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[Her audible sigh had him considering the matter closed. There would be no deal or truce or whatever else between himself and the boy. They'd work it out as Zaunites did, and the collateral damage would likely be worth it. After all, he technically had more to lose with this little dalliance, and he would not take losing the most important thing in his life well. It didn't matter that it likely wasn't a complete win-lose situation; it felt enough like it to provoke a response nonetheless.]

Indeed, he can't invade your mind and twist you up as the other one did. [He finally set down his pen completely on his paper and leaned his head back against his chair.] All boys are nice when they want something. Are you certain he's not playing nice to pull you away from me because I'm the big bad monster and you're the girl that needs saving?

Is that what you're afraid of?

[ most likely and definitely, in her opinion. and she is quiet for a few seconds to let his words stew before she replies, her voice gentle and smooth. ]

That won't happen, Silco. Because I love you, and I don't love him. He can say whatever he wants to me about you, but I'll always stand up for you. You raised me... not him. You took care of me... not him.

I suspect that is his intention.

[There had been very clear language from the boy that he was to blame for Jinx becoming who she was, that he had twisted and corrupted her. Never mind the fact that he had provided her a home, a family, opportunities to become strong and independent, for her tinkering to come to fruition after so many years of failure.

He didn't care if anyone thought of him as the monster that had arrived out of the depths of the undercity to plot and sweep through the Lanes with his violence and drugs. He did care if there was a threat to his relationship with his daughter. He had sacrificed much for her, and she for him. They were family; he needed his family.]

I appreciate your assurances. You are my family; I won't stand idly if someone threatens it.

Don't worry, no one from my side is threatening us. So you can tuck in that thought and put to bed. Or bury it! That's more preferable.

[ she sits up briefly to reach her cellular device that was stored away on one of the rafter boards, and begins to browse through the network super quickly for any updates before she really starts hitting the hay. ]

... I wonder what the boneheads are up to tonight on the broadcast. They're always saying something weird on this thing.

Forgive me if I don't believe the motivation of those you keep close.

[He was aware of the barb aimed at the one he personally associated with in the bedroom. He decided to ignore the comment as it would do neither of them any good to repeat the same argument again.]

Science and deduction, I expect.

Yeah, uh-huh, the feeling's mutual. — Anyway, I hope there's some science yammering tonight. Maybe I can swipe away some stupid ideas and make it better.

[ but unfortunately so far, there isn't much of anything being posted of her interest. although, jinx does use this little time to read over any public text change between any chosen. sometimes they tend to forget that anyone can read their conversations, and if it's juicy enough, they can be used as leverage. ]

Yes, yes, we're all suspicious of everyone else. Feels like home again.

[He didn't care to understand most of what was prattled on about; he was not a scientist but he was willing to fund it for his own ends. It simply required finding the right person where their goals aligned in a general forwardly direction working with one another.]

Perhaps. You'll have to listen to find out.

Yep, even down to the lying bit. It's good to be home!!

[ she hums a little ironically while she continues to thumb through her screen for anything worthwhile. ]

At least I'm feeling less dead right now. Maybe I can get some sleep without wanting to shove a bullet through my guts.

Everyone has their secrets. Now who of your associates is lying, hmm?

[He shifted forward to return to work, suspecting where this was going but not willing to stop the collision course from occurring.]

Good. You need your rest. Is there anything you need to be more comfortable?

Hmm... and secrets hold shame and causes eruptions. It's just one big ticking bomb as far as I'm concerned! [ a small pause. ] — I love watching them going off, but only when it has nothing to do with me. Those are the fun ones.

And thanks, Pops, but I think I'm pretty squared up here. ... Maybe light another sweet candle when that one goes out?

Edited 2024-09-24 19:51 (UTC)

[Her words actually struck a sore part of him, one he had not and would not openly admit. He told himself it didn't matter nor had he voiced the suspicion. It still lingered like a sliver.] Not all secrets; some require more time to come to a place of proper information before it can be divulged. I'm certain there is plenty of drama for you to watch in this place.

[He looked over at the candle, and it had a bit more time for it ran down. It was a simple matter of lighting a new one once it was spent.]

I will.

[ she frowns over his words, and she shifts in her hammock to lie on her side and into a fetal position. jinx grows silent while her eyes look onward to the wall across from her, her lips working to think of a civil response, but all she can come up with are damaging words. ]

It's stupid to wait when the other person knows you're keeping a secret. [ a pause. ] ... But if a person thinks keeping it is worth burning everything to the ground for, then I guess, do it.

[He refrained from sighing and instead focused more on the numbers and smoothing his hand over the paper. While he was aware of her movements above, he kept his eyes on his work for now.]

I have been very honest about the secrets I keep with you. Some details I hold to myself. [It made a low hum sound, loud enough for her to hear.] Is that what I am doing? Burning everything to the ground?

I don't know. [ she says simply and in a soft tone. ] — You're holding stuff to yourself when you used to not to. I felt we were on the same page until he showed up.

... But it doesn't matter. We can go on forever, and nothing will change.

As far as I'm concerned, we are on the same page.

[He sighed from his nose and continued writing. She must have not been feeling well if she wasn't going to throw her weight at him yet again.]

We could, if that would make you feel better.

I'm in no mood to keep it up.

[ she shifts around in her hammock one final time, then yawns quietly. ]

You've got yourself your own cupcake, and I know a thing or two about stubborn treats. Once they get tossed onto your plate, and you take a bite? — You'll get addicted, and you'll never stop eating or defending the crap until you die.

I don't like sugary treats and I never have.

[It seemed a moot point. He wouldn't change jinx's mind, and she was convinced to think so little of him. After all, he had defended her until he died and what did that say about him?]

Rest. I will remain here until you feel better and keep the candle lit.

Mmkay... Goodnight, love you. Don't let the writing ants bite your fingers off. They're nasty suckers.

[ except they don't at all exists, unless that's her version of carpal tunnel. ]

[The recent events sure had been something. First they had been set up against an adversary that Richard could not even pretend that he understood, then he had flown on dragon-like creature to an unknown terrain full of heat and sand which was like a living nightmare to a British knight. Richard had fallen into a pit and endured a sandstorm before reaching these 'terminals' and complete their mission to push... a button, he guesses? Well, either way, only couple hour after it he had awoken from his own bed with some company. Whitey had unsurprisingly escaped from Junpei's care and found his way back to his master's bed, resting his warm body against the exhausted Richard. But what had been surprising to him was that there was someone else in his bed. Silco.

Why was he here and not his own house? Richard did not know. But it would be a lie to say that waking up after a long rest and the first thing he sees being a face of someone who he is intimate with. It flutters a warm feeling in his chest, bringing a gentle smile to his face as he burrows further into the blankets and hugging Whitey tight.

Although.. the soft comfort is soon disturbed by Silco, who promptly kicks Richard out of the bed and ushers him to bath. Which? Fair enough. Richard sure is filthy after his adventures at the desert. So, without putting up any resistance he drags himself out of the bed and goes to wash up. After peeling off from his dirtied clothes he slips into a hot bath and just allows himself to soak there for a bit.

"Well, well. You took that better than I expected. My, Richard, could it be that you are getting comfortable here? Hmm?"

And yes. There she is. Joan of Arc after yet another period of silence popping to lean against the porcelain of the tub.

"You don't think this will be a problem later on? Settling down, getting domesticated? Is this what you exchanged your crown for? Small happiness in the mornings?"]

You are being too talkative. [Richard groans in response, shifting in the tub.

"Or rather than crown, could it be that you are trying to replace someone here?"]

You're wrong, Joan. I'm not replacing anyone. [Joan giggles in response, kicking her feet in the air and bending her back all the way until she could come eye-to-eye with Richard, looking at the duke upside down.

"Say what you want. But we both know the truth. The light escapes you, Richard. Here I thought a demon like you knew better than to build up any expectations."

The last taunt does get a reaction from him, as Richard splashes violently water at her, sending the ghost cackling away. Well, whatever. His mood certainly is soured now thanks to her tormentor's sudden appearance. With a frown on his face Richard gets up from the tub and washes himself quickly before exiting the bathroom, an oversized towel wrapped around his shoulders.]

My apologies for making you wait.

[The terminal search had been relative productive with a non-temperamental group. Of course, that had gone mildly off the rails because of the AI attempting to convince them not the reset and corrupting one of their group. A scuffle had broken out, but Silco was a man who was driven to see an end goal so he had used the chaos to set the reset and then slink away.

Hours later, he was pleasantly surprised to wake at all. A part of him had expected it to not work, so to find himself in his clothing in a familiar bed was a relief. Though, that he was in a bed was strange as he only slept in one for one person, and it seemed that Richard was here along with that white boar. The pair looked worse for wear in the hygiene department.

After assuring himself with touch that they were real, he had ushered the filthy pair out of the bed to wash and proceeded to shed his coat and change the sheets. He checked that Jinx has also made it through the reset, and he would look into his various businesses and stashes over time. He kept himself busy in the house that was not his own while Richard bathed, hearing the younger man's voice at one point. Why had he woken here and not in his house? He wasn't willing to dissect that yet. There were other surface level matters to consider.

No doubt he would hear about the adventure that left Richard with sand and filth everywhere. They had survived this change and the world did seem to have made itself right. Good.

He paused in building up a fire in the cold hearth when Richard appeared again, standing from his crouch as infant flames licked at the kindling. He reached out for the towel, using it to pull Richard closer so he could inspect the younger man for signs of new injury.]

Unwanted company in the bathroom? I hope it wasn't due to your apparently harrowing journey. You're alright?

Hm. [Richard hums approvingly and follows the tug on the towel, allowing himself to be pulled closer. Luckily, if there are any injuries they're anything but major. Few more bruises here and there along with scratches around his hands and neck. Nothing that he had paid much attention when cleaning himself just a moment ago.]

S.. She always finds a way in whenever I am tired. [Richard casts his gaze at the flames that hungrily began to consume the wood. Yes. He must just be tired from the trip, that's it. Joan was wicked and would always torment him whenever an opportunity presented itself, nothing new there. It still felt unnatural to talk openly about Joan to someone. Richard wonders if he's ever going to get used to it.]

You have gotten good at that. [He nods at the flames, a small smile sneaking to his lips. Richard then turns his eyes back to gaze at Silco's mismatched face, reaching hand to caress his damaged cheek.] What of you?

[He gave Richard a cursory look over all the same, and it seemed both of them had survived well. So far, there weren't any glitches that he had noticed since he had awakened, not that it meant anything. It had only been an hour or two since he dragged himself out of bed. He dropped hand and stroked his thumb over a bruise he noted, expecting he had a few of his own hidden under his clothing.]

Of what subject did she decide to have a go at you over this time? Hopefully not your body again. [During the glitches, he had actually seen and spoken with Joan. It had been... insightful. He was even less afraid of her than ever before, putting a physicality to a demon that tormented his lover. She was yet another part attached to Richard's life.

He turned his head to look at the fire. It was kindling nicely now.] It appears I had a good teacher. [He leaned his cheek into that hand, even if he couldn't feel every portion of Richard's skin where it rested on his damaged skin. He could feel the warmth, and there was a sense of calm knowing they were real.] We traveled the caves to find a terminal. There was nothing exciting until one of the members of the team decided to start punching. It went smoothly otherwise.

[The muscle around the bruise twitches a little underneath the touch, but Richard didn't budge, accepting the gentle prompting. He inhales deep at the question regarding Joan. There was something unsettling in the nearly daring way Silco speaks of the witch, showing no fear or respect towards her. But then again, he wasn't the one who had to live with her curse, twisting the world around him and whispering lies to his ear. All while seeing right into his own heart and contaminating it. The man might have had a brief glimpse to her but that was barely scratching the surface.

So he remains quiet on the subject. The less they spend time on thinking about her the better.]

I suppose next I shall teach you how to track the game in the forest. Or would you be more interested in learning how to make traps for prey? [Richard teases. As if he ever could get Silco to join him in during his trips to the depths of the forest to hunt with him.

But it did bring some relief to his mind to hear that Silco had gone to the caverns, knowing that the dark rocky terrain was the man's expertise. The opposite of what desert had been to him. ]

Why? Was there a disagreement within your troops?

If you avoid her, I expect you give her power over you. Do as you please in your silence of her though.

[He understood that pushing the torment from an unseen visitor was a reflection of trauma. He had spent years enduring the fits that Jinx's had caused her, and he had been forced to suffer them in his own way. Yet, he had found tactics that encouraged her to take some control, mostly pushing her to become bitter and angry as he over them. Powder was the source, so that part of her had to die so she could be free.

He hadn't quite hit that point with Richard, not yet fully understanding the traumas that may have created the witch to torment his lover so. Perhaps that's why he spoke of her, to nudge and apply pressure to see if he could discover the reason so he could encourage similar progress in Richard.

So he did allow the subject the change after a last word on the matter, unwilling to risk the good mood that he found himself in after their apparent survival. His hand rose and rub the towel over Richard's head to begin drying that dark hair. Yet, he snorted at the audacity to try to drag him out in the forest more than he already endured.]

I pay people to do those things for me. I prefer to exist in the shadows of the city, though I suppose I will drag myself out there to find you now and again. [He did venture to where Richard most frequently trained on occasion. Usually he brought a book and participated in none of the activities. Look, learning to discharge firearms better was probably as far as he was willing to go so far.]

In a sense, yes. The... AI or whatever they are calling it seemed to find one of our group foreign and created some form of corruption. It set him off to attack the rest of us. No matter, the reset went as required.

[He lifted a corner of the towel trying to fall into Richard's face.]

What of your own adventures? You seemed to have gone to a desert based on all the sand I had to shake out of the sheets.

The less we pay attention the her the better. [He says with an air of finality in his voice. Part of his fear pushed Richard away from wanting to address her presence in any manner, not wanting to encourage the witch and her minions any further. That and need to keep the fortress that he has build around his hurt up and impenetrable.

Richard drags his index finger along the scarred skin, feeling the familiarity of the cracks and crannies on the skin. He removes his hand and slightly bends his head forward when Silco reaches to dry his hair. There's a soft "mm"-sound from him as he closes his eyes, enjoying this subtle and quiet kind of affection. It was moments like this and the ones in the forest, with Silco silently there doing his own things during Richard's training, that he cherished the most. Bringing the calmness wash over his anxious soul.]

So the merchant doesn't want to see where his products come from? [He tilts his head to the right. The mismatched eyes peeking underneath the towel and shooting a cocky look up at Silco. He's joking, of course. While he doesn't mind his lover joining him to his practice, he wouldn't want to drag a novice to woods to get in his way during a hunt.

He does fall back to silent when Silco begins to describe the events that had went down at the terminal, listening thoughtfully at his words. The whole AI business goes way over his head and Richard has hard time grasping the concept of it, no matter how many times it had been explained to him. Junpei had likened it to a spirit of a child, which seemed to make most sense to him.. All but for one thing.]

Yes. I traveled to the desert with Mitsuru Kirijo, the owner of the Casino, Duke von Riegan, tall man named Vash and youth called Sawada. The only thing that provided us challenge was the terrain. [Which he was thankful for. If their team hadn't worked so well together Richard doubts that they would have made out of it alive.]

..Do you think we chose the right solution?

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action; 🎀 ?? i know you're prepping for the thing next month so i don't want to overload you )8

u know what this is. the usual cw: voices/dissociation.

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