Tess would be laughing hard if she wasn't still some level of physically wrecked, but it all feels worthwhile.
"You'll have to do at least once public dismemberment, you know," Tess points out. "So the rest know you're serious and functional. Or make sure your first pledge is a real talker."
"You'll have to do at least once public dismemberment, you know," Tess points out. "So the rest know you're serious and functional. Or make sure your first pledge is a real talker."
"Do you mean a public dismemberment or, y'know... a public dismemberment?"
Eyebrows. Eyebrows a-goin!
Eyebrows. Eyebrows a-goin!
Edited 2020-07-29 06:33 (UTC)
It makes a noise—not like he was thinking, not a crunch. A meaty sound. His head jerks back and his weight shifts but he doesn't stagger. He's breathing hard, blood or snot pouring from his nose. Hands still at his sides. His eyes close, briefly—the blood keeps on running. It's a different kind of pain than he's used to—treks through the park, injured limbs. He feels lit up like a pinball machine.
He takes a breath, trains his gaze on her—bright but not malicious. Breaks away to grab one of the bed's half dozen pillows, careful not to drip on the bedspread. He strips the pillow as efficiently as he might slit a throat, blots at his nose with the case.
“Better?” he asks after another sharp breath, his voice muffled.
An honest question.
He takes a breath, trains his gaze on her—bright but not malicious. Breaks away to grab one of the bed's half dozen pillows, careful not to drip on the bedspread. He strips the pillow as efficiently as he might slit a throat, blots at his nose with the case.
“Better?” he asks after another sharp breath, his voice muffled.
An honest question.
Tess stays where she is, watching him take it. There's that usual sting of the impact, familiar twice now today, and her fist trembles like she might follow through with another, bring him right down to the ground, but she doesn't. She just watches him, nearly vibrating with energy.
And then, as he goes to deal with the blood, she steels herself.
Joel is dead, she thinks. Joel is dead and he was the person she trusted most in the world, thought was most loyal to her, but he's dead and gone and he moved on from her the same way he moved on from everyone he lost.
It's the way of the world and she's going to have to deal with it, the same way she's dealt before.
She goes right back to collected, even if her heart is still racing on the inside. She's not sure it's ever going to be normal again.
"Yeah," she replies, coolly. "Getting there."
And then, as he goes to deal with the blood, she steels herself.
Joel is dead, she thinks. Joel is dead and he was the person she trusted most in the world, thought was most loyal to her, but he's dead and gone and he moved on from her the same way he moved on from everyone he lost.
It's the way of the world and she's going to have to deal with it, the same way she's dealt before.
She goes right back to collected, even if her heart is still racing on the inside. She's not sure it's ever going to be normal again.
"Yeah," she replies, coolly. "Getting there."
Audio - backdated to after his confrontation with William, post-Mirror
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stand_unshaken
2020-08-02 07:27 pm (UTC)(link)
You plannin' on cozying up to that William fella again?
[He sounds a little out of breath, his voice pinched with anger he can't quite disguise.]
[He sounds a little out of breath, his voice pinched with anger he can't quite disguise.]
[ That's interesting. She's never heard him quite like that before, at least not outside of the Mirror Barge, and it has her full attention in an instant.]
Wasn't my plan in the first place. What's going on?
Wasn't my plan in the first place. What's going on?
Nothin' going on. He's a fucking creep, and I don't want to behave like your daddy and shoot him if he hurts you.
He won't go after me, but I appreciate the thought.
[And then, firmly:]
Sure sounds like something's going on, though.
[And then, firmly:]
Sure sounds like something's going on, though.
Bastard stole my pictures and map, and set 'em on fire. For no damn reason.
[He hasn't told her how much those things mean to him. How could he? She has no one left, her world has been torn to shreds. But it's in the small things, the way he'd hung those things up, the care he'd taken with the map.]
[He hasn't told her how much those things mean to him. How could he? She has no one left, her world has been torn to shreds. But it's in the small things, the way he'd hung those things up, the care he'd taken with the map.]
[Tess pauses. If he's not about to replace his daddy's hat, he's liable to get fucked up about some pictures.
God fucking damnit, William.]
I doubt that. He took my maps too, when I first got here, and he didn't burn them. Sit tight, I'll go handle him.
God fucking damnit, William.]
I doubt that. He took my maps too, when I first got here, and he didn't burn them. Sit tight, I'll go handle him.
What?
[He's pacing the halls, but stops walking now.]
That little prick - I already told Harry to get a handle on him. [Okay, he still broke in and shot you, Morgan.]
[He's pacing the halls, but stops walking now.]
That little prick - I already told Harry to get a handle on him. [Okay, he still broke in and shot you, Morgan.]
Since it's been about 5 minutes since the last IC inbox thread
stand_unshaken
2020-08-02 08:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[He just got back from Ellies cabin, and he went straight to Tess'. It isn't far, and he knocks on her door.]
I've been dealing with William on and off for months. I can do better than Harry can.
[Harsh, maybe, but true.]
What's the map of? What are the photos of?
[Harsh, maybe, but true.]
What's the map of? What are the photos of?
my life is not complete without our 20893423 inbox threads
dog_eat_dog
2020-08-02 08:37 pm (UTC)(link)
[Tess doesn't answer at first, and when she does open the door, she looks plenty worked up. Smells like cigarette smoke, too. Bossily:]
What?
What?
My mother. My father. Mary. Dutch, Hosea and I, a long time ago. A dog I used to have.
The map's for New Hanover, Lemoyne, West Elizabeth and Ambarino. [He's trying very, very hard to remain sensible right now. And he's trying very hard not to thank her on her knees - both for what she's doing as for the fact that she's doing it at all, for him.]
The map's for New Hanover, Lemoyne, West Elizabeth and Ambarino. [He's trying very, very hard to remain sensible right now. And he's trying very hard not to thank her on her knees - both for what she's doing as for the fact that she's doing it at all, for him.]
[He digs his tobacco out of his pouch and hands it over. Get to smoking - he's got you.]
Don't 'what' me, woman. You need out a minute? Enclosure, gym?
Don't 'what' me, woman. You need out a minute? Enclosure, gym?
[ She raises an eyebrow at the woman remark, but she doesn't comment. Just takes the tobacco, contemplates blowing him off, but then decides: no, actually. ]
Yeah. Let me in the Enclosure.
Yeah. Let me in the Enclosure.
[She memorizes that: New Hanover, Lemoyne, West Elizabeth and Ambarino. Alright.]
What's the dog's name? What was your mother like?
[It'll help, even if it seems strange.]
What's the dog's name? What was your mother like?
[It'll help, even if it seems strange.]
Alright. C'mon.
[He turns around, hands deep in his pockets, trusting she'll follow him if she wants to go there. He'll leave her alone in there if she wants to, but he'll at least lead her there.]
Already talked to her. No need to discuss it any further right now, alright?
[He turns around, hands deep in his pockets, trusting she'll follow him if she wants to go there. He'll leave her alone in there if she wants to, but he'll at least lead her there.]
Already talked to her. No need to discuss it any further right now, alright?
Buster. And why're you asking that?
[He could get it if she wanted to know to check if she had the right picture, but how would that help?
[He could get it if she wanted to know to check if she had the right picture, but how would that help?
[She's glad to have his back to her when he says that; better to avoid letting him see how her anger flickers, how her face falls somewhere wounded. She itches to ask what the fuck Ellie told him, but it might just flow out of her like an avalanche if she does it while angry.
She just follows him.]
And if I never want to talk about it?
She just follows him.]
And if I never want to talk about it?
[Buster. So classic that it's almost cute. No sense in telling Arthur why, though.]
Don't worry about it. I'll just make something up, then.
[Or just embellish something of her own, just to sell the feelings. William's good at picking out lies.]
Don't worry about it. I'll just make something up, then.
[Or just embellish something of her own, just to sell the feelings. William's good at picking out lies.]
Just-
She died when I was just a kid, Tess. I don't half remember her, so that photograph's all I got.
She died when I was just a kid, Tess. I don't half remember her, so that photograph's all I got.
You know that aint gonna happen. But I won't make you. [She knows how this goes. She'll talk.]
Alright. I'm confident he didn't burn it, so just give me some time.
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