VII. Clearing the Air

[madaboutit]

Obedience Training
Jinx Interruption
Touch For Touch Deal

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He didn't bring breakfast. Or lunch. The only person to visit is the same silent attendant who has served her prior; quick in and out, leaving her trays by the door.

It's evening before his boots strike the hall's stone, and when he arrives at the door, he isn't carrying a tray of his own. He has a narrow-necked pitcher in one hand and two glasses in the other; their stems laced between his fingers.

When Sweeney enters, he's quiet, but not morose. He casts her a small smile as he crosses to the vanity, where he sets down what he's carrying. Then he turns to her more fully.

"Are ya feelin' any better?"

Hopefully, she is; she'd had a fair bit of time to come down and reflect on what had happened, and so had he. Some things have been made plain to him, so Sweeney' aware now that he needs to alter his course. With any luck, this might be the first step in a better direction.

Comments

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Vex has nothing but time to think today. The servant who brings her meals offers no distraction and no explanation for Sweeney's absence. That's not unexpected. She never had before, so why start now? It serves to leave her uncertain, pacing her cage out of excess nervous energy.

After the day before, it seems possible that more has changed than she realized.

She doesn't believe Sweeney would abandon her, but she also can't explain his failure to arrive for their training. Maybe something else went wrong. Something he couldn't control or account for. Maybe the Summer King considered her a failure.

She tries to discount these theories. She knows very little about this place, and neither Sweeney or Jinx seem to think it's that dire.

But especially when he misses lunch, it's hard not to speculate.

When he finally arrives, he'll find she's eaten little of her food. Better might not be entirely the right word for her appearance.

"I'm fine," she replies with a pinched brow. "What about you?"

[madaboutit]

'Fine'. That ambiguous word that means almost nothing, other than the fact that the one claiming it is almost certainly Not Fine. But that is neither here nor there. Sweeney takes half a breath before answering her question.

"I've had a productive day of reflectin'." He presses his lips, regarding her for a moment.

"I didn't mean ta take so long." And that's where he intends to leave that shit. Sweeney doesn't wait to turn his attention to getting the drinks poured.

"I thought we might talk. If yer feelin' up fer it."

Once full, he holds the first glass of wine out to her.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Vex takes the wine. She can use some at this point.

Though she's not in a rush to drink it, studying Sweeney's face for clues where he's going with all of this. Needing to talk doesn't feel like a good thing, though she can't deny that it's true.

They almost certainly do need to talk.

"I'm up for it," she says with an air of I know this has to happen. Like she wouldn't be surprised if she's about to be punished for something. (Does he know about Jinx's visit?) "I'm not entirely sure where to start, though."

[madaboutit]

"That's a'right." He flashes another brief smile before turning his attention back to the other glass.

"You wanna sit down?"

Sweeney expects it might take a while. It's one of the reasons there are two glasses.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"Sitting sounds nice." Especially since she's sure it will be some time.

Vex tries to reassure herself that Sweeney hasn't changed his mind about her. They'll get through this. They'll be fine.

Even with Jinx involved.

"Will you join me on the bed?"

[madaboutit]

Truth be told, he'd planned to take the chair, but if she's making the request, Sweeney certainly isn't going to deny her. Warmth suffuses his voice as he sets the pitcher down and picks his glass up.

"Course, I will." It doesn't take him long to be by her side, but he lets her sit first. He knows she doesn't know where to start, but unfortunately, neither does he. However, Sweeney accepts that it's his job to start their stumbling together.

"I've just...I've tried ta ease you inta things, as best I'm able, but..." He worries the side of his glass with his thumb, not drinking.

"...maybe that was wrong'a me. You have questions, an' I haven't been blunt with you." Sweeney's eyes flit up to her.

"But I'm ready ta be, if that's what you want."

Even if it really isn't. She'll just have to find that out herself.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"I know I ask a lot, and it's clear I'm not supposed to. I just... I feel like it would make more sense if I understood the big picture. Why I'm supposed to do one thing or the other." Vex does sit, leaning her elbows on her knees.

"I'm not trying to be wilful or disobedient. I just... I feel like I don't have a real sense who I'm supposed to be in all of this. Surely I'm not just a doll to do what she's told."

[madaboutit]

He gives her the time to speak her mind, and then a breath more. Wetting his lip, his brow lifts.

"Yer welcome ta ask yer questions now."

It's a gentle clarification. Sweeney is doing his best, but he doesn't intend to just expound, especially about something so Big.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Breaking the whole big thing down into smaller questions is difficult. How is she supposed to ask things that feel so... opaque.

She takes a sip of her wine, and just tries to start with what does seem the clearest.

"What happens next?"

[madaboutit]

Well, that sounds a lot like expounding. Sweeney regrets that he has to give her an unsatisfactory answer.

"I dunno."

That's the long and short of it. They're both in uncharted waters.

"We have this talk, an' go from there, I guess."

His master plan, as it stands.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

At least it's an honest answer. And that much hasn't changed.

Gods, apparently she is a problem Sweeney doesn't know how to crack. But they are really in this together.

She'll accept that.

"You talked to Jinx?"

[madaboutit]

"I did."

Another thing he's not looking to freely expound on without more specific questions.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

All right. So he'll answer questions, but... he won't be volunteering information.

That does sound like a faerie.

"Are all of your answers going to be this brief?"

[madaboutit]

"It depends on the question." There's no defensiveness; it's simply the truth.

"We talked fer a long time. I'm not gonna dictate it ta you, but if you have specific questions, I'll try ta answer them."

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"Did you beat him to a pulp?" Vex is half joking with the question, but only half.

[madaboutit]

"No." Whether it was a joke or not, that's the honest answer.

"We mostly talked terms an' philosophies. Our common ground an' where we diverge." Sweeney swallows. "He made it clear that he doesn't plan to withhold information, if you press fer it." He shrugs a shoulder. Quiet hangs between them as he looks down to his glass.

"I rather ya hear it from me."

Look! Him offering information preemptively. He's trying.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

It is honest, and it does give her an idea where to go next. She's not sure it will really result in a satisfying answer, but at least it's a direction.

Maybe his answer will give her another idea.

"What's something you've been withholding from me? Intentionally. One thing you haven't wanted to tell me."

[madaboutit]

He considers the wide swath of options.

"That, by the time we're done, you'll be expected ta be obedient on command." Given her previous statement, Sweeney makes a quick addendum.

"Not a doll, but a servant." Wetting his lips, he points out what he thinks is obvious.

"We all serve at the command of the King."

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She can guess, but only he can confirm her suspicions.

[madaboutit]

Sweeney mulls her question. He isn't certain it was a completely conscious decision, so much as a natural adaptation.

"'cause I thought it'd be too much fer you ta accept in one go."

Of course, now, it's likely that any trust he'd fought to build is being washed away.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

Vex takes another drink of wine, her eyes closing briefly. They won't know now. He might be right?

"Is there something you'd like me to tell you?"

[madaboutit]

His lips part, then shut. Sweeney's lashes flutter as his gaze lowers askew. He knows what he wants to ask; he just isn't sure if he should. But if they're going to do this blunt honesty thing, he supposes it should go both ways. Sweeney swallows and makes his query, keeping his voice low.

"Why did ya ask him if he still wanted ta taste you?"

[whatsinfrontofyou]

"What?"

Vex asks, genuinely surprised at first by the question. She didn't realize at the time her mistake. She doesn't realize it for another half second or so, when his question finally sinks in, and the memory comes back—when she realizes why he's asking.

She opens her mouth again, but silently, unsure how to respond.

He'll know if she lies.

And so will she, carrying the weight of it forward. Of course, telling to truth means revealing the secret. Maybe this was part of Jinx's plan all along, why he said he'd be her dirty little secret, then he revealed himself.

She tries again.

"Because he brought it up before."

[madaboutit]

Okay. At least, he hadn't misheard. He hadn't misunderstood. Sweeney wets his lip slowly, walking a delicate line.

"When?"

Because he's pretty sure he would have remembered that shit.

[whatsinfrontofyou]

There's no way not to answer. Meaning Jinx has managed to shame her again.

"Last night," she admits, her head falling. "He visited in the middle of the night, and tried to tempt me. To... I don't know. I don't understand what he wants."