badfic_manor | [Video]

[~~Let's not talk about his brief meeting with Mary. No real conflict but he did decide he didn't like her.~~]

Every conflict that would be important to me is far removed from here; I highly doubt you have any part in our internal affairs, and I've got plenty of things to sort out as far as what I'm going to do with myself in the future. [And that was something where he struggled uncomfortably with that statement, as hissed as some of it was; there was the verge of a lot of things he didn't want to blurt out at a random stranger teetering in that.]

I can tell you that even at my worst, I have done nothing without a reason; I'd be loathe to waste energy on random cruelty for its own sake, nevermind that those who would are what I've always existed to destroy. Threaten me or certain people around me and I will leave you WISHING it would end; leave me and mine be, or prove helpful - as much as I doubt you would - and you have nothing to worry yourself over from me.

Shame it's not the same situation for me. I do have people here that matter, so let me just turn that right back at you. and call it extremely 'relevant'. [The words are low, and dangerously silky despite the ~~batman voice~~ rough voice.]

But trust me - there's nothing you could do to me that I haven't suffered three times as much already. [...shit, don't ask about that.]

[...Oh for the love of. This game again.]

Oh, I have people here that matter. [...And that was a brief flicker of a bit-into-a-lemon face; both for the realization that it was plural and he'd said out loud that he DID care about certain people, and that it was something that could be used against him.] But really, is there anything to gain from starting stupid, petty squabbles? If you and yours aren't going to threaten me and mine, I would be wasting energy and further ensuring I could never face Elena again by harming any of you.

[...Oh, now THAT is the sour face. FAR more than he'd EVER want to say to anyone he didn't know. The last comment is very quiet, almost an attempt at salvaging his dignity.]

You're quite confident.

No, but I'm laying it straight on the line seeing as you've given me no reason to trust you in any way, shape, or form at all. And I'm not meaning trust in the "You can be my BFF" kind of way. I mean it in a simple and generic "I don't have to worry about him" kind of way. [Being evasive helped you with nothing. Plus, he's now making a mental note of the name 'Elena' to see if he can find out who that is, and is going to be watching the network veeeeeery carefully when it comes to you.]

I have every reason to be. in respect to both things I said last.

[~~GIOTTO YOUR MIST USER IS GETTING IN TROUBLE AGAIN~~]

Look. Right now, I COULDN'T lie and tell you I was some kind of perfectly harmless, helpless little bunny if I wanted to.

But if you're struggling with this event as much as I am, then you know I can't lie - I don't want a fight that I don't have a reason for. I'll defend myself and a few certain people here, and unless you're the sort that goes around picking fights for no reason or terrorizing the weak, I highly doubt you're going to end up in a conflict with them. [And he's pretty sure Giotto can probably take care of himself.] I have enough problems of my own without making enemies for no reason whatsoever - whether or not you have to worry about me depends entirely on your own actions.

I don't harm people unless I have a reason, and right now, the only reason that would make sense and not just dig the hole I'm in deeper is defense. Just because I've been lousy at the whole "protecting the weak" thing doesn't mean I'm going to be some kind of blithering idiot out looking for trouble. [And yes, there was some kind of nerve there that was flinch-worthy on "I'm bad at this" where his usual poker face just isn't working.]

Don't give me a real reason to think of you as a threat, and I'll happy never test if our standards on "worst" are anywhere related.

I'm not, not usually. [DAMN IT. It was true, but still could lead to questions. which is BAD.]

But harming people without a reason isn't what I asked, which is the answer I'm looking for.

[...He's looking at you about that first line. It's less a look of dawning recognition and more the restrained urge to facepalm at the realization they've been arguing the same damn thing, apparently.]

I grew up in the middle of a civil war and have been dealing with the underworld and other things. I'm neither a pacifist nor a saint, and I'm not sure what more you want; I've done horrible things in the past, and I'm perfectly capable of being dangerous, but I'd honestly rather not drown my karmic debt in any more red ink.

...Which civil war? [Not that he really wants to know the answer.] And by underworld, are we meaning the metaphorical - drugs, gangs, mobs, all that kind of bad shit - or the literal?

That'll do. It doesn't really matter what you'd rather - I know people have done things that they'd rather wished they hadn't turned out how they did. Actually, that's happened a couple of time. each time it happened, it's made me wary, and I wasn't exactly not wary in the first place. Plus, overprotective of my people. So. [All the word vomit 8|]

The Italian Unification War. [Which was messy and very multidirectional...if Dean actually knows anything about it.]

And both, after some fashion. [There's a brief flicker in his right eye, a glowing white spade symbol over his pupil.]

How about I put it simply? As long as my people and I are unharmed, I am no threat to you or any of yours, and I will assume the same goes the other direction; would that be an acceptable understanding?

Don't know it.

[There's a pause. He could be vague enough to get away with it. And yet he still says:] I don't make deals with monsters unless absolutely unavoidable, and even then I go back on it half the time if they're then useless or I straight up don't think they should live. [Because he didn't miss the eyething, dude. That kind of thing means nothing good on his world.]

[Welcome to hitting Spade's nerves all the wrong way 101! That symbol's back, and less as a "yes I have powers whatever" and more as a manifestation of agitation; the area around him seems to've gotten a few shades darker, as well.]

My, how noble of you; one flicker of something that isn't your standard of pure normal and it's time for the Inquisition, is it? Particularly charming when you know I CAN'T lie about my own intentions.

I'm not sure if this is a sad irony that I'm the one trying to actually be honorable and avoid unnecessary suffering and death, or just par for the course, just like every other time I've thought maybe I could expect someone to have a "better nature".

Let me rephrase that: If I see you around any of my people, any of them, and you give them so much as a sideways look that you might harm them, I will come after you, and I will do my damnedest to compete with whatever else you've been through -

And since you're ever so faithful and trustworthy, I see no reason to tell you who that is so you can aim at them.

it's what I do; I'd be crap at it if I started holding hands with every self-proclaimed ex-bad guy or trusted every single damned person in the first meeting, whether they can lie or not.

You realise I could just ask you if I really wanted to know, right? [There's a pause, before the truth is pulled out of him. He makes a face as he says] I like the hunt anyway. If you give me so much of a hint of a reason to know, I will have no damned problem figuring it out.

And did you ever consider that being so indiscriminate might just be emulating what you hunt a little too much? "He who hunts monsters", after all.

[Oh, he doesn't like you.] "Hints" go against my nature - but if you press this either way and are "hunting" my people, I'll have no recourse but to hunt you right back.

[No. Just say no.] It's been said before. [Damn it.]

Like I say - it's fine and dandy unless you go giving me a reason.

[You know what? Screw this. Just going to. Hit the shut off.]

[Video]

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