The Black Lake

"I- you do. By being happy. You being happy makes me happy." Richard couldn't help frowning at himself, and he sort of felt Jim do the same in his mind.

'Then you'll be happy often, i don't stay upset for long.' she was almost reassuring herself with the words, knowing they were true.

It all depends on the situation, Richy dear.

Please don't start now.

Richard smiled and gave her a slightly tighter hug for a moment. "That's good. You don't seem like a person who should ever be sad."

'Things happen.' she said off-handedly, stating the obvious. 'It's just our choice how we react. Most of the time i overlook the bad stuff.' her demeanour was carefully composed, thoughts drifting back to Tide.

not again..

"If that's what helps keep you happy..." Richard trailed off. He didn't really have any triggers for being happy or sad, aside from Meredia's mood. Otherwise he was just... indifferent. It was Jim's fault, since he exposed him to so much while they grew.

'I take it emotions haven't factored much in your life?' she questioned, realising he wasn't being very... expressive. maybe he doesn't know how.

(Watching Sherlock A Game of Shadows and ok ow that ending hurt far more than it should ow ow ow)

"No." Richard frowned. "When you live with Jim, there's not much that you really base emotions on. I just try to feel the opposite of what he does... What makes him happy should make me sad..."

did you cry like this?
https://youtu.be/ElpYScRKREM?t=2m

ic 'Depends what makes him tick.' mer could probably guess.

(I probably will when I rewatch it, I didn't see the whole thing because of my cousins and I haven't seen it before.
AND THE GOD DAMN CHAIR. DAMMIT, SHERLOCK. SNEAKY BASTARD.)

Richard's lips twitched into a half-hearted smile. "You can imagine what does it for him."

'Is there anything... not immoral in there?' she was sure she knew the answer to this too.

Richard shrugged and simply answered with, "He's Jim." He gets off on it, he added silently. Jim just smirked in the back of his head.

ooc -sniggers-

ic 'Richard..?' she questioned again, brow creasing in a neat frown.

(Now you're sniggering, I'm sniggering)

"Yes?" he asked, tipping his head to the side.

'What do you think of Jim's actions?' her arms tensed for a moment, before she forced them to relax.

"I... I don't think they're right. But he does them for a reason... Jim isn't the sort to just do things at random."

'Who is?' she responded with a rhetorical question. 'We all do everything for a reason, even if we don't realise what that reason is until after we've done it.'

"His reasons are for stability - but for himself."

That's quite enough, Richy. Jim cut him off before he could say anymore, stopping him from speaking for a moment to remind him of who was really in control.

She nodded, taking as much meaning from Richard's words as she could. 'Okay, i think i can understand. It doesn't bother me the reason, not in the long run..' like she'd said before, she overlooked many things...

Mer waited until he spoke again, patient.

Jim held him for a moment longer before slowly drawing away back into his corner. Richard released a breath he hadn't realised he was holding.

"It doesn't?"

'If it did, i wouldn't be here.' she stated calmly, offering him another smile. Mer was aware Jim had taken over, not feeling the need to comment on it.

"Good point," Richard admitted. He returned her smile, making an effort to be positive. Jim just scoffed and turned his non-existent back.

he doesnt need to try with facial expressions

ic 'See? you're kind, that's all that matters to me.'

(He wants to anyway because he's a sweetie.)

"Oh." Richard's smile blossomed then. "Good. That's... good. I'm glad."

She placed a kiss on his nose, daring. 'I hope you are, like i said, i want to make you happy.' Mer had the need to try and cheer everybody up, especially Richard.

"You do make me happy, just by being yourself. You don't have to do much." A light flush appeared on his cheeks again.