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[terriblepurpose]

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un: younghuman ✦ text ✦ voice ✦ video

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un: younghuman

[terriblepurpose]

Hello, Shōyō.

She did tell me. I worried some.

But not because you hadn't said anything. No apology needed.

How are you?

[asas]

better!
i’m talking to lazarus, things are gonna be alright. we’re working stuff out.

[ and if we just, like, completely avoid the handless nightmare— ]

ready for a story?

[terriblepurpose]

Good.

[This isn't his place to intervene. Lazarus wouldn't thank him for it.]

He was worried about you more than I was.

He cares about you. I know he isn't always good at showing people that.

Go ahead with the story.

[asas]

i know. i just have to learn lazarus vision.

so anyway i started blasting him
turns out god sucks at volleyball
like REALLY sucks balls at a ball game! and i don’t say that about people!
COMPLETELY drew leonardo dicaprio on the sand with him

[ that’s not the leonardo he means, but it’s not like………… the difference between da vinci and dicaprio would make a difference to dune paul atreides ]

i hid the sword in the sand on my side of the court, mid-net.
i waited until the very end.

[terriblepurpose]

[So Shōyō and Lazarus are on better terms that he worried about. Paul relaxes a degree, continuing on in better spirits. The misplaced allusion does go over Paul's head, Leonardo DiCaprio surely some infamous volleyball player of legend. He half-smiles at the message anyway, hooked by the absurd humor of God sucking balls at a ball game in a not entirely pleasant way.

It doesn't last.]

You did well, it sounds like.

[He hadn't asked Sophia what happened, except that Shōyō made it out alive and intact, as per his terms.]

What happened next?

[asas]

so i needed him closer, right? i started talking!
he looked pretty bored through a lot of the game, yknow? just not taking it seriously.
i guess that was a good thing because it meant he wasn't taking me seriously. but it still pissed me off.
he did get closer, cause i asked him something in between the small talk like
"do you feel anything anymore?"
paul, when i swung, and it went right through him
you should've seen his face

[terriblepurpose]

He does that. Pretends not to realize that acting as if he doesn't care bothers other people. He thinks it's funny.

He must have been surprised, to have been so wrong about you. I wish I had seen it.

He felt it, then?

[asas]

He wasn’t just surprised.

I know that look. He was scared.

[terriblepurpose]

[ The rough hem of a black collar, just beyond his reach, sinking into the depths. Fire caught inside the hollow where a heart should have been beating. ]

Good.

You did well.

[asas]

thanks.
there's just one little problem
👌 about this big

[terriblepurpose]

What's the little problem?

[ With God, there are no little problems. ]

[asas]

he took it. my sword.

[ which may be more of a large problem. ]

[terriblepurpose]

[ Certainly not small, but- ]

It could have been worse.

Do you want it back?

[asas]

well
yeah.
i do.
who knows what he’d want to do with it.
maybe nows not a good time though. he can be expecting it.

[terriblepurpose]

You're right. We'd have to be patient.

But we can figure it out. You, me, Lazarus. Anything we can't do, we can find someone to fill in. He hasn't been making many friends lately.

How many people know it's gone?

[asas]

Three. You, me and Lazarus.

I’m trying to keep it small, just in case.

[terriblepurpose]

That's a good idea.

I won't mention it either. But I'll keep an eye out for news.

It's not your fault he took it. If you might have been thinking otherwise.

[asas]

I don’t think I could’ve stopped it anyway. It’s alright.

[ considering he was— out cold. shōyō slides right over the details. ]

Thanks for the support. For believing in me in the first place.

[terriblepurpose]

I don't know anyone who could have.

I believe in anyone who believes in himself. Still glad that I did.

Get some rest. Keep your head down. If he bothers you, let me know.

[asas]

You got it.

Hey, Paul? One more thing.

[terriblepurpose]

Go ahead.

[asas]

how're you doing?
hard mode: you can't say alright, fine, okay or good

[terriblepurpose]

I don't know.

I should be able to say how I am. I'm tired, I think. Once I get more rest, I'll know.

[asas]

fair. i guess your brain is who’s tired.

well, i have an invitation for you anyway, if it would help your brain get some rest.

[terriblepurpose]

That's true.

I trust your judgment. What's the invitation?