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[ hanging out somewhere... let's say the aquarium. she's sitting here staring at the fish, absently picking at her hands. ]
[ the fish in the tanks remind her of the docks from home, so - same hat, really.
she glances up at him from where she's on the floor. ]
You can owe me one. [ a beat. ] What's up?
she glances up at him from where she's on the floor. ]
You can owe me one. [ a beat. ] What's up?
What, I can't say hi to a friend?
[ are they friends? he ends up joining her by the glass anyhow. ]
Besides, I thought you wanted to hear about Mr. Tartaglia's exciting adventures featuring a, what was it again, duke with large fists.
[ unflattering description but he'll take it ]
[ are they friends? he ends up joining her by the glass anyhow. ]
Besides, I thought you wanted to hear about Mr. Tartaglia's exciting adventures featuring a, what was it again, duke with large fists.
[ unflattering description but he'll take it ]
I mean, yeah, obviously. Just asking.
[ she thinks they're friends! she hopes so, anyway. as for the rest, she snorts. ]
I'm definitely curious. We sparred a lot and he said I reminded him of someone that he always wanted to fight. Freak.
[ affectionately. ]
[ she thinks they're friends! she hopes so, anyway. as for the rest, she snorts. ]
I'm definitely curious. We sparred a lot and he said I reminded him of someone that he always wanted to fight. Freak.
[ affectionately. ]
Pretty much. He didn't tell me all your deep, dark secrets that you're trying to keep from me.
[ this is kind of teasing. ]
[ this is kind of teasing. ]
How else am I supposed to stay interesting around here without them?
[ he is just a guy surrounded by some wizards, a cyborg, a sarkaz, and whatever their hosts are. ]
But yes, they do call me duke back home. [ ... ] Actually, they call me 'Your Grace', but my official title is Duke.
[ he is just a guy surrounded by some wizards, a cyborg, a sarkaz, and whatever their hosts are. ]
But yes, they do call me duke back home. [ ... ] Actually, they call me 'Your Grace', but my official title is Duke.
[ it's so funny because vi also is really Just A Guy, in comparison to everybody here.
she takes that in stride, glancing at him. ]
So what, you're royalty or something?
she takes that in stride, glancing at him. ]
So what, you're royalty or something?
[ that gets a small huff of laughter out of him. ]
Not by blood, if that's what you're wondering. I'm as ordinary as any guy off the street. No, apparently the Court thought my management skills were so exceptional, they decided to award me a title for it.
Not by blood, if that's what you're wondering. I'm as ordinary as any guy off the street. No, apparently the Court thought my management skills were so exceptional, they decided to award me a title for it.
Wouldn't have bothered me if you were. Strohl's a noble.
[ a beat. ]
Okay... but if you're not royalty, then what do you do?
[ a beat. ]
Okay... but if you're not royalty, then what do you do?
Management.
[ easily, casually. but that's a cop-out answer, especially when he's already glossed over it before, and they've both been through it enough that he thinks he can be a little more honest with her. ]
Did Childe ever mention where he met me?
[ easily, casually. but that's a cop-out answer, especially when he's already glossed over it before, and they've both been through it enough that he thinks he can be a little more honest with her. ]
Did Childe ever mention where he met me?
[ she clicks her tongue at that. ]
That's your first mistake, assuming Childe says anything about himself. [ in her experience, anyway. she knows more about his siblings than she knows about him. ]
So, no. He didn't.
That's your first mistake, assuming Childe says anything about himself. [ in her experience, anyway. she knows more about his siblings than she knows about him. ]
So, no. He didn't.
[ for as punchy as she is, she can pick up the train of thought here. she watches him for a second. ]
Management of a jail, huh. Is that why you didn't want to tell me? [ wryly. ] Never heard of a warden going by Your Grace before, that's a new one.
Management of a jail, huh. Is that why you didn't want to tell me? [ wryly. ] Never heard of a warden going by Your Grace before, that's a new one.
Most people don't take well to being told they're in the company of someone who spends their day around prisoners.
[ that's just how it goes. he doesn't seem fussed about it, at least. ]
I can only assume they were so taken by charm and good looks, they couldn't help but try and pull me into the spotlight. [ haha no. ]
[ that's just how it goes. he doesn't seem fussed about it, at least. ]
I can only assume they were so taken by charm and good looks, they couldn't help but try and pull me into the spotlight. [ haha no. ]
[ this is so funny, she just straight up laughs at that because she's rude. ]
Uh huh. [ she shifts to lean back and look him over properly. ] I was in prison for seven years, teacup, if anything I'd be pissed because you're one of the guys that kept me in there.
[ a beat. ]
I'm not, though. Surprised, maybe. You don't act like a warden to me.
Uh huh. [ she shifts to lean back and look him over properly. ] I was in prison for seven years, teacup, if anything I'd be pissed because you're one of the guys that kept me in there.
[ a beat. ]
I'm not, though. Surprised, maybe. You don't act like a warden to me.
Oh, I had plenty of inmates mad at me for that. And if it wasn't at me, it was at the Chief Justice for putting them there.
[ he peers into the water past the glass, gaze following the fish and sea life as they idly swim around, though he glances back at vi with a half-smile on his face. ]
Why, because I like tea and I don't believe in violence as the first answer to every problem?
[ he peers into the water past the glass, gaze following the fish and sea life as they idly swim around, though he glances back at vi with a half-smile on his face. ]
Why, because I like tea and I don't believe in violence as the first answer to every problem?
[ amused: ]
Yeah, actually. Mostly that you don't go throwing your weight around with a big stick. Haven't even had to block a punch once.
Yeah, actually. Mostly that you don't go throwing your weight around with a big stick. Haven't even had to block a punch once.
The last guy did plenty of that, to little effect. I figured it wouldn't hurt to try something different.
[ another few steps following the glass, his back turned towards vi. and vi, if she's looking, might be able to catch a fun glimpse of the word MURDER casually glowing through his shirt between his shoulder blades. ]
[ another few steps following the glass, his back turned towards vi. and vi, if she's looking, might be able to catch a fun glimpse of the word MURDER casually glowing through his shirt between his shoulder blades. ]
[ well, that gets an eyebrow raise out of her, but...
hey, it's not the worst word that could've been there, she thinks. ]
... Someone close to me was like that. He was dangerous when he wanted to be, but people respected him because he knew how to talk to people. It worked better than beating them down, in his experience. That's what he used to tell me, anyway.
[ she watches him look through the glass, and then: ]
You want me to keep that tattoo a secret, teacup?
[ lightly. ]
hey, it's not the worst word that could've been there, she thinks. ]
... Someone close to me was like that. He was dangerous when he wanted to be, but people respected him because he knew how to talk to people. It worked better than beating them down, in his experience. That's what he used to tell me, anyway.
[ she watches him look through the glass, and then: ]
You want me to keep that tattoo a secret, teacup?
[ lightly. ]
[ said with half a smile: ]
He sounds like a good person.
[ things that do not sound good: his nickname that seems to have persisted. though whatever resignation he might have felt over that is immediately overshadowed by the reminder of his fun little tattoo. his smile thins. ]
This place really likes to show off our deepest darkest secrets, huh? [ sighs!! ] I'd appreciate it if you kept it to yourself for now, but ultimately it's your choice.
He sounds like a good person.
[ things that do not sound good: his nickname that seems to have persisted. though whatever resignation he might have felt over that is immediately overshadowed by the reminder of his fun little tattoo. his smile thins. ]
This place really likes to show off our deepest darkest secrets, huh? [ sighs!! ] I'd appreciate it if you kept it to yourself for now, but ultimately it's your choice.
He was.
[ softer. and - the only time she's ever going to say wriothesley's actual name is when she's really in distress tbh so buckle in for teacup forever. that gets her to pause, and she snorts. ]
I'm not interested in gossiping about it, so don't worry. [ she'll come a bit closer, and then pull her own sleeve up, showing him her own glowing tattoo. it reads LED THEM TO THEIR DEATHS. fair's fair, right? ]
Trade you.
[ softer. and - the only time she's ever going to say wriothesley's actual name is when she's really in distress tbh so buckle in for teacup forever. that gets her to pause, and she snorts. ]
I'm not interested in gossiping about it, so don't worry. [ she'll come a bit closer, and then pull her own sleeve up, showing him her own glowing tattoo. it reads LED THEM TO THEIR DEATHS. fair's fair, right? ]
Trade you.
[ they are no longer babies for this, unless for some reason you really want vi to be a baby in which case follow your heart.
wriothesley's in the arts and crafts room puttering around with some of the modeling clay. it seems to be....a boat of some kind? ]
wriothesley's in the arts and crafts room puttering around with some of the modeling clay. it seems to be....a boat of some kind? ]
[ no i have had my FILL of baby
she'll wander in eventually, with the intent of making stuff - though she pauses when she sees him, and gives him a little half-assed salute. ]
Hey. What's that? [ curiously! ]
she'll wander in eventually, with the intent of making stuff - though she pauses when she sees him, and gives him a little half-assed salute. ]
Hey. What's that? [ curiously! ]
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