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Maybe.
[Kate is...well. That'll cleave her in two if she's not careful.
Except history is repeating itself. Again, and again, and again.]
Right now I'm worried about you.
[Kate is...well. That'll cleave her in two if she's not careful.
Except history is repeating itself. Again, and again, and again.]
Right now I'm worried about you.
[Her head rolls to look down at her. The mood hasn't shifted. It's just sharpened.]
Don't do that. Not tonight.
Don't do that. Not tonight.
[She doesn't want to scare her. Or even scold her. Far from it. Camille purses her lips and that pointed edge softens.]
Ash, you need to let people worry about you sometimes. It's okay if you're not okay.
[Unbidden, her eyes skate up to her hair. Tight braids. She never asked her to undo them. Gale did.
A fierce protectiveness rolls over her. A cutting heartbreak. Then back to the dull despondency.]
...Even if you don't think I'll like the answer. I'd rather hear the truth.
Ash, you need to let people worry about you sometimes. It's okay if you're not okay.
[Unbidden, her eyes skate up to her hair. Tight braids. She never asked her to undo them. Gale did.
A fierce protectiveness rolls over her. A cutting heartbreak. Then back to the dull despondency.]
...Even if you don't think I'll like the answer. I'd rather hear the truth.
[ she stays quiet even longer, mulling over what to say to this. trying to sort out how she feels and then even more difficult: put it into words.
camille hadn't made her unbraid her hair.
... ]
I already know what happens next. What people have to do and that it doesn't work to put it off. [ she just doesn't think anything she could say is going to change that, so. why bother. ]
camille hadn't made her unbraid her hair.
... ]
I already know what happens next. What people have to do and that it doesn't work to put it off. [ she just doesn't think anything she could say is going to change that, so. why bother. ]
[Cruel, cruel, cruel. Camille's throat closes up. Maybe there was still a part of her that wanted it to be a terrible coincidence. That's just not the way this place works.
It's coming for all of them, isn't it? One way or another, they'll be plucked by the collar and dropped off the edge. Makes sense it would start coming for the rest of the kids.]
...Yeah. I know too. [Fuck it. She'll put an arm around her, dragging her close. Turning her cheek to her hair. Ashlyn never is keen on the cuddly stuff, but for now she'll have to humour an old woman. Camille dodges it as much as she can, but if you catch her once she never wants to let go.]
That doesn't mean you have to bear it alone. It's worse if you do. So much worse.
It's coming for all of them, isn't it? One way or another, they'll be plucked by the collar and dropped off the edge. Makes sense it would start coming for the rest of the kids.]
...Yeah. I know too. [Fuck it. She'll put an arm around her, dragging her close. Turning her cheek to her hair. Ashlyn never is keen on the cuddly stuff, but for now she'll have to humour an old woman. Camille dodges it as much as she can, but if you catch her once she never wants to let go.]
That doesn't mean you have to bear it alone. It's worse if you do. So much worse.
[ like always, ashlyn just lets her do this, not really returning the embrace but doing nothing to avoid it. all she does is bow her head, letting her bangs hide her face as much as she can. ]
You already went through it.
[ as herself. and watching kate, today. camille knows every side of this intimately. it feels bad to burden her with anything more. ]
You already went through it.
[ as herself. and watching kate, today. camille knows every side of this intimately. it feels bad to burden her with anything more. ]
I did. So I know what it's like.
And I won't abandon you.
[They'll have a week, at most. One week. Other people are on the trail already, and they've seen the results now. Coddling Kate and trying to suppress her led to an explosion. Killing Camille and bringing her back only prolonged suffering in a different direction.
She wants there to be another way. Badly. She wants to lift Ash on her shoulders so she can climb out of this fucking pit. Run. Far. Get away from this hell.
But if War — Essek was right, there's only one place for them to go. They're all just making the trip on different dates.]
You can always come to me. Okay? No matter how big or how small, or how stupid or awful this thing is. I'll listen. I'll hear you out. I want to hear your side of it, always.
And I won't abandon you.
[They'll have a week, at most. One week. Other people are on the trail already, and they've seen the results now. Coddling Kate and trying to suppress her led to an explosion. Killing Camille and bringing her back only prolonged suffering in a different direction.
She wants there to be another way. Badly. She wants to lift Ash on her shoulders so she can climb out of this fucking pit. Run. Far. Get away from this hell.
But if War — Essek was right, there's only one place for them to go. They're all just making the trip on different dates.]
You can always come to me. Okay? No matter how big or how small, or how stupid or awful this thing is. I'll listen. I'll hear you out. I want to hear your side of it, always.
Edited 2024-07-21 17:27 (UTC)
[ truthfully, ashlyn doesn't really like talking about things that much. she's been doing her best to be communicative (about what she can be) while she's here, because that's what's in everyone's best interests. but it's not as though she enjoys it.
the thought of trying to talk about this whole mess doesn't feel comforting at all.
but. being offered that comfort means something to her. her emotions dip into gratitude, even though there's this clear through-line of paranoid distrust. ]
It doesn't change anything. My side. What I say. It won't change any of it.
the thought of trying to talk about this whole mess doesn't feel comforting at all.
but. being offered that comfort means something to her. her emotions dip into gratitude, even though there's this clear through-line of paranoid distrust. ]
It doesn't change anything. My side. What I say. It won't change any of it.
[sometime after all that mess.]
I'm so sorry for yelling. I've never seen fleas explode before.
I'm so sorry for yelling. I've never seen fleas explode before.
Yeah. [Flinching at the memory.] What I don't get is what the point was. Or who even put it there. It seems a really complex prank to put a swarm of fleas inside some corny looking backpack. Not to mention the effort involved.
What gives?
What gives?
God, I hope not.
[Camille quiets a moment.]
Actually, Ash, I've got a question for you. I don't mean to put you on the spot, but it's important.
[Camille quiets a moment.]
Actually, Ash, I've got a question for you. I don't mean to put you on the spot, but it's important.
[Camille clucks her tongue. It feels strangely nervewracking to broach the subject, no matter the intention.]
I know there's a lot of things that have gone wrong, even before you got here. I don't pretend to understand all of it, but I'm...well.
[She sighs, shrugging. Just rip the bandaid off, come on.]
I was told the wishes can't affect much about how this place works. [Couldn't help Kate. Can't help Ash, not that way.]
I guess I'm wondering, since I've got a wish to burn and no real emergency to use it on, if there's something you wanted instead. For yourself, or someone you know.
I know there's a lot of things that have gone wrong, even before you got here. I don't pretend to understand all of it, but I'm...well.
[She sighs, shrugging. Just rip the bandaid off, come on.]
I was told the wishes can't affect much about how this place works. [Couldn't help Kate. Can't help Ash, not that way.]
I guess I'm wondering, since I've got a wish to burn and no real emergency to use it on, if there's something you wanted instead. For yourself, or someone you know.
[emarges glowing like a firefly, much less crispy than before.]
Ugh!
[splashing uselessly to the shore]
Ugh!
[splashing uselessly to the shore]
[She's hauling herself out clumsily still, reaching for Ashlyn's hand without thinking.
The second they touch, she sees nothing but fire. Smoking flesh. Ashlyn is on fire. An illusion so tangible she screams, ripping back into the swamp, utter horror wiping her mind blank.]
The second they touch, she sees nothing but fire. Smoking flesh. Ashlyn is on fire. An illusion so tangible she screams, ripping back into the swamp, utter horror wiping her mind blank.]
[They do be slow and belaboured footsteps. Though the weird side-effects ebb and flow healing injuries do not, so she's still moving very carefully as she takes a seat next to Ashlyn. Back where they left off last week.]
How are you holding up?
How are you holding up?
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