snyaiper | Balance: Inbox

[That's a terribly cynical thing to say, but she's not really in a place to dispute it. She is a liar. Hell, her entire existence is practically one big lie. But she doesn't need to lie about this.

She makes a soft thoughtful noise. If this is how it's always been for him, he clearly came from a very messed up situation back home. Maybe a whole messed up world. She can relate to that, at least.

Suddenly, a question occurs to her.] If that's how it is for you, what's my use? I'm not very useful.

[It's not an attempt to trap him in his own logic. It's genuine curiosity—appropriately subdued for the conversation, but straightforward in its intent nonetheless.]

[It's a good thing this is over the bracer because Ogata absolutely has a deer in headlights sort of moment when faced with that question.

Sure, he could just say he doesn't have a use for Sayori and why should he anyway?? What stops him is what she said earlier. That she likes him, for some inexplicable arcane reason he can't hope to understand. It's not like he's been nice. Or well, maybe for him, he has been.

It addresses some sort of need Ogata can't really articulate because it's not one he ever really interfaces with. The need to be cared about. So neglected is it that he's generally most comfortable when people clearly don't want him around, or at least don't care one way or another, purely out of familiarity. Being faced with the opposite is alien and the uncertainty makes him want to avoid it. He doesn't want to be tricked and used again.

Sayori smiled at him. She taught him about poetry. More than anything, she refuses to hate him even now that she knows what he's really like. The irrational, scared animal part of his brain wants to kill her for that. To remove the inconsistency from the way he sees the world. But there have been too many challenges to that world lately. Besides, he's positive he wouldn't survive the aftermath. It's not like he could run away the way he normally does. The bracers have trackers on them.]

You're absolutely terrifying.
[Ogata what the FUCK does that mean.]

[And then, right after, as if it's intentionally done as a distraction;]

I almost forgot
I did write... something. I'm still not sure if it counts as a poem
[And attached is an image of the poem Ogata wrote.]

[????????????]

[hey quick question: what the fuck]

[okay well that's an alarming statement that he has absolutely not given her the opportunity to react to on purpose! Great! And she's torn between responding to that and commenting on the poem.

Unfortunately, it's almost like being drawn to poetry is in her programming or something. And maybe it will give her some answers for that completely baffling sentence he just said.

So she reads it. And it's...well, again, she didn't really know what she expected. But as before, she has no reason to lie about this.]

it looks like a poem to me
its really good! id never know you hadnt written like that before!

did it help?

[Ogata was fairly certain she'd say it counted as a poem. But... to actually be told it was good? Entirely unexpected. It gives him that soft, thrilling feeling he gets whenever someone compliments his marksmanship. Praise for a skill. He can understand that. He likes that.]

I'm not sure yet.
Maybe I need to write more.
As far as hobbies go, I suppose I don't mind this one.

i think you should! writing is good for u and youll get even better at it if you do it more!

[Though she'd encourage any non-violent hobby at this point given what she now knows about Ogata. But she does sincerely believe that writing might help him work his way through...

...well, the strange loss and emptiness present in the poem he just shared. And whatever else has caused him to decide that she's something to be scared of.]

[There's a long pause as Ogata ruminates over things, over his own feelings.

He think he will write more. That's not the problem. The problem is part of him feels the need to say something else. He has been jerking her around a bit this conversation. Trying to get her to lose her patience with him. Decide he's not worth the trouble. Take back the nice things she said. She hasn't, though. At a certain point, there can't be a reason to maintain a pretense. At a certain point, the only explaination left is that it's all genuine.

Yeah, that's what's so terrifying about her. But, still. She said she liked him. That's going to stick with him for a while.]

Thank you
[For what? For a lot of things. It was a monumental effort just to send even that. Case in point;]

If you tell anyone about this I won't forgive you

[She can be patient while he figures out what to say. She's got some thinking of her own to do. Lucretia rescues people with the potential to do something amazing; really, everyone is capable of doing something amazing, so she knows that's inside of Ogata too. But he is pretty different from most of the other Reclaimers she's met... It's like no one's ever been nice to him or something.

If he often shoots people he disagrees with, Sayori can't really blame people for giving him a wide berth, but. If nobody's ever nice to him that's all the more reason to try.]

(＾◡＾)

[There, that one is simple, surely he will be able to see that his gratitude has made her smile.]

dont worry im great at keeping secrets!
but you already told a bunch of people u wrote a poem so theyre probably gonna figure out were friends at least

[Now she has also said they are friends. Perish, Ogata.]

[Now hold on HOLD ON. Liking is one thing. People like lots of things. Or so he's led to believe, he mostly only likes a select few things. In any case. That's one thing.

This is a whole new tier of confusion. No one has ever sincerely called him their friend. He's been associates, co-conspirators, comrades in arms. Those all come with some level of professionalism. Some level of necessity. Not this.]

What are you talking about
[SURELY THERE MUST BE SOME MISTAKE]

[There are a few things that could be in reference to here, and call her crazy for not immediately assuming it's because the concept of friendship is foreign to Ogata.]

???

are u surprised im good at keeping secrets? i know i dont seem all that smart but i can be super sneaky i promise! (･ω<)☆

[Sayori wasn’t programmed to know how to deal with borderline sociopathic sniper cats, shockingly.]

No
You said we’re friends
?
[He would have just thought he’d misheard except this is text and he can see the previous message clear as day]

[Yeah that was a little outside the scope of her canon, go figure.]

oh
yeah!

[...after a moment, she realizes that this may not be a sufficient explanation.]

friends help each other even when they dont have to you know? theyre people you like! so it seems like were friends to me

[Ogata is torn because on the one hand there’s something vaguely insulting about the assumption that he doesn’t know what the word friend means but on the other hand the truth really isn’t that much more charitable.]

I know what the word means.

It’s just that no one has ever called me their friend before.
[So like... are you sure.]

[..............

She types thats really sad and then deletes it before sending it because she figures he would not appreciate that.

But wow, that is really sad. No wonder he's so...like this.]

well now i have!!! (=^`ω´^=)

(thats another cat)

[He really wouldn’t have. He’s well aware it’s an abnormal situation. But it’s fine. He’s not upset about it. He doesn’t need friends!! He will accept this one, though. Just this once.]

That’s better than the last one, I think. It looks very satisfied

You know, back in the army, the men in my regiment called me wildcat.
[Yamaneko, wildcat. That’s where his username must’ve come from. He’s leaving out that it was actually a fairly disparaging nickname referring to his mother’s line of work. No need to continue being a downer.]

yeah its kinda sassy huh? i saw u used one on ur post so i thought u might like another one!!! (ฅ^･ω･^ ฅ)

thats such a cool nickname (°ロ°) !

[She is, of course, completely unaware of its context. Probably for the best.]

ive never had a nickname like that lol ppl just call me sayori!

[...and "princess" if you're Mista, but considering what she's been feeling through the Oath, she doesn't really want to bring him into this conversation...]

It is. Most cats are, I think. Does that one have paws on it?
[Ogata, Internally: Oh my god that one has paws on it.]

Do you want one? A nickname, I mean.

yeah theyre lil paws!!! ฅ(^ⓛ ω ⓛ^)ฅ this one has them too hehe

i think id still want people to call me sayori sometimes (´ ∀ `)ヾ but a nickname would be rly fun and cute!!! (＾◡＾∞)

[That one has her hair bow.

Boy it's nice to pretend this is a normal conversation!]

[Yes lets all just pretend Ogata didn’t just call her terrifying because repressing feelings is fun and healthy!!! There’s a long pause as Ogata thinks.]

You remind me of daifuku but I don’t suppose that’s a particularly fun or cute thing to call someone.

[She only has so much room for feelings right now. There are already so many.

And this is...genuinely endearing, somehow. It does vindicate her decision to be nice to him in some ways.]

omg (*♡∀♡)!!! no thats super cute i love it!!! ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ ☆ i could eat daifuku all the time hehehe

whyd u think of that? is it bc theyre so soft??? ( ˙▿˙ )

[That kaomoji has hearts for eyes... He’s almost becoming suspicious of how happy these faces are!!!!]

Yes. You’ve got a soft round face like it’s made of mochi. And I think if I tore you open maybe just red bean paste would fall out.
[Ogata?????????? Tone down the serial killer vibes.]

[While he is probably right to be suspicious, this is just the consequence of talking to Sayori about food.

This explanation is harmless in sentiment but super creepy in execution. But it doesn't really bother her. Sometimes Yuri says stuff that comes off kinda wrong too.]

well i eat a LOT of wagashi so u might be right lol!!! (o´∀`o) i dont wanna find out tho bc itd be a pretty big mess!

[And, you know, it would also be painful and horrific, but we are once again proceeding in the least concerning way possible.]

[Well, that was better received than he expected? He really doesn't know what to think of this. This is all too positive. He has to ruin it.]

Sayori
Alex is your friend too, isn't he?

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