[Rue has been slapped before and it feels nothing at all like this. It didn't hurt nearly so much. The hands at her chest curl into weak fists as she shakes her head no.]
She's, she's not here, there is no Kraehe here! It's just me. [But unlike Duck and Tutu, there is no separate power granting her the darkness. It lives inside of her and has for years.] You don't have to be afraid.
[He looks at her with a wavering uncertainty, while pressing his hand over his heart protectively. It doesn't help that he remembers her being Rue when she took the love shard - that which was poisoned.]
[He says that with almost a calmness, but fear quickly settles back in. And his breath becomes shallow as he sees her reaching, his hands tensing over his heart.]
[She can't stand seeing him this way. So afraid, and with her as the cause. And yet she also can't just turn and leave, with barely two emotions to his name he's just as likely to get into trouble as he ever was.
Only now it would scare him.
One hand wipes her face angrily and she goes back to forcing herself not to cry.]
I'm sorry. [Maybe it would mean something to him.] I only want to help.
[He's truly puzzled and afraid. He knows that Kraehe can play tricks. Those flashes of memories, of helping her with those tricks. They make it hard to feel her can trust her. It's hard to even stay standing with her so close.]
No I don't! I never did! All I wanted was to love you.
[The words taste so familiar. This isn't going to work, nothing she's tried to fix it ever has worked. She couldn't save him from the ghost maiden, she couldn't defeat Tutu for his love, she couldn't even find her father a proper heart on her own. Every single attempt ended in failure. Always. It was only Tutu who could accomplish those things, most of all helping the Prince regain his heart.
She is only fated to poison it. Rue swallows hard.]
Can I...can I show you, somehow? That I won't hurt you?
[He pauses as he listens to her words. She did... she always had a way with words, didn't she? And hurting him. He keeps looking at her for a moment, as if trying to find some answer there. And finally he speaks, with a soft whimper.]
[Why was it always so easy for Tutu to do this? Everything just worked for her, she could even save the hearts of the innocent just by-
Rue's eyes open wide and she drops her hand in shock, only to raise it again with the other and make two hesitant motions, before extending it once more.]
[There's something in him that's rooting him there. That other feeling he has - devotion. But they're both at a deadlock against each other - keeping him from retreating outright or going towards her.
He starts to reach, to extend his arm out towards hers, wavering. But then he cringes and hesitates. He replies like a stung animal.]
[This must be what it feels like for things to start turning okay again. Rue almost smiles, turning her hand over so it is palm-up and open for him, and straightening her posture to better match the start of a dance.]
[He does stop his hand for a moment, inches a way. The way she's posed, it's almost like Tutu. He doesn't know what it means... but he slowly slides his hand over hers.]
[It takes a lot of control to move as slowly as he is, first by taking his hand and then with a careful turn, always keeping as much distance between them as the steps allow. Don't come near my heart. It hurts but this is better than seeing him breathless with fear.
And he likes dancing. Genuinely likes it, when he is more himself. Maybe this could really work.]
[He feels her hand, soft. And he wonders what emotions that touch is supposed to let him feel. Right now, he's almost getting goosebumps. But he follows her motion. Slowly. Cautiously. Still trembling.]
That's right. [Everything she tries in her efforts of love is doomed to fail. This is false hope. She's sure of it. So why is she that much closer, now that his eyes are closed?] Fear is, too. But you can't-
[Her breath catches, and she stumbles into a turn and bumps the nearby wall, but manages not to fall over completely.]
You...you can't let just one...piece of your heart win forever.
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And he responds with his own whisper.]
Kraehe.
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She's, she's not here, there is no Kraehe here! It's just me. [But unlike Duck and Tutu, there is no separate power granting her the darkness. It lives inside of her and has for years.] You don't have to be afraid.
[If that's true, why is she about to cry?]
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I don't know.
I don't know what to think.
I'm afraid.
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[One hand reaches for him, but she is shaking almost as much as he is. Is it even possible to try to do it right, this time?]
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[He says that with almost a calmness, but fear quickly settles back in. And his breath becomes shallow as he sees her reaching, his hands tensing over his heart.]
Don't come near my heart. Please!
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[She can't stand seeing him this way. So afraid, and with her as the cause. And yet she also can't just turn and leave, with barely two emotions to his name he's just as likely to get into trouble as he ever was.
Only now it would scare him.
One hand wipes her face angrily and she goes back to forcing herself not to cry.]
I'm sorry. [Maybe it would mean something to him.] I only want to help.
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[He's truly puzzled and afraid. He knows that Kraehe can play tricks. Those flashes of memories, of helping her with those tricks. They make it hard to feel her can trust her. It's hard to even stay standing with her so close.]
You would want to... hurt me.
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[The words taste so familiar. This isn't going to work, nothing she's tried to fix it ever has worked. She couldn't save him from the ghost maiden, she couldn't defeat Tutu for his love, she couldn't even find her father a proper heart on her own. Every single attempt ended in failure. Always. It was only Tutu who could accomplish those things, most of all helping the Prince regain his heart.
She is only fated to poison it. Rue swallows hard.]
Can I...can I show you, somehow? That I won't hurt you?
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I don't know.
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Rue's eyes open wide and she drops her hand in shock, only to raise it again with the other and make two hesitant motions, before extending it once more.]
Could we dance?
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He starts to reach, to extend his arm out towards hers, wavering. But then he cringes and hesitates. He replies like a stung animal.]
Would you hurt me.
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And he likes dancing. Genuinely likes it, when he is more himself. Maybe this could really work.]
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I'm afraid.
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[He repeats quietly, with his eyes closed. What if he focused on just her voice, the rhythm? His leg arced into the air.]
Devotion is... part of my heart.
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[Her breath catches, and she stumbles into a turn and bumps the nearby wall, but manages not to fall over completely.]
You...you can't let just one...piece of your heart win forever.
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I see. That's what... I shouldn't do?
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[Maybe he's right to be afraid of her. Look at everything she did. Happy ending or not, he suffered so much at her hand and for her ends.
Rue hangs her head and also dances with her eyes closed.]
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[He says quietly, with another shudder.]
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[Rue doesn't dare open her eyes, especially at the shudder.]
I'm here to help you, Mytho. [With some effort, she manages in a much hoarser voice:] T-Tutu is, too.
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Devotion...
[That's what he's observing, isn't it? Duck had talked about her devotion to helping her friends. While his eyes stay closed.]
And... Duck.
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