NIKI
As much as Niki has been a fan of what he'd considered to be matching energy with the white-haired young man across the table, as Vesper rises to his feet with all of the grace and height that the necromancer will never manage in his lifetime, he's already putting things together. Surprise crackles through his mind, very briefly, followed by a flush of frustration, which then melts into disappointment and acceptance. They've had all the necessary conversations to precede this moment - Niki with his unintimidating presence and lack of physical ability, Niki with his bad leg and clever hands, Niki with no prospects daring to bite the hand that dared to throw him a crumb.
"I see," he says. He'd thought Vesper crass, arrogant and selfish, it's true - but he'd never considered him to be quite so blatant a bully. Niki can do precisely nothing about it and they both know it - more to the point, they both know by now that he's too proud even to push the matter. "I suppose you ought to be on your way then, hadn't you?" Coersion and guilt-tripping haven't twisted his arm into coming to Torchline, and blackmail and intimidation don't have a chance either; especially not now.
"I see," he says. He'd thought Vesper crass, arrogant and selfish, it's true - but he'd never considered him to be quite so blatant a bully. Niki can do precisely nothing about it and they both know it - more to the point, they both know by now that he's too proud even to push the matter. "I suppose you ought to be on your way then, hadn't you?" Coersion and guilt-tripping haven't twisted his arm into coming to Torchline, and blackmail and intimidation don't have a chance either; especially not now.
my body's on the line now, I can't fight this time now
I can feel the light shine on my face
I can feel the light shine on my face
