Hippolyta Hollister

He's disappointed. "Blast. Oh, well, I expect he grinds his own coffee, too, does he? And bakes."

Nevertheless he adds marshmallows to his cocoa, and sits down beside her and Djehuty. "My dear...I have the feeling that you, like myself, have been rather on the periphery of this entire situation since long before it began, and I do sympathize."

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"I was on the periphery. Then I went and got myself a job at the Labs. Put me smack dab in the middle of it."

A pause.

"I tried to punch Spidey. I attacked him. I accused him of lying. He's never gonna speak to me again. God."

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"Oh, dear. Well...look, Miss Hollister, I don't know the man at all, but from what I hear--when he isn't being Grecian in his grasp of tragic flaw--he is a most understanding creature. What did you think he was lying about?"

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Djehuty would probably like to flinch away from this conversation, but doesn't. He's quiet, though, very quiet. Until now he's avoided picking up any details of what happened.

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She doesn't even hesitate, but dives right in.

"Norman's been... accepting... human sacrifices. I know Some the grue is involved. Novak, too, although he said he never did one for Norman. Which sounds like a lie of omission to me, frankly."

Now the hesitation.

"...I think Dez might have been involved too."

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He looks tired, and cold, and remote.

"Oh. I knew, or guessed at, the human deaths. I did not--know who."

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"Ah. Yes; I believe Serenskaya did perform a sacrifice to Mr. Osborn. I do understand your shock, Miss Hollister, and your desire to disbelieve, but from what she told me it was not the sort of thing that could have been avoided."

He sips cocoa.

"You may think me very wicked--in fact, you probably should--but I have encountered situations where it is necessary to take someone's life for a greater good, and the way that Serenskaya described it points to one thing and one thing only: it was necessary, distasteful as it was, and the man she killed died easily and cleanly. Moreover, the reason for the sacrifice was so that Mr. Osborn could get some little strength back after expending it on rescuing Serenskaya from a potentially fatal situation that was her own silly fault."

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Djehuty clicks his beak once, sharply, and looks away.

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She digests this, silent for a long time, her face cold and hard like a distant cliff.

Then: "I can't judge her. She did what needed to be done at the time. Hell, I accidentally killed a whole lot more than she ever has on purpose. I guess it all evens out, in the end."

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Ruthven nods. "If it helps at all, she knows it was a....desperate thing, and not a good one, and she was very miserable indeed about it. But there's a great deal she's miserable over, and this was just one more of a great many unpleasant and soul-tarnishing things she's had to do, and dislike herself for."

He reaches out to the counter. "These are my Dunhills, aren't they?" And lights one.

"The other thing she told me about that situation was that....the man she killed was part of the Shop, was involved with the experimental torture that lost Augustus an eye. It doesn't make things any better, but a trifle more balanced."

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"I do not judge her either. I am not happy about it. I--would probably judge that it was not the right thing to do. But it is not my jurisdiction. And she is my friend, regardless."

The feathers on the back of his neck raise and then settle.

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"What you said. Ditto."

She rests her head on the god's shoulder, patting his thigh.

"I wish I could unscrew my morals enough to let this go, though."

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He sighs, getting up and leaving the two of them together, and goes to find something other than marshmallows to put in his cocoa.

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Djehuty watches him go, turning human and biting at his lip. His shoulder slump even more.

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It's been a very long time since he cared what anyone thought of him, and he rather wishes he still didn't.

Ah, well.

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He droops a bit and puts an arm around her. "Believe me, so do I. Or--that I could follow my morals so strictly as not to be torn this way."

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"You are so much better with words than I. Which is how it should be, since that's your gig. I'm a mouthy broad with a trick for stupid jokes. I don't do thoughtful."

Another pause, and a sigh.

"Well, that's what I accused Spidey of lying about. I floated right up that river in Egypt. Sorry I didn't visit, Djehuty."

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Rueful smile. "Well...huu. I have been trying very hard not to know things that would make me unhappy. Oh...oh god, Hippolyta, I have been a hypocrite." He closes his eyes and shakes a little, then calms.

"But that is the nature of interacting with the world."

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"You're not a hypocrite. You're not. You're a good person who's caught up with people you love doing terrible things, and loving them in spite of it."

...

"Just like me."

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He hugs her closer, and pats her back awkwardly. "I think you are right. Oh, huuu. This is better than not loving, at least. Much better."

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"I realize this is going to sound extraordinarily silly but... word."

She straightens up, brushing at her cheek with a finger. No, she's not been crying. Nope. Not at all.

"My problem is that sometimes the people I love get the brunt of my sharp tongue. And I treat 'em like utter shi... cra... shit.

"But I'm working on it."

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