use_everything | [IC Inbox]

Yeah.

[ She sighs, stretches. ]

Well, I'm sure that if anyone can handle it, you lot can.

My goals are a bit more focused than that.

[He sets his chin on one fist, looking down at the feline. ... It IS a blastedly strong urge to resume an idle petting, even with the weirdness of knowing WHO it is.]

I do wonder which one of you convinced the other of this particular endeavor.

[ A little laugh. ]

Well. I was going to do it alone at first. He...convinced me to take others with me. [ A beat. ] I'm terribly glad he did, even if it did put him in a bit of danger.

I daresay none of you were in 'a bit' of danger. Though the strength in numbers is quite rarely physical.

[He lifts a hand, and stops, it hovering before her awkwardly.]

[ A little awkwardly: ]

You can pet me. I would really quite like it, actually.

[There's a beat, and then he givers her a nearly military half nod before the scritching resumes, occasionally pausing to rub an ear.]

... You've told them, already, I trust.

[ She relaxes into it, pressing her head up against his hand. And she confirms: ]

Yeah. They know. [ A beat. ] I needed to check to make sure they were all right. I was worried about them.

[He uses barely more than knuckle to rub along her cheeks and chin, but she's almost worryingly tiny like this. Aral is... quite a bit more delicate with the petting now that he knows it's a person, somehow. He'd never actually thought about how SMALL cats are.]

They closed ranks and kept their illusion admirably well in the aftermath. I am surprised the Soviets took action against Lucifer actually, I may have underestimated them.

[ That raises a purr from her. It rumbles pleasantly through her chest; her eyes close as he rubs that knuckle on her head. ]

Well. My death meant that they weren't able to get the names of my co-conspirators out of me. Which I imagine displeased them very much.

[ She cracks one eye open to look at him. Cautiously, she admits: ]

That's why I asked Lucifer to kill me. So that I wouldn't be able to give any of you up.

[That confession wasn't one he expected. The petting halts a moment... and then resumes.]

Was that display also planned?

[ That's a little better than she expected. She opens both eyes and responds to him: ]

Yes and no. I asked for it to be public, so that Gregor and Nicolas would absolutely get word and flee if they had to flee. So that the Soviets couldn't suppress or interrupt the message in any way. The torture...That was Lucifer's addition.

[His expression is inwardly focused, calculating.]

It seems I truly have no measure of him. Did he work with you in our shared interest or merely to take such an opportunity for himself?

[ She hesitates, then confesses: ]

I don't know. Honestly. I think...it was for the fun of killing me, more than to help me. But I'm not sure.

Ah. [Men like that, they are not particularly the worst of all evils, and it seems the theists view of the devil, a personal tormenter rather than a grand maestro, seems to at least hold for this incarnation. But evil none the less.]

... You should know you have aid available, upon your call.

Oh.

[ She looks down. ]

I'm not afraid for myself any longer. I don't think he has any lingering hatred towards me. I'm more worried for Miles. And for Gregor.

Hm. As am I.

You've volunteered, as I have heard it?

Er - volunteered?

To help assure some safety... or what may be gathered in such circumstances.

Oh, yes. Well - I volunteered long ago. But the offer still stands, regardless of anything else that might have happened. Lucifer wants to come after either of them, he's going to have to go through me.

Have you won against him? [There's no doubt, a certain tactically based curiosity instead in full measure.]

Not him directly. But someone a lot like him, who thought to just use his powers against people to hurt them and for nothing more.

[ Her head settles down on her paws, but her face is wary. ]

I don't want to fight. I'm tired of fighting. But if he comes after those boys - [ Who are several years her senior, but still boys - ] I'll smash his face in.

I believe I am familiar with the sentiment.

[He reaches back over to rub her ears.] With some luck, there may be no need to take up arms.

[ She leans up into his hand with a happy sigh. Though: ]

Yeah. And how often do you lot get lucky?

[He turns attention to just under the chin, just enough nails for a proper scritching.]

Ah, what's the phrase Cordelia uses... "There's a first time for everything?"

Mmmmm.

[ Her whiskers twitch in approval of these scratches. And she sighs: ]

Yeah. I guess even you Barrayarans could get lucky. Though it really doesn't sound like it's happened much in your lives.

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