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[takethat]

[Thanks to Larry not knowing how to operate a stepladder correctly, Phoenix is currently laid up in bed, blue cast on his right leg, and an endless stream of whining ever at the ready.

He's also incredibly bored. Painting and drawing got old long ago, and he can't seem to stay focused on anything he tries to read. Never mind that he could probably pretty easily get out of bed and actually do something despite his (not very severely) broken leg...

He whines, over-dramatic, into the journal.]

Don't trust Larry Butz, everybody... he'll just break your bones and make you miserable...

...on a related note, come and sign my cast.

[With a bit of apprehension, he adds a filter.]



Um... Trucy? ...mind keeping your uh... old man... company for a little while?

[Good lord but he feels ridiculous even asking this of a teenager he's only just recently met.]

Comments

[takethat]

[He bites back a laugh at the ladder when he notices it.]

Actually, this guy named Larry is completely responsible for it... he knocked me over! All because I wouldn't paint a--

[naked lady]

--something on his wall!

[magicalwright]

A something? Are you sure it wasn't partly your fault?

You do kinda attract these things!

[takethat]

I--what now?? It's not my fault! I was going to help him with the painting but he didn't like the way I was doing it!

[Or, he didn't like that Phoenix wouldn't paint a naked Franziska on his wall.]

[magicalwright]

You're supposed to give the audience what they want, Daddy! That's the first rule.

So if it was his wall, why wouldn't you paint what he wanted? [ She's signing the stepladder with "your favourite daughter, Trucy! ♥" ]

[takethat]

Because I didn't think it was the kind of thing that needed to go in someone's bedroom.

Especially not someone like him.

[magicalwright]

What do you mean?

[takethat]

....it was full of questionable content.

[He grins conspiratorially.]

And therefore unsuitable for minors.

[magicalwright]

Oh. That's a little weird. Why did he ask you to paint it then?

Oh! Speaking about bedrooms, whose room is this?

[takethat]

[Just ignoring that first question because he is very unprepared to have The Talk with this girl.]

This? It's Miles's room.

[magicalwright]

Does he not mind housing an invalid then?

[takethat]

Oh, he probably minds it.

[A laugh]

But... he's taken care of me quite a lot, actually, here in the castle.

[magicalwright]

Really? He doesn't exactly seem the nursing type!

[takethat]

You're right, he doesn't. But besides me, he takes care of his pets like they're royalty... he hides a soft side.

[magicalwright]

Huh. But he's so scary looking, Daddy! You wouldn't really expect someone who pushes people out of windows to like pets...

[takethat]

[A shrug; trying to hide that fond smile from Trucy probably isn't working out so well.]

He's not as nasty as he tries to make himself seem.

[magicalwright]

But why does he try to make himself seem nasty?

[takethat]

That's... a long story, and one I'm still not sure I know all the pieces of...

[magicalwright]

Dark back story, right?

Can I get you anything, Daddy?

[takethat]

[That earns a laugh]

No, I'm good, thanks... You know, you're pretty good at that. Guessing what people are thinking, or.... whatever.

[magicalwright]

I've had a lot of practice at it! Especially in court now!

[takethat]

You... go to court, do you?

[magicalwright]

Somebody has to cheer Polly on! Otherwise, he'd get flustered by Mr. Gavin!

[takethat]

I just can't get over not knowing who any of these people are... and you not knowing Miles, either.

[The temptation to ask more about the future is strong, but he refrains. For now.]

[magicalwright]

You'll meet them soon enough! [ ha ha ha sob She doesn't want Phoenix to meet them, especially not Mr. Gavin. Klavier means that case. If Phoenix is paying attention, he might catch the small hesitation as she straightens her diamond pin. ]

Then you could be all mysterious and tell them you already know all about them!

You could be really cool, Daddy!

[takethat]

[He'll pick up on the hesitation, but not quite be able to place it; he writes it off as some residual awkwardness between the two of them and their different time periods.

It's easier to laugh than worry, anyway.]

What do you mean I "could be" cool? I'm very cool!