Lose What You Had
Title: Lose What You Had
Fandom: The Princess and the Frog
Character(s): Lawrence, Prince Naveen
Genre: Angst, drama
Rating: K/G
Disclaimers: The Princess and the Frog © Disney
Notes: Written for disney_uberland's Mystery Double Pair-Ups challenge. Members were partnered up with someone to make a team of two. Each team had a fanfic writer and a graphics maker, and each team had to do a creative collab. Given that I suck at graphics, I signed up to be a fanfic writer.
This is a story I had actually started when Princess and the Frog was still in theaters. I wanted to try something rather different when I started this story, but I never did quite manage to finish it. When this challenge came up, though, I thought it was a good time to give it a try. Now that I'm done, though, I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm worried I rushed the end a little bit, just to get the story done in time before the deadline (yay for putting it off until the last minute...), but I think it still ended up all right. But let me know what you think. Hope you enjoy!
Summary: 'Lawrence could only gape at the prince before once again burying his face in his hands. He had actually trusted a man who cast a voodoo curse based on a children's fairytale? What was he thinking?'
Lose What You Had
If he thought things were bad before, it was only going to get worse from here.
That's all there was to it. Lawrence knew that even with the help provided for his defense, he was going to prison. The Shadow Man was nowhere to be found, and while that meant there was no way to really explain how he had done what he'd done, that also meant there was no one to advocate for him against the indicting witnesses (not that Lawrence really expected any assistance from him anyway). Plus the charges against him were staggering - kidnapping and impersonation, among other things - and that Mr. La Bouff was more than willing to use his influence to see him put away for several years.
And that was just if he remained in the United States. There was always the possibility that they would send him back to Maldonia, where he could face an even worse punishment. After all, cut off or not, Naveen was still the crowned prince and next in line for the throne. His actions, then, were nothing less than treason to the crown. While he may not be executed, the penalty for his crimes might make him wish he was dead anyway.
In other words, his life was over.
"Oh, how did I ever get in such a mess?" he moaned, burying his face in his hands.
Yet even as he spoke the words, he already knew the answer. He had always prided himself on being sensible, especially more sensible than the charge he'd been forced to look after. But he had somehow let his anger and jealousy get the best of him, acting out of greedy impulse and striking a deal with a crazed voodoo witch doctor to gain retribution for his past suffering. He hadn't thought it all the way through though, and now that he'd been caught, he was paying the price for his recklessness.
His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden clang against the bars, and Lawrence jumped slightly as he looked up at the officer who stood outside of his cell.
"You've got a visitor," the officer said curtly. Then he nodded to someone just out of sight.
Lawrence rose to his feet curiously, wondering who would ever come to visit him. Then his eyes widened as Naveen slowly stepped into view and stood beside the officer.
"Thank you," the prince said, slowly removing his hat and sticking it in his back pocket.. "Would it be all right if I…spoke with him alone for a moment?"
The officer frowned, eyeing Lawrence as if trying to determine if the chauffeur was a potential threat or not. "I suppose," he finally replied, reluctant to do so. "If you need anything, though, let me know."
Naveen nodded. "Very well. Thank you, officer."
With a polite tip of the hat, the officer then walked out of sight, leaving Naveen alone in his company.
At first, things were silent between them as Lawrence simply stared at his former charge. He wasn't sure how many days had passed since the Mardi gras parade, but the last he remembered was that Naveen was still a frog. He recalled seeing the prince talking to Miss Charlotte as he was being arrested, but now…
"H…h-how?" he wondered, just barely forcing out a whisper.
Naveen didn't say anything for a moment, watching him with a serious expression that looked strange on the prince he used to know. Then, with a small smile, he gave a casual shrug. "All I needed was to kiss a princess," he replied.
Lawrence could only gape at the prince before once again burying his face in his hands. He had actually trusted a man who cast a voodoo curse based on a children's fairytale? What was he thinking?
With a frustrated groan, he let his hands run down his face before fixing the prince with a glare. "Well? What are you doing here?" he asked, turning his back to the prince. "Come to see my suffering, have you?"
"Lawrence…" Naveen said, an almost helpless tone in his voice.
The small cot in his cell sagged under his weight as he sat on it. Leaning against the wall behind him, he looked at the prince between the iron bars. "So? What do you want?"
If he paid closer attention, he would have noticed how unusually tense Naveen seemed to be. "I…wanted to see how you were doing," Naveen finally replied.
If Lawrence had a rational moment to think, he would have been surprised at the sound of concern the prince spoke with. And perhaps, somewhere in the farthest corner of his mind, he was. Instead, he let his anger take over as he jumped to his feet, his fists clenched tightly. "How does it look like I'm doing?" he snapped, his hands waving in a frantic gesture at the jail. "My life is ruined!" He began pacing around in his cell, his small feet heavily pounding into the gritty floor. "Oh, if you thought you were cursed as an amphibian, just wait until you see what will happen to me when I'm forced to pay for this egregious mistake!"
He pointed an accusing finger at the prince, a wild look in his eyes. "You never believed me when I told you about the consequences for your choices? Let's hope this is a good lesson for you!" Then he laughed, bitter and dry. "And even now, it seems I will never be done looking after your royal highness!"
Naveen frowned, his brow furrowed in a trouble expression. "You are right…" he said softly. "And…I am sorry."
Lawrence froze in the middle of his rant as those words reached his ears. "What?"
Shoulders slumping a little as he sighed, Naveen ran his fingers through his dark hair. "I have had some time to think, and I realize…that perhaps things would not have turned out this way for you if I had treated you differently…better. And for that…I am sorry."
Lawrence stared at the prince, unsure of what to say. After all, how long had he spent telling himself that exact same thing? How many hours had he spent blaming Naveen for all his misfortune, and holding the prince accountable for this wretched predicament? There was nothing else to say, because all his thoughts had already been said.
But hearing Naveen actually admitting it…It was very unusual. Just as he was beginning to learn himself, it was much easier to blame others than to accept the blame yourself, and it was something that Naveen did best. For as long as he had taken care of the prince, he had known Naveen to place the burden on someone else's shoulders (mostly on him, Lawrence reminded himself). So he could never recall the prince ever taking responsibility for his own actions before.
In fact, just the idea of Naveen coming to see him in jail was surprising. He rather expected Naveen to simply forget about him, at least until the time of his sentencing in which the prince would of course testify against him. But not only was Naveen here visiting him - so serious, so silent, so unlike the thoughtless and frivolous fool he'd been forced to tend to - he was actually acknowledging that he was partially at fault for the things that happened?
When had Naveen become so…mature?
"What…what are you doing here?" Lawrence wondered, more curious now than anything else.
"Well," Naveen said slowly, sliding his hands into his pockets, "when you are finally released, you will have some…difficulty returning to society, yes?"
Lawrence scoffed. That was certainly an understatement. "That's if I'm released," he retorted. "I might be sent back to Maldonia and face charges there."
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, the prince nodded. "Yes…" he said, as if finally remembering something. "Father and Mother did wish to discuss the matter as well when they arrive next week…"
"What?" Lawrence looked at the prince with wide, frightened eyes. "The king and queen are coming here? So soon?" He thought he would have more time before facing the Maldonian royals, to at least come up with an explanation for his actions and hopefully reduce his punishment somewhat. But if they were coming that soon…!
"Yes…" Naveen's voice interrupted his panicked thoughts, "they will be here with little time before the wedding, but it was the best we could do on such short notice."
"Wedding?" Lawrence sighed, partly relieved. At least the wedding would keep the king and queen busy for a while and give him a little more time, but he shouldn't have been surprised that the prince ultimately made this choice. "So, you're getting married after all, hmm?" he asked, a bit of annoyance in his tone. "I'm sure Miss Charlotte must be thrilled."
Naveen blinked curiously. "She does appear so. Although from what I understand, she and Tiana have known each other since childhood, so of course she would be happy for her friend."
Lawrence frowned at the unfamiliar name. "Tiana?"
"Yes. Tiana is the name of my wife."
"I see…" Lawrence said, eyeing the prince suspiciously. "And how much money does this 'Tiana' have?"
Naveen folded his arms across his torso, looking as though he was offended by the question. "Well, she has used all her savings in order to buy her restaurant."
Lawrence blinked. "Savings?"
Naveen nodded. "And there is still much work left to do, but when the restaurant opens, it will hopefully be enough to -"
"What? Wait, wait…" Lawrence took a step toward the cell bars that separated him from the prince. "Do you mean to tell me that you actually married a girl who has no money? And you're willing to work at this restaurant?"
Naveen frowned. "Well, it would not be fair to say she has no money, she simply invested it into the restaurant. And yes, I will do whatever I can to help her at the restaurant. But it will be worth it when the restaurant opens…" His eyes seemed to light up suddenly. "Which reminds me…"
Lawrence blinked, a little wary about the way the prince was looking at him. "What?"
"Well…" Naveen rubbed the back of his neck. "Things will be hard for you after you are released from jail. And things at the restaurant might be very busy. We imagine that it will be immensely popular, and people will come from all over to dine there. So…I was thinking…"
A switch seemed to go off in Lawrence's mind as he realized exactly what Naveen was thinking. "Wait, wait, hold on a minute," he said, holding his hands up. "Are you…offering me a job?"
Naveen rubbed the back of his neck, appearing just as flustered about the idea as Lawrence. But he still nodded. "If you would like it, it will be there for you...Although," he added hesitantly, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "perhaps I should mention it to Tiana first..."
Words refused to form in his mind as Lawrence gaped at the prince. He always considered himself a reasonable man, and used as much (if not more) common sense as most other individuals. And he was certain that, being the practical person he was, he would never try to help someone who had betrayed him in such a manner.
Perhaps then he shouldn't have been so surprised by this turn of events, since Naveen had always been less sensible than he was. But still, after learning how he was involved in the whole thing...Naveen would actually give him a job?
He rubbed his head, still dazed by the mere suggestion. "Why on Earth would you offer me work?" he blurted out, finally looking at the younger man.
Naveen shifted uncomfortably, trying to hide the tension in his shoulders as he slid his hands back into his pockets. "I...As I said before, if I had appreciated your services and treated you more as you deserved, maybe you would not have turned on me. And in some ways, I wish to make that up to you. But, after all you did that time, I would also like to...to thank you."
Lawrence was actually surprised that Naveen could still say something that would shock him. But that last statement completely threw him for a loop. "Thank me?" he echoed. "For what?"
"Well..." Naveen glanced down at the floor as he lightly kicked the iron bars of the prison. "I realized that...if you had not agreed to work with the Shadow Man, I...I would not have gotten the chance to know Tiana as I did. It's strange to think about, but if you had not betrayed me, Tiana and I would not have fallen in love, and we would not be getting married soon..."
Naveen continued speaking about something else, but Lawrence had difficulty listening any further. Was...was that really how things turned out in the end? After everything that occurred...after taking such an enormous risk, and all the trouble he went through...this was really the outcome? And he had helped this all happen?
His hands trembled as he placed them to his brow. "No..." he murmured, shaking his head. "No!"
The sudden outburst stopped whatever else Naveen wanted to say. "What?"
Lawrence turned to his former charge, a hard glare fixed on his features. "I do not want any favors from you," he seethed, "and I am not asking for your pity."
A look of pain and confusion swept through the Maldonian's face. "Lawrence, I...I only wish to help..."
Lawrence snorted. "You want to help me? Then just go and leave me alone!"
Naveen frowned, his lips drawn in a tight line as tried to think of how to respond. But when nothing came to him, he looked away again and rubbed the back of his neck. "You are certain that's all you'd like?"
Lawrence didn't respond this time, and though he continued to glare at the prince, he felt something in his expression waver.
But if Naveen noticed at all, he said nothing about it. Instead, he simply nodded. "Very well then," he said, his tone holding a finality befitting his royal status. Retrieving his hat from his back pocket, he placed it on his head and began to leave. However, he only made it a few steps before he paused again, looking back at Lawrence once more.
"Take care," Naveen said, and Lawrence realized that the prince really meant it. Then, with a small tip of the hat, Naveen disappeared.
Lawrence watched him go, waiting until he was completely gone before stepping back and sitting heavily on the bed. He sighed, almost sadly, as he ran a hand over his bare head.
Perhaps...perhaps this was fitting, after all. For everything he had done, he was left with nothing while Naveen had much more than anyone imagined he could have. So here he was, about to spend the rest of his days to be punished for his heinous actions that, at the same time, had given Naveen an opportunity to become a different person, and to become happier than he had ever been before.
But just as Naveen had changed, he had changed as well. Accepting Naveen's offer to work at the restaurant...to still work under him...was just something he could no longer do. He was no longer the same person he once was, and he couldn't allow things to return to the way they used to be. Though he understood the punishment might be severe, his exploits had at least given him the power to make his own decisions. His life was finally his own now.
Having given up everything else, it was all he had left to hold on to.
The End
Fandom: The Princess and the Frog
Character(s): Lawrence, Prince Naveen
Genre: Angst, drama
Rating: K/G
Disclaimers: The Princess and the Frog © Disney
Notes: Written for disney_uberland's Mystery Double Pair-Ups challenge. Members were partnered up with someone to make a team of two. Each team had a fanfic writer and a graphics maker, and each team had to do a creative collab. Given that I suck at graphics, I signed up to be a fanfic writer.
This is a story I had actually started when Princess and the Frog was still in theaters. I wanted to try something rather different when I started this story, but I never did quite manage to finish it. When this challenge came up, though, I thought it was a good time to give it a try. Now that I'm done, though, I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm worried I rushed the end a little bit, just to get the story done in time before the deadline (yay for putting it off until the last minute...), but I think it still ended up all right. But let me know what you think. Hope you enjoy!
Summary: 'Lawrence could only gape at the prince before once again burying his face in his hands. He had actually trusted a man who cast a voodoo curse based on a children's fairytale? What was he thinking?'
Lose What You Had
If he thought things were bad before, it was only going to get worse from here.
That's all there was to it. Lawrence knew that even with the help provided for his defense, he was going to prison. The Shadow Man was nowhere to be found, and while that meant there was no way to really explain how he had done what he'd done, that also meant there was no one to advocate for him against the indicting witnesses (not that Lawrence really expected any assistance from him anyway). Plus the charges against him were staggering - kidnapping and impersonation, among other things - and that Mr. La Bouff was more than willing to use his influence to see him put away for several years.
And that was just if he remained in the United States. There was always the possibility that they would send him back to Maldonia, where he could face an even worse punishment. After all, cut off or not, Naveen was still the crowned prince and next in line for the throne. His actions, then, were nothing less than treason to the crown. While he may not be executed, the penalty for his crimes might make him wish he was dead anyway.
In other words, his life was over.
"Oh, how did I ever get in such a mess?" he moaned, burying his face in his hands.
Yet even as he spoke the words, he already knew the answer. He had always prided himself on being sensible, especially more sensible than the charge he'd been forced to look after. But he had somehow let his anger and jealousy get the best of him, acting out of greedy impulse and striking a deal with a crazed voodoo witch doctor to gain retribution for his past suffering. He hadn't thought it all the way through though, and now that he'd been caught, he was paying the price for his recklessness.
His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden clang against the bars, and Lawrence jumped slightly as he looked up at the officer who stood outside of his cell.
"You've got a visitor," the officer said curtly. Then he nodded to someone just out of sight.
Lawrence rose to his feet curiously, wondering who would ever come to visit him. Then his eyes widened as Naveen slowly stepped into view and stood beside the officer.
"Thank you," the prince said, slowly removing his hat and sticking it in his back pocket.. "Would it be all right if I…spoke with him alone for a moment?"
The officer frowned, eyeing Lawrence as if trying to determine if the chauffeur was a potential threat or not. "I suppose," he finally replied, reluctant to do so. "If you need anything, though, let me know."
Naveen nodded. "Very well. Thank you, officer."
With a polite tip of the hat, the officer then walked out of sight, leaving Naveen alone in his company.
At first, things were silent between them as Lawrence simply stared at his former charge. He wasn't sure how many days had passed since the Mardi gras parade, but the last he remembered was that Naveen was still a frog. He recalled seeing the prince talking to Miss Charlotte as he was being arrested, but now…
"H…h-how?" he wondered, just barely forcing out a whisper.
Naveen didn't say anything for a moment, watching him with a serious expression that looked strange on the prince he used to know. Then, with a small smile, he gave a casual shrug. "All I needed was to kiss a princess," he replied.
Lawrence could only gape at the prince before once again burying his face in his hands. He had actually trusted a man who cast a voodoo curse based on a children's fairytale? What was he thinking?
With a frustrated groan, he let his hands run down his face before fixing the prince with a glare. "Well? What are you doing here?" he asked, turning his back to the prince. "Come to see my suffering, have you?"
"Lawrence…" Naveen said, an almost helpless tone in his voice.
The small cot in his cell sagged under his weight as he sat on it. Leaning against the wall behind him, he looked at the prince between the iron bars. "So? What do you want?"
If he paid closer attention, he would have noticed how unusually tense Naveen seemed to be. "I…wanted to see how you were doing," Naveen finally replied.
If Lawrence had a rational moment to think, he would have been surprised at the sound of concern the prince spoke with. And perhaps, somewhere in the farthest corner of his mind, he was. Instead, he let his anger take over as he jumped to his feet, his fists clenched tightly. "How does it look like I'm doing?" he snapped, his hands waving in a frantic gesture at the jail. "My life is ruined!" He began pacing around in his cell, his small feet heavily pounding into the gritty floor. "Oh, if you thought you were cursed as an amphibian, just wait until you see what will happen to me when I'm forced to pay for this egregious mistake!"
He pointed an accusing finger at the prince, a wild look in his eyes. "You never believed me when I told you about the consequences for your choices? Let's hope this is a good lesson for you!" Then he laughed, bitter and dry. "And even now, it seems I will never be done looking after your royal highness!"
Naveen frowned, his brow furrowed in a trouble expression. "You are right…" he said softly. "And…I am sorry."
Lawrence froze in the middle of his rant as those words reached his ears. "What?"
Shoulders slumping a little as he sighed, Naveen ran his fingers through his dark hair. "I have had some time to think, and I realize…that perhaps things would not have turned out this way for you if I had treated you differently…better. And for that…I am sorry."
Lawrence stared at the prince, unsure of what to say. After all, how long had he spent telling himself that exact same thing? How many hours had he spent blaming Naveen for all his misfortune, and holding the prince accountable for this wretched predicament? There was nothing else to say, because all his thoughts had already been said.
But hearing Naveen actually admitting it…It was very unusual. Just as he was beginning to learn himself, it was much easier to blame others than to accept the blame yourself, and it was something that Naveen did best. For as long as he had taken care of the prince, he had known Naveen to place the burden on someone else's shoulders (mostly on him, Lawrence reminded himself). So he could never recall the prince ever taking responsibility for his own actions before.
In fact, just the idea of Naveen coming to see him in jail was surprising. He rather expected Naveen to simply forget about him, at least until the time of his sentencing in which the prince would of course testify against him. But not only was Naveen here visiting him - so serious, so silent, so unlike the thoughtless and frivolous fool he'd been forced to tend to - he was actually acknowledging that he was partially at fault for the things that happened?
When had Naveen become so…mature?
"What…what are you doing here?" Lawrence wondered, more curious now than anything else.
"Well," Naveen said slowly, sliding his hands into his pockets, "when you are finally released, you will have some…difficulty returning to society, yes?"
Lawrence scoffed. That was certainly an understatement. "That's if I'm released," he retorted. "I might be sent back to Maldonia and face charges there."
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, the prince nodded. "Yes…" he said, as if finally remembering something. "Father and Mother did wish to discuss the matter as well when they arrive next week…"
"What?" Lawrence looked at the prince with wide, frightened eyes. "The king and queen are coming here? So soon?" He thought he would have more time before facing the Maldonian royals, to at least come up with an explanation for his actions and hopefully reduce his punishment somewhat. But if they were coming that soon…!
"Yes…" Naveen's voice interrupted his panicked thoughts, "they will be here with little time before the wedding, but it was the best we could do on such short notice."
"Wedding?" Lawrence sighed, partly relieved. At least the wedding would keep the king and queen busy for a while and give him a little more time, but he shouldn't have been surprised that the prince ultimately made this choice. "So, you're getting married after all, hmm?" he asked, a bit of annoyance in his tone. "I'm sure Miss Charlotte must be thrilled."
Naveen blinked curiously. "She does appear so. Although from what I understand, she and Tiana have known each other since childhood, so of course she would be happy for her friend."
Lawrence frowned at the unfamiliar name. "Tiana?"
"Yes. Tiana is the name of my wife."
"I see…" Lawrence said, eyeing the prince suspiciously. "And how much money does this 'Tiana' have?"
Naveen folded his arms across his torso, looking as though he was offended by the question. "Well, she has used all her savings in order to buy her restaurant."
Lawrence blinked. "Savings?"
Naveen nodded. "And there is still much work left to do, but when the restaurant opens, it will hopefully be enough to -"
"What? Wait, wait…" Lawrence took a step toward the cell bars that separated him from the prince. "Do you mean to tell me that you actually married a girl who has no money? And you're willing to work at this restaurant?"
Naveen frowned. "Well, it would not be fair to say she has no money, she simply invested it into the restaurant. And yes, I will do whatever I can to help her at the restaurant. But it will be worth it when the restaurant opens…" His eyes seemed to light up suddenly. "Which reminds me…"
Lawrence blinked, a little wary about the way the prince was looking at him. "What?"
"Well…" Naveen rubbed the back of his neck. "Things will be hard for you after you are released from jail. And things at the restaurant might be very busy. We imagine that it will be immensely popular, and people will come from all over to dine there. So…I was thinking…"
A switch seemed to go off in Lawrence's mind as he realized exactly what Naveen was thinking. "Wait, wait, hold on a minute," he said, holding his hands up. "Are you…offering me a job?"
Naveen rubbed the back of his neck, appearing just as flustered about the idea as Lawrence. But he still nodded. "If you would like it, it will be there for you...Although," he added hesitantly, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "perhaps I should mention it to Tiana first..."
Words refused to form in his mind as Lawrence gaped at the prince. He always considered himself a reasonable man, and used as much (if not more) common sense as most other individuals. And he was certain that, being the practical person he was, he would never try to help someone who had betrayed him in such a manner.
Perhaps then he shouldn't have been so surprised by this turn of events, since Naveen had always been less sensible than he was. But still, after learning how he was involved in the whole thing...Naveen would actually give him a job?
He rubbed his head, still dazed by the mere suggestion. "Why on Earth would you offer me work?" he blurted out, finally looking at the younger man.
Naveen shifted uncomfortably, trying to hide the tension in his shoulders as he slid his hands back into his pockets. "I...As I said before, if I had appreciated your services and treated you more as you deserved, maybe you would not have turned on me. And in some ways, I wish to make that up to you. But, after all you did that time, I would also like to...to thank you."
Lawrence was actually surprised that Naveen could still say something that would shock him. But that last statement completely threw him for a loop. "Thank me?" he echoed. "For what?"
"Well..." Naveen glanced down at the floor as he lightly kicked the iron bars of the prison. "I realized that...if you had not agreed to work with the Shadow Man, I...I would not have gotten the chance to know Tiana as I did. It's strange to think about, but if you had not betrayed me, Tiana and I would not have fallen in love, and we would not be getting married soon..."
Naveen continued speaking about something else, but Lawrence had difficulty listening any further. Was...was that really how things turned out in the end? After everything that occurred...after taking such an enormous risk, and all the trouble he went through...this was really the outcome? And he had helped this all happen?
His hands trembled as he placed them to his brow. "No..." he murmured, shaking his head. "No!"
The sudden outburst stopped whatever else Naveen wanted to say. "What?"
Lawrence turned to his former charge, a hard glare fixed on his features. "I do not want any favors from you," he seethed, "and I am not asking for your pity."
A look of pain and confusion swept through the Maldonian's face. "Lawrence, I...I only wish to help..."
Lawrence snorted. "You want to help me? Then just go and leave me alone!"
Naveen frowned, his lips drawn in a tight line as tried to think of how to respond. But when nothing came to him, he looked away again and rubbed the back of his neck. "You are certain that's all you'd like?"
Lawrence didn't respond this time, and though he continued to glare at the prince, he felt something in his expression waver.
But if Naveen noticed at all, he said nothing about it. Instead, he simply nodded. "Very well then," he said, his tone holding a finality befitting his royal status. Retrieving his hat from his back pocket, he placed it on his head and began to leave. However, he only made it a few steps before he paused again, looking back at Lawrence once more.
"Take care," Naveen said, and Lawrence realized that the prince really meant it. Then, with a small tip of the hat, Naveen disappeared.
Lawrence watched him go, waiting until he was completely gone before stepping back and sitting heavily on the bed. He sighed, almost sadly, as he ran a hand over his bare head.
Perhaps...perhaps this was fitting, after all. For everything he had done, he was left with nothing while Naveen had much more than anyone imagined he could have. So here he was, about to spend the rest of his days to be punished for his heinous actions that, at the same time, had given Naveen an opportunity to become a different person, and to become happier than he had ever been before.
But just as Naveen had changed, he had changed as well. Accepting Naveen's offer to work at the restaurant...to still work under him...was just something he could no longer do. He was no longer the same person he once was, and he couldn't allow things to return to the way they used to be. Though he understood the punishment might be severe, his exploits had at least given him the power to make his own decisions. His life was finally his own now.
Having given up everything else, it was all he had left to hold on to.
The End