Post-shower Joe

[blueondeck]

[You could find him walking from the direction of the showers. Hair wet & washed, new clean clothes, relaxed, and hasn't even gone home yet.]

Comments

[strooonger]

Why don't you have any intentions for being around someone like Basco who you're not supposed to like?

[blueondeck]

You know a lot about things I haven't said for someone I only just met.

[strooonger]

Other people have said things before I met you.

[blueondeck]

The things you're suppose to do and the things you end up doing can be different.

[strooonger]

Is that all it is?

[blueondeck]

The only things I'm "suppose" to do are what Marvelous asks, and even then only if I want to.

I don't trust him. I know he'll use whoever he can the first chance he gets for whatever reason he'll convince himself suits "giving them up in order to gain the thing he wants" ... but there's nothing to gain here.

[looks over at you seriously now]

And even if he did decide he wanted to, he'd only be backing himself into a corner of boredom. If he acts out and people no longer trust him, at home he could kill or maim them and never have to deal with them again. Doing that here will only piss those people the hell off and force them to rebel against him. It's a small enclosed space where no one can die or leave. Even if he's stronger and can continue to cut them down, it's not to be damn annoying to always have to look over your shoulder and wonder "who's attacking me now?"

[looks back away]

He's smarter than that, I'd hope. I don't want anything from him. There's no reason besides I want to, and if he does something dickish, I'll be the first one there to try and cut him down.

[strooonger]

[Firstly, that was a lot to say, especially from you.

Second, I knew all that which is why I haven't done anything but hearing it makes it a little different to process.

And I promised I'd let go of your arm now so, I will.]

[blueondeck]

[Thank you. Now I can breathe normally.]

[strooonger]

You said you'll cut him down if he did a dickish move. What if that move was to ask questions that he was really curious about while his body was switched with that of a naive girl with a strong grip?

[blueondeck]

I wouldn't be surprised at this point and would tell him I'm already planning payback for this stupid line of questioning ... and touching.

Why do you even care about why I'm here with you?

[strooonger]

Not surprised? My, what a shame! I was hoping for another good reaction from you, Joe-chan.

Everything that you lot say about what I was going to do made it seem like it was impossible for any of you to overlook and yet here you were.

[blueondeck]

I already said I suspected you weren't who I thought. You'd never talk so extensively about me.

But it's true. You're going to do some unforgivable things.

[strooonger]

Hmm, guess I could have done better pretending to be this girl but, couldn't exactly try without gambling a little on what I could and couldn't say.

The big one being kill AkaRed, I know.

[blueondeck]

You aren't the sweet and kind type of girl. It shows.

[Sighs ... saying this is sacrilege and he knows it ... but]

I don't know AkaRed and thus don't give a damn about AkaRed.

[strooonger]

Believe me, this is nothing compared to what that girl is doing while in my body.

You probably would have gotten along if you had. But it's not about you, is it? It's about Marvy-chan and what hurts him most.

[blueondeck]

It is.

[Simply. It's true. What's what it will always be about between you and him]

[strooonger]

[Me and Marvy-chan in the end. We'll see what happens then.]

[blueondeck]

[I guess we will.]

[strooonger]

[I need a subject change. Something that I find funny.]

So, what stemmed your fear of being touched by girls?

[blueondeck]

It's not a fear.

[strooonger]

You jumped when I grabbed on to you!

[blueondeck]

I didn't expect you to touch me.

[strooonger]

I touch you when I'm in my own body and you've never reacted like that before.

[blueondeck]

I --

One: You don't actually touch me as much as you think.

Two: I've been around men my whole life.

[strooonger]

I didn't say I had touched you many times. I just need one moment to compare and still, the difference was obvious.

And I've been around only men as well, I still know how to be around women to not cringe every time they touch me.