[ is the only agreement he offers at first, because just the word, rougher, carries weight. yeah, he'll be in good hands. yeah, he's not going to be okay. yeah, he reminds me of someone. it's all weight, in the end. weight and how you balance it, and how when you strive for a just cause, your hands have to get dirty. how you handle what it means, to be a person. what it means to have a conscience.
it's the thin difference between strohl and louis, in the end, too - a topic that's too sharp for him to shy much closer to, though it's near constantly on his mind, now with time to spare and think. maybe he needs to stop doing this - stop getting so attached so quickly - but it's hard not to, when you look at someone and think, i know what makes you tick.
he takes a deep breath, ladle still half in the pot, and then exhales it out, serving himself up a bowl, grabbing the bread, and coming to sit across from vi once he's proper composed. he can tear up the piece a little with his fingers, for the moment of something to do with his hands. ]
I'm glad we're in the same room. [ he says, after a moment - him and anders. what goes unvoiced is the easiest, that he'll be keeping an eye on him closely. ] I think it'll just get buried, in the end, but - maybe having people to bear the load'll help.
Thanks, Vi. [ as he settles in - he kicks his leg out just a little, enough to bump his foot into hers where it dangles. ]
... Did he remind you of someone from before? From home.
[ man, you and her both, strohl. scaramouche had made fun of her, the other day - too attached, too quickly. you're setting yourself up for heartbreak, that way. but she doesn't think she can survive if she doesn't get attached. she's not built to be alone. she has been, for a really long time.
strohl junior makes a little rumble noise under her hand, and she kind of just palms him like a basketball and puts him down on the floor for now so she can eat. she needs to eat. can't run on empty, and - well. strohl's food is really fucking good, so it's not like it's a struggle. she dips her own bread into the stew and eats with her fingers, sucks the liquid off like an animal. no manners whatsoever.
and then he kicks her under the table, just enough to reassure, and she kicks back, with the same intention. she doesn't need affection week for this. she likes it, though. ]
Sure.
[ a beat, as she thinks about the weekend - only for strohl to ask, and she blinks, glancing up at him. hesitates. because she'd just... be fine, if nobody ever asked her about home, but.
strohl deserves to get to know. she doesn't want to hide stuff from him, anyway. ]
Yeah. My sister, actually. Not the way he acts, but the way he does things.
[ it's soooooo good. the stew's meaty and rich and just the right kind of spicy. chunks of coney and vegetables, the kind of hearty thing to fill you up and perhaps (metaphor voice) cure status ailments for all allies.
he tears his bread off and dips it into his bowl and gives her the most judgy eyebrows in the world for slurping soup off of her fingers, kicking at her foot again. ] You eat like a toddler.
[ affectionate....teasing... and it lightens the mood a touch, too.
though, as she takes the question and answers it, he tilts his head, a little more thoughtful. vi mentioned her sister to him before in the context of her odd trip - something he knew ended poorly. ]
That right? [ mmf. ] Older or younger? Knowing that and what you said before sort of paints a picture...
[ skdfkjsdjk help is cured of anxiety and also rage
she makes a FACE at him when he teases her, but it's not serious. ]
You eat like a priss. Bet you know what fork you're supposed to use with what food.
[ teases back, half-grinning. she won't eat soup with her fingers OBVIOUSLY it is impossible so she'll be a little more polite here, using a spoon. it takes her a second to reply again because once she's started eating it's really hard to stop eating. she's starving and it tastes really good.
a beat, as she swallows, and then: ]
Younger. [ ... ] My brothers were younger too. I'm the oldest.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ is the only agreement he offers at first, because just the word, rougher, carries weight. yeah, he'll be in good hands. yeah, he's not going to be okay. yeah, he reminds me of someone. it's all weight, in the end. weight and how you balance it, and how when you strive for a just cause, your hands have to get dirty. how you handle what it means, to be a person. what it means to have a conscience.
it's the thin difference between strohl and louis, in the end, too - a topic that's too sharp for him to shy much closer to, though it's near constantly on his mind, now with time to spare and think. maybe he needs to stop doing this - stop getting so attached so quickly - but it's hard not to, when you look at someone and think, i know what makes you tick.
he takes a deep breath, ladle still half in the pot, and then exhales it out, serving himself up a bowl, grabbing the bread, and coming to sit across from vi once he's proper composed. he can tear up the piece a little with his fingers, for the moment of something to do with his hands. ]
I'm glad we're in the same room. [ he says, after a moment - him and anders. what goes unvoiced is the easiest, that he'll be keeping an eye on him closely. ] I think it'll just get buried, in the end, but - maybe having people to bear the load'll help.
Thanks, Vi. [ as he settles in - he kicks his leg out just a little, enough to bump his foot into hers where it dangles. ]
... Did he remind you of someone from before? From home.
no subject
strohl junior makes a little rumble noise under her hand, and she kind of just palms him like a basketball and puts him down on the floor for now so she can eat. she needs to eat. can't run on empty, and - well. strohl's food is really fucking good, so it's not like it's a struggle. she dips her own bread into the stew and eats with her fingers, sucks the liquid off like an animal. no manners whatsoever.
and then he kicks her under the table, just enough to reassure, and she kicks back, with the same intention. she doesn't need affection week for this. she likes it, though. ]
Sure.
[ a beat, as she thinks about the weekend - only for strohl to ask, and she blinks, glancing up at him. hesitates. because she'd just... be fine, if nobody ever asked her about home, but.
strohl deserves to get to know. she doesn't want to hide stuff from him, anyway. ]
Yeah. My sister, actually. Not the way he acts, but the way he does things.
no subject
he tears his bread off and dips it into his bowl and gives her the most judgy eyebrows in the world for slurping soup off of her fingers, kicking at her foot again. ] You eat like a toddler.
[ affectionate....teasing... and it lightens the mood a touch, too.
though, as she takes the question and answers it, he tilts his head, a little more thoughtful. vi mentioned her sister to him before in the context of her odd trip - something he knew ended poorly. ]
That right? [ mmf. ] Older or younger? Knowing that and what you said before sort of paints a picture...
no subject
she makes a FACE at him when he teases her, but it's not serious. ]
You eat like a priss. Bet you know what fork you're supposed to use with what food.
[ teases back, half-grinning. she won't eat soup with her fingers OBVIOUSLY it is impossible so she'll be a little more polite here, using a spoon. it takes her a second to reply again because once she's started eating it's really hard to stop eating. she's starving and it tastes really good.
a beat, as she swallows, and then: ]
Younger. [ ... ] My brothers were younger too. I'm the oldest.
[ IS THIS A SURPRISE IT SHOULDN'T BEEEE ]