Argenti's Palace

[beautifulknight]

The stage is set they say;
They don their masks and shields,
Shadows creep and cover their minds;
Now, what beautiful role shall they play?

𝓜𝓮𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓷 𝓒𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓵𝓮


♫

Comments

[goei]

I think whatever turned them into those monsters's what really killed him.

[Carefully choosing his words, or at least as much as Izou can do such a thing, now that he knows a little more about Eli's situation.]

[fullmoonmutt]

It... yeah. It was. When someone loses themselves to a transformation like that, you usually have no choice but to put them down.

[ Harsh as a reminder as it is that one day, that could be him with someone he cares about having to kill him, he isn't going to pretend like it isn't a simple fact of life.

So he just shrugs. See? He's fine. ]

But after you do, you always find yourself thinking, what if there had been a way to save them, you know?

[goei]

I've never had ta deal with a situation like that, so I dunno.

[Thinking is neither of their's strong suit.]

But I feel like, if it was someone you cared about, probably they wouldn't want you to agonize over it, yeah? And if it wasn't, then who cares what they think.

[fullmoonmutt]

[ They're both bozos, but Eli has way more experience with this. ]

I mean, yeah? But that's never how it goes, right? You'd feel bad about offing me if I lost control, right? I'd still want you to do it, but I know it would hurt you.

[goei]

[Damn well when you actually put names to it like that...]

... Yeah, I guess that's right. Kinda like the reverse of me and Ryouma, ain't it.

[Where he feels like he should be mad but just can't bring himself to act on it.]

Shit like this is what alcohol was invented for.

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Or therapy? Maybe therapy? Can we consider therapy? No? Well, alright. ]

More or less. Just try not to drink yourself into a hole if it happens. That would piss me off even more.

[goei]

[What's therapy.]

Fine, fine... Why d'you guys care so damn much about how much I drink anyways?

[fullmoonmutt]

... [ should he say it, should he ] 'cause you cry when you get drunk alone and it's awkward.

[goei]

I don't-
[Well]

I don't cry. I don't even always get sad. Just sometimes.

[fullmoonmutt]

...you were totally crying when I dragged you to bed, mate.

[goei]

I don't remember that.

[Is he just denying it or was he actually blacking out at that point. Impossible to say.]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Hmmmm. ]

Well. You were pretty wasted.

[goei]

... Yeah I was havin' a bad night.

[He'll admit that much.]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Welp, then here, have a hearty clap on the back. ]

Then drink with friends on the next bad night. We'll even hold your hair.

[goei]

[The idea of reaching out to people when he's at his lowest... Well, no, Eli and the rest of that group already saw him at his lowest, didn't they.]

... Alright. Dunno what you gotta hold my hair for though, it's already tied back.

[fullmoonmutt]

...you telling me you've never gotten puke in those long-ass bangs of yours?

[goei]

'Course not, I'm a professional!

[A PROFESSIONAL WHAT]

[fullmoonmutt]

Huh. I see.

[ no eli what do you see explain it for the rest of us?!

he will not ]

[goei]

[Then he will pay;]

What, were you just lookin' fer an excuse to touch my hair?

[fullmoonmutt]

[ wow..... look, if izou wants to play this game, then, ]

I mean, yeah. [ Real quick, he moves to snag Izou's ponytail like he did previously. ] It's so fluffy and soft, Izou!

[goei]

[NO!!! BACKFIRING!!!!!]

Wh-Don't yank it!!

[To be fair. It IS fluffy and soft.]

[fullmoonmutt]

I'm just touching, honest.

[ Squishing the fluffy poof of a ponytail between his fingers and everything. Take that, loser. ]

[goei]

[.... Well you know what he guesses this is fine actually.

But he's also going to retaliate by stealing a page from Celeste's playbook and pat Eli on his head as well.]

1/2

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Wow, unfortunately for Izou, that earns the usual kneejerk reaction (and super hypocritical, considering) of Eli letting go of Izou's ponytail and snapping at him, ]

Cut it out! I'm not a dog!

2/2

[fullmoonmutt]

[ ...only he sort of is, isn't he? Ughhhh. He forces himself to calm down immediately after snapping. It's fine, it's fine, it's fine. It's just Izou, after all. ]

...shit... sorry.