conductor of the struggle bus [open]

[exuviiated]

[So, after he gets gracelessly dunked and... purified, he supposes, he runs.

Back to his little place in the slums, and there he hides out until he feels ready to face the world again. That comes with time and hunger, and finds him at the mall with what currency he's managed to get from pawning off things he doesn't need.]

Hey, is there any map of the mall? I'm-- I'm lost.

[Very lost.]

Comments

[exuviiated]

Hi. Alexis. Why're you here? Lost, too?

[He's tripping over his words. He needs to stop talking and collect his thoughts.]

[starvelingsoulless]

Easier to buy clothes than take them. Not like it's any of your business? I just answered your question, it's not like you're my best friend suddenly.

[Alexis takes a bite of a hamburger that they pushed off to the side when Aaron's question came. It looks...honestly kind of like a flavor explosion. There is a lot on that burger.]

[exuviiated]

Well, it doesn't hurt to be friendly.

[Aaron fairly stares at them, refusing to look away. He can be offsetting, too.]

Do you have any friends here?

[starvelingsoulless]

...I don't get it.

[Alexis takes another bite out of the burger, keeping keen eye contact with Aaron. Their expression is cold.]

Why would I need friends? I've got a knife.

[exuviiated]

A knife is not going to heal you when you get hurt.

[Tactful! He shrugs, and doesn't let the stare drop.]

It's a good thing to have connections.

[starvelingsoulless]

You don't get hurt. It's a simple solution.

Connections aren't the same thing. You use connections. Don't have t'like them.

[exuviiated]

Friends are great. You can be as tough as you want, but life is pretty unfulfilling if you don't have people to share it with.

[Like he knows. He does.]

[starvelingsoulless]

...I don't understand what you're gettin' at.

[Alexis breaks eye contact. Man, this is a good burger. It tastes like unresolved emotional issues.]

People are annoying.

[exuviiated]

[And they're a person, and their pessimism is pretty annoying.]

And friends are people who deal with your annoying stuff, and you deal with theirs, and it's okay.

[starvelingsoulless]

[MAN THAT BURGER, SURE TASTES LIKE UNRESOLVED EMOTIONAL ISSUES, HUH.]

I can't even if I'd want to. ...and I don't.

[Alexis presents their right wrist, pulling back the sleeve; there's the hints of tooth marks, barely healed scratches, but those are quickly recovered. The scar presented is horizontal, crossing the bottom of their wrist, and oddly clean. It looks...old.]

No soul, see? Can't be bothered about things that get in the way anymore.

[exuviiated]

Okay.

[Shrugging. He doesn't know what to say. He wasn't trained for that.]

But hey, if you ever do want someone to hang out with, or someone who can patch you up--

[A pink glow dusts his palms, and he shows them proudly.]

Healing magic. No friendship required.

[starvelingsoulless]

...what's your place?

I. Might need you sometime.

[The words seem almost forced out -- it's hard for Alexis to say. Not even that they don't want to, but moreso that the feeling involved in it is difficult to even conceive of anymore.]

[exuviiated]

Well, it's--

[He's gotta think for a second.]

37847. I have a fern outside, it's the kind that curls up if you touch it.

[He's just gained an ally! Or an enemy! He hopes it's the former.]