paradisa | (no subject)

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stephanie brown

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I--I can't find Kara. She went back, to see if she could get people out, but I don't...

I checked the wreck and the clinic. [Let's hope this feeling in her gut is just leftovers from this whole ordeal.]

Kara, you better just be... somewhere here. Respond ASAP, or if anyone's seen her--blonde hair, blue eyes, pretty--let me know.

Bathouse

[It's been a blur since they got back. Journal entry done, Steph's in the bathroom, shirt off and held against her chest. Her back is to the mirror, and she turns this way and that, trying to get a good look at the stab wound Lucrezia left.

How sad is it that a knife in her back is the easiest thing to focus on right now? Cass is somewhere, Tim is somewhere, and there's a whole lot of repairing to do, it feels like. But right now, she just wants to see if she's pulled her stitches.

Didn't they just have to rebuild from an earthquake?]

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[He shakes his head, not about to deny it but not particularly willing to talk. It's a dreary thing and there has already been enough dreariness.]

It's nothing to be concerned about right now. I am more concerned about the two of you.

[Cass won't be the one to force it out of him, if he wants to tell he will and if not it's none of their business anyway. So she just nods and goes to sit beside Stephanie.]

Space sucked.

[And that's about all she has to say about it, really.]

We're alright, though. Don't worry. [Maybe not, but they will be. She watches Ezio with a small frown. What's up, bud?]

[He sits on Stephanie's other side, seeing as there's no room between the girls, and he lifts an arm to put around her. Come cuddle, baby. Cass can, too, if she wants to move.]

I know you can take care of yourselves, so for that I do not worry... but even the bravest of soldiers feels shock after seeing horror. If what I have heard is true...

[She sees the invitation in his body language and really, between the three of them, it's possible Cass is the one that's hurting least. The things she saw weren't new things, no one stabbed her, she isn't hiding some sadness from either of them. Ezio and Stephanie are the hurt ones and if he wants to be close and be comforted, she can do that and she can do it happily.

So she gets up and switches sides, but she'll let Steph do the storytelling if she wants to. Once she's leaning against Ezio, she reaches behind him to find Steph's hand, squeezing it lightly in case she needs encouragement to speak.]

[Steph cuddles him closely, and when she drapes her free arm over him to nearly touch Cass' lap, he's in a Batgirl sandwhich.]

Do we want to start with Lucrezia stabbing me, Kara being MIA, or everyone going hysterical, violent, and other terrible things?

[He relaxes, feeling pleased to be back with his ladies, back to such affection.]

Lucrezia is the most concerning, it sounds ...

Everyone saw things. Some people... the ship took, to show more. Lucrezia was one.

Yeah. Tim was another.

[Just their luck, right? Steph sighs. It occurs to her that Lucrezia will either a.) be a wreck, or b.) not even bother trying to apologize.

Probably B, given their encounter before everything went crazy.]

Gotta hand it to irony, though. Lucrezia stabbed me in the back. Literally. It's funny, right?

[Ezio looks alarmed –– granted, he always knew she was a Borgia and that entailed certain things, but for her to stab Stephanie? She's worse than he thought.]

She stabbed you. That is... more extreme than what I expected.

[Cass' grip on Steph's hand tightens because it's not funny. She should have been there to protect Stephanie, to stop anyone who tried to hurt her, and she had failed. Twice. At least with Tim, there had been a chance to make him pay for what he had done. She has no idea what to do about Lucrezia even now.]

Told you. Space sucked.

[She won't even mention that it was while she was hugging her. Steph just squeezes Cass' hand.]

Really, really sucked.

What do you intend to do with her?

[Cass leans forward a bit to see around Ezio, curious as well what Stephanie will say and what her body will tell her.]

Nothing. [They're done. They should have probably been done before. Steph's more angry now than anything--why did she keep trying for so long? Best case scenario was that they have an awkward, pretend friendship with no trust on either side.]

I don't tend to hold people accountable for their actions when they're crazy, but I do appreciate apologies when stabbed under any circumstance. You know how she is with that crap.

So, whatever. Lucrezia is just that chick in the mansion.

[Ezio shakes his head.]

As much as I loathe to tell you that I warned you... she's always been a Borgia.

Not Steph's fault. It's hard, to just... stop loving people. Heart doesn't always listen to head.

Her loss.

[It's childish and bitter, but whatever, she's allowed to be. Thinking about all the arguments she'd had with Ezio over Lucrezia and her brother makes her even more upset. Of course, she doesn't regret most of them, but the fact that she has absolutely no idea...

Ugh.]

It is her loss.

You've protected her from far more than she knows.

[Him, namely.]

You have my permission to tell her, if it would soothe you.

[Sorry Ezio, Cass is leaning across you so she can reach for Steph and hug her tightly. She hates seeing her so upset, this entire situation sucks just as hard as being in space did and there's not much that can be done to make it better.]

Still have us.

[So sorry, Ezio. Steph smiles and kisses the top of Cass' head.]

I definitely do.

But I can't tell her. [Telling Lucrezia that Ezio wants to kill her family seems too cruel, now. Better just let her think they're unworthy or her presence or something like that. Plus, there's no way she's throwing Ezio into the potential path of Joshua.]

Things are fine the way they are. I'm more than soothed just by being with you two.

Whatever pleases you, bambina.

[He watches them... Haha :(]

[When Cass lets go of Steph to sit up straight again, it's hard to ignore Ezio's :(. She frowns at him, then slips both arms around him to hug him next.]

Hug Ezio, Stephanie. He's very sad.

Hey.

[That's concerning. Thank you, bestie with the awesome cheat. She doesn't hug him, but she does put her hand under his chin to tip his face towards her, so she can look at him. What's wrong, baby :(]

What happened, Ezio? We did our talking, now it's your turn.

[He doesn't resist, but he wants to; he's not sure he can admit to having lost another relationship now, when he's only just gotten the hang of it.

But who can resist those pretty eyes?]

Ahh... Lana has left Paradisa.