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

[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.]

[marmoron]

You're getting to be a real optimist, you know.

[He has Doubts, but you know what? His endless salt towards the Sergeant wasn't what they were talking about.

[robitussin]

...You know, you're not the first person who's said that, but it's still weird.

[marmoron]

It's not a bad thing.

[robitussin]

[A soft laugh, more subdued than joyful.]

You sure about that?

[marmoron]

I don't know I'm not very good at it myself.

[Just being honest there.]

But hope's pretty important to have.

[robitussin]

...Yeah.

[All the same:]

It was hard to get it back home, but it's even harder here. You know?

[marmoron]

Yeah... Can't imagine what being here must be like for someone who's never had to deal with anything like this before.

You're a lot stronger than you think you are. You should be real proud of yourself, you know.

[robitussin]

[Softly:]

You don't have to say that, you know.

[marmoron]

I know.

[He looks at her, his expression more serious again. At the end of the day, he's not saying this to be nice.]

I'm saying it because I don't think you know.