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[pancakeboy]

[Text him! Or do whatever, I'm not the police, and neither is he, thank God. Just specify if you want the more-fun-but-less-stable pre-11/20 guy or the grumpy third semester/postcanon guy. Pancake only for VRDR guys please, he's not third semester yet]

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[fogbornphantom]

"What don't you want? Needs, or depriving them?" Either way, he offers a reaffirming shoulder squeeze. "It's okay. Just breathe."

[pancakeboy]

Let go, he almost says. He makes an embarrassing, barely-there show of trying to pull away. Instead, he asks something out of left field.

"Are you Robin Hood? Or not?"

[fogbornphantom]

"I'm..." Hm. His hand remains in place, but he averts his eyes. "Robin Hood was the form I gained after Crow accepted me. It was a form I gladly accepted in battle, yet as time went on and he kept reaffirming my identity, it became more of an alter ego, I suppose. Or a mask."

[pancakeboy]

"But you are him?" Magpie examines the Shadow's face, in the light of its eyes.

[fogbornphantom]

"Well..." He reluctantly steps back, but just to make a point. A brief flash follows, and in his place, Robin Hood hovers for a few moments...

Then, just as swiftly, he reverts in another flash, returns to the bed, and grasps Magpie's shoulder again.

"As I said, it's a form that I liken more to a superhero identity than my 'true' self at this point. I'm a Persona, but most Personas don't have such a complicated relationship with their own existence."

[pancakeboy]

As the Shadow shimmers into Robin Hood, cramped in the small bedroom with his bow almost brushing the far wall, Magpie stares wide-eyed. He barely reacts when the Shadow sits back down and replaces his hand on Magpie's shoulder.

He lowers his head. Eventually, barely audible, he mutters, "I miss you."

[fogbornphantom]

Oh.

Fuck it. Crow's Shadow pulls Magpie into a hug. "It's okay. I'm sure he's still with you..."

[pancakeboy]

He goes without a fight, almost limp, shaking his head no. "He's just a puppet. I used to hear him, but he got... quiet."

[fogbornphantom]

"Perhaps you simply need to reconnect." There, there. He gently strokes Magpie's hair, just as Crow did a few hours ago. "Even if he's quiet, he's still a part of you, born from your soul."

[pancakeboy]

"Maybe that's where he went." The Shadow is warm against him; his hand is firm on Magpie's head. "All my feelings left with my soul."

[fogbornphantom]

"You still have a soul, and you still have feelings." Shh. It's okay. Just let the warmth provide comfort. "You've had to steel yourself through many difficult trials, but that doesn't mean that spark of justice is gone. You've done so much for everyone in this house, and especially Raven. Please don't lose sight of that."

[pancakeboy]

"You talk so much crap." He doesn't pull away, though; in fact, he presses closer.

[fogbornphantom]

"But it's all sincere." That's okay. He tightens his hold when Magpie moves closer. "Call it schmaltzy if you wish, but it's just who I am."

[pancakeboy]

He leans his head on the Shadow's shoulder, disgusted with himself, despairing and reassured all at once. "I definitely see where you went."

Because none of that is left in him. Not even a trace.

[fogbornphantom]

"I wish you wouldn't sell yourself short, but I suppose it's only natural to struggle to see the best in ourselves." Even he struggles with it, really. His own agency, his own independence, the validity of his being.

"...If you need it, I don't mind staying here tonight." He seems comfortable, which is a blessing, all things considered.

[pancakeboy]

His head jerks back up, pushed backwards in the conversation. "Really? You're sure you don't need Ren's permission?"

He's kidding, but.

[fogbornphantom]

"You saw how eagerly Ren embraced you earlier. I'm sure he'd be happy to know you have someone to comfort you after such an arduous day."

He's not moving, either, though there's a warmth to his words. It's okay.

[pancakeboy]

With a bit of a sigh, he settles back down. "Tomorrow is going to be the arduous day. Ordinarily I wouldn't be in the same room as Glitch, much less endorse Crow being there."

[fogbornphantom]

"But you won't be alone. Crow and Ren will be there and, if all goes well, I can stay by your side as well, if or until Crow needs to utilize a different Persona." But that's if, and not an issue until tomorrow.

[pancakeboy]

"I don't need my hand held. I can take her, if she forces the issue. More than likely she'll just pout." Which is exactly the sort of thing he was preparing for, before he was interrupted.

[fogbornphantom]

"It's not about holding your hand. It's about being there to catch you if you fall and to stand by your side as allies." La de da... More gentle strokes to his hair. "If Glitch makes herself a problem, I'm sure the others will see it for the hostility that it is. Frog also said that he would keep her under control."

[pancakeboy]

With difficulty, he reminds himself that the whole mess earlier is supposed to have started with Crow standing up for him. Not having been there, he views the image with mistrust. "Frog says a lot of things."

[fogbornphantom]

"Frog is generally fairly sincere. Despise everything, he does understand the complexity of the situation, just as he understood Crow's desire to stand up for you." He makes a sound like a sigh crossed with a laugh. "Frog referred to the friction between Crow and Glitch as a 'blood feud.'"

[pancakeboy]

Startled, he tries to lift his head, but doesn't get far since the Shadow's hand is on it; he quiets back down. "That does about sum it up. The nature of hate."

It describes him and Shido, certainly. And it strikes him, too, how little he knows about Frog.

[fogbornphantom]

"It's just so... exhausting." Out comes another sigh. "Perhaps it's the nature of my being that makes it difficult to comprehend. All the visceral anger at the world resides within Loki."