The Best Thing About Not Being Home is Missing You

[preuxchevalier]

There are people back home that your character hates. Or maybe they love them, but they're terrible people/influences. Here's your chance to talk or play out that special someone turning up in the Meadous. Are they so far out of their element that they're now defanged tigers? Do they lead right in with their wicked ways? What is your character's CR even going to think when they meet this person?
 

Post with your own character or the person they most/least want to see again who's a bad thing for them. Feel free to play out encounters in the snow between this character and your regular character's CR, or talk it out with if you're not sure you've got the voice down.
 

Fun for all ages! And by fun, we mean misery!

Comments

whoops

[spare_parts]

Dist is keeping a visible difference, but he's clearly scrutinizing the man. Jay had once given a physical description of Raimut and this person clearly fits the bill, but if he's going to prepare an elaborate revenge it wouldn't do to have it be against the wrong person.

Given how sensitive the topic is for Jay, though, Dist is more than happy to give Jay the benefit of the doubt, and he's hardly going to bring him over for confirmation. Instead he'll stand several feet away, looking heavily suspicious and completely failing in his attempt to hide it.

deliberate misgendering, other bullshit. look, it's jay's old master. we all know he was fuckawful.

[theghast]

Ordinarily, Raimut would pay no attention to someone scrutinising him so. He is a big and imposing man and he is used to attracting attention (moreso when he had one of the Hyenas in tow, but even without them, he stood out from the crowd). However, the situation is extraordinary, the village mostly deserted and the creature so oddly insistent and hateful, that his curiosity is aroused.

He turns with sudden, unexpected speed for such a large man and strides over to Dist, looming over him.

"Yes? Do you need something, young ..." he pauses, thoughtfully, then smirks and finishes with, "lady?"

He's fairly sure Dist is not a woman, but he's also fairly sure pretending to mistake him for such would provoke an emotional reaction and give him more of an advantage.

Re: deliberate misgendering, other bullshit. look, it's jay's old master. we all know he was fuckawf

[spare_parts]

It works, because Dist's expression turns venomous. "I don't know of any ladies here who might need anything from you. What I need to know is what you're doing here." He's not screeching, not even bothering with dramatics just yet. This he takes seriously.

[theghast]

Raimut snorts and looks away from Dist, suddenly bored. There's something insistently familiar about the man's voice and manner, something that nags at a part of Raimut that is rawer than he would like to admit.

Maybe he should keep Dist talking, until he figures out what's so familiar and whether or not he can use it to his advantage.

"I am merely taking in the scenery," he says, evenly. "Familiarising myself with my new home. Tell me, do you harass all your new neighbours like this or am I ... special?"

[spare_parts]

Dist tilts his head back, trying to both glare and attempt to remain aloof. He also crosses his arms. "Only those with... reputations that precede them."

[theghast]

"Do you recognise me, then?" Raimut asks, raising an eyebrow in an expression eerily reminiscent of one of Jay's, though considerably less dainty. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, then. I do not recall your face at all."

But he recognises the pose and the glare and the protective crossing of arms. How interesting, he thinks. How very unusual but fortuitous.

[spare_parts]

Before, when Jay spoke with him about his 'mentor,' Dist had been sympathetic. Now? Now he's starting to understand, and it makes him angry. The subtle cues he's picking up are also very disconcerting. "Well, you do now. My name is Dist. Otherwise, all you need to know is to leave Jay alone."

mmmmisgendering. god this is awful, he's awful

[theghast]

"Jay," Raimut says, slowly and deliberately. He turns his head to look at Dist again, scrutinising him. "This would be Jay Zimin? Has the painted harpy got her claws into you?" He snorts and shakes his head. Now things are falling into place. Dist is so unlike the men Jay usually went for, but Raimut supposes preferences can change.

"I wasn't intending on establishing any contact with Jay," he adds and smiles, wryly. "Not without her say-so. She is welcome to make her own mind up, after all."

He watches Dist closely, from under hooded lids, to see how he reacts to Jay being called "she". This is going to establish some facts, such as whether Jay is still living as a man and how much Dist cares about him and his convictions.

[spare_parts]

"Jay is not a woman and you should know that!" Now he's getting vehement, slipping back into his older ways. Back into trying to get Jade to stop being purposefully obtuse and listen to him for once.

He also sincerely wants to make up for his mistake, even if Jay isn't there to witness it. Cruelty towards people he cares about is restricted to when he's also trying to kill them.

transphobia. prob. worse things.

[theghast]

Raimut laughs and reaches out to chummily pat Dist on the shoulder.

"Do calm down," he says. "It's easy to forget, with how he dresses." He doesn't let go of Dist's shoulder, instead squeezing it, gently. "Like I said, I have no interest in contacting Jay again, without his permission. I know better than to force him to be agreeable."

And in any case, he adds to himself, the boy will come running back to me the moment things get the least bit hard. He shan't last on his own.

[spare_parts]

"If you really cared about him you wouldn't forget something like that!" Dist snarls a little, shifting to pull his shoulder away, but he's not a very strong person. "See that you don't approach him and we won't have any problems."

[theghast]

Raimut squeezes Dist's shoulder, hard enough to hurt, but not hard enough to disable him. Not just yet, at least. He brings his face very close to Dist's ear, having to visibly stoop to do so.

"Problems? Are you threatening me?" he whispers, his breath hot and dry. "You really do not want to do that. Not over someone like Jay Zimin of all people. What is he to you?"

[spare_parts]

Dist sneers, even as he winces at the squeeze. He's dealt with worse... at least, that's what he thinks. He tries not to shrink away, and halfway succeeds.

"He means more to me than he ever did to you." To his credit, his voice has cropped back down. Cockiness or not, he's scared.

[theghast]

"Ah," Raimut says, quietly, and tightens his grip. "I see. I see. But have you considered, friend, that you may not mean as much to him as I do? After all, I was so much more than just a lover to him."

He grins, showing off his teeth. They are, disappointingly, perfectly even and a regular colour, neither bleached eerily white nor yellowed.

[spare_parts]

That gets Dist to worry. He knows better than anyone how easy it is to latch onto the past.... His knees bend and he leans his shoulder into Raimut's grip.

"Maybe. But he's done with you now."

[theghast]

Raimut snorts and releases Dist's shoulder, only to pat him on the back.

"Maybe he should decide that, no? Not you," he says and makes a noise of disgust. "What does he see in you? A pathetic, little weed of a man. You're as womanish as he is."

[spare_parts]

Dist scowls, metaphorically raising his hackles. It makes his collar rustle.

"And you're nothing new. Didn't he end up getting you killed? That's typically an ending."

[theghast]

Raimut's face contorts with sudden anger and fear and he's unable to get himself under control. He brings his face very close to Dist's and snarls.

"Don't you dare bluff," he growls. "I am as alive as I ever have been. I have taken great care not to die and Zimin of all people shan't be the one to bring me down."

[spare_parts]

Sure, Dist makes a very small flinch at the sudden change in proximity, but mostly he grins. Dist is used to Jade. Jade would never have snapped like that. The Major wouldn't either. It's a petty victory, but Dist takes what he can get.

"That's what everyone says before they have their first death. It will be good for you."

[theghast]

Raimut freezes in place for a split second, then reaches out with surprising speed and grasps Dist's throat. He squeezes just hard enough to compress his trachea. His other hand grabs the wrist of Dist's dominant hand, just in case -- Raimut, after all, is used to dealing with spellcasters.

"If this is your idea of a joke," he says, quietly, "I suggest you cease it immediately and apologise, else I shall not be responsible for what I do."

[spare_parts]

There must be something about Dist that makes choking the most popular way to threaten him. Unfortunately, he's rather desensitized to it by now.

"You're responsible for anything you do to me," he spits, looking mostly unimpressed. His voice is still satisfyingly strained and hoarse though. "And I'm not joking. You have no idea how many times I've died; one more isn't going to make me afraid of you. All you monsters are the same."

[theghast]

Raimut sighs, very deeply and lifts Dist up off his feet, dangling him in the air with ease.

"All this over Lutomira Zimin?" he chides, looking indulgently disappointed. "My boy, do consider picking your battles better. Consider picking them over ... worthier candidates."

[spare_parts]

Dist makes a choked sound, lifting his free hand to grab at Raimut's, but it's not much help. "Jay." He can just manage to continue talking. "His name is Jay. And he's..." Dist has to pause and fight down a breath of air. "He's more than worth it."

[theghast]

Raimut releases his grip on Dist and throws up both his hands, in mock resignation.

"Honestly. Has he improved in bed, then?" he says. "Gotten less insufferable? I lived with him for over a decade. I know him, in ways you never will. Reconsider wasting your time."

Despite the look of disgust, there's something else lurking in Raimut's eyes. Something akin to jealousy.

[spare_parts]

When Dist hits the ground he stumbles, coughing. He wasn't expecting to simply be... dropped. He rubs at his throat, quirking an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Why in the world would I tell you something like that?"