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[ofhope]

[Lucrezia]

I'll be there soon.

[ Could not sound happier about preparing to waltz onto a death ship, really. ]

Where are you? Are you still alive? Princess?

Lucrezia. Lucrezia. Lucrezia. Lucrezia. Lucrezia.

[ ... ]

Lucy.

[/Lucrezia]

Comments

[heloise]

[ Totally just a fling. But say her name whenever you have sex with anyone else and she promises not to haunt you. ]

Rip off their fingers if any of them survive. They would be put to no good use.

[ofhope]

[ Wow is he ever going to sex anyone else in Paradisa? Not likely. So don't leave bitch. ]

Too many wishes at once. I'm not a fairy. You're going to have to pick a promise.

[heloise]

[ He can use all her toys. ]

Only one?

[ofhope]

[ No start cooperating now. Now. Now. Now. Now. ]

Until I can reach your side. Only one.

[heloise]

[ NO. ]

Then make the other ship leave. Save yourself. You cannot defeat her. She would not let you leave.

[ofhope]

Then we won't leave.

[heloise]

[ Why isn't he listening to her? It already takes so much effort to form coherent words. ]

I said, leave me alone!

[ofhope]

[ Unfortunately, he's not her monkey. ]

I'll be there soon.

[heloise]

[ DAMMIT. She starts sobbing again because she can't make any of it stop and she knows he will just fail. Then what? ]

I will hurt you. I will not remember--

[ofhope]

The Russian may have taught you to fight, but you aren't better than me. You won't hurt me.

I forget a lot, and you still stay. So it's okay if you forget a little. We'll make new memories.

[ If that involves going axe-crazy, you got it baby. ]

[heloise]

[ It sounds too simple. Make new memories. Abel will be here soon. Should she be allowed to even see him after this? But she wouldn't forget her own children. Maybe she won't forget Joshua either. Family, perhaps. ]

What will you do to get here?

[ofhope]

Boom.

[heloise]

I will listen for it and I will find you.

[ Before the other crazies do. ]

[ofhope]

Just stay away from the doors. But not too far away.

[heloise]

Never too far.

[ If she can find the door at her state, at least. Effort counts? ]

[ofhope]

Sing a song now. I'll know what to listen for when I enter.

[heloise]

[ Ah, have we gotten to singing insane songs? She laughs unsteadily, but obliges even if her voice is hoarse and disappears entirely at some parts: ]

♪ I took a bow and aimed it low
And caught you on the chin, chin, chin
My mother said now go to bed
I'll have to lock you in, in, in ♫

[ofhope]

[ He likes this, he does. So while he has a quiet moment alone, since nothing can really be rushed just yet, he'll curl up in the supply closet to listen. ]

[heloise]

[ Has she repeated the song twice, thrice? She doesn't remember, but in the middle of the last one she winds down to speak again. ]

I will keep singing until you find me. So find me quickly.

[ofhope]

Don't forget to take breaks, or you'll lose your voice.

Kiss?

[heloise]

[ That feels so alien. Someone who cares. The ones here only want to hurt her or lock her away, is that how he feels everyday? ]

A kiss...?

[ofhope]

I can see you right now... It's easy.

[ He strokes the journal as the words appear, then lifts the book up to lightly touch his lips against the page, just below the words. ]

[heloise]

[ But Joshua, you're not wearing lipstick. Still she hears it, though she hesitates before doing likewise. It leaves no mark on the paper, would he know? ]

Sogni d'oro.

[ofhope]

[ He can hear her breath if nothing else, and that's enough. He doesn't move away much, murmuring softly, though the accent is clumsy at best, ]

Farò dormire quando siamo insieme, e si può...cantare un canto nuovo.

[heloise]

[ And Lucrezia thought she was giving him homework to keep his mind off of other, less pleasant things.

She chokes back a sob and a laugh, not over his accent either. It aches in but she doesn't want it to end. She wants so much to be with him, she wants to be there and feel his lips when he speaks. ]

Ti canterò la ninnananna.