catchall for mary

[leaberator]

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WEEK 0, MONDAY

[leaberator]

[ Lea's going to the garden for Mysterious Reasons (a nap), but he doesn't seem at all surprised or upset to see Mary hanging around there. ]

Hey, Mary. Whatcha up to in there?

[withsadness]

Hi, Lea!

[She is, it looks like, making a little bouquet of flowers for herself. Mostly of any red flowers she can find, haha.]

I'm picking pretty flowers!

[leaberator]

So you are.

[ he goes to stand next to her, observing the flowers ]

Is there any reason why you're mostly pickin' red ones?

[withsadness]

Red is my favorite color. It reminds me of my very best friend...and it reminds me of you now, too, so now it reminds me of my very best friends! When I think of red things, I think that they seem so alive.

[leaberator]

[ he's not blushing, you're blushing? shut up ]

--Ah, well. I'm glad it makes you happy. Y'know, red's my favorite color, too.

[ because he's self-involved. ]

[withsadness]

Good! From now on I'll remember you as Lea the red flower! And every time I see a red flower, I'll think of you, okay?

[She holds up one of the flowers toward him.]

Always keep this safe.

[leaberator]

[ now he definitely looks embarrassed, but he's not gonna be the asshole to tell the kid that being thought of as a flower is what's embarrassing.

especially not when she just GIVES him one? his heart is so weak. he takes it ]

I will. Promise. [ he tucks it in behind his ear for now so it doesn't get too ruffled, settling down beside Mary ] So, anyone ever teach you how to make a flower crown?

[withsadness]

You can make a crown out of flowers?

[Gasp shock AMAZE.]

[leaberator]

Yep! I've never tried to make one myself, but it can't be that hard, right?

[ he has no idea what he's doing. ]

Week 0: Post Announcement

[withsadness]

[Hearing the talk and the uproar...Mary, uncomfortable, quickly escapes back to her house with Lea, sitting on the bed with her book in her lap, though it's closed and she seems to mostly be holding onto it like one might hold onto a doll.]

What does it mean? What does dead mean? That we can't play with him anymore?

[leaberator]

[ lea brings a hand to cover his mouth at the question, a bit of a frown on his face. that is... quite the loaded subject to cover. he kinda wishes he was a bit better at this. ]

Well... Yeah. You can't play with him anymore. Being dead is... the opposite of being alive, basically. [ he tries not to cringe at what he just said but woo, boy. that was bad. ] When someone dies, it's sorta like they just stop, completely. They won't move, or talk, or anything. They're just... gone.

[ this is an awful way to put it and he's only realizing it after he's said it, he has many regrets ]

[withsadness]

I don't like it...when people are gone.

[Can't they all stay? Stay and play forever?]

If alive is when they can play, I want everyone to be alive. That funny man helped me catch a chicken, you know...I named her Lady Red.

[leaberator]

Me either.

[ it's soft and reflexive, but he scratches the back of his neck after it ]

Yeah. He was a pretty funny guy, huh? [ lady red the chicken... hope that chicken's okay ] Look, the truth is, Mary, dying is... part of life. Life's a cycle. You're born, you live your life, and someday that life ends. It's not always bad. You've seen a wilted flower, right? That's what happens at the end of its life.

[withsadness]

Are you going to die?

[This is all just a big oof moment.]

[leaberator]

[ technically he already has, a few. times. but let's not get into that. this is the worst conversation possible. he heaves out a sigh ]

Someday, yeah. But it'll be in a long while. People normally die after they grow old. Really old. [ this isn't quite accurate but. let him pretend. he frowns a bit ] But it'll be okay. When people die, they live on in the hearts of everyone who remembers them.

[ this is just going to confuse her more but he's gotta kh it up ]

[withsadness]

[Mary listens, quiet. When she finally speaks, it's the first time she's spoken in such a way to all his explanations.]

I don't believe you. If someone chooses to kill you, and you die and you're hated, why would they want to keep you? Those people...when they die, they're nothing.

[leaberator]

[ alright, that one throws him for a definite loop, and he stays wide-eyed and quiet for a second. when he speaks, its low but firm, though he seems almost wary, a bit. ]

... The person who chooses to kill you doesn't get to decide if you're remembered or not. When people care about each other, the memories they have together are etched into their hearts no matter what. [ he feels like that part was important to say, but. something doesn't track. ] Why d'you say that?

WEEK 0, POST TRIAL, IN HELL

[leaberator]

[ Of course he goes to see her in the containment house. He'd already messed up by her enough, hadn't he?

Has he learned anything at all?

Maybe it would've been better if it was quick. If they'd just told. But he... even now, he can't agree with this. This can't be the only way. He's sick and tired of people being sacrificed for the greater good.

What's so good about any of this?

He's got her book in his hands, straight from-- what used to be their house, and he doesn't knock before coming in, just opening the door softly. ]

Mary. It's me.

[ he wonders if she's in there at all. can she see what's happening? can she feel? ]

[withsadness]

[He'll get his answer before long. From the shadows, the thing that's taken over Mary lunges at him with a roar, only to get flung backwards and crash against the wall, and crumble to the floor.]

Your promises are worthless. What do you want, huh? Do you want me to play with you more?

[Her hands claw against the floor, she screams and bangs her fists against it, and then curling into a ball, pulls at her hair.]

No...no, I'm sorry. I don't mean it. Don't leave me, don't go...I can't look, I can't watch you go away!

[leaberator]

[ there's an odd, broken smile on his face at that first part. if it really is darkness, it should know a lot better that it can't say anything to axel he hasn't heard worst himself.

(or told himself.)

he steps closer to her, crouching near but afraid to touch her in case-- it tries again ]

It's okay. I'm not going anywhere. [ he sits on the floor. ] Even if we couldn't see each other, I'd be with you. Remember? Friends are always in each other's hearts.

[ he's trying for reassuring, but he just sounds... sad. ]

[withsadness]

[The darkness around her flickers and falters even if it never truly breaks. Mary's small body shakes as she huddles there, like a frightened animal. Clearly, there's some kind of internal struggle going on.]

I don't want to die, Lea.

[leaberator]

... I know. I know. I don't want you to die, either.

[ he puts her book between the both of them. he wishes he could do something to help her, right now. he wishes he could've done something to help her at all. ]

I can't stop it right now. The darkness-- it's the only way they know how to get rid of it. But Mary, I promise-- it won't be the end. I made a promise that I'd always bring my friends back. I'll figure it out, everything in this place, and I'll bring you back, too. I'll find a way. I swear.

[withsadness]

The...the end? It won't?

[She wants to believe it, of course she does...but it's hard. It's hard to think of the good that might be waiting when the immediate future is, well...]

It's going to hurt, isn't it?

[She reaches for the book, a small hand pressing into the cover.

[leaberator]

It won't. I'll get you back. I haven't broken that promise yet, and I won't start with you.

[ ... he brings his hand closer to lock pinkies with her on the cover ]

I'm going to do something so it won't, okay? It's one of the powers here. I'll use it on you so it doesn't hurt.

[withsadness]

I'll...I'll keep that memorized.

[With their pinkies locked, she pulls the rest of his hand closer, until she can rest her tear-stained cheek against it.]