perfectmatch | week three

[. . .]

[a sharp exhale. he does not flinch back, even if the ice in her words stings. that's to be expected. she is, after all, objectively correct in her harsh judgment, and he knows it]

. . . can I finish my story?

...

[ Odile exhales slowly, lowering her gaze back to the puzzle. What a stupid thing it is, to like someone. Her hand moves to start putting it together. ]

Continue.

[a small bow of his head, but now his gaze is focused on the few pieces he as already put together. he finds a few more, arranging them around the tiny picture that has begun to form in front of him. it's one of the flowers]

. . . I was pretty stupid back then. In the years after my mom died. In all honesty, I'm not proud of the person I was. A cocky kid who felt like he had nothing to lose.

[he admits to that with a surprising amount of clarity and understanding of his own character. when he thinks back on those years-- the years of Japan's greatest swindler-- he almost feels. . . ashamed. what a dumb and hurt kid he had been, making dumb and hurtful decisions, all because he couldn't cope with the turns his life had taken]

But then one day, I met. . . someone else. A man named Laurent. I tried to swindle him, but I was two steps behind his every move. He was the one conning me. And then. . . he recruited me for my biggest job yet.

[. . .]

. . . the world is full of rich jerks who are untouchable by the law, you know? People who get away with shitting on others just because they have cash to spend. He introduced me to one such person: some small-time movie maker who preyed on aspiring actresses. Who ruined lives for his own sick entertainment. Laurent wanted to con him out of his entire fortune as some kind of punishment for the things he had done.

[another piece. another small exhale]

When we completed that job. . . my perspective on the world completely changed.

[. . .]

. . . I took the money Laurent paid me for my role in the confidence scheme and used it to pay back every single person I had swindled myself.

And then I turned myself in to the police.

[SHE MISSED THAT PART!!!]

[ ...

Rather than swindle the common man now, he acts as a kind of robin des bois. But he's aware of his faults -- older now, seeing differently, looking back with a heavier heart at the things he'd done and... seeking to make reparations. Odile continues to work on the framework, unresponsive, as if she hadn't heard him.

It's simply her mind turning over itself, checking through his words and who she knows-- knew him to be, judging each and weighing their worth. By the time she's settled, the outside is complete.

... ... ... ]

[ Odile knows better than anyone that a cardinal rule of reading is never to skip ahead, and yet--

She's taking off her shoe to solidly fwap him with it. ]

[ With that, however, her expression returns to something softer in a sorrowed way, trying best to work out how she wants to speak. It is-- incredibly hard, always, to say things. Even in all her years, all her "old" age now, it never, never gets easier, and

she feels uneasy, for the first time, at what others might hide just the same. The lack of anything that Verso wants in his future, as a prime example. What had caused it. Why. She still wants to know, certainly, but-- ]

I have a penchant for picking up theatrical fools, it seems. Do lead with a reassurance of good faith -- should you have any to spare -- rather than what you did. It makes you sound far too "edgy" otherwise.

[WHAP]

-- ow!! Odile. . .!

[rubs his forehead, which is now a bit red from the SHOE IMPACT]

. . . I thought about it! But then I thought you might want the whole story, not just-- "by the way, I'm not a freelancer, I'm a confidence man!"

To be frank, if you'd described it that way, I would have said you were in no way a "confidence" anything.

[ Wuss.

... ]

Have you been enjoying yourself here?

[ It's a double entendre of sorts, between the Edamura she met and the Edamura she knows now. At least it makes sense now, how he was so... adaptable, how easily he could compose himself or overdramatize as needed. Odile's stomach turns unhappily. ]

[HEY???]

Don't be so harsh! I can be confident!

[not just a confidence man, but like. a confident man!!]

[but as to her question. . . he frowns deeply, nudging a few more flat edges in her direction, now trying to build upon the frame that she started]

[. . .]

[. . . right. that's why it had been so hard to share, isn't it? why he had rolled with "freelancer" when people had asked him about his job back home. because the moment he is honest about it. . . nobody will believe him ever again. and why should they? who can trust a con man? who should trust a con man?]

. . . and don't-- talk around it, Odile. Ask me what you want to ask me.

[an exhale]

"Are you conning anyone right now?" Or maybe, "are you being sincere with everyone here?"

... The latter.

[ But it's said softly. She works steadily on her side, voice raising slightly in agitation. ]

How much of the Edamura we see is the one that was raised by his kind mother, and how much is the one that was raised by his poor mistakes? Have you been sincere in your time here? What is it, exactly, that you've been seeking?

[he answers her questions in order]

All of him, and none of him. And of course I have; I'm not trying to be anything other than. . . myself. For once. Just. . . me. And I'm looking for--

[. . .]

. . . the same thing I said I was looking for when I first got here. New connections.

[. . . he pulls up a tiny smile. slightly lopsided and familiar. that's the Edamura she knows]

The chance to be something more than just a swindler.

... I should use my other shoe on you too.

[ But she doesn't, simply staring at him -- weighing, again, the worth of his words, before she exhales loudly and rests back on her hands.

Okay. She's going to die from high blood pressure one of these days, but. Okay. ]

Alright then. Thank you for telling me the truth, Edamura. My own secret feels far less weighted in comparison. Is this Laurent of yours single?

[. . . what]

[what????]

[is who single?? is Laurent single?]

[is. . . Laurent. . . single. . . . . . . . . ?????]

[IS LAURENT SINGLE?????]

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

[holy shit that is SO LOUD that his voice is ECHOING ACROSS THE STORE!!!]

-- I don't know if he's single! I don't care! He's a playboy!! An absolute bastard!!! You deserve so much better than him, Odile! I'll kick his ass if he so much as looks at you funny!!!

[WHY IS HE HAVING A CONNIPTION THO]

[JABS A FINGER AT HER]

So love yourself more and don't even think about it!!! Wipe those thoughts clean from your mind!!!

[he's so distressed it's really funny]

[ WHY IS HE HAVING A WHOLE EPISODE

It makes Odile bust out laughing though, and though she tries to holding it back down to respond it interrupts her anyway, tears prickling her eyes. Ah, it's always so fun. ]

He must-- truly be bad, for you to lay him so low... [ Ahh, ahh... Her chest hurts. ] I'm only joking, Edamura. You really are so fun to tease.

[I]

[she]

[she's. . . laughing?? at him?? she was joking??? he had a heart attack over a joke??]

[WHEEZES]

Odile!

[can't even complain about it being cruel. . . about her playing with his stupid fragile heart. . . he probably kind of deserves it, for keeping this from her for two whole ass weeks. . .]

[ Odile wipes at her eyes, exhaling with just a few chuckles left in her, before she reaches over to ruffle Edamura's hair. Muss it up!!! ]

Consider that payback for your poor pacing. Do you feel better, getting it off your chest?

I said I'm a confidence man, not a storyteller!

[GAWD. another huff, and he slots the small middle piece with the flowers he made into the frame Odile was working on]

. . . and surprisingly. . . yes.

[HUFFS. . . a bit indignant, but it's fading]

It's a hard thing to tell people in a game like this. If everyone knew, then they'd question my motives. And I swear I'm here for all the right reasons!

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject

1/3

2/3

3/3

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/??? christ this thread closes my eyes

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

okay done

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject