VI

[foreverphantom]

Comments

[doublefists]

Thanks.

[ said like, I know. ]

Told you I would.

[foreverphantom]

Finally, a person who's willing to punch me. [ sighs contently ]

[doublefists]

Don't get weird about it.

But yeah, I'll punch you whenever. You want a fight, come find me, but eventually I'm gonna stop going easy on you.

[foreverphantom]

Stop going easy on me now, because I won't be going easy on you from the get-go.

[doublefists]

If I punched you at full strength, you'd hit the pavement so hard you'd wake up next week. Let's not test fate, huh?

[foreverphantom]

If I punched you at full strength, you'd be a mist of blood and viscera.

[doublefists]

Not here, you wouldn't.

[foreverphantom]

You wouldn't either. [ desperately grasping at superstrength straws for his own ego ]

[doublefists]

[ help me ]

I wouldn't - what did you say? Turn you into blood and viscera? I wouldn't be able to do that at any point, no.

[ reaches and ruffles his hair in his face. ]

But I don't need to brag about what I can do, either. This isn't me trying to rope you into a I could beat you into a pulp argument because I don't give a shit who is stronger.

[foreverphantom]

[ doubt.jpg

(because everything is always a who's stronger argument with him) ]

[doublefists]

[ i and jiaoqiu's infinite source of patience remember this well

she gives him a ? look. what is hard to believe about this!! ]

[foreverphantom]

...You're...serious.

[doublefists]

Yeah?

[ there's confidence, to that. like, why wouldn't I be. ]

[foreverphantom]

Just...seems like a waste, is all.

[ why sit there just knowing you're stronger when you can prove it by pounding someone into paste ]

[doublefists]

A waste? How?

[foreverphantom]

What's the point in being stronger than others if you're not going to use that strength?

[doublefists]

[ a beat. and then - she laughs, a bit, just a huff. ]

I do. Just because it's not what you think I should be using it for doesn't mean I don't use it.

[ ... ]

I use it to make sure brats like you don't take the brunt of the damage. Make sure that kids like Kate don't have to fight, or boys like Jonas don't always have to hold the world on their shoulders.

[foreverphantom]

Ah, of course. Altruism. [ she was so rowdy, he's actually kind of surprised ]

[doublefists]

It's not altruism, it's looking after my own.

You can say it like it's got a shit mouth feel as much as you want, but people's the only thing that matters.

[foreverphantom]

...ugh. Yeah, I know. [ scrubs at his face, annoyed ]

[doublefists]

[ reaches to flick him on the forehead. affectionately. ]

Then don't be a bitch about it.

[ in a neutral, kind of amused tone. ]

[foreverphantom]

[ sputters ]

That--it's a new concept to me, okay!

[doublefists]

[ the amusement stays, but: ]

Yeah? Tell me about it. [ genuinely! she's curious. ]

[foreverphantom]

...I got...attached. To some people. During the last round of murders. [ he sounds like he's about to continue, but then he just. doesn't offer anything else up. ]

[doublefists]

That happens. I also did that.

[ boy howdy did she. ]

First friends you've had?