asgardeventide | 009 || voice

[Is he going to mention anything that happened during the power failures? Definitely not. Not when he could distract himself with something else. Anything else. And his voice now is as cheerful as it's ever been.]

Hey-o, Asgard! Super quick poll time. How many people here would skin me alive if given the chance?

[No reason. Actually, several reasons, but. He follows it with a laugh.]

Not that I'm volunteering... yet. But hypothetically. No consequences, no turnabout, just a good, straightforward flaying of Henrys!

...Or anyone, for that matter. If you could slaughter absolutely anyone here with absolutely no backlash, would you go for it? I mean, it's not like anything you do is gonna follow you back home, so you might as well go wild with it! Doesn't even have to be for any reason, though you can imagine one if you'd like. Maybe you're just curious as to how it feels! --It feels great, by the way.

I've asked before whether anyone had murdering experience, and was kinda surprised at the answer- but I'm wondering if that's changed at all for anyone, just from being here. A lot of folk haven't been in a war before, and I see a lot of people asking or offering lessons in fighting. Which is great and all, but how many have experience in killing? It's a totally different field! And it's kinda the one that counts when it comes down to it.

But getting back to the important question here: skinning of Henry, yes or no? I'll even return the favor, if you want, though I'm a little out of practice. But if anyone wants a gory death for any reason, I'm your guy!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

... fuck.

[She'd suspected. At the time she hadn't wanted to think about it. There's silence on the line while she thinks about it, torn between wanting to yell at him and wanting to shut this off.]

What was that supposed to prove?

[He wouldn't blame her for it either. He laughs, though.]

Not sure. I don't think I suffered enough. It's kinda hard to when you want it to happen.

So you just want somebody else to punish you because you fucked up. Is that it?

Pretty much! The guy I forced into it was mad at me too, but I think he forgave me eventually. Even said he'd do it again so no one else would have to.

--I don't want to die. But I don't think it's possible to die enough. Weird, huh?

It's called guilt.

[Like he doesn't know. Hell, maybe he doesn't, in his fucked up mind. Henry-logic is a strange logic.]

And yeah, I know. I know the feeling.

Oh.

[He didn't really know. Not when it came to guilt like this, anyway. He'd never regretted hurting or killing anyone before. It was uncomfortable, and he didn't know what to do with it- made even worse by not wanting to think about it in words, along with being used to solving any and all problems with violence.]

What do you do about it?

... you live with it.

[Her guilt is not the same as his, but she knows all about the feelings involved.]

You make your life mean something. You do something worthwhile, and...

[And.]

I don't know.

You sure do expect a lot, huh. I don't know if I can manage half of that.

You won't tell him, will you?

... no. I won't tell him.

But if you pull this bullshit again, all bets are off.

Next time I won't tell you, then.

But thanks.

Henry.

... I don't exactly want you to get hurt either. Okay?

That's nice of you, but you don't need to worry. I'm not easy to hurt.

[Which was the problem.]

... whatever you say.

[It doesn't quite sound like he gets it. But she can sense that this is like arguing with a brick wall.]

Thanks again. Also sorry.

[And he's relieved to leave it there. This was already delving into Emotional Territory, which was the opposite of everything he was. He was content to remain a wall.

Preferably one he could bash himself into.]

Sure, Henry.

[It sounds like a 'whatever', but. Maybe it's better than nothing.]

009 || voice

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