Welcome to Gaia! ::

without the rigmarole

Alexis breathed in, breathed out; felt it settle over them like a veil, the light through the waves so far above. "I thought you'd understand, Mercer. It doesn't matter what I want. There are - some things I'll never be able t'do anymore, 'cause Alois wrung it out of me. There's nothing left t'do that."

They turned for the door. "Heal up quickly."

stab stab stab

"At least a day," replied Jeremiah, arm lifting and the little creature that had been helping was offered back out to Temperance. "If they don't decide longer." Not that he would be willing to stay long that himself unless it was medically necessary.

"Thank you, Temperance."

without the rigmarole

They wanted to say something scathing, boiling, something that would hurt him - anything that sprung to mind was too impersonal. Not good enough. Worthless, worthless, nothing that would hurt. If a dog bites its owner they put it down, Alexis. I wonder what they'd do to you? (Rill would have been happy, to know she was remembered.) Every time they thought it would be alright - he kept asking, kept pushing, they didn't want to talk like this and to hurt so much - their words being torn from them unwillingly, regardless of truth -

Alexis left and closed the door behind them, quietly; and quietly did their best to forget about it.