(Untitled)

[somuchheart]

It's funny, how momentous news always travels in packs. Since Ceiro's resigning, there hadn't been anything to dull her growing optimism. In the space of three days, though, she can pretty honestly say her life has changed

Comments

[headfollowheart]

News travels fast. And even during weeks like this - how many times does a building fall on the same day you request and get permission to challenge in something you aren't the most confident in, anyway? - Zoe's going to make time to go over to Heart Castle.

This isn't...exactly the scene she was expecting. Although maybe she should have been, considering their conversation earlier that week in the lingerie boutique. Blythe had wanted to be Ace once, but she'd been satisfied with Ten. And Zoe knows there are some things you can't say no to. You can't say no when the Queen of Hearts asks you to be your Ace.

She only hesitates a second before she comes in, sinks down in one of Blythe's chairs. "Hey."

[somuchheart]

Blythe looks up as she enters, biting her lip hard as Zoe walks in. She's sort of gotten used to the lump in her throat that's been in her throat for at least a couple hours now. As long as she doesn't actually break down into tears, she'll be alright. Or something.

"Zoe." Her voice shakes too much on the simple word, and she gets out of her chair to lean against her desk, nearer to the other woman. There's a long pause, and Blythe finally says in a low voice, blinking determinedly, "Isaac might be-- Isaac's dying."

[headfollowheart]

"...Oh," Zoe breathes out. And that's it for a moment, though suddenly some things make sense. Why Chives was so strange last week, why Urania's been like a ghost.

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. Do you know...know what it is?"

[somuchheart]

Blythe swallows, crossing her arms tightly and looking away. "They think it's... a glioma. Brain tumor. That's what- what all the headaches were. So... he's Outside now. With a specialist." It surprises her that she manages to get out the words, choked as they are.

[headfollowheart]

It's on the top of her tongue to say there might still be hope, but...she can tell, somehow, that there's really not. That this is a last ditch effort, and she swallows before standing up and wrapping her arms around Blythe. "I'm really sorry, Blythe," she whispers.

What a hell of a time to become Ace.

[somuchheart]

Blythe hugs her back tightly, tearing up just a little. "He-- he was-- is- he's usually so wary of- of the Outside, I can't imagine how..." Blythe sniffs and pulls back. "Well-- he has Urania and- and Chives, so he'll be... I expect he'll be fine. Until... he'll be fine."

[headfollowheart]

Zoe rubs her hand down Blythe's back. "Then, at least, he has people who love him with him?" She says it softly, because she knows it doesn't really help. "Even if you can't be there, you know that."

[somuchheart]

"Yeah." She whispers it, nodding a little. "I just... Four days ago, everything was... everything was alright, you know? God."

[headfollowheart]

"I know." Four days ago they were laughing over underwear. And ten the embassy fell, and Zoe got a front row seat to a crisis. Then Isaac and Urania and Chives left. Then Wren left. "But...everything will be alright again, you know? It will be."

[somuchheart]

"Yeah. Things... things will work out. They have to." Except for Isaac. But she won't think about that right now. Nope. Not at all.

[headfollowheart]

"They do." Otherwise life was hopeless, and it wasn't, no matter how bad it seems sometimes. "I promise it'll work out."

[somuchheart]

"Yeah." Blythe nods, then tries for a lighter tone. "It's... odd, isn't it? That we were just talking about this a couple days back?"

[headfollowheart]

"Completely weird," Zoe agrees. Though she's pretty sure, at least, that she's not about to be named Jack of Spades. "But, you know, maybe not wanting it so much will make you a good Ace. Because it'll be about the job, not the prestige."

[somuchheart]

"I hope. I really hope. Because otherwise, I really don't think I'm the right choice, to be honest."

[headfollowheart]

"I think you'll do fine. And you'll be there for the Hearts, and isn't that the most important thing?"

[somuchheart]

"Yeah. Yes. I can... I have to... I should be able to... I don't know."