cage match: thistle vs clover

[eonsadrift]

WHO: Clover, Thistle, and spectators!
WHERE: Thistle's yard
WHEN: Day 31

Comments

[literal_trainwreck]

[???]

Hello?

[survivaltricks]

Hey there.

[he is still riding the adrenaline high from the earlier CAGE MATCH, so there's a slight lilt to his words]

Have you seriously been at the gym this whole time?

[literal_trainwreck]

No, I hit the library afterward. What was it you'd wanted to talk to me about? I hadn't actually caught your message.

[survivaltricks]

Well.

[. . . knowing how Loki will react to this. . . he tightens his grip around his teammate's shoulders]

Zenith paid us a house visit.

[literal_trainwreck]

...How angry should I be?

[survivaltricks]

Irritated that someone on Clover attempted to blow up our barn. But otherwise? Eh.

[another squeeze]

Nobody died.

[literal_trainwreck]

Someone tried to blow up the barn, but because they didn't succeed we should only be irritated

[survivaltricks]

[a crooked smile]

. . . we're the villains. That's why.

[but there is a wry, exhausted note in his voice which probably betrays his real feelings on that]

[literal_trainwreck]

[honing in on that]

That's bullshit and you know it.

[survivaltricks]

Yeah.

[. . .]

[drawing back, but only so he can take Loki's hand and tug him away]

Let's talk elsewhere.

[literal_trainwreck]

[nods and follows along]

[survivaltricks]

[heading out of Thistle, one hand in his pocket and the other still holding Loki's. quiet as he walks, head tilted up towards the sky]

. . . I don't regret it, you know.

[literal_trainwreck]

[looking ahead of them as they walk, but keeping Lupin in his peripheral vision]

That's good. You shouldn't.

[survivaltricks]

I know.

[a deep inhale and exhale]

People will have their opinions, and I hate that Yata and Odin had to hurt their friends. I hate. . .

[hesitating, choosing his words carefully]

. . . I hate that we had to make the choice at all. It was unfair.

[. . .]

But I kept my promise to you and Odin. The— one I made, back when we first arrived.

[literal_trainwreck]

I know. You have my respect for that.

[time for Loki to be thoughtful with his words]

You're used to making difficult decisions, but not ones where there are no morally acceptable options.

[survivaltricks]

[. . . a slow nod at that]

It wasn't right for us to betray Clover.

But. . . it wasn't right for me to betray Thistle.

[a rock and a hard place. . . no matter what decision they had made, Lupin would've felt shitty about the results]

[literal_trainwreck]

We chose the lesser of two evils.

[not just "you"]

And we'll only face more of these dilemmas in the future.

[survivaltricks]

[is it truly lesser, he thinks. . .]

[. . .]

[lifting his gaze a bit, studying Loki's face carefully]

How do you feel. . .? About the choice we made.

[literal_trainwreck]

[meets his gaze with steely resolve]

I'm not overjoyed that it came to that, but I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

[survivaltricks]

[the answer itself is not surprising to him, so his lips twitch into a crooked, exhausted smile]

I thought you'd say that.

[. . .]

. . . are you upset that we want to make it up to Clover?

[literal_trainwreck]

"Upset" is a strong word. I don't think they deserve it at this point, but I understand it's more to ease your own conscience than anything actually having to do with them.

[survivaltricks]

It's also because Yata and Odin are friends-- honest friends-- with other people on that team.

[he corrects, albeit gently]

. . . it'd be like-- me hitting betray on Bluebell.

On. . . Melody.

[which. . . he could never-- would never-- do]

[literal_trainwreck]

Then let them work it out with their friends.

[as for the second part, he's not about to let that pass]

...It'll be Bluebell eventually. Will you prioritize Melody over us?

[survivaltricks]

[setting his jaw tightly]

. . . that's an unfair question, and you know it.

[don't ask him impossible hypotheticals!!]

[literal_trainwreck]

The situation is unfair. The question is perfectly reasonable, given our circumstances.