looks at Miles.

He wants to laugh so bad, but he’s just in a state of shock?? ]

[...

...he sets the piece upright again? quit looking at him like that.]

[ No. It’s okay. He will move this piece and keep it in the same position Miles originally left it. On the cold, hard board. Even if he’s using it to take Miles’ pieces. ]

When you save him, are you going to gloat?

[goddamnit.]

Why on earth would I do such a thing?

... Why not?

[ WHY IS THAT A QUESTION? ]

[...that's also a good point and he considers this for a moment. the reason, of course, is that this likely has been a very damaging situation for phoenix and it wasn't as if he had gloated over saving miles' life. then again, phoenix was also a bigger person half the time. ]

The situation is complicated, to say the least. But we will be even.

[and he'll just have to do something else to gloat about later. as you do.]

[ He puffs out his cheeks. ]

All right. That's good enough for me.

[ Google tells me Miles wins again this round and Gojou squints. ]

I'm going to play more chess when I go home.

[ Even if Gojou doesn't know if they'll be able to see each other ever again, he doesn't like knowing that he lost twice. ]

[unfortunately he's satisfied with this win, taking the king for himself in a similar manner before leaning back in his seat. he twirls the piece between his fingers almost languidly, considering those implications.]

Practice all you want. I'm not sure it'll do you any good. [because it's easy to be like this, and it's easy to hang on to the idea that this will be the last time they ever see each other. better to believe that than think otherwise and be disappointed down the line.]

But if you ever feel like challenging me again, we'll play another game.

[ Gojou frowns and sulks for a bit... He isn’t so much a sore loser to throw a tantrum, but he does act out in small ways. ]

It has to do me some good... Beating my own imaginary Miles won’t be the same, but sometimes you have to settle.

[ Until they all learn Beau is like PORTALS FOR EVERYONE. ]

Got another three hypothetical questions?

When have you ever settled for settling? [it's an aside, but he thinks it's a little funny. he looks at the king in his hand and he still does nothing to set it down.]

...to be frank, I think I could spend quite a while asking you hypothetical questions. I think I just know better.

Sometimes the universe hands us a set of cards and we can only redraw so many times. Unless you want to visit me in my prison realm, I’ll have to settle.

[ his box jaaaail. ]

Aaaah, has the curiosity run dry? Well, you won so you can have whatever you want.

[there's a noise of disagreement that essentially says the box jail makes things impossible. but he gives him a wry smile in return.]

Not precisely whatever. [and it's maybe as bold as he's going to get about that before he looks at the ceiling of his bedroom.]

...not a hypothetical, but how long are you going to wait around in that box waiting for someone to save you?

[ Rather than the box is a cockblock, the amount of wishes he has to use is one and he has a flea to consider that also has a wish. He raises his eyebrows as Miles huffs and puffs, snickering because wow. ]

I've only waited for five minutes so far! Though I don't know how long has passed outside. I might be the strongest sorcerer, but this box is impossible to break from the inside.

[ Now that he thinks about it? ]

It's actually the first time I need saving. I mean, I needed saving when I was about to die, but I pulled through on that one.

[leave him alone.]

So it's no different than being here. I've no idea how much time's passed outside of the base, if time's even passing at all. [there's a grumble of something that sounds similar to bitching about stubborn people and incredibly infuriating people who can just pull themselves out of life or death situations with ease but he lets it go.]

That doesn't answer the question though. How long are you going to wait? [he's aware there likely isn't a different answer, but he's curious if there's any kind of back-up plan at all.]

[ He gently taps Miles' shin with his foot when he hears the bitching under his breath. Yes, it's a small kick. Heyyy. Be nice! ]

Until I die, I guess? I'll try to figure something out while I'm in there since there's nothing else to do...

[ Let him clarify why he doesn't have a backup plan: ]

I was caught by surprise with the box.

[nooo kicky. he uses his free hand to sort of swat at gojou's foot but he doesn't think much of it beyond that.]

Right, as you mentioned. [which is why he's here in the first place. but this time he raises both eyebrows.]

I would ask how you could have been surprised by the box, but stupider things have happened. [and if you really want to catch someone off-guard, you have a plan.] I can't imagine things being terribly sustainable in an infinity box, but...[..."You know, sorcerers die alone because we usually go on missions alone."

hm.]

Knowing you, you''ll luck out and the box will open on its own due to someone else's lapse in judgment. [or so he hopes.]

[ Oh, god... Being trapped in a box is funny, but how he got there isn't so much? He crosses his legs after being batted away from kicking Miles. ]

I might! Usually, I'm lucky.

[ Maybe. He actually isn't sure. ]

For the Prison Realm to trap someone, the target has to be within a four meter radius and they have to stay within the range for a whole minute. I got caught by surprise because the curse user who trapped me snatched and used Suguru's body. Kind of had a moment where I was confused because... Suguru's dead.

[it's hard to say what miles was expecting, but it wasn't that and it shows. his expression freezes a little, a funny combination of horrified and affronted. it's obviously one thing to be tricked. it's another to be tricked in such a manner, especially knowing what he knows about gojou.

there's a lull of silence as he thinks of how to reply.]

...I hadn't realized that's what caused it. [he doesn't quite think an apology is what needs to be said, or an expression of sympathy, but it's also clear that he's not impressed and he's actually a little frustrated something like that happened.] Someone who knew what would work against you then.

... I was weak.

[ That's all there is to it. Gojou doesn't try to make excuses for it where he was not prepared for someone possessing Suguru's body... Or that this was so underhanded only someone so vile would inflict it onto anyone.

He should have been prepared for anything. ]

That's that! I'm in a box, but I'll figure it out.

[he has a lot of thoughts on that, both on the act itself and on the way gojou waves it off as an act brought on by a moment of weakness. but it isn't necessarily his place to say anything. that's that.

...finally he puts the king down on the board.]

Of course you will. [how, he has no idea, but it wouldn't surprise him if gojou found a way out soon.] A shame I won't hear of it after this is over, but I'm sure you'll manage just fine.

[ Miles is really thinky and Gojou doesn't know why... This is why your hair is grey? ]

Maybe the universe will be kind and let us contact each other? Then I can just text you while I'm in the box and when I get out!

[ Thinking some more. ]

I can send you pictures, too.

[rip to gojou who will never know anything now that emotionsharing is over.]

...we'll see. It isn't something I'm anticipating but if that's the case, then I expect full reports.

[ One day, emotionshare will come back, and Gojou will terrorize EVERYONE again. ]

... Through text?

[ He's trying to imagine it with the character limit. ]

If you find other means, go ahead. [this is where miles is getting ahead of himself because he's fairly certain the phones won't work beyond this, so whatever he tells gojou really won't matter.

of course he's worried about him in the box, but...well. what can he do about it? not much. so all he can do is talk around it.]

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