Right before we ended up at the resort, yeah. Day of.
[ lol. the idea makes him mad again, just thinking about louis' stupid smug face, and he scowls a little, nodding with emphasis to vi's idea. yeah. you don't sacrifice people for any form of good, indeed. it was a part of why he'd been so furious with nathalie, too. ]
He knew. I told him. Didn't matter - he doesn't care. He's shown us his cards since day one. Since before all of this even started. [ the scowl darkens a little, over the survival of the fittest. ] Equality by destruction.
[ though there's a little voice somewhere in the back of his head, little traitorous thing, that often wonders. couldn't you have felt that way, too? ]
...You asked about the tournament, before - it's basically done, now. There're two left. Louis, and His Highness. Not that the tournament itself really matters, with the way things've gone. Louis already thinks he's lain claim to the title, and the world aside.
[ she still has so many feelings about nathalie and she will swallow all of them and die. ]
Asshole. [ it's not a strong enough word for what louis is, but. it's what she's got. she stays where she is, shoulder to shoulder. fumes, on his behalf. what she wouldn't do to crawl into strohl's world just to give this guy a punch to the jaw. ]
Well, he hasn't. You're still there, and so's your captain -- wait, hold on. His Highness? Since when?
[ he feels, for a moment, just so relieved again - relieved, affectionate, to know that vi's here. it's bolstering, and for a second, he looses some of that tension, closes his eyes.
and. ]
... Ah. [ a
right ] Erm. You know, I did say it'd been a few months, things've been - happening. Turns out Will... was the prince all along. Sort of? It's a bit - complicated.
Augh-- [ RATTLED ] -- tell me about it, how do you think that I felt?! I've been all up close and personal with the bloody prince this entire time!
[ not that that really bothers him because its ✨💖 will 💖✨ but also, his noble propriety!! ]
You get somewhere, you think all hope's lost because the bloody sycophant that was supposed to be dead shows up and decides to murder the prince when you've finally gotten him awake, and no, it turns out the prince's soul was split in two, and he's right there next to you, new colored hair and all!
okay, look, there was some tension in the air, but now she's laughing because jesus, that really is just a bomb to drop on someone. she stops rattling him, but keeps holding. ]
Up close and personal, huh. [ leers. stop. but also: ] I don't even know where to start with any of that? Congratulations I think?
Stop. [ STOP!!! ] ...Not sure if I understand it all still entirely, myself, but - it put things back on track, though it's far too early for congratulations.
[ a pause... ]
...Assuaged a lot of worries about what kind of ruler the prince'd be, that's for sure, though.
[ she will NEVER stop, because he gets so flustered about it and she thrives on this. regardless. ]
No kidding. I think that's the first time I've heard any sort of royalty be actually fair about anything. [ ... ] You put your faith in the right person. That's gotta feel good.
there's a beat, and then, finally, a smile starts to tug at the corner of his mouth. ]
... I told you before, yeah? I've a good sense for that sort of thing. [ just slightly, he shifts, knocking the toe of his shoe into hers. ] Right person, right time.
[ a huff of a laugh, and she resettles, silent for a minute.
then: ]
Seven years back, my dad got killed trying to protect me, too. So... I get it. [ she says, glancing at strohl. ] Nobody ever said it was for the greater good, but the guy who did it - I know that's what he thought.
... The hole never empties. But you can put a pretty solid bridge over the top of it with good company.
[ shock ripples across his face, briefly - vulnerable, visible, and then it crumples, and he shakes his head with a messy exhale. ]
...Bloody hell. Hate to have that in common, of all the things. [ for a lot of reasons, the weight of it all fizzling out like sparks. noble sacrifices, good parents, and what it means to protect those who come after -- and what it means to be the one left behind.
there's a beat, and - he leans a little further into her, solid, too. ] You've got that right. [ quieter. ] Bit by bit.
she wishes they didn't have it in common if only because she wishes they didn't have to have experienced it at all, but. solidarity, she supposes. ]
I thought he was an idiot when I was fifteen. I couldn't see why he wouldn't fight back. [ she rests her head on strohl's shoulder briefly, staring at the ground. ]
He was, though. A good man. He was what was keeping us all together.
...yeah. I get that, trust me. We think we're so wise, when we're that young.
[ cringeworthy tbh!!! as vi sets her head on his shoulder, though, it's his turn to be steady - still and easy, something worth mooring upon. stroh's quiet, thoughtful, considering the weight of what she's sharing. ]
[ she really did think she knew everything at fifteen, but. that much has definitely changed. it's sooo cringeworthy, looking back at it now. huff.
she stays where she is for now. ]
Yep. He was - not in charge, nobody was in charge. But unofficially. The lanes respected him and he took care of us, made sure we took care of each other, since topside never was going to.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ lol. the idea makes him mad again, just thinking about louis' stupid smug face, and he scowls a little, nodding with emphasis to vi's idea. yeah. you don't sacrifice people for any form of good, indeed. it was a part of why he'd been so furious with nathalie, too. ]
He knew. I told him. Didn't matter - he doesn't care. He's shown us his cards since day one. Since before all of this even started. [ the scowl darkens a little, over the survival of the fittest. ] Equality by destruction.
[ though there's a little voice somewhere in the back of his head, little traitorous thing, that often wonders. couldn't you have felt that way, too? ]
...You asked about the tournament, before - it's basically done, now. There're two left. Louis, and His Highness. Not that the tournament itself really matters, with the way things've gone. Louis already thinks he's lain claim to the title, and the world aside.
no subject
Asshole. [ it's not a strong enough word for what louis is, but. it's what she's got. she stays where she is, shoulder to shoulder. fumes, on his behalf. what she wouldn't do to crawl into strohl's world just to give this guy a punch to the jaw. ]
Well, he hasn't. You're still there, and so's your captain -- wait, hold on. His Highness? Since when?
[ DID SHE MISS SOMETHING ]
no subject
and. ]
... Ah. [ a
right ] Erm. You know, I did say it'd been a few months, things've been - happening. Turns out Will... was the prince all along. Sort of? It's a bit - complicated.
no subject
RATTLES HIM ]
That's a hell of a reveal!
no subject
[ not that that really bothers him because its ✨💖 will 💖✨ but also, his noble propriety!! ]
You get somewhere, you think all hope's lost because the bloody sycophant that was supposed to be dead shows up and decides to murder the prince when you've finally gotten him awake, and no, it turns out the prince's soul was split in two, and he's right there next to you, new colored hair and all!
no subject
okay, look, there was some tension in the air, but now she's laughing because jesus, that really is just a bomb to drop on someone. she stops rattling him, but keeps holding. ]
Up close and personal, huh. [ leers. stop. but also: ] I don't even know where to start with any of that? Congratulations I think?
no subject
Stop. [ STOP!!! ] ...Not sure if I understand it all still entirely, myself, but - it put things back on track, though it's far too early for congratulations.
[ a pause... ]
...Assuaged a lot of worries about what kind of ruler the prince'd be, that's for sure, though.
no subject
No kidding. I think that's the first time I've heard any sort of royalty be actually fair about anything. [ ... ] You put your faith in the right person. That's gotta feel good.
no subject
there's a beat, and then, finally, a smile starts to tug at the corner of his mouth. ]
... I told you before, yeah? I've a good sense for that sort of thing. [ just slightly, he shifts, knocking the toe of his shoe into hers. ] Right person, right time.
no subject
she reaches and shoves his head to the side, but gently, with zero force. the sincerity is sweet, and she likes it, but she's feeling tsun. ]
Quit it. [ she says, hiding a smile. ] Bragger.
no subject
Hardly. [ it's - it's really nice. you've got me, vi had said saturday. things barely changed. ]
no subject
then: ]
Seven years back, my dad got killed trying to protect me, too. So... I get it. [ she says, glancing at strohl. ] Nobody ever said it was for the greater good, but the guy who did it - I know that's what he thought.
... The hole never empties. But you can put a pretty solid bridge over the top of it with good company.
[ meaningfully. ]
no subject
...Bloody hell. Hate to have that in common, of all the things. [ for a lot of reasons, the weight of it all fizzling out like sparks. noble sacrifices, good parents, and what it means to protect those who come after -- and what it means to be the one left behind.
there's a beat, and - he leans a little further into her, solid, too. ] You've got that right. [ quieter. ] Bit by bit.
Your father must've been a good man.
no subject
she wishes they didn't have it in common if only because she wishes they didn't have to have experienced it at all, but. solidarity, she supposes. ]
I thought he was an idiot when I was fifteen. I couldn't see why he wouldn't fight back. [ she rests her head on strohl's shoulder briefly, staring at the ground. ]
He was, though. A good man. He was what was keeping us all together.
no subject
...yeah. I get that, trust me. We think we're so wise, when we're that young.
[ cringeworthy tbh!!! as vi sets her head on his shoulder, though, it's his turn to be steady - still and easy, something worth mooring upon. stroh's quiet, thoughtful, considering the weight of what she's sharing. ]
Us - those of you in the under city? Or...?
no subject
she stays where she is for now. ]
Yep. He was - not in charge, nobody was in charge. But unofficially. The lanes respected him and he took care of us, made sure we took care of each other, since topside never was going to.
no subject
[ it sounds like their dads would've gotten along, honestly - though that's hardly surprising. ]
...He saved you from an attack, right? Was it the topsiders? Or...?
no subject
she snorts. ]
That would've been the easy answer, right? No, it was one of our own. Someone who thought he'd do it better than Vander.
no subject
Dead wrong, if that's how they started.
no subject
Yeah. [ ... ] It's a long story. Never got better, obviously. I just saw the aftermath.