[...it's the way she's speaking that's getting to him. He looks at her, unsure of what to say at first, before he reaches forward to take her hand and pull her forward to have a seat on the couch probably.]
[Under normal circumstances, Tamamo would make a joke at his boldness -- him grasping her hand and leading her to the couch. Instead she stares at him, expression unreadable, before simply allowing him to do as he pleases.
She sits down, and it's likely clear that her thoughts are... elsewhere. Her gaze doesn't quite reach his]
Trauma, I assume. He wanted us dead before someone could kill him like the others. We have a very unstable man amongst our ranks... had he ran into another, I can guarantee he would have slit their throat before they had a chance to speak.
[It's fine, he lets go of her hand once they sit and he leans on his knees, thinking this over as he listens to her talk.]
Striking first eliminates your chances of being struck down. Yeah, I get that. [...] I might ask Wei Wuxian to take the daggers from him if he sees him again. Take away his tools, he can't do much.
[She is still, and then suddenly her hands grip into fists, an unbidden gesture that she quickly hides in the furs of her tails]
Given his madness, Dimitri-sama would be dangerous regardless. You did not see him -- had he lacked a knife, he would have instead twisted my head from my shoulders, if I had provoked him.
It's ugly and furious, as if Junpei has offended her, but it is too directionless an emotion to fall on his shoulders. Instead the look slides away into a feral smile, Tamamo laughing under her breath.]
Scare me?
Had he tested my patience, I would have dissected that pathetic man.
Good to know. [He doesn't seem perturbed by her expression either, doing nothing to call her out on it and shrugging instead.] I like to know you can take care of yourself when I can't be there.
But of course. This warning is for your benefit, Master, that you do not provoke Dimitri-sama without care. He is young, but he is strong and unfettered by guilt when he believes he must survive at all costs.
[...]
He also insisted the voices of his deceased parents were encouraging him to kill, so...
[Indeed. Junpei is the human between them, no matter that she has been stripped of her power. It matters not. Her duty is still to keep him safe as long as she is under contract.
She's failed many things in her lives. She doesn't want to fail here.]
Of course, Master.
[...]
Dimitri-sama is fond of me. And he feels tremendous guilt for what he almost did. For now, I consider it an advantageous position -- I will ask very little of him, and in turn, he will bend himself to my will, in order to keep my good favor.
[Using a boy's trauma to her benefit? Yes. Yes she would.]
...just remind him of his place whenever you see him again. [He apparently has no problem with this.] If we can keep his trauma under control and get him to work with our goals, that...might be helpful.
Do I look like I'd worry about that? [He trusts Tamamo to bully Dimitri it's cool.] He'll serve us well, or whatever. How much do you even really know about him?
He is in succession for the throne, though not by choice, and would willingly give it up if it were an option.
[It is not, in fact, an option]
There are other details... but what I find most important is that he's burdened with a great deal of pressure, and likely has no one to depend on. His breakdown doesn't surprise me, as such.
[A pause, and she... clearly hesitates before speaking again]
He reminds me of someone, in fact. Someone from my past. It isn't an important detail, Master, but it's why I think myself best equipped to handle him.
...if you really think you can handle him well, then I don't really have a choice do I? [A small grin.] He's apparently trusted you enough. That's a start in comparison to the rest of us.
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[Rubbing at her neck, which is scarless, if nothing else. The interaction with Dimitri didn't result in blood, so. Hey! Let's focus on the positives]
And he threatened to kill everyone here; I was just the first victim by happenstance.
[She speaks clinically the entire time, but feels a chill start to creep back up her arms. Through willpower, she suppresses the urge to shiver]
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I see. And for what reason? He didn't say?
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She sits down, and it's likely clear that her thoughts are... elsewhere. Her gaze doesn't quite reach his]
Trauma, I assume. He wanted us dead before someone could kill him like the others. We have a very unstable man amongst our ranks... had he ran into another, I can guarantee he would have slit their throat before they had a chance to speak.
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Striking first eliminates your chances of being struck down. Yeah, I get that. [...] I might ask Wei Wuxian to take the daggers from him if he sees him again. Take away his tools, he can't do much.
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Removing weapons from him would help, yes, but--
[She is still, and then suddenly her hands grip into fists, an unbidden gesture that she quickly hides in the furs of her tails]
Given his madness, Dimitri-sama would be dangerous regardless. You did not see him -- had he lacked a knife, he would have instead twisted my head from my shoulders, if I had provoked him.
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It's ugly and furious, as if Junpei has offended her, but it is too directionless an emotion to fall on his shoulders. Instead the look slides away into a feral smile, Tamamo laughing under her breath.]
Scare me?
Had he tested my patience, I would have dissected that pathetic man.
[That does not answer his question.
she doesn't rightly care]
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[...]
He also insisted the voices of his deceased parents were encouraging him to kill, so...
[Yeah, he's off his fuckin rocker]
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...what about if I just went to talk to him? Think he'd be provoked?
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It depends on the topic of conversation. I pulled him out of his insanity, so he should be stable for now.
[She says this, and still manages to look disapproving all the same.]
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... I've seen the dagger that he carries on his person -- or at least the one he tried to hide in his room from me.
[Two weapons, then? A pause.]
Give me time; I will attempt to convince him to hand one of them over to me.
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Okay. If you can, then...that would be helpful to keeping us safe and also giving us something to use when we need to.
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She's failed many things in her lives. She doesn't want to fail here.]
Of course, Master.
[...]
Dimitri-sama is fond of me. And he feels tremendous guilt for what he almost did. For now, I consider it an advantageous position -- I will ask very little of him, and in turn, he will bend himself to my will, in order to keep my good favor.
[Using a boy's trauma to her benefit? Yes. Yes she would.]
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...just remind him of his place whenever you see him again. [He apparently has no problem with this.] If we can keep his trauma under control and get him to work with our goals, that...might be helpful.
[It'll probably keep them alive, at least.]
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Indeed. Worry not, Master~ I will fold in him into our efforts.
[or simply kill him should he be a nuisance in the end]
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Do I look like I'd worry about that? [He trusts Tamamo to bully Dimitri it's cool.] He'll serve us well, or whatever. How much do you even really know about him?
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[a-ahahaha]
I believe he assumed I was a figment of his imagination, and so told me a great deal about his home life...
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He is in succession for the throne, though not by choice, and would willingly give it up if it were an option.
[It is not, in fact, an option]
There are other details... but what I find most important is that he's burdened with a great deal of pressure, and likely has no one to depend on. His breakdown doesn't surprise me, as such.
[A pause, and she... clearly hesitates before speaking again]
He reminds me of someone, in fact. Someone from my past. It isn't an important detail, Master, but it's why I think myself best equipped to handle him.
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[Which certainly helps to wash out the nasty aftertaste in her mouth. She smiles again, stiff body language beginning to relax.
Whatever else she thinks to say, Tamamo opens her mouth... and then closes it, shaking her head]
Though I fear I've wasted enough of your time for tonight, Master~ You'll have to forgive your fickle Servant for her ways.
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