etrayalogs | closed ― we'll float on, good news is on the way

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closed ― we'll float on, good news is on the way

WHO: Heather Mason @ingestion + Vincent Smith @banworthy
WHEN: 12/2
WHERE: Heather's apartment
WHAT: Vincent has something to give Heather and other thoughts to share.
NOTES\WARNINGS: cw: angst, cannibalism, ingestion/abortion by proxy discussions, discussions relating to Harry Mason's murder.

( as time went on and the longer heather found herself in etraya, the more exhausted she was becoming. she hadn't quite noticed it, but the stress of what happened in silent hill and the events before that had affected her. it was the little things such as her fingers feeling numb more often then usual, the heaviness in her heart as she spoke to others, and the memories of a past life appearing before her in dreams. yet despite the gravity of what she had been through, she still tried her best to look at things with a more positive light. she had been angry for sometime about the death of her father and the way he had been viewed by members of the order, namely claudia and vincent. she hadn't quite confronted vincent about it, afraid of reliving that moment where she found him dead in his favorite chair.

yet little did she know, when vincent had called her up asking to meet with her, she would have to confront that memory all over again.

she had claimed one of the 'free' apartments at the complex, doing very little to truly make it feel home. inside all there was to make it seem like she lived there was beer in the fridge, a pack of smokes on a coffee table she 'stole' and some food scattered about. she wasn't sure how long she would be living here, or staying at etraya, so she hadn't quite committed to making it a home just yet.

when the doorbell finally rang, she came to it in her usual outfit, except she was sporting some knitwear's the bots had made for her earlier. a green and orange beanie, with a matching scarf. )

Hey Vincent....you wanted to see me about something?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Troublesome, troublesome business.

Vincent had handled the revelation about consuming Samil quite well. Rather than revulsion, he thought about the implications of the act itself. While he is no further in crawling through that rabbit hole, he has a startling realization - and it is something that he should have realized much sooner.

Heather also ate someone that was half-divine.

He doesn't know what that will do to her but can't help but feel anxious. For reasons that he is uncertain, he acquired enough "points" to request an item. If he were more dramatic, he'd say that vial felt heavy in his pocket, but it doesn't. It doesn't have much weight to it at all if he's honest. Perhaps as much as a full perfume bottle would?

It's partially the reason for his visit, but he has other things that he wants to discuss. He feels some irritation that people know he's from the same world as she is, but what is done is done.

Vincent is wearing what he usually does, but unfortunately, it's buried under knit sweaters and scarves and hats and mittens. ]

Yes. [ He croaks around the additional winterwear. Shuffling his way in, he starts pulling off everything that has been forced onto him. A pile of knit items is tossed on the floor - he waves his hand at them. ] I'll get them later. [ A promise that he doesn't intend to leave a mess for her to clean up. ]

I got something for you.

[ His tone is conversational as he starts to walk further in. ]

Are shoes on or off? I want to be polite. [ Says the person that just came in. ]

Edited 2024-12-01 22:48 (UTC)

( it truly seemed that in the wake of everything that had happened and was going on, that small little detail of consuming the flesh of someone half-human, half-divine hadn't dawn on heather. truthfully, she didn't even think the god that festered in her in the past could affect things at all. after all, it was alessa who had powers once so long ago.

this new body, the one heather was in was simply human. it was a good thing then that she hadn't outright refused to have any association with vincent. in his own strange way, he seemed to care about her. perhaps even control her, but as she once told chrollo-

'he doesn't control me'.

so of course she did as she pleased in the end. she wasn't speaking ill of him, but a few people knew they had some kind of bond. after all, wouldn't it be hard to explain why they were so often together? more than anyone else here? why he was at her front door now, seeking her out specifically? )

Sure, doesn't matter to me.

( she said in regards to the pile of knitwear. heather took a step back to allow him in, watching as he stood in her doorway. she shrugged a bit and stepped inside herself, making her way towards the couch. )

Shoes off I guess, but since when are you polite?

Mmn.

[ Vincent tosses in an affirmative noise.

He leans down to untie and toss his shoes close to the pile of knitwear. His shoulders bounce in a half-shrug at the question about his politeness. ]

I'm always polite. [ He replies as he stands. His eyes roll up like he thinks about adding some other comment, but decides against it; he joins her at the couch - although stands in front of it. ]

Anyway, as I told you -- [ Reaching into his pocket, he removes the vial. Holding it by its neck, he tilts the glass sideways. More than being dramatic, he uses it as another chance to appraise the liquid inside. ] -- I got this for you.

[ He adjusts how he holds the vial; holds it more carefully and out for her to take. ]

You know what it is, don't you?

( while vincent opted to stand by the couch, heather took a seat and relaxed a bit towards the left arm rest. she watched him with a rather lazy expression, wondering exactly what it was he wanted. they were on friendlier terms than when they first met, but she still kept her guard up in case of anything.

especially with how volatile and moody he could be, complimenting her and claiming to be on her side one moment before switching to taunting her about anything he could think of [hand-holding seemed to be the latest threat].

as he reached for his pocket and pulled the vial forth, she remained still for a moment. she wasn't sure what she was looking at but when the realization finally hit her, she bolted up from her spot and came closer to vincent. with a shocked expression, it didn't take her very long to realize what vincent was trying to imply here. )

How...how did you get this?

( she reached for it, holding it up. although it wasn't in a pendant like the one she had received from her father, the bright red color was easy to recognize.

this liquid, a simple vial, was one she had ingested not long ago. it made her throw up the unborn god from her, and the rest was history. now she couldn't help but wonder if vincent was trying to imply something would be born from her because she had ingested parts of samil. )

You don't think....no...Vincent.

[ Vincent lets her have it without fuss. ('Course he did have the nasty desire to pull it back out of her reach that he squashed.) He holds his hands up, wiggling his fingers, before sitting down on the right side of the couch.

Stretching his legs out, he crosses them (as always) at the ankles. His head bobs along as she comes to understand what he's given her and why. ]

I'm glad you caught onto things so fast, Heather. I'd be a little disappointed if you didn't get the meaning and why I was giving this to you, but you got it in one.

[ Propping his elbow on the right arm, he holds up his index finger. He pulls his hand back to scratch his eyebrow and lets out a long sigh. ]

I don't know what will happen since you ate Samil, but I'd like to make sure nothing will come of it. [ Leaning back against the couch, he tilts his head up toward the ceiling. ] It's just a precaution. Consider it a -- [ He snaps his fingers a few times, trying to think of the word. ] -- a failsafe or security blanket.

We can both hope nothing will happen but feel better than it's in your possession, yeah?

( now it seemed that their positions had been switched, because while heather had been originally seated, she remained standing up with a shocked look to her. she watched as vincent waggled his fingers at her and sat down as if he owned the place. for now though, she was far too stunned to comment on it. )

I just used this after all....I know what it's for now.

( it was suddenly then that heather felt a wave of exhaustion take over her mind and body. the memory of what transpired with claudia was clear in her mind, and the face of god, her staring back at her was harrowing.

the only thing that snapped her back was his quip about eating samil, as if she did that intentionally. )

You're acting as if I went out of my way to....do that.

( she didn't want to say the word eat, to admit she had done something so barbaric [even if she wasn't at fault]. all she could do now was stare at the vial and slowly come down to her knees, the weight of it all bringing her down. )

You don't think....remnants of 'her' are still within me? I saw Claudia swallow it and 'birth' it after all. There shouldn't be anything inside of me...

Good, good.

[ Interlacing his fingers, he rests his hands on his stomach as he waits for her to process everything. Of course, he immediately turns to look up as soon as she snaps.

His hands lift in apology as he ducks his head in turn. ]

Sorry, that was a poor way to put that, Heather. I admit I should try to be a little more sensitive about that matter.

[ Slowly lowering his hands, he returns them where they were. Instead of interlacing his fingers, he rests on hand over the other and pulls his legs back so he isn't reclining so obviously.

Letting some silence linger; he uses the purposeful pause to cool things down before he answers. ]

You're the Holy Mother. [ He waves his hand lightly in the air, making small circles. ] If it can be made once, what makes you think it can't be done, again?

[ Tilting his head, he looks up at an angle. His eyes drift down first as he sorts his thoughts out before saying: ] ... the stint that happened with that lunatic was the third time they've tried with you.

They get closer each time. [ He closes his eyes and lets out a tired sigh. ] Anyway, like I said, this is just insurance to make sure nothing happens. I'm sure having it will give you some sense of safety now, too, right?

Don't talk about me that way...

( she's on her knees now and while she wasn't as furious as she was before, it was clear her mood was turning sour. all she could see was those moments before her arrival, the way claudia spoke about her-

as if she wasn't a person. as if all there was to her was years of abuse and suffering, primed for the sake of being the perfect body to give birth to their god. being here, despite the strangeness and difficulties of it all reminded her she was more than that. heather had friends now, people who cared about her like maria.

with a wetness coming to her eyes, she looked at vincent and way he casually shifted around on her couch. still squeezing the vial, she finally rose up once more. )

I don't know what to make of you Vincent. One moment you're on her side and now you're actually helping me? I guess...I'll hold onto it and keep an eye out for things.

You know....that pendant...that had that capsule I took came from my father. I wonder just how he got it himself.

All right, I won't.

[ Vincent humors the idea of tossing in another apology, but it would sound empty after the one he just gave. He glances at her out of the corner of his eye rather than fully acknowledging how she looks at the moment. Breathing in deeply, he tilts his head the opposite direction. ]

I've told you before I was never on her side. [ His tone turn sharp in an instant before he softens his words. ] I appreciate you doing that for us both, Heather. Means a whole lot. [ Running his tongue around his canine, he thinks how to broach the next subject, but she gives him the best way to segue. ]

What if you had the means to ask him? [ Let's start there. ]

( there is a lot happening here and for someone like heather who had suffered such an emotional wound not long ago, she could sense she was becoming overwhelmed. to be perceived in such a way was dehumanizing to her and if she could do anything to stop vincent from doing that-

well she would. for now it seemed like he relented in his endeavors and while she wanted to say something about how he was at the very least on the same side as claudia, his next few words stun her.

he was appreciating her? and then he brought up her father. )

What....what do you mean?

( immediately she bolted up and made her way towards him, hovering above him as he sat on the couch. her face was significantly more stern now....now that he had given her some strange hope. )

Tell me Vincent, what do you know that I don't?

Listen --

[ Holding his hands up, he lifts them high to partially cover his face. ]

-- this is only speculation, all right?

[ He is looking at the back of his hands instead of her face, but he soon adjusts his gaze so that he's making eye contact with her. The corner of his eyes twitch but he breathes in as he continues with his current assumptions. ]

But what if time is more malleable than what we thought?

[ Dropping his hands, he starts to move them to illustrate what he's talking about to her. ]

What if we could go further back in time than when we were taken? [ A beat. ] However, when I was discussing this with someone, they said it might not make a different present but create a different timeline.

[ His hands drop to rest in his lap instead, again. ] Essentially, if able, I wish to create a new timeline where Harry Mason lives. [ He'll let that sink in before he continues. It's a lot of information; he isn't even sure if it's possible, but it's something else he wants to humor. ]

Speculation?

( she watched as he covered his face but as soon as their eyes met, she kept a stern expression and watched him in silence. there was so many questions in her mind, so many things she wanted to ask him and yet-

when he began to speak, she found her throat tighten up and she couldn't say anything for the time being. at first she was confused as to where he was going with this but the moment he brought up her father, her precious father, tears began to drip down her face. she had no change in her expression, no visible sadness, but it was clear that she was in pain. now it seemed that heather was far more serious in her tone, reminiscent of a past self. )

Lives? You could have stopped it from happening all together. You knew it was going to happen, didn't you? Yet you did nothing and now you want to fantasize about being some kind of a hero?

What's the real reason you want to look into that?

[ His face scrunches up in irritation at her accusation that he could have stopped what was happening. He rolls his eyes and blatantly ignores her tears because he will not be made to feel bad about looking out for himself.

Besides, if he could change things, he's willing to die for it to happen - so really, he refuses to feel guilt. ]

Yes, I knew it was going to happen. I have no desire to dream of being a hero. However, I know that if such a new timeline were to happen, she would kill me much sooner for interfering. [ Claudia's insanity is unpredictable but not so much that he can't imagine her murdering him to prevent Harry Mason's survival. ]

What's it matter the real reason? It's only speculation, after all. [ He wags his finger at her. ] And if it becomes reality, I'll be dead. So really, what reason do you need to know why I'm thinking about this, anyway?

What reason?

( the questions, the roll of his eyes, the flippant attitude drive her to finally sound angry. her voice is louder now, arms moving forward as she walked away from him in defiance. she couldn't believe what she was hearing-

she was angry that he knew of what was going to happen and that he didn't stop it. she was confused that he wanted to toy with the idea of stopping it and yet she wasn't sure if it was some kind of twisted way to mess with her or to apologize for letting it happen.

could vincent truly feel remorse for anything? could he even care? was an idea that he toyed with for some kind of benefit to him? )

You come here to my apartment and tell me that you knew my father was going to be murdered and then that you now wanted to stop it? I don't understand you at all, it's like you hate me but at the same time...you...you...

( she turned back to face him now, her hands reaching up to grab the sides of her head as she took a deep breath. )

You just care about yourself in the end, don't you?

Edited 2024-12-04 23:24 (UTC)

[ Vincent makes a face that looks apologetic at the question, at least. It's more in response to her anger than realizing he's done anything wrong. When she walks away, he shifts to look toward a wall rather than at her.

His arm lifts and rests on the armrest, tapping his fingers lightly. Not quite anxiety, not quite nervousness, not quite boredom. ]

You asked me a question if I knew and I answered you. That, I feel, is something you're due to know from me. [ He draws his hand back to rest his fingertips against his chest. ] Yes, she occasionally acted out on her own, but I tried to keep tabs. [ He gestures lightly with his hands before they drop back down - on his lap and armrest respectively. ] For what good it did me.

If I knew things would have happened as they happened, I would have risked everything to make sure that he lived, that I can assure you. [ A serious reply. As for the comment of if he hates her or not, well, it's far too complicated to give a sincere answer to those concerns, if they even are concerns. ]

But yes, I do care about myself quite a great deal. Why shouldn't I?

( coming down from that emotional intensity was difficult. heather's chest felt tight, her eyes were still watery from before, and her face was flushed red from the difficulty of hearing all of this. yet somewhere in between his careless movements and the way he spoke so casually about all of this, only to become serious again was something that bothered heather.

because without outright telling her why he would want to do such a thing, he just did. 'if I knew things would have happened as they happened', it was there in those words that gave her the answer she wanted. yet it still bothered her, why would he share this with her of all people? she knew he disliked everyone here, but did he really tell her this because she was the only one who could understand? or did he do it as some strange way to manipulate her or hurt her?

in her confusion, all heather could do was sigh and let her hands fall to the side for now. she did her best to calm herself down so that she could speak clearly. )

Why didn't you just kill Claudia yourself then, when you had the chance? Before she did everything that she did, that clearly you didn't agree with? Were you scared of her?

Was that it? She did kill you so easily after all.

( her words came out harsher than she wanted them to here, and yet all the same she was okay with it hurting him in return. she was a hurt child, lashing out. )

When would I have the chance, Heather?

[ He enunciates each word of his question. ]

Any normal person would be afraid of a madwoman with power. I'm certain you saw what happened to Douglas thanks to her. And if time is progressing ever forward, I'm sure he's died due to whatever she's done to him, too.

[ His tone turns playful at the idea that Douglas might be dead.

Regardless if she's hurting or not, he has no intention of putting up with it when he's given her two hopes without any expectation that she'd do anything for him. This time around, he's the one at a loss.

He breathes a laugh through his nose. ]

I knew her when she was a frightened little girl trying to find some secret place to cry so that her sister wouldn't see her so weak and unloved. [ His eyes fix on hers. ] I knew her when she was nothing more than a deranged psychopath who couldn't even see how insane she's become by the machinations of others.

Regardless, it's all still her fault. [ Either way. ] There was never a time I could kill her.

( she hadn't thought about douglas in some time and although she had been hoping he made it out alive, the moment vincent brought up the theory that he could possibly be dead, heather found herself transfixed with vincent's gaze.

a droplet of sweat dripped down the side of her temple as she began to relive everything that happened prior to her arrival here. vincent's cruel words weren't helping her feel better about any of this, and what he said about her father didn't quite stir hope in her. it just reminded her of what she had lost and how somethings could never truly be recovered no matter how hard she wished for it. it was a silly idea, and she just couldn't find herself indulging in it.

the only break offered to her by vincent was him changing the topic to claudia. he wasn't the only one who knew that side of her, and while alessa didn't get to see what she would become, she knew very well the trauma she had gone through too. )

Fine, you make a good point, but I don't think I can forgive you for letting it happen regardless. You could have sent us a warning at the very least.

( there was more she wanted to say, and truthfully she was tempted to do something to make him feel the pain she was feeling. but when she thought about it, at the very least her last words to her father were ones she would never regret. )

And don't talk about Douglas that way, he's a survivor unlike you. He's fine.

( she was bluffing here a bit, but this was the only kind of hope she could indulge in. )

And what would that warning say? The Order is coming to kill you? Your father already knew that to be true. [ He holds his hands up as he recognizes this may sound like it's her father's own fault for getting killed. While he knows there is some truth to that, he decides to placate. ] What I mean to say is that it isn't anything that he wasn't already aware of, and probably believed he could handle it.

He's been dealing with the lunatics of the Order for over a decade, after all.

[ Vincent has his own thoughts about Harry Mason, but decides to keep it close to his chest. He tried to give a little bit of criticism about him before - and he doesn't want to end up completely souring the relationship that he has with Heather. ]

But rather than argue that point, we'll just leave it to rest there, okay?

[ And he nods along at the idea that Douglas survived. ]

Sure, sure. I got it. No talking about Douglas.

( if there was one thing heather hated the most as of late, was to admit vincent was right. her father had been someone who had been deeply afraid of the state of the world, of predators, murders, and criminals hiding in plain sight. it was the reason he wrote a book about it, why he had trained heather to protect herself, and why he always had weapons around to protect himself.

for the day the order came back. while she couldn't speak on his behalf, she could only assume they had caught him off-guard or simply outnumbered him, leading to that tragic day.

for now, she finally relaxed her stance a bit, rising her hand up to brush away some sweat that had begun to gather on her forehead. this conversation was far too painful for her and while she wanted to breakdown and wallow in her sadness-

she pushed herself to keep her composure. there would be no comforting words from vincent or from anyone. he was the only one who knew the depth of her history, the only one who could understand and yet, he wasn't one who could help her with this. so she decided to ask more about his hopeful thoughts. )

Wait....there's something else I want to ask. Let's say you were able to go back in time...to that moment. What would happen to you? Do you think Claudia would just outright kill you? Or...how would you have brought her, your God to life then?

Didn't Claudia need my anger to do that?

I can't imagine I'd be left alive for long, anyway. [ He scratches the area just underneath his eye. However, it's seconds later that his hand drops; he breathes out a harsh sound. ] I didn't want Her to descend in the first place.

The doctrine clearly says that God will choose the time when She will return to Earth. [ He puts emphasis on these words because, well, it is important. ] We are to worship and venerate Her existence for our lives such is the covenant that we agreed to when She first came to being. [ He waves his hand; she doesn't want to hear scripture talk. ]

Well, look at you. You're figuring out why I want Harry Mason to live on your own. Yes, without his death, you won't have your rage and hatred. [ Vincent could have played dumb further but decides there's no benefit for it. The payout for such a risky endeavor wasn't worth anything; he only was prickly before 'cause of how the conversation was going, anyway. ] Furthermore, Harry's a lot more than what Claudia would be capable of handling regardless of what she thinks.

[ If she asks him, he knows why Harry must have lost to the cultists. It probably had nothing to do with numbers or being caught by surprise. That man? Maybe he's conflating the image of him, but he's always been a sneaky person in Vincent's mind. No, if he put it into words, it's probably because they mentioned Heather.

A moment of hesitation that his daughter was in real danger is all that's needed for lunatics to capitalize on.

Of course -- he doesn't intend to say anything on it. The two of them are getting along. It's just something in the chamber if they start to fall out of favor with one another, he supposes. Although, probably not; the topic's too dangerous to bring up given the last time he tried to speak on her father negatively. ]

( his words, ideas, and motivations are a stark contrast to someone like dahlia and claudia who wanted to bring their god to life. desperate and dissatisfied with the state of the world, they felt as if they could revolutionize things by forcing her to be born through both alessa and heather. it was interesting for heather to hear these thoughts and words because while dahlia had tried her best to instill the gospel of their religion into her, she had always resisted it.

so while she wasn't sure if what vincent was saying was something the others agreed with him on, she knew he wasn't lying. it just surprised her to hear him be so....respectable about the whole thing. it put her feelings and sense of anguish to the side for now. )

I don't know what to say....this is a lot to take in.

( his words and actions, seem to come from a place of empathy and trying to keep things balanced with her. yet there's a biting sensation in her mind that he's only saying this to manipulate her somehow. even though she didn't know him for very long, kindness wasn't something he seemed to have within him.

so to thank him or offer him any kind of gratitude for what seemed like kind words seemed wrong. )

You....you're not wrong about any of this.

( that's all she can offer him as some kind of appreciation. to let him know he was right, instead of fighting him as she always had before. )

You can ruminate and question me later, then.

[ Not that he's sure what quesitons that she would have about it, but he doesn't see any harm in offering that much to Heather.

He, of course, has another concern that she might not have but he's trying to be delicate about bring that one up. However, he's coming to realize that there is no organic way to do so; he may just have to as soon as they finish the line of thought they're on. ]

Thank you for saying so, Heather.

[ Vincent does his best not to sound too smug that she agrees that his line of thinking isn't terrible. Besides, Harry Mason has one other thing that'll keep him alive -- Heather. She'll be at his side and he feels like her love for her father will keep him alive, as well. Who knew? Everything comes back to Heather and her capabilities in the end.

Of course, he wonders how that will go. ]

Now let me get to the final concern I have... [ He makes a gesture with his hand. ] ... it's a bit much so just take a seat and settle yourself before I bring it up, okay? [ He feels he can show that much consideration. ]

( there's a bit of a sigh on heather's end as she felt the tears from before dry up on her face, that had become a bit heated from the tension of this entire situation. it seemed that when she gave vincent something to grab onto and use to make him feel better about himself, it was always twisted in a way to be used against her.

or at least this was how she felt as he thanked her and proceeded to describe something a bit more alarming to her. so for the first time without resistance or any hesitation, she moved back towards the couch. her steps were slow and heavy, treading along until she finally sat down at the edge of the couch across from him. there was some distance between the two, but she turned her body fully towards him to give him the attention he was commanding now. )

I have a feeling this is all connected somehow....to this.

( she held up the vial he had given her before, looking at it briefly before focusing back on vincent. she wasn't sure where he was going to go with this, but she had come to realize he never approached her unless he had a lot of things to discuss or get at. )

You're right. It is.

[ But he does appreciate that she listens to him when he asks for her to take a seat and calm herself. The next bit of news isn't something particularly easy to discuss, but it is something she should be aware of. Unlike before, if he keeps this close the chest, it'll cause issues with keeping these concerns quiet. ]

You have a very unique body, Heather. [ Vincent breathes out a sigh and shifts his tone to something sympathetic, understanding. ] It can house divinity. I spoke briefly with -- [ His eyes roll as he pauses. ] -- an angel and in his universe, he says that it's quite difficult to find a vessel.

[ Which means that might be a true statement across all universes, but it's not like he has the means to poll that question. ]

You have the means to give Echo a body -- you could be her vessel.

[ A beat. He rubs the back of his neck, letting out a tired sigh. ]

I'm not saying that is Echo's wish, but if these people -- [ He gestures toward the door, indicating all those outside it. ] -- figure out what you're capable of -- well, I am sure there are more than a few that would want to bring Echo here regardless of the consequences of doing so.

Edited 2024-12-14 16:00 (UTC)

( for the first time in the history of their interactions, heather remained silent and listened without interruption. she immediately knew of who he was speaking about when he mentioned the words vessel and angel. although she hadn't met him in person [yet], she had spoken to him a few times over text. while it was true it could have been anyone else, she was pretty sure it was him. the angel who claimed to have large black wings, visible to the human eye.

the thought was set to the side for now though, as she heard him continue on. with each word that he spoke, her expression became more grim and sullen, a darkness cast over her expression. there was a boiling rage inside of her that wanted to scream and yell out that this was his fault, the fault of the order. for priming and pushing her body to the point where it would become a suitable vessel but that process began long before she could even stop it, when she was alessa. born with mystic powers that dahlia saw as beneficial to being mother to their god, it was an inevitability that things would turn out this way.

additionally she had a genuine dislike and mistrust of echo and aurora all together. their almost apathetic stance on things drove her mad with how high of a sense of justice she had. so to hear vincent speak of the in an almost negative way got her to be more open to his suggestions. )

Are you sure they haven't already? Maybe they want me to go through more of these 'missions' to wear me down to the point where Echo could do that...

I don't trust them, I mean they pulled us at the worst possible time. I'm sure they know more than what they're letting on...

It's not an impossibility.

[ He doesn't want her to give any false hope. That's only when false hope would benefit him, and in this particular case, it doesn't.

Shifting how he's sitting, he pauses to reach into his pocket to pull out a notepad. And drawn on one of the pages is a seal. Holding it out to her, he continues with his explanation: ]

That angel I spoke with -- we're doing a deal with one another. He gave me this drawn symbol which you can copy to wear on you. It is supposed to ward demonic entities from possessing you. [ Did he think of making a necklace or something with it? Yes, but he ultimately decides it is up to Heather to choose how she wants to wear the seal. ] He mentioned tattooing might be best since that can't be easily removed, but I said the choice should be yours.

[ A slight pause. ] But don't feel too alone, because you're not the only person who can house divinity here. [ Which adds to his worries, but what can he do? ] Apparently, someone here known as Dean can also do the same. [ He waves his free hand. ] I'm getting him the same thing I got you since I can't trust either Aurora or Echo to leave either one of you alone.

So -- there you go. If you need to commiserate with someone, there's a name for you.

( as heather sat there and watched vincent speak and change from one topic onto the next, she remained silent. her eyes gazed onto him with a firmness, barely blinking or moving whatsoever. she had told him a while back that there were no separate entities between herself and alessa [and by extent cheryl], but in this moment a thought came into her mind that felt like a voice from the past.

'what a delicate way to tell all of this to a young girl.'

it was a thought that almost felt as if someone else was speaking to her, but at his final words, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. the action seemed to stabilize the strange instability in her mind and she felt she was finally ready to confront and accept the information that was shared to her. the voice that came forth though, had a familiar intonation vincent had once heard before. )

What time you have to converse these things with others, behind my back. It almost sounds like you need a hobby.

( idle humor, but she did appreciate the effort he had been putting in to protect his own goals and her body. )

How kind of you, finding me a friend to share my experience with. I didn't know you cared about the soul behind this body.

[ It's the familiar intonation that gives him pause. However, a vile pettiness rises in the back of his throat. ]

Others? I just spoke with that angel and everything we talked about benefited you.

[ He twists slightly on the couch to properly look at her. Before, it was half-measures as he explained what he'd done and what had been prepared for her. ]

Don't feel too inclined to do anything for me. I know that I'm on my own here.

[ Rather than address whatever care he might have, he decides to focus on another point entirely. Whenever anyone asks him if he's on his own, he admits that he is.

He doesn't say James, Maria, or Heather are from the same world as he is because it doesn't matter. If he died, none of them would do anything for him - in revenge or mourning. If he returned afterward, he couldn't imagine any of them greeting him with fondness or relief.

None of them have that kind of relationship with him. ]

Anyway, I figured it'd be isolating for you to be without anyone to understand your circumstances, so... there you go.

How truly grateful I am-

( she managed to say before he went on about not needing anything from her. the more they spoke and interacted, the more she saw him as a lost and hurt child, lashing out before anyone got too close to him. if he felt any resentment towards not being cared for or looked out for, he only had himself to blame in the end.

if he had arrived here with a new outlook on life, had drawn on the empathy heather had for him at the time, he would have found life to be more pleasant and truly worth living without the shackles of his religion on him.

however it wasn't her place to help him out of that, not unless he truly wanted to change. so to his words, all she can do is scoff and turn her gaze from him. )

So I guess even you have the capacity for empathy. Color me surprised, anyways are we done here? Anything else you want to share with me?

I know, I know --

[ His tone shifts to dismissive at her comment of gratitude.

He pushes himself up to stand as it sounds like they've said everything that needed to be said - she has everything that she needs to stay safe, as well. So long as it's on her person, no divine or demonic entity will be able to touch her. That's enough for him. ]

We're done here. [ Vincent starts to shift around so that he can move to head toward the door. But he pauses; one hand on his hip as he looks at her sitting on the couch. ] I don't hate you, you know. [ He decides to say that outright. It wouldn't be convenient if she continued to believe something that wasn't true, anyway. ] I wouldn't be doing everything I am if I did.

[ So, if she can't believe his words, she can at least believe his actions. His shoulders involuntarily bounce, a little shrug, as he moves away so that he can head back to the door where his pile of knitwear and the like await him. ]

Take care of yourself, Heather. I'm sure you have others who would be upset if something were to happen to you already.

( those words were the last nail in the coffin, tossed into a sea of confusion and uncertainty. she wasn't quite sure what to make of his words but frankly they were working in his favor. whatever hatred, blame, and bitterness she had for vincent's lack of involvement in stopping her father's murder in the first place is set to the side.

she isn't sure what to say or make of such kind words from him. he had never once said anything of this sort before in their time in silent hill but she supposed even he had the capacity to play nice sometimes. especially if it was for his benefit.

so heather rose up and began to walk towards him, preparing to close the door on him for when he was ready. yet he said those last words and she had to comment on them. )

You know....you'd also have people who would be upset if something happened to you...if you tried a little harder at being nicer. I can tell you have the capacity to change, we all do.

That's kind of you to say, but --

[ He lets the end of his sentence hang as he pulls on the rest of the knitwear that he had thrown on the floor. His face scrunches up into irritation when he feels dampness but that's his own fault for how he threw everything off in the first place.

Either way, he doesn't finish what he's saying until he's bundled back up. ]

-- I don't want to get along with people for that reason.

[ The idea of acting lovable to receive love; he doesn't want to do that, at all. Even if that isn't what she means, it equates the same for him. We can't all be reborn into a better version of ourselves. His mouth twists briefly into a smile before adding: ]

Certainly, it's a big boon to have people worry, but it's also too much of a burden to want to maintain. [ His smile widens. ] So don't worry. I'll be fine. [ The door opens and he passes through the threshold. ] See you later, Heather.

( there's a level of sadness that comes over heather as she hears those words, and she's unsure if this attitude is truly coming from a place of not wanting to use others or simply not feeling worthy of it. since when did he hesitate on such thing after all?

yet she can't bring herself to argue with him, to stop him and tell him he's wrong. what they've been through, and what happened today in her apartment just didn't lend itself to moving her in such a way. she needed some comfort herself after all of this, so all she could do was offer him a sympathetic smile as he packed up and began to walk out the door.

before she closed it though, she spoke to him one last time for now. )

Take care of yourself then, Vincent.

( the words came out colder than she intended but, that's all she could muster for now. )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

closed ― we'll float on, good news is on the way

cw: cannibalism

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(i went hm!)

totally fair ♥

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