- Jun 18, 2015
- 10,109
- Gender
- Female
- Pronouns
- She/Her
- Posting Status
- Irregularly
If Gallant was going to the community center, it was almost inevitable that Jude was going to run into him at some point or another. Realistically speaking, it was the better of two options. Better, because it meant that if Jude was running into him, that meant Broen wasn't.
He was still worried about that. For all his calming, he was genuinely worried that Broen and Gallant were going to run into each other and everything was going to end up ruined.
He didn't want Broen in jail.
Jude was stopping by the community center during his free period when he heard someone call his name and every hair on the back of his neck went up.
Gallant. Gallant, the great hero of Halcyon City. Mayor Frederick Crawford, beloved of Halcyon City. The man with a thousand titles, all of them positive, except for one: My fucking asshole father, courtesy of Broen. When Jude had been younger and less appreciative of what he had, he'd wished that Gallant had been his dad, but knowing what he did now, the idea seemed repulsive. Gallant wasn't who he said he was. Gallant was a monster, and Broen had paid for that deception in agony. Broen would never have been in Abernathy if Gallant hadn't kicked him the hell out, and Jude had to take a deep breath, thinking back to all Gyan's lessons about meditation, and then mentally compose himself before he turned around.
"Mayor Crawford," Jude said, making no attempt to offer his hand or anything of the sort. He was impassive, giving a distinct lack of reaction even though it was the first time they'd really met.
Frederick had very obviously been expecting something different, because he faltered slightly, his eyebrows furrowing together as he looked at Jude. It was only a moment though, and then he pushed on despite his hesitation.
"I don't think we've really met before," Frederick said, offering his hand. "It's nice to finally get to meet you."
Jude left him hanging, and after a moment Frederick dropped his hand. There was no mask that slid off or anything like that. He just sort of seemed confused, like he couldn't imagine why someone wouldn't greet him warmly.
"Listen," Jude said, "I understand you've spoken about me several times, but I'd rather you didn't. I don't want to deal with you. I don't want to really interact with you. I'll be polite and to the point, but I'd prefer if you didn't talk to me or my friends."
Frederick went from being kind of off guard to extremely off guard, but it only lasted a moment.
"Oh," he said briefly. "I assume your father shared his opinions about me?"
Jude should have expected that. He really should have. Frederick had no context or reason to think that Jude wouldn't like him, which meant it all came back to Basilio. His instinct was to say no, his father had nothing to do with this, but that might be tipping his hand too much. The longer he could go without Crawford knowing about Broen, the better.
"Just do us both a favor and don't talk to me," Jude said.
Frederick looked like he was going to argue for a moment, and then sighed instead.
"If you insist. I was hoping we could get along. The defiant are the people most uniquely aware of how to adapt from Halcyon-"
"I'm not going to abandon the people from Halcyon," Jude interrupted, "just you. Now, if you don't mind, I have classes to get to."
He was in no mood to chat with people after dealing with Crawford, and without waiting for a response, Jude headed off to class, leaving the mayor of Halcyon City behind.
He was still worried about that. For all his calming, he was genuinely worried that Broen and Gallant were going to run into each other and everything was going to end up ruined.
He didn't want Broen in jail.
Jude was stopping by the community center during his free period when he heard someone call his name and every hair on the back of his neck went up.
Gallant. Gallant, the great hero of Halcyon City. Mayor Frederick Crawford, beloved of Halcyon City. The man with a thousand titles, all of them positive, except for one: My fucking asshole father, courtesy of Broen. When Jude had been younger and less appreciative of what he had, he'd wished that Gallant had been his dad, but knowing what he did now, the idea seemed repulsive. Gallant wasn't who he said he was. Gallant was a monster, and Broen had paid for that deception in agony. Broen would never have been in Abernathy if Gallant hadn't kicked him the hell out, and Jude had to take a deep breath, thinking back to all Gyan's lessons about meditation, and then mentally compose himself before he turned around.
"Mayor Crawford," Jude said, making no attempt to offer his hand or anything of the sort. He was impassive, giving a distinct lack of reaction even though it was the first time they'd really met.
Frederick had very obviously been expecting something different, because he faltered slightly, his eyebrows furrowing together as he looked at Jude. It was only a moment though, and then he pushed on despite his hesitation.
"I don't think we've really met before," Frederick said, offering his hand. "It's nice to finally get to meet you."
Jude left him hanging, and after a moment Frederick dropped his hand. There was no mask that slid off or anything like that. He just sort of seemed confused, like he couldn't imagine why someone wouldn't greet him warmly.
"Listen," Jude said, "I understand you've spoken about me several times, but I'd rather you didn't. I don't want to deal with you. I don't want to really interact with you. I'll be polite and to the point, but I'd prefer if you didn't talk to me or my friends."
Frederick went from being kind of off guard to extremely off guard, but it only lasted a moment.
"Oh," he said briefly. "I assume your father shared his opinions about me?"
Jude should have expected that. He really should have. Frederick had no context or reason to think that Jude wouldn't like him, which meant it all came back to Basilio. His instinct was to say no, his father had nothing to do with this, but that might be tipping his hand too much. The longer he could go without Crawford knowing about Broen, the better.
"Just do us both a favor and don't talk to me," Jude said.
Frederick looked like he was going to argue for a moment, and then sighed instead.
"If you insist. I was hoping we could get along. The defiant are the people most uniquely aware of how to adapt from Halcyon-"
"I'm not going to abandon the people from Halcyon," Jude interrupted, "just you. Now, if you don't mind, I have classes to get to."
He was in no mood to chat with people after dealing with Crawford, and without waiting for a response, Jude headed off to class, leaving the mayor of Halcyon City behind.