w3 afterparty

[selfconcept]

Everyone passed! That's great! But Wei Wuxian is gone and you keep getting a weird feeling. Maybe it's the adrenaline that's dying down. Maybe you saw something strange because you're tired? It'll all be uncovered on Sunday. Why not take a breather for now? If you're injured, ask Florence for some medical aid. (can be handwaved) It's around 10 PM when you're released.

Comments

[exofractured]

[Not what he would have guessed from the exterior, but...]

Is that what you like about him?

[selfconcept]

Anyone can have a lot of feelings. You do too, Phantom.

[ Don't deny it. Hien will laugh at his face if he says he isn't. ]

[exofractured]

[Ugh. He's tsundere, not a fool about this exact subject.]

I'm well aware. You can take it up with my creator.

[selfconcept]

Yeah, so... no, it's not that he has a lot of feelings.

[ He pillows his head and drinks some tea. ]

I like how he cares, but I want to help him too. I said... that I'd save him.

[exofractured]

Ah. So it's because he's kind, but you still feel needed.

[Phantom's tone is much too mild for the words to be intended harshly. He gets that one. He picks up his tea to stare at it, not drinking.]

I won't ask you about his circumstances if they're private. But if he's willing to let you help him, that implies a lot.

[selfconcept]

Does it?

[ Tell him more, Phantom-sensei ]

I didn't think about it like that...

[exofractured]

[Hien please absolutely do not trust Phantom as a source on this]

...Doesn't it? Most people wouldn't accept help from someone they don't consider close... I would think.

[selfconcept]

[ ... ]

Unfortunately, I'm not most people.

[ He's definitely not saying that in a bragging way either. He's not like most people, so his way of thinking has been different... good thing he doesn't feel lonely. ]

[exofractured]

Can you make a comparison from your other selves, then?

[Neither is Phantom. This is a disaster in the making.]

...I suppose I share memories with the most spinelessly ordinary person you could imagine. He's a coward who cries at the least provocation- [and no, there's not venom in his words at that! it's normal.] -and who wants desperately to earn the regard of even one person. And even he was... selective in who he chose for his support.

[selfconcept]

I deviated too much from my other selves, so I can't compare myself with them, despite having our roots in being the same person.

[ Considering most of his other selves are normies, there's just no way. Though, he seems to regard Phantom's memory sharer with some interest. ]

Did he have trust problems?

[exofractured]

[Even a normie reference must surely be better than this.]

No, he's the type of person to not notice what was going on right under his nose. More that he wanted other people to depend on him, rather than the other way around. ...Something like that. I would think that's true for most people.

[selfconcept]

... Yeah.

[ He knows that's true for a lot of people he came across. It didn't help that most people thought he could do anything and everything, so to have someone like Hien depending on them... that sure would be some sort of powertrip.

Hien is a little jaded. I say, when the jaded ghouls were based off his team. ]

But I guess... you're right. I can trust whoever I want, because the consequences usually don't matter for me.

[exofractured]

[Normally Phantom might grumble about that again, but Hien-in-a-wrist-brace probably remembers that consequences exist, inasmuch as he can still care about them. So Phantom sighs instead.]

There's that as well. Ordinary people need to be more circumspect, unless they're incredibly naive.

[selfconcept]

They'll learn not to be so naive. It's just a matter of how far they'll take it. They only have one life. Of course they have to be careful. Humans are fragile.

[ He closes his eyes and drinks the rest of the tea. ]

[exofractured]

We're all equally fragile here. More or less.

[He's not denying the point, though. Although he's noticing the topic has drifted a little, possibly by design.]

At any rate, you know your partner better than I do. I'm only speculating. But I would think that asking him and being certain what he's thinking would be... preferable.

[Maybe less emotionally vulnerable, who can say!]

[selfconcept]

[ Hien frowns a little. It's not that he thinks Phantom's suggestion is bad—it's good. The problem is— ]

I feel like I've been doing that already... but I'll give it another shot. Thanks.

[ He puts the cup down and reaches over to Phantom's face with his good hand. ]

You're a good listener.

[ He says, but he's lightly pinching his cheek. ]

[exofractured]

[Why is he being pinched...! Phantom doesn't have Hien's biting reflexes, so he reaches up to bat ineffectually at the offending hand.]

Consider it repayment for the points earlier. After all, it was because of my card that the topic came up in the first place.

[selfconcept]

I guess, but I can't blame you for that either.

[ And for how open Hien is regularly. Maybe if he was less open, he would have not so scandalous secrets to share. He withdraws his hand. ]

It's been a long night, so I'll... head inside. I'm ready to sleep for a full day.

[exofractured]

Wise. Take it easy on that hand.

[Not that he thinks Hien needs the reminder, just... worry.]

[selfconcept]

Yeah, I will.

[ He'll take it anyway. ]

For you, just take it easy in general. Later.

[ With a small wave, Hien leaves. Bye... ]

[exofractured]

[Phantom snorts - he's great at taking it easy, okay - and waves back.

Once Hien's gone he'll just... put his head down on his folded arms, beside his mostly-full cup of tea. Maybe he'll just sleep here for a little while.]