third roll | video

[o8liter8]

[ Mindfang looks kind of...frazzled when she turns the feed on. Her hair's rumpled like she's slept for a month (well, okay, she did), and she has a few fancy hats piled on her head. One of the hats tumbles down as she swings the camera around, and lands in a humongous pile of bee plushes just as she turns the camera to it. ]

Okay, just whose idea of a joke was this? It's not even funny, it's just weird and pointless!

[ She might also be a little freaked out that someone managed to sneak in and do all that while she was asleep...Mindfang is used to having very good reflexes. ]

And who put the damn robot in here, anyway?

Comments

[aim_exorable]

[But it loves you.]

[Also, at the query, it unhinges its chest cavity and pulls out the still warm plate. That plate is what gets offered to her. If robots could make sad expressions, this one would do so.]

[o8liter8]

...Waffles.

[ Sighs. Face, meet palm. ]

Where's Darkleer.

[aim_exorable]

[Just a blank robot stare. Lady, where do you think Darkleer is?]

[Also, still nudging the plate towards your hip. Eat one at least? Please?]

[o8liter8]

[ Stuffs one in her mouth and starts chewing as she storms off to Darkleer's hive. SORRY, WAFFLEBOT, YOUR DEVOTED YET PLATONIC LOVE WILL HAVE TO GO UNCONSUMMATED FOR NOW. ]

[aim_exorable]

[ONE IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR WAFFLEBOT. IT'LL WAIT FOR YOU, MINDFANG. IT'LL WAAAAAAAIT.]

[Darkleer, in the meanwhile, has gotten a report from the handy little thing. So when Mindfang finally storms up to his hive, she'll find Darkleer just sitting on the porch outside with his hands clasped together.]

[o8liter8]

What the hell, Ch- Darkleer? What are you even playing at?

[aim_exorable]

I'm not playing at anything.

[In a defensive habit he hasn't even noticed he's developed, Darkleer keeps that darn stoic face in place. However, his ears give everything away, lowering slightly.]

I simply thought that you would need sustenance after being unconscious for so long.

[o8liter8]

Because of course I'm too defenseless to get it on my own. There goes Inansa, can't do anything right! Thanks ever so for the halfhearted concern, good to know I'm still a project for you, even when I'm not doing anything.

[aim_exorable]

That's not what I think about you.

[o8liter8]

Bullshit. That's all I've ever been to you.

[aim_exorable]

You have never been that to me. You will never believe that, but that is the simple truth.

At one point, I think you were a great deal for me.

[o8liter8]

Oh, yeah, sure, when I was young and stupid enough for you, right up until I became the problem child and suddenly you had to actually deal with me. Fuck you too. I never needed your half-assed pity.

[aim_exorable]

No.

Until you left.

[Sighing, he just bows his head, squeezing both his eyes shut and his fingers around his own knuckles.]

It was never just half, Inansa. However, I cannot force you to do or believe in anything. I know that.

[o8liter8]

You left me long before that. I just made sure to get out before someone got you to fix your little problem by leaving me lying in a ditch somewhere. So don't run around pretending you're some kind of saint or like you really gave a shit. You're just making yourself feel better, making yourself look good. I'm not your feel-better squish ball, and I'm certainly not your project to sanctimoniously save from herself, Executor Darkleer, conscious or not.

[aim_exorable]

I am well aware I am no saint, and I know you are no project. I simply...

[He stops himself. Tries to start again.]

I just want you to be happy. There is not much of an ulterior motive besides that. Perhaps it would be easier if there was.

[o8liter8]

Happy. Happy! Yeah, I've been really happy this whole time, Executor, just ecstatic about you treating me like I'm three and still sneaking in to steal your food, like you're just here to clean up my messes.

Like you ever did a single fucking thing to make me happy. Like you ever cared! You just hide behind that as an excuse so you don't have to face anything.

[aim_exorable]

I'm sorry.

[And that's really all he can say.]

[For all he knows, it may very well be true. He's never been the most self aware troll in the universe. His experiences ever since the rebellion have shown him just how much he has to learn. Maybe he is just hiding still. Maybe he is just treating her like a child.]

[He wishes he knew what to do to make her smile again. It's deep in his memories, that image, he knows it is, but he hasn't seen it happen in ages.]

[o8liter8]

[ Mindfang slaps him. It pretty much makes her hand hurt, but she feels a little better for it. A little vindicated. ]

Fuck your "sorry." It's just another empty word. It doesn't mean anything, nothing means anything from you.

[aim_exorable]

[His head snaps to the side at that, glasses now hanging just a bit more loosely from his head. There's no effort to move his head from the position.]

I want that to change.

[o8liter8]

Oh, now you want to change? Now you want to make it all better? Like it's just that easy!

Stop- just stop fucking acting like this means anything when you're just going to push me aside again for the next better thing that comes along. I'm tired of this. It's a stupid game of cat and mouse with the pump biscuit and I'm sick of it.

[aim_exorable]

Is there anything I can say, anything to do, to get you to believe me?

[There is one thing Darkleer has learned in his time in Vatheon. He's learned it from Summoner, from Signless. There is no point in running from his problems and struggles with people. They will not go away. One way or another... He needs to fix this.]

[o8liter8]

I said to fucking stop it, you had your chance and all you said was that it was fine. Whatever you want, Mindfang, it's not like I give a fuck! You were perfectly happy to just end it, no fuss, no more problems for you. I've already seen over and over how much your "caring" gets me, which is a grand total of absolutely nothing, by the way. You don't care. You never did. All I've been is a waste of your time, so stop pretending you're just such a good person, so earnest and true! Stop lying, when we both know I never meant a thing to you besides giving yourself brownie points.

[aim_exorable]

...That's not what I said.

[Finally, and very slowly, he starts to push himself up onto his feet until he's standing before her. There's a subtle change in his expression, something less stonelike.]

I said if you wanted to leave because you thought I made you weak, then I would understand. If you didn't want me, then I would accept that.

However, that is not true, and we both know that. I may not feel the same kind of pity I did for you a very long time ago, but I still care! I know that's what you want from me. It's what I want to give to you.

[o8liter8]

If you're not after my pale quadrant then maybe you should stop trying to take care of me, asshole. You don't have the right.

[aim_exorable]

I don't need the excuse of a quadrant to want to make sure you're alright!