week one; roomie problems

[elemancy]

[of course, noct is exhausted after the trial.

this is a guy that could flop on his bed at any point and pass out, which ash has probably been able to witness over the last week. but tonight is definitely different. when he enters the room, he flops onto the bed and just lets out an exhausted groan.]

Feels like I could sleep for a year.

[it's okay to judge him, ash. or just point out that he was right, or whatever it is ash has to say.]

Comments

[uraniumnumnum]

[ check out this WEAKLING and his EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION!!!

Ash just gives him the same aloof glance he always does - though this time, he seems fairly satisfied with himself instead of cold and angry. Rather than sitting on his own bed (or, god forbid, laying down on it like a normal person), he merely moves to stand next to it, resting one hand on a bedpost. ]

If everyone had listened to what I'd said earlier, maybe that wouldn't have become such an ordeal for you all. [ unsurprisingly, Ash isn't affected by any of the emotions flying around. He's killed millions of people. ] I must confess, Noctics, you did a good job, calling her out so directly. I didn't think you had the guts.

[elemancy]

Wasn't that simple for them.

[ash remains completely abnormal, but. he's not human, so noct is just at the point where he thinks that this is normal for ash.

but it's fine, he'll let ash have his bit of glory—because he wasn't wrong.]

I was kind of thinking too, even last night. [he's been thinking pretty hard about it.] Either way... someone had to do it, right? We weren't getting anywhere.

[someone had to step up to the plate, upsetting as it was for a lot of them. he's not totally sure it's something he should be commended on, but being a prince, a future king, that means he needs to know when to call stuff out for the greater good.]

[uraniumnumnum]

[ he's right... it is normal for ash. amazing how he doesn't get tired from being this mad all the time?? ]

That's exactly right. Someone had to do it. It was... the inevitable outcome. One of us had to die, and you picked the one who you all determined deserved it most.

[ his words are as callous as ever, but he seems like he's being frank rather than purposefully nasty this time. If that helps. (Not really.) ]

The others were weak. I may not like humans, but I can commend your pragmatism.

[elemancy]

[it doesn't really help, and noct does make a bit of a face at it—but he knows ash is technically not wrong.

someone was going to die no matter how they tried to evade it. and in that case, it was only right to try and suss out the culprit. even if noct was more on the path to befriending tiara—

she'd still been the one to do it, and it was better she made the sacrifice than someone who was completely innocent. it's a sick and twisted game, one noctis is completely against. but until there's a resolution, he knows he can't fight it, or it'll be his own life sacrificed.]

Thanks... I think. [it's... progress, for the two of them, at least.] Didn't realize you even had almost-compliments in you.

[is he trying to shove aside his feelings a bit to save drawing any extra derision from ash? probably a little, but it's fine.]

[uraniumnumnum]

[ unbelievably, he seems to bristle a little at being thanked. Or, at the very least, he seems confused, brow furrowing. Nothing is easy when it comes to Ash, evidently.

But mostly, that was - genuinely - the first time anyone's ever thanked him for anything, and he's not sure how to take it. ]

I don't want your gratitude. [ it lacks the fangs his retorts usually have. ] You must truly be tired to thank me for anything.

[elemancy]

Doesn't matter if you want it. You got it anyway.

[tough shit, ash! accept his gratitude, dammit.]

Can't ignore the closest thing to nice you've been since we showed up in this hellhole, right? [snort. at least he's not in the worst spirits he could be in... or maybe he just can't resist the opportunity to poke a little fun.]

[uraniumnumnum]

[ NOOOOOO I AM NOT NICE ]

I'm not being nice. Don't let it go to your head. [ ugh!! stop confusing him and ruining his moderately not-bad mood?! he doesn't know what to do if people aren't hating him?! Frowning, he turns, then goes to actually sit on his bed for once. ]


I truly don't understand humans.

[elemancy]

Didn't say you were. Just said it was the closest thing.

[is he just saying that to appease ash? pro...bably...

but whatever. something still has to be improving if ash is actually sitting down.]

Have you ever tried to understand 'em?

[uraniumnumnum]

[ that gets a single dry laugh out of him. ]

Studying your kind was one of my main protocols. [ he doesn't usually like to talk about his origins much, but that piece of information is harmless enough. ] But all of the research in the world couldn't explain your irrational behaviors. And your... appetite for self-destruction. That's still alive and well, if this town is anything to go by. It's no wonder you looked to god for guidance in your maddening little lives.

[elemancy]

Guess it makes sense. If you don't feel what we feel, you'd never understand it.

[he's not berating ash for it, either. not really—there's legitimately a logic in this he can understand.] I don't even think we it at a lot of the time.

[uraniumnumnum]

[ the lack of resistance is mildly surprising, but not completely. even back on Earth, there had been humans who were willing to bargain with him. This isn't so far off. ]

You don't. You blunder along blindly and leave a trail of death in your wake. I've seen it all. [ Ash is always ready for a bitter villain monologue, apparently. ] No other species would trap so many of its own just to watch them kill each other like this.

[elemancy]

Assuming those sickos are humans, yeah. Not even going to argue that people are pressed messed up sometimes.

[but...] Doesn't mean other ones don't have their own agendas, right?

[uraniumnumnum]

You mean our fellow "townsfolk," correct? I don't doubt that. The Sheriff said as much himself. People with "roles."

[ a pause. he looks over at Noctis again. ]

Do you know anything about that?

[elemancy]

[right, the roles. he hadn't even been thinking about it like that specifically, though he guesses ash isn't wrong.]

Not even sure what there is to know.

[he closes his eyes, heaving a sigh.] And I'm not interested in playing nice with that Scrap Heap anyway.

[uraniumnumnum]

[ the 'scrap heap' term gets Noct a bit of a flat look from Ash, but he continues. {Ash will remember that.} ]

What there is to know? Names. Details. I would think that much is obvious.

[elemancy]

[it's reserved solely for the sheriff because he's a fucking asshole, okay.]

It is. I mean. Not sure what the details are to know.

[uraniumnumnum]

You're dense, aren't you? [ a pause. ] I'm asking if you have one, or if you know anyone who has one. One way or another, I'll find out. Telling me now would be... preferable.

[elemancy]

I'm not helping that asshole get what he wants out us. Got nothing else to tell you there.

[duh... wasn't that obvious, ash!!!?] You gonna offer up the same to me if you've got some part in this guy's mess?

[uraniumnumnum]

Obviously not.

[ he almost wishes he does, because then he'd at least have a modicum of power here. too bad. ]

I've tried to speak to him, but he's not as advanced as I am. A slave to his programming.

[elemancy]

[that's probably why he's got none, honestly.]

Probably more entertaining to them that way, since they want to make this a "game." They seem sick enough to do that.