[Fuuta opens his jaw again and snarls at him, the inside of his mouth somehow glowing. That's the response Hiyori gets: that and a whiff of smoke, blown close enough to his face to choke the air from his lungs. Hiyori coughs weakly, pathetically, still trembling against the wall of the treehouse.
It was a gamble, what he just did. He didn't know what else to do, and so he banked on the idea that there was some trace of humanity left in there. He didn't have proof, but he did have precedent: during the Springtime game, everyone developed animal characteristics, but he and Jun still retained their humanity despite the physical changes. Still, this was risky. Even assuming this monster business was a similar deal, what's to say that this isn't who Fuuta really is deep down? What if the only reason he doesn't go around attacking people, doesn't kill and maim and violate his way into a completed deck, is due to a lack of opportunity?
But in the immortal words of Grimes, "I know this isn't your heart." And after Fuuta's reaction to his story about Nagisa—that, and some other things that Fuuta has said here and there—Hiyori can't believe him to be a total monster. He still can't do it, even as that monstrous tail digs into his stomach, causing him to wince from discomfort.
His magpie squawks in protest again, seeming ready to give Fuuta some more grief. At the sound of her voice, however, Hiyori releases Fuuta and holds both his arms out.]
Come here.
[He speaks over Fuuta's shoulder, his voice weak due to his stomach being crushed, and the magpie obeys. She dives right for his chest and he catches her, before moving her behind himself. Out of the line of harm. Once that's done, he can finally address Fuuta's words—even though it's hard to form a counter-argument when there's still that hot breath washing over him, that heavy tail pressed into his stomach. He's still scared to the point of near-delirium, which might be why his next words come out even loopier-sounding than usual.]
Yes, yes, you're absolutely right! My personality has all sorts of problems, and it's a wonder I haven't been stabbed yet! My own partner said it, so it must be true! ☆
[He chirps his response, still sounding shrill, still desperate to get out of this situation. He doesn't pay much attention to that second set of wings, either; he's too preoccupied with the monster breathing down his neck. But he has a feeling he can't bluff his way out of this one. All he can do is speak from the heart.
His shoulders sag as he admits,]
I guess I don't blame you for not believing me. I've been performing a self for so long that even I don't know which parts of me are fake and which ones are real.
[A fundamental truth about himself, but one he's only voiced aloud once before.]
It'd be a lie to say I admire you in general. Trying to have a conversation with you feels like being on trial. Except I'm never sure what crime I've committed, or what qualifications the judge has. Still, I did admire you on that day, for what you said about Nagisa-kun. Any friend of his is a friend of mine. Or, well, anyone who sticks up for him is someone I feel grateful to...
[His words are getting all jumbled. He's lighthearted from fear. And he just insulted Fuuta again, even though he'd been trying hard not to. It's not much of an excuse, but it's hard to help himself, sometimes. He thinks cruel thoughts about almost everyone, even his loved ones. And if he tries to hold them in, he just coughs up the venom later. He's a flawed and dirty human being, every bit as "monstrous" as Fuuta is.
But still....]
I do love myself a lot. But I'd still sacrifice my life, my dreams, my future and everything else for the people I love most. Whether or not you believe me, that's the truth.
[Maybe this outrageous claim is made somewhat more plausible by the fact he's shielding a magpie with his trembling body.
And speaking of magpies, that second set of wings has stopped flapping. In its place, a different sort of sound can be heard: an unusual squawk, one that sounds a lot like laughter. Specifically, it sounds like "Gyahahaha."
Sitting on the floor of the treehouse is a second bird. This one is red, with a forked tail and tufts of feathers sticking out around his head. A gold coin from the casino sits in front of him; he collects them and brings them to Hiyori sometimes. But it's out of his mouth now, and so he's free to make that distinctive squawk that resembles his dad's laughter. And what could this bird be laughing about?
Probably the entire scene, to be honest. Here we have Fuuta, the guy his dad lugs around like a potato sack, pretending to be some tough guy. And here we also have Hiyori, his other dad, making some ridiculous speech to try to save his own hide. All the bird can say is "lol." Lmao, even.]
no subject
It was a gamble, what he just did. He didn't know what else to do, and so he banked on the idea that there was some trace of humanity left in there. He didn't have proof, but he did have precedent: during the Springtime game, everyone developed animal characteristics, but he and Jun still retained their humanity despite the physical changes. Still, this was risky. Even assuming this monster business was a similar deal, what's to say that this isn't who Fuuta really is deep down? What if the only reason he doesn't go around attacking people, doesn't kill and maim and violate his way into a completed deck, is due to a lack of opportunity?
But in the immortal words of Grimes, "I know this isn't your heart." And after Fuuta's reaction to his story about Nagisa—that, and some other things that Fuuta has said here and there—Hiyori can't believe him to be a total monster. He still can't do it, even as that monstrous tail digs into his stomach, causing him to wince from discomfort.
His magpie squawks in protest again, seeming ready to give Fuuta some more grief. At the sound of her voice, however, Hiyori releases Fuuta and holds both his arms out.]
Come here.
[He speaks over Fuuta's shoulder, his voice weak due to his stomach being crushed, and the magpie obeys. She dives right for his chest and he catches her, before moving her behind himself. Out of the line of harm. Once that's done, he can finally address Fuuta's words—even though it's hard to form a counter-argument when there's still that hot breath washing over him, that heavy tail pressed into his stomach. He's still scared to the point of near-delirium, which might be why his next words come out even loopier-sounding than usual.]
Yes, yes, you're absolutely right! My personality has all sorts of problems, and it's a wonder I haven't been stabbed yet! My own partner said it, so it must be true! ☆
[He chirps his response, still sounding shrill, still desperate to get out of this situation. He doesn't pay much attention to that second set of wings, either; he's too preoccupied with the monster breathing down his neck. But he has a feeling he can't bluff his way out of this one. All he can do is speak from the heart.
His shoulders sag as he admits,]
I guess I don't blame you for not believing me. I've been performing a self for so long that even I don't know which parts of me are fake and which ones are real.
[A fundamental truth about himself, but one he's only voiced aloud once before.]
It'd be a lie to say I admire you in general. Trying to have a conversation with you feels like being on trial. Except I'm never sure what crime I've committed, or what qualifications the judge has. Still, I did admire you on that day, for what you said about Nagisa-kun. Any friend of his is a friend of mine. Or, well, anyone who sticks up for him is someone I feel grateful to...
[His words are getting all jumbled. He's lighthearted from fear. And he just insulted Fuuta again, even though he'd been trying hard not to. It's not much of an excuse, but it's hard to help himself, sometimes. He thinks cruel thoughts about almost everyone, even his loved ones. And if he tries to hold them in, he just coughs up the venom later. He's a flawed and dirty human being, every bit as "monstrous" as Fuuta is.
But still....]
I do love myself a lot. But I'd still sacrifice my life, my dreams, my future and everything else for the people I love most. Whether or not you believe me, that's the truth.
[Maybe this outrageous claim is made somewhat more plausible by the fact he's shielding a magpie with his trembling body.
And speaking of magpies, that second set of wings has stopped flapping. In its place, a different sort of sound can be heard: an unusual squawk, one that sounds a lot like laughter. Specifically, it sounds like "Gyahahaha."
Sitting on the floor of the treehouse is a second bird. This one is red, with a forked tail and tufts of feathers sticking out around his head. A gold coin from the casino sits in front of him; he collects them and brings them to Hiyori sometimes. But it's out of his mouth now, and so he's free to make that distinctive squawk that resembles his dad's laughter. And what could this bird be laughing about?
Probably the entire scene, to be honest. Here we have Fuuta, the guy his dad lugs around like a potato sack, pretending to be some tough guy. And here we also have Hiyori, his other dad, making some ridiculous speech to try to save his own hide. All the bird can say is "lol." Lmao, even.]