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[credere]

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[credere]

I don't know you.

And I'm tired of doing this every month.

[granularity]

Tired of doing... what, exactly?

And to be fair, nobody knows me. I only got here about a month ago.

[ And he's honestly terrible about 'getting to know' anyone. When he'd come back, gotten his body back, gone to school and college and all of it, he'd never really made any new connections, never really started a life. He'd gone through the motions but most of the people he 'knew' were from work. Or they'd known him since he was in short pants.]

[credere]

Having someone who pretends to care for a month and then never speaks to me again.

[granularity]

[ He takes a moment, winces, scrubs at his face, and considers that before nodding to himself.]

Well... [ he starts off slow ] I'll be honest. I can't care about you, specifically, yet because I don't know you either.

But I wouldn't pretend to, because then how would you know that it means something when I actually did.

[ He leans back against the couch thoughtfully. ]

That said, I'd like to get to know you. And I'm pretty bad at it, so if I do get to know you, I'm definitely going to talk to you again. It means I don't have to get to know someone else, know what I mean?

[ He rubs at his chin.]

Honestly, the only reason I can think of for why I'd never end up talking to you again is if you can't stand the smell of coffee, because-

[ He reaches over to the coffee table and pulls up a lightly steaming cup.]

I kind of live on the stuff.

[credere]

I hate coffee.

[Credence has absolutely no strong feelings about coffee.]

[granularity]

[ Yeah, that's a skeptical look. That out was a joke. The fact that he took it that quickly? ]

Well, guess I'll have to do tea while we get to know one another. Thankfully, it's not as big a deal here.

I don't dream while I'm here so I don't really need to stay up. It's just habit.

[credere]

I'm not going to get to know you. Leave me alone.

[granularity]

[ He's quiet for a moment before- ]

All right. If that's what you want.

[ He ruffles his own hair. ]

Sorry.

[ He glances over at the other man. ]

So should I just... pointedly not talk to you at meals? Make sure I don't wave or say hello if I see you around?

[ He holds up a hand.]

I'm not being a smart aleck. I'm asking.

[credere]

[Credence almost hangs up on him before he says that.]

Why would you say hello? Like you said. You don't care about me.

[granularity]

[ That brings him up a little short.]

...because you're still a person?

[ He thinks back on what he'd said, wondering if perhaps they'd gotten their wires crossed. So, trying not to be intrusive- ]

I said I couldn't care about you as an individual because I don't know you as an individual. You're not my best friend, we don't have ties yet... but you're still a person. Still someone else on the boat with me. Someone worthy of respect and care and politeness.

If I saw you in trouble, I'd try and help you. If you asked me for something, I'd see if I could get it. If you needed protecting, I'd protect you.

That's just... standard.

[credere]

...No. It isn't.

[granularity]

It is for me.

[ Which isn't meant to be some sort of smarmy correction. On the contrary, he adds a moment later. ]

Sorry. One of those things. Like I said, I'm not used to people who don't already know me. I should have been clearer.

[credere]

It doesn't matter, anyway. I don't need protecting.

[granularity]

It sounds like you do, if you think you aren't going to get common decency. And you think people don't care enough about you to do any of the stuff you said.

Protecting isn't just about physical protection. Sometimes, it's about making sure people don't get beat up metaphorically too. Sometimes, it just helps to know someone wants to, even if you don't need it.

Everyone deserves to know someone's looking out for them, I think.

[credere]

No.

Not everyone.

[granularity]

[ He very clearly considers that, because there are people he knows who'd say the same. But he shakes his head.]

In my experience, those people are like that because they've never had someone really looking out for them.

[ He does feel the need to be truly honest, though.]

Which doesn't mean I like them or agree with them or excuse them for what they've done. Doesn't even mean I won't punch them out myself.

But I try to keep it in mind.

[credere]

I have people who'll...look out for me.

If anybody makes me angry I usually just kill them.

[granularity]

Which is good. I'm glad to hear it.

And I guess that's a thing to do? Kinda limited, though. [ he scratches an ear ] And it seems like it wouldn't really solve much around here.

[credere]

They stop bothering me. So it's fine.

[granularity]

So you kill them for... bothering you?

What's 'bothering you' look like, if you don't mind me asking?

[credere]

I don't know. People - make me angry for different reasons.

[granularity]

So if someone made you angry... does it matter if they were trying to make you angry or is it just something you'd do at anyone or anything making you angry?

[credere]

Why do you care?

[granularity]

Why wouldn't I care?

[ And the question isn't a flippant reversal. He can't understand the idea of not trying to understand.]

[credere]

Because you don't care. You said.