TRP: Goro and Larkin (What To Do)

Lina:

[Setting: Day 207, Basha warehouse, after Goro goes to see Red Wyn at Stoic Hall.]

"God damn it," Goro said as a greeting, approaching the steps where Larkin sat, hunched over and gloomy. "Had a bad feeling I'd find you here. Why didn't you go with Hansel and your dad? It's not fucking safe here."

Jen:

"Not fucking safe anywhere," Larkin muttered into her crossed arms. "I am going... later."

Lina:

Goro glanced around, looking out for any threats. The area seemed pretty well deserted. He took a seat next to Larkin, and let a moment pass quietly. "Hey, you got a smoke?"

Jen:

She looked up then and stared at Goro with red-rimmed eyes. She wiped at them, still stinging from the smoke inside, but nodded and handed him the pouch with the tobacco and papers.

Lina:

He took the pouch and set about rolling himself a cigarette. Bit back about a hundred conversation starters in the process. He didn't want to gloat, but he did want Larkin to fucking see this for what it was, which was a fresh start. Fuckin' Renar. Good for nothing. She deserved a hell of a lot better than him.

Goro handed the pouch back to Larkin and lit the cigarette. He took a few drags before he spoke. "Red Wyn... didn't seem happy about this." He waved a hand behind him at the warehouse. "Blue Wyn's doing. That bitch kinda scares me. Too bad she's literally fucking unkillable."

Jen:

"They're all the fucking same, Goro." Larkin held out her fingers for the cigarette. "This is Red as much as Blue. They're the fucking same and the need to die."

Lina:

Goro passed the cigarette. "You know, you seem like you're in a bad mood, so I'll let that slide."

Jen:

She jerked her head around, glaring. "Let what slide, huh? Did I fucking insult your little girlfriend who burnt down my home? Oh, I'm so fucking sorry!"

Lina:

Goro ground his teeth. This isn't your home; the castle's your home. Nah, she wouldn't like that. She wouldn't fucking like anything. "Put a muzzle on it, Lark. I'm not gonna fucking fight you. You know I'd push every goddamn Wyn into a volcano for you, if it came to that."

Jen:

She glowered, looking like she'd challenge him on that but fuck it, she didn't have the energy for that particular fight. Nor any other. No matter what, Larkin was always alive and kicking somehow but this thing, this fucking thing smoldering behind her back- it'd all but burned the fight out of her. So she said nothing, just sat inhaling and blowing out smoke.

Lina:

Goro rubbed her back briefly, then put his arm around her. He kept wanting to tell her: This is fine. It's for the best. Shit'll get better for you. But nah. Platitudes. They never helped.

"You know who isn't unkillable, though," he said. "That little shit Amren."

Jen:

Larkin grimaced. Fuck. She raked a sleeve across her face again, flicked the smoke into the street, crushed it under her heel. "It's my fault." She said and hung her heard again. "This... It's my fucking fault. I got him right where he needed to be. And now..." She hissed and bit her sleeve.

Lina:

"The fuck it is. You cut that shit out right now. None of us could've fucking predicted this, alright? That fuckin'... Bala chick. This comes back to her. We might've underestimated her. If anything, it's my fault, since Morgan was trying to tell me..." Hm, he should avoid mentioning Wyn, probably. "Well, anyway, Bala's a kitsune, and maybe knowing Ombre has had us lulled into a false sense of security about kitsune, is all I'm saying."

Jen:

"Wyn tried to tell you what?"

Lina:

"She tried to warn me about Ombre, of all people. Just because Ombre's a kitsune. I tried telling her nah, nah, Ombre's a fucking sweetheart, but she wouldn't buy it. Really bad experiences with Bala, I guess. I should've paid more attention."

Jen:

"Nah, you couldn't've known this was coming." Larkin shook her head and began rolling a new smoke. "I could've guess about Amren, though. Never should've fucking brought him here. I bet that's why Renar's cut me off, too... I'm to blame for this." She threw a sharp glance at Goro. "And don't tell me how he's fucking wrong."

Lina:

Goro narrowed his eyes. "So, what, you want me to say you deserved all this? You're full of shit, Larkin."

Jen:

She lit the cigarette and watched the match burn down to her fingertips, not answering.

Lina:

"Listen." He ground his teeth a little. "I've been trying to bite my tongue, here, 'cause I know you don't want to hear it. But I can only keep my big trap shut for so long, as you well know. Your uncle's a fucking jackass who's never treated you right. You deserve better. Fuck him. Fuck him."

Jen:

"You don't fucking get it, do you?" Larkin only gave him a side glance. The match had burned down and she tossed it away. "You're wrong about Renar, but it's not just about him, alright? It's about- everything. You even realize what this means? It's all of my... fucking life. Fucking gone. And you wanna tell me I just gotta move in with you and your boyfriends and play one big family and that's gonna make me happy?"

Lina:

"No. But what the fuck else are you gonna do?"

Jen:

"I don't know. I don't fucking know."

Lina:

"Well, I'm here to tell you, you haven't lost everything. You've got your dad. You've got me. And you've got the rest of the gang. I know you might not care that much for them, Larkin, but they care about you. Hansel especially. I'm not gonna push that, alright, you don't have to argue with me. I'm just saying, there's people who've got your back. Always."

Jen:

"I know," Larkin said slowly. "It's just... it feels like..." Like she'd had to pay a price for all of that, one she hadn't agreed to. Not like Goro would understand that, though, so she kept the thought to herself. Maybe it didn't make any sense anyway.

"I don't know. I just don't know what to do now."

Lina:

"Well, we leave this fucking corpse of a building behind us--" Urk. Tact, Goro, tact. "We go see your dad. He's going to be waking up soon, probably. He'll wanna see you."

Jen:

"Yeah." She nodded. "Guess we should do that."

Lina:

Goro stood up and offered her a hand. "C'mon. You'll feel better getting away from this place. Trust me, I'm a healer."

Jen:

[End] Title: "What To Do", Summary:  Goro attempts to comfort Larkin outside the empty Basha warehouse.