scp ♥ post-game call me out

[dereban]

► open post ♫ for inaba himeko from kokoro connect

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[moonlightbeast]

[Well, the wiki page does list 'white reaper' as one of his nicknames, specifying that it comes from the BEAST novel. So there's that.

Otherwise she can skim the novel summaries until she gets to the BEAST novel. Either way, that's the winner right there.

Once Atsushi sees that she's reading his profile, though, he focuses on the show again. Because from the bit he read at the top, it sounds like the Atsushi there is this other Atsushi, not him.]

Well if they have to give us jobs here, maybe they will let you apprentice to be a cook? I don't think I'll get that consideration, but you might.

[dereban]

That might work. I don't do much on site to begin with, so it's not like it's adding too much work on top of it. [ Guess she's stuck in Wiki hell. Just going to click onto the BEAST novel summary and then scroll to the link with the unofficial summary and then goes to read that. She does try to wear a rather impassive expression, but it's when she gets to the excerpt about Atsushi that she just. Yeah. She can't do this right now when he's right there. Let's just close the laptop. This is fine. ] Ah, I got distracted for a bit. . . did I miss anything important in this episode?

[moonlightbeast]

[Is it the part where he has a mental breakdown and begs Dazai to give him orders to follow? Because that sure is a fun part of his past.

He looks in her direction when he hears the laptop close.]

Just some things about a detective not having an ability. Are you alright?

[dereban]

[ It sure is. Although she finds herself smiling in a way that's probably familiar; something that's extremely forced. ] Oh, okay. And I'm fine. I thought that I might have gotten close to finding something, but I guess I didn't find anything useful after all. [ What a bold faced lie. ]

[moonlightbeast]

[Don't lie to him, he sees those lies.]

Yeah? Is it a hint in the right direction to go, at least?

[dereban]

[ YOU SAY THAT AS SHE CONTINUES TO DO SO, without a single hint of hesitation ] I don't think so. All the information I found was of the Atsushi that we're watching.

[moonlightbeast]

Ah...

[Welp.]

He's so different, but at the same time he's just like me. It's pretty strange, isn't it?

[dereban]

[ She won't show it, but she's a little relieved that he didn't call her out on her lie. Nevertheless, she does visibly relax her shoulders as he seems to comment on himself. ]

Well, it's not really surprising that there would be similarities. This is basically a 'what if' scenario. How you're different from him is due to the differences in your experiences. I guess?

[moonlightbeast]

I suppose that's true.

[And yet, as he watches this, he can't help but wonder if that life would have been a better one.]

You found confirmation of that, hmm? That my life is a 'what if' to this.

[There's the callous, it was just delayed slightly.]

[dereban]

Ah-

[ She pauses a little bit, looking at him rather caught as her dark brown eyes widen for a moment before she tries to steady her voice. ]

What are you talking about? Weren't you paying attention to what I said earlier? I didn't find anything!

[moonlightbeast]

[He just. Smiles.]

Aah, I suppose you did.

[It is not a happy smile. It doesn't reach his eyes.]

You're right though, it isn't anything useful. Knowing one way or the other wouldn't change anything about me. And...mmm, I suppose it's good that this-

[He gestures to the screen.]

-is what people would find, if they look for me.

[dereban]

[ Um.

She can't help but pause a little bit at that smile, tensing a little bit as she wraps an arm around him just a little, if he'd let her. ]

You don't have to force yourself to smile if you don't want to, Atsushi. Especially not to me.

[moonlightbeast]

[He's still going to smile, but he's also going to thunk his forehead down on Inaba's shoulder.

His confession is a bit muffled, but she can probably still hear it.]

I want to meet this Dazai-san.

[dereban]

. . .

[ There's a bit of hesitance and then, she manages, her voice shakes a bit: ]

Why?

[moonlightbeast]

This Dazai-san seems like a kinder person.

[He's starting to figure out that his Dazai was not a good person.]

[dereban]

Yeah, the one you knew was definitely not that nice.

[ Although she honestly shouldn't have phrased it like that, she doesn't notice her mistake. ]

[moonlightbeast]

[It's okay, he can guess why that is.]

I...have to believe he had his reasons. If I'm not that different from this other Atsushi, then he can't be that different from that Dazai-san. S-So he must have had a reason for everything he did. Probably to protect'Oda'.

[dereban]

That's-

[ She balls her hand into a tight fist, frustrated. ]

It's too cruel, even if it's for one person.

[moonlightbeast]

It's...complicated.

[Too bad Inaba didn't read far enough to know why Atsushi keeps defending that choice.]

But it's not just about 'kind' or 'asshole'.

[dereban]

You know you can. . .

[ Okay, yeah, pausing the video since this topic is a little more important. ]

You can always talk to me about it, right? Even if it is complicated. I'll always listen and give my honest opinion.

[ Ironic to say "honest opinion" when she's been lying, huh. ]

[moonlightbeast]

...

[He's hesitating, but not for the reason Inaba might be expecting.]

I...

...

If this thing- this show- if it mentions a book, then okay.

[dereban]

[ She can see that hesitation in his eyes and she finds herself chewing on her lower lip. ]

If it doesn't show up in these episodes... Am I allowed to look it up?

[moonlightbeast]

Yeah. If- if it's already known about, because of this show or something, then I'll talk about it.

[dereban]

. . . I'll look through the rest of it later, then. If it doesn't show up in the anime.

[moonlightbeast]

Alright.

[Luckily it does show up! Since Fitzgerald and all. God that man is so tacky though, and Atsushi is grimacing.]

We should find out if he wants to capture me in this world too, and take him for all he's worth.