[ Healed or not, it's still early enough for Mat to be half-awake and nursing a headache. The response is slow, starts out foggy. It only gains traction when a sharp spike of offense sets in. ]
( I don't know what sort of crackbrained barter system you're accustomed to, but the only thing I owe anyone is a swift kick to the shins. )
[ Anyone being Seviilia, of course, though the association's a bit murky, anger tangled up with lingering dread. Reluctant point of interest, though: ]
(That's good to hear. Vegetables don't get angry, or kick people in the shins.)
[ the offense pleases him, mat, insofar as it's evidence he's still got his wits about him and hadn't damaged his brain, or kaji's, by suffering proxy. ]
( And then some. Like that headache of yours, which is the second headache I've had to share with you. I like to think I'm at least owed an explanation.)
[ Aw, you do... care... It takes him a moment to get the reference to a prior headache, though as soon as he does there's a very obvious attempt at putting up walls. More than anything, all he accomplishes is feeling distinctly uncomfortable. ]
(One of our new friends used the— ) [ Except it's not The Power here, is it? ] (Her power on me. Tried to bloody kill me.)
(I told her as much as she deserved. Where I'm from, backing someone into a corner isn't a polite way to make introductions.)
[ The chain of questions is met with a bristling of annoyance, though there's some embarrassment in it. ]
(I don't know her name, and she looked like any of us with all those flaming layers on. And if I'd seen it coming, I would've saved us both the headache.) [ But he knows these questions aren't just about curiosity. It's information worth knowing, worth picking apart. He isn't exactly thrilled about sharing any of it, but even Mat knows when to call a spade a spade. ]
[ kaji's hum was that of someone reviewing a mental checklist. ]
(You don't say... well, it could've been an accident, or a sense of hostility that quickly spiraled out of control. You're a disagreeable man, but fairly harmless, I think.)
[ swiftly preempting mat's protests: ](Of course, that doesn't mean she doesn't owe you an apology. As a matter of fact, she owes me one, too. What's done onto you is done onto me. )
(Of course. I can't say I'm not curious to know who's capable of this sort of thing and getting away with it, for that matter. And here I thought the same was true for you.)
[ unless. ]
(Hold on a moment. You're not scared about a repeat scenario, are you?)
[ Even if his first instinct is to lie, the mental link makes it more of a challenge — and, strangely enough, being called a coward isn't one of his many sore spots. ]
(Because you want another headache, is that it? No, I don't want a blasted repeat. If you truly felt it, neither would you.)
[ "A bit". That's kind of baseline for his relationship with women, so the statement's strangely mild. Although, after a thoughtful and slightly chagrined pause, ]
(She started off lecturing me for causing trouble — which I didn't do, mind you.)
[ She'd told him to stop complaining and get along with the other hosts, or implied it. Sort of the opposite of unreasonable. ]
(In more ways than one.) [ A few months ago he would've gladly tossed the responsibility off to Kaji. That said, his plan for dealing with it is really just avoiding it, SO.... ]
(And I guarantee you I've seen worse tempers than yours.)
[ mat, mat, mat. well, he doesn't get points for clarity. ]
(You never wondered just how deep this connection runs? If I can feel your headache, what else can I feel of yours? And if you're going to willingly give yourself pain, you better follow it up with something correspondingly, well, pleasant. )
[ Wow ok FULL OFFENSE. Mat isn't exactly a prude, but there's doing things and then there's making it everyone's business. Or sharing it, apparently.
Well, maybe he's a little bit of a prude, by certain definitions. But there's a flicker of memory when he puts two and two together — nobody Kaji knows, thankfully, and only vague impressions of a very handsy, older woman — that are quickly shut down. ]
( If I'm getting anything pleasant, it's none of yours. Burn you— ) [ Normally he'd try out new curse words. Since the latest one he's learned is 'fuck' and he knows what it technically means, hard pass. ] ( Just stay out of my bloody skull. )
[ honestly, the vague impressions interest him more than mat's more coherent thoughts right now. there's a sensation that, if assigned to a pictocard, would be of a man raising his eyebrows in quiet intrigue. ]
(Likewise. I'm only kidding, of course.
And, Mat - if there's anything you need to talk to me about, I'm only a thought away. We might be more alike than you realize.)
[ Very dubious. The last comment makes him think of less trivial things, though; the first time they'd met, the images and questions. It'll be an easy thought to track, though his current power-induced hangover makes him reluctant to indulge in existential questions. ]
(Alike, or just sharing the same bad streak of luck?) [ After a short pause, though: ] (If there's anything worth speaking about, I'll get in touch.)
[ Part of him would be content to keep to himself and ignore reality as much as possible. But it's here, and he's stuck with it, and if he's learned anything in the past few months it's that it's best to take any kind of loyalty — or simply solidarity — you can get. ]
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( I don't know what sort of crackbrained barter system you're accustomed to, but the only thing I owe anyone is a swift kick to the shins. )
[ Anyone being Seviilia, of course, though the association's a bit murky, anger tangled up with lingering dread. Reluctant point of interest, though: ]
( You felt all of it? )
no subject
[ the offense pleases him, mat, insofar as it's evidence he's still got his wits about him and hadn't damaged his brain, or kaji's, by suffering proxy. ]
( And then some. Like that headache of yours, which is the second headache I've had to share with you. I like to think I'm at least owed an explanation. )
no subject
( One of our new friends used the— ) [ Except it's not The Power here, is it? ] ( Her power on me. Tried to bloody kill me. )
[ A short pause. ]
( And I didn't start it. )
[ IN CASE THERE WAS ANY DOUBT. ]
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[ he kids, he kids.
well, halfway, anyway. ]
( New friend? Do you know her name? Did you see it coming? )
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( I told her as much as she deserved. Where I'm from, backing someone into a corner isn't a polite way to make introductions. )
[ The chain of questions is met with a bristling of annoyance, though there's some embarrassment in it. ]
( I don't know her name, and she looked like any of us with all those flaming layers on. And if I'd seen it coming, I would've saved us both the headache. ) [ But he knows these questions aren't just about curiosity. It's information worth knowing, worth picking apart. He isn't exactly thrilled about sharing any of it, but even Mat knows when to call a spade a spade. ]
( She seemed half as bloody surprised as I was. )
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( You don't say... well, it could've been an accident, or a sense of hostility that quickly spiraled out of control. You're a disagreeable man, but fairly harmless, I think. )
[ swiftly preempting mat's protests: ] ( Of course, that doesn't mean she doesn't owe you an apology. As a matter of fact, she owes me one, too. What's done onto you is done onto me. )
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[ OffENSE TAKEN. With that and not with the 'disagreeable' part, apparently. But also, ]
( She can keep it; you can't place bets with apologies. You want to find out who it was? Is that it? )
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[ unless. ]
( Hold on a moment. You're not scared about a repeat scenario, are you? )
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( Because you want another headache, is that it? No, I don't want a blasted repeat. If you truly felt it, neither would you. )
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[ explains a lot. ]
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[ "A bit". That's kind of baseline for his relationship with women, so the statement's strangely mild. Although, after a thoughtful and slightly chagrined pause, ]
( She started off lecturing me for causing trouble — which I didn't do, mind you. )
[ She'd told him to stop complaining and get along with the other hosts, or implied it. Sort of the opposite of unreasonable. ]
( Just leave it. I'll take care of it. )
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[ it's not mat. in his experience, whenever someone said "i'll take care of it", malfeasance closely followed behind. ]
( Just don't give me another headache. I may not look like it, but I have a hot temper. ) [ and the skies were made of marmalade. ]
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( And I guarantee you I've seen worse tempers than yours. )
[ Speaking of headaches, though. ]
( What about drink? )
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Well, I can't prevent you from indulging yourself in good conscience. Just make sure to make it up with pleasure. )
[ ???? ]
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( I'm not sure I take your meaning. )
[ Can you feel it when he's drunk, too?? It had better be that innocent. ]
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( You never wondered just how deep this connection runs? If I can feel your headache, what else can I feel of yours? And if you're going to willingly give yourself pain, you better follow it up with something correspondingly, well, pleasant. )
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Well, maybe he's a little bit of a prude, by certain definitions. But there's a flicker of memory when he puts two and two together — nobody Kaji knows, thankfully, and only vague impressions of a very handsy, older woman — that are quickly shut down. ]
( If I'm getting anything pleasant, it's none of yours. Burn you— ) [ Normally he'd try out new curse words. Since the latest one he's learned is 'fuck' and he knows what it technically means, hard pass. ] ( Just stay out of my bloody skull. )
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( Likewise. I'm only kidding, of course.
And, Mat - if there's anything you need to talk to me about, I'm only a thought away. We might be more alike than you realize. )
no subject
( Right. )
[ Very dubious. The last comment makes him think of less trivial things, though; the first time they'd met, the images and questions. It'll be an easy thought to track, though his current power-induced hangover makes him reluctant to indulge in existential questions. ]
( Alike, or just sharing the same bad streak of luck? ) [ After a short pause, though: ] ( If there's anything worth speaking about, I'll get in touch. )
[ Part of him would be content to keep to himself and ignore reality as much as possible. But it's here, and he's stuck with it, and if he's learned anything in the past few months it's that it's best to take any kind of loyalty — or simply solidarity — you can get. ]