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[criminaljustice]

This is Boss AKA Joker AKA "Prisoner". Leave a message.

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[criminaljustice]

[UGH. CAN'T EVEN JUST IGNORE YOU BECAUSE SANGUINE OR SILK WILL JUST LET YOU IN.

opening door to try to nyoom past bye]

[foolmetwice]

[reaches out to snag his sleeve before he zooms past]

Joker!

[criminaljustice]

[--caught.

damn it

trying to pull free.]

Let go.

[foolmetwice]

[just]

[gonna]

[casually wall him]

[or at least try]

No.

[criminaljustice]

[......... n-not expected.





gonna try to slide down the wall? to try to duck under his arms]

[foolmetwice]

[oh my god]

Stop being a baby and talk to me, god damn it! You're acting like I would!

[TRYING TO SLIDE HIS ARMS UNDER JOKER'S SHOULDERS TO KEEP HIM UPRIGHT]

[criminaljustice]

[well.

it gets him to stop?

but he's not talking

nor is he looking at Mars because

reasons

involving no

and nope]

[foolmetwice]

. . .

[tucks his fingers under Joker's chin and lifts his head, trying to catch his gaze with his own]

I asked that question because I thought I already knew your answer.

. . . but apparently, I don't.

[criminaljustice]

[nope. closing his eyes and... clenching his fists.]

I... should know. I know I should.

[he doesn't, though.]

[foolmetwice]

[. . . .]

[letting him stay like that for now, because at least he's talking]

You don't know your answer, either.

[criminaljustice]

[this laugh is not... pleasant.]

I don't know what my reality is half the time--how could I...?

[... actually, he didn't want to say that. and kind of. curls against the wall as much as he can, breathing a little shaky.]

[foolmetwice]

[lets go of Joker's chin, but stays close, bracing himself against the wall with his hands on either side of Joker's shoulders]

You told me there were only so many options.

What do you think those options are?

[criminaljustice]

... adapt--either willingly or by force.

Or... make things make sense.

[foolmetwice]

[. . . not actually the options he thought were available, either]

Okay. Take them one at a time.

How do you make things make sense?

[criminaljustice]

[welcome to the slow dawning realization of Boy Ain't All Right.

he also seems to be Aware that he is... not giving expected answers and definitely working on hiding how lost and confused he is with this]

... see if other people see sense in it?

[foolmetwice]

[it's okay that he's not giving expected answers. Joker's answers are his own, and it helps Mars realize once again that for however similar they might be they are always different]

So. . . use other people as some kind of marker for what makes something "sensible" or not?

[FROWNS!1]

. . . the other option. Adapt, either willingly or by force. What does that mean?

[criminaljustice]

... accept things as they are? By... either just doing it or... getting worn and broken down into it.

That's what--the demon princes want. I know that's what they want.

[and he is. a little more shaky at that.]

[foolmetwice]

And you don't want to do what they want, do you?

[. . .]

But sometimes, it's tempting to give in?

[these are all statements phrased as questions, so Joker can affirm or deny them]

[criminaljustice]

[well, he doesn't trust his voice right now but he gives... a single nod, shoulder coming up afterward, defensive]

[foolmetwice]

Don't look so defensive. I'm not judging you. I'm trying to understand.

Giving in is, after all, the easier way out. And when you're tired, sometimes doing the easiest thing is awfully appealing.

[criminaljustice]

[... he's really tired, Mars 8(]

[foolmetwice]

[he can tell 8(]

[. . .]

You’re a lot tougher than you give yourself credit for.

You’re a lot tougher than hell thinks you are.

[criminaljustice]

[and here's the real reason he tried to avoid this.

doesn't saying anything.]

[foolmetwice]

You don't believe me? You should.

You're still alive, after all. You're here. You're not one of the damned, you're not some shadow of a person with no identity to call his own. You're Joker, and you're surviving, no matter how much shit is being thrown your way.

Just surviving in a place like this is a sign of strength.

[criminaljustice]

It's not just surviving.

... if I really wanted, I could... thrive in a place like this. Probably...

[and he's just... that's bad? thaaaaat's baaaaad???

anyway, back to the whole Oh Shit Demons thing.]