He doesn't grieve well

[acethatmatters.livejournal.com]

There was more than one problem with Lance's death.

The biggest one being that when Julien felt...well, felt too much, it was always Lancelot he ended up finding and needling and fighting. Sometimes talking, true. But more than a few of Julien's scars came at the Jack of Clubs' hands.

He'd re-paid that favor, of course.

But now the man is dead. Or gone. Both. And there's no one suitable to vent his rage on. No one worthy. Oh, David, perhaps, if he wanted to tear the Spades to shreds. And he doesn't. Victor maybe...if the man weren't still currently a cripple. He'd even briefly considered the King of Clubs, make it into something of a tradition, and the only thing that had stopped him was his utter contempt for the man.

So instead he's hidden himself away in some un-used room in the Castle with little in the way of furnishings, save an old, threadbare couch. And a few bottles of truly terrible whiskey, of the sort that set your insides on fire as it went down. Julien tended to believe that if you were going to get drunk, it was best to do so with something that hurt.

Come find the Ace of Spades at your own risk.

Comments

[maidenthespade.livejournal.com]

Katya thought long before seeking him out. They were not friends. People like she and Julien had few friends. David was easier to work with, yet she was not David's, had never belonged to any of them. Above it all, Julien is their Ace and has received blow upon blow. She had not allowed David to mourn alone. She would do no less for Julien.

She brings her flask and another bottle for the Ace before searching the unused portions of the castle. She will find him and sit and if he is willing drink toast to a fine man who should not be gone. And if not, well, she will ensure no servant loses his head for interrupting their Ace this night.

And that no ambitious number thinks to take advantage.

"I have brought you whiskey, but I see you are ahead of me," she tells him quietly when she finds him at last.

[acethatmatters.livejournal.com]

Julien looked up at her, a sneer curling his lips. "You should go."

The Queen of Spades just might be on the bottom of the list of people he'd prefer to see right now.

Of course, technically everyone is on the bottom of that list right now. Just someone in her position even further down than that.

[maidenthespade.livejournal.com]

She had not expected welcome. She would not have been surprised if her arrival had been greeted with flying knives.

She unscrews her flask and hefts it. "Dlya tekh, kto ne s nami."* She will drink her toast, for Lancelot, for Pyotr, and then she will leave him.



*For those who are not with us anymore.

[acethatmatters.livejournal.com]

"Pustʹ oni idut k chertu," he muttered in response as he took a swallow of his own drink.

Without realizing he'd momentarily lost his grip on English.

[May they go to hell.]

[maidenthespade.livejournal.com]

Ah. She had wondered. Pasha had been overly interested in their Ace. She says nothing at the slip, only approaches him softly and deposits the bottle at the side of the couch.

Her glance swiftly takes in his appearance. Then she stands and backs toward door. One does not take eyes off wounded lions.