"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
“Not sure,” Ky admitted. “They said that they can only come through when the ‘veil is thin’ but I didn’t get around to asking what they meant by that. And that they’re not usually as solid as they are now.”
"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]
"We can't tell Gaius about any of this," he said after a moment. "Like, at all."
"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 glanced at him, then inclined her head. “Okay.”
Probably a good plan, honestly. She figured he’d want to know. But was getting increasingly convinced that she should have just kept this to herself entirely. Let Tomhas think her crazy. Hell, maybe she should play it up and let Sera think so, too. Maybe then she’d sedate her and maybe that would settle all these complicated emotions.
"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]
"He'd either go crazy with excitement or..." He grew quiet and his trembling redoubled.
"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
“It’s okay,” Ky said, tightening her embrace again. “We won’t tell him… do you want a hug?”
"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 hoped it would. If nothing else, that it would make him feel more grounded, and hopefully safer. She pulled him into a tight hug, being careful of his shoulder.
"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]
He returned the hug, shutting his eyes tightly and trying to steady his breathing.
"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 breathed deeply to give him a rate to match if he wanted to. And also to calm her own racing thoughts. She tried to think of how to comfort him. She almost wanted to suggest they move Michael’s and Septimus’s bones so that there was no chance they could be here. But she also was trying to be very careful about saying too much lest it lead to implications she didn’t want it to. She especially didn’t want him thinking about Brogan or any of the terrible people that might be haunting Caracal Keep. He deserved to have at least one safe place.
So, what? What would she want to hear right now, if he was comforting her instead? The thing she always wanted to hear. And yet it felt odd, to be said between them. But. Well. He’d said it first. Which meant she was free to reciprocate it now, right? To be the first person to say it in this exact moment? Hopefully. Because she was going to.
“I… love you,” she murmured, voice quiet.
"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]
"Love you too," he said very softly, hugging her tighter. "I'm glad you're my daughter." There were tears running down his cheeks now.
"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
That hit her harder than she ever could have anticipated — taking it one step further than her hesitant ‘I love you’ — and made her melt. She hugged him tighter as well. “Me too.”
"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]
"Sorry I'm not as good a dad as you might have wanted." He wiped at his eyes. "Parents are supposed to comfort their kids, not the other way around."
"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 furrowed her brow and her impulse was to pull away to chastise him, but she decided he needed the hug still so she didn’t. Pull away, that was. “That’s nonsense. Family comforts whoever needs comforted.”
"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]
He sniffled despite himself and wiped his eyes again. "I guess so. Thank you anyhow.'
"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
