[chessverse] in between the lines [for rachel]

[diemwnt]

He doesn't like to admit it, but now that it's over... Cadogan wakes up every day a little bit grateful for the war. Not for the pain and suffering, not for the good lives lost; not for anything he can begin to share out loud. There's simply something settled in him for having actually fought for this place. Something solidified in his knowledge that this is where he belongs, that he's with people who at their core are just like he is.

And, well, it was good to have properly found his place. It hadn't been Jack of Diamonds. It hadn't been as a lieutenant in the combined army that had risen from the four former Suits. In the end, it hadn't even been in the Castle that remained.

He's a soldier again. He's waking up every morning and allowed to strap his pistol and his knife and his sword into place, to spend his days with men and women who think on the scheme of the hive he does, to be half building and half staring out at the world they won't let destroy them again. It's invigorating. It's fulfilling.

And it means his lips can smile when he sees an old friend approaching, actually let his lips pull up into a visible grin. His hand lifts in greeting, and his eyes actually spark with something that might be cheerful.

Comments

[thecutdiamond]

She settles into the chair easily enough, shifts to squeeze at his knee in quiet greeting before she leans back with a small grin.

"It's wonderful. Definitely smoother than what we've had to deal with." The damaged remains of the road that used to be, "Seems like it's a shorter distance, too."

But maybe that's just perspective; everything seems more closely knitted together, now.

[diemwnt]

It's good, actually enjoying a light touch rather than shying from it. It's lovely, knowing that her hand on his knee has callouses that aren't like his own but that mean the same thing.

His shoulders lift with a certain sort of pleasure.

/Better this way./ For quite a few reasons. /How's base building up?/

He could barely remember the last time he'd left this place, been back to where the Castles had turned into just one.

[thecutdiamond]

"A little slowly, but it's building." Which is the important thing, really, "It's been interesting trying to figure out what aspects of what Castle we'll keep."

What parts of their past they'll cling to and what they'll let go of.

[diemwnt]

There's the tiniest pause of his fingers, a slight almost unconscious twist in the air as he considers the words he wants to choose.

/How much of ours?/

Because, well, maybe they weren't really Diamonds anymore...

...but some piece of them--particularly of these two--always would be.

[thecutdiamond]

There's a slow but quietly bright smile as she answers his question.

"They're trying to recreate the library's ceiling mural. And a couple other things, too."

But the mural was... significant, in so many ways.

Psh psh psh close enough.

[diemwnt]

It's a small thing, perhaps. It's a little piece being taken from what used to be.

It's enough to get the twitch of a real smile settling over his lips as he leans back a hair in satisfaction.

/You'll have to let me know when they finish. I'd like to see that./

:3

[thecutdiamond]

"I will," she says with the smile still firm on her own face, "It already looks like it's going to be lovely."

[diemwnt]

/And you?/

His head cants just a hair to the side, brow arching up another centimetre. She's still coming on nicely as well, right? A little better every day?

[thecutdiamond]

She ducks her head a little at that.

"Better than before. Much."

Not that it was so hard to be, with how bad things had been, but still.

"I've actually been able to sleep through the night, lately."

Which is very good progress.

[diemwnt]

It's a very strong marker of progress. It's something that changes, however subtly, the way he's holding his shoulders.

/That's wonderful. Honestly./

[thecutdiamond]

"Thanks," she says with a tiny, but pleased smile.

"And you've been well?"

[diemwnt]

His attention drops slightly for a moment. She's known him long enough, likely, to understand the mental regrouping of allowing himself to be open to the world of other people.

/The fresh air helps./

[thecutdiamond]

She nods in understanding at that.

"I'm sure it does."

[diemwnt]

/A little better every day, right?/

They needed different things, after all. And they needed it for different reasons, despite having shared this most recent war.

/You know how it is./

[thecutdiamond]

A nod.

"I do."

And she does. Everyone's healing from this differently, because everyone experienced the war differently, same war though it was.

[diemwnt]

At least they were all healing. At least they were getting toward something better.

/It helps. That you come sometimes./

[thecutdiamond]

They were. And they'd see that something better for themselves, someday and at last.

"I'm-- glad, I suppose. It helps to see you."

[diemwnt]

Well.

That has him pausing slightly, his fingers stilling.

Why in the world? To see the Outposts, maybe. To see him?

[thecutdiamond]

A faint quirk of her lips, "It's good to see familiar faces from-- before."

Not that there hadn't been others that had survived that she'd known before the war. There were other Diamonds, even. But they weren't around nearly often enough to fill the ache.

[diemwnt]

There's another moment before he nods in something like understanding. Another moment pulling it over in his mind.

/It is./

[thecutdiamond]

She smiles again, a little more calmly at his words, and there's a companionable lull before she speaks again.

"How go repairs here?"

The road is better, at least, and thinks look like they're not fallen apart nearly as much, but it's hard to tell.

[diemwnt]

Now that he can smile about. That gets him leaning slightly forward again.

/Much more quickly, now the roads are up. Fortifications are nearly complete. We'll be on to infrastructure soon./

And that has him on his feet again, hand dropping from words toward her. She'll do better to actually see it, won't she?

[thecutdiamond]

She would. She has to get the cane properly settled against the ground before she takes his hand, but once she's got both those stabilizing factors, it's easy to get on her feet again.

"Oh, that's wonderful to hear."

[diemwnt]

It's hobbling, of course. For her--his former Queen, his former Ten, his wonderful friend--it's easy to make the sacrifice, fingers squeezing hers tight once she's upright.

His other hand gestures forward. Come see the new wall, Rachel. It will make you happy.

[thecutdiamond]

She smiles at him as she straightens, the grin brightening all the more as they approach the wall.

"Oh, perfect."

Perhaps a bit of an extreme word for a wall, but it suits when it's such a nice symbol of the rebuilding of their home.

[diemwnt]

The phone has to come out, to keep a grip on her hand. It's not such a big problem. It absolutely doesn't damage the pleased smile settling over his features.

It's not much taller than the ones we used to have, but it's so much better reinforced. We'll be able to house the guard more comfortably, too.

[thecutdiamond]

"That's good," she says with an equally pleased smile on her face, "They've needed that for some time, really."

Both the reinforcement and the housing.

[diemwnt]

Rebuilding had to be better than what had already been, right?

Going to take time, though. Still need to get Tess moved out here.

For the long haul. Make a proper home of it.

[thecutdiamond]

She smiles at the mention of the other woman, hand squeezing his just slightly.

"There's time for everything now, at least."

Finally.

[diemwnt]

The huff on his lips is absolutely his approximation of a laugh.

Which means there will always be more to do.

But isn't that nice? Isn't it better to have the future stretching busy before them than possibly ending the next day, hour, minute?

[thecutdiamond]

It's much better. Incredibly so. She'll make sure to remind herself of that fact when the rebuilding and the work after seem to be too frustrating.

"Isn't such a bad thing, I suppose."

[diemwnt]

Once we get settled into it, we'll be glad for it.

Even in the moments of immense frustration. Even in the slogging through every single minute of the day.

[thecutdiamond]

"I think so, too."

She can't think of a single person, after all, who wouldn't have traded the war for even the most paperwork heavy of jobs.

[diemwnt]

The squeeze of his fingers on hers again is light, questioning.

Any chance we'll get you out here to keep someday

[thecutdiamond]

She laughs a little, shaking her head.

"To keep? No. Not for a long while at least. I'd rather be closer to where Eileen is."

Given everything, that's surely understandable.

[diemwnt]

Of course it's understandable. Even without the trauma the niece and aunt had personally suffered in the war, it was completely understandable.

The bob of his head is accepting.

I'm sure she knows, but tell her we're proud. Even from out here.

[thecutdiamond]

She smiles, the expression fond at the thought of her niece.

"I will."

Eileen will feel reassured to hear it, she imagines. She knows it can't ever hurt to know everyone thinks she's done wonderfully.

[diemwnt]

The nod is more assured this time. It's important, after all, that the Queen know they stand behind her. And, a bit, important that the Queen's aunt knows the same.

[thecutdiamond]

It is, and fortunately they've both been incredibly clear on the fact thus far. It's going to make rebuilding that much easier, going to make shaping this new world and leading a little less of the burden.

They can't ask for more than that.