Appointments

[soheartless]

okay

Comments

[soheartless]

I don't know.

[He closes his eyes again.]

I'm afraid, and... I'm devoted.

[untrueheart]

You'll be... [He will be more things someday. If these two shards are here, then how many more are waiting for him amid the people of this town?

And if they're all here, then there is one she alone must find first.]

Fine. [She tries, hesitantly, to pull him just a little closer. They are still dancing, after all.]

[soheartless]

Okay. [He breathes with a degree of uncertainty, pulling her closer in turn.]

I don't want to be... otherwise.

[untrueheart]

[It's a risk. A gamble. All at once she feels like she really accomplished something, though, like she reached him somehow despite his fear and maybe. Maybe.

They can end this dance as they ought, holding onto each other without any distance.]

[soheartless]

[In a way, she might have. In a way, she did. He holds her, feeling both of those emotions at the same time but holding onto Rue with all of that. But he can't help but go on, and whisper.]

I don't want... to be a crow again.

[untrueheart]

I don't want you to be a crow again either.

[With every inch of her tainted heart.]

[soheartless]

[And he pauses before he answers.]

None of us should be crows.

[And with a frightened hush.]

It should never happen.

[untrueheart]

I know that.

[What else is there? She can't help what she is and she doesn't think she can stop his eventual transformation either. Which is, after all, her fault. Shouldn't that make her responsible for stopping it, then? For stopping his suffering?

For finding that shard before anyone else does? And then doing whatever is necessary to get it, to keep it from changing him again.

One hand pulls him close enough for a protective embrace. She wishes she could tell him that he didn't need to fear anything.]