Lobster Hut, Thursday evening

[future_sandworm]

Leto was quite certain that Triela would show up, despite her obvious nervousness about this dinner. She was too proud not to. He also suspected that she had suggested seafood to make him a little uneasy, but it didn't quite work. The Fremen did keep fish to protect their water reserves, after all, even if they tasted differently than those from the sea.

Lobsters, however. Leto wrinkled his nose a little as he looked through the menu, waiting for Triela.

[For one, obviously.]

Comments

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Does it bother you?" she asked. The not fitting in thing. It had never really bothered her, but there were reasons for that.

[Sleep well!]

[future_sandworm]

"People wanting to kill me?" he asked, laughing. "It's a little impractical."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Not that," Triela waved a hand dismissively as if people trying to kill you was no big deal. She knew Leto could take care of himself. "The being different. Dealing with stuff other people don't really get."

[future_sandworm]

"I have never known anything else," he repeated, then added with a smile: "And I'm never alone."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"I hadn't thought of that." Triela pursed her lips and thought about that, taking an opportunity to (very awkwardly, given the sling) twist off another lobster leg.

She was beginning to think that the lobster plan had been a poor one.

"Does that mean you never get lonely, either?" There was an important distinction between alone and lonely, after all.

[future_sandworm]

It was. "Never with Ghanima. Before I came here we had rarely been apart."

Leto tore the head off his lobster.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Oh, right. When you've got a sister..." She grinned slightly. She missed hers back at the Agency sometimes. All the other girls...

"Does it every get confusing? Knowing which memories are the ones you lived and which ones aren't?"

[future_sandworm]

"No," he replied firmly. "Perhaps the memories in themselves, but I keep a barrier against the other minds."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela nodded. "You seem a bit too sane for anything other than that to be the case," she decided. "But I suspect that took a lot of effort to learn."

She was sort of impressed despite herself.

[future_sandworm]

"It did," he admitted. "Or rather determination. I will not risk being possessed by one of my ancestors."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"That's... a scary thought, actually," she said quietly, pulling some meat out of the lobster leg and chewing on it. It was pretty good.

[future_sandworm]

"It is the fate of many Pre-Born," he replied, staring at the lobster brain. "Is this really edible?"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Well, technically, yes, but traditionally you throw out most of the head. And the digestive tract." Triela grinned. "You can eat it if you want, though."

[future_sandworm]

"It is a bit of a waste not to." Leto had to contemplate this for a while.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but if you're eating out you might as well just eat what you enjoy. I mean... that's the point, right?"

[future_sandworm]

Leto sniffed the head of the lobster, then tried it, chewing thoughtfully. "Not as bad as I thought."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Yeah?" Triela asked with an amused smirk. "Do you recommend it."

[future_sandworm]

"It's a matter of taste, I guess," he replied. "You would have to try for yourself."

That raise of an eyebrow might be a challenge.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Leto knew quite well how Triela took challenges. She shot him a tolerant smirk and awkwardly twisted off her lobster's head (stupid arm, she couldn't wait until it got replaced). She eyed the meat as she pulled it out, shrugged, and took a small bite.

"Huh."

[future_sandworm]

He certainly did. "And?"

[bedtime!]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Eh. It's okay," she decided. "I think I'd skip it next time, though."

[Sleep weeeelll!]

[future_sandworm]

"Now we've truly been adventurous," he laughed.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"You have other peoples' memories in your head and this is adventurous?" Triela rolled her eyes in amusement.

[future_sandworm]

"Have you ever heard of the concept of irony, Triela?" Leto replied, smiling.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Of what?" Triela tried to feign innocence, eyes wide and confused-looking. She was actually kind of good at it.

Unless you knew her.