la_belle_rogue | [Video]

[Hello, Barge. There's another new face here, one with green eyes and brown hair with white bangs. She smiles, and it's friendly and warm. The voice is all magnolias and honey.]

Not much in the way of orientation 'round here, is there? S'all right. Ah'm no stranger ta jumpin' in the deep end right off. Sorta reminds me of the first day of school.

Mah name's Rogue. Ah'm here as a Warden. Ah'm still settlin' in, but Ah figure Ah'll take a full look around the place here in a bit, get mah bearin's. If anyone feels like playin' tour guide, Ah wouldn't object either.

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[It's all very familiar, and he's not entirely sure how to feel about that - because though certain basic things have been similar in the tales he's heard, it's never been quite this extensive. So he lets her ramble, sips his beer, and watches her. That rueful, wistful look doesn't go unnoticed.]

You're not. Is he a terrorist?

Has been. [She takes a sip of her own beer, before continuing.] But so was Ah once. He thought he was doin' the right thing. But ends don't always justify the means.

[Then she sighs, running a hand through her hair.] Ah wish Ah could say him movin' away from that was him realizin' there's a better way, but really he just saw it as the better option at the time. He can be very pragmatic. Doesn't mean he doesn't have a good heart. He just goes about things in ways that don't always go over well with others.

That's putting it lightly. [It comes out dryly, because he's heard plenty that doesn't go well with others. Curiosity makes him lean forward on his elbows, a curious expression on his face.]

You were close to him?

As close as he let me be. [ There was no sense in denying it. She figured by now it was pretty obvious from how she'd talked about him.] Like Ah said, he's very guarded, even when he's tryin' ta let someone in.

[He has to cock his head at that, shrug his shoulder and take a long drink. It's interesting, and new, and, well. She is beautiful, he'd have to be blind not to notice that. At least he's not easily distracted.]

I've met his children. Or at least - different versions of them. And you're the first who'd claim he tried to let anyone in. [Erik's not even sure he'd let many people in, but he's been doing that over the course of the past two years.]

[ She nods. She knows she's on the short list of people who'd have anything positive to say about Magnus. She's seen him at both his worst and his best. Not many could say the same.]

His relationship with his children isn't great. He was separated from them most of their lives. Hard ta bond after that kinda time, especially when he was dancin' on the wrong side of the line. He gets very zealous in his goals. It can cloud what's really important to him.

[Not Anya's father, then, which he already was certain of - and he doubts Wanda's father. Pietro, though - this sounds similar to what he's learned from his son-who-is-actually-older-than-him.

Erik's eyes fix on hers over the butt of his bottle, and he sets it down with a curious look.]

And what's really important to him?

In mah opinion? He wants the people he cares about ta be safe, happy. That's the core of it. He just gets lost in all the details.

[There it is again, something similar, and he starts to wonder if he's just been getting horrendously skewed views of who this other version of him is, or if he's just already on his way to being that person.

He lifts his beer in a sort of toast.]

Then here's to getting a little less lost.

]She frowns at him, reaches over, putting her hand on top of his and gently, but firmly, pushes his hand down back to the table.]

That's not somethin' t'aspire to, Erik.

[He glances down at her hand before his eyes flick back up to her face, and after a still moment, his mouth quirks an almost smile. It almost reaches his eyes.]

I have a lot in common with him. And I've heard him described be people who haven't seen his good side. I don't know what's waiting for me, but I don't intend to be like him.

[The road to hell is paved with good intentions, though, and he still knows that he'd do whatever he had to for his kind.]

Good. Not that Ah've got anythin' against him, but there are better choices he could have made. [Like not murdering people in front of her when she begged him not to do it.

Her piece said, she took her hand back, not quickly, just sliding it back towards her along the table.]

The same could be said for most of us. [He keeps his eyes on hers when she pulls away, but the smile is inching into his eyes. It's a nice change.]

Got me there. [His growing smile wins one of her own in return. She was lucky he was so young, otherwise it'd be easy to forget which Erik she was sitting with. Well, maybe not. Magnus had never quite been this...relaxed, casual. It was a nice change. She hoped Erik stayed this way.] Anythin' else ya wanna know?

[He shrugs at that, though he's clearly not disinterested.] What else would you like to tell me?

Well, there's a whole lot Ah could. Might take days ta get through it all. [Probably longer.] So how about Ah ask you a question instead?

[He makes a small gesture with his hand, like he's saying 'go ahead.']

I suppose that's only fair.

What year is it where you're from?

1962.

Lord, no wonder you're so young! [It was out of her mouth before she realized it and is immediately chagrined.] Sorry, that didn't come out right.

[It makes his mouth crook at the corner, and he shrugs a little, running a hand along his jaw.]

I shudder to think what the next fifty years have in store for me. [It comes out dryly, because he meant it as a joke, but in a lot of ways, it's true.]