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

[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....

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