trusthell | And it's the stars, the stars that lie to you.

[This week, Varric opted to take a page from Vanille’s book. Gathering everyone together after the roller-coaster that the first trial had been proved to be somewhat cathartic for himself. He hoped that it would prove to do the same for the others.]

[He wasn’t alone, of course, having found himself blessed with the most ragtag team of chefs and party-planners. He might have had words for and thoughts on Elda and Kimbley, Mikazuki was welcome company, and he wasn’t about to turn away potential allies, even in a fight as simple as cooking dinner.]

[Once everyone’s set to a task, baking a cake, brewing tea, or stirring stew (the only task Varric could think to assign Elda to), Varric excused himself to his room. His first task was writing up cards, each personally titled and signed by Varric.]

Food in the Library. 5 p.m. Don’t spend the night alone.

[Each note was slid under a door and accompanied by a single rap on the wood.]

[With his tasks completed, Varric returned to the kitchen to put out any potential fires and, with luck, set the food out. A table in the library would be adorned with plenty of tea, cake, pancakes courtesy of Viktor, and stew thanks mostly to Varric (sorry, Elda).]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Because she was your friend. It's not wrong to want to think the best about your friends.

[He's going to sit up now, letting his legs dangle over the side of his bed.]

She...

[...]

...she reminded me...of my daughter.

[Oh no. Oh no.]

Alani did? Is that why you...

[Watanuki thinks back to the trial. Hanyuu had looked so desperate, he had known something was wrong. But he couldn't have guessed that it was something like this. No wonder she had been so upset.]

[A somber nod.]

A half-human...who walked in two worlds...and tried to keep her people alive, despite unbearable odds.

[She makes for the door, to close it, for the moment, but looks at him before she does.]

[Watanuki nods, and he stands up. If it's privacy she wants, then he's alright with that. This conversation can't be an easy one for her.]

Tell me more?

[The door's closed, then.]

I... I didn't tell you end the of the ghost story...because it wasn't happy anymore.

[She finds that she can't look at him.]

We... We spent ten years together, until...some of the villagers took advantage of her kindness, my ability to supply her with advanced medicine, and though I tried to advise her, I didn't want to squash her hopes. When she couldn't give them what they wanted... They...tied her up, and beat her, and burned her home...

Hanyuu...

[That's. Not the ending he expected to hear, to be honest. Out of everyone there, Hanyuu especially deserved a happy ending. Why did things turn out so badly for her?

So, he does what he can do: walk across the room and attempt to pull Hanyuu into a tight hug.]

[She can't bring herself to return the hug. In his arms, she shakily whispers:]

I slaughtered them all.

[That was not the reaction he had expected, but at the same time he can understand why Hanyuu did it. So he doesn't freak out or let go of her. Instead, he hugs her tighter.]

I'm so sorry that happened to your family.

[Even after that, he doesn't...? Trembling lightly, she finds the strength to put her arms around him. She's...not done, though. This part, this is what she has to say, really-]

O-Ouka didn't die there, b-but...I went out of control. I-I was too far gone, and my rage...it almost pushed her over the edge too. I came back to myself...just enough to tell her...what she had to do.

[She takes a deeper breath.]

I died, that night...and my little girl had to be the one to kill me.

[The worst things really do happen to the nicest people, don't they?

Watanuki isn't letting go of her, though. He's sad for her, sad for how she had to experience such horrible things, and how her family had to suffer so much.]

I...there's nothing anyone can do to change the past. But I promise you, I'll do everything I can to make sure you never suffer like that again. You deserve so much better than that. You and your family do.

[Such kind words, they serve to have her tremble more, and she buries her head in Watanuki's neck, careful not to nick him with her horns. That's always such a problem, and thinking about it just reminds her of what she is and what she's not.]

I- I just wanted t-to...keep Alani from going through something like that, b-but- in a whole new way, it's like- it's like...I've lost all over again. [Her eyes feel hot, the tell-tale sign of fresh tears.] You... Th-thank you, you've- so kind, too kind of a soul.

[It's okay, she can cry for as long as she needs. Watanuki isn't going anywhere.]

Life's not fair at all, is it? It would have been better if any of us could have gotten through to her. But it'll be okay, you hear me? It hurts now, but it'll be okay.

[He won't respond to the thanks right now, though. Because right now is about making Hanyuu feel better.]

B-but it's going to keep happening! [...and that's what it comes down to, isn't it? While she was at first reluctant, now she holds him tight, as if he's all that's keeping her from fading away to mist.] Next it could be- be Gold, or Silver, or Vanille, or Elda, or Orihime, o-or you! And I- I won't be able to do a thing to stop it!

You can't just give up like that!

[He's not shouting, really, more just speaking louder so he can be sure that he is heard.]

It might happen, it might not. We don't know yet. Maybe we'll get out of here tomorrow. But if you're focused only on the bad stuff that might happen, then you'll be too afraid to take the chance and maybe find a way out of here.

[That's what they did, she wants to say. They took a chance. But...she's already tired. She's been tired for such a long time, so she doesn't.]

I-it all just...seems so hopeless.

When it seems hopeless is when we have to keep trying.

[He's serious here, he's not going to let her give up.]

If it's hard for you to hope, then I'll hope for the both of us, alright?

[She bites back a sob and pulls back, to look at him.]

How... How can you be so...?

[She...can't put words to it. The last time... The last time she'd cried into someone like this, the last time someone had told her to try to be so optimistic...]

...so good?

[Watanuki looks a little embarrassed at that comment, so much so that he glances away, but he will still hold Hanyuu at an arm's length. Until she pulls away or he is sure that she is okay, at least.]

Well, I wouldn't really call myself 'so good'- [That's modesty speaking, he's not saying he's secretly a horrible person or anything.] -but I would be sad if you just gave up. Others would be sad too, I think. So if I can help you to not give up, then I'll do that.

You matter, Hanyuu. You're not alone anymore, there's so many people here who care about you. So that means you don't have to be sad by yourself anymore either.

[Well, she's not really going anywhere right now. No, she's just staying here, blinking out a few stray tears and feeling her face heat up.]

I don't...I'm not alone. [Sniff.] That's right. All of you are here...with me. [There's...a thank you coming, or in there somewhere, she's just taking it all in.]

And it's the stars, the stars that lie to you.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject