Video; @theboneless There's a heartbeat and it never really died

[ragnarsson]

[The video turns on in a small room, a crib in one corner. It's getting dark outside and Ivar himself has the look of someone whose been a bit sleep-deprived lately. There's some quiet music playing in the background and it's a lot different then the usual metal that Ivar has come to enjoy. What can he say, he'll play whatever he can to get his daughter to go to sleep. She likes this stuff better than Metallica.

Winter's on the verge of falling asleep, but she's still in that state where she could potentially wake back up the minute he leaves the room, which has happened more than once. So he's stuck here until she's fully out like a light. So everyone else on the network can entertain him in the meantime. He stifles a yawn, looking thoughtful as he poses a question.]

If you got the offer to change yourself, permanently, would you take it? What if there was a trade-off, giving up something to gain something else, would you still do it?

[His eyes slide over to Winter's crib.]

And keep it down if you respond. Winter's still not fully asleep.

Comments

[ragnarsson]

[Ivar snorts at the answer as the song choice switches to another soft rock tune.]

You're boring.

[Sorry, Otabek, but he thinks that there's a lack of imagination going on right there.]

[bringbackgold]

A bit.

[ He's not even insulted. ]

But I'm happy. And you can't give up that if you get it.

[ He's sure Ivar knows why after all. It's not that Otabek's ever been unhappy, but he's never had the sort of happiness that he has now. That's why he won't give it up just to benefit himself. Even just a little. ]

At least not willingly.

[ragnarsson]

That's the problem with happiness. It never lasts, no matter how you try to hold onto it.

[He learned that lesson a long time before coming to Riverview, though losing Letha had just reinforced what he believed. He'd tried to be happy and only ended up getting hurt in the process. It was easier to hold onto his anger. At least that was something that he knew could be easily sustained.]

[bringbackgold]

Maybe. I still wouldn't give it up on purpose, though.

[ No. He can't imagine doing that. He's very determined to hold onto his happiness as long as he is allowed. ]

[ragnarsson]

You may not get a choice there.

[He's not necessarily being difficult, just pointing out the obvious. People disappeared from the city all the time without so much as a word of goodbye.]

[bringbackgold]

But why would you if you had the choice, then?

[ragnarsson]

Happiness is temporary. But power, real power, that lasts.

[As every great leader touched by madness had thought during the course of history.]

[bringbackgold]

Maybe, maybe not. I'm not into power.

[ragnarsson]

Once again, you're boring.

[bringbackgold]

Maybe for you.