(And keep petting, because that is glorious and has Bruce's eyes half closed, in a decidedly like a cat like way. ...Which also may or may not be why Alfred 'casually' stretches and winds up making physical contact with him.)
With a slight tug, before he goes back to stroking, "Because you bit me right after saying her name."
Alfred isn't slick either, but he's not about to call that out.
"Patia was...the sort of wizard most of them pretend to be. She wielded knowledge like a weapon, kept records of everything, never let anyone know what she was really thinking." It could be exhausting to deal with and made it impossible to trust her the way he wanted to, but...
"She'd know what to look for, and figure out how the pieces fit together."
"Yes. She was still in Avalir when it fell." He doesn't know many details of that last day, and he's never decided if that was better or worse, but he knows who chose to go down fighting for their city. For the people who could still be saved.
"Good. Then I won't have to worry about the hypothetical of them meeting, if Barbara were alive. Instead I can uselessly wish she was, in order to make her your problem."
Even as relaxed as he is, there isn't really... any show of regret or sympathy there. Humans are awful. And also - there are lines, he at least thinks he is balancing on already.
"You don't know what they're getting up to in the afterlife." Black humour is a fixture of the divine apocalypse - and he's pretty sure Patia would roll her eyes if he got offended. "Which would definitely be more your problem than mine, a mere mortal who can't cross planes on a whim."
Unless their souls simply ceased to be, which is always a possibility. But he always liked to think Patia's drifted into Ioun's domain, and it seems like Barbara's might too.
"I didn't say it would be smart, just that it was possible." He could leave it as a wry retort, but instead he opens his eyes.
"...But have you ever tried?"
It's been a long time now since Asmodeus spoke up, but it's a warm rumble that seems at home in the little scene they've made. He really is darling, isn't he.
Perhaps it's reassurance that he's not taking offense at the turn in conversation; perhaps it's an insidiously gentle reminder that he is, in fact, still listening to it; perhaps he was just that profoundly amused.
He goes briefly very still, stops petting the cat when he first 'hears' Asmodeus.
He's certainly not short on optimism... It's the only thing he can manage, between a desire to relax further and bask in the warmth and a return of more awareness and caution.
...and the awareness that he misses his father's physical presence, while also very much not wanting it.
Nothing here is simple or clear.
He resumes the petting. "I have not, do not intend to, and will not - thank you." What the actual fuck, though. "It sounds incredibly painful."
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"I'll be polite, and not mention how obvious that was." That doesn't count.
Then, far more softly, "Sounds like Patia."
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What.
Why?
Show your work!
(And keep petting, because that is glorious and has Bruce's eyes half closed, in a decidedly like a cat like way. ...Which also may or may not be why Alfred 'casually' stretches and winds up making physical contact with him.)
"and Who or what is Patia?"
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Alfred isn't slick either, but he's not about to call that out.
"Patia was...the sort of wizard most of them pretend to be. She wielded knowledge like a weapon, kept records of everything, never let anyone know what she was really thinking." It could be exhausting to deal with and made it impossible to trust her the way he wanted to, but...
"She'd know what to look for, and figure out how the pieces fit together."
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"Yes. She was still in Avalir when it fell." He doesn't know many details of that last day, and he's never decided if that was better or worse, but he knows who chose to go down fighting for their city. For the people who could still be saved.
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Even as relaxed as he is, there isn't really... any show of regret or sympathy there. Humans are awful. And also - there are lines, he at least thinks he is balancing on already.
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Unless their souls simply ceased to be, which is always a possibility. But he always liked to think Patia's drifted into Ioun's domain, and it seems like Barbara's might too.
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Or the sort of welcome he'd receive.
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"...But have you ever tried?"
It's been a long time now since Asmodeus spoke up, but it's a warm rumble that seems at home in the little scene they've made. He really is darling, isn't he.
Perhaps it's reassurance that he's not taking offense at the turn in conversation; perhaps it's an insidiously gentle reminder that he is, in fact, still listening to it; perhaps he was just that profoundly amused.
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He's certainly not short on optimism... It's the only thing he can manage, between a desire to relax further and bask in the warmth and a return of more awareness and caution.
...and the awareness that he misses his father's physical presence, while also very much not wanting it.
Nothing here is simple or clear.
He resumes the petting. "I have not, do not intend to, and will not - thank you." What the actual fuck, though. "It sounds incredibly painful."