🔥 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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[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?

[braveoff]

[ Drake frowns. Of course there is, stuff that isn't his to tell. What Sharkface was like, how Washington described him, how Ephemera said he wasn't even a person anymore until here, until Drake. Just why he was letting his friend take the wheel. ]

If you want to know much more I'm going to have to call him.

[restinglichface]

[it's not quite what she meant, but the specter shrugs, leaning back] Nah, I get it. Leave that one dick alone and don't encourage Ephemera.

[braveoff]

...that's it, yeah.

[ Drake visibly tensed over the course of the conversation and seems to relax a little now, relieved she's not going to keep pushing for things he can't explain. ]

He'll tell you more, I'm sure. It's just not my story.

[restinglichface]

[Noted. Lup can do her own investigating.]

Fair. Wouldn't ask you to throw down deets on his shit anyway. [She wouldn't want that to happen to her, for how close she keeps her stuff close to her chest.

But with that outta the way, we deffo all need to hang out together.

[braveoff]

Sounds good. You could still kick our asses at poker, we just need to play for something different. Or we could play on teams.

[restinglichface]

Depends on the team. If it's us against them, they're gonna get obliterated.

[braveoff]

Nah, you can help him. It'll be fun.

[restinglichface]

Me and him against you and your girl. It is on.