little by little i feel a bit better

[soloremix]

[neku's always had a sneaking suspicion that joshua never exactly had a chance to grow up normally, what with the implications of becoming composer as a teenager and all. and as much as the two would hate to admit it, neku's run in the reapers' game had changed both of them—where joshua had bet everything on neku being completely incapable of opening his world, neku had exceeded expectations. his proxy did not deliver on the intended goal, but that just made things all the more interesting.

hanekoma hadn't been too happy about joshua's proposal to be given the chance to roam shibuya in the rg whenever he wasn't immediately needed as composer. he, too, had developed a bit of a soft spot for neku, though (being an accomplice in the attempt to kill them during the second week not withstanding)... he could see why joshua would want to learn more about him.

apparently, though, this condition had come with one stipulation—one a rather skeptical neku doesn't seem to be too pleased about.]

Let me get this straight—of all the people to ask, you choose me to be your tutor on "being a normal teenager?"

Comments

[vipmix]

[tugs at the sleeves of his hoodie like it's fucking fascinating, rolling his eyes]

Hilarious. Between the game and his unnecessary spillage, I wasn't trying with you. I don't know what he's trying to prove with this—I do fine with strangers.

[which. isn't inaccurate. but strangers don't normally stay strangers forever josh u fuck]

[soloremix]

[he's so close to ripping off the damn hoodie, but also, it... will do, for the purposes of their "activity" or whatever the hell this is. that implication, though...]

Then why'd you give me the special treatment? Why not put on the stranger act for me, too?

(Or what, did you want me to figure out you killed me all along?)

[vipmix]

[look neku did this. to himself. anyway joshua just smirks]

Hee hee... But Neku, we weren't strangers. We were partners. ♥

[this is the worst thing i've ever typed in my entire rp career]

[soloremix]

Only because you literally rigged the system so that it'd end up that way.

[josh??????????]

[vipmix]

Well, yeah. How else was I supposed to make sure you were up to the tasks ahead? [tilts his head in thought] I did underestimate how... hm, intense Sho would get though. My bad.

["my bad" he exploded himself and then came back to life to stalk neku&beat but YKNOW, HIS BAD]

[soloremix]

[yeah let's not reminisce about that]

You're the one who hired him, aren't you?

[vipmix]

[blinks and considers that]

Well... Hire's kind of a strong word for it. I don't need to meet Souls that decide on being Reapers, so. [a beat] I do decide on promotions and demotions.

[why is being a reaper just an entry-level job for the dead.]

[soloremix]

Right, Beat just knew you as my partner when he went Reaper...

But that means you're the one who still gave Pi-face the position of Game Master, right?

[vipmix]

Nope. Wow, Neku, you're batting zero on guesses. [he says this like it's neku's fault...] I wasn't involved in any of the regular parts of the Game you were in. That was all Megumi. That's why that girl ended up your entry fee-- a pretty clever way to hide the fact that he couldn't bring her back to life without me around.

[soloremix]

[you know, the whole purpose of this exercise was to originally to teach joshua some things, but now it seems neku is the one doing the learning. his brow furrows for a bit before his eyes widen slightly with the realization.]

. . . huh. I thought he just did that to be an asshole.

(I mean, what else do you take from a guy who had nothing else going for him?)

[vipmix]

He probably did have it out for you a little, once he figured you were playing the game for me... Since he thought you were the one thing standing in the way of him saving Shibuya and all. [shrugs] Funny how things work out, right?

[no this is absolutely not funny joshua.]

[soloremix]

—You know, the ironic humor is great, but real teenagers don't usually deconstruct the bad guy's motives unless they're in class.

(And even then...)

[he's gotta get them back on track somehow?]

[vipmix]

[technically in that scenario josh isn't sure who was the "bad guy", and he voices that:]

That's a pretty black and white view of it... [a beat] Besides, I wouldn't know. I was homeschooled.

[... is that true...]

[soloremix]

[look, megumi was trying to actively kill him and make him suffer? even if he was doing it to save shibuya, he's a bad dude in neku's eyes.

and while neku is skeptical as ever... he concedes that if josh's claim is true, it potentially explains a lot of things. in a cautious tone,]

...Really?

[vipmix]

Hee hee... Wouldn't you like to know? [neku stop trusting anything he says] It makes a believable cover story, though, doesn't it?

[soloremix]

[...yeah, it was way too good to be true. he just sighs and shakes his head. he feigns disappointment to hide his annoyance, which honestly shouldn't be any secret at this point.]

What happened to no more mind games?

[vipmix]

It's not a mind game. [he rests his chin on his hand as he continues to do his infuriating smile] Just testing to see if I can pass your "normal teenager" test. Besides, if I spilled it all that easy, you'd lose interest.

["it all" implies neku knows anything of relevance about josh tbh]

[soloremix]

(I hate when you're right.)

[at this point, his sighing upgrades to groaning. part of him is almost yearning for the simplicity of their partnership during the second week, because at least then, he'd been blissfully unaware of joshua's true nature... for better or worse.]

Okay, but that excuse isn't gonna fly every time someone calls you out on your... Joshua-ness.

[vipmix]

[a bit sulkily;]

Again, exactly who is calling me out in this make-believe scenario...?

[yes joshua we get it you Hate This, stop whining. in a lighter tone:]

Also, ouch. "Joshua-ness"? Really? Rude.

[soloremix]

(That's what you have a problem with? After an entire week of me calling you every variation of "ass" I can think of?)

The people Mr. H seems to think you won't blend in with. [...even he's rolling his eyes a little at this point.] Honestly, if you really wanted to pass as a convincing teen, you should've asked Shiki instead of me.

[vipmix]

And you'd have let me?

[he sounds amused but. uh. yes that is him assuming neku would want to protect shiki from joshua]

That would have been an interesting first conversation, though.

[soloremix]

Hey, if it'll get both of you off my back for a while, sure. It's not like your babysitter or hers.

[except where hanekoma has basically made him joshua's caretaker in everything but name. despite his joking, though, he... actually wouldn't mind seeing the two of them meet. he's probably already given shiki the sparknotes on his complicated friendship with josh since their return to the rg, but it's a friendship nonetheless. maybe their shared interest in neku would lead to a bonding moment?

bottom line, either it'd be great or neku's worst nightmare.]

[vipmix]

[there's a definite pause, like he hadn't expected that, and to be fair-- joshua mostly remembers neku talking about shiki from his week with him. he'd been very protective then.

hm. he plays it off]

Well, that's good to know. She's a good presence for Shibuya.

[because talent and imagination and blah, but also because of the influence she had on neku, which joshua absolutely doesn't explain for either points, just. moves on.]

For now, let's try to go with your pointers, and then we can see what she'd object to.

[soloremix]

[i mean, shiki's life was literally in his hands, he kind of had to be overprotective of her back then.

he's about to wax sentimental when joshua compliments her, because 1) that's rare from josh, and 2) there's a reason she ended up as one of his entry fees. but as the other boy continues, he realizes it's not the time or place to do so... plus, joshua might use that as leverage against him, so. he changes his mind on that.]

I mean, the bunny hood might get you some points with her... [he shakes his head, sighing again because yeah, it actually might] Never mind. What kind of music are you into?

[vipmix]

[that's all very logical if you're a human person with feelings who cares about things like people's lives, but since this is joshua,

his smile is just this side of smug, because shiki has good fashion taste and it's good of neku to recognize that, but he decides to let him Be on that for once to get to the music bit.]

I like any music that comes from Shibuya. [he even sounds genuine about it for once, which ... is still annoying, because it's his city and of course he's a proud jackass about anything that comes from it, and also because that's not an actual answer. though he pauses before he adds:] I kind of miss Shibuya-kei, though.