(no subject)

[instincts]

I NEEd chains.

[ That's it. That's what you get. Oh, no, wait. She knows exactly what Stiles and Kira would suggest in this moment. She should ask nicely. It's less effort over text than in person, so even though she's rolling around miserably right now because she had it on good authority that weres don't really get sick unless it's wolfsbane, she can manage. ]

Please. :)

[ Be friendly!! ]

Comments

voice, private;

[instincts]

Does it make a difference?

[ it sounds like she's still grinding her teeth from the way other people have been asking. or maybe she's just irate about being sick at all. whichever it is, she's bristly. ]

[seidhr]

Not particularly.

[He seems entirely untroubled by her irritability—or indeed by anything at all. His voice may be a little rougher than usual, but hey, whose isn't right now?]

I thought asking might bring some diversion to this singularly tedious day among a string of tedious days... and I never could resist a good chain-based mystery, really.

[instincts]

So, saying that you're just curious is supposed to make me wanna tell you?

[ garden variety teenage sass right here. contrary for the sake of it. ]

[seidhr]

Would you rather I put on a gratuitous display of self-righteousness masked as concern for the safety of those on board this vessel? I could. I daresay you'll encounter that before long, either way, given how certain of these minds tend to work.

[Malia might find it easy to imagine this fellow sitting in a deep slouch, his elbow propped against some surface and his jaw cupped in his hand, looking sleepy. Whoever he is.]

[instincts]

[ A moment of silence spans between them, and it seems to speak for itself: the self-righteousness, it would seem, has already come to pass. People trying to tell Malia how to handle her shift because they know better than her, telling her that she's going to do to someone else what she did to her parents even when that's exactly what she's trying to prevent.

Which of course wins Loki what he wants. :') Because he ~understands. And he's not ~one of those~ ]

Fastening. Holding something back.

[seidhr]

[Exactly so: Loki does understand the petulant teenaged mind. Let us all meditate on why that could possibly be true while this conversation continues. A smile comes creeping at the husky edges of his voice; he does so enjoy getting what he wants.]

Something dangerous?

[instincts]

Why else would we need to chain it up?

[ 'It.' Like it's not a part of her, except it is. She usually likes that. She doesn't like it on the full moon, though. She likes having control of it, choosing it, using it. She doesn't like revisiting the memory of killing her family. ]

there was no delay /jedi mind trick

[seidhr]

[We, she says. How lovely.]

For its own good, perhaps; to keep it safe. For revenge or punishment. For the fun of it. For any number of reasons.

There, I've answered your riddle... now will you tell me what manner of dangerous creature it is that needs binding? Or am I meant to guess?

what delay

[instincts]

It's an animal. A strong one.

[ Still trying to dodge, but not particularly attached to it. After a moment, she shuts her eyes, grimacing a little behind the comfort of the transmission only being voice. As an admission, she adds, ] A monster.

good

[seidhr]

[As far as silences go, that certainly was a loud one. It's probably unfair, sitting on his poor kid like a vulture and pecking the story out of her, but he doesn't care. Anyone so resigned to the act of chaining monsters is probably well aware of the unfairness of life.]

A monster. [A sort of reverence in the hush of his voice.] How marvellous.

[instincts]

That's not what most people would call it.

[ Seriously. Weirdo. But at the same time, something in her chest feels light and twists, like she wants to be able to think of it as a good part of herself, but she can't bring herself to. ]

Try dangerous.

[seidhr]

Can it not be both?

Many know firsthand the danger of fire, but is it not wondrous? And the sea—the same waves that leave us hypnotised by their ageless rhythm would dash us bloody on the rocks without remorse. And what of secrets? What of love? Our lives are made rich by the great and terrible.

[He adores the sound of his own voice.]

[instincts]

I think I'd rather my life be poor, then.

[ Is that fucked up to say? She's saying it anyway. It all feeds back into that rather be a coyote mentality. Stiles is great, Scott's great, Kira and Lydia are great, but you know what was better? Not feeling the guilt over killing her family. Having her mother and sister back would be great. ]

Some things aren't great, they're just terrible. And they suck, and they don't bring any wonder or — or love, or anything good.

[seidhr]

I understand.

[Loki recognises Malia's position at once, of course, but declines to feel it, though the hooks buried in her unintentional bait scrape along his skin. Her barbs may catch them both, but she'll be the only one bleeding.]

But you're here now, and this place is different. Your monster may yet find a friend of her own. [How gently he asks,] Does she have a name?

[instincts]

[ In the stretch of silence, she debates answering him. She's not so sure she wants a friend for the monster inside of her. The whole point of joining Scott's pack is to remember how to be a human again, to not give into that. But here it is, knocking on her door, and she's only got a few more days before it tears itself out of her skin. ]

Malia.

[ Which, courtesy of her lack of rote intelligence, is pretty easy to find on the network as her name. Not just this beast. Very subtle, much forethought, wow. ]

[seidhr]

Malia.

[Let her try on how it feels to hear her name slip off this stranger's tongue like a fog rolling in from the dark.]

We'll speak again soon.