On having apped into The Dark Place.

[brand_of_disgrace]

Wait. Let me get this straight.

Clockwork Princess came out today. You have work to do getting icons for Zephyr.

And yet, it's me, the original character, that you're fiddling with? It's MY application you're done with? Or is that only because it was mostly done already?

...You realize that I don't remember EVER having been in a game before, right? Ugh. Anyway, I still think you should've brought Alec in and not Jem... Poor Magnus won't have anyone to be irritable with.

Speaking of being irritable, is Leo gonna be there? ...Please?

Comments

[brand_of_disgrace]

...Leo, I swear I brushed my teeth this morning. Like you said.

[the_crownless_king]

I-- Oh, never mind. I'm just trying to get your damn head-full-of-fluff out of the clouds.

[brand_of_disgrace]

My head's not full of fluff. Sometimes I shake my head really hard and I hear squishy noises, but then I get a headache and I stop. Besides, I'm sure there's blood and saliva and boogers and all kinds of stuff in my head. Not fluff.

[the_crownless_king]

And this is why I do the thinking, Julian. [Leo rubs his face and lets out a sigh of exasperation.]

[brand_of_disgrace]

Yes, but you think entirely too much, Rio.

[the_crownless_king]

[Starting to become annoyed, the young man throws his hands up in a wild gesture.]

That's because if I didn't, you'd be running around bashing your head into things for lack of a better plan--ever! And going after our marks? You'd be dead in minutes!

[brand_of_disgrace]

You think so poorly of me. [ His voice is rather cool now. ] Like I've never saved your life. Or Crash's.

[the_crownless_king]

[Deflating slightly, he mumbles.] I just... I don't want things to turn for the worse any more than they already have, Julian.

[brand_of_disgrace]

We're not going to be at home. [ He shrugs with the acceptance of one who has been forced into many situations he did not want to be in. ] We don't have to worry about them. About Crash or Mr. S or...

...D'you think they'll be okay without us? Or do you think they'll assume we ran away together, or something? ...Who'll feed Burn when Crash has to work a double? ...Who'll serve the drinks?

[the_crownless_king]

[His voice drops into a quiet, tender tonality as he looks away.] I don't know. I don't know...any of that. It's different right? Time will move differently or something. That's what they say. I think.

[brand_of_disgrace]

Time flows like a river, Rio. History repeats itself. ...Miseratti, at least, will be alright. As will Mr. S, until...

[the_crownless_king]

[Leo shakes his head abruptly, neatly styled auburn curls bouncing slightly] I don't want to think about it-- I just. No more. We have no choice but to do it...whatever "it" is. Tch. I've never had a choice.

[brand_of_disgrace]

You made your choice a long time ago. And a bullet shattered it after the knife did. After the lion...

...Do you think Mr. S will be okay, or should we drag him into Hell with us just to make sure he's not?

[the_crownless_king]

I...? [As it so often does, Julian's rambling confuses him and makes him feel deeply unsettled, the subtle change in emotion glinting in his eyes.]

No. I don't know...anything about lions or. I. I'll keep you safe and I don't want to think about anything else. There's no point.

[brand_of_disgrace]

[ He comes to his senses and raises his head, smiling. ] I'll look after you, too, Leo. Promise.

[the_crownless_king]

I know. You're so stupid, you just can't see what's good for you. What were you thinking, going and making a Pact with a low-life like me, anyway?

[brand_of_disgrace]

Contract. Not a Pact. A Contract.

And I didn't choose you. You chose me. I'm the Contracted. You just don't know it.

[the_crownless_king]

[Even though he knows he won't get an answer, Leo rubs his face and looks over at the other young man before speaking.]

How does that make any sense? I didn't! I never wanted to be one of those... those guys tied down by somethin' like that. If I wasn't about to die, I wouldn't have-- I mean. No, I don't regret it. It's not that. So don't think that but.

[Feeling rather annoyed at his own inability to speak properly, Leo falls silent and slouches a bit, fidgeting with a copper gear fastened to the cuff on his arm.]

[brand_of_disgrace]

I'm not sorry I saved your life, if that's what you're getting at. ...And neither are you.

[the_crownless_king]

[His voice drops to a whisper.]

Sometimes I think...It would have been better if you'd just let it happen that day.

[brand_of_disgrace]

...Never again.

[the_crownless_king]

What do you mean? Julian, I hardly ever understand anything you're trying to tell me.

[brand_of_disgrace]

Yeah, me either. [ He tries to smile. ]

[the_crownless_king]

Jules... [He lowers his head and then lifts his arms as though reaching out to the other man, but then thinks better of it. Leo passes his fingers over his arm as his shoulders slump into a rather submissive stance.]

I'm sorry. I wish I understood, but since you came into my life... it's like I don't understand anything. Nothing's true anymore. Nothing's real. I don't know who to trust or what to believe... I just. I wanted an easy life of decadence. I wanted to be left alone. But. No, no. I guess we can't really change what's happened, right? We just have to learn to live with it.

[brand_of_disgrace]

[ He stares into space for a time, as though absorbing what Leo's saying. Then he speaks, quietly, that odd, accented lilt very obvious. ]

So I guess this place'll be good for us. It'll get my fluffy head out of the clouds, and it'll take away your easy life of decadence. Not, of course, that you ever lived one.