Hey, it wasn't her fault! Blame Master Blue. Whatever that guy's deal is, he's the one who brought us here. We still made a huge mess she had to clean up.
... what you said, about ... about my "betters," and how getting rid of me would be a win for them.
[ said very quietly. ] You said it was pathetic. I guess ...
[ .... ]
I wanted to know who you meant. Who was the pathetic one. Me, or them.
[ there's ... a tension, in his voice. it's not the bald, sobbing grief from their fight, and it's not even an anger, either. it's an ... uncertainty. a resignation, a wishing. ]
[ It's how immediate the response is, more than the response itself, that stuns him. Well, really... it's both. Just that instant, firm conviction that the pathetic ones are--
--are the people who...
You could knock Isaac over with a feather. He's shocked into speechlessness, and for a long moment he doesn't seem to know what to say.
Finally he manages to wrench his gaze away and it meanders off to some far point, his brow settling low and tight. ]
... I don't think they want me dead. But ... they'd probably all be a lot happier if I were gone.
Hmm. [It's hard to tell if that's a "you're welcome", a thoughtful sound, or just a general dismissive noise.
He gives Isaac a once-over, expression stoic and unchanged. Yet just for a moment, there seems to be something in his gaze—something reflective, familiar... pained?—aaaand he's looking elsewhere, off at the shelves of books.]
I'm not here to justify your emotions, brat. You should have already known the answer yourself.
[ Again, Isaac can't help but catch the more complicates parts of Asch's expression. This isn't the first time, and like before it leaves him wondering what this guy's deal really is, beneath the stoic "fuck you" exterior.
of course then he says all that and isaac SIGHS LOUDLY. ]
Well excuse me for not automatically understanding everything about everyone! If I knew what they were thinking I wouldn't have these problems in the first place.
[ JEEZ. ]
... besides, you called me pathetic before that, so like, I think I'm justified in trying to clarify.
to be honest he wasn't expecting to have his questioning turned back on him since he thought his initial ass kicking was pretty definitive but here they are!!! with isaac looking like he swallowed his tongue and not really knowing what to say. hm.
[Asch gives him a long look, which is mostly just an appraising frown.
Then:] You've taken some idiot pact of non-aggression. Pacifism. Something like that.
[With all his other actions, it added up. It explained a lot. It was VERY DUMB, considering how everything had gone iN THE FIRST PLACE, but at least it made sense.]
Aggressive way to start a non-violent battle. What was your plan? To lock me in a closet?
[Honestly, he's starting to feel a little affronted. That wasn't even a real fight!!!!]
But you don’t know! [its the contrarian olympics apparently!!!]
This ridiculous manor transported us here out of nowhere, even from— from wherever we were, yet you won’t entertain even the notion that this friend of yours could have survived? You’ll accept... this— [here, he curtly sweeps his hand over the room] —but not that?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ BE NICE TO PLUM OR HE'LL KILL YOU ]
no subject
[It's not very venomous—just point of fact.]
She's hired help, and part of this. Whether she agrees with it or not, she's going along with it—and that includes cleaning.
We have nothing to apologize for.
[harumph]
no subject
yeah this isnt a battle worth fighting, he can sense it. he'll just ... have to do double the work to make it up to plum, then.
probably shouldn't mention he and plum are friends, he thinks. ]
Alright, alright. I get your point.
[ he'll lapse into silence then. it's pretty clear there's something else he wants to ask, but...
... first. ]
You know, even after everything, I never got your name.
no subject
[For some reason, that was easy.]
You're Isaac.
[He looked him up afterwards.]
no subject
Heck of a way to meet somebody, [ he'll murmur ruefully, mostly to himself. ]
... there was some stuff I wanted to ask you. About things you said during the fight.
no subject
[HE'S HAD WORSE!!!!!!
But the last statement causes a clear tension, a tightening of Asch's hand on his arm, his shirt gripped ever-so-slightly tighter.]
Depends on what it is.
no subject
[ said very quietly. ] You said it was pathetic. I guess ...
[ .... ]
I wanted to know who you meant. Who was the pathetic one. Me, or them.
[ there's ... a tension, in his voice. it's not the bald, sobbing grief from their fight, and it's not even an anger, either. it's an ... uncertainty. a resignation, a wishing. ]
no subject
[It's immediate.
But no follow-up or explanation of that position looks to be forthcoming.]
no subject
--are the people who...
You could knock Isaac over with a feather. He's shocked into speechlessness, and for a long moment he doesn't seem to know what to say.
Finally he manages to wrench his gaze away and it meanders off to some far point, his brow settling low and tight. ]
... I don't think they want me dead. But ... they'd probably all be a lot happier if I were gone.
[ Another silence. Then: ]
... thanks. I guess.
no subject
He gives Isaac a once-over, expression stoic and unchanged. Yet just for a moment, there seems to be something in his gaze—something reflective, familiar... pained?—aaaand he's looking elsewhere, off at the shelves of books.]
I'm not here to justify your emotions, brat. You should have already known the answer yourself.
1/2
no subject
of course then he says all that and isaac SIGHS LOUDLY. ]
Well excuse me for not automatically understanding everything about everyone! If I knew what they were thinking I wouldn't have these problems in the first place.
[ JEEZ. ]
... besides, you called me pathetic before that, so like, I think I'm justified in trying to clarify.
no subject
You were.
[point blank!!!]
You started a fight, doubled down on it, then tried to run and talk your way out of it when you realized you'd bit off more than you could chew.
[His turn.]
You missed me on purpose. Why.
no subject
to be honest he wasn't expecting to have his questioning turned back on him since he thought his initial ass kicking was pretty definitive but here they are!!! with isaac looking like he swallowed his tongue and not really knowing what to say. hm.
there is ................ a silence.
finally, quietly ]
I didn't want to hurt you, dude.
no subject
Then:] You've taken some idiot pact of non-aggression. Pacifism. Something like that.
[With all his other actions, it added up. It explained a lot. It was VERY DUMB, considering how everything had gone iN THE FIRST PLACE, but at least it made sense.]
Aggressive way to start a non-violent battle. What was your plan? To lock me in a closet?
[Honestly, he's starting to feel a little affronted. That wasn't even a real fight!!!!]
no subject
[ is ASCH a WIZARD
a MIND WIZARD ]
Look, I wasn't trying to start a fight in the first place! [ SORRY TO DISAPPOINT ] I was just...
[ .....
unfortunately saying as much makes him confront what he WAS doing, and his expression tightens considerably ]
I was just ... stupidly lashing out.
no subject
[Hmm!!]
It was stupid. [Matter-of-fact.]
What were you upset about.
1/2
no subject
... do ... you remember that stuff I said, about not losing?
[ it's only by virtue of talking about this to [redacted] (a MUCH NICER PERSON) already that he can express it to asch ]
Right before I got here, I ... I hurt someone. Someone important to me. ... maybe really badly. I don't know. I didn't mean to, and I...
I guess I was just ... thinking about it that night. When you walked in.
no subject
Apologize, and work to do better. What’s done is done.
[no one wanted or needed your opinion on this!!!!!]
Any crying you’re doing isn’t for them, it’s selfish indulgence for yourself. If you want to make it up to them, get stronger.
no subject
[ haha sorry asch he's completely flipping out suddenly, trying to rise to his feet
only to just flop back into his chair because his loss of balance
at which point he just buries his face in his hands. ]
no subject
You said you didn’t know how badly you hurt them.
no subject
But the amount of power I used... there's... there's no way that he... I-I don't think he could have...
I really think he might be dead, [ he says, in this horrible small voice ]
no subject
This ridiculous manor transported us here out of nowhere, even from— from wherever we were, yet you won’t entertain even the notion that this friend of yours could have survived? You’ll accept... this— [here, he curtly sweeps his hand over the room] —but not that?
Are you so eager to embrace their death?
no subject
... slowly, without really thinking ]
He's ... my teacher.
[ ............
Isaac will look down, then away. He's pale, but ... quiet. ]
Of course not. [ this too is quiet, but also sort of tired. ] ... I don't know. But ... you're right. I won't know till I get back there.
[ He rubs his nose, and lifts his gaze to meet Asch's. There's a fire, there. An unwillingness to give.
It isn't Asch who lit this fire, but ... he may have helped stoke it. ]
's why my focus is on getting out of here, first and foremost.
(no subject)
1/3
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)