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[abidingtime]

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[abidingtime]

Been in the cages about three weeks.

I don't expect I'll be here much longer.

How about you, guardian angel?

[fregit]

Fuck, don't call me angel. It's all selfish.

Been in the cages about four months now. They're waiting till I die in them.

[abidingtime]

And you won't give them the pleasure, I take it. Good for you.

[fregit]

I kinda like being me.

I don't get to fucking be me anymore if I die.

[abidingtime]

I kinda like being me too.

Or, I did. I guess.

Now I don't particularly want to be alive.

[fregit]

You might get your wish at this rate.

They'll just make another you. One that's a little less of a problem to deal with.

[abidingtime]

That's the way it'll go then, I suppose.

Live, die, it makes no difference to anyone in the end.

Not to me, not to the next me. Not to you.

[fregit]

Except I'm the only dumbass in this hell trying to save your ass. Selfish or not, it makes a difference to me.

Either I die or you're another face I add to the list of people I've beaten to death.

[abidingtime]

Look, just be happy there's no chance I'll kill you.

[fregit]

Listen to you. Acting like any of us get happiness.

[abidingtime]

I did, once.

I never will again.

None of us will.

But you'll live to see another day in this hellhole.

[fregit]

A month if I'm lucky.

What do they call you?

[abidingtime]

Five months of this shit is all you got in ya, huh?

I'm sorry to hear that.

Bellen. Bell, if you like.

[fregit]

I had some time before that with other things.

Then they thought I'd fight. Now they're bored of me winning.

Zoë. I'd say nice to meet you, Bell, but you're a frustrating one.

[abidingtime]

Zoë. Your fate is sad.

But who's isn't?

Is there no way out for you?

[fregit]

I don't even have a count for what iteration I am.

There's never a way out.

[abidingtime]

I like you.

I'll fight for you, if you want.

Not because I feel bad for you

[fregit]

You're not really that bad yourself.

Look, you're not to my level yet. You just gotta not reach me. Throw a punch or two.

I could teach you if you need it.

[abidingtime]

I'm still not convinced that I need to fight at all. I still probably won't.

But I'll fight against you, since I know what it means to you. You can take me down fair and square.

[fregit]

So frustrating.

Fine. At least let me train you so you're not throwing a punch like a little bitch.

[abidingtime]

Alright then, you can train me.

I'm only doing this for you, though.

[fregit]

That's the best damn reason in the world to do anything.

[abidingtime]

Of course you'd say that.

Where should I meet you?

[fregit]

There's a training ring in the basement.

Don't be late.

text > action

[abidingtime]

I'll be there.

[ Bell's tired, and he doesn't exactly want to learn how to fight. But this woman is being uncharacteristically nice for anyone in House Hapsburg, and he wants her to know he appreciates it. And so, here he is, tramping down to the basement to pretend to learn something about fighting. Or maybe actually learn, who knows? There's a chance she's right, that all he's doing is wasting himself. There's a chance he could need to fight.

Anyway, he's going, okay? See him walking slowly down the steps, crossing the floor to where she stands outside a ring. ]

Hey. [ He says, suddenly a little shy. ]