Jude
I'll breathe you in like smoke in the backyard light
We used to laugh til we choked, into the wasted nights
Jude, bag now full, squats down and begins petulantly throwing rocks into the nearest empty basket as he shrugs sharply at Melita's question. "Lotta personal stuff, he said. Both my moms disappearing again and feeling useless to help prepare us against whatever might be coming." Or so he'd said - in a letter. Bitterness floods Jude's mouth, making it twist as he looks away from Melita. He nods at Flora's succinct way of putting it; fountains and threats don't exactly jive. We used to laugh til we choked, into the wasted nights
Standing, Jude dusts his hands off on his pants and considers Flora leading. Sohalia was younger and doing a fine job in Stormbreak (even if thinking of her makes him doubly as sick) so why not honestly? "And why not try even if you weren't 100% interested? Everyone and their mom has tried leading Torchline at some point." Including his mom. Well, one of them. Jude must hold some sort of world record for the amount of parents to disappear on them at this point.
Mel's not-so-subtle allusion to doing something else makes Jude's eyes widen slightly, and he turns them on Flora. "Would we...need to do something else? Won't Hadama just let you do it? You already ran once." Surely that shows long-term interest and dedication? And though there'd been no other contestants, shouldn't the runner-up of the political race deserve a fair shot at the title?
It was the best time of my life, but now I sleep alone
So please don't wake me up, 'cause my thrill is gone
So please don't wake me up, 'cause my thrill is gone
