[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.
[What? But how, how had he, how could he know that the two of them-?
The surprise trips her up even worse, a set of mistakes she would never allow herself in open practice or performance, and this time she doesn't try to catch herself.]
[As her weight shifts, Mytho's eyes opens. His instincts overcoming his fear, he moves to catch her and holds her as if she's in a dip, looking down to her eyes.]
Yes. Duck told me... that she feels devotion, too. Towards helping us.
[It takes Rue far too long to realize she's holding her breath.
Did she have any right at all to lay claim to this name as the one he could trust? Her mind flashes on an image of the front of her journal, and she grits her teeth before whispering, breathless:]
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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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The surprise trips her up even worse, a set of mistakes she would never allow herself in open practice or performance, and this time she doesn't try to catch herself.]
Duck?
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Yes. Duck told me... that she feels devotion, too. Towards helping us.
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The look in his eyes. There is some real Mytho there, bits of him without the fear at the front.
He didn't mean devotion to Duck.
So why is her heart still racing?]
She...is a good friend.
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Yes.
I remember that... that... I can trust her.
[He had more emotions when he decided that - he can't feel all of it, but part of that trust in Duck - in sweet, simple Duck - was still there.]
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[The dance brings them naturally closer.]
Just me.
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[He confirms as he twists and twirls, his hesitances slowly fading.]
You. You're-
[He stammers, as if uncertain of what name to call her. The name he feels devotion towards or the one he fears.]
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Did she have any right at all to lay claim to this name as the one he could trust? Her mind flashes on an image of the front of her journal, and she grits her teeth before whispering, breathless:]
Rue.
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Rue.
[Such a simple name. And with such a rhythm to it.]
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