(no subject)

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

[Sweat beaded on his forehead, and dripped down David's nose. He ignored it, completely focused on his practice - the flowing movements and the thoughts he let buble behind them.

Dominick had turned out to be a very good assistant indeed. The office was sorted and organized in no time at all, with a new system for incoming reports and information. Though he should remind Ethan he needed a weekly summary report of information he gathered, as well as.

These were the kinds of things he thought about while trying to reach that calm center people told him had to exist. That calm center he at least managed to pretend was there when he fought.

It had been six months since he fought even remotely in public. A few more since he'd trained. But it was good to use the Spade training rooms every once in a while - when time and daylight granted him the gift.

Nice to remind the Castle he was still King - and he would be for a while.]

Comments

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

Am I disturbing you?

[ A valid question. ]

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

At this point in my life, very little you do can disturb me.

[Not anymore. He was fairly sure.]

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

Now, I wonder whether that is a good sign or a bad one.

[ Don't bet, David. ]

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

I think that wound depend on your point of view.

[He was so very sure of himself in this area. But one never knew when such things were going to come back and bite them in the ass.]

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

Which, in turn, depends on yours, doesn't it? At least in this case.

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

I suppose you're right.

[And if he were a kind man, a nice man, he would fill that in for her, give her something other than confusion to work with.

But while David was a good man, he was neither kind, nor nice.]

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

Great, then let's pretend it's a good sign.

[ What? The option is valid.

Good signs, in turn, mean the slow, semi-subtle invasion of David's personal space. ]

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

If that's what you'd prefer.

[So bland, so useless an answer. But she was invading his space again - the way he lad last time they'd talked. And she smelled... Like herself. Like she always had, and it had him stepping back to try and keep the bubble between them.

Retreating, like a coward. He squared his shoulders to keep it from happening again.]

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

[ She does hesitate for a moment as he stepped back. Unsure. ]

Can't always have what I prefer, can I?

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

That's not generally how it works, no.

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

[ Well, he didn't back up more, so maybe moving closer again won't go over too badly. ]

I'll try, though. I told you so.

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

[His jaw tightened with the effort it took not to move back again. He would not retreat, not from her.]

I do seem to remember you mentioning as such.

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

I do seem to remember your reaction.

[ Which. Wasn't all that bad. Confusing, but certainly not bad. ]

Pfft. html fail there.

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

[His reaction. Yes. Well. He regretted it the moment it was done.]

Of course you do.

Let's pretend it didn't happen~

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

[ She's standing close now, very close. ]

Was it all that bad?

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

[His jaw clenches tighter, before he forces it loose.]

No, the year preceding it was.

[And didn't you understand that, Athena? he'd have given her the world, everything he was capable of giving. And it had never, ever been enough. Not once.

Not to stop her walking out.]

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

I can safely say that the majority of what I did that last year were either mistakes or largly regrettable miscalculations on my part.

[ There is a difference. ]

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

[What was that? Regrettable miscalculations?

Ordering enough napkins to drown the castle, that was a miscalculation. What she had done? That... that had been...

He didn't even know what to call it.]

...Excuse me?

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

Okay, all of it was entirely my fault and no one but me can be blamed for it. I am aware.

[ She just really hates it. ]

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

So you've admitted that much, at least.

[Unfair unfair unfair. He was always being unfair to her.

What was the point in changing his ways, now? Beyond peace between the Suits. That... well. That thought got him to relent, if only slightly.]

Not... everything could have been completely your fault.

[Even if it was easier to blame her, blame her for everything and ignore his own, crushing guilt.]

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

Well, but that seems to be the general consensus! And I can't take it back, I can't make it better-- [ And yelling at him while standing this close was odd, so stepping back was a good idea, wasn't it? ]

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

[His hand reaches out, grabs her wrist before she can step away entirely[

Is it, now? Who have you been speaking to?

[Other than him. No one was allowed to slight her, other than him.]

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

[ She stops, glaring. ]

How would that be your business?

[ It's defense, now. Though she doesn't try to free herself. ]

[spysinspades.livejournal.com]

[He didn't mean for his hand to tighten, and when he realized it was still around her wrist, David dropped the appendage before he could hurt her.]

I want to make sure it's not all in your head, again.

[Because he surely thought it was, and... he had his ways of dealing with those that let their tongues wag too freely.]

[needsnomirror.livejournal.com]

[ She doesn't step back any further, and she isn't glaring at him anymore, doesn't even look at him. ]

What if it were? It wouldn't make it any less true.

[ It's difficult, for her. The acknowledgement that one of her biggest enemies might be her own mind. ]