"I think he knows. Just...he'll be a bit out of sorts for awhile, I think. He will get over it, I promise. It's best to let it run its course. Just try not to...treat him any differently? Now that you know some things."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"Of course." Ky nodded quickly. "It'd be asinine to-- he's still the same person -- I am the one who..." She rubbed her face. "I've lost respect for myself; not him."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Think of this as a learning experience," she suggested. "Keep respect for yourself, please. Everybody makes mistakes."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Yeah, but most people also made good decisions between their mistakes. She just went from one fuck up to the next. But she wasn’t about to wheedle for comfort or dig for compliments. So she dipped her head.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Alright. Can I get you something like tea or anything like that?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky blinked at her. Why in the hell was she coddling her? She should be shouting. Making threats. Meting consequences. Doing her best to make Ky feel even worse about herself. Why was she offering her tea? "... no?"
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky reflexively popped to her feet as well. "I..." Her gaze subconsciously flicked to the tea kit Sera had sent for her, on top of the pile of things on the floor. She looked back at Sera. "Don't understand."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"Why aren't you being mean?" Ky's brow was also furrowed, expression far more distraught than it should have been. "I just did something horrible and no one even yelled at me or took anything--" She gestured vaguely at the pile "--Or -- or... and now you're offering to get me tea? When I am the bad guy here? Why?"
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Ky, it wasn't horrible. You were curious...borderline nosy, but still curious. All you did wrong was read personal information without asking. We don't punish children as harshly as Aleth did. That shouldn't ever be done."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Did Sera hear how ridiculous she was being? Pretending it wasn't a big deal. Had she not felt how utterly furious Gaius was?
Ky took a deep breath to answer, but it hitched in her chest. She tried again with the same result. And then something in her snapped.
Perhaps it was just Kyber being suddenly yanked away from her. He was held together by the force of pressure exerted on him. Constant pressure. The weight of everyone else's expectations. He could be calm and rational in the face of a threat. Keep himself together.
But he didn't need to be here now.
There was no threat.
And she didn't know what to do without him.
She burst into tears.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Sera was there immediately, sitting down on the bed and wrapping her up gently in a hug. "Oh, Ky," she said in distress. "I'm sorry, dear. I'm sorry."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
