[Lance tries to shift his attention to the game to play at least marginally well, though there's much less point when playing against Nate. Still, he had said it would be a good warmup, and it is if he actually uses it that way.
So he splits his attention, focusing on the game, and calls his moves verbally so it doesn't look like they're playing a suspiciously silent game over here.]
No, I get it, that's why I didn't respond at all. It was very clear he doesn't actually listen to anything I say, which is fine when he doesn't then try to use that against me. I don't quite understand what he's so annoyed with me about either; usually to get this level of vitriol I've done something a lot more egregious than just disagree on theories.
[ From the honest perspective of only sort of knowing what's going on, and largely honing in on the brief mention of Hadriel in passing, Nate's understanding of the situation is relegated to those few short exchanges before he decided it wasn't worth the emotional effort. Lance could respond if he wanted to, and Akechi could continue being a little jerk of a teenager if he wanted to.
It's not like Nate was never a little jerk himself. ]
yeah, usually you're plotting the downfall of an elf that can't decide whose side he's on.
my professional psychological assessment is shitty home life growing up, feels like he's got something to prove. doesn't excuse it, but i was pretty shitty at that age too.
[Lance rolls his eyes at the first part of that response, though he is genuinely faintly amused.]
I'd say he plotted his own, but that would've required him staying on track long enough to do so. The downfall I was actively responsible for was Maketh's.
[But that aside--]
So was I, though still usually not to that extent without some sort of good reason. But you're probably right all the same.
[Even if some bitter part of Lance questions how bad it could've been for someone to still be able to feel so brazen and aggressive without fear of the response. But that's a thought he knows isn't fair or acceptable, and so he disregards it as much as he can.]
[ Nate was a little shit to Victor Sullivan upon first meeting him, too, but not to the volatile extent that Akechi seems to be projecting most of his anger issues. Either way, it's not really a problem so much as it is an annoyance, and one he knows is just something to live with. ]
you know, i don't really remember you telling me about that part. i avoided the guard like the plague most of the time.
[Shockingly, like Lance is ever slightly dramatic.]
You had the right idea by avoiding them. I got dragged into things because Maketh wanted my input on how to deal with someone who was a problem, but the moment my input conflicted with how she wanted to deal with it, things went downhill.
Eventually, I discovered she was aware of one her contacts--Hux--planning to kill someone for a Null weapon, and that she was going to allow it to happen. So that information was passed onto Nick, and that's why Henry was temporarily in charge until both he and Maketh disappeared. Of course I have reason to believe Henry was also to some extent aware of Maketh's behavior and purposefully ignoring it, so it was a relief when it was just Nick left.
[ Nate actually looks up from his "cards" for this one, giving him an incredulous stare. Bits and pieces he picked up along the way, staunchly avoiding Guard-related drama when he could and only resorting to an association when he realized he needed to help where no one else could.
Special set of skills, et cet. ]
holy crap.
that is way more of a shitshow than i thought it was.
[Lance offers a small shrug at that state, because yeah, same.]
It was pretty bad. We're fortunate that at least the third in command of the Guard was trustworthy.
[It could've just kept going down the line, after all.]
You know Henry got mad when I refused to continuing counseling Maketh after she threw a knife at me? I mean, technically he was angry I never got back to him on what might convince me to keep working with her, but still pretty much the same thing. He also undermined anything I said that didn't agree with Maketh.
[Which, you know, is something that feels kind of familiar here, just changing some names around.]
[ He antes up because he's got the scratch to win a couple, lose a couple - Nate knows Lance will move onto tables with less experienced players eventually. Easy pickings. ]
isn't there like a "first step to solving the problem is admitting you have one" thing? kind of sounds like she wanted no part in that.
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So he splits his attention, focusing on the game, and calls his moves verbally so it doesn't look like they're playing a suspiciously silent game over here.]
No, I get it, that's why I didn't respond at all. It was very clear he doesn't actually listen to anything I say, which is fine when he doesn't then try to use that against me. I don't quite understand what he's so annoyed with me about either; usually to get this level of vitriol I've done something a lot more egregious than just disagree on theories.
no subject
It's not like Nate was never a little jerk himself. ]
yeah, usually you're plotting the downfall of an elf that can't decide whose side he's on.
my professional psychological assessment is shitty home life growing up, feels like he's got something to prove. doesn't excuse it, but i was pretty shitty at that age too.
no subject
I'd say he plotted his own, but that would've required him staying on track long enough to do so. The downfall I was actively responsible for was Maketh's.
[But that aside--]
So was I, though still usually not to that extent without some sort of good reason. But you're probably right all the same.
[Even if some bitter part of Lance questions how bad it could've been for someone to still be able to feel so brazen and aggressive without fear of the response. But that's a thought he knows isn't fair or acceptable, and so he disregards it as much as he can.]
no subject
you know, i don't really remember you telling me about that part. i avoided the guard like the plague most of the time.
no subject
[Shockingly, like Lance is ever slightly dramatic.]
You had the right idea by avoiding them. I got dragged into things because Maketh wanted my input on how to deal with someone who was a problem, but the moment my input conflicted with how she wanted to deal with it, things went downhill.
Eventually, I discovered she was aware of one her contacts--Hux--planning to kill someone for a Null weapon, and that she was going to allow it to happen. So that information was passed onto Nick, and that's why Henry was temporarily in charge until both he and Maketh disappeared. Of course I have reason to believe Henry was also to some extent aware of Maketh's behavior and purposefully ignoring it, so it was a relief when it was just Nick left.
no subject
Special set of skills, et cet. ]
holy crap.
that is way more of a shitshow than i thought it was.
no subject
It was pretty bad. We're fortunate that at least the third in command of the Guard was trustworthy.
[It could've just kept going down the line, after all.]
You know Henry got mad when I refused to continuing counseling Maketh after she threw a knife at me? I mean, technically he was angry I never got back to him on what might convince me to keep working with her, but still pretty much the same thing. He also undermined anything I said that didn't agree with Maketh.
[Which, you know, is something that feels kind of familiar here, just changing some names around.]
no subject
isn't there like a "first step to solving the problem is admitting you have one" thing? kind of sounds like she wanted no part in that.