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[reek]

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actionspam; finagles this awkwardly around his aki thread, timing however u want it there

[kaijuice]

[ Someone's back sooner than expected. Clearly: Because Silco's still flipping through Theon's commlink when he returns to the dorms. He looks up, briefly surprised —

Aaand it's gone. Mild: ]

You've hardly used this.

[reek]

[ Theon’s commlink is next to empty. He went as far as to set up an ID for himself (“greyjoy”, of course), and abandoned it shortly afterwards. There are no messages beyond the one Aki sent, no notes or photographs, and he hasn’t even tried to listen to Bono. No wonder he’s so miserable.

That doesn’t stop him from being annoyed that someone has been rifling through his bunk. At least in Winterfell, he was allotted a little privacy. ]

I'm shocked. How would I have ever known without you here to tell me?

[kaijuice]

I suppose I might have left a note,

[ Dry. He gestures with the commlink, belatedly passes it over. ]

Clever of you to leave it. They're watched.

[reek]

[ He didn’t leave the commlink under the assumption that it was being watched. Though he trusts literally nothing about it already, so he may as well add that to the list as well. ]

How so?

[ Do they watch you through the device, or just monitor your messages? He'd love to know how little to use it. ]

text | c.fraser

[nineteenfortyfive]

Do you look at this thing?

[reek]

[ His response does indeed come late. Aki told him to keep his commlink on him to open doors, but that doesn't mean he has to use it for any other reason.

BUT SINCE YOU'RE ASKING, CLAIRE... ]

No.

[nineteenfortyfive]

You're funny, Theon.

[In a very bratty sort of way.]

[reek]

Did you want something, or did you just want to confirm I have this on me?

[ He hasn't forgotten Silco telling him that the commlinks are bugged. It leaves him paranoid--or more paranoid than usual. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

It's easier than coming to find you. Have you looked at the commissary?

[reek]

I see no reason to after witnessing the man on the network and his "wife".

[ Foam Wife strikes again. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

What, Theon, you don't want a foam companion?

l.odinson | Video

[shiftedshape]

[Loki calls nearly immediately after receiving Theon's file. His curiosity is too strong to go find him first.]

How does one go about stealing an entire castle?

[reek]

[ Theon is not exactly the most giving person when it comes to information about himself. He tends to dance around the subject to avoid looking weak or guilty, but this is a question about siege tactics and strategy. He can't not answer it. ]

Strong swimmers, grappling hooks, and poorly defended walls.

[ He pauses. It's not something he's quite so proud of anymore, having seen how the whole thing ended, but-- ]

It was there for the taking. If I hadn’t done it, someone else would have.

[shiftedshape]

[Fascinating. He never thought he'd run into someone here with any thoughts on siege tactics. Let alone someone who successfully ran one.

He's skeptical of his justification, though.]

I see. Your file here would beg to differ, given it's listed among your crimes. Not really theft if you aren't taking it from someone.

Still. That's very impressive. Were you a general? Advisor? Royalty?

[This he's interested to hear.]

[reek]

My file wasn’t there. None of you were.

[ It’s clearly a sore spot. He still doesn’t believe that he is the one who should be here when there are so many others whose crimes rival his own. Half of Westeros should be in here. ]

That file can't tell you much if you have to ask that question. My father is Lord of the Iron Islands. I am his heir and the islands' lawful prince.

[ And technically he is, but it’s grown complicated. Balon Greyjoy has shown his clear favoritism for his daughter, Asha, and laws of the mainland don’t apply on the Iron Islands. A different heir could be chosen just because Lord Balon wishes it. Another sore spot. He has a lot of those. ]

[shiftedshape]

Well, it says here your profession is "none", so I'm assuming that that-- and the fact that you feel the need to specify lawful --is not going well, back home?

[Now he's curious what his own would say. He'd sort of handed kingship off to Thor, after all. God?]

[reek]

[ He snorts and rolls his eyes, but he’s clearly loath to reveal the more personal details. Prince of the Iron Islands is his title only by his association to his father. His duties have been few. It certainly doesn’t help that he didn’t actually live on the Iron Islands for long enough to be entrusted with any real duties. ]

My father still lives. There is little to be done beneath him.

[ Again, not the whole story. ]

What more does my file say?

l.odinson | video [spoiler alert for a tag i haven't written yet]

[shiftedshape]

[Loki messages about an hour after he awakens from the sim. He's not really ready to talk, yet, but he isn't sure how long Theon has already been up. Best to reach out, at least. Even if he definitely looks and feels like shit.]

I imagine you've got quite a few questions, after that. I'm happy to speak in person, if you like.

[Awkward pause.]

And...I am sorry. For striking you. Obviously that wasn't exactly us, but I want you to know that isn't something you should expect from me.

[reek]

[ Theon has been awake for some time, dazed and more than a little nauseous. He can’t recall the finer details, and what he can recall is strange and nonsensical, especially to a young man who has no real concept of social media or the internet.

But he has no real desire to talk, so Loki’s message goes unanswered for a few more hours. At least, he thinks when he finally responds, we both look like shit. ]

I don’t care. That man wasn’t me. That wasn’t my life.

[ He cares deeply, but not about being struck. He cares about the fact that he lived a life that wasn’t his and in some ways, he wonders if that Theon wasn't a happier person, desperate and pitiful as he may have been. ]

I take it that has never happened before.

[shiftedshape]

It wasn't. That doesn't mean you don't have questions about what you experienced. Or what it might mean.

[Loki clears his throat, shrugs one shoulder.]

Not exactly. But only because you're the first inmate I've had during a simulation. And only the second I've had at all, after my month with Miss Jack.

[He flicks his hair out of his face in an unconscious show of nerves. It's probably not great to give Theon an out from talking about his own experience so quickly, but...well, he thinks he would have appreciated it, if the situation were reversed.]

I did attack my warden while under the influence of some...force, once. And I killed another inmate. Quite horribly, I might add.

That also wasn't me. But I can't forget it. I doubt I'll forget what I did to you, either, even if it's fuzzy.

[reek]

I have no questions. I doubt it means much more than any other dream I've experienced.

[ Because that is officially what it is to him: a dream to lock into the back of his mind and pretend as if it never happened without actually forgetting that it did. He’s had worse dreams, after all, and night terrors still plague him on a regular basis.

He has many questions, but he has no desire to try to wrap his mind around any of it right now. ]

Your warden?

[ He narrows his eyes, not certain if he heard correctly. ]

You were an inmate?

[ He never put much thought into it. He’s been told it’s an option, to graduate and become a warden, but he didn’t think it was actually possible. ]

[shiftedshape]

[Loki sighs. Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned that. Oh well.]

Yes. On another ship. Which is why I know the simulations offer plenty for one to learn from, if one is looking.

For instance, one might wonder why, in that setting, you were so compelled to seek attention as to risk your life for the opportunity.

[reek]

[ Oh, one might wonder that, but Theon is going to ignore it in favor of a new topic: a topic that does not involve him. ]

What did you do?

l.odinson | video

[shiftedshape]

Hello, Theon. I have a request to make of you, when you have a moment.

[reek]

What is it?