Caritas, Sunday

[suitably_heroic]

Who knew Netflix produced that many shitty Christmas movies? Atton hadn't. And he hadn't been eager to find out.

"Tino, can you turn that off already?" he yelled, for the fifteenth time, and didn't get a response, for the fifteenth time. "Space!"

Well. At least it kept him occupied. Your bartender would be behind the bar, messing around with cocktails, looking more and more irritated as the night went on.

[[ open ]]

Comments

[notconflicted]

Last time Sia had tried to get in touch, Atton had been a child. So she'd given it a few weeks for him to hopefully totally forget about that.

How are things?

[suitably_heroic]

Hey, if it isn't everyone's favorite creepy babysitter.

Sorry, Sia. Atton felt marginally better, which meant he'd never, ever let you forget.

[notconflicted]

I am NOT creepy.

Or at least she hadn't been trying to be.

[suitably_heroic]

Young me definitely picked up a lot of creepy.

[notconflicted]

Young you was reading into things.

Or she didn't know how to talk to anyone under the age of thirteen.

[suitably_heroic]

Uh huh.

Sure, Sia. Totally.

[notconflicted]

I'm not around children much, all right?

[suitably_heroic]

You've been a child at some point in your life.

[notconflicted]

That was years ago. And no one talked to me like a child.

[suitably_heroic]

That is... so sad.

[notconflicted]

I regret giving you this opportunity to make fun of me.

This was why she waited weeks!

[suitably_heroic]

He'd probably have let it go if she'd texted him pre-vacation!

I just need to make sure you feel the exact amount of shame you should be feeling right now.

[notconflicted]

She was going to demand access to his calendar!

I'm sure it has nothing to do with you enjoying this.

[suitably_heroic]

Just doing my public service, empress. You know how it is.

[notconflicted]

I suppose I need someone to keep me humble. I'm not sure why that's always you...

She knew why.

[suitably_heroic]

Because you inherited a bunch of sycophants?

Be nice, Atton.

[notconflicted]

He wasn't wrong. And it was part of the reason.

Which was a development I did not see coming.

[suitably_heroic]

You know you can change that, Atton texted.

[notconflicted]

I'm theory, yes. In reality, it'd leave me with almost no one left here.

[suitably_heroic]

That's why you have to do it one step at a time. Keep it subtle.

[notconflicted]

This is much easier to say from over there, you know.

[suitably_heroic]

I'm not the one who wanted to be Emperor.

[notconflicted]

I never wanted this. Ever.

It was kind of the reason she was this miserable.

[suitably_heroic]

Then introduce democracy and get out of the way, Atton texted lightly.

[notconflicted]

You have to know it's not that easy.

[suitably_heroic]

You're talking to a kid from Alderaan. Back when I was sixteen I would've tried to overthrow you in a hot second. Republic! Hoorah!

Of course he knew it wasn't that easy.

[notconflicted]

Exactly what I needed to hear, thank you.

She knew he was joking. There were still a whole lot of complicated feelings about her position anyway.

[suitably_heroic]

Hey, that's what you have me for: pep talks.

Sure, Atton.

[notconflicted]

How are things with you?

That was why she texted anyway, and she needed the subject change.

[suitably_heroic]

Just went back to work, Atton texted.

A moment later:

Other work.

[notconflicted]

That was encouraging. How is that going?

[suitably_heroic]

I mean, I'm getting shot at a lot more than I was last week.

[notconflicted]

As long as you aren't getting hit. Do you like being back?

[suitably_heroic]

Atton thought about it.

I'll let you know when I have an answer for that.

[notconflicted]

At any rate, I'm glad you're back to it.