[Meanwhile, Harrow is still out for the blood of whoever cursed SQX and Aoi.
He sighs at that, though. Law...]
I would have claimed the injuries on his hands and arms, if needed. I didn't know what he'd planned to do about the stains. [That part wasn't his job.] But he said early on that he didn't expect much, and I suppose he thought he couldn't lie his way out of Harrow and Molly's trap. [...] I don't know why he didn't say anything about me, though. More noble than I would've been.
[Childe was absolutely ready for Law to doxx him and Mahito because that's what he would've done.]
It was a pretty damning trap. Really smart of them. [but they look up while scooping ice cream.]
I don't know how to tell you this in a way you'll actually believe, but not everyone is actually out to get you. And he had a point. You weren't really involved in the killing itself. So it made no sense to bring you or Mahito up.
Especially if you guys might kill someone in the future anyway.
[It sure was and Childe is very glad that he never had any intention of using the healing pods for a murder anyway. HIS INTUITION WAS CORRECT.]
I didn't think he was out to get me. [A shrug. He is definitely paranoid to an extent, but he wasn't expecting Law to like. Try and frame him or something.] I just thought he'd try harder to save himself.
[Self-interest, at the end of the day. But there's a pause, as he considers.] Rather--he had no reason to protect either of us, and plenty of reasons not to. [He smiles, albeit wryly.] But I'm well aware that most people here don't feel the way I do.
Maybe he thought it wasn't worth it in the end with that much evidence. Sometimes people just give up when they know they're caught and don't care anymore.
[the ice cream is getting drowned in some caramel.]
Have you thought about going to talk to him and asking him yourself?
[Well, yeah, partially that for sure. He hasn't pretended to care about people's deaths who are unrelated to him. But mostly...]
I'm just not sure what good it would do. There's no guarantee he'll die tomorrow. [He smiles, then, though he looks a little tired.] Besides, I've spoken carelessly before. I'd rather not do it again.
[He made a wrong assumption about Lust, and he'll own that--but in general, he just knows that he isn't exactly the best person to go comforting people on their potential deathbeds. The best he could offer is "hey fight good tomorrow", and anybody he likes enough to go visit would already do that anyway.]
To an extent. [He's watching this very intricate process curiously. How is the ratio.] And because forming connections here is complicated.
[It's a very delicate balance of growing trust without letting other people, or himself, get too close. He's not sadistic enough to enjoy the way this place works.
That's a fair point, though, and he tips his head slightly to acknowledge it.]
I considered it. But I haven't been close enough to anyone who's ended up there for them to tell me anything of interest. And I doubted they'd appreciate a stranger barging in and demanding answers. [Also, quite frankly--] Things have a way of getting back to me sooner or later anyway.
[Like, he's not claiming to be a mastermind know-it-all of everything everyone here is doing, but. He's gotten plenty of information second and thirdhand.]
Yeah. I'll give you that. [even with as much as lust likes people, they can see why connections are a pain.]
People ask us enough questions without talking to us otherwise that I can imagine it'd be annoying. [another tastetest...and then they add some sprinkles.] And since Mahito's, like, everywhere? And Gu Yun, too. That doesn't surprise me.
I have been doing this sort of thing for a while. [So, yeah!! Those two are definitely his two greatest assets, though he has a handful of people he could speak with and be fairly confident they'd give him information without a struggle, too.] My subordinates at home have no complaints.
[That said--]
I know it's not worth much, but I do enjoy spending time with you.
[it is a science! it is also a science with whipped cream and a cherry on top.]
It's pretty weird to think about you having real subordinates at all when you're not even that old. [not that that has anything to do with it.] But practice makes perfect.
[they perk up a little.] It's worth more than you think, but I also think I like it more than you do sometimes.
[He grins at that, finally reaching for his own bowl and the ice cream.]
Well, as you can imagine, I don't make the best subordinate. [Sometimes your dad ships you off to the "army" when you're 14 years old and you beat up all the soldiers. It's fine. The point is that any time he follows orders, it's a conscious choice on his own part.] But I do remember what it's like to be one, and I try to treat them well.
[But also--]
I suppose I just find it strange that you want to. [Lust. He doesn't know how friendship works. Why haven't you tried to stab him yet.] Surely you get along better with the others, don't you?
[Misa? Aoi? Molly? Yuri? Literally anyone else besides the second worst person in the game?]
You're too headstrong. [imagining childe listening to anybody is pretty hard, actually, given what they know about him.]
I get along with other people, yeah, but...I also think you focus so much on why you're not a nice person even when you say things like "I treat my subordinates well."
You're callous and you're mean sometimes but I like talking to you because you're realistic about things, too.
I don't really want to waste time deciding if I do or don't want to be someone's friend. I'd rather just do it and then decide later. [and then they point their spoon at him.]
Besides, the company you keep is kinda creepy sometimes. [cheerfully dunking on mahito? yeah.]
He played a game with me the other day though, so that was fun. [mahito's a fucking menace but at least he likes video games.] But then again even some of the nicest people haven't spoken to me at all, so that's just the other reason.
[Mahito is definitely the worst person in the game. Somehow Childe just ended up being the second worst. Terrible.]
Really? [He seems a little surprised, but that's probably because he has a different view of who the "nicest people" in the game are.] Who do you want to talk to?
[White marched up to him and demanded his autograph for Sloth so Childe can go around bullying people into talking to Lust, it's only fair]
It doesn't matter. It's not that I want people to talk to me, it's that people that are supposedly really nice just haven't. Liiiike I never spoke to Omi or anything.
[Hmmm. He watches Lust for a moment, then hums, taking a bite of his unfancy ice cream.]
Well, you're always welcome to message me. [...A pause, as he thinks about the uhhhhh easiest form of indulgence wow awkward--] It might take a little time, but I promise I'll answer.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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He sighs at that, though. Law...]
I would have claimed the injuries on his hands and arms, if needed. I didn't know what he'd planned to do about the stains. [That part wasn't his job.] But he said early on that he didn't expect much, and I suppose he thought he couldn't lie his way out of Harrow and Molly's trap. [...] I don't know why he didn't say anything about me, though. More noble than I would've been.
[Childe was absolutely ready for Law to doxx him and Mahito because that's what he would've done.]
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I don't know how to tell you this in a way you'll actually believe, but not everyone is actually out to get you. And he had a point. You weren't really involved in the killing itself. So it made no sense to bring you or Mahito up.
Especially if you guys might kill someone in the future anyway.
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I didn't think he was out to get me. [A shrug. He is definitely paranoid to an extent, but he wasn't expecting Law to like. Try and frame him or something.] I just thought he'd try harder to save himself.
[Self-interest, at the end of the day. But there's a pause, as he considers.] Rather--he had no reason to protect either of us, and plenty of reasons not to. [He smiles, albeit wryly.] But I'm well aware that most people here don't feel the way I do.
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[the ice cream is getting drowned in some caramel.]
Have you thought about going to talk to him and asking him yourself?
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I suppose so.
[Cannot relate!!! But Childe would also not commit a crime of passion (in that way) (for anybody here) so who knows.
But he blinks, then shakes his head a little.]
I never go see anyone before the executions.
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How come? Not important? [...] I guess with the people who've been voted for, they aren't really that close to you are they?
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I'm just not sure what good it would do. There's no guarantee he'll die tomorrow. [He smiles, then, though he looks a little tired.] Besides, I've spoken carelessly before. I'd rather not do it again.
[He made a wrong assumption about Lust, and he'll own that--but in general, he just knows that he isn't exactly the best person to go comforting people on their potential deathbeds. The best he could offer is "hey fight good tomorrow", and anybody he likes enough to go visit would already do that anyway.]
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I just thought you'd ask around for any kind of information you could use. You never know.
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[It's a very delicate balance of growing trust without letting other people, or himself, get too close. He's not sadistic enough to enjoy the way this place works.
That's a fair point, though, and he tips his head slightly to acknowledge it.]
I considered it. But I haven't been close enough to anyone who's ended up there for them to tell me anything of interest. And I doubted they'd appreciate a stranger barging in and demanding answers. [Also, quite frankly--] Things have a way of getting back to me sooner or later anyway.
[Like, he's not claiming to be a mastermind know-it-all of everything everyone here is doing, but. He's gotten plenty of information second and thirdhand.]
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Yeah. I'll give you that. [even with as much as lust likes people, they can see why connections are a pain.]
People ask us enough questions without talking to us otherwise that I can imagine it'd be annoying. [another tastetest...and then they add some sprinkles.] And since Mahito's, like, everywhere? And Gu Yun, too. That doesn't surprise me.
Like you have underlings or something.
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But he just smiles at that.]
I have been doing this sort of thing for a while. [So, yeah!! Those two are definitely his two greatest assets, though he has a handful of people he could speak with and be fairly confident they'd give him information without a struggle, too.] My subordinates at home have no complaints.
[That said--]
I know it's not worth much, but I do enjoy spending time with you.
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It's pretty weird to think about you having real subordinates at all when you're not even that old. [not that that has anything to do with it.] But practice makes perfect.
[they perk up a little.] It's worth more than you think, but I also think I like it more than you do sometimes.
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Well, as you can imagine, I don't make the best subordinate. [Sometimes your dad ships you off to the "army" when you're 14 years old and you beat up all the soldiers. It's fine. The point is that any time he follows orders, it's a conscious choice on his own part.] But I do remember what it's like to be one, and I try to treat them well.
[But also--]
I suppose I just find it strange that you want to. [Lust. He doesn't know how friendship works. Why haven't you tried to stab him yet.] Surely you get along better with the others, don't you?
[Misa? Aoi? Molly? Yuri? Literally anyone else besides the second worst person in the game?]
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I get along with other people, yeah, but...I also think you focus so much on why you're not a nice person even when you say things like "I treat my subordinates well."
You're callous and you're mean sometimes but I like talking to you because you're realistic about things, too.
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[(genshin impact voice) he is a NEXUS OF STRIFE. But he looks contemplative.
Whatever he thinks about that, though, he apparently doesn't feel like saying.]
I suppose I can't really judge anyone for the company they choose to keep.
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I don't really want to waste time deciding if I do or don't want to be someone's friend. I'd rather just do it and then decide later. [and then they point their spoon at him.]
Besides, the company you keep is kinda creepy sometimes. [cheerfully dunking on mahito? yeah.]
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[Like, he's not complaining. But Childe also likes most people! It just doesn't affect his willingness to stab them.
He can't help his laughter at that, though, because Mahito absolutely deserves to be dunked on.]
I won't argue with you there. [MAHITO DESERVES CHEERFUL DUNKING. Mahito would laugh about cheerful dunking, it's fine.]
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[why they make their own decisions, basically.]
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Really? [He seems a little surprised, but that's probably because he has a different view of who the "nicest people" in the game are.] Who do you want to talk to?
[White marched up to him and demanded his autograph for Sloth so Childe can go around bullying people into talking to Lust, it's only fair]
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It doesn't matter. It's not that I want people to talk to me, it's that people that are supposedly really nice just haven't. Liiiike I never spoke to Omi or anything.
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Why not reach out first? [Granted, he's pretty sure they're fairly busy, but still. It's not like Lust is shy?]
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Not always worth it. If people come to me, that means they want to.
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Well, you're always welcome to message me. [...A pause, as he thinks about the uhhhhh easiest form of indulgence wow awkward--] It might take a little time, but I promise I'll answer.
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[HIS SLUT CRIMES]