"Every single time that you have told me that we're not talking about something, that you no longer want to be around me, or that you need me to drop it, I have. You're always annoyed with me, so 'I sound annoyed' is not an indicator I can actually use." Huff. "Neither is 'fine' or 'I hate you' or questioning whether what I'm asking is important."
"Every single time? So when you arrived here not half an hour ago and gave
me the choice of 'letting you inside' or 'being talked at through my cabin
door', which of those options would you consider 'dropping it'?"
"I didn't give you that choice. You said you would prefer I didn't come in. So I didn't until you opened the door and practically let me fall in." He turns his hand to Astarion. "Maybe you were doing something private. Maybe you didn't want anyone to look at you. Maybe you wanted to flip me off through the door. Maybe you just wanted to make me wait for it to prove I actually give a shit. I don't know. 'I don't want to talk to you right now, but I'm not dying' is a perfectly reasonable response and I know you know all of those words."
There's one other thing and he's not sure how to address it. Well... while they're at it.
"I won't set any kind of... anything around you lying to me. I'm not going to tell you you can't or that it's a qualification. The ability to lie, withhold information... whatever version? It's something you should have. I'm not going to fuck with that."
He breathes out.
"What I will say is that lying makes it harder for me to understand what's going on, which means there's going to be more questions, or I'll make mistakes in trying to do right by you. You don't understand me any better than I understand you, so you might get unexpected results. You will make this take longer, and I'm not- I'm trying not to be a dick. But the other options aren't options, as far as I'm concerned, so I have to go with what you say. So. Just...
"Think about it before you lie. Think about if it's really going to help you or if you're just going to make things messier down the road as we try to get this done. That's all I'm going to say about it."
"Oh, I'll sort it out eventually," which is to say he might not, but fuck
it. Living in a ruined depression hole feels appropriate right now, and the
torn curtains are more exciting for Aylin to play with. "The kitchens are
supplied with blood. It's fine."
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2024-05-09 05:52 pm (UTC)"Every single time that you have told me that we're not talking about something, that you no longer want to be around me, or that you need me to drop it, I have. You're always annoyed with me, so 'I sound annoyed' is not an indicator I can actually use." Huff. "Neither is 'fine' or 'I hate you' or questioning whether what I'm asking is important."
no subject
Date: 2024-05-09 05:57 pm (UTC)Astarion laughs, incredulous.
"Every single time? So when you arrived here not half an hour ago and gave me the choice of 'letting you inside' or 'being talked at through my cabin door', which of those options would you consider 'dropping it'?"
no subject
Date: 2024-05-09 06:01 pm (UTC)"I didn't give you that choice. You said you would prefer I didn't come in. So I didn't until you opened the door and practically let me fall in." He turns his hand to Astarion. "Maybe you were doing something private. Maybe you didn't want anyone to look at you. Maybe you wanted to flip me off through the door. Maybe you just wanted to make me wait for it to prove I actually give a shit. I don't know. 'I don't want to talk to you right now, but I'm not dying' is a perfectly reasonable response and I know you know all of those words."
no subject
Date: 2024-05-09 06:04 pm (UTC)"Gods. Fine, I shall endeavour to be more precise in my language when I'm in good health and merely want you to fuck off."
no subject
Date: 2024-05-09 06:36 pm (UTC)There's one other thing and he's not sure how to address it. Well... while they're at it.
"I won't set any kind of... anything around you lying to me. I'm not going to tell you you can't or that it's a qualification. The ability to lie, withhold information... whatever version? It's something you should have. I'm not going to fuck with that."
He breathes out.
"What I will say is that lying makes it harder for me to understand what's going on, which means there's going to be more questions, or I'll make mistakes in trying to do right by you. You don't understand me any better than I understand you, so you might get unexpected results. You will make this take longer, and I'm not- I'm trying not to be a dick. But the other options aren't options, as far as I'm concerned, so I have to go with what you say. So. Just...
"Think about it before you lie. Think about if it's really going to help you or if you're just going to make things messier down the road as we try to get this done. That's all I'm going to say about it."
no subject
Date: 2024-05-09 06:44 pm (UTC)Thinking? Before lying? Ha. He might as well ask him to think before breathing.
...which isn't totally inadequate as a comparison, since he doesn't need to breathe, either.
"All right, warden. Understood."
no subject
Date: 2024-05-09 06:53 pm (UTC)"Do you need me to make sure you have more blood on hand since your source is gone? Or anything else?"
And then a short pause before he looks around.
"...do you want to clean this up yourself or should I do it?"
no subject
Date: 2024-05-09 07:05 pm (UTC)"Oh, I'll sort it out eventually," which is to say he might not, but fuck it. Living in a ruined depression hole feels appropriate right now, and the torn curtains are more exciting for Aylin to play with. "The kitchens are supplied with blood. It's fine."
no subject
Date: 2024-05-09 07:07 pm (UTC)...John is going to really get to hate the word 'fine'.
"All right. Want me to fuck off?"
no subject
Date: 2024-05-09 07:34 pm (UTC)"Yes, please."
He seems to have relaxed very slightly.
no subject
Date: 2024-05-09 07:36 pm (UTC)[ He'll offer one more nod before heading for the door. ]