STAND BY ME ONEGAIIII (toi catchall)

[sadiskick]

Comments

[soba]

I'm assuming the other rules don't matter anymore.

[ since they're. gone. ]

... but the ones concerning trial are still there.

[sadiskick]

[ The other rules concern the staff, who are dead.

She holds her hands out to Toi as if to touch him but then remembers she can't, and her hands drop to her sides. ]

... Are you okay?

[ She knows he doesn't like talking about feelings, like she doesn't sometimes either, but she can only pretend for so long. On the eve of... whatever tomorrow means. ]

[soba]

I didn't get hurt, remember?

[ and that's the only okay that matters

actually other than the overwhelming feeling of failure, toi got out of that adventure pretty unscathed. ]

[sadiskick]

[ It's not, but she knows what he means. She does, and that's why she has to say this. ]

Toi. Guess what I saw when I looked into that pool of water.

[soba]

It was a person, right?

[ he did not look so he only has what she was saying out loud to go by ]

[sadiskick]

Two. One was you.

[ Does he understand? ]

[soba]

[ oh.

he wasn't expecting that. he figured mammon saw meltryllis, because of how he reacted before they got stuck in karaoke mode. but... ]

... I'm here.

[sadiskick]

I care about you. I care if you're hurt outside and in.

[ She knows he's not fine because of his brother and whatever other gay drama going on in his life, but... the most immediate danger is the house.

She doesn't know how he feels about all of this. She's usually not so frank about it, but she doesn't know what tomorrow means, and she wants to tell him. She wants him to know. ]

I want to save you.

[soba]

[ it's funny, because when the dead first came back on monday, more than one person made the point to tell him that meltryllis cared about him a lot. he knew they were right, because even when he was uncertain about his other relationships with the people here, he had never doubted meltryllis was his friend.

losing her so early truly did hurt more than he wanted to admit. ]

... do you remember what I told you before?

[sadiskick]

[ Friendship... isn't how she would label this. She doesn't have a name for it. All she knows is how she feels. ]

You'll have to be more specific.

[ She remembers most things, if not all things, dependent on the scale of how much she cares. ]

[soba]

[ toi has literally only just accepted the concept of friendship anything else will take another three months at minimum to register for him. ]

I said that I would get you out of here.

[ he wants to make sure everyone goes back home.

but especially her. ]

[sadiskick]

[ There's not going to be another three months. Meltryllis will pierce him with her feelings like a knife in the back. Or a knife to the heart.

Her expression softens. ]

Yes.

[ She brings her hand up, as if to touch his cheek and lets it hover there. ]

Have you thought about yourself?

[soba]

... yeah, I guess.

[ mostly in the sense that if everyone else goes home, he is going to be included in that 'everyone'

unless something goes horribly wrong. ]

[sadiskick]

There has to be a limit to your selflessness.

[ Or his lack of self-regard. ]

[soba]

I'm not sure if I'd called it selflessness.

[ it's definitely the self-regard part ]

[sadiskick]

Talk to me.

[ Tell her about about it. She knows he hates talking about feelings, but she's going to push him. ]

[soba]

[ there's a moment of silence as he... tries to figure out how to word this. ]

I don't really expect to live a long time in general. So... I don't want to die here, and I'd like to go home, but...

[ it doesn't feel as urgent as getting everyone else home. ]

[sadiskick]

[ Hm.

Meltryllis takes a blanket off the bed and drapes it over his shoulders. ]

Can I trust you to do a favor for me?

[soba]

[ he blinks in surprise, and then nods. ]

Yeah. Anything.

[sadiskick]

[ Her smile sharpens like he just fell into a trap, but it immediately softens to something more affectionate. ]

If— when we escape, live a long life for me. Live a life I can't live. Live a life you want to live.

[soba]

[ funny, how that's the one thing he probably can't really promise, since it's not entirely up to him. ]

I'll try. [ ... ] I'll do my best to live.

[sadiskick]

[ She knows. She knows someone can come along and try to murder him like his brother or anyone else, but she wants to push him to push himself forward.

She wraps her arms around the blanket and lowers her head until it's next to his ear. ]

Toi. No matter what happens tomorrow, know that I love you.

[soba]

[ it almost makes him cry again.

but he manages not to, though. meltryllis already has seen that happen one too many times. instead, he will gently wrap his arms around the blanket and hug back. ]

Thank you. For everything. For... being here, and being you.

You helped me a lot more than you know.

[sadiskick]

[ Oh. She goes completely still in surprise. She's so used to pouring her affection on the people she loves and not expecting anything in return. Some people have enough kindness to give to everyone, but kindness given specifically to her is always new.

She laughs softly, and if it sounds a little watery, surely, that's just his imagination. ]

What is there to thank? I was a monster for most of it.

[soba]

Nah.

[ he smiles. it's small, but it's there, and for once he doesn't try to immediately hide it when it happens. ]

You were Meltryllis. A monster was around, sure, but...

You were there, too. And I'm glad for every moment of it.