Floor 1, Room 3

[jokey]

AKIRA

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[jokey]

But your heart remembers, doesn't it?

[The heart remembers those scars long after the mind forgets the pains that caused them.]

If you're only human, act like it. Get upset. Get mad. Maybe there's nothing you can do about your long life, but you don't have to give up what makes you human.

[impacter]

I wonder if it does.

[His hands tighten briefly around his coffee cup, before bringing it back to his lips.]

I wouldn't say I have that luxury as much as you would hope. But... you're not wrong. It's not something I want to forget.

[jokey]

I'm sure it does.

[That's what makes you human.]

Maybe you'd be better off as a cold, unfeeling monster. As something that could understand human sentiment but didn't feel it yourself. Still... if it were me? I wouldn't change a thing about you.

[Actually, scratch that. One thing:]

But I'd like if you were more honest, obviously.

[impacter]

Mn. I feel if I ever became that, truly, then...

...

[An exhale. He's said too much.]

--Never mind. No use dwelling on something like that. We can leave that for the storybooks.

I'm sad you think I'm being dishonest, though. That's not something I prefer to do.

[jokey]

You...

[Spit it out, coward!!]

It's not that I think you're a liar. That's not it. It's more like...

[Sips coffee... Mmm, Solomon sugar...]

It's more like you skirt around the things you don't want to talk about. That sound about right?

[impacter]

Mm? What can I say. Sometimes it's just more fun to play dumb when things are truly better left unsaid.

Like how I felt receiving that kiss of yours.

[Sometimes the reactions are the best part, after all.]

[jokey]

Hey. You can't bait me that easily.

[Akira knows how this goes. If he asked Solomon to elaborate, he wouldn't give a straightforward or remotely satisfying answer. Akira is super curious, but he knows better than to take such obvious bait, right?

...Right?]

You obviously didn't like it. You wiped it off right away.

[impacter]

You don't think I would have just told you to knock it off, if that were the case?

[Ah Akira, how wonderfully dramatic you are.]

I just don't like my face feeling wet, that's all. Were you really that upset about it?

[jokey]

You wouldn't. You would've shocked me instead.

[So he did like it? This is a lot to process, so Akira simply won't. Nnnope, not thinking about it. That way lies danger.]

I would've been offended if you made a grossed out face, but you didn't. Besides, I didn't give you a real kiss anyway. If I did and you rejected it, then I would've gotten mad.

[impacter]

Ha, see? You really are learning.

I get enough nonconsensual kisses as it is, so I appreciate your self-control.

[Just gonna bring that coffee to his lips without explaining that further.]

[jokey]

What?

[HUH???]

Who's forcing their kisses on you all the time? Do they need a talking to?

[impacter]

Asmodeus, of course. He's never had a good sense of boundaries. But I find it much easier to deal with them now that we've known each other so long.

[jokey]

Asmodeus...?

[]

Oh my god. I'm so sorry.

[impacter]

[IM FUCKING CRYING I DIDNT REALIZE]

Mm? No need. He's hardly the worst I have to deal with.

[jokey]

Seriously? But he's so...

[How does he put this gently?]

You couldn't pay me enough to kiss that guy. He's so full of himself. And the whole eating literal ass thing? That's not the kind of thing you openly brag about.

[impacter]

You say that, and yet Asmodeus doesn't seem to know what shame is at times. Though, I can't really remember him phrasing it all quite like that... usually it's just something about loving butts and then gushing about his new favorite skin cream.

[jokey]

The loving butts part is right, but skin cream? That's a new one.

[Akira visibly shudders.]

Why do you hang out with that creep anyway?

[impacter]

Hahah... yikes, be glad he isn't here. He'd probably claw your eyes out for calling him something like that. And then I'd have to hear him whine about breaking a nail, and none of us want that.

[Did they have two versions of Asmodeus? He wouldn't put it past this weird world.]

But yes. We're in a pact, that's why.

[jokey]

Let him hear me. I've kicked his ass once and I'll do it again.

[Maybe one day they'll realize they're discussing two different Asmos. Maybe one day...]

You can keep him, but I hope you find someone cuter to kiss in the future. Someone at least as cute as me.

[impacter]

That's a tall order to fill, Akira. Don't hold something that impossible over my head.

[He chuckles lightly, before returning to his coffee.]

I only allow it because it's part of the terms of our pact, and I would prefer we stay on relatively decent terms. I don't like to fight the demons I control.

[jokey]

Oh? You mean it?

[And on that day, Akira's ego grew three sizes...]

Guess I should consider myself lucky. There's some... interesting-looking Personas. They're more of the sassy, backtalking kind. Not so much the flirtatious and kissing kind.

[impacter]

I do. It's not often you meet a one in a million.

[Happy to help, sorry about whoever has to deal with you later (sorry pika).]

Mm. Are we talking about biblical descriptions with six heads and fifteen eyes, or a different kind of interesting?

[jokey]

Please. Now you're just embarrassing me on purpose.

[And it's working, but also, teehee! Akira is eating this shit up. It isn't often he's the one getting schmoozed, so it's a nice change of pace.]

I'm talking about devils on toilets and ones that look like, you know, giant green dicks on chariots.

[You know the ones.]

[impacter]

I just might. You have an honesty about you that glows when you're bashful, you know.

[The little hair tug... what a cutie. Someone will be lucky to have this boy in their life, no matter what kind of trouble he gets into.]

I haven't seen spirits like that in a long time, but that sounds closer to yokai rather than what I deal with. Most of the demons I see prefer to be more pleasurable to the eye nowadays. Something about making it easier to tempt people.

[He downs the rest of his cup with a deep exhale as the glass draws away, settling it back onto the table.]

That said... I do think I should make it back to my room, before the day gets ahead of us.

[jokey]

I'd kill for a world with sexier demons. If you're going to wine and dine me, at least invite me over.

[Ah, good talk, good talk. He's picked up some one-liners from Solomon and got to drink his coffee with his special sugar mixed in. Not a bad morning, hangover notwithstanding.

Akira sets his cup aside and rises, offering Solomon a hand.]

Allow me to escort you to the door, good sir. I'm sure you can handle things from there.

[Akira doesn't really want to leave his room while reeking of alcohol anyway.]