[PRP] the people's court (Shiloh & Alexis) [FIN]

[Daekie]

"Least you can't really accidentally hurt anyone with that, unless you go thornbush," Alexis snorted, and then thought better of it -- they clutched their wrist, turning to look at the wall with a swallow. (The water clung around their ankles like a lost pet, pulling itself up out of their footsteps to circle back and repeat.) "Nah. It kinda sucks, but I think it's just not gonna listen to me - far as I can tell, poor control was the reason this me got involved in police s**t."

Their laugh was humorless, sharp, and their smile looked pasted on. "Pick your battles, y'know, but any version of me just thinks the right answer is 'pick all of 'em'."

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

"Whoa, you got involved with the cops?" His eyes glinted faintly, but it was hard to see beneath the vantablack sheer that covered them (Shiloh could, however, see just fine despite it). "That's pretty sick." Though he didn't look totally convinced; had this been a Shiloh a few months prior, he probably would've saw it as some sort of accomplishment—he had a few run ins with the law too, for a time, albeit for petty things—but as it was he was just... slightly concerned. They were magic, and people knew about magic, and given their status as Nobles—

—Well, he wasn't one to be righteous, but he also didn't like the idea of powerful people abusing their powers, be it accidental or not. He shook his head.

"I think it's still possible to learn control over it, though." He watched the water as it attached to their ankle. "But I guess you'd know yourself better than I would."

Daekie

 

[Daekie]

"This me did," Alexis said softly. "I never got caught hard enough for it to matter. But who knows?" They stretched, their shoulders popping audibly, and their smile -- slipped, a little bit, angling. "Hard to turn over a new leaf when every time you see a cop, they look at you like you're rabid." You're a weapon, Alexis; Alois' voice, maybe not his words, but his voice. They thought about it sometimes, on their worst days, when they sat in the shower until their flesh went pink and tender from too much heat.

"Wish I had magic that wasn't good at hurtin' people. Maybe then I'd be better at not doing it either."

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Shiloh knew that there had been an obvious level of autonomy in their "this world" selves, but he never guessed that any of them would have acted out or done anything harmful. His own self had done a pretty good job of building himself up through recovery. Jamie's "this world" counterpart seemed so much more comfortable with himself. Here he thought it sucked ruining all of their work; what would it be like, he wondered, to walk innocently into a life where you were branded as a criminal?

His gaze drifted to the floor. Shiloh was just a stupid nineteen year old; he didn't have tomes of wisdom or anything to dispense at will like some people he knew.

"I mean," He sighed, "I ain't going to pretend like I know what you're dealin' with, 'cause I don't." He let that lay for a second, "That's rough, man."

He seemed genuinely sympathetic at least. Unsure of what else to do, he willed a dandelion into existence before presenting it to the other Noble.

Daekie

 

[Daekie]

"I," Alexis starts and stops before they get anywhere, "I -- only really got my magic after I got here." Their voice has gone very quiet. "But this me didn't. They didn't know what was goin' on. Braver than me, maybe, 'cause they managed to keep on." They're turned flush to the wall now, the bones threaded through their hair cutting a pale line through the dark brown - their palm collapses against the wall.

The water subsides into nothing; there is only a faint semblance of footprints behind them to imply it ever was, as it sinks back into the cracks in the ground.

"Iunno. If I'd gotten it when I was still back with my family, it would've been bad. I'm surprised they made it here at all."

Melancholies

shiloh, impromptu counselor, apparently

 

[Melancholies]

Shiloh could barely console himself let alone other people. The extent of his empathy reached as far as having a vague understanding of Alexis' predicament, and he didn't know what to say aside from touching on the family statement.

"Your fam a bunch'a bitches too then?" He tried this approach at first as he leaned against the same wall as Alexis, only his back was against the flat surface. "I sort've started getting that magic s**t when I still lived with my dad, but--"

"But he's gone now." Beel finished as he sulked forward from the shadows. Shiloh forgot he had been there honestly, "You still never thanked me for that."

Shiloh sighed, "It was probably different in this world." It didn't seem like something he wanted to touch on, but the implication was obvious. "What happened, I mean." He watched as Beel shrugged nonchalantly.

"Anyway," he turned back to Alexis, "I really don't know what to tell you, but if you need to unload I... I guess I can listen?" It wasn't that he sounded unsure, but that he didn't know what else he could possibly offer.

Daekie

 

[Daekie]

Alexis took a deep breath -- one, two, one, two -- in and out. This was okay to talk about, they had to remind themself. "Kinda. My brother was great, but - he ran off a few years ago to be more independent. Last I heard he was a substitute teacher or something. My dad wasn't shitty, just --"

They almost bit their lip and pulled back at the last second, not that Shiloh could see, and settled for dragging their nails along the wall instead.

"Passive. I guess that'd be the word. He never helped. But hey, Beaumont...you didn't come here to try and counsel me, huh? Don't you have your boyfriend to get home to or somethin'?" It wasn't abrasive, really -- it was a legitimate inquiry. He could back out, if he didn't want to hear, if he couldn't afford to care. (They knew something of the way he tensed, of his tensing eyes, of the way he'd looked at Jamie at the void like he was everything. They recognized a kindred spirit when they saw one - even if that kindred spirit was another ******** almost-adult who'd been a ******** kid.)

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Shiloh tilted his head at the redirection, but it was familiar in all honesty. He remembered having conversations like this with his brother; everything was about taking the attention away covering up his pain, being "strong" by projecting his fragile stability.

"My brother was a godsend too," he went on without acknowledging the easy out, "Always felt like he was two steps ahead of me--really smart guy, really talented--and I envied him for that, but I'd be dead in a ditch without him." He cracked an endearing smile.

"Anyway, I ain't a council. Not trying to be one either." He shrugged, "But--I ain't trying to be a pretentious d**k either--but sticking together helps. Finding people who understand you and s**t? Opening up is the hardest part." He thought about his long, late night talks with Jamie, "I'm not pretending that I got my s**t together, but it's a start."

He sighed, "But if you don't wanna talk, I get the feeling man." His brow was furrowed behind the veil, "But Noble's gotta look out for one another, y'know?"

Beel's entire body language was 'oh gag me with a spoon'.

Daekie

 

[Daekie]

"My mom was - " Deep breath. Deep breath. Their enunciation is clear, precise, royal; in difficult moments, it's easier to slip back into what Alois taught them to create some distance. "My mother was - we were. Close. Very intimate, if you understand what I mean." Alexis wasn't smiling anymore.

It's difficult to say. But three years ago, they barely knew how wrong any of it was - a year ago they wouldn't have been able to say it; their throat would have closed up and they would have absconded. Progress is progress. Slow and steady and balancing and -- the more they work at it, the more they promise and let their walls down and let someone else have the reins -- the more they can be someone Zac and Nasir can be proud of.

(They offered Beel a distracted middle finger.)

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

(Beel made a sound that was almost reminiscent of a jackass snorting indignantly)

Shiloh winced, but he didn't back down. "I don't got any dirt on my mom," He starts off, figuring if they're gonna share then fair's fair to take turns, "She was there and then she got the hell outta dodge. Guess I only resent her for not taking me 'n my brother with her. My old man was—"

He had a much easier time talking about it now, especially when compared to his time in Court.

"—Well, he spoke more with his hands a bottle of Jack rather than his stupid mouth."

He slid down the wall slowly until he was seated on the floor, deep black ruffles pooling around him. He shot Beel a look until he eventually decided sulk off.

Daekie

 

[Daekie]

"I get that," Alexis offered, quiet. "Neither of my parents drank. Too worried about losing their jobs to do that." Their hands were tensed, clenched, at their sides. "My brother left n' he didn't take me with him. Sent me updates, sent me emails, never pictures. I think he knew that if I'd known where he was, I would have gone too." Their breath was steady. They kept standing.

"I almost got sent to a Catholic girl's school, if you can imagine that." There was a sharp crack of noise as they laughed, hoarse, once. "But my parents decided I'd do better in public school. I graduated, barely, so I guess they were right."

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

"You? Catholic school?" Shiloh barked out a laugh along side them, "Hell, I'm glad we were too poor for that s**t. I feel you on barely graduating, though." He held his fist out for a knuckle bump of solidarity.

"Actually," The fist was still outstretched as he spoke, "I wasn't technically there for my graduation? Beel kinda took over my life the last week of school." He snorted, "And the whole summer. I don't think I missed much though."

"You ain't bad, Tucker."

Daekie

 

[Daekie]

Alexis offered a knuckle bump with a surprising amount of strength behind it -- their court costume came with no gloves, and the pale scars covering parts of their hand were on full display. An uneven ring three-quarters of the way up their pointer finger, a long line across the back of their hand, the semblance of bite marks on the meat of it - there were enough. Not too many, but enough.

"Didn't go to my graduation, anyways." They shrugged. "Too many people, n' my mom didn't wanna pay for tickets -- and even 'sides that, I got sick that week, so I was busy puking my guts out in the bathroom while my classmates got their diplomas."

"You're alright too, Beaumont."

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

The strength was alright—welcomed actually—as Shiloh put his own decent amount of strength back into it. He noticed the scars; how could he not? They told stories that were often times too hard to tell aloud, and Shiloh knew that all too well. Beneath his sleeves was an entire novel of things he'd only very recently been able to talk about, and even then it was a conversation topic reserved solely for Jamie and his brother.

It helped though, to talk about it. Made him realize that his experiences and faults made him stronger in the end.

"It's prolly kinda over hyped anyway." He said after a moment before he rose to his feet again. "It just sucked 'cause I busted my balls at the end tryin' to see it out. But? S'whatever now." He shrugged.

"Anyway, you wanna get the hell outta' dodge?"

Daekie

 

[Daekie]

Alexis pulled their hand back, and the sleeve fluttered, and there were the fingertips of a hand-shaped scar wrapped around their wrist peeking out. An adult's hand, the skin shiny from an old burn - perfectly shaped. If Shiloh looked at it, they didn't notice at all. After all the time at Court - it hardly bothered them anymore. All it needed was compensation for the pain, and an extra roll of the wrist now and then.

"God, please," they rolled their eyes. "I hate this place. Makes me feel like I should be bowin' and curtseyin'. Yes ma'am, no ma'am -- ugh." A very brief frown - "s**t, what time is it? I gotta get home before it gets dark."

Melancholies