🌀 001 | written

[gumthief]

[appearing in your journals today, Paradisa:]



[A MASTERPIECE]

Comments

[action]

[gumthief]

You already told me, don't ya remember?

[action]

[fantasies]

Yeah, but I wanted to make sure you knew it was me. [He holds his journal out to show her.] I know it's kinda weird, at first.

[action]

[gumthief]

So what, I'm not scared. You're just a kid.

[action]

[fantasies]

[Matter-of-fact:] Yeah, but you are, too.

Did anybody else explain stuff to you?

[action]

[gumthief]

'Course I am.

I heard some.

[action]

[fantasies]

Like what?

[action]

[gumthief]

We're in a magical castle and are kidnapped.

[action]

[fantasies]

Right. The castle's curse is really, really strong, but we're working on a way to break it.

Um, but it's not so bad here. I actually kind of like it.

[action]

[gumthief]

Then I will, too. There's nothing to miss at home.

[not true, but there's no way she's going to admit that she might end up feeling some homesickness]

[action]

[fantasies]

[He doesn't look convinced. He has his mother here and he still misses some things.]

Really? Not even your mom or your dad?

[action]

[gumthief]

[loftily]

I wouldn't miss Helen if she were the last woman on Earth.

[action]

[fantasies]

Is that your mom?

[He kinda gets it, though. He doesn't miss his mom much, either. The one with custodial rights, anyway.]

[action]

[gumthief]

Yeah, and she's a real pain in the ass.

[action]

[fantasies]

[A pause.]

Yeah, I kinda know what you mean.

[action]

[gumthief]

You hate yours, too?

[she doesn't actually hate her mom-- but she sure loves acting like she does]

[action]

[fantasies]

[He hesitates.]

I mean, I don't hate her.

[Hate is for villains, for evil people who let themselves get caught up in their anger. But she doesn't love him and he doesn't love her and he wants nothing more than to get away from her.]

[action]

[gumthief]

Well, I hate mine, and I don't need her.

[action]

[fantasies]

Is she mean to you?

[action]

[gumthief]

No.

[she gives her a smack sometimes, but all the moms she knows do that]

She's just a pain and that's all there is to it.

[action]

[fantasies]

Yeah... [He's quiet for a second. He hasn't thought about Regina in a long time.] Well, she might come one day. The castle does that sometimes.

[action]

[gumthief]

I won't tell her my room number.

[action]

[fantasies]

She could still find you. Your name's on the plate outside the door. Do you think she'd look?

[action]

[gumthief]

I'll take it off.

[she heads over to the door, intending to try to pry the nameplate off]

[action]

[fantasies]

Uh-- [He feels like he should stop her, just because. But if she's trying to hide from a mother like his, well... who's he to tell her not to?] Wait, hang on. Lemme help.

[action]

[gumthief]

[she pries her fingers around the edge of one side of the name plate, the looks at Henry, expecting him to do the same]

On three.