[HE IS DEFINITELY LOOKING AWAY NOW. Not at the floor, but definitely looking away.]
I came because he has a woman and a friend at home. Some people here know him. They said... he had a daughter. [A pause.] And that the woman died. But he fixed it.
But it's probably not the same Royce as the one I know.
[His sigh sounds frustrated, but not at Rupert. Maybe at himself. At the fact he refuses to call it friendship at all.]
...He was supposed to play in the hunts again. Like a Zaroff, the ones who are stuck playing until they get their freedom. [...] I made a deal with The Judge to take his place--because he should've gone home.
[For the woman and the friend.]
But we "won," and Ivan said I didn't have to worry about the deal because there wouldn't be any more games. Apparently, that isn't true.
[He's quiet for a moment, and then he finally looks back over at Rupert. The tail behind him sways low over the ground.]
...No. We washed up on a beach and met a woman at a nearby mansion named Ivan. Found out we'd be hunted for sport by people called Generals. Sounds simple, but after I died, I found out it wasn't just an island or a sport.
We were all already dead. It was purgatory. There was another woman judging our souls for heaven or hell; she was just called The Judge. The only way for us to go back home alive was if the Generals won.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[maybe.......]
Especially if you care enough to come here for him.
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[HE IS DEFINITELY LOOKING AWAY NOW. Not at the floor, but definitely looking away.]
I came because he has a woman and a friend at home. Some people here know him. They said... he had a daughter. [A pause.] And that the woman died. But he fixed it.
But it's probably not the same Royce as the one I know.
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[to say the least! but, also:]
You realize that it's kind of you whether or not he was a friend, right?
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...He was supposed to play in the hunts again. Like a Zaroff, the ones who are stuck playing until they get their freedom. [...] I made a deal with The Judge to take his place--because he should've gone home.
[For the woman and the friend.]
But we "won," and Ivan said I didn't have to worry about the deal because there wouldn't be any more games. Apparently, that isn't true.
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The hunts? Is that what your past group was trying to do, win their freedom?
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...No. We washed up on a beach and met a woman at a nearby mansion named Ivan. Found out we'd be hunted for sport by people called Generals. Sounds simple, but after I died, I found out it wasn't just an island or a sport.
We were all already dead. It was purgatory. There was another woman judging our souls for heaven or hell; she was just called The Judge. The only way for us to go back home alive was if the Generals won.
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[he frowns.]
I'm really sorry. But - what you did, what you offered for him... That was really brave, Jason.
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[He gestures at this place. He's here! Surprise. It's not a hunt necessarily, but whatever.]
You don't have to commend me. I'm not looking for a medal.
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[him being stuck here, that is. he makes a face at the next part, though, sighing a tiny bit.]
I didn't think you were, but I'm being sincere. Take the compliment.
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Fine, but I don't need it. [The tail swishes harder at the tip. Tsundere.] He just had something to go back to.
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...And you don't feel like you do?
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[though, honestly, he's sorry he ever had to feel like that in the first place.]
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I still have some things to do back home.
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[it's not hard to tell that there's admiration in his voice.]
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...Don't worry about it.
[HE HAS NO EXCUSE HE CAN THINK OF RIGHT THIS SECOND, and he also doesn't want to just tell Rupert to shut up. But it's said like "shut up."]
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[he's making a concerted effort not to sound amused.]
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Tell anyone, and I'll know who to hunt down.
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[amused]