text; un: taka

[retsuden]

[ There has been a great deal of things that Sasuke has learned about in the few weeks he's been here just from talking to new people. All of them have been extremely confusing concepts, like therapy and the idea that people take care of children when they don't have anyone else to take care of them.

Some of these conversations where he's learned things have ended in more questions than answers. He could ask for more clarification from the few he's already made contact with, but the more possible answers he can get, the better. He thinks.

He hopes.

This could be a mistake. ]

How would you suggest someone improve their communication skills?

If your go to response is "talk to people", spare me. I'm only interested in more thorough answers.

Comments

[retsuden]

Perhaps the blood powers they've given us are manifesting in a way that hinders your natural abilities. I'm told that we can learn to better control them the longer we are here.

[ Not that he really wants to find out, but. That's life. ]

Luckily, it was what I was good at.

[unphase]

...maybe? I guess that could be it. And oh, sweet Mistress, don't say longer. I was at another place for longer. After a while, I felt like I'd seen and experienced everything the other place had to offer.

[then she went home for three years and everything fell apart]

That's fortunate. Not everyone can say that their skills and their avocation match well.

[retsuden]

Other place? [ He sounds genuinely curious, and then remembers what most others have referred when they say that. ] Were you in the dream world?

(CW: Duplicity)

[unphase]

Yes. There was another place. Another world. [she takes a deep breath and lets it out in a sigh] It was awful. They...assigned me a role to be a third-class citizen in the eyes of everyone. And they'd drug us to act crazy and or sleep with whomever crossed your path. I hated it, every moment of it, and I'm so glad I'm gone. Even if this isn't home, not yet.

[retsuden]

[ At first he didn't think there was such a big deal in having to sleep next to someone, but then his brain actually connects the difference that people usually mean when they sleep with someone as opposed to just sleeping beside someone.

Excuse him while his face turns slightly pink at the thought, though he manages to keep his face mostly even. ]

I... I'm sorry. That sounds like an absolutely horrible place to be trapped. I'm glad you were able to break free of it, even if you aren't completely free.

(CW: underage)

[unphase]

[that part hadn't been the worst. she'd slept with her boyfriend back home quite a while ago. the worst part was no longer trusting her own instincts and decisions after having been drugged so many times along with having to meekly accept being treated like a lesser being. that, she only went along with because she'd been afraid that one of her other friends would be punished for her actions.

and her gaze is rather on the frank side. by now, she's a married woman with a son back home]

It was. For far too many reasons. But, I'm gone. That place has no hold over me anymore. I'm not expecting this one to be any kinder, but at least I can defend myself without being arrested here.

[retsuden]

Small blessings.

[ A part of him wants to pry more, to know how a place justified arresting people for trying to stick up for themselves, but he feels like he doesn't know her well enough for such questions yet. Not when the place was clearly troubling for her.

He's quiet for a second, before he realizes he missed an important step in all this. ]

... I'm Sasuke.

[unphase]

Yes. I'll take what I can get.

[someday, she'll wake up, look in the mirror, and not expect to see that line down her throat, marking her as lesser than. someday, she'll be able to relax her guard. but not today.

I'm Tinya. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sasuke. Really, it is.