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Cade joins Arthur out on the balcony after his phonecall. He doesn't seem to mind the chill. He just wants to smoke. @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

He’s still on the phone when Cade joins him. Just in time to hear— “Okay. Help yourself to whatever is in the fridge. I miss you. Goodnight.” … … … He takes a drag from his cigarette. Trying to act normal. But his hand shakes a bit. “… Wanna smoke?” -# @li 🚭 five (kazik)

-# bro’s 🥺 this conversation that started like -# arthur, noticing how echoey it is on the other end: john are you taking a bath rn -# john: yes -# arthur: WITHOUT ME???

-# pervert 2 pervert xonversation could be beautoful ok ?

I miss you. Goodnight. Arthur's a very curious person. She nods her head. @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

He pulls the pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and flicks his wrist in a practiced motion so that a single cigarette sticks out. "All yours. Unless you don't like menthols." Then you're shit out of luck. @li 🚭 five (kazik)

Cool. He takes the cigarette. "Thank you." He sticks it into his mouth while still observing Arthur. "You are an interesting person." He holds his lighter in front of the cigarette, turning to face the balcony. @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

“Really? What makes you say that?” You’re more interesting than me. Maybe even the most interesting man in the world. @li 🚭 five (kazik)

-# he said it

"You have an interesting haircut." Kidding. Well, you do. But not because of that. "You are firearm trained." @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

“Thanks, I cut my own hair.” We can tell. “And what, you aren’t?” He throws in the slightest hint of surprise and a little eyebrow raise for effect. But only for effect. @li 🚭 five (kazik)

"You're an interesting character," he repeats. It's genuine. Your wear glasses but take them off to shoot. You know how to shoot. You are unafraid of killing a man, but you need the seatbelts buckled in your car you're not licensed to drive. You have someone at home waiting for you who you care about, enough to call every night to say goodnight and I miss you to, even though you seem like a disingenuous person. "How was it like, shooting someone?" @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

“The same as always.” He’d rather not talk about himself. About why he knows how to shoot a gun. About how he can shoot someone else without blinking. About *what it’s really like*, shooting someone. -# Even though he figures — you won’t care if he’s upfront. If he says, The same as always. There were just other people around this time. “How was it like, killing someone else?” Mirroring the question, slight smile on his face. Sardonic. “Was it really okay not to kill the other two?” @li 🚭 five (kazik)

The same as always. "The same as always," she offers in response, likewise. And she's not being coy, she's being honest. The same. "Feels like nothing." Which goes for most of all things. "I don't know." If it's okay. Probably not, even. "If it becomes a problem, I'll find them later." -# Or I might get to have a playdate with you all again. -# Which isn't unideal. "Are you worried about your involvement?" @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

Feels like nothing. He wonders. Is that really true? He wonders. Were you always like this? He wonders. Or did you teach yourself to be this way? It's a lot easier to lie to yourself than most people think. You just have to snuff out your conscience a little. You just have to not think about it. Get good at ignoring things that inconvenience you. It really isn't that hard. -# But deep down, it's still a lie, which means you haven't accepted it all the way. Because it's a lie, you know there's a "truth" just underneath. Ignoring something doesn't make it go away. Only true ignorance can achieve that. "Find them and do what?" the smile widens just a little. "You can say it outright." That you aren't just going to find them. "... Not really." he turns to look at her now. "Should I be? This job is unusual for you, too, isn't it?" @li 🚭 five (kazik)

It's true. She was born like this. Much to everyone's grief. But at least someone, something, someplace, somehow - there's always been one of these to make some good out of it. Her 'gift,' or the lack thereof. You must be familiar with the frustration of meeting someone who is naturally talented at something you painstakingly aspire to be. She doesn't need to kill her feelings because she doesn't have any. She can't even be envious of you for having something she doesn't, because she doesn't know envy in the same way she doesn't know shame. "Kill them." Of course. "Or maybe tie them up naked." Would be funny. "And spank them." Just kidding. Spanking people without their consent would be bad. "You have nothing to worry about." "I've never had bodyguards before." For obvious reasons. She doesn't need them. "I suppose this is a gift for my years of service." Some 'friends'. @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

He uses two things to determine whether one is a human being. The first is one's ability to make their appointments. The second is one's ability to feel pain. Be it mild discomfort, a pinch of annoyance, or fullblown hatred. Having things one dislikes is just as important as having things that one likes. He doesn't care if you can acknowledge it -- he only cares if you can feel it at all. That's the difference between the human and the inhuman. Between an everyman and a genius. Between a mortal and a god. "Should you be threatening them with a good time?" He can play along because he's decided that she has the capacity -- to feel a stab in the gut for what it is. Even if she wouldn't react. Even if she'd ignore it. Even if he's completely off the mark. Selfishly, and for his own sake, he has chosen to see her as a human being. "Some gift," he says with a wry chuckle. "If that's what this is, they could've sent you better company." @li 🚭 five (kazik)

Thank you. She can feel 'pain.' In the physical sense. You can cheat and bypass the deficits of the mind by jump-starting it with chemicals caused by external stimuli. Cortisol, adrenaline. She remembered the first time she ever felt scared. Felt. Scared. The first time she ever felt, 'I don't want to die.' "Ha ha ha. Maybe they'd find a change in interests." "You all are good company." Arthur bottles up his irritation, and is humorously consistent in his inconsistencies. Taupe. Zachary makes the plans and looks after everyone, bleeding heart in unwavering fist. Deep blue. Almond is whimsical, even though Cade senses she's on the same wavelength as him. Gold. Hotaru has a wry kindness to her that betrays her wild appearance. Crimson. Frankie is Frankie. (He comes in two parts, one inextricable from the other. Hot and cold to make a warmth.) Emerald. The most interesting people in the world to Cade, considering the world is just pitch black otherwise. "They probably don't care about me past that extent." If she dies, they'll find a replacement. It'd just be an inconvenience. @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

If you can still hear yourself, that's good enough, isn't it? It means you haven't ascended, yet. You can stand with your heels lifted off the ground, feeling the tug of gravity lessen. Almost light enough to float off. Still here, on earth, just barely tied. Not bound tight to it like he is. But still here within reach. -# If anyone cared to reach out to you. If someone felt to tell you it isn't too late. "And why should they? People live and die all the time." He takes a drag and watches as the smoke curls upward. "We decide how kind we are to others based on how we're treated by them. If they're good to us, we want to be good to them. If they're unkind, we want to return the favor." Generally speaking, that's how it works. "Affinity and disdain particularize commonalities like death." Love -- particularizes death. He clears his throat. "Anyway, if you stopped taking weird tests during work hours, they probably would've sent you someone much more fun. Or thrown you a proper party." A half-joke. He knows that job is just for show. @li 🚭 five (kazik)

Haven't ascended, huh. Like a ghost. It's true. I can't pass on. No matter how many times I try to die, something always gets in the way. In spite of my willpower. Well. "Maybe they can enjoy being spanked before they die." "I see." Maybe for most people. You already know that the things Cade does don't make much practical or logical sense. He does things because he wants to, and his wants aren't always consistent. He looks at Arthur for a good while, not even stopping to take a drag from his cigarette. "Sometimes," "I play snake or pinball." Instead. @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

He laughs a that. He really laughs. That same, biting laugh. "If they come to find enjoyment in that, sure." He doesn't look away when he notices he's being observed. No nervous shifting of his weight, glancing awkwardly to the side. He doesn't really care -- this appearance is for you to do whatever you want with in your head. "Are you any good?" He doesn't like doing things he isn't good at. @li 🚭 five (kazik)

A cruel-sounding laugh. It's nice to hear. She'd like it if everyone could laugh once. She can't come to any conclusion about appearances. She notes how his clothes seem expensive and styled to be tastefully ill-fitting, in the same way he wears pants that are two sizes too big. "I was really bad at the start." "Now my high score is one hour and fifty minutes on snake and 9,909,789 on pinball." "I had no choice." But to get good. "There's not many games." Otherwise she tends to get bored of things easily, too. "Do you like your fiance?" @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

-# now why are you asking that while grey is in that room

-# SHE THINKS EVERYTHING IS A DAMN GAME

How many hours has this person put into such a trivial thing? …. That’s rude to ask. -# Especially when his life’s work surpasses the label of trivial and can only be considered as straight up pointless. “You should try solitaire next.” It’s the only game he can think of that can be played alone. — Do you like your fiance? It’s an easy, yes or no question. He doesn’t even have to elaborate. He could just say, Yes, of course! but something stops him. Something makes him want to say: “A little too much, probably.” It’s too easy to like someone, and too difficult to stop liking them — for someone like himself. @li 🚭 five (kazik)

"It's next on the list." She's going to get interested in online games, soon. At any rate, Arthur's answer is normal. Even when Cade lacks knowledge of the subtleties. "Is that bad?" To like your fiance overwhelmingly. @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

“Word of advice — prioritize uncovering cards.” The more you know, or whatever. “Yes.” He’s able to answer almost immediately this time. “…It’s the worst.” Another laugh, this one self deprecating. @li 🚭 five (kazik)

"I see." She'll keep that in mind. "Would you rather have a fiance you hate." A genuine, innocent question. @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

acd. “…Honestly?” Honestly? “… Probably.” A person unable to be liked. Arthur Conan Doyle. “Being liked is a little uncomfortable.” @li 🚭 five (kazik)

I see. "Are there things you are worried about." Like disappointment, disenchantment... For her, discomfort is an interesting feeling. It doesn't come by her often. @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur

“Of course. When something begins, it has the potential to end.” … He doesn’t like this conversation very much. “Haven’t you ever met someone you wished would stay for the rest of your life?” Not that John is that to him. Please don’t think that. @li 🚭 five (kazik)

But who else is there to talk to about something like this, right? "I see, now." ..... No. Yes. She has, she hasn't. Not in the way Arthur is talking about, and that person is already gone. So now she's living life without them, and she finds she's perfectly fine, because she's heartless. So no. Arthur could probably benefit from talk therapy. Her eyes veer aside thoughtfully. There's many things she could say to give in the form of advice. Many people ruin their relationships out of anxiety. They self sabotage. They regret not saying what they wanted to say when they should have said it. But she's learned that Arthur hates being told what to do. He might do the opposite out of spite. That would be funny, but. "You'll be fine," She delegates. He'll figure it out. He's a big boy. @Jade .⚯̫ Arthur