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[selfconcept]

Congratulations! You survived the first week of Personal Enrichment Class! Or at least, your body did if you feel like astral projecting. It's time to mingle with your fellow students after the Saturday lesson. Maybe get revenge. Or maybe you're going to your room right away. Either way, it's free time! Let loose. Go wild.

Comments

[partymagician]

[ Fai stares at him for a moment. ]

You rub the spot where Owen pinched me and yet you still don't know what I'm talking about?

[ Hien. Please. ]

[selfconcept]

Oh.

[ Let him think over it over a nice long sip of coffee.

... ]

He asked if he can trust me, so I said that'll depend on him, because I won't force him to trust me. Then he got annoyed because I think he didn't understand what I meant.

[partymagician]

[ Hmmm. Fai has a sip of his own coffee, crossing his legs as he thinks it over. ]

He probably got annoyed because the two of you already don't get along, so it wasn't an answer he was looking for.

[ Not that he knows Owen well, but that's what Fai thinks from his own point of view. ]

Did something happen during the week?

[selfconcept]

[ Hm. How should he put this. ]

He said he was okay getting stabbed, so I said I'll stab him once he's disconnected from Riku.

[ Nailed it. ]

[partymagician]

[ He just... stares at Hien. ]

Any particular reason why?

[selfconcept]

He likes getting stabbed, I guess. I think he's a little masochistic.

[ Though "little" might be an understatement. It's fine. ]

Anyway, I wanted to assert dominance and I almost got violent.

[ He literally threw Owen over his shoulder to the ground, threatened him with violence, and Hien only says he "almost" got violent. Okay. ]

[partymagician]

And you're a bit sadistic, hmm?

[ Weirdo. ]

Asserting your dominance isn't really healthy in that sort of context. It's like you're two men arguing at a pub over something simple.

[selfconcept]

Guess so. It's a part of me, like how you think you don't deserve nice things is also a part of you.

[ Kinda? Sorta? Hien wants to get the message across that it isn't really a behavior that can be curbed. ]

[partymagician]

Hmm.

[ He has a sip of his coffee, thinking it over. ]

I'm a little surprised, since you've been so nice to me even when I've gone out of my way to bother you.

[selfconcept]

I'm not really a nice guy. I'm just a selfish guy who does what he wants, and that's not always gonna veer into nice territory. That's not me being self-deprecating myself too. It's just who I am.

[ Hien sips more of his coffee and then realizes his cup is empty now. Hm. Dilemma. ]

[partymagician]

So you're nice to me out of selfishness?

[ He doesn't think that really makes much sense. ]

[selfconcept]

I'm nice to you because I'm fond of you.

[ He puts his empty cup down on his own lap. ]

I also do it because I just want to. There's no deep reason for me being violent or nice to anyone.

[partymagician]

[ Hm. He supposes that's the case for Kurogane as well, except Kurogane is only held back by a curse keeping him from killing.

For two incredibly different people, they still mirror one another. ]

What a weird, weird guy!

[ Fai laughs. ]

Just don't make us fail.

[selfconcept]

I did my best during the lesson, so I think I shouldn't be told that.

[ He's a little huffy because he was so well-behaved! ]

Failing is just a refusal to do stuff. You got my sleeping body to the lesson this morning, so thanks, even if it was necessary for you.

[ Hm. ]

I talked with Miss Instructor several days ago, actually. I wanted to say that I would have willingly volunteered for this just to hear her reaction.

But I don't go into things and expect myself to fail. I'll always do my best to succeed with victory in mind.

[partymagician]

So do I, so I hope you can see why I might be worried about failure.

[ Despite his overly casual demeanor, he does like to win. ]

Would you have willingly gotten up so early? You were sound asleep, even as I carried you.

[selfconcept]

Yeah, I would. I knew the lesson was today, but I didn't think it would have been that early. Had a bad dream about being stuffed with carrot cake, so I think that's the only reason why I woke up.

[ That said. ]

I'll make sure to wake up early on Saturdays.

[partymagician]

[ Fai isn't even going to react to that dream...

Instead, he hums softly, sipping on his coffee. ]

If you don't, I'll simply carry you to the lesson again.

[selfconcept]

Mm...

[ He looks up at the tree behind him. ]

You might still have to do that. Sorry. I'm really not a morning person even when I wake up. If there's an adrenaline high crisis, I'll stay awake, but if there isn't, I'll probably need like ten cups of black coffee.

[partymagician]

[ He waves a hand. ]

I don't mind. It's kind of adorable that you can sleep through all of that anyway.

[ And very, very funny. ]

[selfconcept]

Me.

[ Fai gets a flat look. ]

Adorable. Really? I've lived my life being sleepy in the morning ever since I was born.

[ Super old. ]

[partymagician]

I can't think that's cute?

[ Sure, Hien just admitted that he's prone to violence sometimes, but Fai also thinks another man in his life that's prone to violence is cute too, so.

Yeah. ]

[selfconcept]

I just like sleeping.

[ But he never likes dreaming. Sucks. ]

I've been saying some wild things lately, but having you say those kinds of things back was something I didn't expect.

[ ... ]

But maybe I should have.

[partymagician]

What kind of things?

[ Fai says a lot of things, after all. Unfortunately, Hien will have to expand on it.

Though he definitely has an idea, that whole "threesome" comment Hien made fresh in his mind. ]

[selfconcept]

Calling you sweetie, you not denying anything when I was teasing Marcus, uh...

[ And a bunch more, but Hien doesn't feel like thinking too much. ]

Yeah.

[partymagician]

Should I tell you to stop?

[ It's all in good fun.

Is it?

...

He isn't sure, so he tries not to think about it too much as well. ]