soulager | (no subject)

[ When Mira had asked Zelos to meet him at the garden after everyone had went to their rooms for the night, he had a feeling he knew what it was about. Even if she was fairly good at concealing what she was feeling when it mattered, it was pretty obvious that she was at least a little spooked by the motive. Not that he blamed her. It was enough to put anyone on edge.

He's gotta wonder why she asked him to meet him so late, though. They'd flirted pretty regularly, but she had to have had someone else she could've talked to, someone that she actually trusted more, right?

Though that was probably the point of this. It was probably a good thing that machine popped out that sword with the black blade a few weeks back, he guesses. ]

Hey. [ The door slides closed as he heads up by where Mira's waiting, giving her a small wave. ] Sorry, normally I don't like to keep a lady waiting. I was waiting for the lounge to clear out.

[ It's not like she hasn't been out late before. She has a bad habit of not really caring what happens to herself; that lack of self-preservation's been called out by more people than she'd like to admit. Honestly, she's pretty surprised she hasn't been a victim yet. It's some kind of luck she's got, and she...

She doesn't really consider it the best of luck. If she didn't know any better, she'd wager a guess that the gods were laughing at her. Her gods, specifically. And speaking of-- the motive. It's got her pretty messed up, and even now when she thinks about it, her chest tightens.

No matter what path she looks down, she's doomed. So...

... well, even so, she kind of wishes he hadn't come. Her heart drops even as she returns the wave. ]

Ah, don't worry about it. [ She forces a smile. It's painfully obvious. ] I'm actually kind of surprised you came.

[ She doesn't sound happy about it. ]

[ If Zelos notices how unhappy she sounds or how obviously forced that smile is, he makes no visible indication of it. He keeps his smirk on his face, far more practiced than hers is, as he pushes some of his red hair behind his shoulder. ]

How could I ever turn a request down from one of my hunnies? When the ladies call, it's my job to answer. [ beat ] Besides, I'd never be able to forgive myself if I left you hanging.

[ He does mean that, compared to how he probably sounds. She really probably shouldn't be alone, even if he knows why she's even asked him here in the first place.

Ah, but maybe he's wrong. Guess he'll just have to wait and see. ]

[ It's frustrating how she can't read him--a part of her wishes she had her powers, if just to see how he really feels. She's painfully transparent most of the time, but Zelos...

She just doesn't know. She wishes she did, especially because...

Nevermind. It doesn't matter, she tells herself. It shouldn't. She takes a breath and lets it out. ]

Don't tell me you're about to lecture me for being out so late.

[ She's trying to keep her tone light, but the dagger in her ever-present bag is so, so heavy. ]

[ He chuckles. ]

I could, if I really wanted to. But I know that you know the risk of coming out here alone already, so I don't think I exactly need to.

[ He glances down and catches sight of the bag for a split moment, before looking back up. ]

So, what did you need from me, my darling Mira?

Edited 2021-01-30 06:20 (UTC)

[ The longer this stretches on, the more she loses her nerve. And she's pretty sure he knows already, anyway.

She doesn't miss that glance. ]

I just-- [ There's no subtle way to do this. She's not nearly that good. Her hand slips into the bag, curls around the handle of the knife. ] --wasn't sure I wanted to be alone tonight.

I understand. I'm happy to spend as much time with you as you need.

[ He can tell how nervous she is. He doesn't blame her. He might, too, if he was in the same position as her. But he'd know what he had to do, much like he assumes she knows what she's going to do.

So that's why when she starts moving to pull the knife out of the bag, a gloved hand shoots out and wraps around her wrist before he sees the blade. His grip isn't tight in the slighest, just enough to stop her movement.

He doesn't lose that smile the whole time. ]

Why don't we sit down? It's easier to talk that way.

[ Well, if she needed any more confirmation...

She doesn't flinch away from his touch, which surprises even her. Almost immediately, she lets go of it. It feels like she's being pulled in two directions: relief, at his stopping her; dread, that she knows what's going to happen if she doesn't go through with this.

She's dangerously close to not going through with it. Mira stares at him with wide eyes--it's a trapped sort of look. She swallows hard. ]

... Alright. Let's sit.

[ Once she relents, he pulls his hand back. She could always try again, but she should know by now that he'd be able to stop her again if needed. So when she agrees to sit, he nods, motioning to one of the benches.

Once she sits down, he follows suit, crossing his legs as he leans back slightly. He doesn't say anything right away, instead taking the time to watch her and occasionally glancing at her bag. ]

So. [ Once he breaks the silence, pushing his hair back. ] Why don't we start from the beginning, then?

[ Each time he looks at the bag, she gets even more keyed up. She knows she doesn't stand a chance against him now that the element of surprise is completely shot. She's not... actually disappointed. Upset, yes, if just because-- well. Of course they had to give out that motive.

What she feels most of all is shame. She doesn't know if she wants to unpack that.

So-- the bag. Mira watches him, too. And then she drops it on the floor and kicks it far enough away that neither of them can reach it. It buys her a little time to not have to answer his question, but... She glances away from him as she fidgets with the hem of her shirt. ]

... The beginning of what, exactly?

[ As she asks, she stares at nothing in particular--definitely not at him. She feels afloat at sea, just barely treading water and not entirely sure where to start, because she's never been good at talking about herself or her past. Especially her past. ]

[ He can tell she's stalling. He can feel it from a mile away. Zelos knows that she probably feels cornered now, and that actually makes her more dangerous, to some degree. He's pretty confident that he'd be able to stop her, but he might surprise her yet. But he's not looking to act out on any sort of motive, so he'd rather not do anything rash. ]

Come now, hunny. [ He grins, his voice as even as ever, like nothing's wrong. ] I'd consider it only reasonable to hear why someone like yourself seemingly has it out for someone like me.

[ It wouldn't be the first time. ]

[ It's the grin that really gets to her. Mira knows she's too open with her feelings sometimes; she's a terrible liar. She wishes she could be better, sometimes, especially when she's showing too much.

Like now, when her face falls entirely. She buries her face in her hands. ]

It's not-- [ Her voice is muffled, but she doesn't want to show him that she's crying. Stupid. He can surely hear it in her voice, the way it shakes, and see it in the way her shoulders tremble. ] I don't know why it was you.

[ She sort of... curls into herself. It's tempting to keep hiding her face, but she wants to look at him when she says it. Even if she's crying. ]

I'm... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[ To his credit, Zelos' demeanor shifts the instant it seems like she's crying. His grin is replaced with a more worried look. ]

Whoa, whoa. Hey.

[ He uncrosses his legs and shifts closer to her, a hand awkwardly going to her back and rubbing small circles in attempts to console her. Goddess, he was awful at this. ]

You didn't do anything wrong. You have nothing to apologize for.

[ Awkward as the touch might be, it helps... and also makes her feel a little worse. She's really not cut out for this--for a half-baked plan that had fallen apart the moment he'd caught on. Maybe he'd known from the moment she'd asked him to meet her.

She shouldn't have even tried. She hasn't even done anything, and she has so many regrets. ]

I was going to. [ She wipes at her eyes, unable to look at him. ] That motive, it-- I haven't stopped thinking about it.

[ Which explains why she's barely been around this week, aside from a couple of times... ]

That bad, huh?

[ It was pretty obvious that it had affected her more than the others, that much was clear. He'd tried to gently ask about it at some point in the week, to try to be at least a little supportive in his own, stupid way, but she stayed withdrawn. He couldn't blame her, honestly. Not like he'd be able to talk about it if he ever got to that point. ]

I take it that it's something you really don't want to happen if you don't go through with it, then?

[ She nods. She'd called him out here, so the least she could do is tell him. ]

It's a long story. Back in my world, I'm involved in something that, if the gods have their way-- it'll end with me as a vessel for a goddess.

[ She finally looks at him. ]

I wouldn't-- I won't be myself anymore.

[ And just like that, it's like all the air left the room. Zelos knew it had to be pretty serious for someone like Mira to consider killing, but this...

Well. If Mira gets anything out of this, she'll see him genuinely unnerved by what she's said, if she looks quick enough. Probably more so than what would be considered a normal reaction. ]

Seriously?

[ It's only sort of rhetorical. He knows she's not. Not that he's told her about anything that the role of the Chosen is supposed to do, that Colette is meant to do, but... part of him can't help but wonder if this is all just some big prank. That somehow she found out, and is trying to get him to do... something. But what? What's the point of this? What's the point of any of this? ]

So by killing me, you'd be able to save yourself from the fate your gods have lined up for you.

[ If this was any more ironic, that pit in his stomach would be made of metal. ]

Edited 2021-04-11 23:31 (UTC)

[ She doesn't miss it. It's sort of alarming, actually, how he reacts. It's not that she thinks him incapable of it, it's just-- there's something deeper there. She'd figured as much, and of course it had to be now when she cracks those walls of his.

Instead of feeling satisfied about that, though, she looks about as miserable as she feels. ]

Yes. I don't see any way out of it. [ She swallows hard. ] This was my only chance, really, to change things. But I can't-- It's not worth it, if it means taking your life.

[ Why had she chosen him, anyway? She has no idea. She can't explain it away in any way beyond the fact that she knew he'd come. Maybe she's showing her hand more than she would otherwise, but... when he's looking at her like that, she feels even more vulnerable, more willing to admit things she usually has trouble putting words to. ]

[ His outward shock dissipates, his face going unreadable as she says the things out loud he's only thought to himself. That there isn't another way out of this. That this was the only way she could change things. That he had to die for it.

He sits there, quietly staring at her for a little while, trying to decide what the next course of action should be. He should probably get up and just leave, right? It was clear she'd given up the will to go through with it on her own. But even so, knowing what faces her back home... and what little faces him...

Without a word, Zelos gets up, shifting the sheath with the blade that he'd gotten from the vending machine. He draws it slightly, the black blade flashing as it comes into view, as he seemingly mulls something over. After what feels like eons, he twists and walks away towards a random tree that's nearby. His heel digs into the dirt as he draws the sword all the way, wordlessly swinging it in to the trunk a few times. It's a little too precise, too deliberate for him to just be taking his aggression out on the poor thing. ]

[ Her heartbeat is too loud; she can hear it in her ears. She has no intention of taking his life. He could leave now and she wouldn't do anything. And, in fact, that's what she thinks he's going to do when he stands. It's fine, really; the thought of what she'd told him is terrifying, but she's just going to have to live with it. Maybe she can go to another world, somehow, if they make it through this.

She's thinking about what she should, what she can, do when he draws the sword. Mira stiffens, but he's just standing there, and she wishes she knew what he was thinking. Would that matter, though?

That deer-in-headlights look doesn't fade until he turns away and walks over to the tree. Mira watches, stunned, as it clicks, and she gets to her feet to run over and grab the arm that isn't hacking at the tree. ]

What are you doing?!

[ She knows what he's doing, but she doesn't know why. ]

[ The blade digs into the trunk with relative ease with each passing swing. It just goes to show how well made it is, at least until he overestimates his swing and gets it caught a little bit. It's probably for the best, as Mira comes over and grabs his arm.

He tenses at contact, but doesn't stop his movements until he frees the sword from the tree. When he does, though, he goes still again. ]

Do you trust me?

[ He turns and looks down at her. Admittedly, he's not... sure what his reaction will be, regardless of her answer. He guesses it doesn't really matter, either way, does it? ]

I do trust you.

[ Without hesitation. Without looking away from him. She hadn't realized just how much until now, which almost makes her laugh with how absurd that is. Of course when she'd realize that...

But she guesses that's just how things are, sometimes. He really could leave now; she has no intention of going through with her half-formed plan anyway. Instead... ]

Whatever you're thinking, you-- You don't have to.

[ He tenses for just a brief moment, as if her reply froze him in place for a moment. He's not sure why he didn't expect the affirmative from her, of all people, but it... still catches him off guard.

Which only makes him even more sure of this. Her saying no would've yielded the same result, admittedly, but he feels better about it. ]

I think I do, actually.

[ He mumbles it quietly to himself. He looks at Mira, and he sees his sister, he sees Colette... and it brings up years of bad memories and all the things he's done and the lies he's told, and... he's sure that this is what he has to do.

He was basically on the same path before he woke up here, right? The places and names change, but in the end, he's still the same. ]

Then we're getting you out of here. [ He doesn't even acknowledge her second sentence, continuing on. ] They'd never suspect that you'd be able to take me in a fight, so we need to make it look the part.

[ He swings the sword into some nearby shrubs for good measure. ]

You-- you're really serious about this.

[ She stares up at him still. Her voice is barely louder than a whisper, but still loud enough for him to hear, this close. Her hands shake, too, but she doesn't try to hide it. It's not that she hasn't taken someone's life before. It's just--

...

She's not about to unpack that, to sift through her feelings and what they mean. It'd be a waste of time. Besides, what's the point? There is none, she realizes, and there's something about that thought that makes her feel hollow. ]

You know there's no way I can get away with this, right? The trial-- I can't... [ They'll always figure it out. They're smart. And Mira's never been good at deception. ] I can't tell you what to do, and I don't want to. But-- You have to know you'd just be throwing your life away for no good reason.

[ There's no fight in her voice, just resignation. ]

That's fine.

[ His tone is light, despite what he's saying. It's not that he isn't taking it seriously, it's just... he's thought about it for so long that it barely registers as fucked up as it probably is. ]

What matters is what you want to do, Mira. You can still walk away from this.

[ He can chalk the damage up to him taking some much needed aggression out on some nonliving things, the group can chastise him as they normally do, and things can move on. If she's not okay with this, he's not going to push it any further than he already has.

As okay with dying as he is, he'd like her to at least believe she's going to make it out alive. ]

(no subject)

option 2 ;)

here we fuckin go!!

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melts in through the nearest wall

i grip your shoulders

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