scads | .OPEN POST.

( from here. )

( why you gotta go and be all logical and shit, vash. damn. )

I hate it when you make valid points.

( boohoo, you weeping willow. )

[ ... listen he might not claim being a responsible adult but he is doing his best! ]

hey, we've had about the same time to think about things, it's inevitable that i have reached some conclusions that make sense.

[ inevitable-ish. but, you know. ]

... anyway why did you have to send a whole message about being an adult? what did you do?

( with you ... that's really all anyone can ask for.

and when you start making sense about how you feel about humans, we'll talk.

but damn now we're going back to the thing that started it all, and throughout all of this he may or may not have forgotten about it entirely. )

Don't worry about that.
It was just a blanket statement.

( nai what did you do. )

[ nai, what did you do?

also he makes a lot of sense, but you would have to stop being afraid for a whole ten seconds to see that, nai. ]

I will stop worrying when you stop making me worry.

[ ... because he does worry for nai, constantly. ]

( from here. )

Worst. Toast. Ever.
Save yourself the trouble next time.

What kind of birthday gift would you prefer?

Somoething that doesn't involve disgusting bodily fluids?

So you want non-disgusting bodily fluids? Is this a sex thing?

( from here. )

( he really thought he could trust you more than this.

time for the child leash again. )

You never think you're going to hurt yourself when it ends up happening.
I guess it's just a good thing you didn't faint, hit your head and give yourself a concussion.

[ is that really fair? seems like a slight overreaction to a small injury! ]

nobody thinks they'll hurt themselves when it happens! that's why it's called an accident!

yeah, i guess that's true. gonna have my arm bandaged up for a while.

( nothing is ever as small as it seems with you though? he is justified. )

I don't know of anyone else that would think to use a knife to do repairs on their boots, steel-toed or not.
How bad is it? Really?
And ...

( hold that thought, there's a few minutes between messages. )

Do you need anything?

[ vash could be holding his severed limb and tell anyone concerned about it that it was fine. ]

well, i wasn't sure what else to use.
do we even have a tool box?
it's.... fine!

when are you coming home?

( from here. )

( you know what, a warm glass of milk would probably sound really nice to his brother if you were bullying him, but. since you're being a condescending butthead about it. )

I don't eat or drink.
And I know you're being condescending.

( it isn't all orphans.

it isn't all little lost lives that have been forgotten, left to the dust that follows the wind and brought to him like lambs for slaughter, given over to the blade before they even had a chance to figure out what it was in the first place — but they're the easiest to come by. sacrifices to god, the followers will say, sacrifices for the greater good.

really, it's taking god's weakest soldiers and trying to make something of them. most of the time it fails — monev the gale, livio the doublefang — and the one time, most recently that it hadn't had given them nicholas the punisher and he's sent him on his own task, now, as it is.

bring my brother to me.

he doesn't care how long it takes, what the body count ends up being because at the end of it all they're worms. lower than that, whatever the worms choose to feed on because they're just as mindless, just as quick to follow orders when given the right kind of incentive.

but.

this one.

he'd asked for toji fushihuro to be brought to him under the guise of a proper examination by his own eyes, his own hands, not only because he has never trusted conrad a day in his miserable life but because he'd gotten wind that the carnage sometimes asked of his followers seems to … appeal to him, in some way or another.

they're alone in his piano room; barren as it is save for the mount of a petrified sister looming over them he makes a slow, slow circle around their newest assassin on bare feet, the edge of his hooded cloak trailing behind him and only when he deigns to close some of the distance between them does he pull his hood down, pale blond hair in mussed spikes all over his head and even paler blue eyes bearing down on the human in front of him.

god, but he's curious. )

I hear you like it. ( he practically purrs into the air between them, stepping closer and closer still, head tipping to the side. ) The killing. Is that true?

_{[ When first told that the boss of all people had something to say to him, Toji relayed to whichever messenger with a crooked smile: "Uh oh, looks like I'm in trouble." In reality, Toji wasn't 100% certain why he was called to the piano room to talk to Knives but he doesn't mind it; being lower than him, really. Maybe he was going to receive praise.. wouldn't that be something? Toji has no idea what that feels like other than when he's on a kill high and praises himself for actually doing something impressive. That's all he's good at. Killing. Killing and fucking. And if that is how he's supposed to spend the rest of his miserable life, so be it. Being lower than others.. it's all he was ever told growing up anyway, so he's very numb and indifferent to the concept. All he wants to do is survive, and this guy pays his bills, so sure. He'll try to be somewhat respectful.

Somewhat respectful.

Toji stands firm and allows Knives to do his thing, not minding the eyes on him. Whatever little bit of pride left in him enjoys it; being looked over. The moment Knives removes his hood and reveals his face, though.. oh. Oh, no. He's pretty. Toji has never really gotten a good look at him before and.. wow. Those are some gorgeous looking eyes. At the question, he grins, scarred lips parting to reveal his teeth. ]}

It's hard to dislike something you're really good at.

_{[ A beat, and then: ]}

Usually, people can look but not touch. For you, I'll make an exception.

_{[ TOJI, HEEL. HAVE A NORMAL CONVERSATION FIRST. ]}

( he doesn't do this often — bring others into his private chambers, because he likes his privacy, his personal space, very much — but sometimes he likes to see those he's brought into the fold more or less through conventional means. that is to say, not everyone in his ragtag group of misfits is an orphaned human run through a gamut of experiments … or the result of an experiment in and of itself.

( he looks at elendira sometimes and wonders just what in the hell conrad had been thinking, but that's the mad scientist's prerogative, isn't it? emphasis on mad scientist, but that may as well go without saying for the time being. )

he practically snorts for the response he gets, because something that is currently slithering up from the base of his spine — a herald of poor decision-making, a serpent meant for temptation — insists that someone so bold from the very beginning is bound to be more entertaining than he might have initially given him credit for. his eyes fall to half-mast as he watches scarred lips peel back from bright, white teeth. )

Just for me, hm? ( he bypasses the other's first statement altogether, because there is no arguing with the truth, what is there to dislike about something you're good at? and there's something about this human that brings the word feral to the forefront of his mind in a way that finds his teeth aching to wipe the smugness from his expression.

later, maybe. later. )

Would this act of kindness be more for your benefit, or mine? You don't even know why I had you brought to me in the first place.

You heard me, pretty boy. Just for you.

_{[ Ballsy, really. But there really wasn't much that Toji feared; Knives wasn't one of them, that's for sure, and he was well aware of the impressive work he had done.. you know, murdering people. It was sexy. So much about this guy was sexy and Toji just doesn't know wen to pull back.

Toji slides one foot back, giving himself a little bit more space between he and Knives and, with a flourish, provides an overdramatic bow to Knives. Did he care about what Knives was trying to do? Not really. Did he believe a lot of it was horseshit? Absolutely. But as long as he was paid and fed, he didn't mind the politics of things. ]}

Everything I do I do for your benefit.

_{[ gags... but maybe it's a lie that will impress him. Toji straightens is posture, still smiling. ]}

Either to reward me or murder me, I guess. I'm fine with either. What's it gonna be? The suspense is killing me.

( pretty boy?

he never expects such boldness from those beneath him, mostly because they seem to know better than to push their luck with him, but that isn't the point he's trying to make at the moment; anyone that has ever had the gall to speak to him so plainly has never walked away with the thought of ever doing so again rolling around in their head like a loose marble, and he's about to make sure that doesn't start happening now.

a tendril of blades appears from seemingly nowhere behind his back, and while it doesn't touch toji, it comes dangerously close to nicking the underside of his chin where it pauses, mostly still but swaying gently from side to side, an inanimate cobra ready to strike.

this is after everything else has come out of his mouth, of course. after the nauseating display of embellishments, and his eyes narrow into twin points of ice beneath pale, furrowed brows. )

You'll watch how you speak to me, whelp. ( he hisses, though there is absolutely no denying that this level of recklessness has him intrigued. far more than he should be, but he's not about to make a fool of himself treading too far into unfamiliar territory. )

And you will not lie to me, either. Self-serving piece of filth like you? Tch. ( his words are harsh, the air around him cold, but that does not keep him from stepping even further into the other's personal space. one foot in front of the other until they're nearly nose to nose, that tendrils of blades giving a mock of a caress down one cheek, from the highest point of bone down to the line of his jaw. )

Show me why I shouldn't spill your blood right here and now. What good can you be to me?

( you wanted a challenge, toji? you got one. )

.OPEN POST.

@dontdeserve;

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@sanctis;

thank you for continuing!!! <3

i live to make this man's life hell so thank you for coming along for the ride LOL

HAHAHA happy to do it! <3 I love Knives

@plantcifist;

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@continually;

@assassinsgreed ( you're just a pup, aren't you? );

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