twenty-three ➢ spam + voice

[patheticvillain]

spam } barron

[It's really, really tempting to half-ass this, once Cassel gets up the nerve to finally do it. He's made the pictures without talking to his warden or his friends or anybody. He hasn't asked for validation; he doesn't need it. It makes him uncomfortable, but he knows he has to. He knows this is the right thing to do.]

[When he knocks on Barron's door, there's a light sweat on his palms in his black gloves, and he's moving an envelope nervously from one hand to the other. Inside, there are three photos, each with a handwritten note on the back.]

[One of himself - This is Cassel Sharpe. He's your little brother, and he loves you.]

[The second one - This is Prefect. He's your warden, and he loves you.]

[And the last one - This is Daneca Wasserman. She was your girlfriend, and you love her.]

later } kon

[He's subdued when he comes to find Kon. Mostly he just doesn't want to be alone right now - doesn't want to think about his family, or anybody's family. Maybe they can train or play with Patches or something.]

[Knocking on Kon's door, he shuffles his feet and shoves his hands in his pockets. No idea what's just happened, besides the obvious.]

later still } zane

[Now his hands are trembling. All of him is trembling. He feels weird, like this is some kind of nightmare that won't look like one until, abruptly, it does.]

[He raps loudly and arrhythmically at Zane's door, his covered knuckles stuttering on the stone.]

Zane. Zane! I need to talk to you. Please open up.

and finally } public/voice

[More than anything, Cassel sounds stunned. Not happy, not yet. Just baffled. It's been a long day.]

So, uh. I just graduated. And I'm staying.

[Long . . . pause.]

That's kind of it.

Comments

[lastrat]

You are not. [He settles his hands in his pockets, and lets his mouth quirk at the corners.]

Well done, Cassel. You're sure you want to stay?

[patheticvillain]

I'm staying. My family's here.

[James included. But he's not about to say that.]

[lastrat]

[Good. 'Well done' is about as sappy as James likes to get.

He's totally not resisting the urge to muss Cassel's hair. No urge here.]

Plans for the evening? [Is there going to be another party, the Barge has been loving them lately.]

[patheticvillain]

Get drunk. Try to figure out how the hell I'm supposed to be a warden.

[lastrat]

To be honest, I'm still trying to work that part out for myself. [Do not tell Alice.]

[patheticvillain]

I think Kon probably was too.

[lastrat]

Comes with the package, I suppose. [Though he just thinks it was the six years in between, for him.]

Mind if I ask what your deal was? [He won't be offended if Cassel refuses, not at this point.]

[patheticvillain]

I'm gonna decide later. It won't be for me, either way.

[lastrat]

You have options in mind.

[patheticvillain]

Yeah.

It'll be for Cass or for Barron.

[lastrat]

[He nods his faint approval; he doesn't, didn't, know either of them well, but his deal would have been for Vesper if hers hadn't taken care of it. He understands protecting others first.]

Good. That will keep you around. [Do not read too far into this Cassel.]

[patheticvillain]

[Too late, he's going to. He grins up at James crookedly.]

What? You gonna miss me if I go?

[lastrat]

God, no. I'd only be terrified of what Tweedle Dee would get up to without Tweedle Dum.

[Yes. But he'll never say it.]

[patheticvillain]

He'd pine. It'd be sad. Then he'd wreck all your shit.

[lastrat]

Then you better stay put, lest I wring his neck.

[patheticvillain]

I better stay put, because if you did I'd turn you into something awful.

[lastrat]

There, you see? The course is clear.

[patheticvillain]

That's pretty self-serving of you.

[lastrat]

One thing I've never denied being.