TLV Inbox

[greatoldjohn]

[in a rather deep voice] "This is John Doe. Please leave your message. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. I may respond in text if I'm currently with Arthur. Apologies."

Now Moved To: Inbox: Act II - please tag in there!

Comments

[greatoldjohn]

[ Um, no? And also fuck you. There's silence for a moment before he says- ]

I'll be hosting from my cabin from now on. I never meant to hurt her.

I like her a lot, even if she can be difficult to understand sometimes.

[crab_rangoon]

[He leans back against the counter.]

Good, because she's a fucking diamond and I wish everyone saw that.

Besides, you being Natalie's warden means that you couldn't get rid of her if you wanted.

[greatoldjohn]

I cared about her before that. We talked during the party; she's the one who convinced me to come back.

I consider her... something of a kindred spirit.

Arthur's been in my room a few times, but he can't see, so I didn't realize it would be a problem.

[crab_rangoon]

I'm not blaming you for it. If there's trouble somewhere, she's bound to find it.

But I am glad that you seem to - see her.

[greatoldjohn]

I try. She doesn't make it easy.

...which I understand. But it can be difficult, given my lack of context with some things.

[crab_rangoon]

No, she's not going to make it easy. That's why it's worth it.

[He reaches up to push his hair back from his face.]

You're welcome to stay until she wakes, though I'm sure she'll go seek you out after.

[greatoldjohn]

Yes. I am very familiar with that.

[ Very tired but- ]

I'll stay. I don't mind. Unless you do.

[crab_rangoon]

Not at all. Make yourself at home.

[greatoldjohn]

You...have a lovely home.

[ A little wrote, like he's still getting used to these kinds of pleasantries. Because he is. ]

[crab_rangoon]

It's a reminder.

[He walks out to his dining room.]

[greatoldjohn]

[ A pause as he follows him out. ]

...like my mural?

[crab_rangoon]

In a way.

But it's a reminder of what I'm losing. What I gave up. And the shit that I did to get it.

[greatoldjohn]

Then yes, very much like my mural.

[ Quietly. ]

I was a king. Now, I'm... still figuring out what I am.

[crab_rangoon]

[He glances at him, a little startled.]

I have been great many things in my life. I, too, was a King. And then I was a dictator.

And now I'm simply a tired old man.

[greatoldjohn]

Hardly ancient.

[ It's a compliment. ]

A dictator. I'm not sure how you're using the word. Could you explain?

[crab_rangoon]

[He waves a hand, at him, trying to shoo away the melancholy.]

Oh, the usual human rights violations. Beheaded the child king and took over, ruling with quite the iron fist while the rebels waged war underneath me. Killing those who spoke out.

I was quite the asshole.

[greatoldjohn]

Hmm.

I drove men to all manner of depravities and horror for untold millenia as a boundless malevolent entity that lived in the narrow space between inspiration and madness.

So yes.

Also a fucking asshole.

[crab_rangoon]

And look at us now. Guiding people to their salvation.

[He rolls his eyes.]

[greatoldjohn]

It makes you wonder if the doubts many have about the Admiral is merely an expression of the confusion they feel at the task set before them.

A loftier sort of "what the fuck were you thinking?"

[crab_rangoon]

[He chuckles, a bit darkly.]

Well, I apparently earned my freedom here. But that doesn't explain a damn thing.

[greatoldjohn]

[ That makes him perk up. ]

You did?

What was that like?

[crab_rangoon]

Being an inmate?

You're asking for a goddamn dissertation, my friend. I was here for seventeen months.

[greatoldjohn]

I don't know what a dissertation is, but we've got forty-five minutes to go.

[crab_rangoon]

True. Well, I already mentioned what I was like. I had no reason to change, nothing to work for. Until I met my warden and he gave me something to fucking do.

I lost my daughter - she was killed by someone's hand when she was still a baby. He gave me a way to have her back. Naturally, I took it.

[greatoldjohn]

[ He doesn't know right now, what happened to Arthur's daughter. When he finds out-

Well, there's no telling what he'll do. But this is a piece of it. ]

I'm glad she was returned to you.

[ God bless this baby Stanzyc. He can't help but remember how haltingly Arthur had said those words. A question for another day. ]

That was what you needed? Something to want?