agleam | pc catchall for lup.

...I'll be alright.

[even if it's hard, right now. he walks over to her and takes a seat, though he keeps out of the pool.]

What about you? You seem like you've got a lot on your mind.

[she nudges him a bit, gently.]

I was just uh. It's dumb, but I was waiting for the cracks to appear. [...] I'll be okay, too. I'm not really sad, I'm more uh, more angry.

The cracks?

[he nods at that last part, though.]

...Want to talk about it?

[she shifts.] Long story. It's probably not something you have to worry about.

I don't know what there is to talk about, I'm just kinda... mad that it's so terrible on this side of things. Not knowing anything drives me up the wall bongo-slapping mad.

Okay. Well - worry or not, if you wanted to tell me, I wouldn't mind listening no matter how long it is.

[with a sympathetic look:]

I'm guessing it's a lot harder on this side of things, then?

Yeah, turns out not knowing all the answers at the start of the test is bad, actually.

Right. We found the answer at the end this time, but...

[somehow, that's hardly a comfort.]

I mean, I guess I should be glad, yeah. The first time my group did stuff, they picked the wrong person. At least it wasn't someone innocent.

...Yeah. We did that once, too. It was - it felt horrible, for everyone.

[...]

But you don't have to force yourself not to feel upset just because we found who did it, either. This is just horrible overall, even with that.

[she sighs.]

That's the thing, bud. I'm not really upset. I didn't know Flayn, and I don't know this guy. I'm mad at the situation. Mad that --

[she doesn't have control? but she isn't going to say that.]

Mad that I have to see everybody's sad face at the end of the day and know I can't do anything about it.

...There's a difference between being angry that you can't help people that you don't want to get hurt, and being upset?

[it's maybe a tiny bit joking, a way to lighten the mood just a fraction.]

[it makes her laugh, at least, a little huff.]

I guess not technically. I just don't want anybody to think I'm real broken up about the guy. It's uh, it's disingenuous.

[after a moment, he nods.]

Right... I mean, you've only known him a week.

Mmhm. Catch me if any of mine get caught, and it'll be a different matter.

[a beat.] You know him, though.

[after a moment, he nods.]

Yeah. Obviously I get why people are angry at him, what happened to Flayn was horrible, but - he's a friend.

No, I get it. I'm not mad at him. He's probably doing what he thought he had to.

[if one of her rings killed someone, well.]

Have you talked to him yet?

I don't know about that. I mean...

[he frowns, thinking it over.]

I don't think it's a good idea to trust someone too much until you know how they would act in a really horrible situation, like this one. So I don't want to say he never could have done something like this ordinarily. But the way that he seemed like he calmed down really quickly at the end after the verdict came out... I have to wonder if there was something going on, there. Like he wasn't really himself during the trial, and if that's the case, maybe he wasn't on Thursday night, either.

[...]

But I haven't talked to him yet, no, so - I can't say for sure until I do. He said he would explain, though, so at least we know he can give us some information.

Maybe.

[a pause.]

Emet-Selch told me a little about refraction, from his game. It worked a little like that. Played off their emotions and heightened them. But um, I don't know - we'll have to see, I think.

It's easier to catch people if they're not in their right minds.

Easier to catch them, maybe, but... It kind of also feels worse in a way, if that's the case? Like - tomorrow's still going to happen, even if it wasn't actually him doing it in full control of himself.

[...]

I don't know either, though. I might be wrong.

It's a lose-lose situation, babe.

Either way, they have to live with it. It's really just a matter of lessening the accusers' guilt.

...I guess we'll have to see what happens tomorrow, too.

Mnhm.

If you need someone to chill with after, I'll be there.

...Thanks, Lup.

[genuinely.]

I'll probably take you up on that.

[she reaches to ruffle his hair.]

That's uh, that's what I'm here for.

[a bunch of glitter falls out surprise he was an accomplice (no)

but he does laugh.]

We'll have to make plans to do something nicer than the shirt thing. Not that it'll be hard!

(no subject)

evocationary - 2022-06-12 06:53 (UTC) - Expand