Tim Laughlin (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
holyposition) wrote2024-06-13 06:55 pm
holyposition) wrote2024-06-13 06:55 pm
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WELCOME TO THE SALTBURNT NETWORK
USERNAME:
t.laughlin
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WELCOME TO THE SALTBURNT NETWORK
USERNAME:
t.laughlin
text ❖ audio ❖ video
[ he's not expecting the call, truthfully. he'd been minding his mother's hair, and aegon has stormed off to his side of the room out of disgust or some other unhappy feeling. it's fine. he will mind his mother on his own if necessary.
the nature of aemond's covetousness means he has not considered that, perhaps, his mother's death however temporary would have a strong impact on others. his mother is loved here. beloved, truly beloved unlike the sycophantic attentions poured upon her back home. and aemond sought to ruin it, whether he meant to or not.
now the consequences of his actions come calling, and it tastes bitter in his mouth. ]
I don't rightly know yet who had done it, but she was gored. Violently, as with the games.
[ his voice is truly hollow, as if speaking at a distance from himself. though he's passing through the stages of grief with alarming speed, circling through them over and over like a madman. ]
She's resting in my rooms. I can meet you outside.
the nature of aemond's covetousness means he has not considered that, perhaps, his mother's death however temporary would have a strong impact on others. his mother is loved here. beloved, truly beloved unlike the sycophantic attentions poured upon her back home. and aemond sought to ruin it, whether he meant to or not.
now the consequences of his actions come calling, and it tastes bitter in his mouth. ]
I don't rightly know yet who had done it, but she was gored. Violently, as with the games.
[ his voice is truly hollow, as if speaking at a distance from himself. though he's passing through the stages of grief with alarming speed, circling through them over and over like a madman. ]
She's resting in my rooms. I can meet you outside.
With the games...?
[ It comes out as a whispering squeak, pure disbelief. It can't be like the games, because nobody wanted to hurt her during the games. Tim had used the power he was given to protect her, to the detriment of more likely targets, out of fear that they would, and he was never called to any action beyond roaming the hallways outside her door. Who would want to now? Who would dare, with the wrath of Aemond, most of the vampires, and a man with lasers for eyes on the other side of it? ]
Yeah. Outside. I'll--I'll pack a bag.
[ He'll forget socks and his toothbrush, in his haste, but he makes it in minutes, nearly running across the floors of the manor to get to Aemond. He's wiped the initial rush of tears away, but his chin still wobbles when he stops in front of him. Tim lets his bag fall to the floor and wraps his arms tight around him, a warm squeeze with every bit of sword-training honed muscle. ]
I'm so sorry, Aemond. [ Pressing a kiss to his temple, over his hair. Not letting go. ] I'm gonna be here, okay? You got me through, when it was Hawk. I'll be here for this. For anything.
[ It's so much more than a debt, but if that were expressed to the fullest right now, with grief and confusion wildly spidering in so many different directions, he'd be sure to lose what little of his composure he's grasping onto. He'll just have to trust Aemond to understand. ]
[ It comes out as a whispering squeak, pure disbelief. It can't be like the games, because nobody wanted to hurt her during the games. Tim had used the power he was given to protect her, to the detriment of more likely targets, out of fear that they would, and he was never called to any action beyond roaming the hallways outside her door. Who would want to now? Who would dare, with the wrath of Aemond, most of the vampires, and a man with lasers for eyes on the other side of it? ]
Yeah. Outside. I'll--I'll pack a bag.
[ He'll forget socks and his toothbrush, in his haste, but he makes it in minutes, nearly running across the floors of the manor to get to Aemond. He's wiped the initial rush of tears away, but his chin still wobbles when he stops in front of him. Tim lets his bag fall to the floor and wraps his arms tight around him, a warm squeeze with every bit of sword-training honed muscle. ]
I'm so sorry, Aemond. [ Pressing a kiss to his temple, over his hair. Not letting go. ] I'm gonna be here, okay? You got me through, when it was Hawk. I'll be here for this. For anything.
[ It's so much more than a debt, but if that were expressed to the fullest right now, with grief and confusion wildly spidering in so many different directions, he'd be sure to lose what little of his composure he's grasping onto. He'll just have to trust Aemond to understand. ]
I'm with them in Aegon's room. I'm not allowed to see the body. It's part of her faith.
He said she was gored. So it's bad.
He said she was gored. So it's bad.
Aegon's drunk and Aemond's spiraling. His mood changes every 2 seconds on a good day, what do you think it's like now?
What about you?
What about you?
In case of what?
Koby. You love her the same as I do.
[ More, probably. Tim said he would be there, and he wasn't. ]
Koby. You love her the same as I do.
[ More, probably. Tim said he would be there, and he wasn't. ]
There won't be.
[ He knows what he means. There won't be. ]
It doesn't make it hurt less. It didn't last time, either.
[ He knows what he means. There won't be. ]
It doesn't make it hurt less. It didn't last time, either.
He doesn't think Daemon did it. So unless he shows up to antagonize them, it'll be fine.
[ If only a fight were our biggest concern regarding Daemon! ]
No, it shouldn't have been. I feel like
like I should have been there. After last time, I promised her this wouldn't happen again.
[ If only a fight were our biggest concern regarding Daemon! ]
No, it shouldn't have been. I feel like
like I should have been there. After last time, I promised her this wouldn't happen again.
But he doesn't KNOW.
And Daemon might decide now is the perfect time to show up and start a fight.
If something happens, you need to tell me and Hawk and Quentin at LEAST. Maybe more people. Daemon's not afraid of killing, remember.
Tim, that's not remotely true. You couldn't have known. And you were giving her space.
And Daemon might decide now is the perfect time to show up and start a fight.
If something happens, you need to tell me and Hawk and Quentin at LEAST. Maybe more people. Daemon's not afraid of killing, remember.
Tim, that's not remotely true. You couldn't have known. And you were giving her space.
If there was even a chance, one of them would be dead right along with her.
I know he's crazy, but I don't think it was him. They described it more like she was mauled, not stabbed or slashed.
I was giving her space because I put Aemond's feelings over hers. And I did it again last night, we were making out at Otherworld while she was bleeding out.
I know he's crazy, but I don't think it was him. They described it more like she was mauled, not stabbed or slashed.
I was giving her space because I put Aemond's feelings over hers. And I did it again last night, we were making out at Otherworld while she was bleeding out.
He could be waiting or biding his time or something.
I'm not saying to run away and leave them vulnerable, I'm saying be careful. There are people here who will celebrate this.
It wasn't your fault. If it wasn't mine, for not keeping a close enough watch, it wasn't yours.
I'm not saying to run away and leave them vulnerable, I'm saying be careful. There are people here who will celebrate this.
It wasn't your fault. If it wasn't mine, for not keeping a close enough watch, it wasn't yours.
Can you keep an eye on him? With your haki?
[ Sorry Koby he's not arguing with you, catholic guilt go brrrrr ]
[ Sorry Koby he's not arguing with you, catholic guilt go brrrrr ]
Yes. I have been, since I heard the news. Him and you and Aemond and Aegon.
[Not Catholic, but the guilt is still there -- he should've been watching Alicent too, should've been using this stupid, frustrating, overwhelming power to do something useful, instead of drowning it in Otherworld.]
[Not Catholic, but the guilt is still there -- he should've been watching Alicent too, should've been using this stupid, frustrating, overwhelming power to do something useful, instead of drowning it in Otherworld.]
Don’t overextend yourself, okay? You don’t need to keep an eye on me at least, I can tell you if anything changes.
That's really sweet, but I'm not the one who needs it most, or a potential threat.
But okay. I believe you, and I trust you, I just can't deal with your head exploding while someone's dead again.
But okay. I believe you, and I trust you, I just can't deal with your head exploding while someone's dead again.
I can't lose you too. I can't do it. I don't care if it's selfish, I'm not letting that happen.
It won't. I'm stronger now. It gets easier every day.
[A soft press, a mental nudge, the equivalent of an embrace, warm and protective and sizzling with something deliriously powerful, wrapped around Tim like a shield.]
See?
It won't. I'm stronger now. It gets easier every day.
[A soft press, a mental nudge, the equivalent of an embrace, warm and protective and sizzling with something deliriously powerful, wrapped around Tim like a shield.]
See?
[ Bright yellow’s faded into tarnished, crumbling rust. Love still flows through him freely, but it isn’t joyful, woven close with fear, with worry, with guilt. Guilt on guilt on more guilt, so many layers of it that he can barely think, only serve, in hopes of alleviating even a little bit of it. Tim feels Koby reaching out, and he’s still not used to the sensation that goes along with it, but for a second, the slightest second, he relaxes. Exhales without his chin wobbling with a barely repressed sob. ]
Yeah. Thank you.
You look after me, so I can look after them. If you need anything
Well, I’m sure Quentin’s got you covered
But if you need him, talk to Hawk. Between the two of you I’ll be fine.
Yeah. Thank you.
You look after me, so I can look after them. If you need anything
Well, I’m sure Quentin’s got you covered
But if you need him, talk to Hawk. Between the two of you I’ll be fine.
[It's still difficult to use the full extent of what's awoken -- as a weapon or even as defense, the myriad purposes of such power still escaping Koby, even after weeks of practice. But this, at least, he can do. He can nudge that blushing pink warmth up against the pained, grieving, guilty mess of Tim's mind, embrace him fully and unflinching, whisper I'm here, I'm here, I'm here as many times as it takes. That part comes effortlessly.]
Right. I take care of you, you take care of them, we take care of each other, and it'll end eventually. She'll come back and tell us off for worrying so much.
He does. [Quentin’s got him, even when he doesn't ask for it, even when he doesn't think to need it.]
I'll keep an eye on him too, just to be safe. Make sure he's sleeping. Make sure YOU'RE sleeping, because you're no help unrested.
Right. I take care of you, you take care of them, we take care of each other, and it'll end eventually. She'll come back and tell us off for worrying so much.
He does. [Quentin’s got him, even when he doesn't ask for it, even when he doesn't think to need it.]
I'll keep an eye on him too, just to be safe. Make sure he's sleeping. Make sure YOU'RE sleeping, because you're no help unrested.
[ Still not confident that Alicent wjll want to talk to him even to scold him, but maybe. It changed Hawk. ]
I'll sleep, I promise. Whenever Aemond does.
No idea how this sleeping arrangement is supposed to work, but I will.
I'll sleep, I promise. Whenever Aemond does.
No idea how this sleeping arrangement is supposed to work, but I will.
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