Eric's Apartment [evening. Of course it's evening. It's *always* evening with Eric]

[texted3times]

After time drinking, watching Tiny mutter to himself, and making light chitchat with Jaina, it was time to get the entire story out of her--or at least as much as she was willing to tell him.

"After you," he said, opening his door (he didn't lock because really. If you tried to rob Eric, you deserved what you got) and ushering her in.

Comments

[texted3times]

Eric smiled back, leaning out to tweak her nose. "No one can hurt you like family," he said softly. "Be ruthless."

[solo_sword]

"And he does like hurting family," she said, though she didn't sound mad about it. "I can do ruthless."

[texted3times]

"What other family has he hurt?" Eric asked.

[solo_sword]

"He murdered my aunt." That part she definitely wasn't used to saying. "Tried to arrest my parents are her funeral. Almost killed my uncle."

She was leaving Ben and Allana out of this, but she had enough to talk about even without them.

[texted3times]

Eric decided that saying her brother needed to be taken out like a rabid dog would probably not go over well.

"He's really gone straight for the cackling evil, hasn't he," he said instead, not without sympathy.

[solo_sword]

"That's the thing. I don't think he has," Jaina said, turning a little more towards him just to make herself more comfortable. "He honestly seems to think he's doing the right thing by the whole rest of the galaxy and that everyone who stands against him is betraying him."

[texted3times]

Eric went back to stroking her hair. "Oh, a true believer, then? Those are fun."

Nothing in his tone implied that they were even the slightest bit fun.

[solo_sword]

"What do you mean by true believer?" she asked, figuring he might have a different take than her.

[texted3times]

"It depends on the particular group, but generally speaking, the true believers are the ones who have the only true vision," Eric said, "at least according to themselves. They end up as cult leaders a lot, or if they are particularly ruthless toward other ideas, completely alone, sometimes facing torches and angry villages."

[solo_sword]

"That's definitely Jacen," she sighed. "And he's gotten to the angry villages part."

And yet she felt bad for him.

[texted3times]

Eric guessed that by the look on her face. "Ruthless," he reminded her softly. "He won't feel sorry for you."

[solo_sword]

She nodded almost imperceptibly. "I know. But I can do this because I feel sorry for him."

[texted3times]

Eric reached out to stroke her cheek. "This is no way for him to live."

[solo_sword]

"That almost sounds like compassion." From the same guy who happily told her about popping off heads. Boy had layers.

[texted3times]

"It hurts you," Eric said, "and I'm learning that I don't really like that."

[solo_sword]

"You're getting all sweet on me," she noted. Not that she minded.

[texted3times]

"Tell no one," he said with a slight smile.

[solo_sword]

"I'm not sure anyone would believe me anyway," she said. "But I'm glad I get to see it."

[texted3times]

"Feeling a little better?" he asked after a moment.

[solo_sword]

"I think it's going to be a while before I really start feeling better," she said apologetically.

[texted3times]

"That makes sense," Eric agreed. "If you were gleefully anticipating this, I'd be really worried."

[solo_sword]

Jaina went silent for a moment. "What if I'm just looking forward to it being over?"

When 'over' meant Jacen was dead, it felt like a really horrible way to look at it.

[texted3times]

"That makes sense too," Eric said. "You can't see past this particular event right now. Getting it done with will be a relief."

However horrible.

[solo_sword]

"I don't want it to be a relief," she admitted.

[texted3times]

"You don't really want it to happen at all," Eric pointed out.