003 | VOICE

[queenofseers]

[ Cassandra's voice sounds nearly gone. And it sounds close- this is on the mental link, not her communicator. The communicator's smashed. (Many things are smashed, but this is voice, not video, thankfully.) She hasn't bothered to get a new one yet. ]

So if you were one of those shitheads who kept whining about how "oh, those Gods, they ruin everything", you're in fucking luck, because now three of them are gone. So if you had some sort of hang-up on Baphomet setting shit on fire, or Persephone and that flooding issue which, by the way, was her saving your asses, or with Dionysus- I, I don't know-

[ There's a brief pause. This hurts. She shouldn't be talking about it, and not in public. But she's already too far in. ]

You can just keep it all to your fucking self. It doesn't matter anymore. What a great time it is for you.

And- if you had some sort of problem with Rex, who knows what the hell that would be, and he doesn't come back- then you'd better keep that to yourself, too. Before I fucking rip your fucking mouth off.

[ There's quiet, for just a bit too long. Then, softly: ] What am I doing.

[ The feed cuts off. ]

Comments

[queenofseers]

I know she liked you. [ A pause. ] As friends, I'm not making that mistake again. But she's...basically known you for just as long as she knew me, at this point. It makes sense.

[ It's so strange to think of how long Laura had been here; she practically had an entirely different life, and had changed so deeply that at times Cassandra couldn't parse how she felt. Then again, she could barely tell what Laura felt before this world, too. That was always how it was. ]

I hope you have room for a motorcycle, I guess. And you know how to drive it.

[khajidont]

I'm a mechanic. And I've got...

[ Too many cars. ]

...well, I know how to drive it, anyway. I'll have to take it out for a spin. I don't think she would've left it to me otherwise - knowing her, it's at least a little juiced up.

[queenofseers]

Maybe make sure it doesn't unleash flower petals and black smoke before you use it, yeah? She got even more into her aesthetic here than she did at home.

[ And then- she pauses for a moment, and Jaime may be able to hear her take a deep breath. ]

Fuck.

[khajidont]

...yeah. It's rough.

Look, are you sure you don't want to go for that drive? Sometimes just getting away from everything helps, even if it's just for an afternoon. I do it all the time.

[queenofseers]

[ There's a sizable pause. She's leaving time to think in these conversations far more than she usually does, and she notices it, but can't process how it makes her feel quite yet. ]

How about I let you know if I ever do? Does that work?

[ To some extent, it's to get him off her back. She doesn't really think she wants a ride. But the sentiment- that, she feels a connection to. ]

[khajidont]

Yeah. Yeah, that works. But feel free to come say hey if you wanna talk to someone who understands, okay?

It sucks. But it'll get better.

[queenofseers]

You know, I usually hear that from people who haven't been here very long.

[ Oof. She realizes how harsh that is once it comes out of her mouth. ]

Thanks, anyway. I get the idea.

[khajidont]

Yeah, I know. That's why it feels like it means a lot less, coming from them.

Not that they're not genuine or whatever, but... you know.

[queenofseers]

[ She thinks over whether or not to ask this for a moment. But- fuck it. ]

So do you mean it? Or are you just saying it because you think you should?

[khajidont]

[ Jaime snorts. ]

Good question. If I didn't, I'd just keep on saying I'm sorry and offering to do stuff for you, or - well, you've seen it all already, haven't you? [ If there's something that binds their community together, it's grief. ]

So, yeah. I mean it.

[queenofseers]

[ She sighs. She still doesn't know how he does this. It's impossible for her to think about ever being used to it.

But- fine. She can't say he's doing the wrong thing. ]

At least you're someone I can believe when you say it.

Whatever. Thanks, Jaime. Let me know if you need...I don't know, some help with whatever Persephone left you, I guess.

[ She doesn't know what she'd do with it. But she feels the responsibility to bring it up. ]

[khajidont]

Hey, I guess that means something. I'll keep in touch. Take care, all right?

[queenofseers]

I will. You don't have to worry about that.

[ She says it flippantly, but she's clearly covering for something. It's not as if a number of people haven't noticed that already, though.

It's enough, at least. She ends the call. ]