[ Childhood anecdotes are never at the forefront of his memory. Because of all the years he spent burying them. And then stomping on the dirt to pack it down. And planting some bushes on top.
[The only one left to bear the burden of parents telling incessant amusing childhood anecdotes at every holiday meal, a selection severely limited by everyone's refusal to talk about Keto, Nikos says,]
Just one. And I know. You screamed the word for an hour. Then you went hoarse. Then you went vegetarian for a fortnight. Then you forgot ad all was well until the cook [disgusting, they had a cook; his voice sours a little there despite the purpose of this story], made potato dumplings and you hid under the table.
[ Fitting in is a new one—so new that deep, deep in one corner of his brain, there might be a flattered fourteen-year-old going do I fit in? do you really think so? golly!—but he does know slightly better than to start arguing about his own popularity. Even if he wins, he loses. ]
[Only of course it's not really nothing, so, after an appropriately short beat--]
Except if it's poorly controlled and organized, isn't that blame shared by you? [AND ANOTHER THING] Of course you don't want me saying anything agitating. Maker forbid your life be made difficult, or your assumptions of the world be challenged. You might have to make a hard choice. Which I would have at one time thought you capable of, but fuck no.
Or, actually, Kostos falls silent, and makes a brief attempt at disentangling a knot of impulses, like claiming entitlement to his conversation because they're family and continuing to insist he only technically has one of those, and telling Nikos exactly what leaving Nevarra meant for him and never telling him a Maker-damned thing, offense at mistreatment and acceptance that it's still better than he deserved—
So trying to yank all of that apart obviously doesn't work, and he gives up after like three seconds. ]
Fine.
[ He'll stop talking. He'll think very hard about disowning and disavowing him, and slightly less hard about jumping off a tower, but he won't do those things, probably. ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 04:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-04-13 11:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-04-14 01:57 am (UTC)[ So there. ]
Stop being embarrassing for three months. Or two. I would take two.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-14 09:12 pm (UTC)[He actually laughs at that--once, short and sharp and incredulous.]
Don't worry, Kos. If anyone knows the meat story, it's not because I told them.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-16 02:17 am (UTC)[ Childhood anecdotes are never at the forefront of his memory. Because of all the years he spent burying them. And then stomping on the dirt to pack it down. And planting some bushes on top.
But he manages to uncover it. ]
There was a maggot.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-16 03:26 am (UTC)Just one. And I know. You screamed the word for an hour. Then you went hoarse. Then you went vegetarian for a fortnight. Then you forgot ad all was well until the cook [disgusting, they had a cook; his voice sours a little there despite the purpose of this story], made potato dumplings and you hid under the table.
It's a very popular story.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-16 08:49 pm (UTC)[ Maybe. Probably. The part with the dumplings and the table is more than half true. ]
And it will pale in comparison to you being thrown out of a notoriously poorly controlled organization because you cannot shut the fuck up.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-17 03:24 am (UTC)Aren't you a leader of it now? Some stupid fucking position you slipped into, because you can't help fitting in.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-18 02:25 am (UTC)What does that have to do with anything?
no subject
Date: 2019-04-18 04:53 pm (UTC)[Only of course it's not really nothing, so, after an appropriately short beat--]
Except if it's poorly controlled and organized, isn't that blame shared by you? [AND ANOTHER THING] Of course you don't want me saying anything agitating. Maker forbid your life be made difficult, or your assumptions of the world be challenged. You might have to make a hard choice. Which I would have at one time thought you capable of, but fuck no.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-19 02:53 am (UTC)[ The beginning of an incredulous repetition, but he abandons it. ]
Do you really want to talk about making my life difficult, Nikos? That's a conversation you want to have?
no subject
Date: 2019-04-19 10:15 pm (UTC)[Nikos,
kingelectorally chosen chairman of comebacks.]Disown me or disavow me or jump off a tower but stop fucking talking to me about what I choose to say, freely, and of my own accord.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-19 11:32 pm (UTC)Or, actually, Kostos falls silent, and makes a brief attempt at disentangling a knot of impulses, like claiming entitlement to his conversation because they're family and continuing to insist he only technically has one of those, and telling Nikos exactly what leaving Nevarra meant for him and never telling him a Maker-damned thing, offense at mistreatment and acceptance that it's still better than he deserved—
So trying to yank all of that apart obviously doesn't work, and he gives up after like three seconds. ]
Fine.
[ He'll stop talking. He'll think very hard about disowning and disavowing him, and slightly less hard about jumping off a tower, but he won't do those things, probably. ]