driftfleet | A June Tourist

[An arched brow, mixing curiosity and concern with a sort of profession distance.]

Guess it's better to take it out on the bag than on people. ...Should I ask what happened?

[ she stills the bag with both hands and sighs, unsure if she wants to go down this path. But she also wants to know. ]

Did you know about Mon-El being a prince?

[Natasha's expression softens at that, a little surprise allowed to show on her face.]

It never came up.

Well, he is, and not only did he lie about it to me here, it started at home. So. I don't know what to do about that.

They were tyrants and slaveholders, Natasha. Dictatorial hedonists.

How did you find out? [Seems like the right question to ask next. There are a lot of reasons it could come out.]

[ this is a point in his favor ]

He came clean.

[A pause at that while Natasha does the math, then she nods.]

It seemed like he had something on his mind the last time we talked. Like there was something hanging over his head.

Seems like he decided to meet it.

There wasn't a repeat of the last time he neglected to tell me something, in case you're wondering. I told him we'd talk about it again but I had to think.

Seems fair. That's a lot to take in.

[Natasha considers if she should leave it at that. Maybe she should. Kara says she needed to think, which wasn't unreasonable.

But Kara hasn't struck Natasha as the type who withdraws from people.]

It's a lot to let out, too. Believe me, I've told a lot of lies. The longer you tell them, the harder it is to stop.

He didn't have to start in the first place.

[ well. i mean, it was definitely the smartest move but she won't acknowledge that unprompted ]

Maybe he didn't. [Natasha shrugs. That's not her call to make, and she doesn't want to make it about defending Mon-El's decision to lie one way or the other.] But unless you has a time machine, going back and undoing it isn't exactly an option. Even if he wants to make it right.

[ she sighs again ]

It's not a small thing. I don't know if anyone can really understand that. It's not just the lying to me—which is obviously a huge issue—but who the prince was. What that family did and stood for. I can't just ignore that.

Edited 2017-06-01 15:55 (UTC)

Then don't ignore that. But if he was asking you to, I don't think you'd have any problem figuring out what to do.

Of course he wasn't asking me to ignore that. It would be a lot easier if he was just a jerk.

Maybe. Do you want it to be easier? Because it doesn't have to be that hard.

How do you figure?

He's not who you thought he was, and he lied to you. It wouldn't be unfair of you not to trust him after that—not in the way that you can continue a relationship. It's possible that this is too much for him to really correct. So if you want it to be easy, you can break it off. You can tell him that you'll support him changing, but you can't be with him.

[She tilts her head, studying Kara's face.]

On the other hand, he can't change the past and he can't change who he is. Bearing that in mind... he's doing something very hard, trying to get right. You can judge him for what he should have done, or you choose to judge him for what he's trying to do now.

[ she watches natasha as she speaks, but when she brings up breaking it off, kara looks away and chews on her lip. it's clear that's where the conflict lies ]

It should be easy and it's just not. So my options are break up or just forgive and forget?

I didn't say that. Your options are to judge him for who he's been and what he's done—what he's represented—or you can judge him for what he's trying to do and who he's trying to be now.

And I'm saying that neither of these is wrong, but one is easier than the other.

I wish Alex were here. She'd probably give the same advice—or tell me that he's not good enough for me, or I'm being way too harsh.

My best friend just left. Barry's here but it's not the same... as well as we hit it off, we don't know each other that well.

Right before he told me, he said he couldn't imagine what he'd do if I left and he stayed here. I told him the same thing. It's still true and I'm still mad. I don't know how to have both of those feelings at the same time.

[ it might be as vulnerable as Natasha has seen Kara. The tone has certainly shifted from one of judgment to one of fear—she doesn't want to be taken for a fool but she doesn't want to be left alone ]

Let's assume she'd think he's not good enough for you. As a sister, seems like her job. [Natasha offers a slight smile as she says it. If she's not sure how to deal with this sort of dilemma, she hides it well enough.] Be mad. You're allowed to be mad about something like this.

[Natasha could almost laugh at herself for what she says next. But she doesn't have to represent her own advice to give it.]

You're allowed to have feelings like that. Let yourself have them. You wouldn't be fair with yourself if you tried not to be mad.

But it wouldn't be fair to either of you if you're going to stay mad.

[ she smiles a bit at Nat's comment about Alex. it's true, but Alex is also always ready to kick her ass (metaphorically) ]

That seems like sound advice.

Believe it or not, I have that sometimes.

Oh, I know you do. I can have good advice, too, I just never seem to follow it.

Luckily, following your own advice isn't a requirement to having a good point.

[Or else Natasha would be out of luck.]

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