[PCs] team trust no bitch aka team hat aka chuuya & caren

[doublesmall]

[but is it really team hat if only caren has one, though? that's the real question here.

threads in comments!

(there is age difference ship content here but nothing nsfw)]

Comments

break week, tuesday

[doublesmall]

[this time, chuuya seems... not nervous, but a little preoccupied. there's very clearly something on his mind when he comes to find caren, and he definitely has one hand tucked into a pocket in a suspicious kind of way.]

Hey. You've got a minute, right?

[sexorcism]

[She's gonna get stabbed.

No, Caren doesn't actually have any fears like that. Being that it's a week where no murders are supposed to occur, she has plenty of time. This area of the city is interesting, but she doesn't always want to be shopping. Capitalism is more fun to observe from afar than participate in, sometimes.]

You're surprisingly sober today. What is it?

[doublesmall]

[well, speaking of capitalism...]

Nothing, I just-- wanted to give you something.

[when he holds out the red-stoned necklace, he isn't making direct eye contact with her.]

I thought you might like it. That's all.

[sexorcism]

[She reaches out to touch it where it's hanging, but doesn't take it from him.]

You've just acquired a small fortune and decided to spend some of it on.. something like this?

[doublesmall]

...yes?

[obviously that's what he did? he does look at her properly there, though, watching her. does she not like it, is that what it is?]

I haven't been able to before, so why not?

[sexorcism]

[It isn't that obvious!! Care will have to scold him later for buying something that could so easily be traced back to him, but for now she examines the necklace, running her thumb over one of the stones.]

It is nice. You clearly have discerning tastes. I know why men buy women jewelry, but you didn't seem like the type.

[doublesmall]

The type for-- look, if you're thinking I did it just because I want something from you, then don't. It's a gift, alright?

Here-

[he gestures for her to turn around, so that he can put it on for her.]

[sexorcism]

[Caren's compliant, turning around slowly and gathering up enough hair to get it out of the way.]

What's the occasion for this gift, besides the obvious? [She doesn't quite think he'd buy a 'can't believe we're not dead' necklace without any other reason.]

[doublesmall]

It's pretty much the obvious. We had a tradition in the mafia, you know-- if you brought someone in, you'd give them something to wear as a welcome gift. Dragging you into things here isn't really the same as joining the mafia, but...

[it's where he got the idea, kind of. he fastens the clasp and adjusts the chain before waiting for her to turn around again.]

... well, you could call it a thank-you gift, too, if you wanted.

[sexorcism]

Is that it? Then I suppose this is more of a gift for a mistress.

[Her tone is at its usual flatness, but Chuuya might be able to recognize some of the slight tells it in anyway that emerge when she's needling, the slightly higher register of her voice or the way she almost seems to enjoy her words this way.

She turns back around, one hand draped over the lowest part of the necklace.] Well?

[doublesmall]

You're not a mistress, come on. Who else would there even be...

[chuuya that's straight.

he can hear that tone, though, knows she's needling at him, and chuuya just gives her a little grin as he reaches out to touch one of the stones.]

It looks good on you, Caren.

[sexorcism]

Who else...? [Her eyes widen slightly. It isn't a question she expected and therefore a surprise.] No, I suppose there wouldn't be.

[She refuses to believe he's this clueless of an individual.] You were more disagreeable regarding this last week.

[doublesmall]

...yeah, I know. I didn't really want to consider it at the time, I think.

[he's still lingering close, his hand shifting to rest on her shoulder.]

-getting close to people is dangerous, you know that, right? It gets in the way. Influences your decisions-- makes people targets for being close to you.

It isn't anything I ever considered, when I was alive.

[sexorcism]

There are certainly plenty of complicating factors, but this partnership game was complicated to begin with.

[None of the things he said the other night were wrong, either. It certainly wasn't a game of being true or untrue, regardless of its name. Caren exhales.]

Feelings rarely factor in. If it's emotions that you need to keep at bay, I don't have a problem facilitating that.

[doublesmall]

[he should say yes to that, he knows. should tell her that they need more emotional distance and accept her offer. it'll make them more efficient, probably, enable them to play the game more effectively.

he really should. but what else does he have here but those bonds? chuuya can't remember having them when he was alive, and now that he's got them, he doesn't want to let them go.

so, finally, he shakes his head.]

I told you, I'm trusting you with my life. We're both getting to the end of this-- what kind of partner would I be if I pushed you away now?

[sexorcism]

You'll get picked off for being soft if you aren't careful, and that will also foreshadow the conclusion of my own story.

[She's emphasizing the flatness again, speaking as plainly as possible, even if she knows. The way he'd come to trust this partnership even after weeks of seeing others deteriorate was a show of character that he really isn't even trying to hide now.]

You'll have to keep yourself from showing your hand in public, Chuuya Nakahara. [That's intentional. On Saturday, seeing them rely on each other might have just helped others believe their case, but if he's worried about painting a target on her, he knows what he has to do.]

In other words, you should get used to pretending.

[doublesmall]

I'm aware.

[there have probably been tells before, but if anyone assumed they were closer-- she could be in danger if he gets targeted, and he could be in danger in the same way. who knows, someone might try to take them both out.

his grip on her shoulder tenses, slightly.]

I can take care of anyone who thinks I'm too soft. But, Caren-

Tell me something, would you. Are we both pretending?

[or would it not even be a pretense for her?]

[sexorcism]

All your uncertainty...

It's really too sentimental for me. I can't say I understand it all that well. [For Caren, there are somethings that never had any emotional correlation. Joy had never been linked to any earthly experience. If this is some kind of...what, some kind of average story? It doesn't hold any appeal.

She looks elsewhere for a moment.]

... Of course, it would be convenient for two partners to establish a bond as intimate as the one initiated by the game...

[doublesmall]

[it's hard not to say out loud that this is exactly why he's uncertain. answers like that aren't the kind he likes dealing with-- this isn't the kind of conversation that chuuya likes to have.

he prefers them to be more direct; this feels like it's both getting further away from that and simultaneously pushing him towards saying things he's not inclined to say.

chuuya's held off, but in searching for the words to respond... he finds he doesn't have them, and that the search only breeds more frustration with that fact. he prefers action over just talking, just as he likes showing appreciation through gifts like the one he'd just given her instead of only giving verbal approval--

and so he finally caves, giving in to what he's held himself back from doing. the hand on her shoulder moves to her hair, fingers threading into it as chuuya fucking finally kisses her.

he doesn't want the uncertainty. he doesn't want a bond of convenience. he'll put both of those to rest with one gesture.]

[sexorcism]

[It was a little cruel to lead him into acting without telling him that was exactly what she was doing. But probably, and almost certainly, it's better this way, with him showing what he must really want.

Caren is compliant, even more than compliant, tilting her chin back in a role she's played dozens of times. Yes, the forcefulness of it really seems more like him.

She's the first to break it; she isn't done encouraging (?) him yet.]

There, now. I hope that the meaning of my earlier statement was clear, though I can expound if necessary. It feels better to be certain, doesn't it, if you are going to be a killer. Chuuya.

[doublesmall]

...it does, yeah.

[but also, why is she like this? this absolutely isn't the sort of scenario he'd ever been taught to deal with--

on the other hand, he'd always been taught that attachment shouldn't be involved, so maybe that's no surprise.

chuuya doesn't lean back in immediately, but he does let his fingers comb idly through her hair.]

If you want certainty: I'm sure you already know, but this isn't just because it'd be convenient, Caren.

[sexorcism]

Mm. I take it back. You’d be quite convincing if you showed this side of yourself at a trial.

[Even then, it’s still probably better to keep it hidden. She holds his wrist a little too firmly, though it shouldn’t keep him from moving.]

We’ll likely go our separate ways when the game has concluded, so I’m fine with whatever it is that you want now. But working with you has been agreeable.

[He needs to say those things for himself, doesn’t he? How embarrassing for him, when Caren assumes they already have some understanding, but she’ll let him.]

[doublesmall]

I'd rather not have to.

[his nose wrinkles at the thought. this kind of thing-- it's private, isn't it? he doesn't want anyone else to hear these sorts of things. it's unbecoming of someone like him, probably.

but in response to those last statements... well. it's enough agreement for chuuya, as much as he figures he'll really get out of caren. he kisses her again, a brief one first to test the waters before he presses a longer one to her lips.]

[sexorcism]

That’s fine. As you’ve seen, I have no concerns about keeping sensitive information exactly that.

[Even if she’ll hold it over him later, Caren can at least be trusted not to feed it to others like some kind of fuel.

He’d like it if she kissed him back, probably? Well, it’s fine. She doesn’t mind doing that as long as those he’d said the week prior are no longer on the table.

Her grip on his wrist tightens and pulls to the side, almost forcefully, as if to remind him there’s no need to treat her so fragile.]

[doublesmall]

[he knows she won't be indiscreet with information, but that still gets a breathy laugh from him, half-muffled into the kiss.]

Hah? So you're saying you definitely won't tease me about it in front of Assassin or anything like that? You've seemed to have a lot of fun with that before...

[and if she's going to encourage him to be less gentle-- the next time their lips meet, it's more forceful, accompanied with a graze of his teeth over her lower lip when he breaks it again.]