Audience: Tartaglia Childe

[probe]

Comments

[toyska]

Hello again. [Come lounge with him. They absolutely aren't going to talk about murder.] Did you have a good time today?

[probe]

Yeah, it was pretty fun. The day started out kind of crappy, but a party's always the thing to lift the mood. You didn't stay long, huh?

[toyska]

Haha, well, I've learned there's a perfect window of time to leave, before everyone starts to get [messy] maudlin.

[He loves the chaos of parties, but for Harbinger Reasons they're the sort of environment where he has to be extra careful, so he never actually participates as much as one might expect him to.

More importantly, a little frown.]

What happened earlier? [why crappy...]

[probe]

I guess. Sometimes it's more fun when the chaos starts.

[but she shakes her head.] It's nothing that you need to worry about. It's okay. I guess it's just...some stuff happened that surprised me. But I'll get over it.

[toyska]

Haha, you're not wrong there.

[smashcut to mineo and yuel getting into an argument over mineo's virginity]

Are you sure? I can fight someone, if you need it. [Childe.]

[probe]

Don't fight people you don't--you know what, never mind, I think you would want to fight literally everyone if we gave you the chance. But it's okay.

You were maybe right about being more careful with people. That's all.

[toyska]

[He absolutely would, but he'd only enjoy it if they were stronger than him.

But... ah. Well. He stares at her for a minute, like he's considering asking more about it--but then he simply lifts his arms slightly.]

Do you need a hug?

[probe]

[part of her wants to ask what the catch is because it's childe and sometimes she still has a hard time deciding what parts of him are bloodthirsty and what parts of him are actually sweet. but also. part of her is a teenager that's had her feelings hurt so like. sure. she's shifting over onto the couch for a hug and now he has to live with those life choices.]

[toyska]

[yeah he pulls out his knife and stabs her immediately--

--no, it's just a hug. It is in fact a very good hug, because he is a doting older brother and has lots of experience being comforting. This is hardly anything as selfless as that; it can't be, not when he can't offer his full trust or loyalty. But if there's anything nefarious going on here, it's not apparent; maybe somewhere else in the house one of the doors creaks open, but that's about it. They can stay like this for as long as she needs.]

[probe]

[he would be valid. but in all seriousness, a good hug is not too surprising but it's certainly welcome. she stays there for a few long moments and when childe doesn't immediately pull away she stays there for even longer.

luckily it's only for like a minute or two before she sits up again.]

Thanks. Sorry. That probably wasn't why you wanted to see me, huh?

[toyska]

[He doesn't try to stop her, just settles back on the couch when she pulls back.]

It wasn't on the agenda, but I'm adaptable. [It's not like there's a rush, he has time. She probably knows the main reason he's here anyway.] Feeling a little better?

[probe]

A little, yeah. [she settles back against the couch, turning so her side is leaning against the back cushions and she can see him better.] At least enough to listen.

[toyska]

[A nod. To business, then.

Well, almost.]

Before that, can I ask you a question?

[probe]

You just did. [that joke is never funny.] But I'm feeling really generous, so you can ask another one.

[go for it, childe. she's definitely curious.]

[toyska]

[STOP THAT'S A TERRIBLE JOKE. He smiles a little, though. Stupid.]

I admit it's a little late to be asking this, but... what's your name?

[Her old name, her real name, whatever it is she was, before she was Lust. It didn't matter much before--just like with their hoods, Childe knows perfectly well that a name and a face have nothing to do with a person's capacity for deception and violence. But it seems appropriate to ask now, considering he could very well be dead before the week is through.]

[probe]

Oh. [if she seems surprised, it's because she is? not a lot of people have asked for her real name (and some learned it by proxy of gaining her memories), but it isn't something she minds sharing either.

it's also why she lifts her hands to remove her hood. it seems like she's also come to that conclusion, too.]

It's Iris. Nice to meet you.

[and without the hood, childe can notice the heart-shaped pupils of her bright pink eyes and the way her hair is actually tied off into two twintails. the ends appear to be moving on their own, prehensile and shaping themselves into small hearts and waves. there seems to be something moving behind her bangs (and judging by the slight pink glow, it's likely a third eye), and from the collar of her cloak are the tips of those two small rainbow-colored wings. she's also wearing the cat headband.]

[toyska]

[He has more questions, of course--it's probably obvious from the way his eyes linger on that third eye, thoughts clearly moving behind his own. But whatever he's thinking about, he doesn't ask, for now. There will be time for that later, and he's not sure how many of his questions she could answer anyway.

But she already knows the names he actually uses, so there's not much for him to say in return besides--]

It's nice to meet you too.

[He's never gonna get another unmask because he has no intention of asking. Hilarious.

Anyway, with that out of the way... it is time for business!]

That room full of cameras, on the first floor. Is that going to be a problem?

[Do they have to smash the security cameras to murder]

[probe]

[leave her eye alone...but yeah, there's time for that later. she prepares herself for those questions instead.]

It's only going to be a problem if you make it a problem. So maybe stay away from the room entirely.

[don't smash the cameras.]

[toyska]

Good. That item of Molly's will be enough of a pain, and apparently I'm already under suspicion.

[His voice is so dry because the logic is so fucking flimsy... also yeah yeah it's only fair for the non-mini maf to get toys too he GUESSES. BUT STILL.

Anyway. This was a handwaved conversation but--]

I spoke with Mahito, and asked him how something like "Electro-charged" could be achieved in a place like this. He suggested using an appliance and the bathtub in Envy's house. [A sigh.] I'll have to apologize to him in advance.

[To Envy, he means, for wrecking his house two weeks in a row...]

[probe]

Well...[...look at the company you keep and the shit you say, childe. but that aside.]

Does it have to be Envy's house? [this isn't necessarily stopping him, but it's prompting him to explain their plan.]

[toyska]

[STOP THIS WOW Eleanor never would've gotten all the way from the House to the City and had time to set up a trap, it would've taken him like ten seconds to kill her.

But he nods.]

It's the best choice, from what I can tell. The bathroom has that spot on the wall, where you connect things to access the electricity. [Since apparently outlets were banned by the hot tub, and also he likes Sloth more and doesn't want to wreck their floor too much. Even though they'd probably care less than Envy. Stupid.] If Harrow and the others are still setting traps, my guess is that they'd target somewhere like the Sleep Bay or the elevator.

[It's the most logical thing to do with limited resources; trapping every single room on the base would take way too much time. If he actually cared about catching killers, that's what he would do.]

Thanks to Sloth, Lenore shouldn't be able to give me any trouble, so taking her there won't be a problem. I'll have to leave her body, but it's a boring method that doesn't require much skill or strength. [There's the bloodlust. God.] So I'm not particularly worried about it giving me away.

[Literally anyone can drop a toaster in a bathtub and leave...]

Their greatest enemy is usually wasting time, so Mahito and I will regroup and stage a fight somewhere else. The airport, most likely. That should be enough to distract them for a while.

[probe]

It's call an outlet, by the way. [...but okay, fine.] I guess that's as good a plan as any? But how do you know they won't just think the fight itself is staged and ignore it in the first place?

[toyska]

I don't, really. [It's a risk! However--] But I believe they're more likely to be thorough than not, and to look for any possible connections. They're very intent on motives, especially after the last couple of weeks.

[Gay drama has been the focus for a little while now, and people have seemingly forgotten that they're all here for personal gain... of course, Childe is extremely judgmental of everyone's attitudes and feelings around here, but that's why he hangs out with Mahito "actual sociopathic curse" Mahitoson.]

[probe]

Yeah, that's true. They're probably going to ask us a lot of questions and focus on the wrong things. But it's not like we can really hint much to them anyway.

[sigh.]

...and you're sure Mahito's not gonna backstab you somehow?

[toyska]

It would be just my luck if this is the one week they decide to be exceedingly clever.

[MAYBE THIS TIME THEY'LL SOLVE A CRIME WHEN THE ANSWER ISN'T IMMEDIATELY HANDED TO THEM... he sounds kind of amused by the possibility?! Terrible. Childe please worry more about getting caught.

And also about getting backstabbed, because he laughs quietly.]

No, I'm not. [Which is exactly what makes him so easy to be around! Childe can trust a bitch who is obviously going to betray him sooner or later. It will not be a surprise in the slightest.] But I'm fairly confident he won't just yet. I make a very good pawn, after all.

[If he was entertaining enough for Zhongli, he's pretty sure Mahito will want to keep him around too. Not 100%, because it's Mahito? But still, it's not terribly high on his list of concerns.]