He laughs, waving a hand. "I like what I like. That was my deal, you know.
To have some time of not dealing with the effects of my bad decisions. But
- it does mean I can still ride that particular pony."
"I mean, it's certainly one way to party when you're really depressed. Actually, I have my suspicions about Anji. She was one of those brokers. She keeps saying it was before her time and that I just watch too many movies, which sounds very suspicious to me."
"Anji had a real job. The ways she's nothing like you are legion. But I did watch parts of 'The Wolf of Wall Street', and it was unjust of her to claim I only turned it on when she entered the room. I turned it on five minutes before." He grins. "And that's why you always want a little unpredictability in your life."
He rolls his eyes. "I don't like unpredictability! I like being unpredictable!" he complains. "But if that doesn't describe me completely, then I don't know what does!"
"As it's been far too long, I won't offer alternatives to how you could be described completely. I'm thinking of them, but I'm not saying them. I always forget how nice it can be to feel the sun every so often."
"You'll end this adventure in my basement if you run your mouth too far, my boy," he warns very playfully, nudging him with a bare shoulder. "And then I suppose I really can meet your Doctor."
He brings his glass up to take an obligatory shot.
"I just knew you'd have a weird basement. It's just the sort of thing you can tell about someone. You're like, 'look over there, that's the guy who would have a weird basement' only to face disbelief right up until everyone ends up there. Classic situation."
He sits up. "Fuck you. It's a nice basement! There's carpet, which, before you attack me for being tacky, is actually rather comfortable and is not covered in fucking gold paneling. That's what I hated about Kyrat," he sighs. "There was too much gold. And they weren't doing the right things with it!"
"Hey, I'm not complaining. The first thing I look for in a weird basement is whether it has a carpet, and if it does I immediately feel better about it." He nods, seriously. "I like to be as tacky as the next man, and you're the next man so that says it all. But I've never really been able to vibe with gold paneling. You can go too far with gold."
"I was gonna be generous and not bring up the whole insane matter of having a gold statue of your body double. Even though it is the sign of a very unwell mind."
Pagan just rolls his eyes again. "I think that you simply haven't experienced the pleasure of it. But I know you have your little fucked up issues with it. I won't hold that against you."
"Look, I do have a lot of fucked up issues, but also if you asked any normal person on the street they would agree that it's very weird. If you're going to make a super tacky and embarrassing statue, at least it should be of you. Put your whole heart out there."
Pagan wobbles a hand and sits up, plucking his drink and towel. "Come along, my boy. We've had enough sun for this morning. Let's go have breakfast. Are you hungry?"
"Enjoying my retirement, my boy," he tells him, slinging an arm around his shoulders to walk back up towards the house. "They told me that I couldn't fucking do it. That I'd get - oh, whatever they said. Bored. I'd want to cause trouble! But fuck 'em. I've had a great time."
He turns a little more sober. "My daughter texted me this morning. She starts classes in a week. A week! She's fucking brilliant."
"You? Never. Your life before this sounded way more boring than getting to be here. Some people don't really understand causing trouble. They just see the outside rather than look into the beating heart."
He smiles, dropping the cut-rate Shakespearean tones for something honest.
"Good for her. It's nice to know there are people out there doing something with their lives so the rest of us can kickback and relax."
"Damn right. Ajay's got himself in trouble already, but I think he's joining the military, so they can kick his ass. Lakshmana, though. She's going to be a doctor. Which is good because I need free fucking healthcare here. I have to fly my doctors in and do you know how expensive that is!" he laments, his hand over his chest.
Re: for Pagan
Date: 2026-01-08 12:25 pm (UTC)He laughs, waving a hand. "I like what I like. That was my deal, you know. To have some time of not dealing with the effects of my bad decisions. But - it does mean I can still ride that particular pony."
Re: for Pagan
Date: 2026-01-08 06:26 pm (UTC)Re: for Pagan
Date: 2026-01-09 02:43 am (UTC)Re: for Pagan
Date: 2026-01-09 02:47 am (UTC)Re: for Pagan
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Date: 2026-01-10 02:54 am (UTC)He brings his glass up to take an obligatory shot.
Re: for Pagan
Date: 2026-01-10 02:57 am (UTC)Re: for Pagan
Date: 2026-01-10 03:21 am (UTC)Re: for Pagan
Date: 2026-01-10 03:25 am (UTC)Re: for Pagan
Date: 2026-01-11 02:02 am (UTC)A pause.
"Or Eric. Close enough."
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Date: 2026-01-14 03:36 am (UTC)He turns a little more sober. "My daughter texted me this morning. She starts classes in a week. A week! She's fucking brilliant."
Re: for Pagan
Date: 2026-01-15 02:16 am (UTC)He smiles, dropping the cut-rate Shakespearean tones for something honest.
"Good for her. It's nice to know there are people out there doing something with their lives so the rest of us can kickback and relax."
Re: for Pagan
Date: 2026-01-16 03:12 am (UTC)Re: for Pagan
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