Forty Third Sip

[mal_addict]

[So, in an effort to make her feel...less angry about the events of the last few days, Maladict has gone into town, deciding to throw herself more into her best person duty. After all, if Brock was stupid happy stupid enough to want to get married, he should at least have a decent sendoff. And the art was in the preparation for this sort of thing, she was sure. She flicks through her journal as she walks]

You know, I never thought it would be this easy to find Seamstresses in this world. Guess I was wrong. Seems it's forever the most common profession if people want it to be or not. Nice to know some things are the same here as they are back home.

[Brock]
Candy Muff or Diamond Slick.

Pick one.

[Nikola]
[Ugh, this is not easy to say, especially after her 'you have to make right what you did' rant. Humble pie does not taste good at all]

So, I won't be guarding you any more. I'll probably visit or...something. But no more guarding.

Comments

[longaevus]

I would thank you to mind what you say in public forum. [ Her tone is sharp, and as angry as she sounds at them (because she is) she's also hurt. And it's telling. And to hear that they think that of her, particularly James? It's downright cruel ]

[mal_addict]

O good, I'm glad one of us told them. I was waiting to see how far their could put their collective feet in it.

[Yup, she sounds annoyed. You in trouble, boys]

Just so you know, fellas, in case you're not paying attention to Helen's tone, women really don’t find it attractive when men talk about them like their worlds revolve around who they are or are not interested in. And they find it even less attractive when they’re compared to one another like which is the best goldish to win at the fair. Little FYI there.

[longaevus]

[ Had Helen not already closed her journal she may have liked that. You go, Mal ]

[unnaturalpause]

[It's bad enough Helen got on them but you Mal?

Any of that apologetic tone he had with Helen is gone replaced with, something like hurt, anger at this. He had been stupid to not filter this, but then to have it rubbed in his face?

Girls just don't start making him feel more miserable than he's already starting to feel.]

I can already tell that Maladict, no need to reiterate the point. [No he's not happy.] Though that was hardly the point being made. [The real point was they were actually getting along and were too stupid to filter.] So before you, start sounding so superior, I suggest you stop, now. [His tone makes it rather clear this is one thing he doesn't want to touch. It's one thing to say his feelings to Nikola, another to explain it to Mal.

And quite another to Helen.]

[mal_addict]

[Maladict doesn't sound apologetic at all. She doesn't do apologising at the best of times, but that conversation hit her rawest nerve, the one thing she could not, and would not tolerate. Someone else trying to decide her future for her]

Don't confuse anger with superiority, James. That would be a very stupid mistake.

[Her tone is angry, and betrayed, and underlying it all a touch of hurt. That once again she was reminded she would never measure up to the heights Helen had been place in Nikola's eyes. But the betrayal hits her the hardest, after everything that happened in Peace Patrol, she had had her fill of being disappointed in people she cared about]

I thought you were both better than that. More fool me.

[unnaturalpause]

As if today has proven I can make, intelligent decisions when it comes to my and others emotions. So I do apologize in advance for any more stupid things I may say.

[So the angers gone as he realizes how much he hurt her too, and he's just turning it back on himself. He doesn't want Mal to have to measure up to Helen, that's not how this works, not how it's supposed to be. So he's sounding rather, bitter as he talks not at her but more at himself and Nikola...

And when did he feel the need to vent at Nikola of all people?]

As did I, so don't feel as if you are alone in that regard. Apparently I was a fool to start with. [But, now he knows things aren't going to go well so he just sighs.] I'm sorry Mal, between anger and bitterness and, I'm just sorry. [It's not a lot, but he hopes it's a start.]

[mal_addict]

Good, so you should.

[She's quiet for a while. Seething a little, still. Old issues brought up which sting]

Fine. Just don't think you can presume you can map out my future for me ever again. What I do with my life is my decision, no one else's. I had to run away and fight in a war to gain that right, I won't have anyone take it away from me, good intentioned or not.

If he ever does decide to ask me, it will be my choice if I agree or not.[Her tone suggests it is going very much in the 'or not' category right now. The Helen stuff hurt a lot more than she's willing to let on to James]

Maladict

[unnaturalpause]

[He writes in a filter here before going on.\

I was not suggesting any sort of control over your future. You have as much a say in this as anyone, even more so as it is your life. And if you got the impression I was out to control your future or Helen's than I do apologize. All I will say is be thankful you have a future to give a damn about, and are worried others will try to control.

[Chew on that some Mal, James is just going to go and brood over things now, but the journals open still.]

James

[mal_addict]

I've lived long enough without a future to know what it's like, James. The brooding thing won't work on me. Nice try though.

Go cool yourself off, have a cuppa or something and bear in mind you have one HERE.

Maladict

[unnaturalpause]

[He's ignoring that well, for the most part. Would you people stop making him think about a future he has here? Because he knows how depressing him leaving here could be if he considers that :/]

Again, I, do apologize Maladict, I didn't mean, to imply anything.

James

[mal_addict]

[No. NEVER]

Yeah. Well. I guess I can forgive you. You didn't know. [Unlike Nikola :|]

Maladict

[unnaturalpause]

[You all suck :|]

Thank you Maladict. And if there is, anything I can do...

James

[mal_addict]

Yeah, punch Nikola repeatedly.

[...Is she joking or not. Hard to tell]

Maladict

[unnaturalpause]

I will keep that in mind.

[He's not really, he's tempted if he can.]

Though there is always the possibility of just pinning him against a wall on a spike I suppose to make that an easier possibility.

[James don't think about physically harming your friend, just don't.]

James

[mal_addict]

...Well. There is that.

[She's approve of this right now]

Maladict

[unnaturalpause]

...and not to high a voltage of electricity can also, I presume, hold him in his place as well.

[You know. Because of things and delicious irony and all that.]

James

[mal_addict]

I don't think I'm that angry at him. Even I have a line, apparently.

Maladict

[unnaturalpause]

Which is, much better than I can say for most who deal with Nikola. [At least she doesn't shoot him for fun too come to think of it...] However I hope you are never so angry as to do that to him as well.

James

[mal_addict]

I guess I have a special something. [She snorts] What? Air my dirty laundry in public? No, thanks.

Maladict

[unnaturalpause]

Anyone who deals with Nikola on a regular basis has something special about them. [And he says that rather dryly.]

James

[mal_addict]

I'm fairly certain it's a prerequisite.

Maladict

[unnaturalpause]

I am as well, as Helen once said, he is an acquired taste.

[vampirize]

Maladict...

[OH GOD oh god now all the realization is just hitting him like a train. He tries to backtrack, tries to think about what exactly he said that peeved her off, but then he realizes that maybe the entire conversation was enough.]

[He sounds incredibly emotionally drained, and just a tad bit imploring, because he can tell just by the tone of Maladict's voice that this will not be something he will be forgiven for so quickly.]

Maladict, I...

[God, he doesn't even know what to say.]

Nikola

[mal_addict]

[She throws up the filter because she is not going to air her issues publicly, oh no. There has been quite enough of that, thank you very much. She's certainly angry. And hurt]

You know what I went through back home, what would even posses you to think you could talk like that? As if you had some sort of rights over my future?

[She's quiet a moment, almost considering not continuing. But no. She's annoyed and it upset her. Probably more than she's willing to admit]

And though I'm painfully aware I'm just a consolation prize, and will never achieve the heights of the great Helen Magnus in your eyes, I would appreciate it not being stated right where I can see it. Could you at least try to be discreet about it?

[unnaturalpause]

[Oh shit. They forgot to filter this entire thing...and he said some things...and this?

He's just going to go and hide in his room now :/]

Helen, [Because he hears all of it, and he can guess how she's feeling, how he would feel if he had heard this. He hadn't meant it to be cruel, far from it, but...] I'm, [Sorry for venting my frustrations at my only other long term friend? Sorry for thinking you heartless? Sorry for still loving you and wishing I knew if you felt the same?] sorry. I, didn't consider this, taking the turn it did and, just, I'm sorry. [He sounds it, more so apologetic than tired (but he sounds that too).]