"I didn't do it for anyone," she remarks. "Not for anyone outside of me." She didn't do it for Mikodez, which is a revelation she's made over the past few weeks. "I did it because I was selfish. And frightened." And stupid, she adds but does not say.
She breathes out. "I have spent my life pretending to be someone else. Emulating him so carefully that I had most people fooled. In the span of months, I've shed all of that. It's - exhausting to take charge of your own life, it turns out. Fortune included."
"Well, that's what I plan on doing," she tells him. "Going back with Mikodez. Retiring. Sitting around and making him miserable for the rest of his life."
It's a plan she didn't think she could ever stomach. But she knows who she is outside of him now.
"He deserved it. As did his bride." She looks down, thoughtful. "I thought
I could make that my hobby. Now that I don't need to learn everything that
Mikodez does. I can focus on what I want."
"Well, I'm no art critic, but I like them! Vivid and elegant but still swishy and fun. Cohesive without being regimented. And everyone's smiling and moving like they feel their best."
That Crowned with Eyes intuition, casually tossed out with thoughtless, absolute certainty.
"That is the ultimate compliment," she murmurs. "I don't think it would be
worth it if they were pretty but uncomfortable. What did you wear for your
wedding?"
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2025-12-29 06:23 pm (UTC)"Jed'ika told me what he could about the end of the war, but he didn't know your part."
no subject
Date: 2025-12-29 06:26 pm (UTC)She hates that a lot. Her voice is soft as she speaks into the table.
"The explosion? The one that killed the hexarchs? That - was me. They were all meeting together, Mikodez included. Only it was - it was me. Not him."
no subject
Date: 2025-12-31 03:50 am (UTC)"I know you didn't do it for me, but thank you anyway."
If he were a better person, he might try to say he was sorry, too, but even he's not a good enough liar to make her think he means it, so he doesn't.
no subject
Date: 2025-12-31 03:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-12-31 03:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-12-31 03:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-12-31 03:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-12-31 04:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-12-31 04:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-12-31 04:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-01-01 08:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-01-01 08:57 pm (UTC)"And some of us liked the life of leisure. Sitting around."
no subject
Date: 2026-01-02 12:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-01-02 03:08 am (UTC)"No. You're right. It's what I plan on doing when I go home. Spirel was right; I need to retire."
no subject
Date: 2026-01-03 04:58 pm (UTC)"As much as I hate to say it, she's right."
no subject
Date: 2026-01-03 05:00 pm (UTC)It's a plan she didn't think she could ever stomach. But she knows who she is outside of him now.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-03 05:29 pm (UTC)"What else?"
no subject
Date: 2026-01-03 05:31 pm (UTC)She brings uo her slate where she has pictures and videos, sliding them over to him.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-03 06:14 pm (UTC)He leans in eagerly to see.
"Oh, John! Good for John."
no subject
Date: 2026-01-03 06:16 pm (UTC)"He deserved it. As did his bride." She looks down, thoughtful. "I thought I could make that my hobby. Now that I don't need to learn everything that Mikodez does. I can focus on what I want."
no subject
Date: 2026-01-03 06:19 pm (UTC)Of course he's met people already.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-03 06:21 pm (UTC)"Thank you," she murmurs. "They were - they put a lot of faith in me."
no subject
Date: 2026-01-03 06:25 pm (UTC)That Crowned with Eyes intuition, casually tossed out with thoughtless, absolute certainty.
"And that's probably the most important thing."
no subject
Date: 2026-01-03 06:28 pm (UTC)"That is the ultimate compliment," she murmurs. "I don't think it would be worth it if they were pretty but uncomfortable. What did you wear for your wedding?"