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TL;CR
TL;CR MEME
1. Comment with your character.
2. Receive comments from others.
3. Reply to their comments with long ballads and explanations of your characters' relationship throughout the game.
4. Endure everyone else reading your comment like the vultures they are.
binnacar
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Part of it was definitely just being in the right place at the right time?! It seemed like Swift Wind was the first person to touch Cinnabar and live, but it was really Shess - he just explained it away as being part of his abilities as a sura, and so they accepted him as the exception. Even so, it put him in a special position to them: they'd never actually been able to be around anyone without constantly worrying about hurting them. He became the first person Cinnabar thought they might actually be able to be friends with, and it took a little bit of time for them to learn that everyone was immune, not just Shess; therefore, they started thinking of him separately from the rest of the game early on. They didn't know much about him, but he was kind enough, and, at least at first, he was the only option they'd ever had in their entire life: despite all their cynicism, they desperately wanted to have a friend. And so, they made a concentrated effort to be nicer to him, to try and stay in contact. It was really difficult for them, obviously, as the years of isolation gave them a lot of socialization problems and anxiety about conversation, but they weren't about to squander what they saw as their only chance at beating loneliness. Even once they learned that their poison was harmless here, he'd already been slotted in as a special person to Cinnabar.
His general acceptance of them and patience for their fumbling attempts at interaction helped cement that role further. Cinnabar learned he was very wise and gentle, and their admiration for him grew. They'd never really had anyone they could talk to, and when they finally pushed themself to try talking about their worries with him, he accepted it. That was a huge deal for them. He was never put off by their bad attitude, their awkwardness, or anything like that - he just accepted it and treated them like a person, not an oddity or someone to simply take pity on and try to help. Other than Sensei, he was the only one to ever do so - and Sensei was always much more distant and mechanical in his interactions, treating them just the way he treated every gem. Shess, who didn't know any other gems, treated Cinnabar kindly as an individual, and that touched them. THIS IS A LOT OF WORDS TO SAY THAT Shess was a friend! He acted like a friend! He treated them like a friend, too! He didn't make any weird promises or try to save them from themself, he just talked to them as an equal! That was everything to Cinnabar, and it still is. They've been an outcast their entire life, after all.
They are acutely aware that their relationship is uneven. For a long time, they were worried that Shess felt more like they were his responsibility rather than his friend, although a few conversations with others helped numb that anxiety enough for them to ignore it. Even now, though, Cinnabar still feels Shess has given them so much more than they've given him, and they're always striving to correct this, although they don't know how, with their limited (read: zero) experience. This goes back as early as them giving him (sort of) the flower crown, although it's more obvious in things like them trying to comfort him and commenting on his smile. He provides a lot of emotional support to them, and they want to be able to do that for him, too. At the moment, they feel they're failing at being a good and proper friend. Which makes them all the more grateful Shess still cares - but they're determined to fix this.
Cinnabar is friends with the other gems back home, in the sense that all the gems are comrades and allies, and Cinnabar cares for them, but Shess is really the first friend they made on their own - they met as equals with no prior conceptions of each other or roles to play in each other's lives, learned about one another, and decided to trust each other and spend time together as individuals. He's even an immortal like they are, which means they don't have to get stresso and depresso about the time limit on their friendship. He'll always be special to Cinnabar, and they'll wait for him as long as they need to back home, hoping he'll one day be safe enough to pay them a visit, and that he'll find peace and happiness like they wished for - or that they'll find the way to bring that to him, themself. They're aware there's a lot more going on beneath the surface with him, even if he won't tell them about it, and they get the sense that he's not happy with himself or his life in some way... but they won't press him to talk about it if he's not ready. They'll just keep worrying about him like they have been!
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By the time they died, they considered him the most trustworthy person in the game, next to Shess (even if they denied that to Kuri's face because they're tsun about loving Shess so much.) This was mostly because of the screaming top, but it still counted!! If they hadn't died, they would have pushed for an alliance with him and tried to help out with his plans. But they died. So.
In any case, their current opinion of him is that he's strong and respectable and maybe somewhat like themself, in that he seems to prefer solitude. His working together with Shess and helping him survive earned him 100 points!! They'll make more pumpkins for him if he wants.
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He left them alone, though, which they did appreciate, as much as they ever appreciate being alone! They're glad he didn't get killed when they did. If nothing else, they don't dislike him, and consider him reliable and trustworthy enough, especially after everything. They just aren't especially fond of him or interested in him, either.
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h.............. h ey
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