[ Nikolai nods when Onni says he will take him down if he breaks out. It's a terrible thing to ask of him, but there's no other choice. ]
Thank you.
[ He lets Onni take charge, then, holding out each scarred hand in turn, then lying down so Onni could secure his ankles as well. The chains are cold even through the fabric of his shirt and socks. Nikolai does his best to control his breathing, even when all of his limbs are secured. He gives a few tugs - gently at first, and then harder, testing the strength of the restraints. Each of the padlocks has its own key, and he watches as Onni snaps each one shut and then tucks its key away. ]
Across my chest. Those ones.
[ He gestures with a nod to some chains he'd bolted into the floor, wide enough that they could be criss-crossed over his torso. ]
But- not too tight, please. Or I won't be able to breathe.
[ Nikolai lets his head fall back, eyes closed, not wanting to watch as Onni secures the final restraints. The alcohol he'd chugged is hitting him fast. It's possible he shouldn't have had quite so much. The intoxication and exhaustion and humiliation of all this are making it much harder for him to keep a straight face. Nikolai keeps his eyes shut, resolutely ignoring the heat building behind them. He is absolutely not going to do something silly like start to cry. ]
I don't have any magic. Or any gods.
[ He definitely should not have said that. His voice wavers too much, gives him away. This is why Nikolai does not get drunk around other people. It makes it much too hard to censor himself and carefully craft his words into the correct ones. ]
People pray to saints, in Ravka. Only the problem is, there's a girl I know. People thought she was a saint. They prayed to her. But she's just a person. She hated it so much that she pretended to die so she could get away from it.
[ Nikolai wonders what Alina would think, if she could see him like this. Drunk and choking back tears, rambling in such an unguarded way to someone he's only just met. He's not sure if she would laugh or snap at him to pull himself together. ]
And there are people who think the man who did this to me is a saint. They pray to him. So I'd say I'm better off without any saints.
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Thank you.
[ He lets Onni take charge, then, holding out each scarred hand in turn, then lying down so Onni could secure his ankles as well. The chains are cold even through the fabric of his shirt and socks. Nikolai does his best to control his breathing, even when all of his limbs are secured. He gives a few tugs - gently at first, and then harder, testing the strength of the restraints. Each of the padlocks has its own key, and he watches as Onni snaps each one shut and then tucks its key away. ]
Across my chest. Those ones.
[ He gestures with a nod to some chains he'd bolted into the floor, wide enough that they could be criss-crossed over his torso. ]
But- not too tight, please. Or I won't be able to breathe.
[ Nikolai lets his head fall back, eyes closed, not wanting to watch as Onni secures the final restraints. The alcohol he'd chugged is hitting him fast. It's possible he shouldn't have had quite so much. The intoxication and exhaustion and humiliation of all this are making it much harder for him to keep a straight face. Nikolai keeps his eyes shut, resolutely ignoring the heat building behind them. He is absolutely not going to do something silly like start to cry. ]
I don't have any magic. Or any gods.
[ He definitely should not have said that. His voice wavers too much, gives him away. This is why Nikolai does not get drunk around other people. It makes it much too hard to censor himself and carefully craft his words into the correct ones. ]
People pray to saints, in Ravka. Only the problem is, there's a girl I know. People thought she was a saint. They prayed to her. But she's just a person. She hated it so much that she pretended to die so she could get away from it.
[ Nikolai wonders what Alina would think, if she could see him like this. Drunk and choking back tears, rambling in such an unguarded way to someone he's only just met. He's not sure if she would laugh or snap at him to pull himself together. ]
And there are people who think the man who did this to me is a saint. They pray to him. So I'd say I'm better off without any saints.