Who: Frisk and others When: mid-to-late March Where: based on prompts What: Encounters with a smol Warnings: Kaworu, Chara, mention of murderous plants, a whole buttload of Undertale spoilers probably
After that disastrous encounter, Frisk had stayed with Toriel for a while, let their mother dry their tears and reassure them. And it had helped, to an extent...but not entirely. There are things Frisk can't bring themself to share with the monster, things better left in the past that just don't matter anymore...or at least they shouldn't.
Several hours later, Frisk can be found in the garden sitting on one of the lower branches of the tree taken root there, leaning against the trunk and trying to not sniffle too loudly. They'd rather be left alone right now, and they know their roommates would ask what was wrong if they hid there.
You know, for a stalker Kaworu is surprisingly easy to get along with.
Frisk isn't really sure why he spends so much of his time following them around, but they don't particularly mind much. It's nice to have company, and they can chat about whatever is going on (or more accurately, Frisk can slowly teach Kaworu how to human) or whatever happens to cross either of their minds. Which, in at the moment, happens to be monster food.
"But that's why it's so cool! You just take a bite and then it goes away and you feel all better, but you still get 'ta taste it! I dunno how it works but it's really--oh!"
Frisk blinks when they see a familiar face up ahead, and grins before trotting forward at a faster pace. "Chara! Chara, hi! Are you busy?"
It's late, very late, but Frisk can't sleep. The nightmares have been getting worse ever since that strange hallucination, taunting and jeering voices from the dark void before pain and red flashes across their vision. It's nothing new, really, but so much of Frisk's confidence in their ability has been shaken. They don't like thinking about how strange Chara's memories are, or what that might mean for them once they return home...
It won't...they can stop it, can't they? They can fix things, they're sure of it, but...
"Creatures like us..."
Frisk pulls on their sweater and pants, old and familiar clothing over the thermals, and heads out wandering through the ship. They consider going to Sans or Toriel's room, but the idea doesn't appeal this time. The one they really want to talk to...they can't tell Asriel about those strange resets. They'd promised, they'd promised to Flowey they wouldn't RESET, and yet...
"Frisk? ... Sort of, I'm--" They turn enough to see Kaworu and revise their answer, smile straightening away. They've seen him on the ship, but this is the first time they've met in person. Wait--white hair and the red eyes Frisk mentioned, both similar and different to their own. It's him.
"--I'm in the middle of delivering a message for the Captains right now, but it's not very important. What are you two doing?"
Frisk only mentioned Chara by name on a few occasions, but while Kaworu is nowhere near a master of social circumstances, he is a master of inflection and tone. And Frisk... Frisk is an open book, especially when it comes to people. So he knows, in an indirect way, that Chara is very important to Frisk.
He also knows that Chara has a temper, likes chocolate, and that lately, they have been sampling floral teas.
None of which tells him how to greet them, nor whether or not he should make the first move--so instead he stands just half a step back from Frisk, smiling. He's just going to let them do the talking. At least for now.
Frisk smiles enough for the both of them, bouncing a little on their heels. "We're jus' talkin' about stuff! Pepper doesn't have anything she needs me to do right now, and Kaworu wasn't busy neither, so we're hanging out a little."
They cast Chara a meaningful glance, trying to reassure their friend. Yes, they'd been worried at first, and they are still concerned about Kaworu's ability to reset, but he's been very kind to them, if somewhat odd. They don't think he has any ill intentions.
"Hanging out?" they repeat, giving Frisk a totally-not-meaningful look right back. Are you sure about this? Of course the answer is yes. Frisk would be sure about eating icecream with the devil himself if he promised not to kill them. Are Frisk's instincts wrong this time?
Frisk's instincts tell them to love people who would just as soon put a spear through their eye. Anything they say is suspect.
Chara looks Kaworu over one last time, before smiling faintly. It doesn't reach their eyes. "That sounds like... fun. I'll join you both."
If Frisk passes through the gardens, they'll see a small figure tending to some flower sprouts. In a way, being a gardener was the best job he could've asked for - being surrounded by all these flowers and plants brought him an odd sense of comfort. Was it because of Flowey? He wasn't sure anymore.
Besides, it was still difficult to adjust to a sleeping schedule. More than often, he had trouble staying asleep and ended up here.
The sound of footsteps causes him to freeze, and he stands up ready to apologize - until his eyes land on the child standing a few feet away.
"Frisk... what are you doing up so late?"
The same question could be asked of him, but the concern in his voice is still there.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Chara-kun." Kaworu is nothing if not schooled in pleasantry; not just the words but the sounds, the ability to put warmth in his voice and show sincerity in his eyes. He had time--and reason--to learn that much.
And in fairness, it's not like he has any reason to expect Chara not to be a pleasure.
Whether Chara can hear the '-kun' at the end of their name is as much at the mercy of the translators as it is their own familiarity with Alphys' terrible particular taste in human entertainment.
Aw, come on, what's with that look! Of course I'm sure! He's nice! Frisk pouts for a minute moment before that bright smiles comes right back, and they nod eagerly.
"Yeah! --oh, right, his name is Kaworu! I told him a little about you before," Frisk adds. Nothing about your determination, is the unsaid addition there; they don't want to risk Kaworu finding out they're a pair any more than Chara wants Miles to know. At least, not until they understand him a little better.
Chara's smile stays fixed, and they shoot Frisk another brief glance. There's a silent conversation being had through looks alone, and Kaworu's excluded not just by his lack of expression-knowledge, but by the fact that he's not a small, bob-haired child of about ten years in age.
"Just Chara please." They're as pleasant as a dead-eyed doll. "I remember. You said he..." ... Crud, they only actually talked about resets.
Kaworu has actually never seen any anime at all. He's never read a comic book, either. They definitely exist--he's from Japan, after all--but where Chara got the idea he was interested in that...
"Oh, my mistake." Phew. That was close. They look back at Kaworu.
"I can see what you mean." Chara smiles. ... Wait. "I mean. You look like you should be in an anime." ... Still no!! "Like. I'm not saying that you're pretty, but that your hair, and your eyes are all..."
They trail off, embarrassed and sweating faintly. What's taking Frisk so long to interrupt and bring this crashing plane down?! They dart them a glance. Help!
For once, it's Kaworu and not Frisk who is the one to hit the MERCY button.
Except not literally.
There is no such thing as a "mercy" button.
And if there were, the last time he used it would have involved killing a kitten.
But now he just smiles at Chara in that particular way he has, where there is not only no judgement, but it is clear that whatever they may have been, all your prior sins have been forgiven.
"It's all right. I understand what you mean." It's not like red eyes and white hair are normal.
His smile leaves them feeling oddly exposed, as though each sin of theirs had been a feather and the forgiveness stripped this bird cold. No, they can't be forgiven. Whatever fleeting message their subconscious is telling them, those sins will stay with them for the rest of their life.
The moment passes, and Chara's smile is distinctly strained at its corners. "Hah... hah.. Um. That wasn't flirting." How convincing. (Shut up it's the truth.)
They hadn't realized Asriel was in the garden as well until they'd already come in, bare toes curling into the blades of grass and loose dirt, a small spot of freshness in the sterile-feeling ship. They stare similarly at Asriel, one hand curled in the fabric of their sweater over their heart, and bite their lip for a moment before they speak.
"I...I couldn't sleep. ...nightmares." Their gaze flicks to the side, full of guilt. "An' I didn't wanna wake anyone up, so..."
Ah... Asriel knows that feeling. He pats a spot next to him, before shifting himself into a cross-legged sitting position. The flowers that Asriel seems to be babysitting might look a little uncomfortably familiar right now - tiny sprouts with small golden pedals starting to stick out.
"Mm, yeah. I can understand that. Want to talk about it?"
To be fair, he has a perfectly good grasp of what that word means in a nonromantic context. But in this context...
Interesting.
Their collective confusion lasted only a few moments, but in that time, he actually learned a lot. It's already clear that Chara is very different from Frisk. They share a great deal of eye contact, though--it's obvious they know each other very well.
He wishes he understood this better, but... he's at a disadvantage here, and he knows it.
So his smile is mild.
"People don't usually flirt with people they've just met."
A mischievous glint sparks in Frisk's eye when Chara looks at them that time, but they're nice and don't tease Chara any further for now. Besides, they want Kaworu and Chara to get off on the right foot with each-other, and getting their sibling riled up isn't the best way to do that.
Frisk looks back at Kaworu when he speaks up, and crosses their arms with a frown. How dare he poo-poo the most time-honored of all MERCY tactics. Honestly. "I flirted with plenty a' people to make friends before. I did it all over the Underground!"
Frisk pads over and sits down next to Asriel, knees curled up against their chest and arms looped around those. They waffle for a few moments on whether or not to say anything, but...
"It was about...back home. When we fought."
The blanks are already filled in for both of them, in excruciating detail. And the parts that Asriel doesn't know...well. Those wounds Frisk can clean alone.
"They did," Chara confirms. They mirror Frisk's pose by crossing their own arms and wonder vaguely if they look cool this way. (Shut up, they tell themself.)
Frisk doesn't need to say anything more - they only fought twice, as Asriel wonders if Frisk means the first time they fought or the second. The first time was when Asriel used all of his power, trying to lash out in a last ditch effort to overpower Frisk, even if it meant becoming a creature more terrifying and horrible than any human or monster.
He'd lost both times, but the first fight was when he tried to drag Frisk into his own nightmare world, killing them several times just to demonstrate his power. The second time, Frisk managed to save him before he did something truly awful.
He's apologized since then. But it's not enough, it's never enough and he knows that. Frisk forgave him, but it really wasn't all that surprising it'd still be on their mind, was it?
"...Yeah. I think about that too, sometimes."
He glances at Frisk only for a moment, before glancing down at the flowers.
"Maybe it's your honesty they respond to. The expression of one's true feelings must be very refreshing for everyone."
Kaworu capitulates very easily. It's not like he knows what he's talking about, after all. He glances at Frisk first, though. To some extent he's watching their reactions--and to some extent he's watching Chara's.
The specifics don't matter to him. What he wants is to know how Chara and Frisk know each other. He wants to see them interact. He wants to learn more--more about the kinds of relationships Frisk has with others, the kinds Chara has... the kind they have with each other...
Frisk looks over at Asriel, words and feelings catching against each other and tripping over themselves in their chest. There are so many things they wish they could say, so many apologies they should make, but...
After a few long moments, Frisk reaches over and puts one of their hands over Asriel's.
Frisk's gaze flicks back again to Chara, this time with a look of happy gratitude than any sort of secret-handshake-communication. It's the little things, sometimes, that reaffirm just why you have such a close bond with some people.
Ghostly possession is important, but bonding over the use of flirting is forever.
"I'm always honest about likin' people! But I guess some people get a little funny about it." And if their attention seems to shift to Chara again when they say that, that probably wasn't intentional.
Frisk pauses then and cocks their head to the side in thought, the pose of their arms slacking off just a touch. "They always get super weird about it in the animes, though. Is ev'rybody really like that in Japan?"
It's a sight to see. Chara's eyes slide sharply towards Frisk at some cue in their words, but they both let it slide without comment. They both ease their silly pose-mirroring at around the same time. When Frisk tilts their head, Chara takes their same question in to mull over at least once.
To be fair, it's a pretty good question. Chara frowns up at Kaworu, listening for the same answer as Frisk.
"I mean when someone says somethin' the other person did is cute, an' the other one yells 'baka pervert!' an' throws a book at their face or somethin'! But then later they're lookin' at the first person an' there all the cherry blossoms in th' background while they're blushing a bunch!" The slightly rambling explanation comes with a gratuitous amount of wide and energetic gestures, mostly for the purpose of acting out the scene. (Because of course Frisk does.)
Mew Mew: Kissy Cutie. Chara understands the descriptions instantly, though they take no part in supporting Frisk's acting. (They're fine on their own.) It reminds them a little of questions they'd once had about cartoons, and whether people really talked like that, but then they'd identified the villains around them, and then they'd met heroines like Undyne...
They say nothing, looking to Kaworu for a response.
There's that word again...! The one Asuka used in the bathroom!
Chara and Frisk have no way of knowing the history of Kaworu's previous encounter this word. Which might be for the better. They might not want to know that he's the kind of person who obliviously barges into the girls' restroom. Never mind that he still doesn't understand that kind of thing is considered a problem.
Because of it, though... instead of clarifying things, Frisk's explanation results in Kaworu looking... incredibly confused.
"...maybe?" He blinks, appearing less certain of everything by the second. "What's a pervert?"
Frisk winces a little bit from Chara's accusing glance, and so when Kaworu asks again they try their best to answer.
"Um, like. Um." Oh jeez, they just know that perverts are bad, not what it is they actually do! "Like if you're being really mean an' pushy an' makin' someone uncomfortable...?"
Frisk looks to Chara for assurance--was that right?
Chara looks back at them, but the answer is still just limping along, and Chara's assurance is laced with surprise. Frisk is younger in the strangest of ways. And what's Kaworu's excuse supposed to be? He's older than both of them!
"That's true," they mumble. "It's not just that, though. 'Perverted' is kind of like twisted, or corrupted. A pervert is someone who's all of that."
They know there's other meanings of the word that lean towards Non Age Appropriate subjects, or all of this wouldn't be so awkward. Still, there's no need to jump into that when everyone might be satisfied with what's already said, right?
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thisavrou_log2016-03-30 10:06 pm
10th, closed to Chara
Several hours later, Frisk can be found in the garden sitting on one of the lower branches of the tree taken root there, leaning against the trunk and trying to not sniffle too loudly. They'd rather be left alone right now, and they know their roommates would ask what was wrong if they hid there.
16th, closed to Chara and Kaworu
Frisk isn't really sure why he spends so much of his time following them around, but they don't particularly mind much. It's nice to have company, and they can chat about whatever is going on (or more accurately, Frisk can slowly teach Kaworu how to human) or whatever happens to cross either of their minds. Which, in at the moment, happens to be monster food.
"But that's why it's so cool! You just take a bite and then it goes away and you feel all better, but you still get 'ta taste it! I dunno how it works but it's really--oh!"
Frisk blinks when they see a familiar face up ahead, and grins before trotting forward at a faster pace. "Chara! Chara, hi! Are you busy?"
25th, closed to Asriel
It won't...they can stop it, can't they? They can fix things, they're sure of it, but...
"Creatures like us..."
Frisk pulls on their sweater and pants, old and familiar clothing over the thermals, and heads out wandering through the ship. They consider going to Sans or Toriel's room, but the idea doesn't appeal this time. The one they really want to talk to...they can't tell Asriel about those strange resets. They'd promised, they'd promised to Flowey they wouldn't RESET, and yet...
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"--I'm in the middle of delivering a message for the Captains right now, but it's not very important. What are you two doing?"
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Frisk only mentioned Chara by name on a few occasions, but while Kaworu is nowhere near a master of social circumstances, he is a master of inflection and tone. And Frisk... Frisk is an open book, especially when it comes to people. So he knows, in an indirect way, that Chara is very important to Frisk.
He also knows that Chara has a temper, likes chocolate, and that lately, they have been sampling floral teas.
None of which tells him how to greet them, nor whether or not he should make the first move--so instead he stands just half a step back from Frisk, smiling. He's just going to let them do the talking. At least for now.
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They cast Chara a meaningful glance, trying to reassure their friend. Yes, they'd been worried at first, and they are still concerned about Kaworu's ability to reset, but he's been very kind to them, if somewhat odd. They don't think he has any ill intentions.
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Frisk's instincts tell them to love people who would just as soon put a spear through their eye. Anything they say is suspect.
Chara looks Kaworu over one last time, before smiling faintly. It doesn't reach their eyes. "That sounds like... fun. I'll join you both."
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Besides, it was still difficult to adjust to a sleeping schedule. More than often, he had trouble staying asleep and ended up here.
The sound of footsteps causes him to freeze, and he stands up ready to apologize - until his eyes land on the child standing a few feet away.
"Frisk... what are you doing up so late?"
The same question could be asked of him, but the concern in his voice is still there.
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And in fairness, it's not like he has any reason to expect Chara not to be a pleasure.
Whether Chara can hear the '-kun' at the end of their name is as much at the mercy of the translators as it is their own familiarity with Alphys'
terribleparticular taste in human entertainment.no subject
"Yeah! --oh, right, his name is Kaworu! I told him a little about you before," Frisk adds. Nothing about your determination, is the unsaid addition there; they don't want to risk Kaworu finding out they're a pair any more than Chara wants Miles to know. At least, not until they understand him a little better.
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"Just Chara please." They're as pleasant as a dead-eyed doll. "I remember. You said he..." ... Crud, they only actually talked about resets.
"... Liked... anime?"
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....
Kaworu has actually never seen any anime at all. He's never read a comic book, either. They definitely exist--he's from Japan, after all--but where Chara got the idea he was interested in that...
...he looks at Frisk.
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For half a moment Frisk panics slightly, eyes flicking from Kaworu to Chara nervously, before they realize the only way out of this.
* Flirt
"No, I said he looks like an anime! 'Cuz he's so pretty, remember?"
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"I can see what you mean." Chara smiles. ... Wait. "I mean. You look like you should be in an anime." ... Still no!! "Like. I'm not saying that you're pretty, but that your hair, and your eyes are all..."
They trail off, embarrassed and sweating faintly. What's taking Frisk so long to interrupt and bring this crashing plane down?! They dart them a glance. Help!
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Except not literally.
There is no such thing as a "mercy" button.
And if there were, the last time he used it would have involved killing a kitten.
But now he just smiles at Chara in that particular way he has, where there is not only no judgement, but it is clear that whatever they may have been, all your prior sins have been forgiven.
"It's all right. I understand what you mean." It's not like red eyes and white hair are normal.
No, not even where he's from.
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Frisk laughs (a little weakly), and puts a hand on Chara's shoulder. "Hehe, you're really no good at flirting, are you?"
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The moment passes, and Chara's smile is distinctly strained at its corners. "Hah... hah.. Um. That wasn't flirting." How convincing. (Shut up it's the truth.)
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"I...I couldn't sleep. ...nightmares." Their gaze flicks to the side, full of guilt. "An' I didn't wanna wake anyone up, so..."
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"Mm, yeah. I can understand that. Want to talk about it?"
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To be fair, he has a perfectly good grasp of what that word means in a nonromantic context. But in this context...
Interesting.
Their collective confusion lasted only a few moments, but in that time, he actually learned a lot. It's already clear that Chara is very different from Frisk. They share a great deal of eye contact, though--it's obvious they know each other very well.
He wishes he understood this better, but... he's at a disadvantage here, and he knows it.
So his smile is mild.
"People don't usually flirt with people they've just met."
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Frisk looks back at Kaworu when he speaks up, and crosses their arms with a frown. How dare he poo-poo the most time-honored of all MERCY tactics. Honestly. "I flirted with plenty a' people to make friends before. I did it all over the Underground!"
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"It was about...back home. When we fought."
The blanks are already filled in for both of them, in excruciating detail. And the parts that Asriel doesn't know...well. Those wounds Frisk can clean alone.
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"You can flirt with anyone."
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He'd lost both times, but the first fight was when he tried to drag Frisk into his own nightmare world, killing them several times just to demonstrate his power. The second time, Frisk managed to save him before he did something truly awful.
He's apologized since then. But it's not enough, it's never enough and he knows that. Frisk forgave him, but it really wasn't all that surprising it'd still be on their mind, was it?
"...Yeah. I think about that too, sometimes."
He glances at Frisk only for a moment, before glancing down at the flowers.
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Kaworu capitulates very easily. It's not like he knows what he's talking about, after all. He glances at Frisk first, though. To some extent he's watching their reactions--and to some extent he's watching Chara's.
The specifics don't matter to him. What he wants is to know how Chara and Frisk know each other. He wants to see them interact. He wants to learn more--more about the kinds of relationships Frisk has with others, the kinds Chara has... the kind they have with each other...
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After a few long moments, Frisk reaches over and puts one of their hands over Asriel's.
"I never blamed you."
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Ghostly possession is important, but bonding over the use of flirting is forever.
"I'm always honest about likin' people! But I guess some people get a little funny about it." And if their attention seems to shift to Chara again when they say that, that probably wasn't intentional.
Frisk pauses then and cocks their head to the side in thought, the pose of their arms slacking off just a touch. "They always get super weird about it in the animes, though. Is ev'rybody really like that in Japan?"
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To be fair, it's a pretty good question. Chara frowns up at Kaworu, listening for the same answer as Frisk.
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And he thinks about this.
He only knows himself... and Shinji's reception of him. And Rei's heart... and Shinji's feelings for Rei. Which he still didn't understand.
But that's all, really. Except for what he's heard, except for what he's read in magazines and seen on television. Which isn't... much. But.
... but.
"....weird how?" he asks, finally.
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"Like that, you know?"
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They say nothing, looking to Kaworu for a response.
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Chara and Frisk have no way of knowing the history of Kaworu's previous encounter this word. Which might be for the better. They might not want to know that he's the kind of person who obliviously barges into the girls' restroom. Never mind that he still doesn't understand that kind of thing is considered a problem.
Because of it, though... instead of clarifying things, Frisk's explanation results in Kaworu looking... incredibly confused.
"...maybe?" He blinks, appearing less certain of everything by the second. "What's a pervert?"
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Opens their mouth.
Closes it.
And then glances to Chara. Frisk doesn't pass the buck often, but...I mean, how do you even respond to that?
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"It's a, uh." The look Chara shoots Frisk is heavy with accusation. "It's a person who's done creepy things," they mumble.
Free him.
That wasn't... that wasn't very helpful. Honestly speaking.
He looks from Chara to Frisk, then back at Chara.
"Creepy?"
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"Um, like. Um." Oh jeez, they just know that perverts are bad, not what it is they actually do! "Like if you're being really mean an' pushy an' makin' someone uncomfortable...?"
Frisk looks to Chara for assurance--was that right?
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"That's true," they mumble. "It's not just that, though. 'Perverted' is kind of like twisted, or corrupted. A pervert is someone who's all of that."
They know there's other meanings of the word that lean towards Non Age Appropriate subjects, or all of this wouldn't be so awkward. Still, there's no need to jump into that when everyone might be satisfied with what's already said, right?