[ These memories hurt. Perhaps it’s because they’re echoes of something that actually affected her once-ago-life instead of told through another. Perhaps it’s because mom is here and decidedly not dead that it’s bothering her more than it would have. Perhaps it's just the emotions that come with it that make everything worst.
Either way, it’s incredibly obvious something isn’t quite right even though she’s determined to get through this first ]
You silly.
[ She reaches for him, because like hell would she turn down a hug even it was from her idiot of a boyfriend who’s too self sacrificing to realize it. ]
I wouldn’t leave over of something like that.
[ She smiles, and it barely forms before crumbling into dust ]
After all, it’d make me the biggest hypocrite in recolle.
[ …..Uh oh. Saying it out loud cracks the already fragile dams and she sniffs once, twice, before bursting into tears. ]
[ He could almost cry in relief just hearing her say that, but… something still isn’t right, and Leo doesn’t know what it is. When she reaches for him, he hesitates, but takes another step toward her, ready to say something else.
And then Futaba says that, and suddenly she’s crying. Leo draws back in alarm, wondering again if he’d done something wrong - he’s never been good at interpreting things like this - but Futaba needs… something, and god, he can’t stand to see her cry. And that’s the second time he’s made her do it. Why would she want to be around him after all of this?
But how he feels isn’t important right now. Whatever Futaba means, it doesn’t sound like that has anything to do with him, anyway, so he gives himself a good mental shake and goes to her side to touch her arm gently. He can’t bring himself to hug her yet, but this, he can do. ]
Futaba, [ he says softly, trying to catch her eye. ] Futaba, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make cry.
[ Leo wants to ask what she meant too, but… later. ]
[ She’s shaking her head immediately, her face screwed up in an odd mix frustration and absolute misery. ]
No it’s….
[ She has to say it now with her emotions deciding to speed up the entire process. But a small part of her fears it, not wanting to say it out loud. Because out loud means it’s real and it happened. Not here, not now, but once ago in a lifetime far, far away. ]
I remembered something just now… about the other me. That other life.
[ You killed her- ]
I… I think I killed my mom.
[ At least, as far as she remembers. It’s still too jumbled to know for sure but the blame… The blame feels real and thus as far as she’s concerned she’s as good as a murderer in her memories. ]
As a wave of guilt crashes over him, Leo squeezes his eyes shut as if to shut the thought out. This isn't what he wanted - this isn't how this was supposed to go-
God, maybe he shouldn't have said anything, after all. No one should have to live knowing this feeling. ]
No. You didn't. [ His voice is quiet, but steady once he takes a deep breath. ] That... That was another life. It wasn't us, remember?
[ It's what Pen told him, and what Leo has been telling himself ever since. No matter what life, he can't believe he would hurt his own mother. It's what's kept him going since he remembered.
So he kneels to meet Futaba's eyes, offering her a shaky smile. ]
We have our own lives, right? And our moms are both okay.
[ She sniffs hard, once, twice scrubbing at her still leaking face ]
.....Yeah.
[ It's only the sudden overwhelming feeling of old memories pressing down on her, not her current state of being. She knows this, knows that cognition defines her reality and yet... and yet it still feels like mom won't be there when she goes home. Which is silly. Just because mom isn't on the network doesn't mean she's going to vanish into smoke out of the blue.
...Though if she gives mom an extra tight hug tonight no one would blame her, right? ]
This is our second chance and all, right?
[ ..........Actually, speaking of second chances. ]
[ Leo can imagine what she's going through, after all those nightmare's he'd had of the workshop fire. He’d been afraid to go home since the revelation that he’d started the fire hit him out in the woods in February. That’s… part of the reason why he’d stayed, instead of going home for a break like everyone else.
That fear had never fully gone away. Sometimes he still wakes up unsure if she’s still there, but. Futaba doesn’t need to know that. So instead of saying so, because Leo has never been good with talking about those things anyway, he nods again and keeps smiling up at her. ]
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no subject
Date: 2018-05-14 02:54 am (UTC)Either way, it’s incredibly obvious something isn’t quite right even though she’s determined to get through this first ]
You silly.
[ She reaches for him, because like hell would she turn down a hug even it was from her idiot of a boyfriend who’s too self sacrificing to realize it. ]
I wouldn’t leave over of something like that.
[ She smiles, and it barely forms before crumbling into dust ]
After all, it’d make me the biggest hypocrite in recolle.
[ …..Uh oh. Saying it out loud cracks the already fragile dams and she sniffs once, twice, before bursting into tears. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-05-14 12:58 pm (UTC)And then Futaba says that, and suddenly she’s crying. Leo draws back in alarm, wondering again if he’d done something wrong - he’s never been good at interpreting things like this - but Futaba needs… something, and god, he can’t stand to see her cry. And that’s the second time he’s made her do it. Why would she want to be around him after all of this?
But how he feels isn’t important right now. Whatever Futaba means, it doesn’t sound like that has anything to do with him, anyway, so he gives himself a good mental shake and goes to her side to touch her arm gently. He can’t bring himself to hug her yet, but this, he can do. ]
Futaba, [ he says softly, trying to catch her eye. ] Futaba, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make cry.
[ Leo wants to ask what she meant too, but… later. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-05-18 07:17 am (UTC)No it’s….
[ She has to say it now with her emotions deciding to speed up the entire process. But a small part of her fears it, not wanting to say it out loud. Because out loud means it’s real and it happened. Not here, not now, but once ago in a lifetime far, far away. ]
I remembered something just now… about the other me. That other life.
[ You killed her- ]
I… I think I killed my mom.
[ At least, as far as she remembers. It’s still too jumbled to know for sure but the blame… The blame feels real and thus as far as she’s concerned she’s as good as a murderer in her memories. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-05-18 04:44 pm (UTC)As a wave of guilt crashes over him, Leo squeezes his eyes shut as if to shut the thought out. This isn't what he wanted - this isn't how this was supposed to go-
God, maybe he shouldn't have said anything, after all. No one should have to live knowing this feeling. ]
No. You didn't. [ His voice is quiet, but steady once he takes a deep breath. ] That... That was another life. It wasn't us, remember?
[ It's what Pen told him, and what Leo has been telling himself ever since. No matter what life, he can't believe he would hurt his own mother. It's what's kept him going since he remembered.
So he kneels to meet Futaba's eyes, offering her a shaky smile. ]
We have our own lives, right? And our moms are both okay.
[ three months later ..... ] LEO, YOU JINXED IT
Date: 2018-07-30 12:22 am (UTC).....Yeah.
[ It's only the sudden overwhelming feeling of old memories pressing down on her, not her current state of being. She knows this, knows that cognition defines her reality and yet... and yet it still feels like mom won't be there when she goes home. Which is silly. Just because mom isn't on the network doesn't mean she's going to vanish into smoke out of the blue.
...Though if she gives mom an extra tight hug tonight no one would blame her, right? ]
This is our second chance and all, right?
[ ..........Actually, speaking of second chances. ]
.....Ah.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-30 05:49 pm (UTC)That fear had never fully gone away. Sometimes he still wakes up unsure if she’s still there, but. Futaba doesn’t need to know that. So instead of saying so, because Leo has never been good with talking about those things anyway, he nods again and keeps smiling up at her. ]
Yeah, exactly. And we can do it right this time.