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Rodion, unlike her usually chippy and chill self, was awkwardly shifting in the chair opposite to Dante. Staring down at her twiddling thumbs. <Right....> Dante ticked calmly. <So can you explain this entire fiasco, from the beginning?> Rodion sighed. Her shoulders slumping. “It was when he had watch duty.” Her voice was soft. Too soft.
It was during watch duty. The night was at least a teenager by now. The cicadas were chirping, the street lights began to flicker, and it was quiet. Too quiet for Rodion's liking. The kind of quiet that brought her back to the days when she was no more than a Backstreets mutt. The days when the only food was expired and tasted no better than the bugs she had to.. “You're spacing out, straighten your back!” Outis' voice quickly slapped Rodion from her flashback.
Rodion awkwardly chuckled; quickly regaining her usual comedic smile. “Chillax babushka-de-camp~ Can't a girl relax on such a boring night?” She leaned back on the bus seat, putting her hands behind her head and crossing her legs at the knees. That got Outis to scrunch up her nose at her. As if the mere action was gasoline to a flame.
“You must be well aware of the importance of night duty,” Outis crossed her arms. Sounding much more firm than she usually did (not that she didn't sound so, but Rodion would describe it as sounding 'colder' than she usually did). “A slight misstep could give the enemy a chance to enter Mephistopheles and do god knows what here.” Rodion chuckled at those words.
“Babushka-de-camp it's highly unlikely, y'know? We're in the Nest for cryin' out loud. Rich people don't kill or steal so upfront~” Outis pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing deeply like a scolding mother would do to her disobedient child. Rodion laughed at her expressions. Outis was the most fun person to tease (outside of Gregor), her buttons were so easily pushed it was beyond adorable and comedic.
Outis then began muttering things about “respect” and “common sense” whilst looking outside to see if any 'enemies' were approaching the bus; which gave Rodion aplently time to cock her feet up and think of a new and improved way to tease Outis. An idea came to mind quickly. An ingenious one Rodion'd describe at the time. Now? A stupid, stupid pun she made on a whim just for the silence not to stretch on like it previously did.
“Hey Outie,” she begun, causing Outis to look at her (with eyes, she was still a little to frustrated to give her full attention). “I wonder what high-ranking person you got assigned to. Must've been a richy rich one seeing how alert you are.” Outis tensed up at that, side-glaring at Rodion. She didn't seem too angry at her words which gave Rodion the incentive to continue. “Gosh, must've sucked right~? Havin' to do all his bidding and kill so many innocents.”
At this point, Rodion now wouldn't know if she herself was projecting her own struggles or had an extremely biased view of how military hierarchies worked for the rich. But now, she'd know she had an accurate view of those hierarchies. Too good, sharp enough to hit a bullseye and sting the board for weeks to come. “You think you understand it all?” “Huh..?” That wasn't a response she predicted at the moment. She thought she'd just get a scolding or glared at, not.. whatever this was.
“C-Come on Outie! It's all in good fun~” She really needed to smooth this over. As much joy teasing Outis got her, she didn't genuinely want Outis to get in her feelings. Outis uncrossed her arms and stomped towards Rodion with the angriest look she'd ever given her (or anyone on the bus matter of fact). That already gave Rodion the assumption she'd get a serious, accusatory and angry earful. One that'd stick in her brain when she'd lie in bed and stare at the ceiling fan.
“What I did.. Who I killed in the War had nothing to do with simple obedience.” Outis' voice wasn't shouting but obviously bubbling over with anger that was one more unthought response away from exploding into something drastic. “I may be a murderer, but I am no sadist. I'm no a puppet bound by strings like any other veteran you come across!” Rodion flinched at the harshness in her tone, her smile completely wiped from her face.
“I had a family to die for, and I'll return to them. No matter who or what stands in my way.” Outis turned away sharply, returning to watching the windows in search for any odd businesses that may be occurring too close to Mephistopheles for her liking. Rodion just sat with her feet on the ground and her hands in her lap; staring down at them. She saw blood of the people she let die in her hometown. Now on her hands she saw glass. One piece broken and shattered.
She probably put a ugly, purple bruise on her and Outis' relationship. Staining it for months to arrive. No-one else had gotten Outis even half that mad, and the first to do it had to be her. Did she truly think that her relationship with Outis was special enough to allow her to mock Outis' past? Enough for her to be more important than her family? She wanted to apologize profusely, think of a gift to give Outis as a "sorry" but the words died in her throat.
“Which led me here, I don't know how to apologize. Please you have to help me Dante.”