[It's probably better that the mood fizzled out for the both of them, honestly.]
I don't need you to comfort me!
[This is why he prefers women he doesn't know - because they don't know he's secretly a turbonerd, and because they take lines like that up for the invitations they are. It's not surprising Hakuno took it at face value, but he's really got his work cut out for him if he's going to win properly next time.]
[His deadpan delivery makes it obvious he's just being difficult for difficulty's sake. He rolls his shoulders, one after the other.]
They feel a little better. I'm starting to wonder if there's nothing you can't fix.
[They never especially bothered him in the first place, having gotten accustomed to being tense, but he can't deny that having some of that tension gone is something of a relief.]
I think that's just you. The other girls in class seem to appreciate them just fine.
[But then, they aren't accustomed to him, so of course they'd respond more in line with how he wants them to. Hakuno knows how to play Robin like a fiddle if she wants to out of sheer contrarian behavior.]
[That overconfident expression hasn't returned entirely, but it's sparkling in his eyes, at least, as he playfully nudges her shoulder.]
After all, I already know that you are worth the trouble of catching, so I'll have to give it everything I've got.
[She probably didn't mean for him to try a little harder immediately, but he wants to see that flustered expression of hers again. It's always fun to throw girls off their game, but...with Hakuno, it's especially satisfying.
He's done after this, he promises - mostly to himself, because he's starting to enjoy this a little too much for his own good.]
[She blinks by that, honestly startled, and her expression warms obviously—not just in color, though the flush is undeniable, but in a way that seems to radiate out.]
...even if that was a line, thank you. All joking aside, I'm fully confident you have it in you to make some lucky girl very happy some day.
[There's that uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach again. It's thoroughly unpleasant, so he shoves it down so deep he almost, almost can't feel it anymore.]
No, I'm not...really in that market, I think.
[He's never really entertained the possibility, even though having a normal life might eventually involve settling down with someone anyway, right? And a normal life is what he's always wanted...right?
But he's never once considered a romantic relationship - and he's never wanted one, either.
Hey, it doesn't have to be more than a day. Everybody... gets lonely.
[She rubs her cheek, her smile turning a bit rueful.]
I know that just because I'm looking for something serious with some man or woman in the long run, it doesn't mean that everybody's interested in that, don't worry. I'm not that naive.
[It would be hard to be, with Gilgamesh in her life, laughing his head off at traditional ideals of romance.]
[For once, he's completely at a loss for how to respond. This kind of topic is always uncomfortable, and while he usually tries to offer some sort of advice, even if it's under layers of sarcasm, there's not really anything he can advise her on.
Eventually, he decides he has to say something.]
...Well, I might not be able to help you get rid of it entirely, but if you're ever lonely, I'll keep you company.
[THERE. She'll just... weakly joke her way to one side of those implications, and the fact that she actually considered the 'offer' for 0.015 seconds before he clarified it.]
[Weak as it is, Robin accepts the joke for what Hakuno intends, because they've been poking fun at their...attractions to each other, he supposes, for a while now.]
I just, you know, I'll...good luck with all of that. I hope you find someone.
[He falls onto his side, lying across the bed. Being someone's motivational support is hard, even as early in the game as deciding to be in the first place.]
[After all, he's dead, and the only "future" he had before now - the possibility of being summoned in a Holy Grail War - is really no future at all. Being brought here, for all the trouble and pain and frustration it's brought, really is something of a miracle. For the both of them.
He rolls over to face her.]
...This might sound weird coming from Robin Hood of all people, but when it comes to your goals, you should be selfish. Don't settle for anything less than what you want.
[That goes for all of her goals, including romantic ones. Lord knows she deserves everything she wants and more.]
[It helps that she sees him as 'Robin' first and foremost these days.]
I'm... good at being selfish. Or at least, I used to be.
[...Hakuno you were willing to die for humanity, you dingus.]
But, this is one goal where I can't be; or at least, not wholly. It... it's embarrassing to even say it, so you can laugh if you want. But, I want to properly face, treasure, and fall for somebody. Fussing, arguing a little bit, compromising, moving forward together... a simple, unremarkable, comfortable love.
[How is he supposed to laugh at something so earnest? He can understand her desires for something unremarkable, in a general sense; it's how he wants to live himself.
Any snarky comments about how he argues with her all the time are kept firmly shut before they can happen.]
You're probably the only person in the world who thinks of arguments when she thinks of her ideal relationship.
No, no, it's always that sort of vapid "We'll always be happy no matter what" bullshit...
[Just how many of those very expectations has he left unfulfilled?]
...Well, maybe the way you're looking at it is more realistic. I'm not happy very often, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but there's no way you could be like that all the time.
[He accidentally said more than he'd wanted to there, so maybe if he says something else she won't realize he talked about himself for a hot second.]
I guess that's what they call being down-to-earth.
Nobody can always be happy. If you are, it wouldn't really count, I don't think; without the downs, you can't recognize the ups, right?
[She bounces on his mattress, for the sake of making him bounce too.]
I learned early on that not looking at less than happy occurrences doesn't really change much at all. I don't have many standards to speak of, but I'm honest, if nothing else.
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[She musters up an unconvincing smile and pats his shoulder consolingly.
He hasn't won shit, except mood-fizzling.]
Yeah, sure. Let's go with that.
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I don't need you to comfort me!
[This is why he prefers women he doesn't know - because they don't know he's secretly a turbonerd, and because they take lines like that up for the invitations they are. It's not surprising Hakuno took it at face value, but he's really got his work cut out for him if he's going to win properly next time.]
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[She lifts her hands up showily.]
Well, setting all of... that aside, how are your shoulders now?
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[His deadpan delivery makes it obvious he's just being difficult for difficulty's sake. He rolls his shoulders, one after the other.]
They feel a little better. I'm starting to wonder if there's nothing you can't fix.
[They never especially bothered him in the first place, having gotten accustomed to being tense, but he can't deny that having some of that tension gone is something of a relief.]
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[She shakes her head, grinning despite herself.]
See, that would have been a much better line. But thanks, all the same. Glad I could help.
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[She can be almost shockingly smooth when she wants to be, but he still can't take advice from the person he's trying to seduce. Metaphorically.]
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[Unlike ye olde menne.]
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[But then, they aren't accustomed to him, so of course they'd respond more in line with how he wants them to. Hakuno knows how to play Robin like a fiddle if she wants to out of sheer contrarian behavior.]
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[All's fair in... harmless fun and war, right?]
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[That overconfident expression hasn't returned entirely, but it's sparkling in his eyes, at least, as he playfully nudges her shoulder.]
After all, I already know that you are worth the trouble of catching, so I'll have to give it everything I've got.
[She probably didn't mean for him to try a little harder immediately, but he wants to see that flustered expression of hers again. It's always fun to throw girls off their game, but...with Hakuno, it's especially satisfying.
He's done after this, he promises - mostly to himself, because he's starting to enjoy this a little too much for his own good.]
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...even if that was a line, thank you. All joking aside, I'm fully confident you have it in you to make some lucky girl very happy some day.
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No, I'm not...really in that market, I think.
[He's never really entertained the possibility, even though having a normal life might eventually involve settling down with someone anyway, right? And a normal life is what he's always wanted...right?
But he's never once considered a romantic relationship - and he's never wanted one, either.
Right?]
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[She rubs her cheek, her smile turning a bit rueful.]
I know that just because I'm looking for something serious with some man or woman in the long run, it doesn't mean that everybody's interested in that, don't worry. I'm not that naive.
[It would be hard to be, with Gilgamesh in her life, laughing his head off at traditional ideals of romance.]
1/3
Eventually, he decides he has to say something.]
...Well, I might not be able to help you get rid of it entirely, but if you're ever lonely, I'll keep you company.
2/3
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[Because that's sure what it sounded like.
Why does he do this to himself.]
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[Give her a minute, she's a bit shellshocked.]
O-Oh, too bad, that one was pretty smooth.
[THERE. She'll just... weakly joke her way to one side of those implications, and the fact that she actually considered the 'offer' for 0.015 seconds before he clarified it.]
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I just, you know, I'll...good luck with all of that. I hope you find someone.
[He falls onto his side, lying across the bed. Being someone's motivational support is hard, even as early in the game as deciding to be in the first place.]
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[Why? Is she talking about this??
Robin doesn't care. He's been very emphatic about that. he's probably just being polite right now.]
It's just... overwhelming, having an actual future ahead of me. Having specific goals in nonspecific orders... helps.
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[After all, he's dead, and the only "future" he had before now - the possibility of being summoned in a Holy Grail War - is really no future at all. Being brought here, for all the trouble and pain and frustration it's brought, really is something of a miracle. For the both of them.
He rolls over to face her.]
...This might sound weird coming from Robin Hood of all people, but when it comes to your goals, you should be selfish. Don't settle for anything less than what you want.
[That goes for all of her goals, including romantic ones. Lord knows she deserves everything she wants and more.]
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[It helps that she sees him as 'Robin' first and foremost these days.]
I'm... good at being selfish. Or at least, I used to be.
[...Hakuno you were willing to die for humanity, you dingus.]
But, this is one goal where I can't be; or at least, not wholly. It... it's embarrassing to even say it, so you can laugh if you want. But, I want to properly face, treasure, and fall for somebody. Fussing, arguing a little bit, compromising, moving forward together... a simple, unremarkable, comfortable love.
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Any snarky comments about how he argues with her all the time are kept firmly shut before they can happen.]
You're probably the only person in the world who thinks of arguments when she thinks of her ideal relationship.
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[She pokes her tongue out at him.]
At least, I hope so.
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[Just how many of those very expectations has he left unfulfilled?]
...Well, maybe the way you're looking at it is more realistic. I'm not happy very often, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but there's no way you could be like that all the time.
[He accidentally said more than he'd wanted to there, so maybe if he says something else she won't realize he talked about himself for a hot second.]
I guess that's what they call being down-to-earth.
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[She bounces on his mattress, for the sake of making him bounce too.]
I learned early on that not looking at less than happy occurrences doesn't really change much at all. I don't have many standards to speak of, but I'm honest, if nothing else.
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