... Yes, well. I wasn't going to tell you everything the very first day I met you. [...] I'm sorry that you had to experience him. Lucien told me a little about it, though he wasn't on... your side, so I don't know exactly what it was you saw.
[Stop being closed off, that's why you are choking on flowers (no).]
You don't have to apologize. I did not like him, as I'm sure you've heard a thousand times. He was... an "arsehole," as Lucien would say. Aside from your brothers and sisters... that was not a family, Throne. Not at all.
[He sort of immediately feels bad about the flowers and--well, everything else. The hand lifts off hers, but there isn't much he can do about either, so it lowers on top of it again to rub it.
His eyes dip to the collar, then up again.]
That sounds about as insane as he acted, yes. [WEIRDO. WHY DID I SAY THAT DUDE WAS HOT NOOOOOOOOO. I GOT ZEUSIFIED!!!!!!!] ...I remember the shape of the key. If you ever... happened to want it.
[HSLDJKFK HELP to be fair he's very 90s anime villain so you know
she exhales slow, looking down at their hands.]
... But I didn't earn it. [she says, finally. hesitantly. she's running out of reasons why she needs to keep it on, when people have tried so hard to find her a solution. it's a little scary to think of life without it. where does she go, after that? what does she do, when the only thing she's ever wanted is achieved?
a pause.]
Not... not yet. But maybe - before we leave. If we get the chance.
His smile is small, but still reassuring. He reaches up to tuck some hair behind one of her ears.]
It's not something you have to earn, you know. Freedom... That's a right. That's a right everyone has, and you shouldn't ever have to do anything to earn it. But I understand.
If you decide to, I've always got it-- [Taps one of his temples.] I had one, too. In the rift. Even though I knew it wasn't true, it felt like a yoke I was supposed to have.
[she closes her eyes when he does so, chewing at her bottom lip.
you shouldn't have to earn it, he says, but. it doesn't change the fact that she feels like she needs to. she was so close. she was almost there, she was reaching for it, and then she woke up here. it feels wrong, to just have it.
maybe if she can make it to the end. maybe then she'll feel like she deserves it.]
... You get so used to it. [she opens her eyes again, looking at him.] It's always there.
[another sigh.]
When we first arrived, weeks ago, you told me that parents are supposed to love you. [...] You have seen, now, what it was like, but... your words stuck with me.
[she's quiet for a long moment, still looking down at their hands.
and then very carefully, she smiles, looking up at him. it's a little bit of a fragile thing, but it's there, and it doesn't break or fade.]
Yes, I've... definitely found that to be the truth. [family is who you make it.] If anything, being here has only made that truth stronger.
Viktor, you have been gone so long, but... you are important to me. You were one of the first people to be kind to me without any expectation of something in return, here.
[OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, a Throné smile!!!! This makes him so happy! He doesn't turn into a big golden retriever like Sidon, but he does brighten slightly in his expression.]
You never tried to hurt me, so. Not even a rude word.
[He pulls his hands carefully away from hers, instead reaching up to put them behind her shoulders and beckon her forward toward himself. Hug! He's going to wrap one arm around her shoulders and rest one on the back of her head. He has learned A TOUCH!]
I hope you've been doing okay, Throné. And if you aren't, I don't mind listening.
she goes easily! so much easier than she used to, she exhales shakily and just leans in and hugs him back, warm. she probably smells good, vanilla and campfire, pleasantly woodsy. she rests her head on his shoulder for a moment, fingers tangling into the back of his shirt.]
I'm alright. It's... been back and forth. [between like incredible amounts of despair and incredible amounts of joy, but] You told me to write down the things I wanted to tell you when we met in the virtual reality, and I did.
[A giant fish man has taught him that sometimes, people really need a good hug. That's just the way of things. He squeezes her gently, then rubs the back of her shoulders.
GET HUGGED, IDIOD.]
I want to read it. [He squandered Sky's words, all of them written down for him to read after the worst happened. He won't do this with Throné.] I can't wait to read it actually, thank you.
[Okay, okay, well, at THIS, he does loosen his arms so he can lean back so he can SEE HER FACE. >:) He has a somewhat mischievous, but mostly happy grin to his face.]
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Yes...
[Another squeeze to her hand, gentle.]
It's okay. Though... you had left out a little chunk of explanation before, I have realized...
[Teasing. Lightly.]
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... Yes, well. I wasn't going to tell you everything the very first day I met you. [...] I'm sorry that you had to experience him. Lucien told me a little about it, though he wasn't on... your side, so I don't know exactly what it was you saw.
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[Stop being closed off, that's why you are choking on flowers (no).]
You don't have to apologize. I did not like him, as I'm sure you've heard a thousand times. He was... an "arsehole," as Lucien would say. Aside from your brothers and sisters... that was not a family, Throne. Not at all.
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... I know. [she says, softer.] They were all I had, at the time.
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[Her hands just keep getting squeezes, I guess.]
Were you... actually looking for treasure? For him. That's what he had us do. Look for a treasure.
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... No. His jobs usually were assassinations. [she glances at him.] What was the treasure he had you find?
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It was... um, a treasure of a god? Alpates? But it turned out to be... two pieces of a mirror, I think.
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Oh - no, Alpates was a woman. We found her hidden away in a cathedral. [...] But she did have a mirror. I'm not sure what it was for, but she had one.
We'd always heard that it was some sort of forbidden treasure, as children.
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That was it. [His hand goes back down on top of hers.] When we met up with Lucien, Eunhyuk, and Shu, I think... they may... have killed her?
[His brain was scramblies, he can't remember. Someone was fucking dead.]
That's what Fa--he told us. Sort of. But we found the mirror with... two other people. Very bizarre. A man and a woman. We had to fight them.
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[...]
And then... Shu told me that... [a beat.] So you really did fight Claude.
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His brows furrow in distaste.]
The man who called us his little seed? Or something. He had one piece of the mirror, and she had another.
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... Yes. [a pause.] That man is my... was my real father. The last obstacle before I could take this damned thing off.
[her collar, she means.]
He wanted to leave a legacy. His strongest child, the one who devoured the rest of the nest.
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His eyes dip to the collar, then up again.]
That sounds about as insane as he acted, yes. [WEIRDO. WHY DID I SAY THAT DUDE WAS HOT NOOOOOOOOO. I GOT ZEUSIFIED!!!!!!!] ...I remember the shape of the key. If you ever... happened to want it.
I could make one.
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she exhales slow, looking down at their hands.]
... But I didn't earn it. [she says, finally. hesitantly. she's running out of reasons why she needs to keep it on, when people have tried so hard to find her a solution. it's a little scary to think of life without it. where does she go, after that? what does she do, when the only thing she's ever wanted is achieved?
a pause.]
Not... not yet. But maybe - before we leave. If we get the chance.
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His smile is small, but still reassuring. He reaches up to tuck some hair behind one of her ears.]
It's not something you have to earn, you know. Freedom... That's a right. That's a right everyone has, and you shouldn't ever have to do anything to earn it. But I understand.
If you decide to, I've always got it-- [Taps one of his temples.] I had one, too. In the rift. Even though I knew it wasn't true, it felt like a yoke I was supposed to have.
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you shouldn't have to earn it, he says, but. it doesn't change the fact that she feels like she needs to. she was so close. she was almost there, she was reaching for it, and then she woke up here. it feels wrong, to just have it.
maybe if she can make it to the end. maybe then she'll feel like she deserves it.]
... You get so used to it. [she opens her eyes again, looking at him.] It's always there.
[another sigh.]
When we first arrived, weeks ago, you told me that parents are supposed to love you. [...] You have seen, now, what it was like, but... your words stuck with me.
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They are. Parents should love their children more than anything. We were so poor we barely had a scrap to call our own, but my parents still loved me.
But, you know better than anyone, family isn't always flesh and blood. Family is who you make it. That's what's most important.
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and then very carefully, she smiles, looking up at him. it's a little bit of a fragile thing, but it's there, and it doesn't break or fade.]
Yes, I've... definitely found that to be the truth. [family is who you make it.] If anything, being here has only made that truth stronger.
Viktor, you have been gone so long, but... you are important to me. You were one of the first people to be kind to me without any expectation of something in return, here.
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You never tried to hurt me, so. Not even a rude word.
[He pulls his hands carefully away from hers, instead reaching up to put them behind her shoulders and beckon her forward toward himself. Hug! He's going to wrap one arm around her shoulders and rest one on the back of her head. He has learned A TOUCH!]
I hope you've been doing okay, Throné. And if you aren't, I don't mind listening.
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she goes easily! so much easier than she used to, she exhales shakily and just leans in and hugs him back, warm. she probably smells good, vanilla and campfire, pleasantly woodsy. she rests her head on his shoulder for a moment, fingers tangling into the back of his shirt.]
I'm alright. It's... been back and forth. [between like incredible amounts of despair and incredible amounts of joy, but] You told me to write down the things I wanted to tell you when we met in the virtual reality, and I did.
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GET HUGGED, IDIOD.]
I want to read it. [He squandered Sky's words, all of them written down for him to read after the worst happened. He won't do this with Throné.] I can't wait to read it actually, thank you.
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[she says, a little huffily, not letting go for a bit.]
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I wouldn't ever make fun of you for your feelings. I didn't about the book, right?
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I suppose. [he made fun of her a LITTLE but it's not enough to matter.]
... The biggest tell, I suppose, is about Arthur. Not that I've been subtle.
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You really haven't. You're in love, aren't you?
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