ohthehumanities | catchall; rang lee

[Rang is still lying on the ground when Kaveh gets up, so he has to tilt his head up to meet his gaze. He's not sure that he likes having to look up at the man, surely it's just the angle that's responsible for the surprised, discomfited feeling that's starting to radiate from him, and not because of his own words.

...He has no idea what to say. He feels confused, because if Kaveh had said something like 'I'll remember you' or 'I'll save you' or any other nebulous concept of feeling to Rang, then he would have believed it for a lie. Feelings are the least reliable thing in the world, and he won't ever catch himself relying on them again.

But this is different? It's concrete. It's a set of conditions, a deal proposed. It appeals to his nature as a fox, and maybe it appeals to his nature as a human too.

He pushes himself up by the elbows to look at Kaveh. For once, the look in his eyes neither needling or annoyed.]

...I think your offer relies on you winning the Game -- or do you think that anything you build here will really remain, after we're all gone?

[He won't trust offers of kindness, but he can consider deals that have some substance to them, a practicality that can be proven.]

[Honestly, it's a fair point. But Kaveh fires back--]

There's a chance it would. Do you think they built this entire place for us? [They did but Kaveh doesn't know he's in a mg. However, as a compromise--] But I'll ask. And if it doesn't...

[He pauses, and falters. He can't promise that his team will win. He's so, so torn, every single day--caught between wanting to protect Nahida, not wanting to die, and refusing to consider that his own life is worth the cost of everyone else's.]

If it doesn't, and I don't make it, then I'll pass that responsibility on before I go. I'll trust the people here, even if you won't.

[rang doesn't know much about kaveh -- if anything at all, but he remembers the few things he does know, which is why he takes a moment to just look at the other man, as if kaveh's thoughts are being conveyed from the emotional struggle he's apparently feeling,

then rang sits up properly, dusting his hands off.]

You're the architect. Why would I want a secondhand creation from someone who doesn't know what they're doing?

[he's sure that kaveh will pick someone he trusts. just like he's sure that if kaveh was the next to receive the call, he'd never try to get away with it.]

The only offer I'll accept is whatever you make with your own two hands.

[Well now Kaveh's just stupidly annoyed because this is like working with a demanding client]

Do you think I break ground and lay foundation all by myself? It would take decades to build anything if I worked like that! [HUFFS.] I am the architect, so shut up and take what I give you.

[(Eugene voice) I'M RIGHT YOU'RE WRONG SHUT UP]

If it's not from you, then I don't want it.

[rang will be the worst client ever, even worse is that he's about to D*E so he feels like he's valid for being a karen in his final moments. he finally stands up, brushing the rest of his clothes off,]

So do your best to live, since unlike me -- you still have a chance.

catchall; rang lee

thinks again about how gay kaveh is

we could've had it all and now we have nOTHING

ALSMFLSD STOP STOPPP

YOU DID THIS

ME??????