#this isnt my usual stuff but damn did these responses anger me

[bronzeflower]

Who The Fuck Writes A Ten-Page Rant?????

Also on ao3

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Chapter 6: A Message At Long Last

It had been days since you saw the cute guy, and you have basically given up any sort of hope that he would actually message you.

To be fair, it had only been one or two days, but still. Anyway, you still had stuff to work on, so there really wasn’t any use in moping about a cute guy you talked to for a grand total of four minutes and thirteen seconds.

Someone was pestering you, so you decided to answer, only to find that it was a handle you didn’t recognize.

-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling turntechGodhead [TG] --

CG: I CANNOT FUCKING *BELIEVE* THAT YOU ARE THE SAME FUCKING ASSHOLE THAT TEREZI GAVE ME THE CHUMHANDLE TO.

CG: I WASN’T GOING TO TROLL A DUMBASS LIKE THAT, SO I DIDN’T FOR WEEKS BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A STUPID WASTE OF THE PRECIOUS AMOUNT OF TIME I HAVE LEFT. CG: AND YET, HERE I AM. CG: MESSAGING YOU. CG: BECAUSE I DECIDED THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU WEREN’T A COMPLETELY AWFUL PERSON. CG: ALSO, IF YOU HAVEN’T FIGURED IT OUT YET, I’M THE GUY WHO WORKS AT ROSEMARY. CG: YOU KNOW, THE STORE YOU WENT TO GET A SUIT AT.

TG: holy shit you actually messaged me TG: this is the best goddamned day of my entire life TG: ive been blessed with your presence

CG: DAMN RIGHT YOU HAVE.

TG: you seem a lot more angry over text though

CG: IN CASE YOU FAILED TO NOTICE, I WAS AT WORK WHEN I MET YOU. CG: I WAS ACTING “PROFESSIONAL.” CG: PEOPLE DON’T USUALLY TAKE KINDLY TO OTHERS YELLING INSULTS AND CURSE WORDS INTO THEIR AURICULAR SPONGE CLOTS

TG: so are you always this angry when youre not at work

CG: YES.

TG: goddamn TG: also, you know tz???

CG: YEAH, SHE’S A CHILDHOOD FRIEND, AND SHE ALSO DEMANDED TO GIVE ME YOUR CHUMHANDLE DESPITE ME SAYING THAT I ABSOLUTELY DID *NOT* WANT IT. CG: BUT YOU GAVE ME YOUR CHUMHANDLE ANYWAY, SO IT’S NOT LIKE IT MATTERED.

TG: wait but why did she give you my chumhandle in the first place TG: did she just up and decide that we needed to be friends because she and me are friends and so are you and her

CG: NO. SHE GAVE IT TO ME BECAUSE I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE NEW FUCKING MEMES GOING AROUND THAT ARE BASED ON A VIDEO YOU MADE. CG: I COULD MAYBE HANDLE THE VIDEO. CG: IT WAS KIND OF FUNNY, AND KANAYA SAID I SHOULD TRY LAUGHING AT MY PAST MISTAKES INSTEAD OF GETTING ANGRY AT THEM. CG: BUT THE MEMES. OH GOD THE MEMES. CG: THEY WERE THE MOST HORRIFIC THINGS I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE, AND THAT’S PRETTY FUCKING DIFFICULT THING TO ACCOMPLISH, SO I GUESS I AM FORCED TO GIVE PROPS TO THAT. CG: BUT THAT DOES NOT NEGATE THE ESTABLISHED *FACT* THAT THEY ARE THE WORST THINGS I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY EXISTENCE. CG: THEY MAKE ME WANT TO STAB MY EYES OUT AND BE BLIND FOR THE REST OF MY WAKING LIFE. CG: I WON’T EVEN GET TEREZI TO TEACH ME HOW TO SEE BECAUSE THAT WOULD ENABLE ME TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A WHIFF OF THE SHIT PEOPLE PUT ON THE INTERNET. CG: I’LL JUST GO THROUGHOUT MY LIFE BEING PERFECTLY FUCKING CONTENT WITH BEING ABLE TO SEE JACK SHIT.

TG: are you the guy who sent me that ten page rant then TG: because that was fucking amazing TG: best goddamn thing i ever seen TG: highlight of the year

CG: IF THOSE GOD-FORSAKEN MEMES BECOME THE MEME OF THE YEAR, I WILL FIND SOME WAY TO MURDER YOU IN THE MOST SLOW AND PAINFUL WAY POSSIBLE.

TG: ouch TG: guess im going to have to resign myself to my death TG: because that meme is the best TG: it will live on for generations TG: it will never get old TG: we will be on the edge of death all wrinkled and dying of whatever old people die of TG: like a heart attack or something TG: and then i will turn to the nearest person and speak with my dying breath TG: “maybe one day my death will come so i never have to look at your god-forsaken channel ever again, you complete and utter douche muffin” TG: and then theyll start laughing because they love that fucking meme TG: memorized the entire goddamned thing TG: it will be taught in schools TG: kids will have to recite an excerpt of it to the class TG: analyze the shit out of it TG: where does all this guys anger come from TG: nobody knows TG: theyll just have to guess until theyre blue in the face

CG: THE WORDS. THEY DON’T STOP. CG: I’VE JUST BEEN OVER HERE POLITELY WAITING TO SEE IF YOU WOULD BURN YOURSELF OUT. CG: BUT APPARENTLY YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO ON FOR UNTIL AFTER THE UNIVERSE END UNLESS SOMEONE SHUTS YOU UP. CG: AND CLEARLY THE UNIVERSE HAS GRANTED ME THIS VERY IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE YOU DON’T RUN YOUR MOUTH FOR ALL ETERNITY.

TG: clearly the greatest honor to ever be granted to someone TG: the privilege to tell the dave strider to shut his pothole

CG: SHUT YOUR POTHOLE.

TG: hahahaha TG: on a completely different note what even made you write a ten page rant about my channel anyways

CG: MOSTLY THE FACT THAT IT WAS A STUPID CHANNEL. CG: BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT IT WAS THREE AM, AND I HADN’T SLEPT FOR A WHILE.

TG: so what youre telling me is TG: you *actually* sent me a ten page rant when you were that sleep deprived TG: no wonder it was so incoherent

CG: I COULD PROBABLY HAVE WRITTEN IT BETTER IF I WASN’T SO TIRED. CG: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BEST GODDAMNED PIECE OF WRITING IN ALL OF PARADOX SPACE CG: NOTHING ELSE COULD EVER COMPETE TO THE MASTERPIECE I WOULD HAVE CREATED. CG: HOWEVER, INSTEAD, MY PAST SELF, AND BY THAT I MEAN *MYSELF*, WRITES A HEAPING PILE OF FESTERING SHIT.

TG: point taken TG: the question here is TG: will you ever write this masterpiece TG: will i ever get the pleasure of reading this glorious piece of hate mail directed towards yours truly

CG: NO.

TG: wow harsh TG: shut down immediately TG: didnt even get to go on a weirdly personal tangent TG: would have been fantastic TG: i have no conceivable idea of where it would have gone TG: but i can guarantee it would have been the second best thing in the universe TG: second only to the hypothetical rewrite of the glorious hate mail that you sent me

CG: AND IT WILL STAY HYPOTHETICAL FOR ALL OF ETERNITY. CG: I REFUSE TO EMBARRASS MYSELF LIKE THAT EVER AGAIN. CG: HOW DID I EVEN GET TO THE POINT IN MY LIFE WHERE I AM MESSAGING YOU. CG: OH, WAIT. NOW I REMEMBER. CG: IT WAS BECAUSE YOU WEREN’T A COMPLETE ASSHOLE IN PERSON. CG: CLEARLY THAT DOES NOT TRANSFER OVER TO TEXT.

TG: im hurt karkat

CG: SUCK IT UP, DINGUS.

TG: dave actually TG: i dont know if i actually introduced myself to you

CG: I DON’T THINK YOU DID EITHER. CG: ALTHOUGH, I THINK YOUR SISTER INTRODUCED YOU, BUT IT OCCURS TO ME THAT I DIDN’T ACTUALLY CATCH YOUR NAME WHEN SHE SAID IT. CG: IT’S A MIRACLE YOU ACTUALLY REMEMBERED MY NAME.

TG: what can i say im good with names TG: and also multiple people said it in my presence so i guess there is also that

CG: I GUESS

TG: …

CG: …

TG: …

CG: …

CG: I CAN’T BELIEVE BOTH OF US ARE OUT OF THINGS TO SAY FOR ONCE.

TG: huh TG: i suppose so TG: …

CG: I GUESS YOU COULD PESTER ME IF YOU EVER FIND SOMETHING TO RUN YOUR MOUTH ABOUT. CG: OR I’LL TROLL YOU ABOUT SOMETHING OR OTHER. CG: LATER THOUGH. CG: BYE.

TG: see ya

-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling turntechGodhead [TG] --

You sigh, a bit sad that the conversation ended, and then you immediately decide to inform others of this happening.

-- turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] --

TG: rose rose youll never guess what happened

-- tentacleTherapist [TT] is an idle chum! --

TG: i guess you will never guess what happened since you arent even hear to guess TG: what are you even doing TG: please dont tell me you went into your writing bunker TG: if you did i wont be able to talk to you for at least a week if not more TG: and no one else will be able to either TG: what if kanaya tries to message you TG: assuming you actually exchanged contact information TG: how long ago did you even do that TG: how could you not tell your own brother that you got a girls chumhandle TG: have you asked her out yet TG: it would be great if you were on a date instead of in the writing bunker TG: then people could actually contact you and you wouldnt be completely isolating yourself from the rest of the world other than brief trips outside to get food TG: anyway karkat messaged me and we had a conversation TG: i would tell you more about it but it seems you are an idle chum TG: pester me later if you want the details

-- turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] --

-- turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering gallowsCalibrator [GC] --

TG: tz youll never guess what just happened

GC: 1M GO1NG TO T4K3 4 W1LD GU3SS 4ND S4Y TH4T K4RK4T F1N4LLY GOT 4ROUND TO M3SS4G1NG YOU

TG: youd be correct TG: how did you know TG: i mean i know that he got my chumhandle from you but also he refused to message me for weeks

GC: 1 H4V3 4 C3RT41N T4L3NT FOR KNOW1NG TH3S3 SORTS OF TH1NGS GC: 4ND 4LSO K4RK4T 1S Y3LL1NG 4T M3 1N 4NOTH3R CH4T GC: 1 H4V3 OPT3D TO 1GNOR3 H1M FOR NOW GC: 4NYW4Y, WH4T D1D YOU TWO T4LK 4BOUT

TG: we talked about memes

CG: M3M3S?

TG: yes memes TG: specifically the memes that erupted after the rant video

GC: OF COURS3 GC: H3 W4S V3RY 4NGRY 4BOUT THOS3 GC: WH1CH R3M1NDS M3, WHY D1D H3 M3SS4G3 YOU 1N TH3 F1RST PL4C3 1F H3 W4S SO 4G41NST 1T B3FOR3?

TG: okay so remember the cute boy i was talking about like two days ago

GC: Y34H

TG: that was karkat

GC: … GC: … GC: …

TG: terezi?? TG: did i actually break you or do you just need a moment to process the information i just gave you TG: yo tz i need some confirmation that you did not just die from an overload of information TG: hit me up with your response TG: are you alive

GC: NO

TG: thank god youre not dead

GC: TH4TS WH4T TH3 GOV3RNM3NT W4NTS YOU TO TH1NK

TG: shit youre right TG: the government is doing all this nasty shit and now they are making it so we think we arent dead TG: how do we know the government isnt dead though

GC: SHHHHHH GC: TH3S3 4R3 TOP S3CR3T GOV3RNM3NT S3CR3TS YOUR3 SPR34D1NG 4BOUT GC: YOUV3 GOT TO B3 MOR3 D1SCR3T3

TG: discrete is my middle name

GC: NO, YOUR3 M1DDL3 N4M3 1S 3L1Z4B3TH

TG: shit you got me there

GC: 4ND YOU 4R3 4BOUT 4S D1SCR3T3 4S 4 TR41N CR4SH GC: YOU COULDNT BE D1SCR3T3 1F YOUR L1F3 D3P3ND3D ON 1T

TG: those are some harsh words

GC: 4R3 TH3Y WRONG?

TG: …

GC: 1 R3ST MY C4S3 GC: 4NYW4Y, W3 H4V3 GOTT3N 3NT1IR3LY OFF TR4CK FROM TH3 CONV3RS4T1ON 4T H4ND GC: R3G4RDL3SS OF HOW MUCH FUN W3 W3R3 H4V1NG W1TH TH1S S3CR3CY T4LK GC: WH4T 4BOUT K4RK4T M33T1NG YOU 1N R34L L1F3 CH4NG3D H1S M1ND 4BOUT M3SS4G1NG YOU?

TG: i honestly dont know for sure but he said something about me actually not seeming like a complete douchebag in real life

GC: M4K3S S3NS3 W1TH HOW FLUST3R3D 1 4M 4SSUM1NG YOU W3R3 GC: TH3 GUY W4S COMPL41N1NG HOW YOU W3R3 COMPL3T3LY MONOTON3 1N 4LL OF YOUR V1D3OS GC: 4ND TH3N H3 S33S YOU H4V3 4N 4CTU4L 3MOT1ON >:O GC: 3SP3C14LLY 4N 3MOT1ON WH3R3 YOU SHOW TH4T YOU L1K3 H1M GC: TH3 GUY 1S 4 SUCK3R FOR ROM3NC3 GC: NOV3LS 4ND MOV13S 4L1K3

TG: holy fuck TG: i cant believe i kind of flirted with a hopeless romantic

GC: 1 HOP3 YOU DONT TH1NK TH4T H3 W1LL D4T3 YOU JUST B3C4US3 OF TH4T

TG: of course not TG: im not some goddamned creeper TG: if he doesnt want to date me thats fine TG: it would be great to be friends with him at least TG: i had fun talking to him earlier

GC: D4V3

TG: what

GC: 1S TH4T 4N 3MOT1ON 1 SM3LL?

TG: oh my god tz we are not doing this for the hundredth time TG: we get it TG: i TG: the cool kid TG: has emotions like every other human being on the planet TG: its not such a surprise anymore

GC: YOU H4V3 4N 3N1R3 GRUBTUB3 CH4NN3L D3D1C4T3D TO R3V13W1NG TH1NGS 1N TH3 MOST 3MOT1ONL3SS W4Y POSS1BL3

TG: … TG: ok thats fair

GC: BUT 1M W4RN1NG YOU NOW 4BOUT K4RK4TS LOV3 OF ROMCOMS GC: H3 W1LL T4LK 4T L3NGTH 4BOUT TH3M 4ND TH3R3 1S ABSOLUT3LY NOTH1NG YOU C4N DO TO PR3V3NT TH4T FROM H4PP3N1NG GC: SO YOU M1GHT 4S W3LL G1V3 UP HOP3 NOW

TG: god damn TG: and here i was TG: woefully unprepared for the potential onslaught of romcoms TG: and then you come along TG: with all your future knowledge and shit like a some kind of seer or something TG: and allowed me to arm myself with the knowledge that karkat really fucking loves romcoms TG: thank you for you have done a great deed

GC: JUST W41T UNT1L H3 FORC3S YOU TO W4TCH TH3M

TG: is that a thing he does TG: aggressively shoves romcoms into his friends faces TG: how are yall still sane

GC: 4T SOM3 PO1NT YOU L34RN TO 4CC3PT YOUR F4T3 B3C4US3 1T 1S E4S13R 1N TH3 LONG RUN GC: 4ND T4K3S UP L3SS T1M3 GC: YOU C4N 4LSO JUST F4LL 4SL33P DUR1NG TH3 MOV13 GC: K4RK4T W1LL B3 TOO 1NTO TH3 MOV13 TO 4CTU4LLY C4R3

TG: good to know TG: i thank you for the sheer amount of wisdom you hold

GC: YOUR3 W3LCOM3 GC: OH 1 H4V3 TO GO NOW GC: 1 H4V3 4 D4T3 GC: >;]

-- gallowsCalibrator [GC] ceased trolling turntechGodhead [TG] --

TG: wait hold on who are you going on a date with TG: shit TG: youre already gone TG: ill weasel the truth out of you sooner or later TG: or i guess youll just tell me TG: same difference really TG: or maybe not TG: whatever TG: case still stands that i will find out who you are going on a date with TG: i want details TG: except maybe not really TG: i would rather a brief overview of the date if that is possible TG: please dont go into weird tangents about how much you licked them TG: because that would be awkward and weird TG: anyway TG: later

-- turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering gallowsCalibrator [GC] --

You decide to take the remainder of the day to work on some more videos. After all, you know Terezi will probably tell you who she went on a date with sooner or later, and Karkat said he might message you in the future. You can't help but smile at that. He was fun to talk to, so it would be nice to hear from him again.

[fortune-failing]

Can't Sink What Hasn't Sailed Part VII

"If you react like this when I kill someone then you've conviced me that you don't like me for me but instead like who you think you can change me into being and that thought disgusts me" Except Aneris Doesn't Say That And Insteads Broods And Deflects Every Question Zarek Asks 

(After session 74. At night.)

Aneris

Despite what some might expect, Aneris was not currently located in or behind any bar or tavern, and instead was still in the isolated part of town where Loan had a tearful heart-to-heart just earlier in the night. She had found a bench and currently had her feet where butts belong and butt where heads belong, with Nicol perched on the top on the bench next to her. Every now and then one would look at the other but neither said anything.

Zarek

After walking for a while through town in the direction London had pointed to, and checking a tavern or two, Zarek spotted a figure sitting on a bench not in the way anyone else would actually sit there. The fact the figure was purple and black only made it way easier to notice it was Aneris. He approached her. "Hey, having fun outside?" He gave her a worried look instead of the appropriate sarcastic one he would usually have with such a greeting.

Aneris

As Zarek approached Aneris looks up from a white knife she had been turning over in her hands. She meets his eyes as he speaks. "You came all the way out here, to ask that?" She responds coldly.

Zarek

"Oh, how did you know?" Zarek smiled before dropping the act. "Of course I didn't, I came here to find you."

Aneris

"Well here I am, you found me." She waves a hand in the air for a moment despite her tone remaining unchanged. "Is that it then? Are you done?"

Zarek

"Do you want me to go away already?" He said in an almost mocking tone. Did he even need to ask?

Aneris

"Now there's an idea." Aneris perks up a little. Hadn't she been burdened with enough interaction for one day?

Zarek

Instead, he sat down on a side of the bench. "Are you going back to the inn later?"

Aneris

Aneris scowls, he wasn't good at following directions, was he? "Does that really matter?"

Zarek

"Hmm." He looks up. "I mean I don't doubt you can manage a night out, I'm more worried about the reason for it."

Aneris

"Well don't be. It's annoying." She continues to be curt for no god damn reason at all.

Zarek

"Maybe it is. Anything else you're upset about?"

Aneris

:donglong: "I didn't tell you to follow me out here." Aneris dodges any attempts at therapy hour.

Zarek

"Well, if I followed you I would have gotten here sooner, don't you think?" It was tough not to be equally as difficult as she was being.

Aneris

Aneris glares. "You know what I meant."

Zarek

"Yeah I do. And I'm also sure you're upset about other stuff too." He stretched his arms upwards and let one of them rest behind the bench.

Aneris

"What are you expecting to get out of this Zarek? Are you hoping that if we sit down and talk then suddenly everyone is going to get along perfectly and hold hands and skip our way to the Red Keep where we ask them to let the girl go pretty please?"

Zarek

"W-what?" Zarek was equally as surprised as he was amused. What kind of exaggeration was this? Was it supposed to prove a point?? "Not really, 'everyone' is too big of a goal, and 'perfectly' is an unrealistic wish. Are you that opposed to talking something out?"

Aneris

"I'm opposed to having my time wasted." Says the woman who was previously sitting alone in the dark, twiddingly her thu . . . knives. But maybe if she avoiding answering questions long enough he'd leave and she could go back to doing nothing.

Zarek

"Right, I forgot you have a very busy schedule and tight sleep hours. My bad."

Aneris

Aneris sighs. "Are you not going to leave until you're satisfied?" What does he even want from her, can't he see she's brooding?

Zarek

"Sure. Would that actually make you talk or will you try to stall me until I pass out?"

Aneris

Wow, thats a good idea actually. "Guess we'll have to find out, won't we." Aneris hopes that Zarek is greatful that there can't possible be anyone more difficult than her in his life

Zarek

"Stubborn, aren't we? Are you not accepting apologies tonight then?"

Aneris

Aneris thinks back to London's apology earlier in the night and her expression somehow found room to sour more. "Words are cheap." She mutters and looks away

Zarek

"You're upset because of a few words though, aren't you?" He looked at her this time.

Aneris

Aneris glares at a poor undeserving tree far off in the distance. It takes her a bit longer to construct her half-responce half-evasion this time. "It's possible they contributed. . . . . . . " she trails off, glaring even harder, but after a moment it becomes clear thats all she decided to say.

Zarek

"Then, was there something else that upset you before that?" He asked in a more worried tone. But he was almost sure there wasn't.

Aneris

Was it the tone of his voice, or the fact that he asked that made her doubt why she was upset? Either way it didn't matter, the result was Aneris getting more defensive. She grips the knife tighter in her hands as she starts to realize that there's no way she can think to answer his question without hurting her pride. She keeps quiet and just silently glares away from Zarek. It's too shameful to say her feelings were hurt, she's not a little bitch she can't say that. Saying she got irritated because of everyone bickering isn't much better though. She has a reputation to maintain.

Zarek

"You know, a cold 'yes' would have been a better way to stall this than keeping silent." He sighed. Going from cold indifferent responses to total silence wasn't the reaction he really wanted though. "Now it just made me more confident that it was just what I said alone."

Aneris

Fuck. Aneris isnt even sure if he arrived at the wrong conclusion or not, but at least he decided on something before she could. "Fine, you upset me, are you happy now?"Did she even answer a question? As long as she says something its fine right? It'll distract him from trying to make any observations about her for a minute. "You're just as bad as London, is that what you want to hear?" She singles London out but actually everyone pissed her off today.

Zarek

"Just as bad as London, huh?" So a escapegoat to vent all her anger towards to? That didn't sound too bad honestly. He sighed. "I don't think that was exactly what I wanted to hear. I wanted a bit more detail on how did it upset you I guess. I mean, maybe I went too far."

Aneris

She finally looks back at him. Why is it so much easier to speak when she's pissed? Talking about feelings is considered for half a second before Aneris rightfully squashes the thought. "Do you really need details? You said something and it worked. It doesn't seem like you need any more ammo. You were upset too right? What's with all this focus on me."

Zarek

"I don't need more ammo. Geez, you'd think you'd already know leaving stuff unresolved isn't good. That's a fair point though, we can start this talking about how I got upset if you want." Though it will still mostly be talking about her.

Aneris

"Sure, do that instead." Was that unresolved comment another attack at her? Whatever, as long as the subject of the conversation is moving away from her she could start to relax again.

Zarek

"Hmm, I guess I was irritated at how you kept ignoring what I said." He tilts his head upwards to look at the night sky as he continues. "Most of that stuff really didn't seem worth your time or effort I guess."

Aneris

"I'm the one who gets to decided whether something's worth my time or not. And if you don't want to get ignored you should at least offer a reason to listen." This all seems like Zarek problems. It's good to know that nothing is ever Aneris' fault.

Zarek

"I guess I should trust your judgement on that. Someone who comes all the way out here to sit on a bench and stare into space must have a good sense of how to use their time." He sighs. It's the most difficult thing to be nice when all of Aneris' answers are like this. "So, do you take actual reasons to listen? Or do you discard and avoid anything you don't like?"

Aneris

"I wasn't staring into space." She points the knife in her hand at Zarek as she corrects him. "I made a knife." She flips the knife away from him again and goes back to twirling it in her hands. "You asked me not to kill your brother if we ran into him, that was a solid reason, but I can't believe that you had a good reason to hold back on the orcs."

Zarek

Zarek swallows upon hearing this, that one favor was still important to him. "There was no reason to hold back while we were fighting them." He sighs. Was it even worth saying that battles end after a side is defeated?

Aneris

"Then why were you so upset? Would you really have been happier knowing they were still out there, going right back to doing what they were before they picked a fight with us?"

Zarek

"I guess not but... are you going to tell me you got rid of them to protect future tiefling children? Or did you do it because you wanted to see how it would be to blighttouch someone until they died?" He looked back at her.

Aneris

She doesn't look away. "You want an honest answer for that?"

Zarek

"Yeah." He doesn't break eye contact either. It would be incredible if he actually got an honest answer.

Aneris

The faintest smile appears as she responds. "The tieflings had almost nothing to do with it, but it wasn't all curiosity either. I was irritated and killing them made me feel better. The method wasn't important, even if seeing the blight get him was another layer of satisfaction." She tilts her head as if she had to decide on something on the spot. "If you want to dumb it down, I did it because I could, and frankly, no one can argue they weren't asking for it. Is that honest enough for you?"

Zarek

"Yeah, I'm glad to hear the honest reason for it. So... You were irritated and decided to take it out on someone weaker to make you feel better." He got up from the bench "It's hard to say nobody can argue when the guy had already surrendered anyway. I guess after the conversation we had a few days ago I hoped you wouldn't do this kind of shit... That's all."

Aneris

The smile drops and her eyes narrow "Frame it however you want Zarek, when you draw a weapon on someone you don't get to complain about what might happen to you afterwards." "Oh and before you go, you might want to rethink whatever watered-down idealized bastardization of me exists in your mind. I don't need you building up hopes for me around some delusion you might believe in." what the fuck does he think he's talking about 'this kind of shit'. Aneris seems to be done with cold and switches hard into bitter.

Zarek

Zarek turns back to look at her. "Watered-down bastardization? Come on. If I had such an image of you I wouldn't be frustrated, I would be surprised. But nothing you did was completely unexpected." He clicked his tongue. "I thought being at the other end of someone who used violence on whoever he could without a bigger motive would make you think twice about doing it again. But I bet you're too much of an hypocrite to put two and two together, aren't you?" God, this really wasn't what he came to say at all.

Aneris

Ah, she's mad. Aneris raises her voice as she goes on "Yeah 'you thought', there's your problem. You say you don't have deluded expections for me, but in the same breathe start making up 'lessons' I'm supposed to be learning from things. For fucks sake, and you're calling me the hypocrite."

Zarek

"I guess having any kind of expectations at all was a problem, and yeah I'm calling you an hypocrite! Obviously thinking you can learn a lesson or something similar was a mistake when you're the less self-aware person I know!" He clenched his teeth. "I bet even when you're behaving like a completely open book you're the only one who has no idea about how you act!" He almost felt like he was running out of breath as he raised his voice against her.

Aneris

"Hey here's a lesson I learned, just for you." She makes no attempt to hold back the sarcasm. "I was stupid for thinking it'd be okay to trust you. Guess we both had the wrong idea about each other all along, what a coincidence. Hey how am I doing I'm going to need some feedback, cause I have no idea right?"

Zarek

Zarek gave her an angry smile in return. "That's pretty good actually, I prefer that you yell at me if I upset you instead of isolating yourself in the middle of the night while avoiding people!" Then clenched his fists.

Aneris

"If people piss me off whats wrong with avoiding them?" she lowers her voice again. Not allowed to kill annoying people, not allowed to take leisurly walks at night. What's a girl to do. "Or are you just worried if I'm left alone I might head back into the woods and finish the job."

Zarek

"I'm not worried about what you might go do to a group of criminals in a forest right now." He replied, still a bit more intense than he should be. "What I was worried about is knowing you were out here upset or hurt because of the shit I said."

Aneris

"Ohh? But you were so concerned about me taking my aggression out on those weaker than me just a minute ago." Her voice matches his intensity and she latchs on to any fight she can, a rebel without a cause. "And even if I was a little hurt, don't get so self-centered and assumed that's the whole reason I came out here." Wait what was the main reason she came out here. Aneris briefly considers the fact that she doesnt know anymore.

Zarek

"Oh, so you closed the door on my face and left without a word but the fact I upset you and you wanted to avoid me wasn't the reason you came all the way out here? I'm curious now, what's the real reason you left then." Zarek looked at her waiting for an answer but held back on giving any kind of smug expressions, instead looking more serious about it.

Aneris

ah . . . . fuck she did lock him out of the room earlier. Her volume lowers again. "I just wanted a walk . . . . . London was up to something suspicious so I got distract and ended up out here is all." Aneris impresses even herself with the lengths she'll go to to avoid admitting something.

Zarek

"A walk?" The way Aneris changed her way of answering only made Zarek more confident in what he was saying. "London came back to the inn a good while ago, are you telling me he distracted you so much you've been sitting around here instead of continuing your walk?"

Aneris

"Well he pisses me off a lot too, it's only natural I would get distraced" wow she's not even lying, London did actually distract her walk

Zarek

"Isn't it more natural you'd avoid him too instead of getting distracted? 'if people piss you off what's wrong with avoiding them?'" Zarek sighs. "Nevermind about London, why are you even bringing him up in your excuse..?" Did she think this was more convincing?

Aneris

'I was hoping if I followed him he'd fall down a cliff and I could watch' ah shit, can't say that probably. "I'm a really bad judge of character, he had seemed less completly awful lately." She mutters answering the easier question. "You know I've spent a lot of my life out wandering at night, it's not really weird if I want to take a walk everynow and then." Holy shit how does Zarek deal with her

Zarek

Less awful lately, huh? It was kind of weird how they really started getting along better.....again... For like the third time. Maybe it wasn't that weird. "I'll give you that wanting to take a walk isn't weird. But wanting to take one just because... right when you're feeling upset and hurt? You either haven't connected the dots or you really don't want to say it, do you?" Zarek sighs, he didn't look angry anymore, maybe a little tired or a little frustrated, but can anyone blame him?

Aneris

So this is it, an hour of arguing and now she has to admit to either being stupid or having an emotion. "Maybe I don't" she looks away again.

Zarek

"Is there a reason you don't want to say it?" The answer seemed kind of crystal clear though.

Aneris

"Why should I?" Say it? Have a reason? She offers no clue to what she's actually responding to that cunt

Zarek

"What, are you afraid something bad will happen if you actually admit it?" On the other hand, Zarek also offers more questions instead of answers.

Aneris

What an unfortunate line of questioning. "I stand nothing to gain from admiting things, it's just a waste of time. . . ."

Zarek

"Does it waste more time than avoiding it with more questions?"

Aneris

"Yes."

Zarek

Zarek has to hold himself back from taking a deep breath. "Seriously? You don't really gain anything by avoiding this stuff, do you?"

Aneris

"Well I almost gained a nice relaxing walk through town." Maybe if Aneris had some of that self-reflection Zarek mentioned earlier she could ask herself why she was pushing back so much.

Zarek

"Saying 'almost' really is as good as saying 'I didnt'. I mean, if we're mentioning 'what-ifs' if you told me stuff at the inn and went for a walk I wouldn't come to interrupt it."

Aneris

"So if I told you that you pissed me off and I didn't want to look at you I could be living it up and relaxing right now?"

Zarek

"Yeah! Just tell me directly why did I upset you and why you don't want to look at me and I'll give you all the time alone you want!"

Aneris

Aneris wonders if Zarek knows he's asking for a lot. "Well for starters you overreacting to how I choose to handle things is really annoying. I don't need someone trying to hold me back. And I don't need you comparing me to Ladon like you know either of us." Anti hits enter without proofreading her reply because honestly Aneris is trash and it's Zareks problem now

Zarek

Zarek takes a deep breath. "Thanks. I'll try not to be so overbearing and I'll avoid comparing you to 'people I don't really know', that was a pretty shitty thing to do anyway." He starts to head out and yawns. "In any case, I'm sorry for bothering you on your... walk, and getting so riled up. I just wanted to apologize for being insensitive earlier. Goodnight."

Aneris

She stares at him, not really sure of much of anything at the moment then hops down off the bench. "Yeah well see that it doesn't happen again." She reverts to her cold demeanor from earlier as she sticks her arm out and retrieves Nicol from the bench and turns to leave in the other direction.

Zarek

Instead of giving her a reply he just waves his hand as he walks away. Maybe he should get another room tonight. But then again Aneris doesn't really need sleep, and probably won't want to come back, after all, she loves walking at night. It's not worth the money.