nightchild | does roxana know of my love for her....

[ Taking long walks on the night at beach is a romantic activity, Itsuki.

But yeah, she takes his arm, as usual. ]

One last walk, if everything goes as planned.

[look they've walked here before!!! and it's peaceful!!]

I hope it does. [the same way everyone is hoping,

he holds out his other hand for her shoes.]

[ She changed into something nice and comfy after "trial" ended today, so she's wearing something more like wedges than heels, but she hands them to him. ]

If the Prism doesn't listen, we'll have to figure something else out, but at least, we won't have to start from the beginning again.

[ They know how color fucking works now. Sort of. ]

Already planning ahead, huh?

[that's very much like her too, he dangles the wedges from his other hand as he walks aimlessly down the beach.]

...Makes me glad that you're here to keep me on my toes.

I am trying to be optimistic.

[ She thinks tomorrow will be fine? Or well, at least there won't be an execution. ]

You have others for that.

Edited 2022-04-10 04:10 (UTC)

I do, but I don't mind adding you to that list.

[he turns his head to look at her,]

We'll be seeing more of each other anyway, so I want to get along with you too, Ana-chan.

There is no guarantee we'll see each other after tomorrow unless there's no escape.

[ But she thought they were getting along fine before now? ]

Were we not getting along before?

[he huffs a laugh at the first part, because he knows it's true.

at the second, he tilts his head, thinking.]

...Sorry, I don't mean just 'getting along'. [as always, he has that habit of making light of something, even if he hadn't meant to.

he almost reaches up to run nervous hands through his hair -- but his arm is Roxana's, and the other is carrying her shoes, so he stays still,]

I want to be honest with you, and I'd like it if you were honest with me.

...And I'd like to be someone you can rely on and trust, and someone I can trust too. As Buzen's master, and as a friend.

[ Roxana is such a dishonest bitch, Itsuki. The work is cut out for anyone who wants to keep in touch with her.

The things he has to suffer for wanting to be accommodating is funny. She won't comment on his nervous movements. She looks up at him since he's a tall twink. ]

What exactly do you mean by that?

[He looks down at her since she's a smol gal,

he'll just go ahead and say it, and let Roxana decide what she wants to do.]

...Buzen cares about you. And I do too -- even before Buzen mentioned that he wanted to serve you.

If he's going to be a part of your life, then I want to be too. ...I love him too much to stay away, even if it's a bond that doesn't involve me.

[ she is the taller side of average? not everyone is an otome li.

She laughs a little. ]

I never expected you to stay away. If anything, I was ready to let him go.

[ Not because she wouldn't want to have Buzen as a sword to use, but if only because if things are to end, she wants it to be on her terms. ]

I've told enough people that the path I walk is one that goes to hell.

[ She has already made it clear she's not a good person, and she knows it. She knows it too well. Does he still want some part of that? ]

[Itsuki considers this, his expression thoughtful.

It's not a surprise to him, but he wants to answer seriously.]

...Buzen won't let you walk that path alone, wherever it leads.

['I don't want to leave her by herself.']

So neither will I. And if the both of you don't want me to walk with you, then I'll be waiting on the other side. Until you both return.

[ ... ]

You would accept that? That I'm willing to do terrible things for a means to an end.

[ She's already said as much to him in previous conversations, but she is being more genuine now than before.

She can guess that Itsuki already knows about what Buzen has had to do for his missions, but Buzen is a sword given a duty. There was little choice for Buzen.

There is a choice for Roxana even if her other choices would lead to death. ]

I would.

[he knows that he's led a soft life, maybe even peaceful compared to many of the others here. he admitted as much to buzen -- that he won't truly understand the lives he and Roxana have to lead.

...but he likes to think that he understands -- maybe not their lives -- but what happens when you make a decision, knowing that you'll spill the blood of another, and knowing that you'll carry that forever. and he understands the urge to live on despite all the pain you can cause, for the sake of something far more important.]

If you can admit that to me, then I can accept it.

[...]

The only line I'll draw is for Buzen. [he smiles, soft] ...If he ever becomes a means to your end -- if he dies while trying to be... then I'll have to try and kill you.

[he can admit that to her, 'try' being the operative word here. he doesn't think he'd succeed, but he knows he'd try.]

[ There is no surprise. She knew she sensed the yan in this man. This is why she thought Itsuki should have said no in the first place. Buzen wants to be used, and he may even expect to be sacrificed, too. ]

You won't succeed.

[ Even if she knows Buzen would choose Itsuki over her, that's something she already took into account. Truly, she was ready to leave her sword behind, but she's not stupid or self-sacrificial enough to not use a tool who wants to be used. ]

I appreciate your honesty.

[ It's not the right dialogue option, but it's not a wrong one either since it's what she expects from Itsuki. ]

I don't want him to break.

[ That's her honesty.

She would do her best to avoid that outcome, as her own selfish wish, but if it ever come to a reality that Buzen would break, she'd want to do it herself. ]

[he nods at that, and there's something like relief on his face too.

even at the end, he cannot read roxana as well as he likes. but he knows that these three sentences are as honest as she's ever been with him, and he'll keep them close to his heart]

I know.

[because he'll try to kill her yes, but he doesn't want to succeed.]

I appreciate yours too. I always have.

[even when Roxana doesn't say the things he wants to hear from her, or when she tells him that she's not a good person, ready to do whatever she can]

...And I believe you.

[the whole time he talks, he moves Roxana's wedges to his other hand, so that he can press his over the one on his arm.]

[ She tells him she's not a good person because she isn't. She knows what is and isn't good. Her moral compass isn't broken. She just doesn't follow it. The problem with reading Roxana is that she doesn't want to be read.

She lets him do that, and she looks from where he puts his hand and up at him. ]

I think I'm more selfish than the both of you combined.

[ Even if Itsuki is insanely jealous and yan adjacent, she's pretty sure she does more to get what she wants than he does. ]

[smooches this ara tag

his face breaks into another smile and then he laughs, squeezing her hand lightly.]

Good. You'll balance the both of us then.

[SOMEONE has to do the taking in this platonic polycule. it could be itsuki, but he's a giver at heart, and so is buzen. two extreme givers + one taker = profit???]

If things go well tomorrow, and the prism is changed... what will you do once you're home?

[ is it a platonic polycule yet.... roxana hasn't accept itsuki yet... he has more work to do.

She will take everything Buzen and Itsuki have to offer her until it becomes too foolish of her to. ]

There were plans set in motion. A revolt needs to be put down.

[he'll put the work in.... baps my hand on you... psl....]

A revolt...

[at least he's more familiar with that than war (general), for as all-seeing The World is, there are still pockets of people who hate what it stands for.]

Against your family?

[ if you set it up, i'll be there..... work hard, itsuki.... work hard. choose correct dialogue options on purpose instead of the wrong ones... ]

My brother is rebelling against my father.

[ Your world is so fucked up, Itsuki, that you don't even know what year you're from. ]

[HE WILL.... HE'LL TRY....

the way he'll never know plot bc he'll always choose to be domestic every time,

Itsuki tilts his head at that, hm. considering the little he's gotten to learn about Roxana's family...]

...How are his chances?

[ stop trying to be domestic 20 percent of the time, itsuki. choosing ignorance is THE WRONG CHOICE.

She shakes her head. ]

None. My father will crush him immediately.

[ Because that's how she planned it. ]

does roxana know of my love for her....

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject