I read it before, but that was a long time ago. It was interesting to think about the differences in lighting now that we're far from the 'black and white' era.
[He does think it's a good book, but he had grabbed it off the shelves to replace his iPad, which is carefully stored away.]
[With great grace and maturity, he restrains the urge to role his eyes.]
We are literally a warden and an inmate, yes. But we are not even bound together by the Admiral in any true way. This just sets up who people might complain to. Luckily for you, I have no interest in causing trouble so there is no responsibility involved.
I mean, if this was a porn film, this where the raunchy music starts. If this was a feel good family film, you'd hear the soft piano cuing the soft tender feelings. If it were a horror film, there would be close ups and malice.
So. What do you think I mean by taking care of you?
[She laughed quietly, before shaking her head, and moving to touch his hair.]
You're obtuse. But I have a feeling...it's not always purposeful. And right now, I'm guessing you're not happy that I'm just not being like...'you good'? And leaving you alone.
Which has happened with...how many people? I mean. I know what I did to Gojyo when we were paired.
I've listen to the scores of a number of films that focus on vampires.
[They're often good for a laugh.
If it was just that she took the 'pairing' as justification for him having to talk to her he probably wouldn't be that upset. Annoyed, yes, but he knows what he did to Gojyo when they were paired. And what he continues to do. But he doesn't see any need to think about other reasons he's not happy, so he defaults to the obvious.]
I didn't count.
I don't see that the first situation you describe isn't a perfectly fitting way of... taking care of 'your' inmate.
I mean, some of the vampire movie scores can be pretty great.
[Even as she likes to make fun of vampire movies and all. But...she rolled her head to look to his face, and her lips twitched. He didn't count?
He didn't count.]
I seduced him so he wouldn't try to get to know me, see if I needed anything, could help me. And the situation of just sending a text message and ignoring you for the month...
Would you really want me to do that? Pretend you didn't exist, while I chose to spend my time with people other then you?
[Armand feels an obligation to consume vampire media, because a lot of it is very amusing. Occasionally (very occasionally) they even touch on something interesting.
He didn't count how many temp wardens he had because he didn't want them and so he didn't think about it. It's a nice and straightforward approach.]
Gojyo is rather easy to seduce.
You chose as you wish, but I do not see a reason to pretend something for a month and then go back.
[As far as he's concerned, Sokie is already doing that, and has put everything that was in the category of 'between them' firmly under 'the past'. He's not so pathetic as to try to get her to change her mind. ...Not when he's dating someone, anyway.]
Why? He sleeps with a lot of people. [As far as Armand knows - and he's good at knowing these things - all of Gojyo's other hookups are women, but that's unimportant.
He doesn't move away. The flash of deep distaste is direct purely at the implication they could be paired longer. He doesn't want any 'permanent' warden, no matter who.]
I already spoke to you in a straight forward manner. [There's rarely a point in doing the same thing again. And he feels even more strongly about accusations.]
Gojyo has, I suppose you might call them, 'hang-ups' around sleeping with men that are built on concepts of masculinity rather than a lack of interest. It's very common.
[Armand has spent a lifetime and more being nonthreatening to the masculinity of men he's slept with. It's pretty straightforward.]
Ashton and I don't get along. [And they're both vampires? Honestly, that one is too obvious to need to into. Everyone knows vampires are extremely territorial, and that Ashton refuses to be mature about it isn't Armand's problem.
He folds his arms.] I am not some sort of performing dog.
[Basically to the day, if you count from the first time they hooked up, which Armand does. He might be a semi-immortal with centuries under his belt, but that's not nothing.]
I don't understand what you want.
[Even more sulkily. This is exactly why he should have his mind reading back! It's makes everything far easier.]
Ashton and I don't get on. You are in some sort of relationship with her, yes? So she was upset.
[And then Sokie left after accusing Armand of being possessive, even though he wasn't being anything like that! ...He had been baiting Ashton a bit, but that was totally different. This is another one that goes under 'genuinely doesn't understand what Sokie means'.]
But she turns her body so she's on her side, facing him properly so she can gently stroke her fingers over his hair.]
What I want is clarity in the thought process. Why don't you get along with Ashton. Why you were baiting her. Why it felt as if you were taking advantage and using me as someone to make her upset. It made me feel as if I wasn't a person, but an object. A possession.
[How can you get any clearer than ‘vampire’? But while Armand doesn’t love questions he is happy to defend himself from unfair accusations of wrongdoing.]
I don’t ‘get along’ with Ashton because she decided we would not. I will give her this: nothing about the time we have spent together since then has made me think that she was wrong. That she started a fight she could not finish is on her own shoulders.
As for that specific evening [since she doesn’t see the blatantly obvious], Ashton could have simply walked away if she didn’t want to see you speaking to someone. I’m not beholden to her desires. And you could and did walk away yourself. [An object couldn’t do that!]
But I also understand this is a complicated situation. But what fight? What happened with the three of us? Or is this another fight that I don't know about? Why did you not try to speak to Ashton so there wouldn't be any more fighting?
Also...why did you not decide to walk away yourself? Or...explain what was going on? It wasn't obvious to me what was happening. I didn't have context.
Ashton attacked me when we first met, because she wanted to project her issues with vampires onto a random stranger.
[In some ways, it's all a very long fight and one where 'talking' isn't involved. Ashton started it.]
Why should I have walked away? [He wasn't doing anything wrong, and he wasn't going to do anything that might be taken otherwise.] You have met vampires. [No context is needed for an extremely normal vampire thing!]
Okay. So...she had a fight with you...because you're a vampire.
[She gives Armand a long look. And she slowly blinks.]
I have met vampires. But not all vampires are alike. Not all vampire needs are alike. You're also a person. Who does not need to engage when someone else is being petty or hostile.
So...is that what you're going to go with? Because what I'm getting is...you're doing this because you like fighting with Ashton.
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 02:36 am (UTC)She just sits quietly until he's done, before glancing at him side long.]
Good book?
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 02:41 am (UTC)[He does think it's a good book, but he had grabbed it off the shelves to replace his iPad, which is carefully stored away.]
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 02:53 am (UTC)[She gives his shoulders a gentle little squeeze, as if in reassurance.]
So, why don't we go over how you're processing this current development?
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 02:57 am (UTC)[That's enough for him to turn his pleasantly blank look at her more directly.]
What 'current development', exactly?
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 03:38 am (UTC)[She smiles.]
Being warden and inmate, darling.
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 03:43 am (UTC)We are literally a warden and an inmate, yes. But we are not even bound together by the Admiral in any true way. This just sets up who people might complain to. Luckily for you, I have no interest in causing trouble so there is no responsibility involved.
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 03:59 am (UTC)[She smiles. She knows he is allowing this with great dignity.]
Sadly, this is not how it works. We may not be bound to graduation, but I'm going to make sure you're taken care of.
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 04:01 am (UTC)What exactly do you think that means?
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 04:03 am (UTC)So. What do you think I mean by taking care of you?
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 04:08 am (UTC)[Deadpan. It could be useful at times, though circumstances are usually too complex to make him really wish for it.]
I can't begin to imagine.
[Armand... well, he's not often what others might call 'helpful', but he's certainly not when he's upset with someone.]
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 04:16 am (UTC)[She laughed quietly, before shaking her head, and moving to touch his hair.]
You're obtuse. But I have a feeling...it's not always purposeful. And right now, I'm guessing you're not happy that I'm just not being like...'you good'? And leaving you alone.
Which has happened with...how many people? I mean. I know what I did to Gojyo when we were paired.
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 04:24 am (UTC)[They're often good for a laugh.
If it was just that she took the 'pairing' as justification for him having to talk to her he probably wouldn't be that upset. Annoyed, yes, but he knows what he did to Gojyo when they were paired. And what he continues to do. But he doesn't see any need to think about other reasons he's not happy, so he defaults to the obvious.]
I didn't count.
I don't see that the first situation you describe isn't a perfectly fitting way of... taking care of 'your' inmate.
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 07:10 am (UTC)[Even as she likes to make fun of vampire movies and all. But...she rolled her head to look to his face, and her lips twitched. He didn't count?
He didn't count.]
I seduced him so he wouldn't try to get to know me, see if I needed anything, could help me. And the situation of just sending a text message and ignoring you for the month...
Would you really want me to do that? Pretend you didn't exist, while I chose to spend my time with people other then you?
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 07:18 am (UTC)He didn't count how many temp wardens he had because he didn't want them and so he didn't think about it. It's a nice and straightforward approach.]
Gojyo is rather easy to seduce.
You chose as you wish, but I do not see a reason to pretend something for a month and then go back.
[As far as he's concerned, Sokie is already doing that, and has put everything that was in the category of 'between them' firmly under 'the past'. He's not so pathetic as to try to get her to change her mind. ...Not when he's dating someone, anyway.]
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 07:33 am (UTC)[She moves until she lightly touched his hair. Her finger moving just behind hid ear, if he let her.]
Also, we don't know if this will be for a month. This could be the start of something new, for both of us. Besides...
On a personal level? You owe me a straight forward talk. That could be an apology, for both of us, because you were using me the last time we talked.
Did you even really want to spend more time with me?
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 07:41 am (UTC)Why? He sleeps with a lot of people. [As far as Armand knows - and he's good at knowing these things - all of Gojyo's other hookups are women, but that's unimportant.
He doesn't move away. The flash of deep distaste is direct purely at the implication they could be paired longer. He doesn't want any 'permanent' warden, no matter who.]
I already spoke to you in a straight forward manner. [There's rarely a point in doing the same thing again. And he feels even more strongly about accusations.]
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 08:06 am (UTC)[Since Gojyo seemed...aggressively into women. Armand is very beautiful but...she wonders if this means she should chat with the redhead.]
Armand, you are not. And you have not, about the situation where Ashton seemed to be very aggressively against us speaking.
So...please us your words. Pretend I don't understand. I can't praise you and look for movies with you if I'm confused.
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 06:16 pm (UTC)[Armand has spent a lifetime and more being nonthreatening to the masculinity of men he's slept with. It's pretty straightforward.]
Ashton and I don't get along. [And they're both vampires? Honestly, that one is too obvious to need to into. Everyone knows vampires are extremely territorial, and that Ashton refuses to be mature about it isn't Armand's problem.
He folds his arms.] I am not some sort of performing dog.
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 06:30 pm (UTC)[She is worried for both Armand and Gojyo. This could go very badly. For both of them. She doesn't even know about the Hakkai angle.
But she snorts. This might have been the closest thing to a pout she's seen from him.]
You are correct. You are not a performance dog. And neither am I. We are both semi immortals with centuries under our belts.
I would like it if I understood the situation, so I won't needlessly snap at you. I'm not going to read your mind.
I need your words. Please.
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 06:40 pm (UTC)[Basically to the day, if you count from the first time they hooked up, which Armand does. He might be a semi-immortal with centuries under his belt, but that's not nothing.]
I don't understand what you want.
[Even more sulkily. This is exactly why he should have his mind reading back! It's makes everything far easier.]
Ashton and I don't get on. You are in some sort of relationship with her, yes? So she was upset.
[And then Sokie left after accusing Armand of being possessive, even though he wasn't being anything like that! ...He had been baiting Ashton a bit, but that was totally different. This is another one that goes under 'genuinely doesn't understand what Sokie means'.]
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 07:00 pm (UTC)[Worry increases.
But she turns her body so she's on her side, facing him properly so she can gently stroke her fingers over his hair.]
What I want is clarity in the thought process. Why don't you get along with Ashton. Why you were baiting her. Why it felt as if you were taking advantage and using me as someone to make her upset. It made me feel as if I wasn't a person, but an object. A possession.
Does that help?
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 07:20 pm (UTC)I don’t ‘get along’ with Ashton because she decided we would not. I will give her this: nothing about the time we have spent together since then has made me think that she was wrong. That she started a fight she could not finish is on her own shoulders.
As for that specific evening [since she doesn’t see the blatantly obvious], Ashton could have simply walked away if she didn’t want to see you speaking to someone. I’m not beholden to her desires. And you could and did walk away yourself. [An object couldn’t do that!]
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 08:15 pm (UTC)Also...why did you not decide to walk away yourself? Or...explain what was going on? It wasn't obvious to me what was happening. I didn't have context.
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 08:22 pm (UTC)[In some ways, it's all a very long fight and one where 'talking' isn't involved. Ashton started it.]
Why should I have walked away? [He wasn't doing anything wrong, and he wasn't going to do anything that might be taken otherwise.] You have met vampires. [No context is needed for an extremely normal vampire thing!]
Re: After Pairing Annoucement
Date: 2026-02-16 08:28 pm (UTC)[She gives Armand a long look. And she slowly blinks.]
I have met vampires. But not all vampires are alike. Not all vampire needs are alike. You're also a person. Who does not need to engage when someone else is being petty or hostile.
So...is that what you're going to go with? Because what I'm getting is...you're doing this because you like fighting with Ashton.
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