magusrobin | Laby Inbox

[ Suggesting they meet at Kuchel's might as well be the final nail in the coffin how little Maruki cares about preserving his image anymore. What does it matter? Levi and Jean both already know about Azathoth. Erwin has never spoken to him outside of their first conversation, likely never will given how close Maruki has gotten with Eren since then – so if he overhears, who really cares? Other employees, other customers – let them listen if their lives are really so boring. In a word, screw it.

He waits for Chise with his iced Americano, both phones and journals out in front of him as ever, focused on updating his sorely outdated notes after a few weeks of forced vacation until his head snaps up with a smile to greet her. ]

Hatori-san! Join me after you get a drink, I'll clear all this nonsense away.

[It wasn’t difficult to find Maruki, though it did take her a bit of time to remember the way to Kuchel’s. She had only been once, during their grand opening, and the times since had left her too busy to come back. If Chise had known that sort of thought, the lack of preserving his privacy, had run through Maruki’s head, she would have chosen someplace quieter. The most important thing to her was that he was out of the house… and looked mostly fine?]

[The redhead waved back in greeting, nodding. Unable to get a verbal reply out till she had gotten her own cup of tea and made her way to the table, with how crowded it was. She smiled as she sat across from him.]

It isn’t nonsense - you’re working on your notes, right? [The look she gave him was both fond and curious. She remember the way he had written back at Lake Omen, all that time ago. When they had seen pieces of each other’s past. For now though, they could start small. This wasn’t a therapy session - just two friends talking.] Are you doing alright?

[That question came before anything. Mentioning the notes had been a small distraction, a way out if Maruki needed it, but Chise was also aware that someone’s physical appearance wasn’t the most honest indicator of someone’s health. Not always.]

[ Maruki laughs a little, waves it off – it sort of is nonsense, these days, but he doesn't really have it in him to argue. The time spent babysitting his erstwhile young housemate, thrown into a war-torn future, mourning the loss of a friend and then forcing himself into something like a vacation upon his return have left him with little time to keep up on his network stalking and theorizing. He's playing catch-up on months worth of notes about the oddities of Somnius, trying to string together pieces that feel as if they happened a lifetime ago.

He's much more interested in Chise! Journals put away, his second phone pocketed, he props his elbows up on the table and folds his hands beneath his chin, smiling at her. ]

I am, thank you for asking. You aren't still concerned over what Oracle generated for me, are you? It exaggerated a bit...

[ Only a bit, though. ]

Ah…

[It shouldn’t be any surprise, really, that Maruki could see through her easily. Her hesitant nod was a bit awkward, concern radiating from her.]

I am… in a way. I know you said it doesn’t really bother you as much but… I still think it isn’t right to reveal what others want to keep hidden in that manner.

Oh, it's certainly not. But what can we really expect from this place? Its very foundation is built upon secret desires.

[ Blatant manipulation after blatant manipulation. Nothing is safe, not even their own thoughts.

He takes a sip of his iced Americano, waves a hand. ]

Anyhow, it's at least forced me to be honest with several people who I've owed that to for a while now. I include you in that. I'd been wanting to find a way to tell you.

Mmmm. True. [Chise hummed after taking a sip of her own tea. Not that she was relaxing but… it certainly said something about the situation they all found themselves in. What more could she expect?] Though if you asked me… I didn’t think you were dishonest about anything, at least when we talked. You are kind and helpful. But… I appreciate the confidence you have in me, in wanting to share such things, even if it wasn’t an opportune time.

[Maybe… maybe she could do the same. Alleviate some of the questions he surely had - taking a step in that never-ending dance that they seemed to skirt around. But right now wasn’t about her.]

[ That's a very generous assessment. Maruki knows it isn't untrue – he is a kind and helpful man, none of that is put on. He's simply also a liar. Both can be true. ]

Thank you for saying so, Hatori-san, but I was dishonest every time I claimed to be just a regular man from Tokyo. Which I did rather often, if I recall...

[ It was a very poor defense mechanism ♥ ]

But please, ask anything you'd like. I can promise you nothing less than total transparency now.

[Her gaze mixed with bits of seriousness and concern.]

If I can say… please don’t put yourself down too much. I don’t blame people for keeping secrets.

[How many did Chise herself have, that she hadn’t divulged, even after all these months? She was just as bad - she didn’t lie except by omission.]

So… you aren’t from Tokyo?

[She started soft, corners of her mouth lifting slightly. Even if she figured that wasn’t what he had been omitting, it gave him an easier outlet than a direct question.]

[ It takes Maruki a few blank-faced moments before he realizes her joke, and then he bursts into laughter, clasping a hand over his mouth and shaking his head. ]

Ah, you got me there!

[ Another few moments for his laughter to die down, and then he waves that hand through the air, sips at his coffee. ]

I suppose I should start by saying that Azathoth is "attached to my soul" is inaccurate. It's an extension of my soul, if anything. It's not a creature I can summon – it's me. The other me, so to speak.

[ Well, that's all weird as hell. Let's see how she chews on that. ]

[She was glad. Normally Chise didn’t joke but… even if he was ready to be forthcoming about things, he had seemed almost tense in different ways. If she could help him relax, then she would. Still… the most his explanation got out of her was a curious head tilt and a few blinks as she processed.]

So… ‘Azathoth’… [Wow, that name might be difficult to remember.] “Is you. In a way. Not something placed by someone else in you?”

Chise’s own experiences with the latter had her asking with that particular phrasing. “So… it’s almost like… your own form of magic?” But deeply innate and connected to him.

[ Somewhat similar to what Zelda had asked him – if it was something he learned, or something he discovered. An astute question. Maruki hasn't ever had reason to consider the differences between powers granted versus powers inherent before this reality, not in the way that others like Chise certainly must have. ]

Sort of. You could certainly look at what it does as its own form of magic, if you wanted. But you're correct, it's not something anyone else gave to me.

[ Prrrrrrrobably? Well, as far as Maruki knows, anyway. ]

I'll be candid and tell you that I'm still learning about it myself. I arrived here almost immediately after awakening to its power. You can imagine how I thought I dreamed it all up!

[It certainly was an interesting quandary, wasn’t it? Chise had only grown so accustomed to the feel of magic that wasn’t inherently hers from the lack of her own… and the healing power she had gained from the potion.]

That’s understandable. I can’t imagine how much confusion that might have caused. [To wake up here after awakening to something else and having it… be gone. If Chise hadn’t lived with a similar circumstance for as long as she had, it wasn’t hard to imagine feeling similar.]

But… you’re ok, right? [Her question was small, laced with worry. Born from her own suffering, she wanted to make sure his situation wasn’t causing him grief. Aside from the Oracle outing him, that is.]

[ To Maruki's great credit, there's nothing disingenuous about his answer. ]

I'm better than okay, Hatori-san. The stresses that life in this reality brings about aside, I'm in a fortunate position here. I've been able to learn more about my power than I would have back in my true reality.

[ PROBABLY? God only knows. ]

I appreciate your concern, but you really don't need to worry yourself so much about me. I promise.

[In Maruki’s case… Chise trusted him wholeheartedly. If he said he was alright, then she could only believe so.]

Alright then. I’ll try… but not worrying is harder than it seems. Just… if you do need help, or someone to listen, know that I’m available.

[With that, she would lay that conversation to rest.]

For now… I can be a bit selfish and enjoy some time with you. [And tea!] Unless you have something else to do.

Laby Inbox

post-sleepr meetup!!

EEEE thank you! <3

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we can wrap on yr reply unless you had more you wanted to do :3c

Works for me! Her main concern was making sure he was alright ^^