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

[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.

[soloremix]

(Man, he really does love Shibuya...)

[again, neku can't help but chuckle at that. it's such an honest and candid answer that doesn't have a hint of joshua's usual snark. this is weird.]

I get why, but that's gonna make you sound like someone's dad. Unless we're really going with the whole homeschooled route—you didn't get out much and just had your parents' CDs to listen to.

[vipmix]

Hmmmm... Why not? At least part of that is true. [the "don't get out much" part, but he's not going to explicitly tell neku which it is solely to see what he tries to guess is the true part. because. he's an ass.] You sure are taking this whole backstory scenario seriously.

[there's a bit of genuine curiosity in that observation, since josh himself ... sure isn't, because the idea that he'd ever need to talk long enough to anyone who wasn't neku or neku's friends that they'd ask him personal questions is just ridiculous (*implying asking about hobbies is personal), but also because joshua had expected a lot more reluctant snark than he's getting.]

[soloremix]

[he can guess, but he knows better than to leave himself open to more taunting. also, did josh just get used to week 2 neku? the new neku is the new normal.]

Look, I'm just trying to cover all the bases. If the request came from Mr. H, I'm not gonna half-ass it.

[vipmix]

[wtf happened when he was in tin pin landia, josh will never know]

Hee hee... Still a fanboy, huh? [and josh could easily ruin that, but he doesn't even consider it.] Fair enough. So, what's next, "teach"?

["teach" is the fakest thing to have ever come out of joshua's mouth and that is saying something. he. cannot pull that off.]

[soloremix]

Never say that again.

[vipmix]

Does that mean you won't appreciate it if I start using "yo"?

[soloremix]

I was aiming for the Shiki side of normal teen, not the Beat one.

[... he's now just realizing that, yeah, those two really are his only references for "normal teen" because it's not like he really had any time to start expanding his world since the game ended.

he chooses not to verbally concede this fact.]