[It seems odd that Husk doesn't know why he's a warden, but then again, Cloud has noticed that most wardens don't actually seem to have as many answers as one would think.
The rest is more unexpected. He may not know much about the ins and outs of Hell, but "overlord" seems pretty self-explanatory. He'd assume "collar and leash" were metaphorical, except, well. The guy is a cat...]
[Doesn't much help that his view of his own self isn't the best and yet he's still here and still doing stuff. And doesn't recognize the good qualities about himself or things he's done. It's fine, don't worry about it.
Normally he'd be more, well, catty about these details. But by this point in time, it doesn't much matter anymore.]
Some things from life carry over into death, I was a gambler. Overlords deal in souls, taking them in contracts, that's how you got power. I took a bet I couldn't win and ended up having to trade my own in order to keep even a semblance of my power still. [A slow bit of a shrug as he finishes off the rest of his glass and goes to pour himself some more.] Ended up at his beck and call for whatever he wanted, but I guess in the scheme of things who I ended up with isn't that bad since the asshole at least is annoying instead of malicious.
[At his beck and call...Cloud glances down into his glass for a moment. He knows what that's like, even if the details are all wrong. But he's pretty sure his soul never entered into it - at least, not before he died and the Admiral intercepted his soul before he could return to the planet.
Cloud finishes his drink, too, and sets the glass down.]
Maybe the Admiral figured you already had a taste of your own medicine and didn't need any more. [A pause.] As for me...I stopped an alien from destroying humanity and they called me a hero for it, but I never felt like one. Not after all the shit I did...and failed to do, along the way.
[His tone slides into a kind of bitter disgust, aimed at himself like a blade.] And afterward, I abandoned everybody who cared about me when they needed me. Ran away to wallow in self-pity and wait around for death. And my friends, my family...they suffered for it. So yeah, I wanted to come here. Figure out my shit and do better, for them.
Maybe, ain't much left for an old washed up man like me. [It's far more matter-of-fact that it really ought to be. But he lets him talk, ears flicking forward in oddly more interest in the last part. Man, if he hates one thing about this cat bit, it's this feature.]
You already got a start on shit, then. Getting out of that self-pity spiral's the way to do it, whether you really believe you deserve it or not. [He shifts a little, claws lightly tapping on the bar top.] Though with the way you're talkin' about everything, it seems you still got a bit more to get over for yourself before you can help anyone else. [He might be preaching to the choir, he's pretty damn sure and he wasn't exactly asked for his thoughts on any of it.]
But lemme guess: you continuously think about all the things you coulda done different, what you coulda said differently. All the what-ifs, could-ifs, should-haves. Which ain't gonna do anything other than frustrate you and paralyze you from moving forward, ask me how I fuckin' know, kid.
[Cloud, on the other hand, is glad to have the hints those ears give him! He likes cats.
Husk may not have been asked for his thoughts, but Cloud listens to them anyway, with a thoughtful frown. It turns into a slight smile at the end there, though.]
Think I can take a guess. [Then back to the frown.] I know. I know I'm supposed to be focusing on myself, letting go of the past, moving forward...but it's not that easy.
I put on a better act than you might think. I ain't shit back home, not anymore.
[At least someone likes them, he sure the fuck does not. Nor does he ever not give his opinion unless told specifically not to, especially given the last time he did it... ended up working out for him, oddly enough. But the smile isn't quite expected as he tilts his head somewhat, hm.]
Lemme ask you something, then: is anything easy worth doing? If something's easy, it ain't gonna push you forward, it ain't gonna make you grow, so what's the fuckin' point.
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onlyembers
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Date: 2025-03-16 09:46 am (UTC)[It seems odd that Husk doesn't know why he's a warden, but then again, Cloud has noticed that most wardens don't actually seem to have as many answers as one would think.
The rest is more unexpected. He may not know much about the ins and outs of Hell, but "overlord" seems pretty self-explanatory. He'd assume "collar and leash" were metaphorical, except, well. The guy is a cat...]
So you were a big shot. What happened?
no subject
Date: 2025-03-16 09:50 am (UTC)Normally he'd be more, well, catty about these details. But by this point in time, it doesn't much matter anymore.]
Some things from life carry over into death, I was a gambler. Overlords deal in souls, taking them in contracts, that's how you got power. I took a bet I couldn't win and ended up having to trade my own in order to keep even a semblance of my power still. [A slow bit of a shrug as he finishes off the rest of his glass and goes to pour himself some more.] Ended up at his beck and call for whatever he wanted, but I guess in the scheme of things who I ended up with isn't that bad since the asshole at least is annoying instead of malicious.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-16 10:14 am (UTC)Cloud finishes his drink, too, and sets the glass down.]
Maybe the Admiral figured you already had a taste of your own medicine and didn't need any more. [A pause.] As for me...I stopped an alien from destroying humanity and they called me a hero for it, but I never felt like one. Not after all the shit I did...and failed to do, along the way.
[His tone slides into a kind of bitter disgust, aimed at himself like a blade.] And afterward, I abandoned everybody who cared about me when they needed me. Ran away to wallow in self-pity and wait around for death. And my friends, my family...they suffered for it. So yeah, I wanted to come here. Figure out my shit and do better, for them.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-16 10:20 am (UTC)You already got a start on shit, then. Getting out of that self-pity spiral's the way to do it, whether you really believe you deserve it or not. [He shifts a little, claws lightly tapping on the bar top.] Though with the way you're talkin' about everything, it seems you still got a bit more to get over for yourself before you can help anyone else. [He might be preaching to the choir, he's pretty damn sure and he wasn't exactly asked for his thoughts on any of it.]
But lemme guess: you continuously think about all the things you coulda done different, what you coulda said differently. All the what-ifs, could-ifs, should-haves. Which ain't gonna do anything other than frustrate you and paralyze you from moving forward, ask me how I fuckin' know, kid.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-19 10:36 pm (UTC)[Cloud, on the other hand, is glad to have the hints those ears give him! He likes cats.
Husk may not have been asked for his thoughts, but Cloud listens to them anyway, with a thoughtful frown. It turns into a slight smile at the end there, though.]
Think I can take a guess. [Then back to the frown.] I know. I know I'm supposed to be focusing on myself, letting go of the past, moving forward...but it's not that easy.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-24 08:02 am (UTC)[At least someone likes them, he sure the fuck does not. Nor does he ever not give his opinion unless told specifically not to, especially given the last time he did it... ended up working out for him, oddly enough. But the smile isn't quite expected as he tilts his head somewhat, hm.]
Lemme ask you something, then: is anything easy worth doing? If something's easy, it ain't gonna push you forward, it ain't gonna make you grow, so what's the fuckin' point.