I'll wait, so show me why you're strong

[isafraid]

[And so the day's trial for the attempted murder of Gabriel Knight draw to a close with... charitably better results then usual.

They were alive, at the least, but that didn't mean there wasn't several blows against the trust that had been built up here. One mole that attempted murder, another that quit, and another that was given the offer no doubt put strain on several relationships... most notably Sigrun's.

It was all, in a word... frankly shitty. But now it's all out there, no sense in trying to get it back.

An hour (or two) after the "trial" ends and everyone's gone off on their own business, Speedwagon heads back to the kitchen. It was the usual plan in mind, what they did after every trial. And everyone, regardless of what was said or done, would soon find a note being slipped under their door.]

[Name],
There's gonna be food in the dining hall, in case anyone's got an appetite for it.
I know some might want to be alone after that mess of an investigation, but if you don't then the offer's as open as it's always been.
I'd say sticking together might still be safer then not.

-R E.O. Speedwagon

[And yes, folks that arrive in the dining hall will find a nice spread of sandwiches, soup, and what leftovers Speedwagon could scrounge out of the fridge. Speedwagon isn't the best cook in the group, but there's definitely stuff here that's good enough to eat.

...Sigrun's 'masterpiece' was, thankfully, left out of this. Keeping folks alive is the goal, after all.]

Comments

[amygdalae]

We know the Kingmaker doesn't care about that.

[...and a place like this can bring out the worst in people (or the best, depending on your perspective), as evidenced... well, many times.]

[goodforsomething]

Yeah, I know.

[He's been worrying about it since - even more than Ford, possibly. He's got fears there too, but in the end he knows his brother can look after himself. Not like he'd want Stan's concern anyway.]

Probably fake anyway.

[amygdalae]

...I'm pretty sure they are.

[If only because Bruce can't think of any reason at all why Tony would be in those photos. After what happened its not as if Bruce wants to have anything else to do with him.]

[goodforsomething]

Yeah...seems like he would've brought it up before now.

[amygdalae]

It would have been the easiest card to pull.

[goodforsomething]

Folks'll do a lot to save the people they care about. Even the best kind.

[amygdalae]

Love always motivates people to do anything.

[Black wasn't wrong on that point, at least.]

[goodforsomething]

Heh. Ain't that the truth.

[Stan can think of people he'd kill for, or people whose crimes he'd hide. None of them are here. He's got people he cares about in the Vault, sure, but no single one of them is important enough that he'd put all the others at risk.

How long before he ends up pulling the same shit as Sigrun? How long before they all do?]

...you oughta drink some water. You're gonna have a nasty hangover tomorrow.

[amygdalae]

[Bruce can picture a few scenarios where the want to do it is tempting, but he doesn't know if he could ever go through with it. For him nothing is worth the price of almost any kind of life. He'd rather bear the burden than to relieve it by killing another. He's already killed so much.

A pause, and then he nods to Stan's words.]

I know. [He is still a doctor after all... in some fashion anyway.] I'll be alright.

[Or at least some fashion of 'alright'. Eventually.]

[goodforsomething]

...sure. Okay.

[Stan doesn't entirely buy that, but he's not going to babysit Bruce all night. Seems condescendin', and anyway he gets wanting some time alone.]

Get some sleep, doc. [That seems more natural to say than "good night".]

[amygdalae]

[To that Bruce manages a small nod.]

I'll see you in the morning.

[At least in that way its a promise that he won't be doing anything foolish... well, too foolish anyway. At least nothing life-threatening, because nobody needs to deal with that right now.]