[text] - backdated to November 1st

[bashfulshifter]

[Please humor him, Tower. The man was clawed to death by a shadow and has missed some days. He's very worried!]

...Is the game over? Did anything happen in the past few days? Is everyone okay?

[The rest is filtered to Veronica Madaraki.]

I'm so sorry for pushing you away over the last week...it's not the first time I've been out of my right mind in this place, unfortunately, and I'm ashamed for having lost myself again. I just hope you weren't hurt at my expense...and if you were, I definitely don't deserve your forgiveness. I'm sorry.

Comments

[action]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Sitting in the middle of the meadow, facing away from Rick, was Veronica. Her swords were sticking out of the dirt beside her. She was looking down, tracing her scarred fingers over her necklace.

She looks up and turns when she hears Rick's voice, an apology plain on her face before she even speaks.]

Uh... h-hey... I-I guess w-we both have s-some apologizing to do...

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick barely sets eyes on the expression Veronica has before he melts into a stammering, apologetic mess.]

--N-No, I--y-you d-d-did e-everything right--i-it was my f-f-fault. I c-can't...b-b-believe I d-didn't...I don't e-even know w-what...why I c-couldn't...trust...

[His head sinks into his chest.]

...I'm s-sorry.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Well then it was Veronica's turn to start apologizing, quickly devolving into a mess of her own.]

N-n-no! No! Y-you were only t-trying t-to help. A-and you were j-just afraid of... s-something happening to m-me!

[She fumbled over herself trying to get to her feet, tears appearing in her eyes.]

I n-nearly attacked y-y-you! I-I couldn't trust a-anyone by the end.... I'm so sorry...

[bashfulshifter]

--But I-I'm just as--n-no, more g-g-guilty of that th--than you. [Rick shakes his head and slumps further into submission.] I should...I m-made it my...j-job to be r-r-responsible, and...I f-failed...

[He manages to look up. The tears shining in Veronica's eyes break him instantly; he chokes, words strangled in his throat, but his arms open instinctively to invite a hug. He's not sure if he expects to receive one...it just looks like something she could use.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Hugs weren't something Veronica got very much, or really any kind of physical contact for that matter. She didn't want it most of the time, and honestly she didn't deserved it.

But after dying alone and in pain, none of that mattered.

Veronica quickly closed the space between them and accepted the hug, wrapping her arms around her friend and not letting go.]

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick holds her close, administering gentle pats on the back of her head to reassure the both of them that things were forgiven--at least, as far as Rick could tell. He had no intention of blaming Veronica for anything, and she wouldn't be so distressed but still come to him for comfort if she didn't trust him, right?]

[He's silent for some time.]

...I-If I e-ever...s-s-start a-acting like that, e-ever again...t-t-tell me that I...p-p-promised...okay?

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[She stays silent as well. Just taking in the moment for what it was and trying to connect her thoughts.

She hated being controlled in any sort of way. Every time it happened she vowed that it would stop and it did.

Her reply is muffled slightly.]

...Y-yeah, okay. I-I promise. A-and you have permission to t-tell m-m-me if I start acting weird.

[Although by then it might already be too late.]

[bashfulshifter]

[In a place like this, it's about all they can hope for.]

I p-promise.

[A beat.]

...I w-would ask...how things w-w-went, last w-week, but...

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[She sighed.]

I-I died.

The shadows d-didn't l-like my candy.... s-so they p-preformed surgery on me.

[She could sill feel the phantom pains. She had swore so loudly at them while it happened, but he could not escape.]

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick flinches and holds her closer, if that's even possible.]

...I'm sorry. I...they d-did...me too.

[No wait.]

--I-I mean--n-not the s-s-surgery. But they...y-yeah.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[That's pretty close. She doesn't mind at the moment though.]

S-so we don't die h-here....T-that's g-good. Still h-hurts though.

R-rick... I'm fine.... I-It's not the f-first time I've died.

[bashfulshifter]

[Don't worry, that last comment has him letting go slightly--not out of fear or anything, just confusion, and a need to look her in the eyes.]

--I-It's n-not? [His brow scrunches in befuddlement.] Well...me too. I d-d-didn't r-realize...w-why didn't y-you s-s-say a-anything?

[And there goes the hint, sailing right over his head...]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[She opened her mouth to reply but paused when she saw his face. Was now really the right time? With everything else going on? How would he react in the end anyways? Would he resent her?

...No. She couldn't tell him. Not right now at least. Later maybe.]

Uh...[She coughed weakly, finding it difficult to look him in the eye at the moment.] Uh, w-well, I didn't say anything b-because.... because i-it w-was kind of embarrassing.

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick regards her carefully over the rims of his glasses. She's avoiding his eyes...]

[...it must have been very embarrassing! He pats her on the shoulder.]

...I-I'm s-s-sorry, I--d-didn't mean to p-pry. I just...w-w-wish there was s-something I c-could have done to h-help, is all.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[She nods slowly.]

There... t-there was n-nothing you could have done. T-thanks though.

[Unless he could go toe to toe with Gavril, or survive an explosion.]