🔥 IC Inbox; hadriel

[restinglichface]

[Above art from diam0nade. Click image for direct link!]

Sup, nerd. I'm off doing something better with my time, so leave a message or whatever.

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[restinglichface]

Somehow I get the feeling you aren't looking for another magic demonstration. But no, not a clue.

[braveoff]

Washington.

[restinglichface]

And?

[she can play the one word reply game too]

[braveoff]

Just. Please don't poke the bear.

He's already won twice, I don't want Ephemera getting hurt again.

[restinglichface]

[that certainly grabs her attention]

Hurt again. Because the guy hurt him before. [lup's tone manages to stay neutral, but that might not last long with how this convo is going] How?

[braveoff]

...they don't see it as hurting, either of them. [ Which is a point of frustration for Drake, but. ] Ephemera tried to kill him when he showed up and Washington put him down. Shot out his flamethrowers... it was a mess.

I talked him into a truce, but Ephemera's violated it twice now. Everybody's got a breaking point.

[restinglichface]

[honestly? Lup's still pretty firmly on Ephemer'a side. Not just cause of brand loyalty, but because it made sense to her to just let the men beat it out of each other until it was out of their system. (Naturally, if there was death involved, she'd feel a bit different, but for now it was harmless. Her and Taako had experienced the worst the adult world had to offer as children and they'd survived. Two grown men would be just fine.)

But she also likes Drake. So here comes her own compromise.] Hey, I did my thing. My pal wanted a favor, so I did the nice thing and helped him out. Done and done.

[braveoff]

Okay. So that's it?

[ He has to know she's not going to go after Washington on her own. Needs to know it. ]

If one of them kills the other they're going to get locked into a cycle of it and... that can't happen.

[restinglichface]

As much as I like the guy, I got my own shit going on. [a surprisingly lot for being dead]

Ya girl's got zero plans to join into some male whose-dick-is-bigger contest. I owed the guy a favor. Now we're even. I wipe my skeleton hands of it.

[braveoff]

...good.

[ He looks very relieved to hear that, sighing and sinking back into the couch. Things are just... in a very delicate balance right now. Drake's stressed over it, but thinks he's got it under control. ]

My nose is definitely in it but yours doesn't have to be.

[restinglichface]

Yours doesn't have to be either, my guy.

[It's not much in the way of comfort, but Lup hovers a hand over his shoulder.]

Not sure if you've noticed, but Ephemera's kinda the soldier thing going on. He's a big boy. He'll be fine.

[braveoff]

[ No, Drake doesn't think that's true. And he feels responsible for his friend, after what Ephemera told him... that he'd still be Sharkface if it weren't for Drake. This has nothing to do with physical abilities, obviously Ephemera can fight better than Drake can. It's. ]

...he needs me.

[restinglichface]

Gay. [its her natural reaction, don't judge her]

Hun, you're a real sweet guy, but somehow between the armor and crap, I think he's got it on lock.

[braveoff]

[ Drake blinks, then scowls -- the first time Lup's seen that sort of expression on him. ]

It has nothing to do with armor. It has to do with keeping him--

[ Ugh this. Isn't his life to talk about. Drake presses his lips together. ]

Not everything's about fighting, Lup.

[restinglichface]

[she meets his expression with her own neutral look, but there's the slightest dip of her head, like she's raising an eyebrow.

but she stays quiet, too long to be a normal pause, before she softly concedes with a shrug of her bony shoulders.] Maybe.

[she has never spent a moment not fighting for her life in some capacity. she's only just come back from her own twelve-year personal hell a day or so earlier, so the surprising calmness in Hadriel isn't something she's used to yet.

[braveoff]

[ Well, it's something. And maybe he can give her a bit more, for it. ]

He... was someone else around Washington, before he got here. And it's a person he doesn't want to be again. If they can manage to not fight, it'd be huge.

[restinglichface]

[It helps a bit, just to fill in some of what Lup doesn't understand, but she crosses her arms and stares down at Drake.]

So, do you want me to stay out of it or not? I'm getting mixed signals, homie.

[braveoff]

I want you to be there for him without enabling? Like... don't go after Washington for him. No more loopholes.

[restinglichface]

[Is this how normal people deal with issues? Lup doesn't like it.]

How we do isn't any of your business, bud. [And even if there's a touch of an edge to her tone, she isn't saying it unkindly. It's just the truth.] What's your deal with Ephemera that you gotta go all mama hen all over his ass?

[braveoff]

...I'm just trying to help.

[restinglichface]

Did he explicitly ask for all of this help?

[braveoff]

We talked about it, yeah. If he wants me to butt out he'll say so.

[restinglichface]

[Weird. Getting weirder.

More to herself,] My lich form isn't stable enough for this shit.

So, lemme get this straight, he wants you to play mother hen, then? Like, are we talking about the same Ephemera? Tall guy? Fucked up face? Weird shark thing going on?

[braveoff]

He just... [ Drake scrubs at his face, not knowing how to put this. He doesn't appreciate the mother hen comments but is starting to question himself again. ] I don't know what you want to hear. You weren't there after their last fight. He was getting lost and I can't-- I'm not going to let that happen.

[restinglichface]

[oh. lup is listening. but it feels like, from the way she's turned to lean closer to him, that she may be trying to read him other ways]

....Is there something you're not telling me?