Mismatched. Aleksei's expression creases, guilty concern writ inescapably large for a moment before he forcibly wrenches those emotions away. Doki won't appreciate that. He'll have to keep that to himself.
It would be easier if it had been him in the cart. But that isn't what happened.
"No one likes Kirkwall," Aleksei confirms without hesitation. He hadn't much liked cities anyway. Too closed in, too many people, not enough ways out to be convenient. Not that any of that mattered now. They'd have to get used to it.
He has the urge to reach over and cover Yevdokiya's hand with his own. If this were only as simple as putting a glove over her hand—
"I hear it is filled with pirates now," He continues, stirring his stew, voice pitched low. "And other questionable folk. Could be good for us. Perhaps they are not so concerned with what we do when we aren't being useful."
His voice trips delicately over useful. What is useful to these people? Aleksei does not care to find out.
"Maybe we learn how to fence what we steal. Pirates are good for that, aren't they?"
It would have made certain escapades of their easier in the past. How often can they send their sweet mother a beautifully carved vase when they'd all rather have coin?
In many ways, it's deeply unfair that Aleksei knows her so well. It makes it especially hard to lie to him--not that Doki has occasion to lie to him so often--and, worse, it makes him especially keen on ways to get to her. For example: he knows that she loves pirates. So there's a brightness to her eye when she looks around at him, and she doesn't bother trying to disguise it. Why would she? He already knows.
"Bastard," she says, and grins. "Now we've got to go. We had to, before, because of," and Doki flashes her hand at her brother again, just because, a kind of petty small revenge. If he's going to get to her by appealing to things she likes, she'll needle him right back. "But now we've double got to go. But you knew that already, didn't you."
Brat, he thinks, affectionate instead of annoyed. It's easier to pretend nothing's wrong when this conversation takes shape as if they are planning to go sight-seeing, nothing more.
"I knew there was something to make our exile bearable."
Because it is an exile. Perhaps they have not been home in many months, but they had the option to go if it pleased them. Now, Aleksei can't tell whether or not they'll have any say in where they go. Or worse, if he would, and Doki wouldn't.
"We'll get you a glove," he promises, which would at least make it easier to pretend nothing had changed. "And we will befriend all their pirates so when their war is over they'll let us sail with them."
When the war is over. What a big statement. Aleksei hadn't spared a single thought for the war. Is it even close to being over?
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It would be easier if it had been him in the cart. But that isn't what happened.
"No one likes Kirkwall," Aleksei confirms without hesitation. He hadn't much liked cities anyway. Too closed in, too many people, not enough ways out to be convenient. Not that any of that mattered now. They'd have to get used to it.
He has the urge to reach over and cover Yevdokiya's hand with his own. If this were only as simple as putting a glove over her hand—
"I hear it is filled with pirates now," He continues, stirring his stew, voice pitched low. "And other questionable folk. Could be good for us. Perhaps they are not so concerned with what we do when we aren't being useful."
His voice trips delicately over useful. What is useful to these people? Aleksei does not care to find out.
"Maybe we learn how to fence what we steal. Pirates are good for that, aren't they?"
It would have made certain escapades of their easier in the past. How often can they send their sweet mother a beautifully carved vase when they'd all rather have coin?
washes up on the safe shores of this thread hello
In many ways, it's deeply unfair that Aleksei knows her so well. It makes it especially hard to lie to him--not that Doki has occasion to lie to him so often--and, worse, it makes him especially keen on ways to get to her. For example: he knows that she loves pirates. So there's a brightness to her eye when she looks around at him, and she doesn't bother trying to disguise it. Why would she? He already knows.
"Bastard," she says, and grins. "Now we've got to go. We had to, before, because of," and Doki flashes her hand at her brother again, just because, a kind of petty small revenge. If he's going to get to her by appealing to things she likes, she'll needle him right back. "But now we've double got to go. But you knew that already, didn't you."
belatedly offers a towel
"I knew there was something to make our exile bearable."
Because it is an exile. Perhaps they have not been home in many months, but they had the option to go if it pleased them. Now, Aleksei can't tell whether or not they'll have any say in where they go. Or worse, if he would, and Doki wouldn't.
"We'll get you a glove," he promises, which would at least make it easier to pretend nothing had changed. "And we will befriend all their pirates so when their war is over they'll let us sail with them."
When the war is over. What a big statement. Aleksei hadn't spared a single thought for the war. Is it even close to being over?