It's a solution in the way that it's taking if from you and moving to someone new. We don't know what kind of damage might happen if you hold onto it a second time. And if it's just visions, I can handle those. It wouldn't be anything new.
There has to be a way to make the cycle stop. Holding onto it isn't going to help.
Maybe it gets weaker the more people it travels through.
... Either way, I don't think you should hold onto it, Dick. [ She doesn't want to say 'you're not handling it well' because that would be rude, but... He's not handling it well. ]
The visions are fine. It's what comes after that's-- making me not whelmed.
[ like. generally speaking, visions of death are so normal. what is this, a tuesday in gotham city??? but also normally he's so calm at the prospect of potential death this fear thing is uh bad and he hates it.
regardless, he's. considering it, because they're two against one and he's already freaking out and-- and. so he lets out a sigh and drops his head on his knees again ]
... There are easier ways to proposition me, you know.
[ look he's trying to make it a joke?? and it's not a yes but it's not the reflexive no!!! from earlier ]
Yeah, well. I'm used to death, too. [He should maybe be a little more concerned. Maybe he is? It's hard to say what's rattling around in Junpei's head but Escha's not the only one who noticed Dick isn't handling this well.
He's not really looking to die here, but...he's not looking to let someone else die either. It's why there's a soft, uneasy laugh before he just kind of slides on the floor so that he's sitting more in front of him.]
I'll remember that next time. [It's his own joke, but he still looks pretty serious.] ...come on. What other option do we have right now? And don't say letting it stay where it is right now. Whatever it is.
[ Aw, it's so nice to see that they can rely on each other. Very soothing. Less soothing to not know what it is. But that's. Fine.
Escha bites her lip like she's searching for words, but what she comes up with is kind of just more of the same. ]
Please tell me when you're struggling. Or when you're worried. Whether it's for someone else or yourself. I don't know if I can always help, but I... [ She shakes her head. Guess that's all. ]
[ dick is being guilted into giving potential demon stds to junpei? this is happening? ]
It still seems like a better option to me. [ but he lets out a sigh, stretching out a bit from his ball of angst so he can look properly at junpei ] ... I'm sorry. [ he's not sure who he's saying to-- escha, who he's worried, or junpei, who's offering to take this burden from him because dick's too weak to handle it? ]
[Sometimes you just gently manipulate people into doing things, it's fine. It happens. Dick uncurling from himself is at least a somewhat good sign, but he shrugs at the apology. He can apologize to Escha, he doesn't need it.]
And this seems like the better option to me, so we'll call us even. [A nod to Escha.] We can't get out of here if we don't trust each other. Think about it that way. That includes trusting each other to talk about whatever's happening.
[But he tilts his head back to grin up at Escha a bit.]
I think you help a lot more than you think you do. So stop underestimating yourself. [One of them overestimates and one underestimates and does that mean Junpei just estimates? He's estimating that he won't fucking die so we'll find out.]
[On the one hand, he's sitting here watching Dick strip and kind of being okay with that? On the other, Escha is right there. And on the third, he sees those words and just...grins almost awkwardly.]
Have I ever mentioned my type is "difficult"? [He's absolutely just joking with him, unless...?
In all seriousness, he doesn't start removing anything but he looks at Escha.] ...we're really all okay with this. Right? [Just. Making sure. With everyone. Escha is part of this now, too, even if she's not sexily involved.]
[ dick snorts a bit at the joke, kicking at junpei's leg a bit. flattering and insulting both at once, rude.
but when it comes to the follow-up, and what escha says... he blinks, slow, not that it's easy to see because he decided putting a mask on would help. he's obviously relaxed a bit from earlier, but his smile's still a bit strained ]
You can stay if you want.
[ though he looks at junpei after he says it because yes he realizes that's a little weird ]
[A hand moves to grab his foot. Stop?? He's helping!! But there's a nervous kind of grin because he definitely just agreed to this. Even so, he remains calm while glancing between the two other occupants of the room.
...not exactly how he thought his night would end, but.]
...it's really up to you. [This is to Escha, because she seems like the only redeemable person in this fucking room right now.] If something happens when Dick passes this thing off, it might not be a bad idea to have someone on standby.
[There's a Look to Dick though.] But it can also be kinda weird to watch. [From a pragmatic standpoint it makes sense for them to stay together especially if there's a fuckdemon on the loose. But from a normal standpoint, he'd rather do what's most comfortable for her.]
[ Well this is. Super awkward. She's getting desensitized to being so shy about sex in general - out of necessity, here - but uhhh voyeurism is still kind of a lot??? Hello????
... But her weird researcher brain says Junpei is right? It can't hurt to be there in case some kind of weird demon stuff happens. ]
[ dick had not actually thought this through and considered the consequences of them both agreeing, mostly because he figured they wouldn't? he just felt like. it seemed a good idea at the time to offer? dick has also maybe not slept more than three hours in three days on top of all the demon stds thing but they don't need to know that part.
so. now here they are. with this decision made. ]
... Yeah, kinda weird. [ he agrees with it easily enough. everything in this place is weird. ] You don't have to-- stay close if you don't want to.
[ there's a whole ? mini apartment here?
can you IMAGINE escha being in the kitchenette making an apple pie while dick gives junpei stdemons. ]
[They're all mistakes and they all deserve each other, I lied. But as it is, decisions are made and...he's up and scooting closer? He's mostly in a crouch and examining Dick's face. Please let Escha make a pie, this sounds hilarious. In all seriousness:]
Just do whatever's comfortable. Both of you. [It's maybe a little soft, but somewhere in his dumb bitter black heart he cares about both of their wishes, when the fuck did that happen. He'll happily ignore that and instead a hand comes forward to kind of tug on the mask.] But this needs to come off. I'd rather fuck Dick Grayson than Nightwing if I get a choice.
[ ESCHA, GIVEN THE OPTION TO NOT WATCH: hey y'all get on the bed with me
that is something for dick to note at some point in his life, but until then, he just. tilts his head into the tug for junpei. his mask comes off surprisingly easily! how does it stay on? comic book magic. ]
Aw, you like me as a person. [ he's going for a tease that doesn't work because what has this entire conversation been about. and then once his mask's off he decides to get on the bed as per escha's great plan (escha, honestly, they deserve the floor) lifting himself up-- and then dragging junpei along by force because, uh, he's strong, he can do that, and that way he can just flop back on it and force junpei on top of him.
and also like, kiss him, he felt like kissing him.
WE CAN STOP AT ANY POINT THEY'RE GONNA FUCK WHILE ESCHA WATCHES AND THIS IS SOMETHING ]
[The mask, at least, gets set to the side very nicely? He's treating it gently? But he raises his eyebrows without commentating on Dick's words, a non-verbal and tilted smile that says "no shit, you idiot, that's what we've been trying to say" before he's being dragged along both to the bed and into the kiss. He doesn't seem to mind and actually seems pretty comfortable with it. Settling on top of him is also for the best because Dick is still taller than he is.
I can't believe Escha's watching them fuck and transfer demon stds. YAY. A FADE TO BLACK. JUNPEI TOPPED AND ZIA CAN'T STOP ME I GUESS.]
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[ Right??? ]
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How is that a solution?
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There has to be a way to make the cycle stop. Holding onto it isn't going to help.
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... Either way, I don't think you should hold onto it, Dick. [ She doesn't want to say 'you're not handling it well' because that would be rude, but... He's not handling it well. ]
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[ like. generally speaking, visions of death are so normal. what is this, a tuesday in gotham city??? but also normally he's so calm at the prospect of potential death this fear thing is uh bad and he hates it.
regardless, he's. considering it, because they're two against one and he's already freaking out and-- and. so he lets out a sigh and drops his head on his knees again ]
... There are easier ways to proposition me, you know.
[ look he's trying to make it a joke?? and it's not a yes but it's not the reflexive no!!! from earlier ]
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He's not really looking to die here, but...he's not looking to let someone else die either. It's why there's a soft, uneasy laugh before he just kind of slides on the floor so that he's sitting more in front of him.]
I'll remember that next time. [It's his own joke, but he still looks pretty serious.] ...come on. What other option do we have right now? And don't say letting it stay where it is right now. Whatever it is.
[Do they even know what it is?]
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Escha bites her lip like she's searching for words, but what she comes up with is kind of just more of the same. ]
Please tell me when you're struggling. Or when you're worried. Whether it's for someone else or yourself. I don't know if I can always help, but I... [ She shakes her head. Guess that's all. ]
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It still seems like a better option to me. [ but he lets out a sigh, stretching out a bit from his ball of angst so he can look properly at junpei ] ... I'm sorry. [ he's not sure who he's saying to-- escha, who he's worried, or junpei, who's offering to take this burden from him because dick's too weak to handle it? ]
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And this seems like the better option to me, so we'll call us even. [A nod to Escha.] We can't get out of here if we don't trust each other. Think about it that way. That includes trusting each other to talk about whatever's happening.
[But he tilts his head back to grin up at Escha a bit.]
I think you help a lot more than you think you do. So stop underestimating yourself. [One of them overestimates and one underestimates and does that mean Junpei just estimates? He's estimating that he won't fucking die so we'll find out.]
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But Junpei's words seem to send her back into chewing her bottom lip. Words are hard today, I guess. ]
Whatever we can talk about, we should.
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oh, he stops at the shoulder. he's showing off the bold writing-- DIDN'T WANT TO SHARE ]
... Maybe I've got a couple of things to work on.
[ it just seems. funny. in retrospect. ]
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Have I ever mentioned my type is "difficult"? [He's absolutely just joking with him, unless...?
In all seriousness, he doesn't start removing anything but he looks at Escha.] ...we're really all okay with this. Right? [Just. Making sure. With everyone. Escha is part of this now, too, even if she's not sexily involved.]
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[ She said her piece, but at this point it's pretty much between them. So she offers a small smile. ]
Would you like some privacy?
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but when it comes to the follow-up, and what escha says... he blinks, slow, not that it's easy to see because he decided putting a mask on would help. he's obviously relaxed a bit from earlier, but his smile's still a bit strained ]
You can stay if you want.
[ though he looks at junpei after he says it because yes he realizes that's a little weird ]
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...not exactly how he thought his night would end, but.]
...it's really up to you. [This is to Escha, because she seems like the only redeemable person in this fucking room right now.] If something happens when Dick passes this thing off, it might not be a bad idea to have someone on standby.
[There's a Look to Dick though.] But it can also be kinda weird to watch. [From a pragmatic standpoint it makes sense for them to stay together especially if there's a fuckdemon on the loose. But from a normal standpoint, he'd rather do what's most comfortable for her.]
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[ Well this is. Super awkward. She's getting desensitized to being so shy about sex in general - out of necessity, here - but uhhh voyeurism is still kind of a lot??? Hello????
... But her weird researcher brain says Junpei is right? It can't hurt to be there in case some kind of weird demon stuff happens. ]
It is weird, but... Staying might be helpful.
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so. now here they are. with this decision made. ]
... Yeah, kinda weird. [ he agrees with it easily enough. everything in this place is weird. ] You don't have to-- stay close if you don't want to.
[ there's a whole ? mini apartment here?
can you IMAGINE escha being in the kitchenette making an apple pie while dick gives junpei stdemons. ]
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Just do whatever's comfortable. Both of you. [It's maybe a little soft, but somewhere in his dumb bitter black heart he cares about both of their wishes, when the fuck did that happen. He'll happily ignore that and instead a hand comes forward to kind of tug on the mask.] But this needs to come off. I'd rather fuck Dick Grayson than Nightwing if I get a choice.
[Shut up, Junpei.]
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... Escha scoots over a bit, more as a signal for them to move onto the bed and less because she's actually in the way of that at all. ]
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that is something for dick to note at some point in his life, but until then, he just. tilts his head into the tug for junpei. his mask comes off surprisingly easily! how does it stay on? comic book magic. ]
Aw, you like me as a person. [ he's going for a tease that doesn't work because what has this entire conversation been about. and then once his mask's off he decides to get on the bed as per escha's great plan (escha, honestly, they deserve the floor) lifting himself up-- and then dragging junpei along by force because, uh, he's strong, he can do that, and that way he can just flop back on it and force junpei on top of him.
and also like, kiss him, he felt like kissing him.
WE CAN STOP AT ANY POINT THEY'RE GONNA FUCK WHILE ESCHA WATCHES AND THIS IS SOMETHING ]
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I can't believe Escha's watching them fuck and transfer demon stds. YAY. A FADE TO BLACK. JUNPEI TOPPED AND ZIA CAN'T STOP ME I GUESS.]