--shit's supposed to record my voice? Why the fuck would I want to leave a message on this thing anyway? They should know who the fuck they're calling if they're calling me in the first place, and obviously I'm not gonna pick up if I don't like them so...
She knew about you already. She's one of my sources of information back home - really, she's one of the best I have. She knows about everyone who was broken out of Cochlea.
She shouldn't cause any difficulties for you. She obviously knows what you are, but she knows what I am as well - she has no interest in outing us to anyone, much less the public at large, and she's entirely aware that if she cultivates an interest in doing that for any reason I won't hesitate to kill her.
Are you sure? I mean you've known her for awhile so you probably are but...
[He goes quiet for awhile. It's probably a good thing this isn't a video because Naki's fidgeting pretty badly.]
I just-- Look, I don't wanna wind up in a place like that again! And yeah, jails here aren't that bad but-- I dunno, I just--
[He makes a muffled noise.]
If she says anything and you kill her, that's great and all, but it won't make people forget what they've heard. That's what I'm worried about. I don't know shit about this girl. And I do trust you but... It's kinda hard, alright?
[Were it anyone else, he might have found a different way to phrase that; establishing territory is one of those things that they do that comes across as Very Not Human, but at the same time there's not really another way to word that and Naki will understand that sort of sentiment far better than most here, so his response is immediate. Perhaps a bit severe in tone, but it's prompt.]
I trust you know me well enough to believe that much. Whether anything that terrible is even possible or not is irrelevant; it's not going to happen because I refuse to allow it. No one's going to touch you, do you understand?
She lets me kill at my leisure because she believes no one species has any more right to exist than any other - we do what we do because we were designed to do it, and any humans we consume are just part of the natural cycle as opposed to any great loss of life. Bluntly put, she thinks like I do, and that's why I let her live when she found out about me. She's accompanied me when I've hunted humans down, and she knows about several ghouls that are working with me and several that are working against; she's gone to the authorities about exactly none of them because she doesn't care what we do - if anything, she finds it interesting.
...I see. That's... kinda weird for a human, I think. I mean I didn't know any humans back home, so...
But if she's like that, then she probably wouldn't gain anything from outing me. And she'd be losing you and y'know, her life. If she doesn't know that death doesn't stick here, then that's definitely something she'd want to avoid, I think. Most people would, at least.
[Hmm. This actually sounds like it might work out okay.]
That's true as well, yes - and there's also the fact that ghouls don't seem to exist for large portions of the population here, and our personal reputations in this place are that we're largely harmless.
Even if someone were to say something about one of us, it's easily brushed off as someone who dislikes us trying to spread rumors; somehow I doubt most here will believe that we're capable of anything near what ghoul accusations usually consist of.
[He's pretty sure most people he's met wouldn't believe it. Sure he's kind of rough around the edges, but he's gotten along pretty well with most people, so...]
Thanks for letting me know though. I really appreciate getting that warning in advance. So uh... do you want me to stay away from her entirely? I mean I'm obviously not gonna pull shit, but like... should I just not talk to her?
...If I'm not mistaken, we're due for another of those incidents that happened last November. It should be happening very soon; we may want to keep an eye on that.
Oh yeah, one of those things...? Yeah. I'll be fine! I can just barricade myself in my room if I have to. I don't think it'll be a problem though. I mean, as badly as I want to kill a guy, I'm not gonna out myself here.
[..........]
Wait, you were talking about the "if someone from Aogiri shows up here" thing, right?
[He pauses for a moment before responding.]
Yeah, I'll be alright. I mean the only person who'll be any sort of problem is... well, Yamori. Anyone else I can handle with no problems. I might be a mess if Yamori shows up, but... I'll be okay. You don't have to worry about me so much, Americano!
[If the silence is any indication, Naki has no idea what to do with that.]
...Why?
[It's probably a stupid question, but he can't think of anything else to say. He didn't think Tsukiyama would want to be bothered with problems like this.]
It's not... I'm not trying to brush you off or anything, you know? I'm not saying I don't need your help or that I don't want your help or whatever. It's pretty fucking nice of you to offer in the first place. I just don't wanna... bother you with it? You don't like Yamori 'cause of what he did to your friend. I get that. So I don't wanna make this awkward for you or anything.
And I understand that, amore, but whether I like Yamori or not, the fact is that I like you and I don't like the idea of something doing your head in like that.
[It's a bit more snappish than he intends it to be, but he doesn't quite know how to take that, and he doesn't like the idea that he's expected to do nothing at all in a situation like that; it's...complicated and he knows it, but knowing that doesn't make it any easier to deal with.]
[Once again Naki's silent for awhile. Maybe it's a good thing that Tsukiyama can't see how hard Naki is thinking, because it's kind of embarrassing.]
So... You want to help me, regardless of what the problem is?
[He says this very slowly, like it's taking a lot of brainpower to work it all out.]
That's really nice. I'm not really sure why you'd do something like that--
[He cuts himself off abruptly. The silence that follows lasts for awhile. Naki just sort of made sense of nearly everything, give him a moment.]
Wait. Wait. Shit, I did that same thing, didn't I? I wasn't trying to get anything out of it, but I was gonna help you out when you had that weird and sad period. I mean, yeah, maybe I'd get to go out for cake with you or something, but it's not like I was trying to get that. I just wanted to help.
...I suppose? I mean, I hadn't put it into so many words, but...
[And unfortunately Tsukiyama is still on video and rather clearly not knowing what to think of any of that, though in retrospect that might be a good thing - at the very least it's obvious that the incredulity is more due to the fact that he's legitimately not sure what he's doing, as opposed to heavily implying that Naki is wrong or he's trying and failing to come up with some sort of lie about it.]
It really is something like that; I'm not trying to get anything out of you, I just want to...help you, I suppose.
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[WAS IT AN ACCIDENT???]
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She was a classmate of mine in high school, we've known each other for...seven years now, I think it is?
She's more of a pet than anything.
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[He sounds very content with that explanation.]
I'm gonna have to ask about that sometime. Sounds like there's a story there. But I promise I won't touch a hair on her head.
[..........]
Did you tell her about me?
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She knew about you already. She's one of my sources of information back home - really, she's one of the best I have. She knows about everyone who was broken out of Cochlea.
She shouldn't cause any difficulties for you. She obviously knows what you are, but she knows what I am as well - she has no interest in outing us to anyone, much less the public at large, and she's entirely aware that if she cultivates an interest in doing that for any reason I won't hesitate to kill her.
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Are you sure? I mean you've known her for awhile so you probably are but...
[He goes quiet for awhile. It's probably a good thing this isn't a video because Naki's fidgeting pretty badly.]
I just-- Look, I don't wanna wind up in a place like that again! And yeah, jails here aren't that bad but-- I dunno, I just--
[He makes a muffled noise.]
If she says anything and you kill her, that's great and all, but it won't make people forget what they've heard. That's what I'm worried about. I don't know shit about this girl. And I do trust you but... It's kinda hard, alright?
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[Were it anyone else, he might have found a different way to phrase that; establishing territory is one of those things that they do that comes across as Very Not Human, but at the same time there's not really another way to word that and Naki will understand that sort of sentiment far better than most here, so his response is immediate. Perhaps a bit severe in tone, but it's prompt.]
I trust you know me well enough to believe that much. Whether anything that terrible is even possible or not is irrelevant; it's not going to happen because I refuse to allow it. No one's going to touch you, do you understand?
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...yeah. Yeah, I understand.
["Refuse to allow it" is all well and good, but it's not like Tsukiyama can completely control the girl...
Still, he trusts Tsukiyama and if Tsukiyama says things will be fine, then Naki will believe him.]
Okay. Okay. I'm alright. Thanks.
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[...]
She lets me kill at my leisure because she believes no one species has any more right to exist than any other - we do what we do because we were designed to do it, and any humans we consume are just part of the natural cycle as opposed to any great loss of life. Bluntly put, she thinks like I do, and that's why I let her live when she found out about me. She's accompanied me when I've hunted humans down, and she knows about several ghouls that are working with me and several that are working against; she's gone to the authorities about exactly none of them because she doesn't care what we do - if anything, she finds it interesting.
That's the sort of person this girl is.
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But if she's like that, then she probably wouldn't gain anything from outing me. And she'd be losing you and y'know, her life. If she doesn't know that death doesn't stick here, then that's definitely something she'd want to avoid, I think. Most people would, at least.
[Hmm. This actually sounds like it might work out okay.]
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Even if someone were to say something about one of us, it's easily brushed off as someone who dislikes us trying to spread rumors; somehow I doubt most here will believe that we're capable of anything near what ghoul accusations usually consist of.
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[He's pretty sure most people he's met wouldn't believe it. Sure he's kind of rough around the edges, but he's gotten along pretty well with most people, so...]
Thanks for letting me know though. I really appreciate getting that warning in advance. So uh... do you want me to stay away from her entirely? I mean I'm obviously not gonna pull shit, but like... should I just not talk to her?
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You can talk to her if you like; if she decides to talk to you, there's no harm in indulging her.
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Okay. I'll keep that in mind.
So uh, was that all you had to talk about, or...?
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[...]
You'll be all right, whenever that hits...?
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[..........]
Wait, you were talking about the "if someone from Aogiri shows up here" thing, right?
[He pauses for a moment before responding.]
Yeah, I'll be alright. I mean the only person who'll be any sort of problem is... well, Yamori. Anyone else I can handle with no problems. I might be a mess if Yamori shows up, but... I'll be okay. You don't have to worry about me so much, Americano!
[He doesn't sound very genuine though.]
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Will you tell me, if that happens?
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...Why?
[It's probably a stupid question, but he can't think of anything else to say. He didn't think Tsukiyama would want to be bothered with problems like this.]
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...Well, why...wouldn't you, I don't...
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[He's fumbling really hard here, give him a second.]
I don't wanna bother you, I guess? I'm a pain in the fucking ass when I get upset, so uh... I don't wanna unload that shit on you?
[It's not that he think Tsukiyama will think less of him. He's just worried Tsukiyama will decide he's entirely done and ditch him.]
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[It's clear from his tone that he doesn't, not really; just the same, he seems to be trying to shake it off rather than making a thing out of it.]
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[Naki sighs and goes quiet for a little bit.]
It's not... I'm not trying to brush you off or anything, you know? I'm not saying I don't need your help or that I don't want your help or whatever. It's pretty fucking nice of you to offer in the first place. I just don't wanna... bother you with it? You don't like Yamori 'cause of what he did to your friend. I get that. So I don't wanna make this awkward for you or anything.
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[It's a bit more snappish than he intends it to be, but he doesn't quite know how to take that, and he doesn't like the idea that he's expected to do nothing at all in a situation like that; it's...complicated and he knows it, but knowing that doesn't make it any easier to deal with.]
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So... You want to help me, regardless of what the problem is?
[He says this very slowly, like it's taking a lot of brainpower to work it all out.]
That's really nice. I'm not really sure why you'd do something like that--
[He cuts himself off abruptly. The silence that follows lasts for awhile. Naki just sort of made sense of nearly everything, give him a moment.]
Wait. Wait. Shit, I did that same thing, didn't I? I wasn't trying to get anything out of it, but I was gonna help you out when you had that weird and sad period. I mean, yeah, maybe I'd get to go out for cake with you or something, but it's not like I was trying to get that. I just wanted to help.
That's what you're doing, isn't it?
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[And unfortunately Tsukiyama is still on video and rather clearly not knowing what to think of any of that, though in retrospect that might be a good thing - at the very least it's obvious that the incredulity is more due to the fact that he's legitimately not sure what he's doing, as opposed to heavily implying that Naki is wrong or he's trying and failing to come up with some sort of lie about it.]
It really is something like that; I'm not trying to get anything out of you, I just want to...help you, I suppose.
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...Okay. Alright! If something like that happens, I'll tell you right away. I uh... I'm gonna have to apologize in advance for the um... everything.
[HE'S KIND OF A MESS ABOUT THIS.]
I mean, maybe he won't show up and everything'll be fine. It was fine last time!
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