♻ 019 | audio

[tucky]

[filtered to Letty]

Can I talk to you?

[filtered to Roderick]

Can you come and see me? I'm in 603.

Comments

[characterdefect]

No. "It happened to" is too sanitary. We did things to each other. The only innocent person in this equation is Letty.

[tucky]

Yeah, and I'm sad for her and I'm sad for you.

[characterdefect]

[He sighs, closing his eyes, the only thing he can do in the face of all this.]

I'm not sad for her.

[tucky]

I know. And that makes me even sadder for you.

Are you hurting real bad right now?

[characterdefect]

Yeah, it hurts. I'm not, you know, dying or anything.

[It might've been easier if he was.]

[tucky]

I just wanna know if it's gonna hurt you if I hold your hand.

[characterdefect]

[He smiles, very faint.]

That's not gonna hurt me at all.

[tucky]

[So she does take his hand, and she also angles her chair around so she can lean over the arm and rest her head on his pillow, next to his.]

[characterdefect]

[He tilts his head to lean against hers, gently touching his forehead to hers.]

It's gonna be okay. I'm sorry it's bad right now. [For her; not himself, not Letty, not Lloyd. Just for her.]

[tucky]

Yeah.

[She nuzzles her nose against his cheek, ever-affectionate.]

I wish Merlin was still here.

[characterdefect]

[He chuckles, wishing he could stroke her hair and pull her closer - but in his casts, he can barely move.]

He probably wouldn't approve of me.

[tucky]

No he wouldn't, but he would trust me, I think.

[characterdefect]

You should trust you more.

[tucky]

What do you mean?

[characterdefect]

You're smarter than you give yourself credit for, is what I mean.

[tucky]

Why do you think that?

[characterdefect]

Because I know you.

[tucky]

Well, I don't... I don't think I'm stupid or nothing. You don't got to worry about that.

[characterdefect]

Good. Because you're not. You're smart and you've got good instincts.

[tucky]

Then why've I made so many bad choices?

[characterdefect]

Because even smart people have to learn.

[tucky]

I have never been called smart. I been called dumb a lot.

[characterdefect]

Maybe you've known a lot of cruel, nasty people in your life.

[tucky]

But not here.

[characterdefect]

That's why here's a good place for you.