[ Lottie has the advantage of her looks, her personality β her penchant for pretending to be someone else β in every way. She's seen the public reaction, for the most part everyone has accepted her as a harmless party wrapped up in all this. Someone with little to no responsibility for all the trauma and ache permeating the air.
Strange, on the other hand, does not have that luxury. He sinks her in sadness as he lets himself spiral, emotions wholly unpleasant but not unwanted. He shares the same burden of knowing she does, the same initiation. In his human grief he tells her his most important people (she assumesβ Lottie knows Stephen but she doesn't know his relationships, how they melded into him before all this) don't trust him.
If this were anyone else, she'd dip. Feign understanding and because being empathetic makes her uncomfortable, makes her skin crawl. But this isn't anyone, so she tries. ]
Nami will understand. Just like how Jim is. If they like you they will. [ Something in her tone says that she has an inkling they do. ] Have faith, okay? Everything'll be fine.
[ Says the woman who was shouting out TERROR and PANIC a few minutes ago. ]
[ Nami won't. He knows she won't. He heard it in her voice, heard the portcullis lower and the drawbridge close with a slam— but Lottie tries to reassure him anyway. Invokes faith, invokes calm, invokes certainty.
Nothing is true now but the roaring infinity that binds them together and spurs them on. He will listen to her even if he can't believe her. He'll let her words means more than his doubt. Take a moment's peace in the fact that she cares enough to say them at all.
Then her question, and Stephen's laugh is a cough, dry, unenthusiastic. ]
Yes. [ No point in lying. It's exhausting. It's exhausting. ] But there's no time for that.
[ He's fine again. All business. Back in the driving seat. ]
Stay alert, Lottie. We're on unsteady ground now, but we can manage it. We will manage it.
[ Some part of her wants to childishly argue there is. There has to beβ this can't be all work no play always. But His influence forces her to bite back the whine she wants to let out back, the selfishness she used to brand freely in favor of thinking with the pack in mind.
Right. No time for that. She nods to herself, even if he can't see it. If he says so, she believes him. Stephen is one of the most powerful people she knows, next to Wanda, and if he says they'll be fine she knows it's true. But stillβ ]
..If I need help can I call you?
[ She knows she can count on him, but needy Lottie always asks anyway. Wants to hear it out loud for her sanity. ]
[ This is gentle. Emphatic. She isn't any more alone in this than she has been in any of the rest of it, for all that he's largely left her to languish in her apartment without company or closeness since acquiring John's household for their cause - a few hours here, a couple there.
He should rectify that. ]
I'll come and see you when I can. Is there anything you need?
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Strange, on the other hand, does not have that luxury. He sinks her in sadness as he lets himself spiral, emotions wholly unpleasant but not unwanted. He shares the same burden of knowing she does, the same initiation. In his human grief he tells her his most important people (she assumesβ Lottie knows Stephen but she doesn't know his relationships, how they melded into him before all this) don't trust him.
If this were anyone else, she'd dip. Feign understanding and because being empathetic makes her uncomfortable, makes her skin crawl. But this isn't anyone, so she tries. ]
Nami will understand. Just like how Jim is. If they like you they will. [ Something in her tone says that she has an inkling they do. ] Have faith, okay? Everything'll be fine.
[ Says the woman who was shouting out TERROR and PANIC a few minutes ago. ]
..Do you need a break?
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Nothing is true now but the roaring infinity that binds them together and spurs them on. He will listen to her even if he can't believe her. He'll let her words means more than his doubt. Take a moment's peace in the fact that she cares enough to say them at all.
Then her question, and Stephen's laugh is a cough, dry, unenthusiastic. ]
Yes. [ No point in lying. It's exhausting. It's exhausting. ] But there's no time for that.
[ He's fine again. All business. Back in the driving seat. ]
Stay alert, Lottie. We're on unsteady ground now, but we can manage it. We will manage it.
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Right. No time for that. She nods to herself, even if he can't see it. If he says so, she believes him. Stephen is one of the most powerful people she knows, next to Wanda, and if he says they'll be fine she knows it's true. But stillβ ]
..If I need help can I call you?
[ She knows she can count on him, but needy Lottie always asks anyway. Wants to hear it out loud for her sanity. ]
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[ This is gentle. Emphatic. She isn't any more alone in this than she has been in any of the rest of it, for all that he's largely left her to languish in her apartment without company or closeness since acquiring John's household for their cause - a few hours here, a couple there.
He should rectify that. ]
I'll come and see you when I can. Is there anything you need?
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Yay! Stephen is coming over! Ummmmm.. Can I have some of the really cute bagels from the bakery? Like the blueberry ones??
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[ It's not like he's going strolling into the bakery, so he can perform his silent robbery from the safety of Lottie's flat. ]
See you later.