week 6, post trial

[robitussin]

[Their numbers keep falling. Three people have died already this week, with two more on the way tomorrow. With the outburst the townspeople gave them once the results came through... If anyone were feeling downhearted, it's to be expected at this point. Things continuing at their current pace is a frightening thought, after all. Like last week, the offer to spend time together or meet in a central location doesn't come.

Hawks and Dabi wait for the morning in their cells, but the rest of the tourists are free to wander about the town as they please; free to rest, to talk with each other, and to try to gather strength wherever they can. So, where does the evening find you, Cartesio?]

Comments

[robitussin]

Yeah, but... Going through shit doesn't give you a license to be an asshole.

[That being said, she doesn't move her hand away. She shifts to lock her fingers through his after a moment.]

[marmoron]

[There's a second of tension when she interlaces their fingers. Not that it's bad or anything, but it'd already taken a lot to just reach out to touch her hand in the first place and thinking about how they're actually holding hands now is... well, he's going to try not to think about it.

He looks up at her, if only because looking at their hands is now too odd to stomach. She gets a quiet, nervous laugh after a moment.]

I've met a lot of assholes. Trust me, you aren't one of them. I know how it is to feel so ashamed of yourself that you start pushing everyone away. I had to learn not to do that...and I guess I'm still learning not to do that.

It's hard though and maybe you shouldn't be beating yourself up for something you're trying to change.

[robitussin]

[She listens to what he says, and it's clear from her immediate expression that it's meaningful to her in some way. Her response, as such, comes delayed as she decides what to say.]

...I think you might be way too forgiving.

[She sounds thoughtful rather than contrary, though.]

I'm also pretty sure you don't have anything to be ashamed of.

[marmoron]

[His shoulders tense up a little at what she says, but he doesn't respond immediately.]

...First time I've heard that.

[It's funny, in a way. He doesn't know where to even begin with how wrong she is on that one... and maybe he still can;t really bring himself to talk about it because if he hasn't been able to look at himself the same way again because of it, then neither will anyone else.]

[robitussin]

[There's hesitation before she continues, but when she does, there's concern in her voice]

What is it?

[marmoron]

It's...

[Well, it's not nothing, but the right word for it is eluding him. He shakes his head.]

I messed really badly right before I woke up here. I don't know if they'll forgive me for it.

[robitussin]

What happened?

[A second or two passes, before she amends that.]

...If you want to talk about it.

[marmoron]

I mentioned it before. Had an argument with Lance. Well... Lance and all the other paladins.

["Argument." It was less that and more....

He takes a deep breath, and gently try to pull his hand free. Preemptive move so he doesn't have to deal with her doing it to him.]

You really want to hear about it?

[robitussin]

[She puts her hand back on her lap when he removes his, but she nods.]

If that's okay.

[marmoron]

[He's obviously reluctant and definitely dodging eye contact again and looking over at Cosmo instead. Eventually though, he talks in a fairly distant tone of voice.]

After we lost the castleship, we were headed back to Earth in our lions to try and get a replacement ship, but something was wrong with our lion's power cores after our last fight. The lions were losing power and on the way, we were all hit with some energy from space, and somehow we all got separated from our lions.

It was just... the five of us, drifting along in deep space. No food, no supplies, we were all just... I don't know. Waiting? Hoping? [He shakes his head.] The truth is we were all starting to go crazy. I was hallucinating pretty badly, seeing enemies that weren't there... that kind of thing.

I'd never been so damn scared, you know? I was supposed to be their leader. Keep the group together, but I just...

[robitussin]

[She listens to everything he says, but before she can respond... There's a drop in temperature that spreads through her chest, accompanied by a familiar sensation of falling. Without hesitation:]

Were you... okay?

[marmoron]

...No. But none of us were.

[He exhales slowly, looking down at his shoes again.]

Point is... I was a real shitty leader at a time when I needed to be strong for everyone.

[robitussin]

[Another pause, and another clarification before she can answer properly.]

Just tell me you didn't...

[Die.]

[marmoron]

I didn't... what?

[If nothing else, at least his confusion's probably reassuring?]

[robitussin]

[She notices that, and it relaxes her slightly, but...]

That you... made it somewhere safer, that you didn't just stay out there.

[marmoron]

[Ah. He looks away again.]

I wish. There wasn't anywhere we could've gone. It was empty and dark as far as we could see.

[A beat.]

Lance kept saying that if we waited long enough that something would come to kill us and that we'd be fine. Don't know if that ever happened, but I guess I'm here now so... not wrong.

[robitussin]

...So you don't remember if you made it out of there?

[Her expression tightens.]

It was wrong, because nobody's going to hurt you here.

[marmoron]

The last thing I remember was having that fight with the paladins, so... we were definitely still out there.

[There's a bit of a pause before he continues, jaw clenched with tension. Eventually, he looks at Natalie again.]

I know. We're both making it to the end.

[robitussin]

[She can't say she's happy with the explanation, but that's hardly his fault. Besides... An uncertain conclusion is better than the one she was most frightened of.

When she speaks, it might be surprising, given how vocal she's been about the doubt she feels about her chances.]

...Yeah. We are.

[marmoron]

[....Yeah that's an interesting tonal shift and it gets him to look at her with a raised eyebrow. Not going to call her out on this new "optimism" but still there's a coupke of seconds between that and...]

...Thanks, by the way.

[robitussin]

[In turn, there's a surprised pause.]

For what?

[marmoron]

For keeping that promise.

[He breathes out, managing a small smile in earnest.]

It meant a lot to see you in the morning.

[robitussin]

...Yeah. You too.

[A breath, and then:]

Not that I thought you would have, but - it sucked to see your name up there again.

[In the suspect list, that is.]

[marmoron]

Guess I have to be suspicious enough for the both of us.

[It's a joke, but there's no denying he's a little bitter about it.]

[robitussin]

...Maybe next week he'll finally lay off.

[One can hope.]