[ ...and then there's new life to him, and he raises his bleeding hand back up—not to touch her, just to do so.
William was getting on his nerves. Resisting him like that—just sleep, you. Let the adults talk. ]
I hate to spoil you, sis, but you followed your promise to the letter. You brought me the eyes brat, and you died the way you should have three years ago: with a bullet through your heart. [ He speaks dryly, like he's just talking about the weather—for him, maybe it is, especially considering how long it's been over and done with.
But his tone gets a little sharper: ] But you came back. That Leonardo kid found you, and you saved your brother from tearing the world apart and dying. You saved the two of us from doing that.
[It's so odd to see them fight like that-- and then it's just him.]
I never promised to die for you! [Because that's the important part of that, stepping back and stumbling a little over Socks, who's darting away to find Benny now.] But if I fulfilled my end, then you have to give me my brother back! That was the deal!
[And she's too tired to keep her emotions within, reflected in the way the plants are growing dark and thorny around the room, leaning closer as if it protect her from the King of Despair; they're brambles now, not a flower petal in sight, and she'll be more upset about that later.]
The deal was never really on the table to begin with, sister. You know that, don't you?
[ In your heart of hearts. He smiles wide, stepping forward—he doesn't care about the thorns, a little pain never hurt anyone. It's not really him who'll be suffering with this later. It's sweet William, struggling despite his fatigue.
What a troublesome pair of twins, but that's what they've always been, isn't it. A thorn in his side. ]
I never planned to give this body back. Why would I, when it's the only way I can truly die, and when it has such useful abilities? Finding someone else to make a deal with, who'd be so willing to take me in... well, that's harder than it looks. Not everyone is so desperate to give up everything for the sake of a single person. [ He steps closer still, grabbing at a flower that ducks in his way and ripping it off its stem. Don't bother him, Empatheias. He's mocking someone very important to him right now. ] Even now, he's ready to do that. "Don't deny the world you'll be living in from now on" or whatever that crap was—he'd do it anyway, because he wants you by his side more than anything else.
[ It'd be romantic, if they weren't siblings. Maybe it still is, in that twisted way. Humans are so... ]
[The thorns are going to wrap around him to stop his progress -- but they're careful enough not to scrape the body he's in, focusing on clothing.]
Will's stronger than that! He always has been! And-- and just because we have each other here, like we used to back home, [home home, not that cursed city,] doesn't mean that he won't be able to do just that if something happens to me!
[Because she trusts him to be able to do that -- he's strong and kind, brave and noble, he's everything she can't be and so much more. If anyone could let go of the past, it'd be him. He just needs a little push.
... And if that push is her dying, then fine. She's been a lost cause for years, hasn't she? Ever since that day she became connected to the barrier.
White's lifting her chin a little more defiantly now, even if there's still tears coming down her cheeks. The thorns'll get tighter too.]
I'll find a way to get rid of you. I'll save my brother without your help, and you're gonna regret breaking your deal with me.
[ He hisses, more from being restrained than any actual pain. ]
I've never regretted a single thing in all my years, Mary Macbeth, and I'm not going to start now. [ Not the entire truth—he has regretted before, he regrets being fucking immortal, but that's not really something either of them can help. ] Do your best, sis, but I'm warning you now that it won't come without cost.
Me and him, why, we're closer than kin at this point.
[So if one of them died, then the other would too. Just like her and the barrier.]
... There's gotta be a way. I won't let you take him from me. Not again.
[And she'll take a few steps back, resting against the banister of the stairs as she stares at him, speaking evenly; there's a coldness in the air and her tone, words coming out with puffs of white vapor.]
[ —and Black stares back at her, obvious in the way he looks from her to the thorns, to his hand; he pulls it close to his chest, curling it into a fist, and closes his eyes. ]
I'm sorry I'm so weak, White.
[ He sounds it, too. He's tired of not being able to wrestle control properly thanks to the agreement he and that guy had made, he's tired of hurting her without his consent, he's tired of... a lot of things. ]
[She mimics the action unknowingly, a phantom pain in her heart, and she studies him for a moment just to be sure that it's totally her brother before she moves forward again, the thorns parting and blossoming again.]
You're not, Black. You're a lot stronger than you think you are.
[But she won't slump against him like she wants to. Instead, White simply takes his injured hand and turns it over, smiling slightly. Tiredly. Maybe she can get someone to teach her how to heal...]
You're just also clumsy and stupid. I'll get you a band-aid if you get me something to eat. Okay?
[ He can do that. He opens his eyes again, smiles at her, and shuffles back to the kitchen—his flowers wave at White when he does so, and Benny comes scampering back with Socks
oh
oh they. missed it. well. She's going to follow White anyway, whining softly. She missed her. ]
[... It's so, so normal again, and that's surreal. White looks down at Benny, trying for her name, and kneels down once she's got it. Up you go, doggy!!]
I missed you too, Benny. [Well, she would've if she remembered anything about this place.] I'm glad you've been taking care of my brother and-- Socks!
[exCUSE, Socks has landed on her shoulders, he loves her and missed her too!!]
... I've missed you both so much.
[... Okay, let's go get her stupid brother a bandage and sit in the kitchen while he makes food.]
[ He's working on something easy—just reheating soup, honestly, and he tilts his head at her when she comes in. There's glass on the table, so watch out, it... was just water, so he's not in too much of a hurry to wipe it up. ]
I hope you don't mind leftovers?
[ ...it's painfully normal, and he stirs the soup a little faster; he's still on pins and needles, but it doesn't seem like anything else is going to happen. ]
[... Leftovers might be better than anything new, anyway, and she'll settle down with Benny and Socks, setting the bandage away from the glass.]
Did you celebrate our Verensversary without me, or can I buy a cake?
[Because she knows it's a different day than she left -- even the... weird time thing back home aside, she left the day before, it's gotta be different. Just like how their "normal" is different now.
... At least Black didn't ask what happened after he went out. Or about the deal. But it's probably just something he's waiting to trap her in.]
[ How cruel, that you'd think him possible of that. ]
It completely slipped my mind, actually, so buy away. [ It... didn't slip his mind at all, he sort of forced it out because he didn't want to celebrate it practically alone. ] Just the two of us, okay? I like our friends, but... it seems a little silly to have a big party over something like this.
[ He'll pause in stirring to grab the bandage and fix himself up, returning to the soup and, once he's sure it's reheated perfectly, ladling it out into two bowls and setting them on the table.
Black glances at the glass and water, fingers hovering slightly off of his bowl, and he goes to search for the hand towel they definitely have in their kitchen and that he didn't forget to take down from the laundry line. ]
...There's some things we should talk about [ it's not much of trapping if he's warning her ahead of time, really ] but I'll let you come out with them yourself.
[... No, it's even more trapping if he tells her ahead of time, just for a different reason. Benny gets put down and Socks is tapped off the table, though she pets them with her bare feet anyway.]
It doesn't matter anymore.
[She should really, really be more open with Black, she knows that -- it's bad to be more open with someone you've known less than a year than your own family, but about this? It's been... it's been necessary, she tries to convince herself, and now that it's over and doesn't matter he doesn't need to know anyway.]
It does. [ He looks at her over his shoulder, then goes back to looking for their towel. It's here somewhere, isn't it? ] ...As long as the King of Despair is in me, it matters. As long as there's a chance Leonardo could come back, it matters. I don't want what happened at home to happen here, White.
[ Something sparks in him and he freezes—then shoves it back down, swallowing hard. There, the towel. He stands back up, shuffling over to clean up his mess. ]
I know that's connected to him, I just... don't know entirely where you fit in.
[The soup's already colder because of her emotions, but she doesn't care, she'll eat it anyway.
There's definitely no escaping this. Black might be patient and wait for her to come out about it herself, but she's not leaving this table without things being answered and talked over.
It's quiet when she finally speaks up.]
... After you made your deal with him, I made a deal with him too: that I'd do anything he asked, as long as he gave you back to me. Part of what he asked of me was about Leo's eyes -- the All-Seeing Eyes of the Gods. I was told to look out for them, and when I found them... to keep them close for when he needed them.
[For his... whatever.]
And when that was done, he'd return you to me. I thought-- I thought you were gone forever, after he took you over the first time, so--
[The bowl's cracking in her anxiety and she purses her lips, watching the soup leak out. That's all there is to it though.]
... So when he asked, [let her have that hand towel,] I took Leo to that church in the graveyard and waited until he arrived.
[Betrayed Leo's trust. His friendship. All she'd wanted to do was be his friend -- to have fun with him, to talk to him every day, to forget that she was hospital-bound for some reason or another. But it was harder day by day to ignore the fact she didn't have her brother entirely too.]
[ He's quiet while she explains, handing off the towel when she reaches for it; he's pursing his lips all the while, thinking it through, and when he catches a hint of irritated amusement he sighs and sits across from her. ]
Is that all... [ Like it's no big deal—but it is, and he's just... preparing himself. ] And then he used them to find the barriers, I assume, and then... okay.
[ Okay. ]
Don't talk to him again, okay? [ Like you can stop it. ] I'm going to take some precautions so nothing bad can happen to you or anyone else here. [ Because that worked the first time, eh, brother? ] Silver already knows, so I think the next step is probably to tell the Enforcers—
[ So you can get kicked out of it? Who's after that, Tsukiyama-san?
Black freezes with his spoon halfway to his lips; he sets it back down, folding his hands on the table, and looks at White. ]
...Never mind. I'm not sure even telling people about him would help. [ There's a chuckle in his mind, and he swallows hard. ] I just... I don't know. I don't want anyone to get hurt again, White. Not you, not anyone here, not the world back home... but I don't know what to do.
[She's quiet, too, looking at the bowl in front of her instead of anywhere else.]
Telling people helps. [Then, more hesitantly:] I told Silver everything a while back, actually. About all of that.
[Because it was part of her strategy to try and dissuade him from wanting to be close to her -- it didn't work, seeing as they're still dating for... for months, now. Because he trusts her even after all of that.]
He... and Junko are the only ones that know.
[...]
I think it's a good idea to tell your co-workers. They'll know to look out for anything suspicious, and that way if something does happen they'll already be aware that it wasn't you who caused it.
[Let's move off that Junko thing Fast.]
And if there's someone else you trust, you should tell them too. But he isn't going to get what he wants here, [because dying doesn't work out,] and... I'm not working with him anymore, since our deal's off. That's why I said it didn't matter.
[White's not sure, either, but that doesn't matter. She's gonna take her brother's hand and squeeze it.]
It'll be okay. He... won't let you get into serious trouble anyway, since he needs your body.
[Isn't that right?]
And there's no way I'd like them take away your feelings or crystal or anything like that. Your sister's a representative, you know? I have some amount of power. If worst comes to worst, I'll protect you, just like I used to.
[When she got over herself, anyway, and kicked the asses of his bullies. She'll try for a smile now, even if it's more than a little tired and she can feel the air around her press down with the weight of her words. Could she really?]
...You shouldn't have to protect your big brother, [ he replies after a long moment, squeezing her hand back. ] Mom and Dad told me to take care of you before they disappeared into the barrier.
[ Some help he's been. (He's been trying his best to keep her safe.) ]
But... okay. Sorry. I wish I were stronger, White. [ Again, forever, always— ] Are you tired? You must be, you should... rest for now. Take a few days off. It won't hurt.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
2/2
William was getting on his nerves. Resisting him like that—just sleep, you. Let the adults talk. ]
I hate to spoil you, sis, but you followed your promise to the letter. You brought me the eyes brat, and you died the way you should have three years ago: with a bullet through your heart. [ He speaks dryly, like he's just talking about the weather—for him, maybe it is, especially considering how long it's been over and done with.
But his tone gets a little sharper: ] But you came back. That Leonardo kid found you, and you saved your brother from tearing the world apart and dying. You saved the two of us from doing that.
[ He isn't happy about it. ]
Why can't you just leave things be, Mary Macbeth?
no subject
I never promised to die for you! [Because that's the important part of that, stepping back and stumbling a little over Socks, who's darting away to find Benny now.] But if I fulfilled my end, then you have to give me my brother back! That was the deal!
[And she's too tired to keep her emotions within, reflected in the way the plants are growing dark and thorny around the room, leaning closer as if it protect her from the King of Despair; they're brambles now, not a flower petal in sight, and she'll be more upset about that later.]
no subject
[ In your heart of hearts. He smiles wide, stepping forward—he doesn't care about the thorns, a little pain never hurt anyone. It's not really him who'll be suffering with this later. It's sweet William, struggling despite his fatigue.
What a troublesome pair of twins, but that's what they've always been, isn't it. A thorn in his side. ]
I never planned to give this body back. Why would I, when it's the only way I can truly die, and when it has such useful abilities? Finding someone else to make a deal with, who'd be so willing to take me in... well, that's harder than it looks. Not everyone is so desperate to give up everything for the sake of a single person. [ He steps closer still, grabbing at a flower that ducks in his way and ripping it off its stem. Don't bother him, Empatheias. He's mocking someone very important to him right now. ] Even now, he's ready to do that. "Don't deny the world you'll be living in from now on" or whatever that crap was—he'd do it anyway, because he wants you by his side more than anything else.
[ It'd be romantic, if they weren't siblings. Maybe it still is, in that twisted way. Humans are so... ]
no subject
[The thorns are going to wrap around him to stop his progress -- but they're careful enough not to scrape the body he's in, focusing on clothing.]
Will's stronger than that! He always has been! And-- and just because we have each other here, like we used to back home, [home home, not that cursed city,] doesn't mean that he won't be able to do just that if something happens to me!
[Because she trusts him to be able to do that -- he's strong and kind, brave and noble, he's everything she can't be and so much more. If anyone could let go of the past, it'd be him. He just needs a little push.
... And if that push is her dying, then fine. She's been a lost cause for years, hasn't she? Ever since that day she became connected to the barrier.
White's lifting her chin a little more defiantly now, even if there's still tears coming down her cheeks. The thorns'll get tighter too.]
I'll find a way to get rid of you. I'll save my brother without your help, and you're gonna regret breaking your deal with me.
no subject
I've never regretted a single thing in all my years, Mary Macbeth, and I'm not going to start now. [ Not the entire truth—he has regretted before, he regrets being fucking immortal, but that's not really something either of them can help. ] Do your best, sis, but I'm warning you now that it won't come without cost.
Me and him, why, we're closer than kin at this point.
no subject
... There's gotta be a way. I won't let you take him from me. Not again.
[And she'll take a few steps back, resting against the banister of the stairs as she stares at him, speaking evenly; there's a coldness in the air and her tone, words coming out with puffs of white vapor.]
Give him back control.
1/2
Instead of moving, he just raises his hand, finger pointed like a gun— ]
Bang.
no subject
I'm sorry I'm so weak, White.
[ He sounds it, too. He's tired of not being able to wrestle control properly thanks to the agreement he and that guy had made, he's tired of hurting her without his consent, he's tired of... a lot of things. ]
no subject
You're not, Black. You're a lot stronger than you think you are.
[But she won't slump against him like she wants to. Instead, White simply takes his injured hand and turns it over, smiling slightly. Tiredly. Maybe she can get someone to teach her how to heal...]
You're just also clumsy and stupid. I'll get you a band-aid if you get me something to eat. Okay?
no subject
[ He can do that. He opens his eyes again, smiles at her, and shuffles back to the kitchen—his flowers wave at White when he does so, and Benny comes scampering back with Socks
oh
oh they. missed it. well. She's going to follow White anyway, whining softly. She missed her. ]
no subject
I missed you too, Benny. [Well, she would've if she remembered anything about this place.] I'm glad you've been taking care of my brother and-- Socks!
[exCUSE, Socks has landed on her shoulders, he loves her and missed her too!!]
... I've missed you both so much.
[... Okay, let's go get her stupid brother a bandage and sit in the kitchen while he makes food.]
no subject
I hope you don't mind leftovers?
[ ...it's painfully normal, and he stirs the soup a little faster; he's still on pins and needles, but it doesn't seem like anything else is going to happen. ]
no subject
[... Leftovers might be better than anything new, anyway, and she'll settle down with Benny and Socks, setting the bandage away from the glass.]
Did you celebrate our Verensversary without me, or can I buy a cake?
[Because she knows it's a different day than she left -- even the... weird time thing back home aside, she left the day before, it's gotta be different. Just like how their "normal" is different now.
... At least Black didn't ask what happened after he went out. Or about the deal. But it's probably just something he's waiting to trap her in.]
no subject
It completely slipped my mind, actually, so buy away. [ It... didn't slip his mind at all, he sort of forced it out because he didn't want to celebrate it practically alone. ] Just the two of us, okay? I like our friends, but... it seems a little silly to have a big party over something like this.
[ He'll pause in stirring to grab the bandage and fix himself up, returning to the soup and, once he's sure it's reheated perfectly, ladling it out into two bowls and setting them on the table.
Black glances at the glass and water, fingers hovering slightly off of his bowl, and he goes to search for the hand towel they definitely have in their kitchen and that he didn't forget to take down from the laundry line. ]
...There's some things we should talk about [ it's not much of trapping if he's warning her ahead of time, really ] but I'll let you come out with them yourself.
no subject
It doesn't matter anymore.
[She should really, really be more open with Black, she knows that -- it's bad to be more open with someone you've known less than a year than your own family, but about this? It's been... it's been necessary, she tries to convince herself, and now that it's over and doesn't matter he doesn't need to know anyway.]
no subject
[ Something sparks in him and he freezes—then shoves it back down, swallowing hard. There, the towel. He stands back up, shuffling over to clean up his mess. ]
I know that's connected to him, I just... don't know entirely where you fit in.
no subject
There's definitely no escaping this. Black might be patient and wait for her to come out about it herself, but she's not leaving this table without things being answered and talked over.
It's quiet when she finally speaks up.]
... After you made your deal with him, I made a deal with him too: that I'd do anything he asked, as long as he gave you back to me. Part of what he asked of me was about Leo's eyes -- the All-Seeing Eyes of the Gods. I was told to look out for them, and when I found them... to keep them close for when he needed them.
[For his... whatever.]
And when that was done, he'd return you to me. I thought-- I thought you were gone forever, after he took you over the first time, so--
[The bowl's cracking in her anxiety and she purses her lips, watching the soup leak out. That's all there is to it though.]
... So when he asked, [let her have that hand towel,] I took Leo to that church in the graveyard and waited until he arrived.
[Betrayed Leo's trust. His friendship. All she'd wanted to do was be his friend -- to have fun with him, to talk to him every day, to forget that she was hospital-bound for some reason or another. But it was harder day by day to ignore the fact she didn't have her brother entirely too.]
no subject
Is that all... [ Like it's no big deal—but it is, and he's just... preparing himself. ] And then he used them to find the barriers, I assume, and then... okay.
[ Okay. ]
Don't talk to him again, okay? [ Like you can stop it. ] I'm going to take some precautions so nothing bad can happen to you or anyone else here. [ Because that worked the first time, eh, brother? ] Silver already knows, so I think the next step is probably to tell the Enforcers—
[ So you can get kicked out of it? Who's after that, Tsukiyama-san?
Black freezes with his spoon halfway to his lips; he sets it back down, folding his hands on the table, and looks at White. ]
...Never mind. I'm not sure even telling people about him would help. [ There's a chuckle in his mind, and he swallows hard. ] I just... I don't know. I don't want anyone to get hurt again, White. Not you, not anyone here, not the world back home... but I don't know what to do.
no subject
Telling people helps. [Then, more hesitantly:] I told Silver everything a while back, actually. About all of that.
[Because it was part of her strategy to try and dissuade him from wanting to be close to her -- it didn't work, seeing as they're still dating for... for months, now. Because he trusts her even after all of that.]
He... and Junko are the only ones that know.
[...]
I think it's a good idea to tell your co-workers. They'll know to look out for anything suspicious, and that way if something does happen they'll already be aware that it wasn't you who caused it.
[Let's move off that Junko thing Fast.]
And if there's someone else you trust, you should tell them too. But he isn't going to get what he wants here, [because dying doesn't work out,] and... I'm not working with him anymore, since our deal's off. That's why I said it didn't matter.
[She'll find a way to save him herself.]
no subject
I'll... think about it. My co-workers, sure, but anyone else, I... [ ... ] There's no one else, really, I guess.
[ He hates lying to his sister, and his eyes aren't on her when he says it. ]
I'm not sure how they'd punish him without punishing me, is the thing. I'm scared, White. [ A weak laugh. ] There's no way they could.
no subject
It'll be okay. He... won't let you get into serious trouble anyway, since he needs your body.
[Isn't that right?]
And there's no way I'd like them take away your feelings or crystal or anything like that. Your sister's a representative, you know? I have some amount of power. If worst comes to worst, I'll protect you, just like I used to.
[When she got over herself, anyway, and kicked the asses of his bullies. She'll try for a smile now, even if it's more than a little tired and she can feel the air around her press down with the weight of her words. Could she really?]
Okay?
no subject
[ Some help he's been. (He's been trying his best to keep her safe.) ]
But... okay. Sorry. I wish I were stronger, White. [ Again, forever, always— ] Are you tired? You must be, you should... rest for now. Take a few days off. It won't hurt.