whichiest | PENANCE IC INBOX

(That'll do! He's not going to lie, he's soaking in the attention too. He revels in it, but there are just not too many people who Give a Fuck TM to care for him as much.

Had it been Namie, she'd just give him a nonchalant shrug, and then promptly, she'd tell him he'd clean this mess. Terrible woman.

Slowly, he resets to his position, combing his hair as he searches around.)

Fine. I'll stay put, but I'll tell you, I don't see sewing tools. Is this a ruse?

(There's a laugh, to show her he's merely teasing.)

[She can't help but smile, holding his coat hostage in her arms. Obviously, she intends to use magic to remove the tears, but doesn't trust doing it right away. If she gives it back now, all her leverage will be gone, and he might not sit still after all.]

I'll be right back, so don't get into any trouble!

[She doesn't think he actually will. In a flurry, Belladonna heads out, choosing not to worry about her bloody and disheveled appearance. She won't be gone long, only as long as it takes to get some tea brewed, and when she comes back she'll have a tray with hot black tea (made in the classic English style) and crumpets.

Izaya, of course, will have had more than enough time to go through her things.]

(Look at her learning.

Izaya drinks more tea than one would imagine, so with the frame of time he has, he sure has time to snoop at least a little bit. As soon as the door closes, he counts the seconds to make sure she's not coming back and to his search he goes.

The only thing he finds is a -- mirror? And a man with a terrible moustache. It must be the man Bella idolizes, and suddenly, Izaya feels just so much better about himself, crimson fingers touching the smooth skin on his cheeks and above his lip. Oh, thank God.

He'll watch for a while, and it's a rather boring depiction of the man just doing boring shit in his boring castle, so he puts the mirror down to continue his search, except now enough time has gone by. Wasted his opportunity hoping the wizard in the glass would give him something interesting to see. Goddamnit.

By the time Bella returns, it's like he's never left his spot. :) )

[Belladonna can't help looking pleased as punch that he apparently hasn't moved, none the wiser to his sleuthing as she sets the tray down on the nightstand.]

There! A promise is a promise, but I'll just put this here for when you've showered.

[What so it doesn't get bloody again and all that. It looks like she must've done her magic while she was waiting for the water for the tea to boil, because it's already good as new. Belladonna hangs it nicely on an unbloodied bedpost before taking a seat once again.]

(Are there limits to the rest of her magic? He can't help but wonder. Perhaps Bella herself doesn't know them either? A cold hand selects the tea, the other warming itself on the china before he sips.

Izaya sighs, satisfied. Nothing like a nice cup of tea.)

Hey, Bella-chan?

Yes?

[She doesn't expect anything from him, just happy to make sure that her offerings of tea and a light snack will give him back some of his constitution.]

Thank you.

(Does he mean it? Probably. Not for this time, since he totally did it on purpose, but for the times to come.)

[Oh. Belladonna wasn't expecting a thank you. Not because she wouldn't expect it of him, but that it truly never occurred to her. It feels nice, and her expression softens in her surprise]

Of course. I'm here for you whenever you need me.

[It's just the right way to treat her friends, after all.]

(Oh, Izaya. You sick motherfucker.

He's set the ground nicely and he thinks it worked. A fake co-dependency, coming right up! Now, all he's got to do is a test to what limits it goes, whether he's managed to print himself deep enough into her brain so that perhaps her reaction to him coming a little too close is different from the last.

That's the beauty with humanity, after all. In scientific experiments, there's only so much you can do. If you put two solutions to react, it will always be the same, and while it's exciting and alluring to watch at the beginning, it quickly turns dull when the result repeats itself way too many times. With people, that's just not how it works.

He's doing the exact same thing, will he receive the same blushed face, the squeak and hiding, after all the new the new variables unfolded before their very eyes? If so, he'll be thoroughly bored.)

[Wait. Wait, wait, what's happening? There's an instant where Belladonna doesn't respond, not fully processing that's he's come so close, and why so close. But it hits her so fast, too fast, that unlike their other somewhat close encounters, this one can only end with one action.

And that, despite how comfortable she's been around him, and how much she enjoys his company, and the waterworks at the idea of him bleeding out in her arms...she isn't let prepared for. Belladonna's not ready to forget Arriman the Awful just yet.

Maybe if she'd had more time to prepare, her reaction would be different, more polite, maybe even a little firm as she explains her overall disinterest in a romantic tryst in Hell. The utter surprise causes her to act without thinking. An internal alarm blares, and before she's even had a chance to think, she connects her palm to his cheek to force him away from her again.

Following this, Belladonna shoots to her feet, utterly horrified. She brings her hands to her face, eyes wide. What have I done?]

Oh--oh no, I am so, so sorry!

(This is exactly why he loves humanity so damn much.

His cheek stings, but ultimately, it has seen worse. Instead of looking dismayed, upset, irritated, or any negative emotion that could cross her mind as being his, he's just so damned amused. Izaya laughs in a good mood, gently resting a hand on where she hits while the other wipes down a tear that forms on his eye.

Gold. This is just gold.)

It's fine, Bella-chan! You really are surprising, huh?

[He's laughing and saying it's okay, even smiling, but her face burns in shame. Somehow, it's worse that he isn't mad. He should be!]

I...I just...

[Honestly, she isn't sure what to say.]

You really startled me, otherwise I'd never...

(He'd never be mad at such a thing. In fact, he's even more delighted than if she had kissed him. It's more surprising and exciting like this, when he doesn't know what to expect!)

Again, Bella-chan, it's okay. I won't try again.

[Belladonna takes a deep breath and nods slowly, willing her heart to calm its frantic dancing. For a long moment she just stands there, uncertain, but feels like she can't simply leave this one as it is. Her impulse, of course, starts with apologizing again, but that much she manages to swallow.]

If I was ever misleading in my intentions, I'm sorry. I really treasure our relationship as it is, with you as my mentor.

No, no, Bella-chan. I just wanted to see.

(Whatever the fuck that means, that is. Well, he's probably well enough to stand up, stretch with an acceptable amount of world spinning before he takes his tea into his hands again.)

[She doesn't, in fact, have any idea what that means! And unable to help herself, she steps closer again to make sure she can help him out in case he loses his footing. Glad for the opportunity to move on from...whatever it was that just happens, she manages a rushed:]

How's your tea? Still hot?

Mhm? It's fine.

(And he'll take a final sip, delicately setting the cup back to its coaster and giving a little sigh.

Mhm. :) )

I guess I've made it weird, hm? I should probably be on my way.

[The statement flashes surprise across her sweet face, and she quickly shakes her head, reaching out to put her hands in his shoulders.]

Oh, no, of course not! You really oughtn't be alone right now!

I really don't think they're coming to finish the job! Trust me, if that monster wanted me dead, he'd do it in the snap of a finger.

(And tenderly, a hand goes to touch hers, quietly caressing the back of it.)

[Her heart aches with guilt. He's just leaving because of what she did, what she said. He promised her it was okay, but...

She chews on her lower lip.]

I don't want you to go, yet. Not right after what just happened--I can't stand leaving things like this.

Leaving things like what? I told you, it was fine, totally fine.

(And, as usual, it works. God, it's scary how gullible she is, and just how easy he finds it to capitalize on it.)

I know you did, but it isn't fine! I feel just...just awful! I don't want you to think that you strained anything when it was my fault!

[It wasn't her fault at all, of course, but she can't stop herself.]

(He's not rushing to deny it. Not when it worked, more or less, as he has planned, and his hands drop to his hips.

Honestly? This is even better than his original plan.)

And now, Bella-chan? What is it that you think would make you feel better?

[Honestly? She has no idea. All she knows is that she wants to go back to the way that things were before he leaned in. Even before he got injured, perhaps. She takes a breath.]

I wish I knew what you were thinking.

[What he must really be thinking, because she doesn't believe this is something to so easily wash off. How could it be? Removing her hands from his shoulders, she carefully takes his hands and holds them in hers, resolute as she goes through her own thoughts. Past her instincts, past her selfish longings, to try and look at the bigger picture.

The only thing we can do is take our chances and hold on dear to what we have here and not let go.

What if he had died, today? Would he truly have been revived? Would he have disappeared?

Belladonna takes a deep breath before speaking again.]

I have a question, first. The people we meet here, and the actions we take, do you think they would, or should, impact our potential futures back home?

(You and literally everyone, Bella. That's how Izaya operates. He makes others act when Izaya sets the ground for disaster. If he just told her what he was thinking, wouldn't that miss the purpose?

Well. At least he did her a half-truth. He wanted to see, and he did see something, alright.

Izaya allows his hands to be taken, an eyebrow raising in curiosity to her line of questioning.)

I myself don't think this place bears any importance if we do go home, only if we do go to Heaven... Which again, defies the purpose of Hell, doesn't it? I'm sure that if I do go back home, which I find unlikely, I'll continue the same as I have ever been. I don't think it should change our lives to the point of growth back at home, after all, there are several things that just happen to be core personality traits that I believe shouldn't be messed with. If someone, for instance, knows for a fact that an after-life exists, wouldn't that completely change their personality if they're completely frightened about it? They won't be the same person, after all.

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1/2

I don't have any appropriate emotes!!!!

cw just izaya being a triggery asshole

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I'm calling this a wrap, but,