sticky

[secondchances]

Who: Stephanie Brown and YOU??
What: Sighing a lot and getting tar everywhere
When: Today!
Where: The castle grounds
Rating: PG



Tar, tar everywhere. It was black, sticky, and warm to the touch--which Steph discovered, as it clung to her arms and neck. It didn't take too long for her to realize that many in the castle were being afflicted by this, so she tried to tough through it. It would stop eventually, and she had things to do. There was still a lot to be done in the city, before she and Cass left on the expedition.

However, the more she touched, the more tar seemed to come from her hands.

She wasn't going to be useful to anyone today, let alone herself, she came to realize.

What was the logical response?

To lay down on the grass in front of the castle, of course. Maybe if she didn't touch anything for a while, the sticky goo would recede. In the meanwhile, staring at the sky seems like a good option.

Yeah, castle. She gets the irony. She messes up everything she touches. Ha ha.

Comments

[heloise]

"And maybe slip on tar, depending on how the castle's moods turn. I promise not to be mad even if you laugh at me."

[secondchances]

"Please, no slipping on anything."

We all remember what happened last time.

"That does remind me, though--Cass and I are going to be heading out on that expedition next week, assuming this stuff doesn't stick around and delay it. We could probably set up something after."

Look, she's being nice and telling Lucrezia what's going on in her life.

[heloise]

No, but why is she leaving in the first place?

Lucrezia makes a pout and stares down at Steph because she can, when they are both lying down like this. "But there were those birds trying to eat people before, and all you found were seashells."

[secondchances]

That gets Steph to smile fondly. At least she'd still miss her.

"If there are shells to be found, I'll bring you more. But who knows what's out there? There has to be more than what we've seen so far."

[heloise]

But it hurts to miss someone, she would rather have her not leave at all. She doesn't want seashells anymore.

"So you will go with Cass and Tim, too?"

[secondchances]

She shakes her head.

"No, Tim's going to stay here. He's still recovering from his injuries, and he wants to help get the city back on its feet, too." She's proud of him for it, but she's not looking forward to weeks of separation. There's the nagging thought that he might disappear while she's away, but she knows she's just being paranoid and looking for reasons to stick around.

[heloise]

She doesn't see need to hide her deepening frown. Both Steph and Cass gone but not Tim, there is no silver lining.

"What if I said I would go with you, would you let me?"

[secondchances]

"I wouldn't stop you," not that you'd listen is what she doesn't say. "But what about the kids who haven't found their parents, yet?"

Though she supposes if any children haven't been reunited with their parents by now, they're probably orphans.

[heloise]

"Many people have come to lend a hand, the children will not want for anything." She has been telling them that their parents will be found eventually. Maybe one day she would have the heart to tell them something closer to the truth.

"So you would tell me to go?"

[secondchances]

"It's up to you. Ezio is probably going, too."

She's not exactly thrilled about Lucrezia going, of course. Every trip has had danger so far, and that's what she's come to expect.

"It's weeks out in the wilderness, you know. A lot of walking, a lot of not-bathing and dealing with things like giant spiders."

[heloise]

No, now she is just more jealous about Steph going with Cass and Ezio too. Never mind their turbulent past. She tries a chuckle and pokes her nose anyway, with a clean hand. "Are you trying to discourage me?"

[secondchances]

"I'm just saying. It's tough. Even I have a hard time on these outings."

But she is looking forward to camping with Cass and Ezio.

[heloise]

Yes, then. Lucrezia falls to her back with a sigh. Maybe she should just stop trying. "Fine. Just bring me seashells."

[secondchances]

The bitter, ugly part of Steph wants to ask why she's so eager to go on a trip with the people she doesn't trust, but she knows better than to let that slip.

"If not seashells, something else. A surprise."

[heloise]

Because she likes them anyway, which now makes no sense to her either. She just squints at the sky now getting brighter, keeping her silent as long as she can afford to.

"I like surprises."

[secondchances]

"You can make sure Tim doesn't fall into a pit of depression and forget to eat or something," she teases, though a part of her does worry about him getting eaten up by the restoration effort.

[heloise]

Maybe Steph should worry more about leaving Tim home alone with Lucrezia. Her voice is barely a mutter, but the conviction is there. "I care not for him."

[secondchances]

Huh.

Well, then.

"Guess that's not too surprising."

She already knows about some of what she and Ezio gossiped about, and it's not too much of a stretch to imagine that they didn't have a lot of nice things to say about Tim. That, and Stephanie's obvious dislike of Joshua... made sense.

[heloise]

It is vindictive, but that is Lucrezia, or no, that is her family and every Italian family. Revenge is a national pastime, no matter how petty, like this one. At least she stops short of saying he could die for all I care and it would not be less than what he deserves.

"Do you enjoy this tug of war?"

[secondchances]

"Do you think I do?"

[heloise]

"All the evidence I can see points to... yes."

[secondchances]

Stephanie would claw her own face if her hands weren't covered in tar.

"You're kidding, right? You think I enjoy all of--this? You think this is really how I want things to be?"

[heloise]

She moves to sit up, glaring down at Steph. She promises one thing, progress, then goes to do otherwise. Cunning, really.

"I will not be pulling anymore. Careful not to fall too hard."

[secondchances]

"Your perception of me doesn't sound very nice, you know. I'm kinda curious about the kind of person you think I am."

It's insulting, and it hurts. She wants to ask why Lucrezia bothers at all, but she doesn't want her to take that as a go away, Lucrezia.

[heloise]

"The kind of person who thinks herself infinitely better than others," and she does mean to hurt. "Better than me too, of course. I was chasing too high."