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[power_of_yes]

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[power_of_yes]

"No, no. I mean the secular definition of Sloth itself," he says, but he doesn't protest it farther than that. He just stills his pencil for a moment, surprised at even the mention of a higher power. Most people avoid the subject, even if Warren's not speaking to his own thoughts.

"An interesting redemption."

[questionsonly]

His eyebrows flicker up at the answer.

"An interesting take," he says back, "not that it doesn't make sense. I don't come off like a man who believes in God."

But he shakes that off.

"Took about two and a half years."

[power_of_yes]

"Not long, in the grand scheme of things," he comments, not looking up. And does not talk about Warren believing in God.

There's believing in God and there's - what John does. What John is. Their religion is distinct. Different.

"Why a warden? Why stay?"

[questionsonly]

That kind of belief was how he believed in Marcus Cutter.

And he's not talking about that now. Not yet.

"Because being a warden is the only reason I chose to be here at all. I accepted an offer to be an inmate. To live. Because it meant I could get back the only thing worth living for. If I hadn't?

I would have been content. to stay dead."

[power_of_yes]

He hums softly. "All of this hardly seems worth it," he comments. "But I would do it for my brothers, I suppose. If they needed it."

No one else. No thing else. There is nothing in John's life worth this turmoil save Joseph and Jacob.

[questionsonly]

He nods. Just. nods.

"Exactly. Maxwell. The one this is for?

"She's all the family I have. All I'd ever need."

And he's getting her back. For him? For them. For her.

[power_of_yes]

And that's when John feels something for him that he hasn't felt for anyone else aboard - genuine pity. While John would do what he could to save his brothers, it would be under duress. It wouldn't be something he would want. Furthermore, he doesn't believe it would be something that Joseph or Jacob would want from him.

To be put in that position would be actual hell for John. At least in this way, he can dig his feet in and not progress because he doesn't have to.

"Ah," he says softly. "And then what? When you have her back?"

[questionsonly]

"How does a blind man know what he wants to see?"

He tilts his head with a faint smile at John.

"I have ideas. But. Nothing solid until she's back. The three of us? We're a unit. When we're complete? We decide."

[power_of_yes]

Always three, he thinks but doesn't say.

He doesn't even ask about the other - it's not exactly a secret. John's been in his cabin, he's seen the sweatshirts that are definitely not in Warren's wardrobe draped across the back of chairs. He's seen the posts. He doesn't have to guess. There are people he pays attention to and the two other lawyers are in his periphery.

"A unit has to have a leader," he tells him instead. "So who is it? You?"

[questionsonly]

"Me," he says with a dip of his head.

"Colonel Warren Kepler," he adds, as he hasn't used his title much before. "Paramilitary. Head of Strategic Intelligence. And the leader of our group."

He's reasonably certain that even after Jacobi graduates, even with the two of them in a relationship, he's still more than likely going to be somewhat in charge.

[power_of_yes]

John nods. "My brother Jacob's the only one of us with any rank, but it's Joseph who leads us. He'll always lead us. He found us, brought the three of us back together after we were scattered." He makes idle marks on the side of his new page, just small doodles as he speaks.

[questionsonly]

"I found them," he says with a dip of his head, "recruited them. Made us... us."

But he doesn't lean any further into it. Doesn't ask about his brothers. Doesn't try to push on how they're similar. He just answers, and leans back with his eyes closed.

[power_of_yes]

John nods. "Then it's only right you should put in the work to bring everyone together again, isn't it?" he wonders, making it sound like a question, even though it isn't. Even though it sounds - almost accusatory.

[questionsonly]

He actually smiles, just a little. And he nods.

"Iris offered me the deal. For my graduation." And he shakes his head then. "But you're right. It's my responsibility. No one else's."

[power_of_yes]

John seems to settle at that because - yes. It is his. And not John's.

"No," he says. "No you needed to work for it on your own."

[questionsonly]

"Not everyone gets that," he says with a dip of his head. But it doesn't seem like he's going to say anything else. Or like he needs them to keep talking. Not closed off, just... fine with silence.

[power_of_yes]

He's also happy with the silence and fills it with another batch of doodles until he gets bored, gets hungry, and starts to clean up. He's currently fasting through breakfast and lunch (though he considered the cookie a gift rather than food), but he can focus on other things.

[questionsonly]

Warren will sit up once he starts cleaning up.

"I'm going to lock up since it's getting later but... far as I'm concerned, your time is your own now. I've... got somewhere to be."

[power_of_yes]

His relief is absolutely evident and he sighs. "I'll go back. It's not good if I'm out and about since it seems like wardens don't want to really see my face."

He gives him a nod. "Thank you."

[questionsonly]

"Seems like an all right face," he says with a shrug, "and it's always welcome around here."

But that's all he's going to say about it.

"Have a good evening, Mister Seed."