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[ofhope]

[Father Nightroad | Private]

I blame you.

I blame you I blame you I blame you I—

[ There's a crash, and a roar, but no one hears. ]

I BLAME YOU!

[ A man (a boy) falls to his knees, but no one sees. ]

ABEL!

You... You wanted this! You started this! What did you do?!

[ A decision is made, but no one knows. ]

I didn't want this.

[/Private]

[Colette Brunel]

[ But someone, at least one, should know. It doesn't matter where she is right now... Unless it's in the Dead Zone, it won't be far enough. ]

Get out.

[/Colette Brunel]

Comments

[selfless]

No... It's not better. Not being able to move, or feel anything. Yes, people wouldn't be able to feel pain, but they couldn't experience any joy either.

[his words remind her of home. Even if it's technically been four years since they all fought against such a world of lifeless beings... talking about something similar makes her feel like it was only yesterday]

So please don't... it would be cruel.

[ofhope]

[ He looks at her now, still not quite seeing. ]

Do you think I'm cruel? Or do you think I'm just insane?

[selfless]

[she shakes her head, and makes up for his unfocused gaze by looking straight at him]

No I don't think you're either of those things.

[ofhope]

[ He only needs look down a millimeter to catch her gaze proper, but he doesn't. He does, however, hold a hand out in her direction, palm up and inviting. ]

Then you can come watch. You'll understand...

[selfless]

[she takes his hand, bu instead of just standing there she closes the distance by hugging him. Sometimes... sometimes gestures like this can mean more than words]

Please don't. Please...

[ofhope]

[ There's nothing special or unique about her words, or her plea, but not matter what they (or the embrace) still him. He doesn't return the hug, instead stopping short of resting his hands upon her shoulders. ]

For them? For him?

[selfless]

[there isn't any hesitance before she says] And for you.

[ofhope]

[ Surprisingly gentle considering his mental state, Joshua pushes her way out of the hug, keeping her at arm's length. ]

There's always someone else. There always will be; for you, for her, for anyone.

My someone else will never be here, though.

[selfless]

[she doesn't make a fuss about being pushed back, she gives him that space...]

I know you'll never love anyone here as much as you love your sister... But that doesn't mean that you're alone here, Joshua.

[ofhope]

You should stop lying, Colette. One day it's going to leave you without that silver tongue of yours.

[ He drops his hands away. ]

I'm not afraid of solace. It's right they should fear me. But not all... Not Abel's mother.

[selfless]

[lying... she wasn't lying, but she bites back that repsonse. It wouldn't do any good. So instead, she focuses on the second statement. she remembers little Abel, but now that she thinks about it... she didn't meet his mother]

Who is she?

[ofhope]

[ Joshua rarely speaks her name, really, even when around her. There's only a touch of hesitance before he says it aloud. ]

Lucrezia.

[selfless]

... It sounds like you two are close. [if he brought her up specifically, she wonders if following this train of thought will lead her to what made him so upset]

[ofhope]

No.

[ He moves away, towards the courtyard once more. ]

I offered her everything, but she turned it away.

[selfless]

[and of course, she follows. still putting together these hints he's tossing at her]

Everything? Did she have a reason?

[ofhope]

Her brother.

[ The irony isn't lost on him. ]

[selfless]

[she still wonders what he means when he said "everything". Love? Safety? Maybe all of it... She's suddenly wondering a lot about who this girl is, but that's something to ponder another time]

I'm sorry.

[ofhope]

You say that too often. It has no power here.

I thought of killing her brother, to be done with it, but then she would hate me, wouldn't she? So then this is the next best thing.

No one will have her. No one will exist.

[selfless]

Mm, you're right. Killing him would have made her really unhappy.

[and again, she clasps her hands in front of her. Her voice doesn't sound desperate, more like... she wants to reason with him] That won't make your or her happy... That's not a real way to fix this.

[ofhope]

There is no way to "fix" this, Brunel.

[ His voice is sharper now, more agitated. He's becoming annoyed, although whether it's because she's been talking too much or because she's getting to the heart of the matter remains unclear. ]

This is not a fairy tale where all the endings are happy. Don't you understand sacrifice?