driftfleet | Windrose June Mingle!

[ here. that's always the catch. they're only guaranteed this happiness as long as they're both still here. if one of them disappears, that happiness will turn into its equal opposite. but he only entertains that fear for less than a heartbeat. he's happy now, that's what matters.

his own smile turns warm, some of that color starting to creep back into his face. ]

Thanks, Margaery. But you know, friendship makes me really happy too. [ ... ] Well, usually. When it's not being used against me.

Forgive me, I should have been kinder.

[ she doesn't entirely regret it but she does soften it by admitting ]

if it is a comfort, I haven't laughed so since I've left Highgarden.

It's ok, I should be used to it.

[ when they first met, flustering him was kitty's favorite pastime, or at least it felt that way. ]

And in that case - it was worth it. [ he may be dooming himself now -- but he's so desperate to be of use, he'll even take accomplishing it through his own abject humiliation. ]

Can I ask you something? a question that is entirely honest even though you might think me to still be teasing.

[ she puts aside her work again, places her hands primly in her lap ]

-- yeah, of course.

[ tilting his head slightly, it's a curious introduction to a question. slightly worrisome. but he can take it -- he hopes. ]

To the best of your knowledge and please answer truthfully, I've been wondering for quite some time.

[ very seriously ]

are all men in your world so sweet or are you a rarity?

[ ok, he's not sure what he was expecting - but it definitely wasn't this and it makes him laugh out of sheer surprise. ]

I -- don't know how to answer that.

Most men are not so sweet in my realm. They are not all brutes, either but they are proud and do enjoy boasting and wine. Loras and Willas and Garlan are less so, they are sweet and wonderful and yet. I've never met anyone like you.

[ someone who is humble and down to earth ]

I shall ask it differently, are most men in your world proud and boastful?

They come in all sorts. [ he rubs his chin, trying to figure out how to explain this. ] People are proud. But - there are different kinds of pride. I mean, I'm proud too, I'm really proud of my skills I don't - have them here, which sucks - but I'm proud of them. I'm proud of the friends I've made. Some people get so wrapped up in their pride they get entitled - which is the kind of pride I guess you're talking about? I wanna say most people aren't like that, but. I don't know.

[ he's seen some scary things online, and worse - off. ]

People aren't perfect, but I think most of us are trying to be better. Your society's teaching men they can get away with acting that way. My society's trying to hold them to higher standards. [ he feels so unqualified for this discussion. his home is far from perfect, but it's definitely better than hers. ]

[ she hums her interest, thinks of it for a long moment before deciding ]

A rarity, then. It is as I thought.

[ 'entitled' though, that's a term she will remember ]

No that's -- [ he smiles; as nice as the compliment is, he doesn't really deserve it. he's had a lot of petty bitter moments. ] that's not what I meant. I do think most people are good, they're gonna try to do the right thing. A lot of them are a lot better than I am. It's just complicated...Kara can probably explain it better.

[ he's spent too much time being jealous and sometimes afraid of other men. comes with being the weakling nerd of the herd. it makes it hard for him to really be fair. but he also knows there are a lot of douches out there. he's trying to offer a more balanced view of his world. and there is the small matter of his best friend being a woman - he doesn't really hang out with a lot of guys. or a lot of people. maybe this social blooming is what would happen to him if he unplugged back home too, but he doesn't think so - things are just so different on the fleet. the people are different. they don't discount him because he likes video games and believes in aliens. ]

I shall tell you this.

[ she thinks of it for a moment before speaking again ]

I've known many boastful men, most could not live up to the names they had which made it ever more disappointing. Some do. Loras knows himself to be one of the finest swordsmen in the Seven Kingdoms but he had won against so many knights that he had earned his reputation through and through. There is a difference between that and boastful. I find a share of humility to be wise and good, it would do no one any good to think they are above others in their skill and yet.

[ she gives him a little look ]

Humility should also be kept in check. Lest we'd lose sight of what makes us great.

[ as if to say, some men need to keep their pride in check but you sir, you mind your humility. ]

[ she talks and in his mind's eye he sees kara, kitty, jim - all telling him the same thing. I'd be lost without you, you're a good person, you're one of the best men I've ever met. maybe they wouldn't think so, if they went back to national city with him (well, except for kara, since she's from there and all), but even if other people are better than him - braver, stronger, more sure, more sincere - that doesn't make him bad.

he smiles fondly when she's done. ]

Let me translate that to millennial speak - shut up and take the compliment?

I shall never tell you that! it's entirely ill-mannered, you may speak as much as you wish.

[ goodness gracious ]

but accepting the compliment, yes. that would please me.

[ he laughs ]

It's um, in my world 'shut up' doesn't necessarily mean 'stop talking', depending on context it can also be 'that's amazing tell me more' or 'you're being ridiculous knock it off'.

[ even so he knows she's too polite to tell him anything like it. she won't call him ridiculous, or silly, or stupid, or an idiot (which was the original word he had in mind before deciding to soften it for margaery). she has a way with words he can only dream about.

his laughter melts into a genuinely moved smile though, because it does mean so much to him that margaery sees him that way. ]

Thank you. [ there. accepted! ]

Your world is odd.

[ honestly, how can 'shut up' mean anything that's not offensive and how is one supposed to tell them apart? she makes a face ]

you're being ridiculous knock it off, now that is how one would convey a message.

[ and then, a little bow of her head ]

You are welcome.

We like our multiple-meanings slang.

[ he nods, and oh god hearing her say 'knock it off' is weirdly adorable, and he's smiling like an idiot now. ]

For the record - I think you're pretty exceptional yourself. I believe in democracy - that's our system of government, where we elect our leader - but if I had to have one appointed, I'd want it to be someone who cares as much as you.

Older, however, yes?

[ she smiles ]

I would offer you to support the other woman who stakes a claim to the throne but the dragon queen and I are the same age, I reckon. She does not look much older.

I'm - smart enough to know that politics' complicated. [ holding his hands up in surrender ] I don't really know anything about the state of your world or what either of you would end up doing with that power - and age alone is a pretty arbitrary parameter to make a choice over. I can't really support anyone on that little information.

[ he lets is hands fall ]

All I'm saying is, it's always better to have someone who genuinely cares leading the way, and it's really clear that you do. Do I wish you had more time to learn and explore? Absolutely. Does that mean that if I ended up in your world and had a choice I'd pick anyone else just because they're older? of course not.

We are all young. Mayhaps it is sad, is it not? I mean, for you, we must look like children playing battles and war and ruling kingdoms. There are three monarchs at the fleet, I do think Robb Stark is only a little older than myself and Her Grace, Queen Daenerys.

[ an odd situation but she does allow Daenerys her title. she will be foolish to take that battle here ]

He is married, I am to be married, I do not know much of the Dragon queen and you are older than all of us.

[ she smiles a little ]

We must look very silly, do we not?

Edited 2016-06-11 21:26 (UTC)

[ he smiles a little in return and shakes his head. ]

And I must look like an old lazy underachiever. We all have our perceptional crosses to bear.

[ his tone makes it clear that he's not being entirely serious. ok yes he feels really old on this fleet, and around her he definitely feels like an underachiever because his greatest aspiration in life is help out superheroes - he may fantasize about being one himself every now and again but he really has no interest in being in a fight, make code, not war - but he doesn't think she looks silly, not even a little bit.

he does think it's sad though, that at such a young age she literally has the fate of her world on her shoulders, that she has to think of political maneuvers and alliances, has to subject herself to marriage after marriage, no matter how terrible the husband, for the sake of her family and her country. he's sad for her. ]

I was asked about Joffrey the other day.

[ she returns to her work ]

His reputation precedes him, ever here. Especially with so many who mislike him on the fleet.

[ though she can only think of one soul who does kine the boy-king and thank the Seven she's not present. ]

[ he gives her shoulder a squeeze ]

That's the thing with the truth, it always finds a way out.

[ he's glad that people know to keep him the hell away if he ever shows his face, but he's not glad she's been forced to talk about it, he knows how hard that can be. she's just a kid. he thinks back at himself at 16 - he would've rather take a beating than talk about his dad. then again, that might be because that was what he was used to. ]

How do you feel about that - talking about him?

It is - a complicated matter. The truth belongs to those who can speak it. Joffrey is to be my husband, if he comes here, he will know me as his Queen Consort. There are those who would seek to hear from me what others are saying.

[ she looks down at her hands ]

I was asked if I fear him. Admitting to fear - I cannot afford to feel it. I am to be Queen. Once fear is allowed beneath the veins, it is hard to remove it, harder still to convince others you are naught more than a silly, whimpering girl. Silly, whimpering girls cannot be Queens.

[ carefully, she adds ]

You must understand, I can speak of it with you. You will not think less of me yet I find it - challenging with others. It is hard to explain how unfavorable my position here is. I know - you have promised to make certain I shall be alright, Lady Stark had vowed to the same and I do thank you for it yet - we are not certain any of us will be here on the morrow, are we? If he comes and you are gone, I am his queen, I shall not dishonor the promise my father has made and if the queen spoke against the king - that would be unwise.

[ she thinks for another moment ]

It is almost a game yet not one anyone wishes to lose.

[ he listens to her quietly. these are all complicated points she's making, and he can't tell her she's getting them wrong, and he hates that. ]

All that is true, but Margaery if he comes here - he won't be king, he won't be anything, just another person trapped on a spaceship. We exist out of our time here. I know...it's a huge gamble to take for you, trusting that if he showed up here he really won't remember any of it when you go home, I get that. [ he has a hard time trusting any of the rules of this place, because they're not laws of nature - they're the atroma's. who knows which one of them are arbitrary and can change with policy, and which ones are set in stone? not him, and that means he can put his faith in none of them. ] I know it's hard. I wish I had easy answers for you, I really do but I think...the best thing you can do, is find more people you can trust, so if one of us goes, you'll have another ace up your sleeve. But what you can't do -- you can't let someone hurt you because of a promise that wasn't even your own. Even your own - in my world he'd be in jail, and he should be.

[ he sighs, running a hand through his hair. kara would know what to say here, how to inspire her. all he knows is how to try and hope it's good enough. ] Margaery, fear...it doesn't make you weak or silly, fear's there to let you know that something is dangerous, something needs to be avoided. Sometimes you have to face your fears, and sometimes you have to listen to them. Knowing which is which is a sign of wisdom and strength - and a good leader. Worrying about perception of strength is how people get tangled up in unnecessary wars.

Windrose June Mingle!

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