[Week 2, Monday: Max]

[purrtagonist]

[just like last week, Akira approaches with his specially brewed coffee made out of stolen beans from Wildkat in hand! for the record, he made this ~super stealthily~ in the McDonald's bathroom so no one would see him at work and question his entry fee. just saying]

[he holds the drink out to Max and starts things off with a simple question]

Want to go see a movie?

Comments

[purrtagonist]

-- oh, hey, get me a cherry flavored one.

[CHERRY SLUSH. he also accepts that answer for what it is and moves on with another nod]

Those pins. The ones that protect people if they're partnerless on Sunday.

How can I get one for Ichigo? Beyond Erasing someone and getting away with it.

[concertmaster]

[Max gets himself a blue one but does, actually, give Akira a red one. incredible.]

Well you're just limiting my options, aren't you. [he sits down on the counter, drinking from his slushie] Get one of those requests from missions, I guess. You worried about the guy?

[purrtagonist]

[yeeees cherry slushes. this is a healthy meal of popcorn and candy and sugary drinks. Akira makes a slight face when he takes a sip, actually, because this much sugar is almost too much. but hey, it's still good]

Everyone would know about it if we got one from a mission, and they'd ask to use it on someone else's partner first. I wanted something low key. Just for me. Just for Ichigo.

[and then, a little more quietly]

. . . of course I'm worried about him. I want him to survive. And he won't, if I get taken out at trial without a pin as backup.

[and he doesn't want Ichigo to go down with him]

[concertmaster]

There is one option for you. If shit starts to look bad in trial, you can always erase yourself before it ends.

[he says it while casually slurping on his drink, without batting an eye]

That would give him a chance to make a new pact. [slurps] Ooooor, best option yet: you want Ichigo to be fine? Don't get caught.

[purrtagonist]

Who would they vote for?

[THIS PLAN HAS PROBLEMS, but. . .]

Getting caught isn't in the cards, but it wasn't for Terra, either. And the more I think about it--

[actually, he cuts himself off and doesn't finish that idea]

. . . nevermind.

[concertmaster]

I assume the second person with the most votes would get it. Or random. Depends on the Composer's mood.

[he leans forward in interest at that cutting off]

The more you think about it...?

[purrtagonist]

[a small sigh, eyes flickering down, distant and pensive. he picks his words carefully]

. . .

In what narrative is it satisfying for the bad guys to win?

[concertmaster]

You think this is a narrative?

[he gestures around them]

Let me break it down. For Players, Reapers are the bad guys. The ultimate bad guy is the Composer. It's straightforward. They're stuck in a bad place with an "evil mastermind", trying to survive his minions. You? Should definitely know better. It's not that black and white. Nothing fucking is.

[he looks at Akira seriously for a second]

You wanna change your narrative? That's up to you.

[purrtagonist]

[. . .]

[a deep breath and a smile]

Okay.

[Maya and Max make a great tag-team duo, honestly]

Are you sure you haven't been sharing notes with our Conductor?

[concertmaster]

That's the most fucking offensive thing anyone has ever said to me, and I was a non-white kid in America.

[purrtagonist]

[HAHA]

[he laughs, ducking his head, nearly spilling his slush]

Hey, don't look at me. You both just happened to say something extremely similar, that's all.

[concertmaster]

Telling you to get over your angsting bullshit is not that hard to have a wavelength on.

[throws popcorn at Akira!!!!]

[purrtagonist]

[why do people throw things at him!! ducks soundly and chucks a JubJub at Max in return]

Don't make fun of me. I'm not a killer. I steal hearts, not lives. Or un-lives, as it were.

[ssssobering up a lot]

And it isn't easy for me to just do as I'm told without understanding why.

[concertmaster]

[it's in the Mop of hair now and Max is just gonna struggle to get it out for a bit. thanks akira. thanks]

No one said you had to do as you're told. I know you're a baby Reaper, but I did tell you rebellion is the number one cause of promotion, right? It's not always just about power. Not agreeing with how the upper echelon is doing things and Erasing them is classic Reaper move.

[purrtagonist]

[hehehe]

When you say it like that. . . it almost sounds like you actually want me or someone else to chase that promotion.

[concertmaster]

I'm a neutral party in this shitshow. I don't care one way or another what happens.

[how many times does he have to say it!! g o s h ]

[purrtagonist]

He says, after writing a scathing report criticizing the inhumanity involved in taking entry fees and not telling Players what they're missing.

[he doesn't think you're as neutral as you act, Max]

[concertmaster]

Yeah, you forget the part where I told you I think entry fees are fucking bullshit in general.

[purrtagonist]

They are. But that's still not a neutral opinion.

[hmmmm]

One more question. Well, two, but this is the last of the ones I don't think you'll answer.

Makoto said you told her you made a mistake in your last Game. [a beat] Is. . . that something you would ever want to talk about?

[concertmaster]

I'm neutral over everything having to do with this Game in particular.

[it's? an important? distinction? anyway.]

You'd have to be more precise. My entire Game experience was a fucking mistake.

[this is slightly harsher than usual in tone]

[purrtagonist]

[UH HUH]

[noting that harsh tone, but pushing anyway, unfazed until Max tells him he's done]

You could just start at the beginning, and tell me what happened in it.

But only if you want to.

[concertmaster]

Mistake number one: I decided to play instead of just letting myself be erased. How's that for a backstory drop? Is that the kind of shit you want to hear?

[he's more than a little defensive, face flushed with anger]

I'm not going to tell you more about the Game because you think prodding me into talking about myself makes us fucking friends, jackass. Your manipulative bullshit is noted and taken into account!

[purrtagonist]

That's not it.

[still calm, even in the face of defensive anger, gaze affixed on his half-empty box of JubJubs. but he definitely isn't pushing any more]

Sometimes, talking about the stuff that upsets us lets us. . . alleviate some of the pressure. That's all. I just wanted to help.

[and Akira is used to being that sounding board, when other people decide to use him as one. he's never been one to force it, though]

But if that isn't how it works for you. . . then I won't ask again.

[. . .]

[offering him a JubJub :x]

[concertmaster]

[Max deflates at Akira's calmness, and he shoves himself deeper in his hoodie, curling in on himself.]

Fuck, you even sound like him.

[he sounds a bit choked up and he angrily wipes at his face]

There's nothing to talk about. I meant it, I shouldn't have played at all. That's all there is to it.

[purrtagonist]

[like who? but he doesn't ask, knowing he pushed too much already. there's also the urge to reach out and rest his hand on Max's head to try and comfort him, but he's pretty sure he'd just slap it away]

I'm sorry.

[for bringing it up. for the fact that his game was so shitty]

Whatever happened. . . you didn't deserve to go through it.