trusthell | do it for love

[ Every week is the same song and dance, but it never really gets easier, or works, or ever seems like it’s going to stop.

There will be time for everyone to rest before Black comes knocking on their doors (a moot point, given the soundproofedness of them) and slipping a note beneath them. He needed the respite too, and they needed to prepare food, and… he still thinks it’s a little weird to have a party after a trial, but he’s starting to really understand why it’s not a bad idea, either. ]

[Name],

Misa would’ve wanted us to keep a smile on our faces, or at least put a smile somewhere. There’s a pancake bar up in the chapel, if you’d like to come by and make a few happen. If you don't want to come, that's fine, too. The offer's open all night.

Ever yours,
Black

[ …the ending is something he’s never quite shaken, unfortunately.

Those that make their way up to the chapel will, indeed, find a pancake bar, courtesy of Yosuke and Stan (because Black never feels that hungry after trials and someone needs to stress bake here). That is, there are pancakes! There are syrups, whipped cream, fruits, berries, candies, etc! Sprinkles! Hot chocolate, ice cream… everything you could want for your build-your-own-pancake masterpiece. It’s all set up on some tables shoved against the chapel’s walls.

…special Stancakes (or pancakes with a hint of Stan in them, aka some of his hair that might’ve gotten in there accidentally, whoops) are also available.

There’s also alcohol—dessert wines mostly, to pair with their overwhelming sugar bias, but there’s some ordinary stuff there too. Pancake bar.

The framed photos are where they’ve always been on the center area, along with their matching stuffed animals. …or most of them; some haven’t been made, some pictures haven’t been put up, you get the idea. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ ...yes, that explains a lot of things he guessed from their chapel talk earlier. ]

I stand by what I said, Mr. Cherryblod. That your past doesn't define you, and as long as you're doing right now it really doesn't matter. [ ... ] It's how you met your wife, right?

[ Because she was like ten seconds from beating the shit out of him. ]

That's right. It's why I couldn't undo it even if I'd been willing to throw the rest of you under the bus - if I didn't meet her that way, my daughter would never have existed, and I can't stand for that.

Besides, it's been over for two hundred years. Going that far back in the past wouldn't end well.

You'd probably change more things than you'd mean to. [ He'll take a seat, after another moment of awkward standing—this isn't the kind of conversation you have not sitting down. ] After... after thinking about it, I don't think I'd go back to change anything, either.

I don't think I could've, anyway. My parents would've still gone, because it's their job and because they're the type of people who would've. They would've still died, and I would've still— [ he cuts himself off with a laugh, shaking his head. ] Doesn't matter. Nothing would've changed, even if I really wanted to, I'm sure of it.

[ ...something they have in common, but for wildly different reasons, yes. ]

You're really brave for putting your secrets out there right now, too. [ So admirable. ]

I'm terrified, actually. I know I'm going to lose the friendships I've made with a lot of people I still care about - that's more frightening than the idea that someone might stab me over this.

[He can deal with being stabbed. He expects it in a place like this. He won't go down without a fight.

This is more painful than that.]

Still has to be done.

[ ...and hey, if he gets stabbed and dies, they'll get rid of whoever did it.

Not really the nicest thought, and Black hates that it comes to mind, because all he thinks of is Misa right now and... ]

They'd be stupid to burn bridges with you over something you haven't done in hundreds of years, Mr. Cherryblod.

They're going to anyway.

[People are stupid. It's just a fact.]

...then they weren't very good friends in the first place. [ ...Black's just so fucking tactful and nice tonight, guys, he's not cynical at all— ]

That's not true. It's completely reasonable to hate someone for killing as many people as I have, no matter how long ago it was. They'll feel like I betrayed them by pretending to be a caring person.

But you haven't been pretending to be a caring person.

You think so? I do my best.

Of course. I don't think Miss Doloz would've married you if you weren't a caring person either.

She wouldn't have. She's far too good for that.

[Ah yes, praising Doloz is his favorite pastiime.]

[ The best conversation topic. ]

That's right. She also wouldn't be with someone who hadn't changed his ways, and that she didn't believe in. [ ...he has a point here, see. ] I... want to say everyone else'll be the same way, and so you should have more faith in the friendships you've made here, but I know it's not something I can convince you of, either.

The best I think I can do is wait and see. After being afraid of sharing it for so long, it's hard to just assume things will be alright.

...But thank you. It's going better than I'd hoped.

That's good to hear. [ ...he sort of assumed it was because Cherryblod doesn't look stabbed or anything, so— ] I guess Misa's reaction when she found out didn't help that?

[ Since it didn't seem like it was a. very nice one, going by all of this. ]

Hadn't been called 'pure evil' for a while before then. ...I really did like her, before that. And after that.

[Even with her hating him, he couldn't bring himself to hate her.]

There's no such thing as someone who's purely evil anyway, just... [ ...mmm. ] Evil acts? But even that's based on perception, sometimes.

I know that. Still not fun to hear from someone you were friends with.

I bet not. I've never really had friends, so I've never gotten to experience what a terrible joy it must be to be called evil by one of them.

[ ...this is both really pathetic and also plainly said like it's a joke. The terrible joy part is, that is. The other part, not so much. ]

[That's... really sad, and it earns Black more hair ruffling.]

[ hey...! ]

I wasn't a very outgoing child, that's all. White made all the friends between us, but they never felt like my friends, too. My co-workers are friendly enough, but we're colleagues. [ ...he wouldn't consider them friends because they work together

look he's the idiot who doesn't consider someone a friend until they tell them they're friends first because he's an idiot. ] Being here's the first place I've actually made a few for myself, even though I... didn't want to, actually. It just seems like a bad idea, especially after the first few weeks.

People bond faster under trying circumstances. It's human, for lack of a better word. Even though I agree - it'd be less painful if you didn't care about anyone here.

[He just can't do that. He can't even come close.]

[ He thought he could.

But he couldn't. His sister always ragged on his soft heart when he was a kid, and he guesses he's never grown out of it. (Just because he doesn't think of people as friends easily doesn't mean he doesn't care about them, which actually really sucks.) ]

It's dumb. [ He sounds like a kid, but he'll sigh after a moment. ] But it's not like we can help it.

People are, in general, pretty dumb. And we love them anyway.

[But he thinks it's better Black's bonded with people against his will.]

do it for love

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