FORCED HONESTY

[ancillary]

MAGICAL ELEVATOR OF FORCED HONESTY

Your character has just stepped in to one of the teleporters only to find that it's not a teleporter at all! It's an ELEVATOR which is like a teleporter, but not-- your grandparents probably used these at one point. To make matters worse it's an ELEVATOR OF FORCED HONESTY.

○ COMMENT with your character
○ COMMENT other characters and start grilling them with questions they wouldn't answer truthfully under normal circumstances.
○ Abuse and beat the gift of truth like a rented mule
○ aww yiss

Comments

[neverknocks]

[ NO IT ISN'T WASH SHUT UP

She just lets out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. ]

Yeah, well -- consider that I met you -- him -- before Epsilon, remember? You were kind of a different guy back then. Less...twitchy and guarded. And may I remind you that the whole thing with the relationship? Your idea. His. Whatever.

[articletwelve]

...Oh.

Right.

[ Before Epsilon. As hard as he tries, and as much as he's done to get rid of him, he knows there's no going back to who he was back then, and he knows he'll never remember it, not entirely. His tone shifts automatically, empty and distant, and he looks away, folding his arms and leaning back against the elevator wall. ]

Of course.

[neverknocks]

[ well that's a mood killer if she ever saw one ]

Hey -- c'mon, Wash, what's with that look? You forget the part where I also stuck with him through all the Epsilon bullshit? 'Cause it was worth it to me. Doesn't matter what Epsilon did to him -- or to you -- 'cause you're still you. You think this'd be so goddamn weird for me if you weren't?

[ god don't you go shutting down on her you asshole SHE'S JUST BEING HONEST ]

[articletwelve]

[ That's Wash for you. ]

I'm not him.

[ It's a little harder, a little tighter, and he's still not looking at her, stiff and distant. ]

[neverknocks]

[ York rakes a hand back through her hair, letting out a breath through the corner of her mouth. Wash being distant and moody she's kinda used to by now, but she's not really sure what set it off, this time. ]

Yeah, and -- ? I mean, you're pretty close, except the difference is that he's currently all -- locked up, and you're not. C'mon, Wash, what's the hang up here? 'Cause I'm a little lost.

[articletwelve]

[ He looks at her, and his tone is abrupt, sidestepping her question with one of his own. ]

Would you go back?

[neverknocks]

Yes.

[ The word practically jumps out of her mouth before she can even think about it, because how the hell is that a question? Of course she'd go back, and -- well, he doesn't sound happy, somehow, asking it. ]

I mean -- what do you want me to say, Wash? I left him behind, and someone's gotta help him. I made him a promise, and I can't do jack shit about that from here. Plus, I -- I've gotta save D.

this is a meme why am i tl;dring

[articletwelve]

[ She has people to go back to. She has people she cares about, people she has to help, and he understands that -- he gets it, better than anyone, because he'd spent months upon months trying to find a way back just for a second chance, for a shot at changing things, to be able to do something about Epsilon, about him.

Except then he'd gotten it, and it hadn't been what he expected in the least. He'd been forced to let him go, to give up everything he'd ever known, to start over, and now he doesn't know what to do with it.

He still doesn't like being here, exactly doesn't like having to watch his back every moment of the day, the ever-present feeling of being watched, but he'd been content, with York and Sarah, and he'd been able to get used to it, at least. But they were gone, and no matter that things are getting easier with this York, she won't stay, either.

In the end, he always ends up alone.

And he's used to it, he understands it, he expects it, but that doesn't make it any easier to bear.

He doesn't look away, doesn't move a muscle, but there's a flicker in his eyes, just briefly, before it's swallowed back up by the mask. ]

...Yeah.

GODDAMMIT HOW DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN, WHAT DID WE DO

[neverknocks]

[ oh goddammit she sees that look, and it's not a happy one, that's for sure. York just frowns at him, lost for a response, for once, and a little helpless. ]

And you really resent me for that, don't you? That I'm not okay with being just stuck here.

i blame you

[articletwelve]

I didn't say that.

wow im not the one tl;dring RUDE

[neverknocks]

Don't you dodge the question, asshole. You think I don't know how to read between the lines with you by now? You resent the fact that I'd jump at the chance to go back. That -- what, I'm not okay with being separated from the people I love by I don't know how many universes?

still your fault

[articletwelve]

York. Drop it.

TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY LARISSA

[neverknocks]

Hey, you're the one who brought it up, okay? Sorry you didn't like the answer you got.

[ no she doesn't really sound sorry she sounds kinda tetchy and bothered ]

[articletwelve]

Fine.

[ yep he's in full brick wall mode ]