[Later when the commotion's died down, Junpei slinks into the kitchen solely to make himself some coffee. He has a lot of work to do and today's been a disaster...
...but perhaps it's fortuitous that he finds someone in the kitchen that he was planning to seek out himself. He looks at him, quietly assessing before he breezes past him toward the coffeemaker.]
Dimitri, right? How're you holding up? [There. Nice and non-confrontational.]
[Yikes. Dimitri, buddy...but Junpei gives a half-grin because that answer sure is a mood.]
I'm probably here. [Sometimes you just watch people melt and that's fine. Still, he pauses in his coffee-puttering to look at the cookies on the tray.] ...taking up baking while we're here?
[Oh my god. Junpei's...not going to laugh because this is almost just sad, but there's a shake of his head before he turns to see if there is cooking spray somewhere. He can't bake but at least he knows that part.]
A cassanova. [He sounds amused because the word is funny, and the answer's a big resounding "FUCK NO", and yet...] The profile does speak for itself, you know.
[Tapping into the minds of women does not mean that in this context, but he can lie a little if it means seeing what's going on.] Is there a problem with being interested? It's a pretty big course of action even if it's supposed to be easy.
I'm afraid much of those... things are practically a unintelligible. They reference to culture and art that isn't of my world.
[ Hence the John Lennon debacle. ]
There isn't a problem with it, I suppose I just find it unexpected– from you. There are many here who offer interest and friendship readily, but you do not strike me as that sort.
[ He doesn't mean it as an insult if the sheepish smile is any indication. ]
Unfortunately the circumstances of.. our dynamic are complicated, and this would be a bandage at best. Grander gestures would be necessary to facilitate anything long lasting. Does that explain the situation?
You could ask, you know. [But he can't really say that he's surprised by Dimitri's assessment because he's well aware he can be very selective. Nothing in his expression changes, but he tilts his head just slightly.]
You...think I have other motivations. [There's a curious grin.] In the interest of people starting to die, it makes more sense to try and get to know them better to keep them alive. [It's all he says on the matter before continuing, barely giving him time to really think about that.]
But yeah, okay, that explains that. A long-standing history makes things a little more complicated. You know, a pie might be easier than cookies. Just a thought. Plus there's more of it and less of a chance of burning it. [Everybody wins.]
[ He knows he's probably right, but being told what should probably be obvious has made Dimitri petulant and stubborn and so he does not relent and instead focuses on prying his charred cookies off the sheet pan so they can cool. ]
But I intend to see this through to the end.
[ Is he talking about this weird sex game or the cookies? Who knows. ]
Are you here to get better acquainted with me then?
Yeah. [This seems to summarize literally all of that, because he can admire a healthy dose of stubbornness since he runs on pure spite some days. He lets Dimitri work and goes back to his coffee mission he originally came to the kitchen for.] Seems to me we have some contacts in common so it made sense.
Higekiri, Hizamaru...Tamamo...people like them. [Hm. One of these things is not like the other.]
[Oh. Maybe this is why Tamamo said not to fucking provoke him. But he just holds up his hands carefully in an appeasing sort of motion. There, there, young beast....]
Tamamo kind of told me a little of what happened and I wanted to see if you were okay. [Which is surprisingly true. He was pretty livid at first when he initially learned, but sometimes trauma makes you do crazy shit and he's had some insight since then.] And if you still think my intentions aren't real, I'll go as soon as the coffee's done.
[ Dimitri looks over his shoulder at Junpei– he doesn't look mad, perhaps just tired if the withering frown he offers is any indication. ]
I have already made plans in the case that such an... ordeal occurs again. You need not worry, I don't intend to allow myself to be a danger to anyone here. Not without reason, at least.
Not really what I asked you, but good to know. [That's..also a look he recognizes, and he's wondering if maybe he should have just left it alone.] ...what would be within reason?
[Listen. It was worth a shot. But he's still not moving and allows Dimitri to face him head-on.]
Of course I would. Any reasonable person would. But that's exactly my point. What do you do when there are multiple people who have no intention of letting people be hurt, but their way of protecting them is hurting other people?
All the more reason I'm trying to understand the people here. [Knowing who may be a threat and who may help to stop them.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
W0, SUNDAY
...but perhaps it's fortuitous that he finds someone in the kitchen that he was planning to seek out himself. He looks at him, quietly assessing before he breezes past him toward the coffeemaker.]
Dimitri, right? How're you holding up? [There. Nice and non-confrontational.]
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They're a little ugly, and very burnt. He made them himself.
He startles a bit at the company, but offers Junpei a withering smile. ]
I am.. here–
[ Which is more than some of them could say. ]
And you?
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I'm probably here. [Sometimes you just watch people melt and that's fine. Still, he pauses in his coffee-puttering to look at the cookies on the tray.] ...taking up baking while we're here?
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Something like that.. it's a peace offering of sorts for–
[ a friend? ]
– a girl.
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A girl. [All of his own traumatic bullshit aside, this catches his interests because of what's happening here.] What'd you do?
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I didn't do anything–
[ .. ]
I don't think I've done anything. She has always been the prickly sort, so i thought I might pave the way for a more.. calm discussion.
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Most girls are. [Please don't.] Want some advice? Maybe try with a different batch. Those would probably make it worse.
[...but admittedly now he's even more curious.] You could always do something simpler if you're trying for a peace offering.
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This is my third attempt.
[ He busies himself with scraping his cookies off the sheet. He forgot to grease the bottom so they're burnt to it and stuck. ]
I don't have much in the way of resources here, so this seemed to be the easiest course of action.
[ He looks up at Junpei, smiling a bit. ]
You're quite invested in these sorts of things, aren't you? Do you fancy yourself a cassanova of sorts?
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A cassanova. [He sounds amused because the word is funny, and the answer's a big resounding "FUCK NO", and yet...] The profile does speak for itself, you know.
[Tapping into the minds of women does not mean that in this context, but he can lie a little if it means seeing what's going on.] Is there a problem with being interested? It's a pretty big course of action even if it's supposed to be easy.
no subject
[ Hence the John Lennon debacle. ]
There isn't a problem with it, I suppose I just find it unexpected– from you. There are many here who offer interest and friendship readily, but you do not strike me as that sort.
[ He doesn't mean it as an insult if the sheepish smile is any indication. ]
Unfortunately the circumstances of.. our dynamic are complicated, and this would be a bandage at best. Grander gestures would be necessary to facilitate anything long lasting. Does that explain the situation?
no subject
You...think I have other motivations. [There's a curious grin.] In the interest of people starting to die, it makes more sense to try and get to know them better to keep them alive. [It's all he says on the matter before continuing, barely giving him time to really think about that.]
But yeah, okay, that explains that. A long-standing history makes things a little more complicated. You know, a pie might be easier than cookies. Just a thought. Plus there's more of it and less of a chance of burning it. [Everybody wins.]
no subject
[ He knows he's probably right, but being told what should probably be obvious has made Dimitri petulant and stubborn and so he does not relent and instead focuses on prying his charred cookies off the sheet pan so they can cool. ]
But I intend to see this through to the end.
[ Is he talking about this weird sex game or the cookies? Who knows. ]
Are you here to get better acquainted with me then?
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Higekiri, Hizamaru...Tamamo...people like them. [Hm. One of these things is not like the other.]
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He sighs, and grips the edge of the counter with his hands. ]
If there's something you wish to speak tome about it'd be best for both of our sakes that you be direct.
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Tamamo kind of told me a little of what happened and I wanted to see if you were okay. [Which is surprisingly true. He was pretty livid at first when he initially learned, but sometimes trauma makes you do crazy shit and he's had some insight since then.] And if you still think my intentions aren't real, I'll go as soon as the coffee's done.
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I have already made plans in the case that such an... ordeal occurs again. You need not worry, I don't intend to allow myself to be a danger to anyone here. Not without reason, at least.
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Dimitri turns fully so that he might face him. ]
I have no intention of letting any harm befall my allies, or to allow anyone to cause undue suffering. I don't think that is unreasonable, is it?
[ a look ]
Would you not do the same? To protect the things you value?
no subject
Of course I would. Any reasonable person would. But that's exactly my point. What do you do when there are multiple people who have no intention of letting people be hurt, but their way of protecting them is hurting other people?
All the more reason I'm trying to understand the people here. [Knowing who may be a threat and who may help to stop them.]