[He forced himself to relax after they fell to a silence, though he was aware that both of them where experiencing separate intense thoughts. His remained on Jinx and the revelation that she was considering leaving him; if it was just that comment, he would think little about it, but there had been other indications that she had continually considered it an option. Since she had returned, she had been different and no longer fit in the roles that he had for her.
Of course, Richard had challenged him now and again when it came to Jinx, about his life goals of if she refused his legacy, of if she decided a path well away from the circle of his schemes. He'd considered it, but not entirely seriously. After all, Jinx would see reason, so his way was the best for her.
His blue eye slowly opened again when he heard the start of the ultimatum from his lover, and he stifled the urge to rebut immediately that there was no choice. He had given up the current dream of Zaun for his daughter; did Richard dream in any world that he would give up Jinx for anyone? Surely not.
Partners? It was jarring, and yet his mind returned to the topics before Richard re-entered the bath water. Basically life partners... He winced slightly as he recalled his own distracted dismissive words; that had been strategically careless of him. He may not have flagrantly said such words under different circumstances, but they were now out in the world and resulting in an ultimatum.
More than that, it was resulting in a commitment that neither he nor Richard had discussed in any measure of seriousness before. The idea of them being equals was a silent war on his behalf, assured on certain occasion despite the disparity in their apparently station. Silco had always been sensitive, overreacting to the insinuation he was less than, and even now, it was a sore subject he nursed each day.
He shifted under Richard's weight, seemingly trapped in the bathtub now, forced to endure the whiplash of one paramount panic with his daughter to considering the ultimatum laid at his feet by Richard.
It plucked at a truth he knew but wasn't normally willing to entertain. Jinx had no interest in power; her play for it with the Inx club was paltry and uncoordinated and she'd seemingly lost interest in it as he knew she would. Meanwhile Richard was slowly and meticulously gathered power as he would have, more aligned with his own schemes. It had been clear that their ambition would come into conflict eventually, and he had been planning for that inevitability.
Yet, uniting them? It would avoid conflict, but it may require the kind of trust that had landed him with half of his face rotting off and nearly losing his eye. He twitched with the memory, fingers tightening in Richard's hair as he breathed from his nose harshly.]
Are you asking me to choose you over my daughter? [His tone was cold and cutting, yet he didn't try to move under Richard. It meant he was thinking about it.] You will share this place with her regardless of our association, Richard. She is a part of it, and she will also always be a strong part of my life.
[He leaned his head back against the tiled wall.] Unless this ultimatum is... just us. We knitting our lives together into formality and shared ambition.
no subject
Of course, Richard had challenged him now and again when it came to Jinx, about his life goals of if she refused his legacy, of if she decided a path well away from the circle of his schemes. He'd considered it, but not entirely seriously. After all, Jinx would see reason, so his way was the best for her.
His blue eye slowly opened again when he heard the start of the ultimatum from his lover, and he stifled the urge to rebut immediately that there was no choice. He had given up the current dream of Zaun for his daughter; did Richard dream in any world that he would give up Jinx for anyone? Surely not.
Partners? It was jarring, and yet his mind returned to the topics before Richard re-entered the bath water. Basically life partners... He winced slightly as he recalled his own distracted dismissive words; that had been strategically careless of him. He may not have flagrantly said such words under different circumstances, but they were now out in the world and resulting in an ultimatum.
More than that, it was resulting in a commitment that neither he nor Richard had discussed in any measure of seriousness before. The idea of them being equals was a silent war on his behalf, assured on certain occasion despite the disparity in their apparently station. Silco had always been sensitive, overreacting to the insinuation he was less than, and even now, it was a sore subject he nursed each day.
He shifted under Richard's weight, seemingly trapped in the bathtub now, forced to endure the whiplash of one paramount panic with his daughter to considering the ultimatum laid at his feet by Richard.
It plucked at a truth he knew but wasn't normally willing to entertain. Jinx had no interest in power; her play for it with the Inx club was paltry and uncoordinated and she'd seemingly lost interest in it as he knew she would. Meanwhile Richard was slowly and meticulously gathered power as he would have, more aligned with his own schemes. It had been clear that their ambition would come into conflict eventually, and he had been planning for that inevitability.
Yet, uniting them? It would avoid conflict, but it may require the kind of trust that had landed him with half of his face rotting off and nearly losing his eye. He twitched with the memory, fingers tightening in Richard's hair as he breathed from his nose harshly.]
Are you asking me to choose you over my daughter? [His tone was cold and cutting, yet he didn't try to move under Richard. It meant he was thinking about it.] You will share this place with her regardless of our association, Richard. She is a part of it, and she will also always be a strong part of my life.
[He leaned his head back against the tiled wall.] Unless this ultimatum is... just us. We knitting our lives together into formality and shared ambition.