Charonquest

[wooliefrand]

WHO: Lily
WHERE: Lily Barn
WHEN: Early Day 36, post ritual!

[alright nerds lets go get your emotional support shepherd]

Comments

Re: final

[endsjustified]

Sorry.

I didn't think you wouldn't look. Just...

Wasn't sure what the demon would even leave to find.

Re: final

[featherduster]

Absolutely no apologizing for anything.

Re: final

[endsjustified]

I can't take it back.

Re: final

[featherduster]

Just don't do it again.

[ A glance at the door. Despite telling Charon to wake the fuck up, he does understand the appeal of hiding away, just for a little while. ]

. . . Are you ready, or do you want more time?

Re: final

[endsjustified]

...

I don't want to stay here. That won't fix a thing.

Re: final

[featherduster]

Alright.

Then let us take it from here. Just for a while.

[ Pushing open the door ]

Re: final

[endsjustified]

[there's a rush of feeling over him, when he turns the knob. a deep sense of care, of camaraderie and fellow-feeling, of both knowing something of what the other is going through in a way not many others do. of acceptance, of attraction, of a need to know more, of an odd bittersweet yearning, sometimes of anger. of strange insecurity. of possessiveness that Charon holds back, because he knows that, ultimately, Minuet isn't for him, that he will need to walk away one day, and never turn back. of the need to make sure that doing that doesn't leave Minuet alone. of the need and want to be kind to someone who hasn't had much of it in their entire goddamn life. of fear that Minuet's remaining life will leach out of him before that kindness has any sort of effect.

of allowing the vulnerability of being perceived down to the quick, even if and when it hurts. because if he doesn't, Minuet will be perfectly understanding about it, and will close off a little tighter yet instead of finally finding a way to live that's a little more open and a little more soft and a little more accepting of himself, and who the fuck wants that, honestly?

Charon...perceives none of this as love. but whatever it is to him, however brief it might be, it won't be wasted.

the door opens.

he gets an impression of blinding silver spilling out from within, over him, through the halls, through the doors, through everything, clean and cold and implacable. and this is the additional truth he receives, in this moment, of what hid here to preserve itself:

if need be, it will kill for you, and if need be, it will die for you. someday, somewhere. but that's the least important part of it. because before then, it will know you and perceive you. it will never turn aside from you. it will plot for you. it will move what must be moved for you, whether what must be moved is molehill or mountain. it will bind you as long as that's what serves. it will let you go, when it's time to let go.

it is not omniscient, superhuman, or infallible. it has very little room for mercy, for pity, for softness; it was partially born that way, and partially shaped. but it is on your side, and it intimately understands duty and care, and for all of you, it is trying to widen its horizons.

the rush of it carries him out of the dark maze, on a sea of shining light.

...]