imeeji_frontstage | (no subject)

Maybe I just don't know what a wine mom is... no offense or anything, but you don't remind me of any mom I can think of!

[ yes excellent: the floor. Snags two cushions off their thrones and tosses one in Intensity's direction before flopping down on his own. The momentum of the flopping and the velvet on crystal means he slides a little, whee, bumping lightly against Intensity's shoulder to settle. He looks pleased with this FUN GAME he has just experienced. ]

Fucking good. Maybe we'll settle this score by a democratic vote. That's 2 for and 2 again---

[Trails off as X bumps into him. What now?

What is this fun you speak of?]

Enjoying yourself?

You'd be kind of a scary mom...

[ muttered mostly to himself, into his glass as he takes another drink, and then grins ]

'Course I'm havin' fun! I got you here, right?

[Raises an eyebrow. HE HEARD THAT]

I bet you say that to all your visitors who bring you alcohol.

Damn straight I do! You're the only one so far, so that makes it one-hundred percent of visitors I've said it to!

I feel so special.

[Takes a drink from his own glass]

So what do you do for fun, Kai? When this place isn't trying to pit us against each other?

Mm, let's see... usually I end up goin' around to other dorms, or comin' up with stuff to do for fortune telling. It's actually pretty fun, and I think it usually cheers people up. That's basically the only reason I do it, y'know? I mean, I wanna be good at our unit stuff 'cause I like bein' good at stuff - even if it's all shitty and fake like this place - but it takes a lot of time I could be spending doin' other things. If I was only gettin' points out of it it wouldn't really be worth it. I'd stick to pranks or whatever, in that case.

Oh I see. You're one of those people. The kind that just want to make everyone happy.

Mm?

[ appears to be considering that. Like, not defensively or anything, just, honestly thinking about if that's the case. And then, he clearly comes to a conclusion: ]

--Nah, it's not like that!

If I replaced the word happy with entertained, would that be more accurate?

Nah, not that either! I'm not a clown, jeez...

[ scrubs at the back of his head, mildly put out for a moment /small> ]

Why's it matter to you so much, why I'm doin' it?

Oh? Did I upset you? Here.

[Refills his glass]

More like... every time you ask stuff like that, it's like you're trying to say I'm stupid or something. Like what I want's shallow. The reason's a lot more complicated than just wanting people to be 'happy'. But it's also a lot simpler, too!

[Laughs]

Perhaps. That answer also requires more nuance than I am inclined to ingest at the moment.

And besides...

Why do you care if I think you're stupid or not?

Because it really hurts my feelings!

[I---

Wait.

What now?]

Your... feelings...

....

...Okay, I'm only saying this 'cause earlier you told me you "didn't understand optimism": do you need me to explain what feelings are? I totally can, if that's the problem!

I know what feelings are!

[And he hates them 95% of the time]

Okay! Great! Sorry, but I had to check--I've met some pretty strange people here, y'know? I don't know what's normal for you!

Normally if I hurt people's delicate feelings, they are a lot less friendly about it.

Well, sure--it's pretty normal to get mad when someone insults you!

So you were just silently stewing this whole time until I asked you? Tsk tsk, X. That's no way to live.

Well, no-- more like, I get over stuff pretty quick, y'know? But the topic just came up so I wanted to let you know. I wasn't mad--I just understand why other people might get unfriendly about it.

Most of the time I don't actually get mad about it, 'cause I don't think you're actually tryin' to make me mad.

I'm just trying to understand your base motivations. Is that a problem?

Nah, not at all! I'm really happy you wanna, actually! I wanna understand you too!