GODLY AUDIENCES - TAKAOMI SHISHIMARU

[divus]

Comments

[divus]

Not just the gods, other people, too. Nothing says someone can't go to their patron god and offer you as a trade for something else.

[It's! A bad! System!]

...I'm not gonna tell you you have to get along with everybody. I didn't get along with a lot of people before this either. But I want to look after you and prepare you for whatever's coming next.

[bakaomi]

... being an asshole will probably make people less hesitant to kill me, right?

[ senri has been very insistent on that. ]

[divus]

Right. And it means they'll be less hesitant to leave you behind. [A beat. ] Learning to work with other people is going to be your greatest strength, but it comes with its own risks, too.

[bakaomi]

Mmhm. Whatever you tell someone could easily be spread around. Or it can be used against you.

[ for someone who already has issues with trusting people and hating goddamn liars, taka is having a great time!!! ]

[divus]

Exactly. [Look, Merriment is definitely on the same page here and it sucks.]

...I'll be honest with you, kid, I'm not great at peptalks. But I can give you advice and watch your back if you stick with me. It's my job. It's a hard line to figure out, but if you work with people, you'll figure out who'll stick around even if you mess things up.

[bakaomi]

...

I am pretty sure that yakuza guy wants to beat me up and leave my body behind a dumpster...?

[divus]

[There's a snort and Merriment shakes their head.]

Well I'd like to see him try to get through me first. [They'll interfere if they can? Excuse.]

...you've gotta pick your fights better. I'm not so sure he's worth it.

[bakaomi]

... it's a reflex.

[ even when taka is nice it's like

layered through tsun. ]

[divus]

So that explains the fights with Senri, too?

[Sorry your god's been watching you.]

[bakaomi]

[ oh

motherfucker ]

-- that's completely different!

[divus]

[Merriment just. Bursts out laughing.

I'm sorry, that's it, that's the tag. They think it's hilarious (and also maybe not so true.)]

[bakaomi]

-- oi! It's not funny!

[ it's very funny

taka's just tsun ]

[divus]

It's sort of funny. If you fight with him all the time, why do you stick with him?

[bakaomi]

... we're partners.

[ although even as he says this, he knows how weak the argument is. they're partners back home, not here. ]

[divus]

Well that's a good answer for normally, but what's the reason now? I don't know if I'd stick around with people from my old life if they were here. [Even as it's said though, there's a touch of something uncertain.]/small>

[bakaomi]

... mm.

[ he wants to question merriment more on that last bit, but he has a feeling he has to answer first. ]

He'd probably break down if he had to be a fake asshole the entire time here. He doesn't have to try that with me.

[divus]

[Hm.] Aren't you the one who said you're not really into people that aren't truthful? [Interesting.] Sounds exhausting for both of you.

[Though it makes Merriment wonder about Takaomi himself.] ...wonder if you could inspire that kind of thing in other people.

[bakaomi]

[ senri is exhausting, but despite takaomi's rough edges he... actually is a nice person deep down, and wouldn't let senri get himself killed. he would never admit to it out loud though. ]

What? The ability to stop being two-faced?

[divus]

[There's a reason Merriment extended their hand to you, Taka. Just Remember That.]

Not that. The ability to let their guard down.

[bakaomi]

[ he just looks genuinely bewildered at this lads ]

[divus]

...really? [TAKA...also that icon makes this so much worse goddamnit Francy.]

[bakaomi]

[ it's the first time i used it i'm so glad ]

Is my response that surprising?

[divus]

[...there's another laugh, but this time it's not exactly at Takaomi's expense.]

Maybe I'm just not used to dealing with teenagers. [It's just a thought.] Is it that surprising to think you just might be someone other people could confide in?

[bakaomi]

[ ... if he thinks about it, probably not, because back home there are people who come to him for help and advice. but he tries not to think about it too much, because it's weird and vaguely uncomfortable that someone else might want to depend on him. ]

No one here particularly likes me.

[ well except like madoka ]

[divus]

[Dear god is Takaomi the one braincell. Please no. Still, Merriment doesn't seem to find that answer surprising either.]

Well kiddo, not a lot of people like me right now either. [So there's that.] But I don't think that's impossible to change.