hadriel | Dirty Laundry [video]

[Seel's at the speakeasy, a glass of something very alcohol next to him, having run out of booze at home. It's obvious he's been there for a while as the mound of ash and spent cigarette butts is piled high. There's nothing quite like having to kill your best friend to really hammer home just how much your life sucks. This time at least, Seel's spreading the wealth. Be thankful he doesn't have dirt on the rest of you.

His words aren't exactly properly enunciated after that much alcohol, but at least cloud of smoke around him was dissipating into the rest of the speakeasy.]

I hear Pell's been here a while. You all probably think of him as a nice, upstanding member of your delinquent little society you've built here. I'm here to set the record straight. Nice people don't knock up their one night stands and then try to hide and pay off their dirty little secret. Your marriage is the most disgusting affront I've ever seen and your consort is a manipulative, conniving bitch. Cause that's what happens when you knock up gold digging rock stars. You marry them and they make your life hell and glue diamonds to their nails.

And then to top it all off you invite Cal to become Tigron with you? That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Pell's King of the World. And apparently Calanthe too--because all you need to do to get promoted is to become a lunatic, and a murderer. That's exactly who I would want to be in charge of things.

Oh, and Pell? While he thought you were dead, your beloved was knocking boots with Terzian. You know, the stone hard killer who liked to eat people and collected vats of blood? Their child looks exactly like him.

The rest of you? Pell has a fetish for blondes. Anyone thinking about bleaching their hair? Don't.

Anyone have any more cigarettes?

[/end video]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

So was what he showed me. With good reason, apparently.

[ He sets the knife down and rubs at his face, the shoulder Cal's holding on to dropping as he wilts. ]

It might. I'm going to have to do damage control. As for us... I can't say I don't care. But it's also not us yet.

I'm having a hard time believing any of it, and yet somehow I know it's still true. Maybe I just don't want to believe it.

[Then he does pull Pell into his arms and holds him there, quietly.]

What are we supposed to do?

[ It's just. Terzian, Cal, really? But after burning bridges by killing Orien, he supposes that's the only place Cal would have had to go. As for himself... he just can't imagine doing it. There are probably a lot of details Seel left out of his little rant, but...

He leans against Cal, hands coming up to grip his chesna's shirt. ]

Ignore him, at least for now. I suspect when he sobers up he's going to call asking to come back. Or did you mean about knowing...? I've no clue what to do about that.

Ignore him. You say that so easily. Especially after that story.
[Sigh.]

Children... Are we supposed to just accept that? What was he trying to do?

Just don't pick up the phone, I don't think he'd risk showing up in person.

[ Yeeeeah, they both have kids now, apparently. Which is bizarre. Not to say Pell doesn't want children eventually, he certainly enjoyed his time with little Swift, but knocking up a stranger? Not how these things should go. Part of him wants to know more about this consort, wants to know what sort of parents they are, at least, since their marriage is a sham. Most of him wishes he'd never been told. ]

I don't know what he was trying to do besides ruin my life, but it doesn't look like anyone's taking him seriously. It doesn't make sense. How could he hate me so much and say we were friends?

It's not you he hates, Pell. It never was.

So he betrays me to get to you? That's stupid. And petty. And still achieves nothing.

I ruined his life. Twice, apparently. And I don't think he was much considering how logical his warnings were.

True. No one is in danger of getting knocked up.

[ He leans back, peering up at Cal. ] He did also tell the whole city you're a murderer. Not that it's a rare trait, here.

I am. [He's never tried to hide that, really.]

Terzian. My god...

And disclosure of that shouldn't be up to him. [ He shakes his head. ] Not that it was the takeaway in his message.

...he was probably the only one you could go to, after Orien. We know he wanted you for it.

Another beast. I suppose we attract each other.

We know you don't stay with him. You come back to me. Or whatever horrible version of me that still exists.

But a child? God, Pell! That's a tie, I notice, he didn't mention that we have. [That, if he were honest, he never even wanted. Did he really change that much?]

He didn't mention I had a "consort" either, let alone an accidental child with him. He hid these things on purpose. He knew that we, us, from this time, wouldn't want it. Wouldn't want to know.

Of course we wouldn't! [Why hadn't he just let Seel stay in that damn colosseum? Why did he have to bring him back?] God, I am so tired of being held accountable for the things I can do nothing about. The shit that hasn't happened yet.

[ Pell just holds on a little tighter, because he's sick of it already and it's only just become an issue for him. ]

I'm going to have to call my friends tonight and head this off.

Do. Although I doubt most of them believe it. For all I can tell the entire place thinks you're an angel.

Also inaccurate, but preferable.

Oh? Why innacurrate?

No one's perfect, Cal. Notably I'm a brat, and stubborn, and selfish about certain things. It's just that none of that comes up often here.

Perfect is boring, anyway. [He runs a hand through Pell's hair, although he still can't quite bring himself to smile.] It couldn't hurt to play it up a little.

[ Pell does smile then, amused despite himself. ]

Well most of my value here is what I can do. It doesn't matter if your healer has a shitty personal life, as long as they heal you.

People ask questions, though. There aren't so many here that the gossip won't carry. Call your friends.

...after dinner. Let me think about what to tell them. Because I don't believe he's lying.

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