Not at all! Everything I do is Escardos certified— or well, no, that’s a lie. There’s a lot of stuff that I do that you shouldn’t try at home. So don’t feel bad!

[ flat smiles awkwardly, clearly a little embarrassed by being praised so highly by matt. it’s not a common thing for the young man, so he’s unused to it.

even so, he continues in his usual tone. ]

Mm, it’s not that I don’t get stressed. But it’s not an efficient way to be, you know? So I’ve figured out ways to deal with it, just like you have. Maybe I’m just more self-aware than you?

[ he hums, eyeing matt from his head to his toes. ]

And, if something stresses me out too much, then I let it go. It’s not worth it— I’ll only do things that I want to do. So stuff doesn’t feel stressful that much, because it’s more like an adventure!

[ it’s a selfish lifestyle, marching to the beat of his own drum. as a lifestyle born out of the inability to synchronize with others, it would be more apt to call flat not a single drummer, but a one-man orchestra.

by this point in his life, flat understands that there are things that he and the rest of humanity will never agree with— so all he can do is play the same sheets as others with his own, characteristic flair. ]