TripleThreatGay
I'm the guy you call "forced diversity"
(This is an excerpt from Lennox's fanroute, which can be read here)
Iseul looks thoughtfully between Colette and Lennox. Eventually, he sighs and shakes his head. "I would hate to be remiss in my duties as her guard," he says. "Else I would allow you to take the seat at her side, Lennox Arnold. Perhaps another day, yes?"
Lennox shakes his head at the comment. "The thought is kind enough as it is. Thank you."
Iseul and Altea both give bright, shocked laughs at the gratitude, and August and Lord Reiner both shift uncomfortably in their seats. "It is quite strange to hear you speaking with kindness and gratitude towards us," Altea says with a teasing smirk. "It makes one almost want to believe Lady Colette about you having been swayed into betraying the Witch Queen."
"He said those words himself as well, Altea," Lord Reiner points out.
"Yes, but his words..." She scrunches up her nose in thought. "They are... Rather lacking in truth, even on the best of days, my lord, you must admit."
Colette tenses up at this. 'Don't get thrown in the dungeon, don't get thrown in the dungeon...' she thinks intently to herself.
"Such is the way of a snake," Saerys mutters - and while no one else seems to hear it, it makes Colette's self-control snap.
She shoots up out of her chair once more, glaring at all of them. "He's trying to change," she snaps. "You guys aren't exactly making it easy on him, when you're gonna go around saying he can't be trusted. How the hell is someone supposed to change when all people want to do is judge them for their past - a past they regret?!"
Saerys huffs and stands as well. "I do not wish to hear this," he says lowly, "from someone who does not even know the full extent of his actions-"
"He worked for the motherfucking Witch Queen!" Colette shrieks. "I think that says enough about what the 'full extent' of his actions entails! Oh, and guess what?! That mob that was chasing him when we met?! It was his CULT! Yeah, so I know about that, too, thank you very mu- WHOA!"
She suddenly finds herself being lifted, and tossed over a shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She sees ice blue, and realizes exactly who's carrying her. She starts swinging her fists violently, screaming, "Put me down, dammit! Let me defend your honor!"
"Excuse us," Lennox says calmly, in stark contrast to Colette's screaming voice. "I must calm her down."
Colette doesn't really know what the others' response is - whatever it is, it's silent - but they must agree, because she feels Lennox spin around with her over his shoulder, and then he walks off, out into the hallway. When the door shuts behind him, he finally puts Colette down on her own two feet again. "Little puppet-"
"Lemme back in there-!" Colette screams, but Lennox quickly blocks her.
"Colette," he says. "Enough."
That finally gets Colette to stop seeing red, and she finally looks at Lennox's face. There, she sees a gentle, but resigned, expression. "Please. Do not get yourself in trouble for my sake, little puppet."
"But they're..." Colette falters, her heart sinking. "You can't just be okay with that... They're saying-"
"Things that they know were once true," Lennox says, giving a deep, heart-wrenching sigh. "They have not yet had proof beyond our words, little puppet. And words mean little when compared to actions." He gently reaches up, brushing a strand of hair behind Colette's ear. "Little puppet, what did I say to you, right before the Witch Queen returned to flesh? Right before we..." His cheeks flush, and he glances to the side. "...In the courtyard with the white roses. What did I say?"
Colette smiles weakly, and reaches for Lennox's hand before it can fully pull away, keeping it in its place on her jaw. "You said I'm all you need. But Len-"
"I meant it, little puppet. As long as I have your trust, I will know that I have hope. No other's opinion matters to me." He leans close to her, resting his forehead against hers with a shaking sigh. His fingers tense a little, showing he's still not completely at ease with this sort of thing - but he's trying, trying so hard, and Colette feels so proud of him for it. "I will earn their trust in time, but until then, please... Please do not make them distrust you, as well."
Colette gives a weak, shaking sigh, and lets her smile grow, become more confident. "I'll try, yeah."
Lennox returns the smile with a soft one of his own. He presses a chaste kiss to the corner of Colette's lips - it's quick, and gentle, and he pulls back immediately after, but she feels the tingle of the contact even after he's gone. "Are you ready to go back?"
"Yeah... Let's go."
