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[loungelizard]

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Comments

[loungelizard]

[MARCO???]

I'm a Fog follower.

Have been for several months now, actually...

[peccatore]

Ah.

[That's... what he was afraid of.

Except, as he reminds himself, there's no reason to be afraid. He trusts Fiddleford, he's trusted Larry up until now, and he has thoroughly established that being aligned with the Fog doesn't mean you're evil.

The fact that has to actively remind himself of all this doesn't mean it's any less true. In fact, the rational part of him understands that it likely makes it even MORE true, which is fun when your brain insists on believing things that are not.]

Well, why didn't you say so sooner?

[loungelizard]

Er -- I'm sorry. But I wasn't exactly keeping it a secret...?

I'm sure I've talked to McGucket about it by the water cooler a few times by now.

Look. I know that there's a lot of sick people out there who use her name to justify what they do. But you don't need to worry -- you know me.

[For better or for worse, Larry doesn't hide anything -- especially his coworkers.]

There's plenty of people eager to personify her wrath. It's about time someone stepped up to the plate to represent her love.

[peccatore]

Right. Right.

[He knows Larry, that's true. That ought to help. More than a valued coworker, and despite his tastes in decor, Larry is a good man. He shouldn't have to worry, not at all.

But the word "love", when applied to the Fog God, makes his stomach twist and turn.]

Again, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to come off as aggressive about this, so that's my bad.

[loungelizard]

You don't seem aggressive, no. You haven't accused me of anything yet.

Aren't you in with the Fourth?

[peccatore]

Well, yes.
I'm one of his priests.

[loungelizard]

Right. And how's that been working out for you?

[peccatore]

Er,

Well, I can't lie, it hasn't always been great.
But I think I've been doing much better in recent years.

[loungelizard]

Why the Fourth?

He's a kid.

One that didn't ask for this, to boot.

[peccatore]

[...]

Isn't that all the more reason to help him?

[loungelizard]

Help him do what?

[peccatore]

Help him in general.
You said it yourself, he's a kid.

[And since Larry is, after all, a trusted coworker... Maybe Marco ought to say this much, too. Be just a little more upfront about his motives.]

One who didn't have a good father.

[loungelizard]

So you're...trying to be a father figure to him?

[peccatore]

I suppose you could say that's part of it, in a certain sense

[loungelizard]

So how do you discipline someone who is objectively more powerful than you?

[peccatore]

Well, it's not exactly a matter of disciplining him.
I've been a bad influence on him in the past, so I try to do the opposite now.
Of course I can't ground him or anything, but maybe that's not necessary.