towerofanimus | (no subject)

Characters: The Handmaid and the Summoner
Setting: The lake floor?
Format: Action
Summary: The Handmaid is traumatized!
Warning: Angst?

[The Handmaid had woken up a few minutes ago, and she still couldn't bring herself to move. She was shaking, knees hugged tightly to her chest as she struggled to catch her breath. She'd been... Dreaming? No, that wasn't it. She'd died. But there had been something off about the whole thing, and it was clear she hadn't really been home. That didn't change the fact that the entire episode had taken a huge toll on her, though.

When she can finally bring herself to move, she untangles her arms and legs and slides off of the bed hesitantly, only for her feet to land on something oddly soft. She looks down and finds herself standing on a square of green fabric. The Handmaid leans down to pick it up, ignoring the note, and unfolds it carefully.

Of course, she recognizes it immediately. It's his coat, and she drops it as though burned, feeling a sudden wave of nausea. She can't stay here, trapped in this claustrophobic room, but instead of leaving and running to the woods, or somewhere as far away from everyone else as possible, her first instinct is to find the Summoner.

It takes a while. He's not in his room, and by the time she finally finds him, she's a total wreck. But she finds herself afraid to approach, so she just sort of... Hesitates a few yards away.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[So here's a confused pause... He takes up rubbing her back again... thinking... trying to figure out what this ominous feeling is for... hoping maybe she'll explain a little more??]

You don't get it, do you?

[lakjsdflkjjdf]

Not really...? [...] You caused, chaos, so some trolls could... win a game? [But what does that mean, causing chaos? Making people more violent??? How do you do something like that... )8]

[She scoots away. She really, really didn't want to have to spell this out for him, but... Sigh.]

The hemospectrum was a big part of it.

[.......OH GOOD THE DREAD NOW SETTLES EVEN HEAVIER ON HIM??]

You. Made the hemospectrum...? [Or... he did? The demon?? WAIT WHAT????]

No. I just... Made sure it stayed. Made sure the classes never became too... Amicable.

Oh, you...

[...BUFFERING...]

[No he's gonna buffer for a bit now because she can't actually be saying what he thinks she's saying!!!!]

[She just... Waits. INTERNAL PANICKING!!!!]

[.........yup it's his turn to step back, looking at her... Just looking. Searching her face for... idek some sign of a joke? Or if she's being influenced by something? Maybe she's trying to push him away because he... cares...?]

[And oh god does he care. It's becoming more and more obvious to him as that desperate fondness starts fighting against the bitter anger starting to light up under his skin. She...]

[She told him his revolution failed. She was... there she... supported him or tried to... when she said it. And then she panicked? Is she guilty about it HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND]

[Or maybe he's just refusing to let himself get it...]

[She is just... Not looking at him. Oh god oh god she shouldn't have told him at all.]

[No no no you can't not look at him. That just makes him tense up, makes his next breath something very near to anger]

Coleta. [Look at him )<]

[She finally does after a few seconds, but it's pretty clear she's afraid of what he's going to say. She should explain herself better, maybe. Tell him that she never had a choice, that she had to, that she didn't know him back then. But she can't quite articulate any of it.]

[...he actually doesn't say anything? He had something to say when he said her name, but seeing the look on her face just confuses him again. That anger is starting to blur his thoughts a little. Distantly, he recognizes she didn't have a choice, but right here, right now, she's suddenly become the reason his revolution fails. He's... shocked how betrayed he feels?]

Why... [Thin and small and... bitter...?]

[She frowns, taking a step back.]

I just told you.

[Why doesn't he get it?]

[Oh. Well the step back does nothing for her case??? He suddenly straightens his shoulders, stands a little taller. There's steel in his voice now, the anger overtaking how much he... doesn't really want to hurt her]

So it was you? You, made it fail?

It's... Complicated. I didn't...

[Aghhhh why is this so hard!]

I didn't want to.

[Frowns]

That's not, what I asked.

[And this is when she gets too upset to even bother explaining herself. Fine. If he's going to hate her, he might as well hate her completely. It's not like this... Whatever this is was going to last, anyway. She doesn't deserve it.]

Yes. I made it fail.

[...looks away from her. His mouth thins down into a line and his eyes kinda... dart through the air, like he's trying to find answers there because clearly he can't get them out of her!!! Wow he just... he can't... reconcile this at all?? She didn't mean to, she was forced. She's said that, but... she still... did it... She still... wow wow wow what is he supposed to do with this now...]

[And there's not much else she can do but wait for him to do or say something. Judging by his expression, that something won't be very good.]

[Finally looks at her again and... takes another step back, wings flicking open for a second]

I'm sorry... [...wait what is he apologizing for?? Well, for... this second step back and for his anger and for not being able to understand and for the life she must've lived to be forced to do... anything like that. He needs... time. It's obvious on his face as he watches her... tense... and unsure...]

[She tries to be patient. Really, she does. But finally she shifts uncomfortably and snaps:]

What?

[Flinches slightly, finally looking away]

Nothing, Coleta. I'll, talk to you again sometime... [lskjdf and then he's gonna... walk... away??? He doesn't really know what else to say without that aforementioned chance to think about... everything lsdkfj]