Comments | the_blank_slate: sometimes you have to spell it out for him

first_worde in the_blank_slate

sometimes you have to spell it out for him

Sep 07, 2007 07:02

Rupert had used the strange machines in the basement that he still didn't entirely know what to make of (not that this was in any way a deterrent) to clean his trousers and shirt, and was buttoning the latter up when he'd wandered amiably into the rec room to play billiards and found a letter sitting in the corner pocket. He had picked it up, ( Read more... )

daisy adair, william de worde, the lady, rupert de worde, penny sparks, item post, daenerys targaryen, eden mccain

Comments 77

picksthelosers September 7 2007, 08:52:44 UTC

The only kiss she never gave, was the only one she forgot to give in the first place. Circumstance is a dangerous thing, you see, for it does things to people, and there are circumstances that she'll edit out in an instant.

Rupert de Worde reminds her decidedly of one particular circumstance, which doesn't mention, doesn't see fit. Still she finds an affection for him, in an odd sort of part of her very twisted and odd heart.

"Oh, darling," is what she says, kneeling in front of him as if it's her turn to pray. That's the only penance she ever'll practice.

first_worde September 7 2007, 19:26:48 UTC

Rupert blinked a few times, rapidly, seeming to come back to the present. This was a disconcerting thing to do. He turned his head to stare at the Lady, over his shoulder, lines of his face taught an drawing tighter. Rupert was dumb, not stupid. It was a fine line, but an important one. At the moment, something was wriggling its way into the fore of his consciousness.

"So's that what that kiss was about, then?" he prompted, voice raw and rough, low, dangerously close to breaking. "Not sure it entirely makes up for it, Lady."

picksthelosers September 7 2007, 20:34:27 UTC

She nods, for the truth is all she's got. The simple fact that in that instance, she failed when she hadn't meant to.

"It wasn't meant to, it was just an apology," she tells him softly. "I was supposed to be there, of course I was supposed to be there, but I missed."

By inch, by a mile, and by the time she'd come, it'd been to late and late is definitely not nearly as good as never.

first_worde September 8 2007, 00:03:03 UTC

Rupert felt something hot rise up in him. If he were used to feeling shame, he would have equated the two sensations, but he hadn't felt shame since he'd been a prepubescent boy, so the connection wasn't made. It was a deeper, hotter flush than anger, though.

"You're a God," he bit out, "I thought you didn't make mistakes unless you wanted to!"

Thread 13

gonewiththereap September 7 2007, 19:38:57 UTC

She's watching from a distance, with the presence of someone who is used to fading into the background and she's taken to enjoying expressions on faces. Now, Rupert, well, she's got a bit of an attachment, so she keeps an eye out, makes sure he isn't going to do something stupid like hurt himself.

But right now, he's looking more than a little bit like he's spent too long in the sun. "Problems?" she asks, quietly.

first_worde September 7 2007, 19:42:31 UTC

"Yeah," he answered quietly, without looking up, without actually realizing he'd spoken. He was staring slightly over and beyond the paper, not actually at anything, worry line drawn firmly between his brows.

"...yeah."

gonewiththereap September 7 2007, 19:48:02 UTC

It's a letter.

Now, in Daisy's experience, paperwork is just never of the good and she could do without it in general, but it makes death tick and tock, so she'll deal. She wanders closer, waving a hand in front of Rupert's face. "Ones you care to verbalize, honey?"

first_worde September 7 2007, 20:02:13 UTC

Rupert felt his throat tighten, so he tried to swallow past it, and ducked his head, shoulders tensing further which, until they did so, one may have been skeptical to believe could be possibly.

"I- dunno," he managed.

Thread 15

dogbitesman September 8 2007, 00:17:22 UTC

William entered the room, took one look around and immediately focused on Rupert. He didn't know that he'd ever seen his brother that upset.

"Rupert?" he said. "What is it?"

first_worde September 8 2007, 00:40:17 UTC

Rupert's head snapped over toward the sound of his brother's voice, though the rest of him stayed still. He ground his teeth together, jaw working for a moment, before he rounded on him and thrust out the hand with the letter in it.

dogbitesman September 8 2007, 00:51:36 UTC

William stared at him, befuddled, and then looked down at the letter.

It looked ... familiar. William had worked with letters, made a career of them, and he knew that letters had shapes. A letter telling your parents you were getting married looked distinctly different to one in which you questioned your bosses decision to fire you, and not just because the second was wrapped around a brick.*

Hesitantly, he reached out and took it. It took all of a second to know that he didn't just recognize it on an academic basis. "Oh," he said.

He tried to find some consonents to go with that but only managed to get two letters over. "Um."

*Especially given that, with trolls, often the difference between the two was that the former notification simply contained no paper at all.

first_worde September 8 2007, 01:20:54 UTC

"Um?" Rupert repeated, voice hard. He snatched the letter back, out of Wiliam's hand.

"And this was years ago, for you. Years."

Thread 21

all_happening September 8 2007, 02:22:09 UTC

There hadn't seemed to be anything wrong when Penny first entered the room. She hadn't even glanced up, in fact, as she made her way to the record player just out of practice, debating between two albums to listen to, but she looked up before slipping one out of its sleeve, and it turned out to be a good thing she did. "Hey," she said, leaning against the bookshelf, the smile on her face fading a bit as she looked him over. "You okay?"

first_worde September 8 2007, 03:28:39 UTC

"No," Rupert said hoarsely, sinking down to a crouch, one arm bent above his head and pressed against the side of the pool table, forehead tucked in its crook.

"Bloody hells."

all_happening September 8 2007, 03:55:52 UTC

The albums hit the floor, and fortunately it wasn't very far to fall, or Penny would have regretted dropping them. But hesitantly, she walked over, keeping a slight distance and leaning forward to look down. "What happened?" she asked softly, concerned, "If you don't mind my asking, I mean."

first_worde September 9 2007, 02:36:00 UTC

"This-" he started, but his throat felt too thick to push his voice through. He cleared it, swallowed, looked down. He almost seemed to wince.

"This letter, is... it's from... home."

Thread 13

wishesandsmoke September 8 2007, 07:30:41 UTC

It took a moment for Eden to even recognize Rupert. Passing through the rec room, she glimpsed him, but it took a second look to realize who was standing there. She had a feeling this wasn't about to lead into another game of pool.

Walking slowly over, she looked up at him. "Hey," she said.

first_worde September 9 2007, 02:36:55 UTC

Rupert turned to lean heavily against the pool table and ran his hand over his face a few times before leaving his palm and fingers pressed across his forehead, shadowing his eyes.

"Hey," he said thickly.

wishesandsmoke September 9 2007, 06:34:53 UTC

Eden slid in beside him, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her forehead against his shoulder. "Rupert, what's wrong?" she asked, voice hushed.

first_worde September 9 2007, 18:18:37 UTC

"News from home," he said with the sort of hiccup that implied there was a joking laugh thrown in there, except there wasn't.

Thread 7