Opinions without 3.1415 are just Onions (Week1 post trial)

[ghostricked]

After everything, the house seems almost too still and too mundane. At least as long as the doors to that room remain closed. One by one those covered in what was once their teammate are lead to the showers or change in silence. There is no warm meal waiting for them. No words of encouragement.

Life goes on, regardless.

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[reanimania]

[ Look, you asked what was great about him and it's a long list! (And don't you dare talk about Jade's butt!!!)

There's a fairly long silence before he manages an answer that probably says all you really need to know. ]

...O-of course he does! I mean-- as much as he likes anything now.

[ Which, to answer the first question, is not much. ]

[soupervillain]

[ Hey, why not? His butt's gotta be as perfect as the rest of him, right?

That pause, though. That's concerning. Giovanni's forehead creases, and he glances at Saphir worriedly. ]

Look, Replicator, I don't want to judge your guys's relationship. I mean, obviously I've never met the guy. But it seems to me like one of you is putting a lot more friendship into this... friendship.

[ The way he'd said "now"... ]

Did something happen?

[reanimania]

[ how did this thread turn from your dead friend grief to his relationship problems

...Well, he won't deny that much, at least; he has always been the one making all the effort to close the distance between them. ]

He's been different since our teacher... passed away, years ago. I doubt most of the people we knew back then can even tell, but I can. He never shows any honest reactions to anything anymore.

[soupervillain]

[ because going therapist mode is a good distraction! ]

...Oh. Hey, I'm sorry. I can see how that would change a guy. But just because he's in a bad place, that doesn't mean he's allowed to treat you bad because of it. If he's only hanging around because he "needs" you... look, I just want you to know you're allowed to stand up for yourself, okay?

[reanimania]

He doesn't--

[ This Jade actually treats him a lot less badly than he used to when he was happier, but he's not going to say that out loud. ]

There's nothing I need to stand up against. I'm happy being his friend, and it's fine if I'm more invested in it than he is.

[soupervillain]

...Okay.

[ Giovanni definitely isn't completely sure it's okay, but if Saphir doesn't have a problem, he's not gonna press the issue. Maybe he really is just reading too much into it. ]

If you're happy, then I'm happy. And if you ever do want to talk about anything, hey, you know where I live.

[reanimania]

[ Even if he'd just said that, of course he isn't actually happy when Jade isn't even here.

...That absence also means that he doesn't have to assume that any offers of kindness are just veiled attempts to steal Jade away from him like he usually does, though. He's never really had anything bordering on a positive relationship before with someone who hadn't already been Jade's acquaintance first, so... he's not sure how to process this.

He takes a sip of his coffee, and finds there's a lump in his throat that makes it difficult to swallow. ]

I shall keep that in mind, thank you.