But unfortunately, despite exuding an eternal Done sort of energy, Hinata thinks laughing is pretty cool. He lets out an exaggerated sigh as his shoulders droop (literally?), though it's a bit undercut by the smile still sticking to the side of his mouth.]
Somehow I knew it would turn out this way... [A truly serious lamentation. But it feels good, to make her laugh; to just talk, as if they were normal. For once.
Curiosity interrupts his affectation, as he listens to Trish's... summation? He supposes?]
Oh, you think so...? [There's a bit of mischief to his voice, but the additional chuckle is still a little self-deprecating. Figured him all out...? It... Well, it sort of makes him feel bad. Or, not bad, but... wistful? No, that wasn't the right word either, but-- it's something in that valley, knowing he's sort of lying by omission, in a way. It's not like he wants to avoid who he was, but... it was kind of nice, still being seen as... harmless, and normal by someone.
But he sets that thought aside; though the almost-wistful smile sticks to his face.] I-I only wish I could be as good of a foundation as you say... but I appreciate it. [Well, it's more like, he can't stop smiling about it, actually.] You're not so bad yourself. You're the one that always seems to show up to smack some sense into me when I'm thinking something stupid. I appreciate it.
[Oh, come now, Hinata. He's being dramatic, she knows, but she still rolls her eyes at him very exaggeratedly in return!
Woe unto you, her newest minion.
Of course, he could say no, and be firm about it. Well, as much as a slime boy can be firm. But Trish has reminded him again and again she wants him to want to do something, and it would drive her mad if he agreed only to placate her. But he wants to help, because...they're friends. That's a nice feeling, and every time she runs into it, she savors it more and more. She didn't have many, purely because of her personality, she knows. Sharp, rancorous, unappealing. But Hinata laughed with her, and she knows just from that he doesn't feel that way about her at all.
Just like she knows nothing about him, but from his attitude to his appearance, her assumption is that he's a normal boy with some strange experiences under his belt. A weary soul, but a kind one all the same. If he's got demons, she can't fathom them. Indeed, he can enjoy this from her forever, if the world were kind. There's no reason to drag Kamakura to the forefront, when Hinata ought to be all that's left. Trish believes what she sees, because Hinata doesn't act like he's got anything to hide. That's good enough for her.
As for his comment, she sits up a little straighter, puffing out her fluffy chest.]
Really now? Well I'm glad you feel that way, because I've made it a lifelong habit.
[Hinata henceforth will never know peace.]
Like right now. Stop calling your thoughts stupid. I'll let you know if you say something truly harebrained, but what we've talked about today isn't something you're going to know off the cuff, and it would be stupid to expect you to.
[Even for how this conversation had started, Trish was by far one of the people that made him feel the most... normal. Horatio, Steve, all the girls at the arcade, too. But Trish really did just treat him like a normal guy who she felt free to bother in the morning as if before school, and didn't have any idea of how much was wrong with him. A lifetime ago it would've filled him with despair, being someone so normal. But by now, it was a refreshing relief.
Here's hoping he can keep it that way.
He lets out another chuckle at Trish's bold declaration of everlasting anarchy-- though maybe he was foolish to not expect her to smack some sense into him here, now, and he looks a bit surprised when the track comes back.]
R-Right... sorry. [She was probably going to yell at him for apologizing too much too, actually. It kind of reminded him of Koizumi, but way more aggressive.] I feel like I should be used to terrible, unpredictable chaos by now, but I guess you can never really get used to it.
[In many ways, Hinata really is someone she can simply come and bother when she feels like it. He certainly doesn't seem opposed, and even appreciates her presence. She can't miss that for how obvious it is, and it makes her feel good in a way that's hard to describe. Probably because she misses normalcy too. So if she can impose it this convincingly on others, enough that start to feel as normal as they couldn't imagine before, well...she starts to believe it herself.
It's nice to pretend, basically.
But she hasn't forgotten why she came here, and she's not about to let him slip up where she can see it. She won't bite him for apologizing at least (yet)! Instead she scoffs, but her expression is hardly severe.]
It wouldn't be "unpredictable" or "chaos" if you could get used to it, now would it?
[She takes a long sip of her tea.]
That's a lot to expect of anyone, including yourself. But we've been over that. As long as you're as kind to yourself as you are to everyone else, I'll be pleased.
[He doesn't have to like it, though!! Once upon a time he would've thrived on the inherent unpredictability of the world; but it turns out having empathy again makes him far too tired to deal with that kind of bullshit anymore.]
...But I guess I can try. [They could take a lot of things out of him, but they sure couldn't take out the anxiety and self-esteem problems. Maybe he was so used to having to juggle his entire class, desperately trying to keep it all together while their numbers got fewer and fewer. Now that it's in the past, it's easy to think about all the ways he'd fucked up.
Still, it's kind of easier having someone to bust your chops about that in particular.] At this point I feel like I'd disappoint you if I didn't try, and I don't wanna do that. So I'll do my best.
[His expression is warm despite the japery; maybe it's not the best way to mentally frame things, but it makes improvement feel a lot easier if it's for someone else.]
[Having empathy as an ability means chaos is just a death knell for any peace for himself or his friends, so honestly? Relatable.
Just like having an external motivator also helps. Trish understands it very well, really. Anything Donatella did, she did for Trish.
Just like Trish had curled up and accepted her death, but when people reached out to her and cared about her and her feelings, she found something to keep going for. She found people to care about, and keeping herself alive meant keeping them alive too. Because caring about oneself can be hard, and easy for an individual to talk themselves out of when the effects are visible to everyone but them. But if it's affecting other people, it becomes impossible to ignore. If you're not a total bastard, anyway.
That's how she feels, and if Hinata is anything like her, this frame of reference ought to work for him too.
She's clearly pleased with herself in any case, returning his smile enough that her fangs poke out that much more. The way she preens is reminiscent of a proud cat more than a bear.]
Mhm. Disappointing me is a serious gaffe, you know. I won't forgive it. But I'm not worried at all, if that helps.
[She believes in you, sir. That's the unspoken words there.]
Anyways...I think I ought to step out before Steve stumbles in here.
[She'll be doing Steve a solid by not seeing him with eye crust and mussed up hair, she is. With that, she finishes her cup, offering it to Hinata.
Once he takes it, she'll stand, smoothing out her clothes and giving the slime a cheeky wave.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
i mean i GUESS.jpg
But unfortunately, despite exuding an eternal Done sort of energy, Hinata thinks laughing is pretty cool. He lets out an exaggerated sigh as his shoulders droop (literally?), though it's a bit undercut by the smile still sticking to the side of his mouth.]
Somehow I knew it would turn out this way... [A truly serious lamentation. But it feels good, to make her laugh; to just talk, as if they were normal. For once.
Curiosity interrupts his affectation, as he listens to Trish's... summation? He supposes?]
Oh, you think so...? [There's a bit of mischief to his voice, but the additional chuckle is still a little self-deprecating. Figured him all out...? It... Well, it sort of makes him feel bad. Or, not bad, but... wistful? No, that wasn't the right word either, but-- it's something in that valley, knowing he's sort of lying by omission, in a way. It's not like he wants to avoid who he was, but... it was kind of nice, still being seen as... harmless, and normal by someone.
But he sets that thought aside; though the almost-wistful smile sticks to his face.] I-I only wish I could be as good of a foundation as you say... but I appreciate it. [Well, it's more like, he can't stop smiling about it, actually.] You're not so bad yourself. You're the one that always seems to show up to smack some sense into me when I'm thinking something stupid. I appreciate it.
LMAOOOO
Woe unto you, her newest minion.
Of course, he could say no, and be firm about it. Well, as much as a slime boy can be firm. But Trish has reminded him again and again she wants him to want to do something, and it would drive her mad if he agreed only to placate her. But he wants to help, because...they're friends. That's a nice feeling, and every time she runs into it, she savors it more and more. She didn't have many, purely because of her personality, she knows. Sharp, rancorous, unappealing. But Hinata laughed with her, and she knows just from that he doesn't feel that way about her at all.
Just like she knows nothing about him, but from his attitude to his appearance, her assumption is that he's a normal boy with some strange experiences under his belt. A weary soul, but a kind one all the same. If he's got demons, she can't fathom them. Indeed, he can enjoy this from her forever, if the world were kind. There's no reason to drag Kamakura to the forefront, when Hinata ought to be all that's left. Trish believes what she sees, because Hinata doesn't act like he's got anything to hide. That's good enough for her.
As for his comment, she sits up a little straighter, puffing out her fluffy chest.]
Really now? Well I'm glad you feel that way, because I've made it a lifelong habit.
[Hinata henceforth will never know peace.]
Like right now. Stop calling your thoughts stupid. I'll let you know if you say something truly harebrained, but what we've talked about today isn't something you're going to know off the cuff, and it would be stupid to expect you to.
[Harumph!]
no subject
Here's hoping he can keep it that way.
He lets out another chuckle at Trish's bold declaration of everlasting anarchy-- though maybe he was foolish to not expect her to smack some sense into him here, now, and he looks a bit surprised when the track comes back.]
R-Right... sorry. [She was probably going to yell at him for apologizing too much too, actually. It kind of reminded him of Koizumi, but way more aggressive.] I feel like I should be used to terrible, unpredictable chaos by now, but I guess you can never really get used to it.
no subject
It's nice to pretend, basically.
But she hasn't forgotten why she came here, and she's not about to let him slip up where she can see it. She won't bite him for apologizing at least (yet)! Instead she scoffs, but her expression is hardly severe.]
It wouldn't be "unpredictable" or "chaos" if you could get used to it, now would it?
[She takes a long sip of her tea.]
That's a lot to expect of anyone, including yourself. But we've been over that. As long as you're as kind to yourself as you are to everyone else, I'll be pleased.
no subject
[He doesn't have to like it, though!! Once upon a time he would've thrived on the inherent unpredictability of the world; but it turns out having empathy again makes him far too tired to deal with that kind of bullshit anymore.]
...But I guess I can try. [They could take a lot of things out of him, but they sure couldn't take out the anxiety and self-esteem problems. Maybe he was so used to having to juggle his entire class, desperately trying to keep it all together while their numbers got fewer and fewer. Now that it's in the past, it's easy to think about all the ways he'd fucked up.
Still, it's kind of easier having someone to bust your chops about that in particular.] At this point I feel like I'd disappoint you if I didn't try, and I don't wanna do that. So I'll do my best.
[His expression is warm despite the japery; maybe it's not the best way to mentally frame things, but it makes improvement feel a lot easier if it's for someone else.]
no subject
Just like having an external motivator also helps. Trish understands it very well, really. Anything Donatella did, she did for Trish.
Just like Trish had curled up and accepted her death, but when people reached out to her and cared about her and her feelings, she found something to keep going for. She found people to care about, and keeping herself alive meant keeping them alive too. Because caring about oneself can be hard, and easy for an individual to talk themselves out of when the effects are visible to everyone but them. But if it's affecting other people, it becomes impossible to ignore. If you're not a total bastard, anyway.
That's how she feels, and if Hinata is anything like her, this frame of reference ought to work for him too.
She's clearly pleased with herself in any case, returning his smile enough that her fangs poke out that much more. The way she preens is reminiscent of a proud cat more than a bear.]
Mhm. Disappointing me is a serious gaffe, you know. I won't forgive it. But I'm not worried at all, if that helps.
[She believes in you, sir. That's the unspoken words there.]
Anyways...I think I ought to step out before Steve stumbles in here.
[She'll be doing Steve a solid by not seeing him with eye crust and mussed up hair, she is. With that, she finishes her cup, offering it to Hinata.
Once he takes it, she'll stand, smoothing out her clothes and giving the slime a cheeky wave.]
Thank you for the tea, Hinata.
[Ciao, slime man.]