Home is where the Hearts are

[spysinspades]

[The Green.

After so long, so much work returning to the Deck, he hated the very land for a moment.

It had landed him in the Green. Alone, in public view, in midday, amid a swath of empty grass. It was one last petty cruelty, he thought, for the Deck to display his shame in full public view. Even the very earth of his home betrayed him like this.

David had meant to sneak in, silent as a shadow, coming through the woods.To wander halls of all four castles, to be the ghost from people's nightmares brought to life. An avenging shade to feast on their guilt. These people, who didn't even have the decency to let him die with honor and instead left him to slowly rot as a vegetable in a hospital bed.

But no. He washed his hands of that. He would... not forgive. It was too big to forgive. He would accept the reality of his situation.

He returned because there was no where else he could imagine going, and because he would make them look him in the face - his pale, gaunt face - and understand that there were consequences to the choices the made.

They should have killed him.

He wished he thought that in anger.]

Fuck.

[Walking was really his only option here, leaving him wide open to anyone catching him out.]

Comments

[cutslikeaspade]

Lunchtime. Or, an hour where he didn't have to deal with recalcitrant lower Cards, rather. Kee'lah needed no urging; the pup took off once they stepped outside, more than ready to stretch her legs and annoy whatever hapless insect she could find.

Following suit, at least with the leg-stretching part, Ethan strolled about the Green, content to just walk, whistling to Kee'lah every so often, making sure she didn't wander too far. A figure not far caught his eye and he meandered that way, preparing to offer a good afternoon--then his breath simply stopped.

Ethan stared, in complete shock, eyes wide and for a second he actually thought he might pass out. Reflex then kicked in and he snapped his mouth closed, fists actually clenching to keep from instinctively pulling a blade, but he couldn't help his breath finally escaping, the word soft, barely audible:

"...papà..."

[spysinspades]

David had been sweeping through the Green, skirting the edge of the apparently-new tower (where had that come from? Bet it was the bloody Arcana, making more ridiculous building appear).

He did his best to sweep, despite travel-worn clothing and a dirt-smeared visage. Left to his own devices, he would have introduced to the Deck as a carefully-tailored, polite, icy, menace.

Fuck shit damn.

At least he kept his back straight, chin high, smooth mask in place. Had to be Ethan. Of course it fucking had to be Ethan.

Turning on his heel in a sweeping motion to face the boy was the best he could do for it. "You rang?"

[cutslikeaspade]

Masks. And come to think, he'd actually grown accustomed to not having to wear one these days. But it snapped firmly back in place, obscuring everything which was otherwise written plainly on his face. Cool, aloof, mirrored.

One eyebrow ticked, his own shoulders straight, and he replied with almost bored nonchalance, as one might casually greet a long-forgotten acquaintance, "Good to see you. Alive, that is." Although he'd made no inquires after returning home, Ethan had nevertheless feared the worst. A worry misplaced, it now seemed.

[spysinspades]

If he wanted to be a Joker, he'd have to pick a different mask then the one he'd used so long as King.

To that end, David stretched a sharp knife of a smile across his lips, nothing like the fatherly amusement he had used for so long. It should have looked out of place, but settled on the thinner features caused by the coma it fit right at home.

"I live to serve, my dear." It's almost pleasant, if one can ignore the brittle sharpness underneath.

[jack_of_trades]

Jack was in a hurry, mostly because he knew Elisha had probably put a tail on him. Granted, he'd yet to find them, but he hoped that they wouldn't chase him out of desire to not give themselves up yet. And he just needed a few seconds to make the drop- a note to Peter.

'Time to get out', because things were starting to get more and more tense. Particularly with the Spades in turmoil. What he hadn't expected when he came around the corner though was to run smack into someone.

"Oh shit, sorry...sorry." Fuck his life, he thought, glancing back and seeing someone skid around the corner of the last alley before ducking back behind it. So he had a tail, but he didn't get a look at who it was which was not helpful.

[old_dog]

He was crossing the Green with some rolls of large plans tucked under his arm. Spring was in a week's time and Michael had more or less taken over that children's garden project that never quite took off. He'd take any excuse to get out of the Castle at this stage - he had no interest in facilitating another confrontation with Clive over his relationship with Julien.

It was the middle of the day so he wasn't expecting to bump into anyone. Imagine his surprise when he saw David.

"David," he greeted. He gave the other man a curt nod in greeting, or maybe it was out of an old habit of deference that he had not yet managed to shake off.

"You uhm... you look like shit."

Some things don't ever really change.

[spysinspades]

A lifetime of reflexes hadn't saved him from being plowed into, but it did save David from taking a swift tumble into the grass. The turn wasn't the most graceful he'd ever preformed, but it got the job done.

"You'd best run faster. He's put one of the best on you." The 'he' was a 50/50 guess, but the 'one of the best' wasn't. If David had spotted that right, it seems someone decided to shanghai his erstwhile network.

Guess that plan was gone to pot.

Though, if that was the best the tail could do these days, maybe David was well rid of them.

[spysinspades]

"Thanks for that," David replied dryly. "Hadn't noticed."

A tiny bow that David manages to punctuate with a sarcastic flourish. If he kept that up, he might finally understand where all of Victor's wry politeness came from.

"I think it's all the fresh mountain air."

[jack_of_trades]

"What?" He had to look at David weirdly as he pressed his back against the wall and stared at the man. "How- how do you know about him? Though I'll give him credit. It is the first time I've seen him all week."

Which might not be the thing to tell some stranger, but fuck his life.

"Ever feel like someone is slowly waiting for an excuse to put a knife through your back?"

[old_dog]

"Wha-... hmm." What're you doing here was the question, but it didn't seem as important as the question he asked first.

"Did you manage to find the missus?"

[spysinspades]

A smile sharper than that proverbial knife flashed across David's face. "Always."

The man looked with his sette. Not exactly, not quite, but close enough for a double take and a long once-over.

"Who did you manage to piss off?" Who set the tail? Who spy-napped?

David wondered if he should blame whoever it was, but that thought was discarded quickly. Of course he blamed them. Did it really matter who they were?

[jack_of_trades]

"Uh, well. Long story. But you could say the King of Clubs seems to think I am something other than a mere two of Clubs." He said with a bit of a snort. "Paranoia is not a good look for leadership." Even if it was, technically right.

Scrubbing the back of his head, he held out his hand. "Jack, Jack Maynard." Might as well be pleasant right?

[spysinspades]

Find the-?

Hm.

That was an awful cover story. He did wish they'd managed to come up with something better, even if it was believable. He'd known exactly where Athena went to when she left the second time. No searching needed.

"It seems we have irreparable differences and are estranged for a lifetime. Women, you know." David found he didn't dislike Michael quite as much as he expected to, upon returning.

At least he'd always been fairly consistent.

[spysinspades]

"It's not paranoia if they're all out to get you," David offered blandly.

Taking the hand offered, he shook it without returning a name. Enough people would know of his return without purposefully spreading it across the Deck. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

[jack_of_trades]

"Ha, true. However, I am not out to get the King." He honestly just wanted to get his hands on one person in this Deck if nothing else. But news reached him that Victor Fox had taken off earlier. So there went that.

"I would say the same," he said, shaking the man's hand. "But I'm not sure what to call you?"

[spysinspades]

"I'm not particularly sure of that yet either. You hit your head and fall of Deck for a little while and everything just isn't as clear as it was before." What a ridiculous story for why his was away.

You know, this making up reasons was actually rather fun. Joker and their nonsense made so much more sense when you were on the other end of it.

Hadyn, I'm already in his journal

[maskofhearts]

Hadyn wasn't really doing much, it seemed. Walking from Club castle to Heart Castle to help Blythe with some last minute projects and contemplating his future cooking lessons when something caught his eye and he had to stop.

Perhaps it was a bit ridiculous that the sight of David still froze him in his steps, and twisted is gut tightly. The man might not have killed his father, but the stories his mother had told him endlessly had never quite been erased. Not yet.

"David," he said in a half-whisper, half-shocked voice.

Hadyn it is!

[spysinspades]

He was shamed. He was dirty. He was skinny as a stick.

And he could not escape the children.

"Mr. Novak," David acknowledged as he swept past, praying that they would leave it at that. Hoping without any real belief that the boy would let him sweep past, stuck in a stupor his appearance seemed to have pressed onto every living soul. "Good afternoon."

Polite polite polite.

[jack_of_trades]

"Ha, oh well. That doesn't seem, um. Well, you could just pick a name for now. Ryan. Ryan is a good name." Worked well for most basic things, and all. He smirked though. At least it wasn't the worst thing that could happen to him.

"Though, since you know I have a friend, perhaps you could help me in that regard. I have a friend who...would prefer no one knows his preference for men. My tail would certainly, uh ruin a good thing we have going."

[spysinspades]

Ryan, hm? The dark amusement is impossible to keep off his face. "A solid name, Ryan. I'll keep that in mind."

This man isn't nearly as good a liar as he should be, assuming he's in league with Elisha's spies.

"Indeed?" David made a show of looking over Jack's shoulder. "I'd hate for something to delicate to get out. Perhaps I could speak with your little nuisance. I seem to have lost my way."

[maskofhearts]

"Wait..." He said, turning to look at David in a bit of astonishment. "You're...You're alive?" He wasn't even sure why it surprised him, but it did.

He looked over David for the first time, really, and he frowned- seeming almost to pity him.

"You want a shower?" He asked after a moment, nodding in the direction of his flat. "No one will be home. You'll have your privacy." Because he could just imagine the fit the Spades would be throwing right now.

[jack_of_trades]

It wasn't entirely a lie. Peter might not be aware of his side in the whole affair, but it wasn't entirely a lie. No confused boy really wanted his sexuality to be displayed for the world before he figured it out for himself.

"I would be...immensely grateful for any help." He said with a smile, "might have to owe a favor in return sometime." Assuming he'd have the time to repay it.

[spysinspades]

David wanted to throw the offer back in Hadyn's face. Where had kindness been two months ago, hm? He didn't need a child's pity. Terror had been better.

His teeth clenched tightly, keeping the temper inside. Instead of spitting caustic words, David's lips tilted up into a sharp smile as he took complete advantage of what he believed to have been an empty offer.

"How kind of you. I would appreciate that greatly. Do lead the way."

[spysinspades]

Favors. David rather liked having favors owed to him.

"It would be my pleasure." Really. It gave him a chance to chat with the turncoat (that wasn't fair, everyone thought him dead).

What did he care about fair? "Good luck with your... friend."

[old_dog]

"Not really. But I'm sorry to hear that." If David had known about Julien he assumed he knew about Michael's boyfriend. He's not well versed in matters related to women troubles.

"So are you back to stay? You do know you're headed away from the Castle."