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riverviewlogs2018-02-01 10:29 pm
- !mod post: holiday,
- !mod post: monthly mingle,
- legend of zelda (botw): zelda,
- logan: laura,
- magnificent seven: billy rocks,
- once upon a time: victor frankenstein,
- original: shigeru miyata,
- ppz: elizabeth bennet,
- star trek (aos): james kirk,
- star wars: poe dameron,
- vikings: gyda ragnarsdottir,
- ✖ animorphs: marco,
- ✖ dctv (flash): cisco ramon,
- ✖ legend of zelda (botw): link,
- ✖ miraculous ladybug: marinette (ladybug,
- ✖ mutant x: brennan mulwray,
- ✖ my hero academia: toshinori yagi,
- ✖ original: freya vaughn,
- ✖ original: minsu oh,
- ✖ original: rosalina nurumi,
- ✖ osomatsu-san: osomatsu matsuno,
- ✖ persona 3: makoto yuuki,
- ✖ the finder: willa monday,
- ✖ the raven cycle: blue sargent,
- ✖ the raven cycle: ronan lynch
monthly mingle: FAJRO & LUNAR NEW YEAR
what: monthly mingle: fajro & lunar new year
when: The month of February.
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines
In the days leading up to February 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: Fajro and the Lunar New Year. This is a combination of various traditions from several different universes, all of which involve cleaning house, physically and metaphorically, in preparation for the upcoming spring and summer months. The traditions associated with these celebrations involve getting rid of clutter and unnecessary junk that is then burned in large bonfires along the beaches, clearing the air of lingering resentments and old wounds with magical penalties for those who choose not to share, and a broad sampling of Lunar New Year traditions from a variety of cultures.
There's nothing that's more detrimental to the forming of a good, solid community than lingering resentment and anger - this is something that most residents of the Quarantine tend to agree on. In recognition of that fact, Fajro is geared toward cleaning out the negativity, getting rid of clutter and trash in the home, body, and mind. Residents do spring cleaning in their homes and businesses and either give away or burn the things that they don't need and that are only serving to add an extra burden. Likewise, residents are encouraged to clear the air with friends, family, coworkers, and anyone else interacted with on a frequent basis. The second half of the month is taken up with the Lunar New Year, which is an almost universal tradition in this reality, and focuses on letting go of negative energy and welcoming positive energy into life going into the new year.
i.cleaning house
The first thing that most residents do during the month of Fajro is cleaning house. This means going through all the junk in the house, all the little things that clutter up a place, and clearing them out. A commonly-heard saying in the Quarantine during Fajro cleanup is "does this bring me joy?", a proverb that encapsulates the meaning of the tradition - to shed the parts of the past that bring pain or add to a person's burden, and keep only what brings joy into each person's life. The rest is either thrown away and burned, or donated to bring joy to someone else's life.
After the cleaning is complete, residents carry what they no longer want or need to the beaches of the river, where bonfires are set up each night for two weeks, in order to burn the excess and let the ash float down the river, a symbolic city-wide purging of bad memories, pain, and burdens.
ii. clearing the air
Another tradition in the Quarantine during Fajro is to clear the air with friends, family, acquaintances, coworkers, teammates, or anyone else that takes up space in a person's life. Every relationship comes with some amount of resentment, and the residents of the Quarantine take pride in being able to shed that resentment every year, to start fresh on relationships, building them into something newer and healthier. However, with every wave of new people that arrive during a year, there's a common pattern - those who haven't yet fully come to accept this particular tradition may avoid airing their grievances. Whether it's because they don't care to understand what they're feeling, don't acknowledge the resentment, want to appear strong and unaffected, or just because they don't like confrontation, there are any number of reasons people might choose to keep their hurts and resentments to themselves.
Of course, that doesn't really lend itself to clearing the air, so several of the higher-ups at Gramarye Magic Research came to a quick and easy solution in the form of a magically-infused mist that falls over the city on the morning of February 1st, which will burn off by the evening of February 3rd. Anyone who inhales the mist or absorbs it through their skin by going outdoors or being close to doors, windows, or air vents, during the first few days of February will find themselves thinking more often of the things that have hurt them, the resentments they've built up, and the desire to talk about them, to excise them. Starting on February 15th, any character who has been exposed to the mist and who has still kept their grievances bottled up will find themselves...afflicted with something very uncomfortable to remind them of how unhealthy it is to keep things to oneself and let them fester.
Afflictions can vary in scope depending on how thoroughly the character was exposed to the mist, how intense their feelings of resentment lie, and most of all, player preference. They are primarily physical effects that can range from mildly embarrassing to extremely uncomfortable. Whether it's the addition of a tail or horns, skin that changes color depending on the character's mood, loss of a sense, or any other physical effect, the sky's the limit. Afflictions should be something the character finds uncomfortable, and will last until February 28th or until the character clears the air, whichever comes first. Talking to a third party about their feelings of resentment will provide a temporary relief from the symptoms of the affliction, but the only way to permanently remove it is to talk directly to the source of the problems. If a character carries feelings of resentment toward someone who is not in the game, having a deep conversation with someone in the Quarantine will permanently clear or preempt the affliction.
iii. lunar new year
Originally, Fajro was celebrated all on its own in the Quarantine, but over the years, the traditions have evolved - the major change that's happened in the past decade or so is the addition of an entire other set of traditions surrounding the Lunar New Year, the celebration of which has proved to be a pretty universal constant across many different planets and in many different universes. Lunar New Year is celebrated with special food, activities, and street markets that pop up across the Quarantine throughout the month of February.
This year, the patron animal of the Lunar New Year is the dog, so residents are encouraged to bring their canines out with them to be spoiled, dressed up, and primped.
Thank you to Mari and Anna for suggesting the celebration and submitting the activities and images for this prompt!
hound town
Anyone wandering the city will find it beautifully decorated with beautiful red lanterns, and paper or cloth dog effigies. There are lots of stalls selling adorable themed dog clothing. At night, the red lanterns light up the streets, bathing them in a warm orange-red glow each night.
The entire city looks festive, and residents can be seen wearing red and gold or dog-themed clothing, strolling through the night markets with their pet dogs, sharing drinks of warm alcohol or other warm beverages. Booths selling a small toy called a jegi can be found very commonly, along with instructions on how to play the traditional Lunar New Year game, jegichagi (video), which involves kicking the jegi to keep it from falling to the ground, with the winner being the one to keep it up for the longest number of kicks.
Other booths are selling a wide variety of dog-themed items, red lanterns for residents to carry around on sticks, and giving away some very special red lanterns that the sellers will advise residents to hang onto for later in the season...
wish lanterns
Toward the end of the festival, the special red lanterns that residents received will start to glow, displaying a set of instructions outlined in magical light on the shade - residents are encouraged to take the lanterns down to the beaches by the Fajro bonfires on the last night of the celebration, and whisper to them a wish. Once the wish has been whispered to the lantern, it will lift into the air, hanging there for a few moments with all the other lanterns. For a few moments, the night sky will be alight with bobbing lanterns.
And then they will all pop into an explosion of colorful confetti, showering the crowd below. Anyone standing in the crowd who gets showered with confetti will feel a glowing wave of positive energy sweep through them.
street food and games
Street food is very popular in Riverview, and special food for the Lunar New Year is no exception, and considering how many different cultures and alternate realities have some version of a celebration for the Lunar New Year, there are a ton of seasonal snacks that are being sold from carts and featured in restaurants throughout the city. While you can find just about anything that's ever been associated with the Lunar New Year, some of the most popular dishes are sliced rice cake soup, savory pancakes, a cooked vegetarian salad, stuffed sticky rice cakes, and beautiful candy boxes that are usually given as gifts or brought to Lunar New Year parties. Besides these treats, tiny citrus fruits ranging from mandarin oranges to tangerines to any alien variety of small citrus.
And for people who bring their dogs along, many stalls are giving away complimentary biscuits for them, with the option to buy boxes or gift packs of the biscuits to take home.
Credit: image i: Roman Ignatowski; image ii: Jan Vavrusa; image iii: Federico Belingheri; image iv: Yuechi Lee
post-drunk baby brawl (closed to Leonard Snart)
Getting shot in the shoulder (AND JUST ABOVE THE HIP) hurts. And getting shot with a bullet (two bullets), rather than the white-hot bolt of a blaster, is a new sort of pain entirely. They're still in him, one stopped only by his bone, which has only compounded the injury.
Oh. And thanks to the alcohol in his system, Ren's pretty sure he's bleeding more than he ought to be.
Once the brief street brawl with Poe and his companion ended (with his opponents-- his aggressors!-- running away, the cowards), Ren stubbornly tried to push forward through the pain, to... well, he wasn't quite sure of his destination. He wasn't exactly thinking clearly. Perhaps that's why he wound up staggering into some alleyway and just... leaning against a wall to rest for a moment.
And by 'rest,' we mean 'slip into unconsciousness from pain and possibly shock, who knows.'
He's going to kill them. First chance he gets... ]
no subject
[Either way, he's looking at a disaster.
Leonard kicks Kylo's foot. Just checking to make sure he's alive. He's not about to leave his fingerprints all over a corpse now that the PD are wise to his being in Riverview. Officer Coppertone's probably opened a file on him, and Leonard doesn't need that drama in his life right now. Least of all for being a Good Samaritan.
Sure, he could pull on his gloves, but they've still got that new leather smell.
Leonard looks up and around, scanning for witnesses while giving the kid a second to snap back to life, and planning his next move. He spots the blood trail, the smear on the wall he must've been leaning against before sinking, but no bodies, or bullets. Wherever the fight went down, it wasn't here. That's fine with Leonard. He doesn't know how many lives he has left, and he's not keen to die again over the criminal equivalent of a wet dream.]
I'm thinking Titanic, because you're the only wreck around.
no subject
He's met this man before. Not in reality, but in one of those too-vivid, too-lucid dreams he's been having recently. Though his confusion plays out on his face for a brief moment, the sulking glare is back soon enough.
The look on his face says: I MAY NOT GET YOUR EARTH REFERENCES, BUT I CAN HEAR YOUR SASS LOUD AND CLEAR. ]
no subject
[Kylo won't get that reference either. Leonard doesn't care, he's only out to amuse himself, here.
They've exchanged names, bullets, and sideways glances, but not in the real world. If Leonard's helping Kylo now, it's not out of any obligation, or goodness in his still-cold, and only partially thawed heart. He's not so reformed that he goes around picking up wounded strays and taking them home. Just because he saved the world once doesn't mean he's starting a rescue.
No, he's just curious, that's all. Curious about the kid, though he'd looked so much more like a man, with a shotgun in hand, from his dreams, and just how real he is.
Leonard reaches out, presses a hand to Kylo's shoulder, into the very wet, warm, and real heat of his blood. Confirms his suspicions that Kylo's is indeed made up of flesh and blood, even if the latter is mostly outside of him. Leonard can smell it in the air like it's Shark Week and this is the Discovery Channel.]
You wanna live, kid? I'm not dragging your ass all the way back to my motel if this is the world's most mediocre attempt at a suicide.
no subject
Oh. Is your motel a medcenter now?
[ Like. Kylo. Come on. You can't afford to be choosy here. Despite his griping, though, he does start to shift upright some more, struggling to get up without aggravating either gunshot wound too much. For all his impulsive, often destructive, occasionally self-destructive behavior, Kylo has every intention of living. He won't reject help when it's offered, however brusquely.
Better to go with the man of his dreams (LITERALLY. IN HIS DREAMS.) than bleed out in an alley like a stray dog. ]
no subject
[Leonard doesn't know what went down, but he doesn't have to. However all this played out, Kylo wasn't a victim. No one jumps a six foot something Rammstein looking motherfucker without a death wish, or a damn good reason.
He hauls Kylo to his feet with one arm under the shoulder that doesn't have a hole in it. Leonard's not going to wait around for Kylo to pick himself up, he'll have to leave his pride in the alley with the trash. There's no way he's getting anywhere without his help.
Leonard hails a cab, gives him directions to a cheap motel at the fringes of the city, where Riverview proper fades into Riverview improper. The abandoned sector is only a few blocks away behind broken down buildings and crumbling walls.
It's the kind of motel with a liquor store and a strip-club on the bottom floor. Rooms are rented by the week, or the hour. There's no in-between. No one asks questions when Leonard drags a passed out and bleeding man several years his junior through the lobby and up into his room. No one calls the cops when the screaming starts, as some shady doctor Leonard found in the back of a newspaper, in the same section as the 'personals' ads digs bullets out of Kylo's shoulder and hip with all the delicacy of a butcher.
Leonard sits by Kylo's side, holding a bottle of vodka to his lips as he sweats and bleeds, because he's been where Kylo is, at the mercy of a man who got his doctor's license out of a cracker jack box, wondering if he isn't being tortured instead of saved. Scared. Helpless. Alone. Leonard empathizes. More than he'll ever admit.
At the peak of the surgery, when the stress and pain of the operation has as good a chance of killing Kylo as the blood loss, Leonard smooths back sweat-damp hair from his face, not saying anything, really, but not looking away, either. Holding his gaze as forceps dig around inside of him for shards of bone and shrapnel.]
Almost over.
no subject
He's known betrayal too many times.
But his body isn't a machine. Unlike his grandfather, every part of him is human, and there's only so long he can try to push through blood loss and injury through sheer willpower.
He drifts, and then he's out entirely. And then he wakes up again with a pain so profound that even with all of his experience, every beating and blaster bolt and lightsaber blade he's ever taken, a scream breaks through. And in his disorientation, he tries to get up and shove the butcher away, stopping only when there's a firm hand on his chest, keeping him down, and he can sense no ill intent in the room. In this moment, sweating, bleeding, shouting, crying, he tries to focus on the Force, to listen to it and find peace and guidance through it.
It tells him he's safe here. That if he can make it through this night, he will survive. And he will make it, because he's strong, and because these men are saving his life, not tearing him apart.
Why, though?
Why would anyone help him?
It's a question he can't even begin to mull over. But he quiets, at least, and finds some small measure of control. This is temporary. It will end soon enough, even if it feels like his entire world is engulfed in pain.
How much time has passed? He swallows back another cry and opens his eyes as he feels fingers pushing his damp hair back, out of his face. His eyes meet Leonard's, both uncertain and grateful, as he struggles to conquer his own agony and keep quiet, but for the sound of his labored breathing.
Almost over...
He can take it.
Kylo doesn't remember anything about the end of the operation. Blessedly, he's out cold when the doctor takes his leave, and by the time he's awake again, all he really knows is he's thirsty, and hungry, and everything hurts, but in a way that's perfectly manageable, and...
Leonard's still here.
Enjoy the stare of a man who expected to wake up all alone. ]
no subject
Leonard's awake before Kylo, because he's a light sleeper, and because it's in his nature to manage, which is exactly what he does. Cleaning, changing Kylo's dressings as instructed, and ordering up room service in advance. Nothing fancy, just the continental breakfast, most of which is pre-packaged. Simple stuff even a half-dead idiot can stomach.]
I wouldn't move, if I were you.
[Even if Kylo could, which in all likelihood, he can't, he might not want to. There's a damp rag draped heavy and cool over Kylo's brow, and other than the thin sheets of the california king bed he's lying on, it's all he's wearing. His clothes are in a garbage bag in the corner of the room, with the bloody comforter and towels Leonard will take to the dump in the afternoon.
He picks up a glass of water from the side table with a straw in it, and holds it to Kylo's mouth. Enjoy the stare of a man who expects him to drink, and won't take no for an answer. Leonard didn't nurse Kylo through the night for him to kill himself with stubbornness.]
You don't have any pride left, so don't waste either of our time acting like you do.
no subject
His aborted attempt at getting up does bring Ren's focus back to his current state. The fact that he's naked is a minor issue. If it weren't for his injuries and the vague memories of agonizing, impromptu surgery, nudity might rank higher on his list of concerns. As it is...
His gaze-- dark, sullen-- shifts back to Leonard, an attempt at staring him down out of-- YOU GUESSED IT-- stubbornness.
...
Until he's totally called out on having no pride left, not after last night. So, fine. He takes a sip through the straw, his body both desperate for the hydration and painfully nauseous the second it hits his stomach. With his good hand, he reaches up to pull the cloth off his forehead, to drag its cool wetness along his face.
What he wouldn't give to just wash away everything about the other night. ]
Why?
[ His voice is quiet, and rough, hoarse from screaming. But he questions Leonard anyway. Why are you helping me? ]
no subject
He sighs, dramatically, because he does everything dramatically, humming as he seemingly ponders the answer to Kylo's question, and taking his time doing it.
Leonard loves a captive audience.]
Because I felt like it.
[He's not lying. Kylo can look Leonard in the eyes, or right into his mind, scarred as it is, and know he isn't. Leonard does what he wants, when he wants, for his own reasons- and sometimes for no reason at all. He'd rather die than live a life determined by anyone else. Hero, or villain, Leonard's code is one of his own making.
The emptied glass is exchanged for a handful of colourful pills. Medicine to kill the pain, reduce inflammation, and prevent infection. Turns out dirty alleys and open wounds aren't a great mix. Who would've thought?]
Now, you can take your meds like a good boy, or I can pinch your nose and cram them down your throat like a veterinarian. It's up to you. Don't think I won't check under your tongue, either.
Trust me, I know allllllll the tricks.
no subject
His expression softens, and there's one moment where Kylo looks painfully vulnerable, younger than his 29 years, because as pathetic as it is, he's never had anyone help him just because they felt like it before. For as long as he can remember, his worth has been tied up in something or somebody else. His power. His parents. His grandfather. What he can do for the First Order.
What he can do for the Resistance.
And then the pills come out, and Ren's scowling again. He's not going to just consume some strange meds he knows nothing about! That takes a level of blind trust that he's not sure he's capable of. Despite his weakness, he manages a snarl. ]
I'm not taking those!
no subject
[The look is what does it. For a moment, Kylo's just a dumb, scared child, and it's up to Leonard to do what's right for him. Even if what's right isn't necessarily what Kylo wants. Just call him Saint Leonard. He'll be beatified by the time this ordeal is over.
He slaps a hand over the cloth on Kylo's face, covering his nose, eyes, and forehead, and grabs his lower jaw with the other. It's going to hurt, because Kylo's face is already the equivalent of tenderized steak, and that's what Leonard's counting on to get his mouth open without much of a fight.
Really, if Kylo does struggle any harder than that, he will pinch his nose until he opens his damn mouth, or passes out. Leonard doesn't care which. The drugs are getting in him either way. As soon as he sees tongue they go straight down the hatch.]
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
[Kylo's only consolation is more water.]
no subject
He'd use the Force to push the other man away from him, but still, he does know that Leonard's telling the truth. And that if he wanted Ren dead, he wouldn't have gone through the effort of bringing a medic to him, of saving his life in the first place...
Kylo's struggles are little more than a muted tantrum.
He sputters when the pills are dropped right down his mouth, past his tongue and down his throat. The water helps them go down, and then he's weakly swiping the towel off his face and glaring at the older man again. The effect isn't as fearsome as he'd like it to be. What self awareness he possesses tells him as much, and he soon drops the act, shifting his gaze away from Leonard. ]
You probably saved my life. Thank you. [ Said just a tiny bit grudgingly. He still doesn't appreciate being force-fed pills like an errant child!
Now, with that said, he looks at Leonard again, the sulkiness giving way to open curiosity. ]
Who are you, really?
[ A criminal, he knows. (Like his father.) But nothing else, really. Nothing outside of what he'd seen in dreams of robbery. ]
no subject
Leonard's mouth quirks when Kylo thanks him, the corners of his eyes creasing with amusement. He doesn't particularly care if Kylo appreciates his efforts or not, but he's got an eye and taste for what's rare. Leonard doesn't need to know Kylo to know he doesn't say thanks easily.]
Finally, a little gratitude. I was starting to think I should've left you in the dumpster.
[His next order of business is to move a tray from the chair beside the bed onto the mattress beside Kylo's functional arm. There's bowl of oatmeal, a fruit cup, some kind of jelly-filled pastry. Nothing fancy, but enough to give him some strength and keep the medicine from burning up his stomach.]
The name's Leonard Snart. As you've probably already guessed, given that little dream we shared, I'm a criminal. A thief, if you want to get specific, but I'm not big on labels. You could call me a rogue. I like that.
As for what I do? Whatever I want to. Though don't think I'm in the habit of picking up strays.
no subject
He won't be weak.
Ren goes for the oatmeal first, listening to Leonard as he takes up a spoonful and forces some of it down. ]
A rogue... [ He murmurs it thoughtfully, more to himself than Leonard. ] A scoundrel. [ Incoming daddy issues...
Then, as forcefully as he can manage: ] I'm not a stray.
[ He has a place where he belongs; he has purpose.
...
No, that's a complete lie, one he tells himself as much as he tries to convince Leonard. ]
I'm-- [ He stops short, brows knitting in frustration as he looks down and takes another spoonful of oatmeal. It's so easy for Leonard to tell Kylo who and what he is, with so much certainty. To be that comfortable in his skin... Ren almost envies the other man. Meanwhile, he can't even figure out how to introduce himself. ] Kylo Ren.
no subject
[The dream. Leonard wouldn't be surprised if he recalls it more clearly than Kylo does. He's fairly certain the dream played out in his head, and Kylo was just visiting. There was something Tarantino-esque about the dream, and he doubts this kid's seen Pulp Fiction. It was probably before his time. Maybe Donnie Darko.]
So who are you? Kylo Ren is just a name.
[Kylo's curiousity isn't one-sided. The laugh was unexpected. The clamping down afterwards isn't. Leonard watches Kylo watching him, watches his face, the way he eats, and carries himself. Defensive. Aggressive. Disciplined. Temperamental. A trained dog gone feral, or a feral dog trained. Leonard can't help but wonder who his master was, and if he or she is here. Whether they're anything like Lewis Snart, or closer to the Time Masters.
Even now, drugged up and closer to dead than alive, Kylo's got an edge to him. Some kind of unholy spirit. It's not unfamiliar. Mick has the same fire in his eyes. Useful when harnessed, but still dangerous. Always dangerous.
Leonard's been burned too many times to count, but he still misses that heat.
That could explain his interest in this kid, or it could be that Leonard's gotten bored of sitting in this motel room by himself. The Waverider was never quiet. There was always someone to talk to, or harass. A job to do. Something that needed stealing, killing, or saving.
So much for his early retirement.]
And how'd you catch two bullets? I won't judge. Or maybe I will. Either way, I think if anyone's owed an explanation, it's the guy who paid for said bullets to be cut out of you.
no subject
That such a simple question can leave him speechless is almost as laughable as it is infuriating. He swallows, saying two words that he never thought he'd say. Words that make him think of the last person to make any connection with him, however fleeting. ]
I'm nobody.
[ There's some freedom in saying that, he finds. He expected to feel nauseated at the words, but instead, there's a stab of exhileration, however brief.
As to the question... ]
Somebody wanted me dead. I fought back. His friend... interfered.
[ He looks at Leonard, glowering darkly at the memory. ]
I didn't start the fight, if you can believe it. But I was going to finish it.
no subject
[Which means the guy who tried to kill Kylo is still out there, and so is his friend. That's two people gunning for him. Not great odds, considering Kylo won't be walking for a week.
The look Leonard gives Kylo isn't hard, but it is sharp.
He unrolls the sling left by the shady-ass doctor, looping it over Kylo's head. It's easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission, and even easier not to give a damn. Kylo can deal with it. He grips Kylo's elbow in one hand and pulls his arm into the body of the sling before he can anticipate the pain. It'll hurt like hell, but he'll live.
Leonard talks, giving Kylo something to lock onto so he doesn't pass out face-first into his oatmeal. This isn't his first rodeo.]
The best part about being nobody is it's easy to become somebody. All you have to do is decide who you want to be.
Right now? I'd suggest being someone people don't want dead, because you ain't going nowhere fast. Doc said it'd be a week at the earliest. Crutches after that. You're lucky the bullet didn't shatter your damn pelvis, or you'd be nobody in a wheelchair.
no subject
Just a child in a mask.
But Leonard's tone, the sharp look in his eyes, it keeps Ren from taking his words as an insult or a scolding. It's just the plain and simple truth, spoken as a fact, not as a dig.
He's about to open his mouth to respond, but then Leonard's coming at him with a sling, and Kylo knows why-- his left arm is presently useless, thanks to his shoulder injury-- and yet he still has to force himself not to hurl the other man away. Now that he isn't drunk and bleeding out, he's regained a measure of discipline, enough that he makes an effort to grit his teeth and just try to deal with the pain as it comes.
It's still clear, however, that this sort of nerve pain isn't something he'd entirely anticipated. It's blinding, consuming, for one terrible moment, and then he's left with a lingering reminder. As Leonard maneuvers his arm, Ren's breath hitches. He chokes back a cry as best he can, and shuts his eyes, concentrating on his breathing, trying to keep it steady.
He focuses on the other man's voice, listening to the advice. And, once he can speak again through the light-headedness, he looks at Leonard once more. ]
I don't know if I can be that person. I've tried, and they still saw me as... [ His voice takes on a bitter sharpness. ] a creature to put down.
[ Look, waking up to his uncle preparing to murder him in his sleep has kind of given him a complex.
He doesn't intend on opening up like this, but the admissions leave his mouth before he even thinks to shut up. Venom continues to lace through his words as he goes on. ] And every time I've encountered him, I could have killed him. Easily, with little more than a thought. He still lives because I try to hold back. [ Not out of any goodness or mercy in his heart, but because he's pretty sure the consequences are more hassle than killing Poe Dameron is worth. ] And it's a struggle, because I want to kill him.
no subject
[Leonard's never been the type of criminal to murder people left and right, but he doesn't shy away from killing, either. Come after Leonard and he'll put you down.
He's saved the world once, but that doesn't mean Leonard's going to go around granting pardons to every Tom, Dick and Harry (or Susan) who crosses him. He's only human, after all, and his patience is impressive, but still limited.
Leonard's touch isn't gentle as he adjusts Kylo's arm in the sling, but it is careful. This isn't the kind of pain he gets off on. There's nothing interesting about kicking someone when they're down. Leonard likes a fight.
His eyes flick down to the sling, assessing his work, and back up again.]
When I said be someone people don't want dead, I didn't mean turn over a new leaf. I meant keep your head down, stay quiet, and if you're gonna make a comeback- come back strong. Until then, get your shit together.
If your pal and his pal come sniffing around before then, don't think I'll hold back. I don't care who they are to you. No one comes onto my turf and screws with me or mine.
Drink your OJ. It's good for you.
no subject
The same as if Luke Skywalker had killed him, those years ago. ]
The legal consequences wouldn't be worth the temporary satisfaction.
[ He knows that he's not above the law here, not like in his own galaxy. For that reason alone, he tries to keep his impulses at bay.
There was another reason, too, before the canister. Rey, and her demands that he'd leave her comrades alone, if he wanted her to train with him. After everything that's happened, with new memories of connection and then rejection, his hopes for that have dashed.
So, really, for now it's just a desire to avoid arrest or persecution that keeps him from killing Poe and the others.
He's about ready to nod and let the advice pass without much comment, until... it's the last thing Leonard says that really catches his attention.
No, not the command to drink his "OJ."
The second to the last thing.
It causes Ren to give something of a double take, his brow lifting with confusion. ]
You and yours?
[ So it looks like this particular stray isn't too different from any other. Just some food, shelter, and acceptance, and here we are. ]
no subject
[Leonard's eyes nearly roll out of his head. Kylo's no criminal. That much is obvious. He may have all the makings of a bad boy, but Leonard won't be taking him on a real heist anytime soon.
Still, they say you need to know the rules before you break them, and there's truth to that. Leonard knows exactly how much he can get away with before the cops get mad enough to stop eating doughnuts and do something about it. Sure, he could avoid the police altogether, but who doesn't love a good chase?
There's a reason kids play cops and robbers, and not robbers and robbers.]
I saved your life. You owe me. That makes you mine, until you've made me saving you worth my while.
[That Kylo hooks onto that, out of everything he's said, doesn't go unnoticed. Leonard is always paying attention.
He smiles, just a cat-like curve of his lips, his eyes narrowing with something close to amusement.]
And I don't take kindly to people messing with what's mine.
no subject
But no, Kylo's really no criminal. A murderer, yes. But he's not used to being trapped in one place and beholden to its laws. It's not as if he could just kill Dameron, then hop in a shuttle and leave. And besides, the second Leonard seems to claim him as one of his own, he loses all interest in talking about rebel scum. ]
A life debt. Of course.
[ And maybe there's a hint of a smile on his face, too, despite his miserable state, like the very concept of life debts is something of an inside joke to him. And now, he'll take a drink of his OJ, using the Force to call it to his good hand. Which is totally unnecessary, but he's got Skywalker blood, so "totally unnecessary" is part of the package here. ] I will pay you back one day.
no subject
[Leonard's eyes follow the glass as it floats through mid-air, his smile widening, becoming even more cheshire. There's even a glint of teeth.
Yassssssssssss.
Now that's what he calls an investment.]