nexus_sages | At What Price Respect

Entry tags:

At What Price Respect

Verity in the forum? Not a strange sight. Verity without coffee? Rather less common. Verity slumping, exhausted, into a couch? Unusual. Verity covered in scrapes, bruises, and dust? Definitely strange.

"Help isn't if it's forced on someone. This is true. Someone not in possession of all of the facts cannot give fully informed consent. This is also true. But nobody can be forced to listen." Of course Verity has things on her mind. Who here doesn't? "How do you reconcile that? Is ignorance truly bliss? Or do you do what's needed to save someone despite their choices?"

((A note before you come to play with Verity: she's got a magic spell stuck in her that lets her always know when someone is lying to her. This includes sarcasm and knowing when someone believes something to be true when it isn't. This doesn't include lies of omission. She can also see through illusions. Please respect this; if your character is trying to lie to her, please make that known so she can react appropriately. [I completely understand this isn't going to be everyone's idea of fun.] Thanks.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The magic she doesn't much care about.

The favors and blood, on the other hand, make her tremendously worried. "That's a hell of a price. And... you knew what you were getting yourself into?"

"I do not." Katsuya shakes his head. "He could have asked for much more, however. I did not argue his terms." Katsuya knows the price could end up being quite steep. Given that he was willing to give up more than he will admit to Verity to prevent other worlds from being attacked by the demons, or letting Nyarlathotep escape his world....

"It needed to be done." He says finally.

It'd be a kindness if she never finds out what he was willing to make them both give up.

"I know." But she's plotting something now. And it's not just to get more coffee now that she's almost done with the one he brought her. "Of course you had to stop them. I'm glad he didn't ask for more."

She's going to have to find Schön. They need to have a long talk.

That's up for Schon to decide.

"As am I." Katsuya agrees. "The first of the favors seems benign enough. He wants to conduct a day long interview with me, about....whatever he wants to know, I guess. I'm not certain I could speak for a day about anything. But I'll try."

It's lucky he seems to like her.

"I hope they're all so gentle." She manages a little smile though she's still worried. "You know there are people who will help you. If you need help with anything back home."

That's good for her then probably.

"I'll be fine." Katsuya does his best to soothe Verity's worries. When his home is brought up, Katsuya gives a tired smile. "Yes. There are many capable fighters here. There hasn't been more than I can handle though. If it gets worse, I'll ask for backup. I promise."

Edited 2015-09-14 15:11 (UTC)

Right up until it isn't.

She appreciates the effort, but she's not easily mollified. Not today. "You're tired. Please let someone help you?" Not her obviously; she can't even handle caves. But someone.

"I am." Katsuya admits with a nod. "I came back today to take a break, and to make sure everything here was faring well since the attack."

He should have got a cup or ten of that coffee for himself. Or a nap. Oh well.

Don't think she missed the part he's trying to ignore. "And now you're worrying about me. I'm sorry. You should get some rest."

"It's never a trouble to worry about one's friends. I know you'd feel the same were our situations reversed." He chuckles.

"You're worrying about me when you're hurt and dealing with family stress." Turnabout's fair play. "Good thing there's no shortage of comfortable places to sit around here."

"That's..." Damn. She can't figure a way around that.

"Fine. But if we're going to be worrying about each other, it's only fair to warn you I stress bake and then look for people to feed." He wouldn't know anything about that, of course. "And you work with a whole department full of people who probably like cookies."

"I also stress bake and look for people to feed." His grin widens. "Remember that table in the Nexus I had?"

"Humor me and at least tend to your injuries if you won't let me." He gestures to the first aid kit. "I will be following your orders and resting here for a bit." A couch would be better, but Katsuya isn't going to get picky.

"I do. If we both start stress baking your coworkers will all get diabetes." But she'll scoop up the first aid kit obediently. This also makes room for him to come sit and help, so, win-win. "Come rest here, it's more comfortable."

She really should learn how to do this first aid stuff properly someday. Someday soon, the way things are going.

"...Ha. We should have a bake sale in the Nexus." Or open their own bakery in the Nexus. She had mentioned something about that a long time ago. It seems almost plausible, now. Funny how things change.

He does indeed settle in on the other side of the couch, watching her pick through the kit to see if she needs his help or not. He doesn't insist on helping her. Verity's a grown woman and he wants to respect her independence.

"Mm, what would we be raising funds for?" Opening a bakery with him would be delightful. She'd love that. She'd be surprised he remembers that suggestion since he'd been so against it at the time. "Are there any charities in the Nexus?"

Considering some of the scrapes are in places she can't see without multiple mirrors, it shouldn't be a surprise when she asks. "Could you get the one on my shoulder, please?"

"We could raise funds for those injured or the families that lost loved ones in the attack." Katsuya's voice is quiet, but thoughtful.

"Of course." Katsuya takes the cotton ball and alcohol disinfectant and dabs at the scrape on her shoulder gently. "This might sting a bit." He adds softly, before pulling the backing off a large bandaid to settle over her scrape.

"That's a good idea." She can only imagine how guilty he's feeling. Anything to help with that. "We should do that."

She hisses softly at the sting but doesn't pull away. He's so gentle. It's relaxing when it isn't actually stinging. "Thank you. Is it bad?" The bruises are blossoming everywhere, but the scrapes are concentrated around where more protective clothes would have had openings: face, shoulders, wrists, hands, waist. None of them are bad.

Something to put together after he's had a rest, perhaps. It will be a welcome distraction for both of them, more than likely.

"Nothing serious." He reassures her. Really cleaning up won't take long st all, and there's only one more scrape he even has to clean and patch up for her. "There we go. Good as new." You know, in a few days.

"I hope not," she teases, "I'd hate to think I haven't made any progress in my life." He knows how little she thinks of herself, so hopefully he'll laugh at the terrible joke.

While they're not looking at each other and it's easier, she has an admission to make. "I wish you'd called me. I could have helped."

"Helped with what part?" Katsuya hasn't been expecting this turn of the discussion. "Finishing if the demons in Sumaru? That would have been dangerous, bringing you into something like that."

"Maybe not the actual fighting, but." She sighs and turns halfway toward him so she can see him out of the corner of her eye. "Making sure you slept, and ate? And all those other things you've probably been neglecting?"

"I thought you were busy being 'bad at caves'." Katsuya tries to smile our joke, but it's weak.

"I'm sorry for worrying you Verity. I didn't think of anything other than making sure things didn't get worse in Sumaru." He gives a tired sigh. "You can take care of me now if you'd like?"

It's a flimsy offer, but it's all he's got.

"I was looking for Loki." Which might explain why she went places she obviously shouldn't be going...

It's a better offer than she's heard all week. "You want me take you home and tuck you in and... there's supposed to be singing at that point I think? I'll skip that, I don't know any songs. But the food'll be good." This sounds like a good time to her.

She didn't look pleased when she got here. Katsuya is assuming she didn't find him. He'd be rather cross of she did and he hadn't offered to help her himself.

He chuckles weakly.
"You don't have to push yourself that hard. You just invited me to rest here after all."

If she ever finds Loki, Katsuya will know from the super-excited introduction she'll be making between them.

"I wouldn't mind. And I don't think you want to sleep on one of the couches here, they're not all that comfortable." This time, she's going to push just a little bit. He really does need to rest.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject