⚡ hadriel - ic inbox

[evocation]

This is Kyna. You should just text me if you actually want me to answer.

Comments

I love him tbh

[evocation]

[Kyna's mouth twists, and she plants her free hand on her hip, body language suddenly defensive, closed off.]

What are you talking about?

[requiemshark]

[She doesn't know. Of course she doesn't know. Who the fuck would want to admit betraying their own teammates?

Ephemera bares his teeth. He's being cruel and he knows it, but he wants to wipe that smugness off her face.]

I did a lot of shit. But I never murdered my teammates. You ask him. You fucking ask him why she's dead.

[evocation]

[Mission accomplished. She doesn't look smug at all anymore, just upset.]

Why the fuck would I believe you? You're probably trying to spin it so you can scare me off.

[requiemshark]

Ask him.

[Ephemera tips his head to the side. He's tensed up, good eye narrowed tight. This wasn't how he'd planned this.]

Better yet, ask him about Connie. I heard they were friends. But we buried her.

[evocation]

So you're just gonna throw a bunch of ominous shit in my face with no details? It doesn't mean anything.

[requiemshark]

[It wasn’t supposed to go like this. Ephemera isn’t sure where he went wrong, exactly. He opened his mouth and Kyna said what she said and he just—

Stop. Breathe. Control yourself, soldier.

Pathetic, Ephemera thinks. He can’t even get this right.

He twitches, shifting his weight uneasily.]

No. It doesn’t.

[Don’t make it worse.]

I shouldn’t have said that.

[evocation]

[She studies him warily, half considering telling him to fuck off and slamming the door in his face.]

Now you're backtracking?

[requiemshark]

Fuck you.

[This was a mistake. Ephemera steps back before he can say something else - anything else - and make it worse.]

[evocation]

Whatever. What the hell do you want from me, Ephemera?

[requiemshark]

What?

[That actually stops him. Ephemera stares at her.]

I don't want anything from you.

[evocation]

So you were giving me a half-assed apology to... What? Be nice?

[requiemshark]

I fucked up.

[Honesty is a thing he's trying now.]

I don't want anything from you, Kyna.

[evocation]

Jesus, you're not making any sense. Fucked up how? By coming over here or by spilling all of Wash's shit to try to make me hate him?

[requiemshark]

[Yeah, this was a mistake. A big one. Ephemera shakes his head. He was trying to right this one small thing, because it was a start. It was simple and it was supposed to be easy, except that Ephemera is fairly certain he's just made things worse.

He shouldn't have said that about Washington. Should've forgotten he'd read the damn file in the first place.]

Both?

[Yeah. That. Ephemera backs up another step.]

You won't see me again.

[He'll avoid her. He'll be careful about it.]

[evocation]

Fine.

[She offers the wine back.]

Don't worry. I'm not gonna fuck with you, either.

[requiemshark]

[He backs up another step.]

Keep it. Trade it, throw it out, do whatever you want.

[He doesn't want to come any closer or risk their hands touching if he takes it back. It's stupid and irrational and Ephemera knows it, but sometimes he gets twitchy and can't stand the thought of letting anyone close enough to pull a knife on him. Not when he's out of armor.

He tried to apologize. It didn't work, so he'll go away. There's still a chance that could be simple.]

[evocation]

[Kyna just lets him leave. That could have gone better.]