thesettingsun | Week 2, Saturday, post-trial: Evan.

Week 2, Saturday, post-trial: Evan.

[Since Dazai didn't wait to hear anything about roles or Sandalphon's plan or anything, he'll almost definitely be in his room when Evan returns, flopped on his back on the bed.]

Hey.

[Neutral, casual, like he didn't just try really hard to be able to murder someone and not feel bad about it.]

Do you want to grab dinner? That stuff they had at the trial was tasty but probably not that healthy for you.

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[It's a while before he returns to the room. Evan doesn't get angry easily - that emotion is only familiar when it's directed towards himself. Still, when he comes back to the dorm, as much as Dazai's manner is casual, it's not hard to tell that he's upset.

He doesn't say anything to address the trial yet, but as Dazai speaks to him, he doesn't glance back at him. For a few moments, there's no indication that he heard him at all for a few moments. He tries to keep his voice even, but there's anger in it all the same.]

I'm not hungry. You can go alone if you need to eat.

[Evan's angry. Probably at the fact that Natsuo is dead. Lots of people liked Natsuo. Not at Dazai specifically.]

I'll wait.

[So nothing here is awkward.]

Do whatever you, you want.

[Resting his back against the door, he moves down until he's seated, arms crossed over his knees. He stares at the ground, silent for now.]

...How are you holding up? I don't know how close you were to Natsuo, or Sandalphon...

[He tries to hold it back again, but—]

Fine. Everything's fine. I mean, I might be better if, if you hadn't almost killed someone in the middle of the trial, but whatever, right?

Oh, so that's what the problem is.

...Why is that a problem, exactly? I wasn't going to be punished by the Crafters for it.

[Progress is slow.]

It's not about whether or not you're going to get, get punished! It's about how you shouldn't be trying to kill anyone that you don't have to!

But we couldn't have executed both of them, so the easiest way to keep the Ions able to pair up would have been to kill one of them beforehand... And I wasn't going to stab Sandalphon? He just looked so sad.

[Dazai still doesn't understand what the problem is.]

[He shakes his head, running a hand down his face before speaking again.]

We had no way to know they would be able to pair up even if we killed someone else, and you shouldn't have been so - happy about it!

...It's not like it's a secret that I hated his guts?

[Everything in Dazai's face says that he's trying to understand what the huge deal is, but he doesn't.]

Wouldn't it be better for someone who hated him to kill him than get someone who actually liked him to do it?

[He does calm down slightly, once he registers that expression. He still sounds frustrated, but his voice is softer than it was a moment ago.]

There are people I don't like, either, but that doesn't mean I'm jumping at the chance to kill them. Killing someone is... It's wrong, even you hate them. Even if you think it's more convenient for them to be gone.

...Okay.

[He still doesn't quite understand, but those are simple terms. Don't kill people even if you hate them, even if it would be more convenient, even if they killed someone first.]

Is it worse than sending them to be executed...? We do that every week.

[He nods.]

The difference is... We don't, don't have a choice about that. We all have to vote for someone. But we have a choice about what we do to everyone else.

Okay. I'll try not to do something like that again.

[He can't guarantee it, but he'll try when someone sits him down and explains that he can't do things like that.]

...Sorry. I know I'm not exactly... Well. A 'normal' person doesn't behave like that. I didn't mean to scare you or anything.

Thank you. And, it's... It's okay. If there's a next time, I'll, um, I'll try not to yell.

[What he did might not be okay, but the reasons behind it... He understands a little better now, at least.]

I-I don't think anyone here is really normal. They chose us for, um, a reason, right?

You can yell. Or smack me.

[Dazai has good reasons not to want to hurt Evan, so even if he weren't trying to behave, he wouldn't barrel through him.]

[He gives... not quite a laugh, but at least a noise of amusement, though it still sounds stressed. Today has been... a lot.]

I'm not going to hit you. I promise.

...You're a good person.

[Dazai may not always know what that means, and he doesn't fit the category himself, but Evan is solidly defined as a good person.]

[He pauses for a moment and ducks his head when Dazai says that, but doesn't actually respond to it. Instead:]

...Can I ask you something?

Anything. I'll give you an honest answer.

[Evan deserves one tonight.]

I was wondering if... If something happened to one of us, do you think it would be a good idea to tell each other our titles so the other could tell everyone else at the trial?

[A pause.]

I-I mean, only if you're comfortable with it. We don't have to.

I don't mind. My title is Rapunzel. It lets me make clothing out of fabric. Not exactly the most impressive gift, but it's practical.

[Plus, he's fashion-obsessed, so it works for him.]

...If you want, I can tell you my objective too. But it's not a nice one.

I-It's up to you. You don't have to tell me if it's uncomfortable.

[He nods.]

Mine's, um, Peter Pan. They told me I could manipulate scenery using the wind. And - I don't mind telling you my objective, either.

Oh, that's a nice one.

My objective... is to tie someone up to be killed, or delivered to a killer. If we get punished for not fulfilling our objectives, then I'm in trouble.

[Oh.]

That's... That's awful. Even if there was some kind of punishment for not fulfilling it - I wouldn't blame you.

[He shakes his head.]

Mine is, um, to convince three people to break the rules. I'm not going to, um, to try it until we know what the punishment for breaking the rules is.

You and I are in the same boat, then. If we go down for not acting on those objectives, we'll go down together.

[Or if one of them goes down, it will be Dazai. Evan needs to make it out alive.]

[He nods, but...]

But, um, if you got, got chosen as a Blotter and you did it because of that - I wouldn't be, um, angry at you. Just, um, just so you know.

...Thanks.

Is it too soon for me to hug you?

[Given that today was a lot.]

[He looks apologetic as he shakes his head.]

U-Um, I promise I wouldn't mind, but you actually can't... There's, um, I asked for something from the wishing well, and now if anyone touches me they'll get stuck like that for at least a few hours. Which I probably, um, should have told you before now? Sorry.

Oh! Well, that's annoying. I hope that curse wears off before I ruffle your hair without thinking.

[He's going to do that sooner or later.]

[Something about that surprises him, but for some reason, he smiles. All the same...]

It seems kind of rude of me to, um, check.

[Because if he does and it hasn't worn off, that's going to be pretty inconvenient for whoever else is involved, too.]

Do you want the world's most awkward long-lasting hug? I don't think rude is the right word for that.

[He pauses for a long moment, and he seems... fairly touched by that. The offer, at least.]

I'd, um, feel too weird about it, but... It means a lot that you, um, that you wouldn't mind.

Of course I wouldn't mind. There's worse things out there than being stuck hugging a person I like.

[...He really wants to pat his head. Fuck.]

[After a moment:]

...You're a good person, too.

I'm pretty sure good people don't attempt murder, Evan. We just talked about this.

[He's trying his best, but that doesn't make him a good person.]

[He shakes his head.]

...That's not always true. Why, um, why you do what you do matters, too. And you were doing... what you thought was best. Right?

...Even if I was trying my best, I don't think of myself as a good person. A good writer, of course, but those two things aren't related.

Well... Why not? I-I know you pretty well, and I don't think you're a bad person at all.

[Broken like him, maybe, but not bad.]

You've known me for a few weeks.

[He hasn't even read Dazai's Wikipedia article.]

I mean, yeah, but you also let me read a book that had a big part of your life story...?

[So.]

...Did any of that make me look like a good person?

[At best, it makes him look like an emotionally stunted person who is trying his hardest to get by in a society he doesn't understand. At worst... he looks pretty terrible.]

[He takes a moment, deciding the best way to say this, before he continues.]

It made me realize... where you're coming from? Being a good person isn't just about, um, doing good things. It's about what you do moving forward, if you try to, to learn and change and grow... Even if you've, um, done things that aren't the best - that doesn't make you a bad person, because you're acknowledging it and trying to do better.

I don't think that's going to be a very popular opinion.

[Not after all that.]

But... thank you.

Even if it's not... I-I believe in you.

[He nods.]

It's nothing. M-Most everyone deserves... at least that much.

...You are being incredibly cute and it's difficult not to hug you, so I should go get dinner now.

[partner too sweet]

...Oh.

[He ducks his head, looking at the floor, and despite his best effort, he's probably going a little red.]

U-Um, okay. I'm still not hungry, but - I hope it's good.

[still cute!! help]

Thanks. I'll see you later.

[he'll try not to get into a fight between now and coming back here]

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Week 2, Saturday, post-trial: Evan.

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