[About ten minutes later, Signless arrives at Dualscar's hive, carrying two cartons of ice cream. He knocks on the door briskly, and waits to be admitted.]
[And Dualscar is ready for him. He opens the door and his eyebrows rise at the sight of two cartons of ice cream in Signless' hands. He reaches to take one]
Wwell, come on in. I'll get some bowwls. Looks like you're ready to havve some serious ice cream time.
[Dualscar grabs two large bowls, two spoons, and then goes downstairs into the room where the spa is. He sets everything down, then reaches for Signless and paps his cheek light as he drags him into an embrace]
[Never one to turn down a hug, Signless wraps his arms around Dualscar and holds tightly, turning his face towards that pap.]
Summoner's back. He's back, and he's different, and I don't know what he's going to do to the Grand Highblood, or what he's going to turn about Darkleer, and I am really, really tired of highblood politics.
[Wow, that wasn't quite what Dualscar expected, and his fins flatten a bit until Signless glances up and says that last bit. He sighs and tugs Signless towards the water. Water always makes everyone feel better!]
I kneww he wwas back, an he doesn't seem that fuckin different to me. I don't give a flyin fuck wwhat he does about the Highblood, but wwhat's wwrong wwith Darkleer?
[Yes, water does make everything better, and Signless slips into it with a contented sigh, although he doesn't let go of Dualscar when they do.]
Darkleer dumped Psii. They broke up before they were even completely together. Psii is taking it really hard, and now Darkleer is trying to get back together, I think, and I have to keep running interference and telling him no.
[Dualscar had assumed that whatever the problem was, it had to do with the Summoner's death, not Psiioniic. He frowns and tucks Signless closer]
I don't understand. Wwhy are you against this, noww? That blue-blooded carthorse is an idiot wwhen it comes to romance, there's no question a that. But if he's got his thoughts in order, I'd say that the b-- Psiioniic needs a steady moirail more than just about anythin' I can think of.
[Besides, maybe that would mean Signless wouldn't have to palecheat >( ]
[Signless isn't a palecheater, gosh! He just has an unusually close relationship with Psii, okay?]
I agree, he does need a steady moirail, and that's the problem. When Darkleer was going off to attack the Grand Highblood and avenge Summoner, Psii was begging him, pleading with him, not to do it, and Darkleer ignored him. And now Psii is completely convinced he can't do quadrants at all, and having Darkleer trying to get him back into one isn't helping.
But Dualscar tries to set his own feelings aside and address this. Signless needs him as a moirail, and if he doesn't do a good job, he might choose someone else.]
You havve to admit that there's a realistic chance that Psiioniic isn't capable a bein' a moirail to anyone. [He draws a breath, pretty sure that wasn't a good thing to say] But, in this particular case Darkleer wwent homicidal ovver the death a his matesprit, like highbloods are prone to. The same thing could happen wwith me under the same circumstances, and you might wwell be incapable a stopping me. So that alone is no reason to believve he's an especially bad moirail. Darkleer must not think so, if he's pursuin him again.
[It hurts him to admit that, and he cuddles closer against Dualscar's side.]
You should have known him before, Dualscar. He was so strong and so brave, and so very, very proud... he seemed invincible, the strongest of us all.
[No, there's no point dwelling on that, focus on the problem at hand.]
But Dualscar... if you'd done that, and I wasn't able to stop you, or help you, I'd question whether I was the right moirail for you, and I know I'm capable of having quadrants.
[Dualscar cuddles him close readily, but is silent for a long moment]
I remember howw bravve an stubborn he wwas.
[He lets out a breath, some bubbles coming from his gills as they open and close in a glub]
Evveryone makes mistakes sometimes. Wwhat if he wwere to spend time wwith Darkleer as a moirail and havve a success or twwo? That's the only wway he can learn that he's all right.
If he was the way I remember him, I'd suggest that. But I think that if Darkleer hurts him again like that--if he continues to fail--that will be a greater setback, one that he might not recover from.
[He laughs sadly.]
Besides, you remember how stubborn he was. That's a trait he didn't entirely lose.
[Dualscar grimaces. Psiioniic might not recover at all. He turns and rests his chin on Signless' hair, between his nubby horns]
I'll agree wwith that... [After a long moment, he reluctantly admits:] I don't knoww howw to help him, though. Does Darkleer recognize wwhat he did, before?
[He's just being realistic, okay. He hesitates, then tightens his arms around Signless]
I knoww you havve a lot a protectivve feelins about your friend, Signless. And he's fragile in his owwn wway. He needs your help. But has it occurred to you that you might hold him back a little by shielding him so much?
[He lets out a sigh] There's no one in the city I knoww of wwho wwants to make him more of a slavve or exploit his wweakness.
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DUALSCAR? ARE YOU BUSY?
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[Translation: He's doing fuck-all]
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Is evverythin all right?
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IT'S BEEN A LONG FEW DAYS. I JUST WANT TO RELAX IN YOUR SPA AND EAT SOME ICE CREAM. MAYBE WATCH SOME HORRIBLE, TRASHY TV SHOWS. DOES THAT SOUND OKAY?
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You wwant to tell me wwhat's gone wwrong?
It's not like you to be so dowwn.
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EASIER TO TALK THAT WAY.
I'LL PICK UP SOME ICE CREAM ON MY WAY OVER, YOU GET THE SPA READY.
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Wwell, come on in. I'll get some bowwls. Looks like you're ready to havve some serious ice cream time.
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[Signless slips off his boots and leaves them in the doorway, padding after Dualscar.]
Like I said... it's been a long few days.
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Tell me wwhat happened.
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Summoner's back. He's back, and he's different, and I don't know what he's going to do to the Grand Highblood, or what he's going to turn about Darkleer, and I am really, really tired of highblood politics.
[He glances up.]
Present company excluded, of course.
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I kneww he wwas back, an he doesn't seem that fuckin different to me. I don't give a flyin fuck wwhat he does about the Highblood, but wwhat's wwrong wwith Darkleer?
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Darkleer dumped Psii. They broke up before they were even completely together. Psii is taking it really hard, and now Darkleer is trying to get back together, I think, and I have to keep running interference and telling him no.
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I don't understand. Wwhy are you against this, noww? That blue-blooded carthorse is an idiot wwhen it comes to romance, there's no question a that. But if he's got his thoughts in order, I'd say that the b-- Psiioniic needs a steady moirail more than just about anythin' I can think of.
[Besides, maybe that would mean Signless wouldn't have to palecheat >( ]
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I agree, he does need a steady moirail, and that's the problem. When Darkleer was going off to attack the Grand Highblood and avenge Summoner, Psii was begging him, pleading with him, not to do it, and Darkleer ignored him. And now Psii is completely convinced he can't do quadrants at all, and having Darkleer trying to get him back into one isn't helping.
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But Dualscar tries to set his own feelings aside and address this. Signless needs him as a moirail, and if he doesn't do a good job, he might choose someone else.]
You havve to admit that there's a realistic chance that Psiioniic isn't capable a bein' a moirail to anyone. [He draws a breath, pretty sure that wasn't a good thing to say] But, in this particular case Darkleer wwent homicidal ovver the death a his matesprit, like highbloods are prone to. The same thing could happen wwith me under the same circumstances, and you might wwell be incapable a stopping me. So that alone is no reason to believve he's an especially bad moirail. Darkleer must not think so, if he's pursuin him again.
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[It hurts him to admit that, and he cuddles closer against Dualscar's side.]
You should have known him before, Dualscar. He was so strong and so brave, and so very, very proud... he seemed invincible, the strongest of us all.
[No, there's no point dwelling on that, focus on the problem at hand.]
But Dualscar... if you'd done that, and I wasn't able to stop you, or help you, I'd question whether I was the right moirail for you, and I know I'm capable of having quadrants.
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I remember howw bravve an stubborn he wwas.
[He lets out a breath, some bubbles coming from his gills as they open and close in a glub]
Evveryone makes mistakes sometimes. Wwhat if he wwere to spend time wwith Darkleer as a moirail and havve a success or twwo? That's the only wway he can learn that he's all right.
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[He laughs sadly.]
Besides, you remember how stubborn he was. That's a trait he didn't entirely lose.
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I'll agree wwith that... [After a long moment, he reluctantly admits:] I don't knoww howw to help him, though. Does Darkleer recognize wwhat he did, before?
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I don't know either, and that's the frustrating thing. I think Darkleer realizes what he did, but it's too late.
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I knoww you havve a lot a protectivve feelins about your friend, Signless. And he's fragile in his owwn wway. He needs your help. But has it occurred to you that you might hold him back a little by shielding him so much?
[He lets out a sigh] There's no one in the city I knoww of wwho wwants to make him more of a slavve or exploit his wweakness.
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You don't know that. And what if She comes back?
[He latches on to Dualscar suddenly, his arms tightening in a deathgrip.]
I'm not losing anyone else to her. I'm not.
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