week 5, post trial.

[robitussin]

[Another week draws to a close, but as more culprits are led away, something is different all the same. After this particular trial, perhaps it's not a surprise that there's no note or offer to meet in a specific place tonight. Can any of them say they have any energy or desire to do something like that at a time like this? The place they regrouped last Saturday evening stands there, burned nearly beyond recognition, and the townspeople look at them with the distrust that's been steadily building. Not to mention... Those are the least of the losses they've faced in the last few days.

Of course, even as so much changes day by day, the town remains, with plenty of places for people to go if they don't want to stay inside the motel. Where can you be found tonight?]

Comments

[marmoron]

[Okay there's also 'sad' but why be sad when you can be angry instead??]

We're going to make that happen for real.

[One day.]

[tuffguy]

I'm looking forward to that.

[ there's a beat before bolin looks up at keith ]

You didn't volunteer. [ he leaves the question there unsaid, if keith wants to answer it ]

[marmoron]

[If it were anyone other than Bolin, his answer would be a noncommittal noise. As it is that option is tempting, but not the one he ultimately takes.]

I wanted to.

[BOY HE WANTED TO.]

But whether she dies by my hand or not isn't important. She's dying one way or another.

[tuffguy]

[ he nods at keith ]

--I'm not going to apologize, for what happened at the trial. But I get it, what you wanted to do.

[marmoron]

I -- [There's an awkward stop mid-thought, brow furrowing.] -- About that. I shouldn't have yelled at you.

[No matter how many times he's had to apologize to people here, it just never gets easier. You'd think it would.]

I let my temper get the better of me.

[tuffguy]

It's fine, I understand.

[ apologizing is always hard, but bolin appreciates it. he thinks about if mako... if mako was killed by someone and he had to go to one of these trials because of it. he doesn't think he could keep his cool either. ]

These things, they're getting to all of us.

[marmoron]

[There's a slow exhale out.]

You'd think losing people would get easier.

[He closes his eyes briefly, thinking about it again, but the bitterness that began ever since he read the contents of that forged note hasn't abated.]

I thought I could at least keep Cian safe.

[tuffguy]

Hah, you'd think so, right?

[ totally said like he knows from experience too ]

I... you did your best. There was stuff we couldn't account for, but it mattered.

[marmoron]

[The words ring a little hollow, but maybe that's just because...]

I thought she'd at least wake me up if something weird was happening.

[An empty sounding 'heh' and then:]

Thinking about it isn't gonna change anything.