hadriel | [Video]

[Swift is, let's be honest, not great with using this thing. It feels clunky and unnecessary, but it's what he's got to work with. Not everyone is a har, so he'll learn to live with it. Maybe eventually he'll even get good at it.

As it is for now, when the video starts he's glaring at the screen and it catches the tail end of a curse before he schools his face into a more neutral, perhaps diplomatic, expression.]

As I understand it, Seel har Parasiel has been here for quite some time...alone, let's say. [Unsupervised. He means unsupervised. He hasn't had a proper babysitter.] I would like to take a moment to apologize personally if he's been incorrigible or stubborn or plain mean. I don't know all of what he said to everyone, but I'm hoping it won't be a problem for much longer. [It will still be a problem for a while until Seel gets used to having Swift around again, and he knows that. He's at least prepared for it. This by itself is going to cause a fight.]

If you are having problems with him, please don't hesitate to contact me and I'll make sure it's taken care of. Once again, I am very sorry and I'll do my best to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Seel is in the living room, because Swift has locked himself in the bedroom to make that damn video. Smart, because Seel was furious right now. Luckily, not furious enough to hit him but pretty damn angry. He spent some time silently on the couch, trying to remember how to breathe and unclench his muscles before turning on the video, even if he could have shouted through the damn door.]

Really Swift? You're apologizing for me.

Well, you weren't going to do it. Somehar had to. [Swift is not stupid, Seel.

No I wasn't. Because I do not need to apologize. And I certainly don't need somehar doing it for me.

[He means you.]

I can't believe you actually think you have nothing to apologize for.

[Seel scowled at that, but he knew that tone of voice and he knew that look. Swift was not happy.]

What do you want me to do?

Try to be a nicer har. Be polite to the neighbors. Maybe apologize yourself once in a while.

[Seel hated when Swift did that. The polite logic. The truth he couldn't actually argue with.]

What if I don't want to be nice? I enjoy being an utter bitch sometimes.

[A lot of the time.]

I noticed. But it never helps anything.

[Says you, he felt a lot better after he locked Cal up and tortured him for thirty years. And people wonder why he needs a babysitter.]

It helped me.

No, Seel, it didn't. Maybe it feels like it does, but it only makes things worse in the long run. I don't want to have to follow you forever, rebuilding the bridges you're burning.

Really? I thought that was what this relationship was.

It is if you keep behaving like a child. I'd prefer that it weren't. Do you think I enjoy fighting with you? Or having you be less than equal?

No, I don't.

[Dammit Swift, Seel hated it when you were like that. Reasonable. ]

I know our roles can't be changed.

[Under small things like pain of death. Or worse. Seel didn't want to test it.]

It's just hard sometimes.

[Sigh]

Seel...I wish it could be different. I truly do. But maybe there's a reason for things to be the way they are. [Namely, you are an ass who can't be trusted to be polite without someone glaring at you.]

Does that reason have red hair and divine power in his pinky finger?

....and I know you do.

Partly. But I begin to wonder if he maybe did know what he was doing.

You still know I love you, right?

I'm sure he did.

[Seel's thought about that a lot. After he locked Flick up and Swift forgave him. Mostly. After the fights and disagreements. After every time Swift had to put a hand on his shoulder and reign him back. Maybe Thiede was a better matchmaker than anyone gave him credit for.]

I know. I love you too Swift.