Now only this seems clear

[deaftly]

Who: Naki (deaftly) + Greed (ossifragant)
Where: Goldenrod City
When: 2/7, 10 AM
Summary: Some idiots decide to test their theory about people gaining EXP. This involves punching each other like the well-adjusted individuals they are. Continued from this stupid thread.
Rating: PG-13, maybe? Naki really loves cussing.
Log:
[Well, Naki was going to stay up all night and wait for the hail to die down, but he ended up getting bored of hanging out near the windows upstairs and kind of accidentally fell asleep back in his room. It was definitely an accident, it wasn't like he purposefully went down there to sleep or anything. Anyway, the point is that he doesn't realize it's stopped hailing until he gets up and rushes upstairs to check outside. This is then immediately followed by a text message sent to Greed.]

ASSHOLE U DIDNT TEXT ME

ITS STOPPED HAILING LETS FUCKING GO

MEET ME IN FRONT OF THE DEPARTMENT STORE IN TWENTY MINUTES

[You won't have to wait for Naki, surprisingly. He's actually functioning before noon, so he must have gone to bed early last night. He also looks entirely too wound-up for his own good, so this will probably end stupidly.]

Comments

[ossifragant]

He sounds like a fancy guy.

[...Greed.]

I'm not picky, myself.

[deaftly]

He is, yeah! Too fancy, sometimes. And his taste in clothes is fucking awful. But I'm glad he's here.

[He grins widely for a moment before focusing back on the topic.]

But I'm glad to hear that! 'Cause going out with Tsukiyama's a pain in the ass. He doesn't like cake or very many sweets.

[MISSING OUT, AMERICANO]

[ossifragant]

[He's run into Tsukiyama in person before. The clothes really do need some work... granted, Greed would never actually say anything because he doesn't care that much, but he's certainly found himself wondering about the man before.]

Somehow I'm not surprised. He doesn't strike me as the type of guy who likes sweets.

[Then again, Greed doesn't like them, either.]

I've never been a fan of being fancy, myself.

[What a shocking revelation.]

[deaftly]

He doesn't like dairy either, can you imagine?

[Naki shakes his head. What would he do without ice cream cakes???]

I'm not a fan of it either. I mean, yeah, I wear a suit all the goddamn time, but that's... not really being fancy so much as it is... something I do?

[It started because of Yamori, but it would just feel weird to change it now. Besides, he does clean up pretty nicely with the suit.]

[ossifragant]

I'm sure you can change your friend's mind. With enough effort, anyway.

[Greed isn't a huge fan of sweets, but he still appreciates them, anyway.]

You look pretty good in suits. I don't think there's any reason to switch into something more casual if you like how you look in them.

[deaftly]

[Naki will never say no to flattery and he immediately looks very pleased.]

Of course I like how I look in them! I look pretty damn good, after all. Thanks for noticing.

[THE AMOUNT OF SMUG HERE, GREED, LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE]

[ossifragant]

[Well, this is Greed. Flattering people is just something he does. His no lying policy means he's honest enough, at least. Though Naki might not know that, oops.]

So humble, too.

Well, there's no sense showing humility when it's true, right?

[GREED NO]

[deaftly]

See, you get me! Everyone's always telling me to knock it off 'cause I'm supposedly nowhere near as awesome as I think I am, but they're full of shit. I'm fucking amazing.

[GREED NO]

[ossifragant]

Exactly!

[Greed, this is why you end up in trouble.]

You and I should meet up more often.

[deaftly]

I'd really like that! Talking to you's always fun.

[Probably because he strokes your ego, goddammit Naki.]

I've got no plans on leaving town and I'm usually not doing anything, so let me know whenever you wanna meet up!

[ossifragant]

[Not that Greed minds. Stroking people's egos is what Greed does best, apparently. You'd think he wouldn't do that considering his luck making allies.]

I can't say I have any plans to leave, either. If our schedules align, this could be a regular thing.

[deaftly]

I'd really like that.

[Naki settles a bit and the smirk he gives is probably as close to a genuine smile that he can get.]

Thanks. I mean it. It's not often I find people I can actually tolerate, let alone really like.

[ossifragant]

[Were Greed a less arrogant man, he might actually be rather flustered by Naki's words. Instead, he smirks, looking like he's had his own ego stroked.]

Not a problem.

[deaftly]

Hey, don't get too smug about it, you got that!?

[...And Naki defaults back to being aggressive, because Naki.]

[ossifragant]

[...Naki.

We were doing so well.]

Of course not.

[deaftly]

[He tried!!! And then failed really hard. As usual.]

Yeah!! Okay! Good!!

[ossifragant]

[And yet he still likes you.]

What kind of world did you come from, if you don't mind my asking? Of course I'll tell you whatever you want in return.

[deaftly]

[Greed no...]

I come from Tokyo. It's a big city like this, but it's... hmm. It's definitely not the same. Darker, maybe? I dunno, a bunch of shit goes down back there that definitely isn't happening here. I mean, I'm part of a gang back home. Well, "gang" might be the wrong word. It's um... more organized? Shit, I dunno.

[Naki leans back in his seat, twirling his fork between his fingers as he thinks. He won't reveal everything, of course, but it's kind of nice to try to talk about this.]

It's called Aogiri. The gang-thing. I used to think they were really good to me, since they took me in and everything, but really... I've had a lot of time to think about it and they've all been shitty to me. There's some bratty kid who has about as much power in that group as I do, so that should say fucking everything. They gave me a couple of bodyguards, but I can't understand 'em and I'm not sure they can understand me. They're pretty cool though. The bodyguards, not anyone else.

I joined 'cause of my bro, Yamori. If he hadn't been there, I never would've been let in. They don't like me, I don't think. I mean, I'm not a bad fighter or anything, but I guess I'm not all that good at... not fucking things up. Besides fighting I'm really only good at running errands.

[This doesn't bother him any, but Naki sets the fork down and rests his elbows on the table, folding his hands.]

I didn't realize how badly they treated me until I got here and had some time to think about it. If any of the bastards show up here, I'm not helping them. Americano-- Tsukiyama - he's the guy who's been the most helpful and good to me here. None of them are here, so I guess it's kinda not fair to compare the two, but... I don't think anyone from Aogiri would've been there for me while I was figuring this place out.

Yeah, I know I'm not gonna remember shit about this place when I get home, but if any of 'em show up here, I'm siding with Tsukiyama. I don't give a shit about being loyal to that group of bastards.

[...]

And maybe... Maybe he'll trust me more if he sees that. Tsukiyama, I mean. There's still a lot of shit he doesn't tell me. It's not like I have to know or anything, but... It'd be nice.

[...He's gone on for a long time about nothing, hasn't he?]

Ah, shit, sorry. That wasn't a good explanation, was it? I'd tell you more if I could, but it's not really all that interesting.

[Besides the ghoul part. It's kind of hard to explain everything that happened without mentioning that.]

[ossifragant]

[He's silent throughout Naki's explanation, looking attentive and interested, but saying nothing so he can let Naki about himself. Really, Greed had been assuming that Naki would give a generic answer, maybe talk a little bit about the city he's from and leave it at that. With a life story like that, Greed feels obligated to talk more about himself than he otherwise would have.

Equivalent Exchange. It's only fair he keep his end of the deal.]

No, no, that's fine. You told me quite a bit.

Only way you can know for sure about Tsukiyama is for people you don't like to show up here, and that... that's kinda tough, isn't it? I wouldn't know what to do in that situation.

[No confession about what he is exactly, since Greed knows he's not human, but Greed also isn't about to ask.]

I'm from a small town called Dublith. It's one of those places where nothing ever happens, so I guess that's why it was the headquarters for the "gang" I was in of my own. The leader is a nasty woman who would sooner kill those of us who get in her way, or do something she doesn't like.

Except in my case, she knew locking me away by myself was more damning than killing me. Death's an exit, however final. Locking someone who doesn't age in a cell for a century is a lot more destructive in the end.

[deaftly]

Yeah. I don't really wanna deal with that, so hopefully they never show up.

[...Well, he wouldn't mind if Yamori showed up, but Yamori's different.

Naki listens to Greed's story as well, though he's gone back to fiddling with the fork. It might seem like he's not paying attention, but he definitely is. He looks up startled when Greed mentions being locked away, but Naki doesn't look away or move, just taking that in silently.]

A century... I can't even imagine. I mean, I definitely won't live that long, but even if I could...

[He wasn't locked up for very long in comparison, but he thinks he knows exactly why it was so bad for Greed.]

...Was it the loneliness? Was that the worst part about it?

[ossifragant]

[He doesn't answer, looking down at his hands for a moment.]

Yeah, that's right. She knew loneliness would be far more damaging than killing me. The others, maybe death would be the worse punishment for them. For me, though, keeping me alive, unable to do anything but hear my own thoughts.

...I've been out of there for over a year now. Hard to believe.

[deaftly]

That must have fucking sucked.

[Empathy is still a new concept for Naki, but he's trying!]

I can't imagine what that was like. I had a hard time just being locked away for uh... however long I was locked away for. But a century...

[He shakes his head. It's almost unbelievable, but he doesn't think Greed is lying to him.]

[ossifragant]

[Greed's still getting used to the concept of empathy himself. He smiles at the remark; he's not offended.]

Yeah, it fucking sucked. I wouldn't wish it on anyway.

[deaftly]

Yeah. Well, I'd wish it on my worst enemies 'cause they deserve that sort of shit.

[Especially eyepatch. That jerk's gonna pay if he ever shows up here!!]

...But it sucked that it happened to you. I don't think I'd care all that much if it was anyone else, but you're my friend.

[IS THIS HOW HE HANDLES EMPATHY??]

[ossifragant]

[You know, he'll take that as a compliment.]

In truth, I'd probably wish it on the person who did it to me in the first place. Wouldn't that be something?

Ah, that's not important right now.

Thanks, Naki. It's appreciated.