situationship | AERITH GAINSBOROUGH

[ He is just sitting. ]

Exhausted? Don't think we had enough time despite only being two bodies, but crime investigation is also not my thing.

I don't like that it's phrased as "only" two bodies. Maybe less bodies. Like zero? That would be a good number. [sits next to him.] But I think we're all a little exhausted. There were still thirty-nine of us struggling to solve a puzzle with several missing pieces, and one of us was the actual solution. But I've never done something like this either. Maybe this is normal?

[god she hopes not.]

It makes it a little more complicated when people aren't always cooperative.

I'm just used to there possibly being more, but at least it's simpler back at home. [ It is what it is! ] This is definitely not normal.

Resistance is expected. A week isn't enough for people to open up like that.

Please be less used to that. [the FUCK is going on where you're from.] But it seems as though this was a surprise to all of us. Unpleasantly so.

[she knows he has a point, but...]

A week isn't enough, sure, but even under the threat of what's happening...shouldn't that be enough?

It comes with being a sorcerer!

[ But he does agree everything seems unexpected since the NPCs were also :wtf: ]

You'd think the fact that someone has to die no matter what with this weakening ritual should get people open to complying, but self-interest. [ Wait. ] Weren't you refusing to do the injury check?

[ Not saying this meanly, just bluntly. ]

I guess since sorcerers deal with curses that makes sense. [her vague jjk understanding...

anyway she just shrugs.]

I wasn't going to strip out in the open. [like. she's comfortable wandering around in a bikini in rebirth, i don't think it's being bodyshy so much as it is "i don't want to be naked in front of a bunch of people out in the open."] Patdowns are fine, and...[gestures? she has short sleeves and she wears a dress my guy.]

Edited (what.) 2024-06-16 07:48 (UTC)

... It'll be less like that in the future.

[ Not by hoping, but by action. Anyway, he waves his hand. ]

It's not a big deal. You get what I mean by compliance. [ He just finds too much resistance as a whole body of people annoying!! ] I'm guessing you went to check up on people?

[she opens her mouth to ask him why he seems certain of that, but that can wait a bit. focus on one thing at a time.]

I do get what you mean by compliance. And going forward we're going to have to set examples if we want this to work, I think. [she is still not going to full on strip, but she can do basic requirements.] You mean during that time itself? Yeah, I tried to help check anything that might've stood out. I think I ended up with my hands a little full in the end though.

Everyone was doing their best during trial itself—I'm not going to grade you or anything. [ EVERYONE DID WELL OR AWFUL BUT WE DID IT TOGETHER ] I meant after! You know, the emotional support part.

[ TRIES TO SOFTEN THE EDGE HERE the vibe so downtrodden in scawwy ]

Good to know. [because that would feel weird, but it's fine! we did it together!

but anyway...yeah. there's a slight smile.]

Is it that obvious? [she doesn't seem to mind this callout.] I think after everything, people need to kind of talk things out. It was a pretty stressful situation for all of us and leaving people alone doesn't feel right.

[ HE ISN'T HERE TO HYPER CRITICIZE. ]

It's normal, isn't it? People like checking up on others after something bad happens and a lot has happened. It'll keep on happening. [ Shrugs. ] I'm not good at that kind of thing.

[SHE'S NOT TAKING IT AS A CRITICISM.]

You'd think so, but I also know a lot of people who aren't good at that kind of thing. [ergo, she becomes the outlier.] I guess I'm used to it. A lot of bad can happen in such a short time that it can be hard for people to process it all. Sometimes they just need to talk through it to understand.

[...but.]

What would you consider yourself good at then?

[ Going over their roster of people and his interactions with them. they have the reticent... and the anxious. ]

More people like you would be great. [ Less work for Aerith. For that question, he snaps his fingers. ] Combat.

[there's a smile but...well. she knows. we have a lot of loners and a lot of anxious people and also a lot of extremely emotional people. so she's not entirely surprised, but she does grin at that.]

You can be good at both with practice if you wanted. But I know that's not for everyone. [she is surrounded by people who are good at combat and bad at feelings in general.] I don't mind doing what I do.

[ Grimaces at her saying practice... Not harshly, but more like a child who doesn't want to go to cram school. More on the comedic side than anything. ]

Aaaahhhh, it adds up. [ Many emotions!! ] But people check on you, too, right?

[it's funny, sorry. she is always aware people do not always feel like it and she doesn't mind.]

They do. [and she seems a little conflicted on that for a few reasons.] Sometimes I think some people prefer doing that than letting me do the same for them, but it's just about continuing to try.

[ If she thinks it's funny, then that's good. ]

The vulnerability of it all. [ He knows why, or he does on paper. ] Aaaand are you one of those? You made a face.

People do seem to hate being perceived... [aerith herself is hit or miss with what she's comfortable with people seeing. it's why the question makes her shake her head.] It's not that. It's just that sometimes it seems like people don't want to tell me things because they think it'll upset me.

People do that to protect feelings, right? [ Tilting his head... ] It's annoying. I think it's better if people are honest.

[ There's a longer pause, thoughtful. ]

But I don't know everyone's circumstances.

Yes and no. Depends on whose feelings you think they might be trying to protect. [so it's not that she doesn't understand why some people do it. she also just doesn't really like being treated as something delicate.]

It's better if people are honest, but...there are also some circumstances where it isn't. That's always the tricky part, isn't it. Figuring out when it is and isn't. [tilting her head in a mimic.] Unless you're someone who always tells the truth?

[ Satoru sitting here thinking physics is easier to solve. He thinks on it since he'd lie if it means getting the job done, but a mission is different than an interpersonal encounter. ]

For this kind of stuff, yeah. I'm thinking I should just stay out of the more delicate situations.

[fair.]

You'd know yourself better than the rest of us. There's nothing wrong with acknowledging where your other strengths lie as long as you have someone with you that can handle more delicate situations. Both for you and for people around you.

[ Thumbs up!! He may leave it to the emotionally in tune... Except he won't because I also want to play. ]

You doing all right?

[ He will at least try here. ]

[imagine you just sat out for eight weeks because everyone's losing their shit and satoru just went "nvm." but he seems to be trying, and she appreciates that.]

I am. And I will be. It's...scary to think this could have happened and we still don't have a clear resolution. But we can't let that slow us down too much from finding an answer before it happens again.

[ i sat out of eight weekend gauntlets of the emotional pcs because satoru is like "i suck, someone else do it!" NO, HE IS GOING TO TRY HIS BEST. ]

Yeah, there are many of us, which means many pair of eyes and brains. Even if some of us have no brain activity, the odds of us making up more than one brain is high!

We can do it.

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residentflorist - 2024-06-20 21:29 (UTC) - Expand