LABYRINTHUM INBOX

[placation]

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[laserhawk]

Yeah. It surprised me. I thought he'd be different from the way you talk about him.

[placation]

I'm flattered by the comparison.

What were you expecting, though? I'm curious. I find him difficult to describe, so...

[laserhawk]

I'm not sure. I don't have your teen obsession.

I thought he'd be the opposite of you. And that's what drew you to him.

[placation]

I don't have a teen obsession! Stop calling it that!

[laserhawk]

How many adult friends do you actually have.

[placation]

In this reality? Several! Many. In my true reality? None, because I have no friends. Now, let's move on.

There are key ways that Kurusu-kun and I differ, but I think we were always drawn to one another for the same reasons. He would sacrifice himself to help anyone.

[laserhawk]

Is "several" the people you couldn't tell that were in their twenties.

[ hmm. ]

Is that a good thing?

[placation]

[ HE'S NOT ANSWERING THAT. OH MY GOD. LEAVE HIM ALONE. For the purposes of this question and the general demographic of Visium, 20s counts as an adult. So does 19. Please don't call Eren a teen. He needs to go for a walk, actually. Bye. ]

In some ways. In others, not so much, but the pains will never deter him. It's a struggle I'm familiar with.

All the more reason I'm glad you stuck around to help him.

[laserhawk]

[ 🙄 ]

You might be making it a bigger thing than it is.

I'm just not in the business of leaving people behind.

[placation]

That's a big deal, in my book. Give yourself some credit.

[laserhawk]

. . . I'm glad it mattered. I hope he takes it to heart, that someone will stay.

But . . . not yet. I can't take that credit just yet.

[placation]

If you say so. I'm going to keep giving you credit whether you can take it or not, though.

[laserhawk]

If you do that, I'll start giving compliments again.

[placation]

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I would prefer that you continue dragging me through the mud about my taking in wayward teens.

[laserhawk]

Shocker.

Thankfully, I can do both.

[placation]

Please, stop kicking me when I'm down...

[laserhawk]

I'll let you off the hook.

Anyway all I said was not yet. Doesn't mean I won't accept it someday.

[placation]

Good. That's certainly progress.

Well, if I know Kurusu-kun, he won't shy away from letting you know how grateful he is for any help you give him.

[laserhawk]

It doesn't seem like he needs much help.

[placation]

Then his mask is more intact than mine ever was.

He isn't helpless. Don't get me wrong. But he could use some more people looking out for him.

[laserhawk]

. . . Because he can't help the way he is?

[placation]

More or less. It's in his nature.

Compared to how I knew him back in my reality, though... I do think he's trying to let others in more. It's a relief.

[laserhawk]

What do you want to have with him?

[placation]

[ What a question. The answer takes a while to come. ]

I'd like to be more honest with him than I was before. There was a lot that I had to keep from him, and I'm not proud of the way I went about things.

But I have less to hide now. And I can't expect him to throw off that mask around me if I don't do the same.

[laserhawk]

[ that's good to know. it helps dolph avoid potential missteps. he doesn't want to mess this up for maruki. ]

You'll get there.