IC CONTACT

[deaftly]

--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...

What do you mean it's already recording?

Comments

[ratingspoint]

Why do I need one? We're here and I felt like buying you candy.

[He shrugs.]

Besides, you've done a lot for me for no reason.

[deaftly]

Well, the reason is usually something like "living in the base fucking sucks" or "having no clothes and no money also fucking sucks" so...

[But he's content with that, alright.]

I appreciate it. Thanks.

[It's also good that Mettaton's not mad at him. Not that he really thought his roommate was, but buying gifts for no reason is always a sign that things are okay!!]

[ratingspoint]

Of course those things suck!

[...That word sounds so weird coming out of him.]

That doesn't mean that you had to do anything about it, darling. Especially not for someone you just met.

[deaftly]

[...That's so weird...]

I wanted to. I dunno, I guess I liked you immediately.

[It's not like he's done this for anyone else unfortunate enough to show up in Team Rocket.]

[ratingspoint]

There's a reason I'm so popular back home, darling - well, among all the other reasons, anyway! The point is that I tend to have that effect on people.

[...Mettaton, you're an asshole.]

[deaftly]

[EYEROLL]

Yeah, yeah, I can see why. Who wouldn't love someone so fucking annoying?

[...he's trying really hard not to smirk, okay.]

[ratingspoint]

It worked on you, didn't it?

[Yes, yes, fine, you can have your jab at him for now.]

[deaftly]

Well, yeah. I'm pretty fucking annoying too.

[asshole]

[ratingspoint]

Well, if you are, I haven't noticed - and that's what matters, isn't it?

[WELCOME TO EGOPOLIS.

He'll settle after a moment, though.]

I guess I owe you an apology for a couple of days ago, don't I.

[deaftly]

...Oh. Well, I wasn't waiting on one or anything. We both kinda... snapped. I'm not mad or anything.

[Though it's interesting that Mettaton would bring it up now instead of ignoring it. He figured that's what Mettaton would do so this is... nice??]

[ratingspoint]

I didn't think you were! But I was still pretty terrible to you, so...

[He kind of shrugs again. It's not uncertain at all, what he's saying, but at the same time he's still kind of gauging the reaction here.]

[deaftly]

It wasn't that bad. I get pissed and yell at people all the time.

[...]

Well, I used to. I haven't done that in awhile. Besides, uh. What happened.

[The last time he can remember was shouting at Tsukiyama and that... actually went better than expected, so.]

I appreciate the apology?

[...it would help if he sounded less unsure about that...]

[ratingspoint]

[...Honey...]

...You said some things that reminded me of someone I've been trying to forget about, that's all.

[deaftly]

Oh. Uh. Sorry. About that.

[??????????????]

[ratingspoint]

No, it's okay! It's not like they're dead or anything.

[Well, that was insensitive as fuck.]

Just someone I haven't talked to in a while, that's all. We didn't really agree on what I should be doing with myself, I guess.

[deaftly]

[WELL OKAY THEN... that was pretty damn cavalier, holy shit]

You wanted to go do your thing, they wanted you to...

[Not leave. Naki runs a hand back through his hair and shakes his head.]

Yeah, uh, sorry for reminding you of that, then.

[ratingspoint]

It's not a big deal.

[He's quiet for a moment, picking at the sleeves of his coat a bit. Just for something to do with his hands.]

Really, though. I guess it was partly my fault anyway. I'm not really all that great to people.

[...]

It's not the sort of thing you want to hear about, though, right? No one really wants to, with things like that.

[deaftly]

I'm not great to people either. I've gotten a lot better at it since I've been here, but I mean. It's been over a fucking year. It'd be kinda bad if I hadn't gotten any better about it.

[He shoves another handful of candy in his mouth while he thinks.]

...I don't mind listening though, if you want to talk about it.

[ratingspoint]

...Good point! That's a good point, darling.

[Once that's out there, though, he kind of tips his head a little, making his hands go still against his clothes so he doesn't pick all the detailing out.]

...I used to live with my cousins a while back. And there were a lot of us at one point. Our family had property and a business in Waterfall, anyway. Farming.

One by one the others left, off to pursue...other things. Whatever they wanted to do with themselves, I guess! Anything other than staying on the damn farm. And who can blame them, right? That sort of life is boring, and combined with the total monotony in the Underground...well, there wasn't much point in staying if you could do something better with yourself.

One of them was...kind of different, though, and didn't have any interest in leaving. I was closest to them out of all the others, and after a while it was just me and them left there. They asked me if I was going to leave, too, and I...promised I wouldn't abandon them or just leave them behind, ever.

[He laughs a bit, the sound dry; he shakes his head after a moment.]

But they didn't want anything for themselves. They just wanted to stay there, no matter what I said or did, and if I didn't leave on my own then I never would. And I didn't want that for myself, you know?

So I just...left, as soon as I got an opportunity, and I haven't spoken to them since.

[deaftly]

...Oh...

[Well, that certainly explains everything, doesn't it?]

I'm sorry. For uh, saying that stuff to you in the first place and that... that happened to you.

[There's something about that that's not sitting right with him, but Naki brushes it off.]

...But uh, I'm having a hard time imagining you as a farmer...

[#priorities]

[ratingspoint]

[Yeah, yeah, he did this to himself, he knows.]

Well, it's not like I could imagine myself doing it either, obviously! At least not for the rest of my life.

That's just what our family does, though! Apparently. My cousin probably still does.

[deaftly]

[...]

But why do robots farm? Wouldn't the soil get in your like, joints and stuff?

[naki knows nothing about farming or robots]

[ratingspoint]

[Oh, uh.]

...We raise snails.

[LIKE THIS EXPLAINS EVERYTHING.]

[deaftly]

...Why snails?

[HE'S GOING TO REGRET THIS, ISN'T HE]

[ratingspoint]

Well! Why not snails?

[...That's not getting anyone anywhere, is it.]

People eat them back home. The boss monsters love them.