[imeeji] overflow

[selfpreservationist]

Comments

[selfpreservationist]

It's fine... for a human.

[failedsafe]

[she sighs lightly]

Okay, as someone who is actually...decidedly not human, I know your circumstances are unique, but I don't think that makes you any lesser or pathetic.

[selfpreservationist]

[quick, time to deflect]

You're not human?

[failedsafe]

No, but don't think I dont know what you're doing. I'm on BARiTONES. Cageyness and deflection is our bread and butter. So, talk to me.

[selfpreservationist]

[time to become puffy bird orb]

You know I can just fly away from this conversation if I wish to.

[failedsafe]

[GROOMS THIS BIRB]

Oh well! It just so happens I have wings, too.♥

Anyway, my word might not mean much of anything because, again, not human, but sentiment doesn't make you pathetic. It doesn't make you weak.

[selfpreservationist]

Tell that to Vergil.

[failedsafe]

[hnnnnnnnnnnngh must tread so very, very carefully here]

I do, actually. I get that you're both complicated and I might be able to guess what the deal is with you, but I'm here to listen, really.

[selfpreservationist]

... you probably shouldn't get involved. I doubt he'd appreciate it.

[failedsafe]

Hey, hey no. I like you very much on your own merits, but while I know things between you guys are complicated, the first thing he told me when you happened to come up in conversation one time was to talk to you more about poetry and to be nice to you. Vergil is...well he is himself, but he does care about you. Also, I do what I want! So I am involving myself, you know, inasmuch as you're comfortable.

[selfpreservationist]

Sometimes I think he only cares because he doesn't have a choice. I... hate how he disparages his humanity. The side of himself he refuses to acknowledge. The human side of him... he despises how weak being half-human makes him. Even if it does, it's still our family's legacy.

But that doesn't matter to him. When he sees me... he must only ever be reminded of the things he hates about himself. And I know for a fact... that he is as much a sentimental fool as I am.

[failedsafe]

Mm, I dunno about that. I'm not going to lie and sugarcoat it, I know how he feels about humanity and what he believes that entails, but I don't think he cares about you because he doesn't have a choice otherwise. Vergil is definitely very sentimental, but you have to earn a place with him. He's not one to care about anyone or anything from the jump just because. You especially...I do understand your position intimately in some ways and in others I could not hope to, but that he's trying in his way at all says something to me. It might not be enough and you're allowed to feel that way, but I don't think he wants to cast you aside.

[selfpreservationist]

[sighs deeply, his feathers wilting]

... I know. I know he's trying. I know... he doesn't truly hate me. And my presumptions about who he is--who we are, and were--only serve to further the wedge between us. I simply... can't let go.

[failedsafe]

[she strokes his feathers with tender care]

Yeah, I get that. I do. One step and day at a time. At least there's hope for you and I know you're loved as you are.

[selfpreservationist]

[pets will continue until morale improves]

Hope... I used to think that if there were any hope for me, it would lie entirely in Vergil.

[failedsafe]

[pets will continue until morale improves!]

And what do you think now?

[selfpreservationist]

...

I'm not certain anymore. I do know that... when I see him disparage his humanity, it makes my heart twist inside me, and I want to scream.

[failedsafe]

Yeah, I can't imagine that's great on its own, nevermind how it ties to you. You might have to make your own hope, though.

[selfpreservationist]

There's... more.

...

If I tell you this thing, you must promise to keep it a secret. I'll kill you if you don't.

[failedsafe]

I promise.

[selfpreservationist]

I mean it. I know I'm weak, but I have powerful friends, and terrible, terrible mind-altering powers. And I will know if you've told him, because he can't keep secrets worth a damn.

[failedsafe]

Oh yeah, he's terrible at keeping his own secrets, but Rave I get it. [she taps his forehead]

Doom and terror for me if I tell him, which I'm not gonna.

[selfpreservationist]

[he watches her sidelong for a few moments, then takes a deep breath and lets it out]

...

...






I want him to kiss me. I think we'd both feel better about the other if we could do that.

1/?

[failedsafe]

[







oh.]

2/

[failedsafe]

.....Huh.

[give her a moment, she's picturing that and it's pretty


great, actually?]

Huuuuuuuuh.