[ drift fleet ] overflow

[noprophecies]

Comments

[noprophecies]

. . . after you and Charles left, and Ampere ended up in the mirrors, it was rather easy to simply stop caring all together.

[she shrugs] And then I ended up in them. I think, anyway.

[exothermia]

[He watches her face for a moment, before replying quietly.]

You aren't in them now.

[noprophecies]

[she blinks at the quieter tone before she smiles at him, a little weak but genuine]

And neither is anyone I care about.

[exothermia]

Then that's all that matters, Tempest.

[noprophecies]

I know. But like you said, it is different here.

[she pauses, then lifts her glass to her lips, taking a sip] Lace is gone.

[exothermia]

[Erik hasn't refilled his glass, so he merely watches. He looks down at the table when Tempest speaks of Adelina.]

Yes. I know. [It had been chance, really, that he'd noticed at all. In scrolling through the manifests after noting Moira's absence, he had seen that Adelina's name was no longer there as well.]

[noprophecies]

[very few disappearances had bothered her; she'd grown used to it in Kyriakos, and in her own world it hadn't mattered. Here it was far from different. There were no mirrors to visit, no Echoes to ask. Simply gone]

For the best, I imagine. She is a princess, yes?

[it's a weak attempt at thinking of it positively]

[exothermia]

I think so. [He hadn't discussed that much with Adelina.] And you're right that it's for the best, for her.

[noprophecies]

Mmm. So I cannot be too upset.

[she says, and finishes off her drink in one go. She's not upset at all, no really]

[exothermia]

[He raises his eyebrows. He knows Tempest likes to drink, and he hasn't bothered to refill after his second glass. So her streaking ahead isn't that unusual.... except for their topic of discussion.]

I think you mean you think you shouldn't be too upset.

[noprophecies]

Same difference, yes?

[her streaking ahead is completely normal, regardless of topic. She isn't really intending to get drunk, at least. Not completely drunk, anyway]

[exothermia]

[Erik's own tolerance has dropped over the years, after he stopped drinking quite so often or so much. He already feels tipsy, and he won't go further.]

You know it isn't.

[noprophecies]

[she just shrugs, and reaches for the bottle to once again refill her glass]

[exothermia]

[He watches without comment.]

I only spoke to her one time after I came back. I didn't even see her in person. [When Tempest sets the bottle back down, he reaches over and takes it himself. He keeps talking as he drains the rest of the bottle into his own glass. It's more to keep her paced than any serious need to drink it himself.] I thought that was for the best, really.

[noprophecies]

[she watches him refill his glass, but the comment has her lifting her head to look at him instead. She frowns, sitting up a bit in her seat]

Why would that be for the best?

[exothermia]

Because. If she had seen me, I would have had to explain what had happened.

[noprophecies]

[ah. Understanding crosses her features and she glances down, at her glass. She doesn't drink]

Perhaps. She would have worried for you.

[exothermia]

Yes. She would have. [And that thought alone would have rendered him silent. She was too young for him to burden her with his experiences. Ten years ago, it hadn't been so stark. But now... he had told some of it to Hermione, even though she was only a few years older. Even so, the difference remained.]

[noprophecies]

Would you have tried to frighten her away?

[it's a lighter tone, but it's frank. And the only reason it is is because she knows she can be that way with Erik]

[exothermia]

[He can't help but feel irritated. He had done that with others; an element of it snuck into his showdown with Kitty and Kurt. Erik's not sure what he would have done with Adelina had she asked, but it's a moot point now. It lends some backbone to his argument.]

No, I would have just refused to tell her. [Not much of an ask, considering how hard it is to talk about it at all.]

[noprophecies]

[she purses her lips a bit, but nods, accepting it. Erik was not forthcoming in general, not before, and less so now. She can't say she's surprised]

I was just curious. [she reaches across to pat his hand, apologetic in action and tone]

[exothermia]

[He grimaces, though less at Tempest than himself. Adelina was still someone he cared for, though in a more distant way than he had before coming back. For that reason, he had resolved not to say anything too dire to her. Some people were inextricably bound up in his disaster of a life. Adelina hadn't needed to be one of them.]

[noprophecies]

[she can't help but look a bit guilty at his expression]

You do know that if I ever ask something you do not want to answer, you can tell me to shut my mouth, yes?

[exothermia]

I do know that. It's fine. [He's a bit gruff, but he means it. It's rare that he's challenged on the way he handles his friends.]

[noprophecies]

All right.

[maybe she should elaborate. Explain why she brought it up. But that means admitting to things she hates to admit to] . . . it was not meant to be a judgement, you know. Regardless of how you answered.