Open

[purple_reign]

WHO: Inanna and YOU
WHERE: Heropa and other cities
WHEN: Throughout February
WHAT: Catch all w/prompts
WARNINGS: Discussions of death, trauma, depression

OTA - Beaches near Heropa
[Looking for a break from the chilly temperatures of Maurtia Falls, Inanna's come down to Florida for a relaxing visit; not too far from Heropa. They won't be staying for long, but someone lucky enough could spot them out on the beach. It may still be too cold to go swimming, but it's just pleasant enough to lay back and soak up the warm sun. Even better is when the sun begins to set over the horizon, lighting the ocean up with rich orange and pink tones while the first pinpricks of stars begin to take their place in the sky.]


Semi-open - Heropa - The Lucky Cat Cafe
[And as long as Inanna's in the area, they may as well stop by a local business for a bite to eat. And maybe they have a little business to attend to with some of the staff here that they've been putting off. That doesn't mean they're entirely preoccupied with whatever that business is, of course. In fact, if they spot anyone lingering too long on the menu they'll take the chance to try to strike up a conversation.]

You should try the macarons. The vanilla lavender is amazing.

[And then there's the actual reason they're here—the Vorkosigans. Inanna made sure to send a text ahead to Cordelia to make sure she'd know when they were planning to stop by, but that doesn't guarantee that other members of the family won't find them first.]

[[OOC: If you want to use this for the Valentine's event just note it in your top level. I am 100% happy to roll with anything, but Inanna specifically won't be affected. Likewise if you want a specific thread that doesn't fit the open prompts you can hit me up at jiora for a top level or just comment with a starter of your own. ♥]]

Comments

[purple_reign]

You really just want to keep hating me instead, don't you?

[dendarii]

It's much easier that way. And more fun.

[ But ... well, he's tired. And itchy. And it's less fun the longer it goes on, and he had a single sympathetic feeling for Persephone the other day... ]

[purple_reign]

...Fun.

[The tone of their voice is dull, nearly unreadable. He thought all this pain and stress was fun? It leaves a strange pulsing sensation at both temples; a rare throb of real anger.]

[dendarii]

[ Miles just shrugs slightly. That had come out wrong. Or maybe he's thinking wrong to begin with. Both. ]

You don't get any grim joy at all out of having someone to hate? Someone you feel really deserves it? Surely I've provided some inkling of that.

[ An inherent confession in that statement. His tone is nearly apologetic. ]

[purple_reign]

[They frown in confusion and...something like sadness?]

I don't hate anyone. I don't like you, but I don't... I can't even hate people who've hurt me many, many times worse than you.

[dendarii]

... Like who?

[purple_reign]

[They're quiet for a long moment, considering him and weighing their answer carefully. There were a handful of options, all rather personal and quite painful in their own ways, but Inanna had to choose one now that they'd opened this line of questioning.]

...My murderer, for one.

[...And maybe it felt a little nice to give an answer that carried such a weight with it, heavy with the declaration of so many of the burdens Inanna had already been carrying before Miles barreled his way into their life.]

[dendarii]

[ It certainly has an effect on Miles. Guilt flashes through his expression for a moment as he winces bodily. ]

Ah. My ... condolences.

[purple_reign]

[It's a little mean using their death as a means to bludgeon someone like this, but it's so rare that Inanna actually feels a need to stand up for themself; they don't know what else to do about it. Especially when all their gentler attempts have failed so badly.

Still, they look a little apologetic and quite somber and distant now.]

Mm. ...I don't know if it would be easier to hate people or not. It's certainly exhausting caring about everyone, but it's...who I am. ...Maybe it does make me too nice.

[dendarii]

[ It's done something to break through the wall Miles has built up between them, at least. He's a little less aggressively combative. ]

There have to be some you don't care about. Or care about less.

[purple_reign]

[They laugh softly, the sound falling a bit flat.]

I thought I liked you less, but I was worried about you just now when you were talking about your mother. It sounded for a minute like she might not be a good one.

[dendarii]

[ Miles looks downright offended at that. ]

Dear god, no. I wouldn't change her for the life of me. Even if she were genuinely terrible, I still owe her my life many times over.

[purple_reign]

I did say it only worried me for a minute. It's a relief to hear that's not the case.

[dendarii]

... A relief even now. With everything going on.

[purple_reign]

[They manage another smile, thin and tired.]

I told you before, I'm "the nice one."

[dendarii]

You sound rather tired of holding yourself up to that image.

[purple_reign]

Is that really all you think it is? Just an image?

[dendarii]

A blend, rather. Obviously there's truth to it. But having found you prefer to be a nice person most of the time, you're suddenly stuck with no room to do otherwise.

[purple_reign]

Hm. An interesting theory, but...I don't think it fits me at all. I have plenty of room to be less than nice. Persephone, Luci...everyone I know would love it if I were less nice. A little more selfish. It would be easy to do otherwise if I had it in me.

[dendarii]

Are you sure about that?

[purple_reign]

Am I sure that my friends would love it if I worried less all the people who hurt us?

[dendarii]

No, not that. Being completely incapable of doing otherwise.

[purple_reign]

Oh, well... I wouldn't say completely incapable. I'm a goddess of war as much as I am of love, but it would take quite a lot to push me that far.

[dendarii]

What would it take then?

[ His tone is curious rather than challenging. ]

[purple_reign]

[It's still not a topic Inanna enjoys very much. They frown and swirl what's left of their coffee in their cup.]

I'm honestly not sure. I've never been pushed that far before, but...I think I'd need to be protecting someone.