Video 4 § Honesty is a Virtue.

[givessweetness]

 [A very puzzled, if affected, Wynter appears on screen.] 

Ah. ...Nothing's happened?

[He was expecting something.] I'm not weird to anyone, am I? [Wynter's going to regret asking that.] Different?

Comments

[routemistress]

I do like the ones where we turn into things. We got turned six inches tall once, that were a right laugh.

The one where we got each other's memories, too. Not so much funny. But I wouldn't've missed it.

[givessweetness]

Sounds massively inconvenient.

And the latter. I shouldn't like to inflict mine on anyone. [And he doesn't really have much intention of elaborating a great deal, but hey.]

[routemistress]

For some. Rex nearly got ate by 'is own pet snake. Me, I 'ad fun in the kitchens. I swandived into a bowl of whipped cream off Wade's shoulder for a lark, it were brilliant.

[She eyes him, tenderly curious.]

Everyone's got terrible memories somewhere, lovey. Sharing 'em can make 'em easier to bear.

[givessweetness]

[He thinks about that for a second. He doesn't know quite what conclusion to draw, but it's not important.]

Sharing is one thing. Inflicting it on the general populace with no preparation is entirely another. It's not about me, it's about everyone else.

[routemistress]

Everyone 'ere's so afraid of a bit of intimacy. What've you got that's so much worse than everyone else, lovey?

[AND HERE WE GO.]

TW: Nasty stuff.

[givessweetness]

Pandora lured me into infecting myself with the virus, so she could use me as a vector to spread it to the entire population of Gallifrey, but I refused with all the strength I had, crushing my hands, biting off my tongue and searing my own face off, then I proceeded to hijack a TARDIS and warn the President with only two thoughts in my mind, warning her and not regenerating. All the time, I heard her mocking laugh. It spurred me on, I suppose.

[He is beyond noticing that 'hey, this is the flood!' at this point, it's so emotional and in the flow of things.] If it's enough to get every Time Lord that encountered 'The Broken Man' to feel sorry for him, you can be damned sure it's not something I ever want to inflict on others.

oh Wynter bb <3 <3

[routemistress]

...Oh, Wynter. Sweetheart.

[She winces for him, aches again to come and hold him.]

I knew it must've been bad. I 'ad no idea it were as bad as that. That's why you were so peculiar with me, your first day?

[givessweetness]

Yes. You weren't serious, of course you weren't, so I internally associated you with her and so I was... angry, scared and lashed out. I'm sorry about that.

[routemistress]

I'm rarely serious, darling. Don't confuse that with not being serious.

...So I reckon we know what this flood is now. Anything you want to ask me to balance it out?

[givessweetness]

[He pauses as he reverses track.] No. 'Balancing out' seems more trouble than it's worth, usually.

[It's more out of consideration that he bothers trying at all.] How long have you been without having an inmate? Assuming you didn't have... Victor? Instantly, of course.

[routemistress]

Oh, Victor's me second, I 'ad Wade first. Lovely man, I miss 'im something awful. Two months or thereabouts, between joining up and getting paired; then Vic showed up almost as soon as Wade 'ad gone. They're from the same world, you know. Same as Rogue, too. I seem to 'ave a knack for 'em.

[givessweetness]

Well, let's hope, for Rogue's sake, that you don't make it three.

[routemistress]

Anyone'd think I weren't improving on 'em, the way you talk.

Well. Wade really didn't need improving. A bit of support and love, that was all. Vic's another story; but almost more fun, in 'is way.

...This ship's good at matchmaking, mind you. Sometimes you do 'ave to wait a while for the right one to come along. There any unpaired inates you get on with, so far?

[givessweetness]

[Heh.] I think Rogue might object to the demotion, that's all.

[He shrugs slightly.] Steph? Who's, of course, paired and probably pretty near graduated anyway.