da realest roomies

[ Noctis not coming back to their room immediately is rather surprising. After how angry and frustrated he'd seemed, Ash was certain he'd return to someplace more private to vent or cool his head... but it seemed he was wrong. All the research in the world didn't stop humans from being unpredictable. And after having several other people thank him during today's trial, he's more sure of that than ever.

When he comes back, he'll find Ash sitting on his bed, rather unnervingly motionless - though, of course, he turns his head when Noctis arrives. He was thinking. ]

... What happened to your hand?

[ is he going to have to throw you under the bus for a murder tomorrow ]

ash has more fiber than a normal human don't eat him

[ Most people are rattled by the trial. Ash? Not so much. There are things that shook him a little bit, but not the same things that are shaking everyone else. Killing and the death of innocents are nothing new to him. Being shown gratitude and having his voice heard certainly are.

It's for that reason that he actually does wait for Hannibal after the trial. He hadn't paid any special attention to their town's apparent doctor, aside from the huge piano that he brought with him. Maybe he should have. ]

You wanted to speak to me.

expanded nonhumansquad universe, volume 1

[ he doesn't miss her having a bad reaction to the end of the trial. She really does care about protecting the humans, it seems. Very much not like himself. For a moment, he wonders if he should reconsider. It's almost certain that she would view him like the humans do, hate him just the same. It always is.

But he doesn't. ]

You. I'm not done speaking to you.

[ he catches her at some point afterwards, with all the politness one would expect from him... aka none. ]

did you toast my friendcrush? and other stories from ash

[ he's sure Barnham is beating himself up over these results. How unjust! How wrong! How absolutely boring - and predictable, frankly, seeing how the trial was going. As usual, Ash is unaffected. And he's halfway hoping that he's wrong, and that Barnham is happy inside for avoiding being found out.

Maybe. If he really was a culprit, they'd probably be happy he killed Nui. ]

We're going to talk.

[ he pulls Barnham aside not long after everyone's dissipated from the courtroom, golden eyes a bit fiery. ]