PRIVATE MEETINGS

[andexecutioner]

If you'd like to have a private meeting with the Adjudicator, this is where you should go! The Adjudicator is available at almost all hours of the day; just knock and he'll answer.

Comments are screened for privacy; no eavesdropping, that's rude.

Comments

[andexecutioner]

[...Huh.]

I wouldn't say I liked him, no.

[innocentloveholic]

[ ...huh. ]

Well, that's good enough for me! [ yep. Yep. ] Your turn!

[andexecutioner]

[...Wait, what.]

Really?

[innocentloveholic]

Yeah?

[ ??? ]

...If you thought he was interesting, that's whatever, because there's very few uninteresting people in our group anyway, but it'd be different if you thought he was interesting and you liked him on top of that.

[andexecutioner]

[ ???? ]

How would it be any different? ...Consider it my question if you want.

[innocentloveholic]

[ ??????? ]

Because then me and him'd be in the same group, and I'd totally hate that. [ ....NO ONE HATES WALTER WHITE LIKE ALIGULA HATES WALTER WHITE. ]

[andexecutioner]

[...ALIGULA.]

I didn't like him in the same context that I like you. He was surprisingly fun, and he was an interesting guy. I don't really know how to explain it otherwise.

[......]

We talked a bit, before the investigation. I guess I could kind of...

[Uh.]

I don't know. I could see where he was coming from. It was a little less stupid than a lot of other things I'd heard.

I could sort of respect it, I guess.

[innocentloveholic]

[ I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE EXPECTING FROM HER. ]

...I respected him a lot more when he was stubbornly claiming that he wasn't gonna win on your terms. [ She didn't like him, but he went his own way and she could respect it. He was pretty fun to make fun of, too— ] Unless that was all just pretend.

[ ... ]

Was he lying about how much he hated you and never talked to you and how he'd never give in or whatever, or did he really never swing by to waste time and make friends? That'll be my question.

[andexecutioner]

I only talked to him once - that time I just mentioned. Other than that? He hated me. I'm pretty sure he hated me even then, we just...had something to discuss.

[innocentloveholic]

[ ......... ]

Still would've been cooler if he managed to keep his dumb word. [ thanks aligula. ] Your turn.

[andexecutioner]

[...]

What is it about love that's made you decide to dedicate your life to it, anyway?

[innocentloveholic]

[ Well, ain't that just a mood lightener. ]

Hmmm~ Who knows? It's not like I have some big, sad reason for it! Not like... "I was alone for a long time" or "It's the first thing that made me feel like I'm really alive" anything like that.

[ She twirls her hair around her finger thoughtfully; she's never been asked this before, and it feels like it should be easy to put into words!

Easier than it actually is, anyway. ]

Love's just... fun? And it's something decisive. You either win [ she waves her hand left ] or lose [ and to the right ] in it. There's no middle ground! But that's not all. Whether you're winning or you're losing, there's always an endless amount of possibilities, and they're always in your reach as long as you're willing to put in the effort and push for them. That can totally change the tide of battle too!

Besides, [ a small grin, as she steeples her fingers in front of her ] why shouldn't I dedicate my life to it? It's not like I've got anything better going on, and it's soooooooo interesting to hear everyone's stories about it! They're always so different, so exciting, because the choices we make when we're in love never match someone else's exactly! There are constants in it, of course, just like in life—confession, break up, make up, ho-ly-ma-tri-mo-ny—but otherwise, the way you get to those? Never the same.

[andexecutioner]

[...That was a lot of words to say that you think it's interesting, Aligula, but honestly? He seems to get it, in a different way to how he usually tends to get things; something registers behind his eyes, anyway, and he's actually kind of smirking a bit when he replies.]

You almost make the whole thing sound like it's something I should be interested in, putting it like that.

[innocentloveholic]

[ Oh ho, she's got him. How exciting~ ]

Oh, Juri, do you think I'm gonna anything other than you definitely should be? [ Because. You'd be wrong. ] Love's even more interesting than chaos, in my opinion! Chaos—that stuff, it just becomes plain old routine, you know? The city proves that point.

But not love. Love remains new! Love makes things seem new! It's a totally incredible and super amazing phenomenon!

[andexecutioner]

...I still say it's not really my thing. For a lot of reasons.

But I can see why it's yours, even if I don't really get it personally.

[innocentloveholic]

Hmmm~ I think I'll use my question on that then. What're a couple of your reasons?

[ A couple, not all. He's gotta keep some secrets. ]

[andexecutioner]

I've never been in a position where I could find someone like that, for one thing.

I'm pretty sure I can't love anyone, for another. Never been able to.

[innocentloveholic]

...Never? Not at all? Not even the tiniest bit of totally genuine fondness, affection, or warm, fuzzy feelings like that for anyone?

[andexecutioner]

Nope.

[...Well, then.]

[innocentloveholic]

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

..So when you— oooh, it's not my turn— whatever, you can just ask two questions next! [ aligula. ] So when you say you like me, or that you like Ferid, or that you didn't like someone... What's that mean? Because love's just a bigger, better, more fluttery form of "like".

[ Particulars. We're getting into the particulars here. ]

[andexecutioner]

[He just sort of stares at that, really.]

...I don't get what you're saying. Liking something's different.

[innocentloveholic]

[ a kilogram of feathers and a kilogram of steel weigh the same, juri. ]

Noooo it's noooot? [ why is talking to people who've never felt love before so hard. ] I mean, there's a difference between liking someone and like-liking someone, but it's still liking, which is still totally love!

But like, in a low-key way. [ you know?? ] It's all affection.

[andexecutioner]

[why. why did he say anything to you. he did this to himself.

just...let him think for a moment, okay.]

You can like things, though. There's a difference between someone liking their favorite doll and liking their friends.

With me it's probably more like the first one.

[innocentloveholic]

[ ...he gave her a real attempt at effort here and that's something we can all appreciate so much. ]

Mmmmmmmm, I guess I can sort of see where you're coming from then [ mostly because she too feels that way about a good majority of the people here—she doesn't necessarily think of them the way she does her toys, but it's not like she cares about them as people ] but on the other hand... People aren't things? Once they're gone, they're gone, and you can think about them as fondly as you want but that's not gonna make 'em come back so you can talk to them more...

Unless you're the type of person who doesn't really miss people or pets or anything like that either, I guess! Then that'll be totally lost on you until you experience it yourself. [ ...if he does. ]

But anyway, like I was saying before it got super dreary there! It's still totally love and affection and fondness, even if it's in different ways!

[andexecutioner]

[He's actually quiet for a moment at that one, his gaze focused low before he seems to shake off whatever just went through his head.]

I don't really miss people, no. I think about them sometimes, if they're important enough, but missing them is another thing.

[Anyway.]

I...guess I see what you're getting at? I don't agree with it, but I get it.