flameguard | mygod | pc catchall

[ yes your golden retriever did a stab while you were gone

that gets a frown. bleh. ]

...Based in someone's memories again, do you think...?

...I don't know. It didn't seem familiar from anything I saw when we were all sharing memories. And the people there were - wrong. I think I would know if one of them were here.

That's... concerning.

[ but...maybe better?? unsure. he's just gonna hold her hand, remembering her reaction from earlier. rondo wants to ask, but...in a second. ]

How so...?

They... I think they weren't sane.

[she takes a breath.]

We were in charge of protecting them from monsters, but they just kept laughing when people got hurt. Even when they got hurt, they just kept laughing while they screamed.

... by the Flame.

[ he murmurs, sort of - horrified and sympathetic, all at once. ] That sounds... awful.

...They wouldn't shut up. I just - wanted them to stop making noise.

[especially after she saw [redacted] die.]

[ DON'T REDACTED ME GIVE ME THE GOODS ]

... I'm glad that you've returned to us for many reasons - but that you could escape from that place and return to us... it's in the past, now.

[ ugh. ]

... You said...

Which part...?

...Did... you see me there, too?

[she's quiet for a moment.]

...I didn't get a chance to see you. But I thought - you might have really been there.

[ oogh. he reaches out to cover her hand with his and squeezes it. ]

... Probably better that way. [ that she didn't. :( ]

[she doesn't pull away, but.]

No, it wasn't. I shouldn't have left you, I could have stopped what happened.

[ frowning!!!! ]

... Whatever happened - you must know I wouldn't have wanted you to get hurt. Whether it was a real me or not.

I know. But I just - I should have been there. It was my responsibility.

Still.

[ i want to know so bad but he won't press too hard. ]

Are monsters how you got so injured...?

Both people and monsters.

Oh, Vin.

[ weh. another squeeze. ]

We don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to. I'm just... I'm just really glad you're here. You made it back.

...I should have been here the entire time. I shouldn't have left you three to act.

Vin, you can't control that you were picked up by the fog?

I know that. But I still wish I were here for you.

[ baby. he takes her hand for real, now, mouth pulling up in a smile. vin can probably see that he looks - not great. stressed, tired, dark bags under his eyes. it has been a Fucking Day.

still, despite all that, he smiles - sincere, a little wet, soft, but a smile. ]

...You're here now. That's all that matters. You made it back.

...Tell me what happened to the three of you.

[ ... ]

... She... we found her... she was drunk. Really, really drunk. And she knew what was coming. Mr. Gale and Miss Asa helped to support me, but... I was the one who dealt the final blow. We just used a shard of glass from the broken window, and set it in her hand. I... cut it so it would look like she did it herself.

[ he hates saying that, and that's obvious in his tone. he hates lying about it. laudna said that she hoped whoever did it would just come clean, and he wanted to, but rondo's plan relied on him being able to lie for a few days. just a few. it's just temporary. ]

We took her to lay her to rest [ somewhere i dont think we actually decided on this part ] and... that should have been that. But...

... I think a spider took her after we left. That was how Miss Laudna and Todomatsu found her.

[quietly:]

You did what you had to do.

...yes. I said that I would, and... I did.

[ he did. but it felt - awful. after his experience in hell, just barely a week ago, the way she reacted, just... all of it. he closes his eyes. ] It... it's only temporary. I have to keep reminding myself of that.

[ she'll be back.

after he says this he like - shakes his head a little, eyes wet. ] What - what am I saying. Vin, you don't have to comfort me... After everything you went through today?

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