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[wythersake]

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[libratus]

[ That's an image. The wrinkling of a nose, likewise invisible, carries on a breathed smile a little easier. Charmed, as ever; willing to leave a moment's breathing room. Not distracted. ]

And nowadays?

[ Didn't. Past tense. ]

[wythersake]

I don't, [ need another knife in the back — ] Know that it replaces anything.

[libratus]

No.

[ Agreeing? Considering. If they were having this conversation in person, there'd be a press of tongue to teeth to witness. (If they were having this conversation in person, he'd have brought wine; might not have had a conversation at all.) ]

Perhaps— that is not always the point.

[wythersake]

No. [ slight enough that it mightn't be a pause: ] But you grow used to the shape.

[libratus]

Mn. [ Heavier. He hesitates, chewing over something. ] Do you think— that you want the rest of your life to look like the part that came before?

[wythersake]

Fuck, no.

[ whether he'll get a say in that? more gently: ]

Do you?

[libratus]

No.

[ --Well. ]

I don't know. There wasn't supposed to be a rest-of anything.

[wythersake]

[ there's more than one way to take that.

no, there's one: the crumple of posture, those words after ghislain; isaac's seen enough barred windows and battlefields to know the type — just not what to say. the impulse has always been as foreign as its wreckage familiar. ]

Has there been?

[ he's here. ]

[libratus]

[ A pause, too careful to be reassuring; not long enough for a lie. ]

More than I expected.

[ Oh look a bird. ]

Considering the rest of the world seems to be on its dogged march toward ending, perhaps we are all doing rather well.

1/2

[wythersake]

That's grading on a curve.

[ does thedas do that ]

2/2

[wythersake]

I hope you keep getting it wrong. The supposes. Whatever the rest looks like.

[libratus]

You are— [ A lot of things, in this moment, but most especially: ] kinder than you like to put on, you know that?

[wythersake]

[ is it unethical to kiss someone with a head injury ]

You're going to spoil my reputation.

[libratus]

Lucky for you, I am good at keeping secrets.

[wythersake]

Am I the lucky one, now?

[ by basically every objective measure: yes. ]

[libratus]

In one or two respects.

[ —That he's willing to be smug about, anyway. Speaking of: ]

Don't tell me you require a reminder.

[ Do, though. ]

[wythersake]

I don't know if I can hear you properly over this, [ counting both arms is cheating ] Where are you, anyway?

[libratus]

You see, if you had fetched a bracelet...

[ You'd know. ]

[wythersake]

Don't tell me you'd hold still.

[libratus]

I might if you asked.

[ That's a different sort of 'bracelets,' guys. ]

[wythersake]

How nicely?

[libratus]

[ A hum. ] I would not want to spoil your reputation.