Open post.

[latkje]

— Open Post —

This is an open space. You can leave starters for threads here. Images, scenarios, action threads, &c.

Comments

[latkje]

Well, I could act more like a proper Harmonian bureaucrat. I imagine that will be helpful if you have to kill me.

[ This is a joke. ]

[trueltning_fury]

[he's going to use up his quota of deadpan looks before they even get on the road. Granted, the eyepatch helps.]

It would at least hasten your death, to be sure. Can you really keep up that level of annoying long enough?

[latkje]

Sure. [ It's the role he was born to play. ] It's just another act. For them too, you know. There are people underneath it. [ He immediately thinks of a few exceptions. ]

Most of the time.

[trueltning_fury]

Color me surprised. [not] I'm fairly certain I've never seen the real Nash Lat...you're not still using that alias, are you?

[checking before he accidentally outs you in the middle of a mostly-empty bar, bro]

[latkje]

[ He replies smoothly. ]

Clovis is fine. [ He usually takes a different alias for every mission, but this is a continuation of the last one. But he used his real name when he was with the SFDF. A rookie mistake, but he can't say he's surprised to hear it come up. ] Anyway, is the person people know any less real than the one you keep to yourself?

[trueltning_fury]

[Geddoe makes that mental note with a little hum under his breath. Sure, he can stick with Clovis.]

I suppose that depends on how much effort it takes to be that person. I can't imagine living for so long behind a facade, it has to be exhausting. [a sniff, as he raises his mug to his lips] It's much easier to just not say anything.

[latkje]

But then you don't say anything.

[ Many people have said many things about Nash, but "still waters run deep" has not been one of them. ]

[trueltning_fury]

Funny how that works out.

[he's perfectly fine not saying anything. Anything. Mm peace and quiet. Not that he's going to get much with Nash around, with or without the addition of the rest of the unit.]

[latkje]

Not usually, no. Most jokes need punchlines. Silence is usually a matter of timing.

[ He takes another sip of his drink. Is this supposed to be a dramatic pause? ]

I didn't think you'd want me to bring Crystal Valley into it.

[trueltning_fury]

[...okay that was a pretty good one. Geddoe permits himself a tiny laugh before sobering back up.]

Nobody would want that, but by this point I don't know if anything is off limits.

[it's going to come up eventually so long as he's in Nash's company, might as well get to it]

[latkje]

You want a girl's whole life story, and you won't even pay for drinks?

[ He arches an eyebrow. Men are so forward these days. ]

[trueltning_fury]

Fine, I'll get the next round.

[is that good enough? Honestly, he's already draining down this second tankard, he'll be ready for a third soon. Might as well pony up, it's not like he's poor.]

[latkje]

I didn't think you would call my bluff.

[ A shrug. Honestly, Nash isn't poor either. He could keep paying. It's not a nice bar. ]

But I keep my private life and work strictly separate. And anyway, it's not very interesting. I'm a middle aged married man who spends too much time at the office.

[ Though he actually will talk about his marriage. His sister, though… deserves the most peaceful life Nash can give her. ]

[trueltning_fury]

[it's always so nice when he can surprise someone. It happens so rarely.]

So you're saying that, in the long run, this is in fact the real Nash. Exactly as I thought you to be - a workaholic with a boring marriage.

[latkje]

In the long run, we are who we pretend to be.

In the longer run, I hope I'm not finished changing.

[trueltning_fury]

Hmm. Deep. [sarcasm??

He shakes his head slowly]

You've only got so much of a long run, assuming your luck holds out and you don't get a knife in the ribs in the next year or two. Immortality is the worst, you know, you get to watch people get so close to their dreams, over and over, and fall short, while you go on past them.

[latkje]

Yeah, it's a spiel I've heard before.

[ Blah blah blah, immortality is a curse, blah blah blah. ]

[trueltning_fury]

As long as it keeps perfectly decent people from lusting after a True Rune, I'll keep telling it, too.

[like, no regrets, but all the regrets]

[latkje]

You think I was faking before?

[ He thought he made his opinion on True Runes pretty clear. ]

[trueltning_fury]

No, not you specifically. [shrug, it's a general remark for people who aren't present] Frankly, it's refreshing to have someone around who agrees, and doesn't feel obligated to do so.

[he would never accuse his unit of being sycophants but there is a level of personal knowledge that makes them more apt to back him up than disagree with him at any given moment. Unless the argument is over whether to spend their paychecks on booze or supplies.]

[latkje]

If it helps, I'm agreeing with me, not agreeing with you.

[ Why would that help, Nash. ]

[trueltning_fury]

[yeah uh...]

Of course, because why would you ever make my life easy? [ALL THE SARCASM]

[latkje]

If it made my life easy, obviously. See, [ he says with a false camaraderie ] this is why it pays to be on my good side.

[ He understands what Geddoe was actually saying. There's a reason he needed to separate Chris from the knights. ]

[trueltning_fury]

[yeah try telling Borus that]

Oh, of course. I should have known that was your ultimate strategy.

[and even as he says it, it occurs to Geddoe that he's sort of forgotten what they were talking about. They already settled plans, so it wasn't that. Oh no, is he actually getting to know the spy? Perish the thought.]

Although it seems I did get you to forget Crystal Valley for a moment.

[latkje]

Oh, I'm really good at forgetting what I'm doing.

But I think you were buying the next round.