brilith.

[oathic]

Comments

[oathic]

[agni is definitely looking for her.

when he finds her, he quietly approaches.]

[infire]

[ when she hears him, her eyes snap up. ]

Do you want something.

[ the words clipped, as if she's barely restraining herself from spitting them out at him. ]

[oathic]

... Do I need to want something from you?

[infire]

[ ...right. he never does, does he. all agni ever asks of her is to keep smiling, don't worry, let her vigor replenish - he never really asks for anything else. ]

Then what is it?

[ it's hard. brilith knows she has no right to snap at him, but with everything she's feeling - rage that's both hers and not, the heartbreak, and hunter's... hunger - it's hard. ]

[oathic]

... Do you need to vent?

[infire]

It's not about venting.

[ well, it is. partially. maybe. but that's less important. ]

I'm linked with Hunter. I can still feel... whatever that is.

[ so she's. needlessly angry, moreso than she would have been on her own. and hungry. so, so hungry. it disgusts her. ]

[oathic]

Ah. Yeah, I'm linked to Hunter too, unfortunately...

[...]

It should just be for one more night. Think you can endure until then?

[infire]

It's not just him.

[ jin ling is angry at her too. chuuya is feeling all of her own, but despite his best efforts, he's not the calmest person out there. there's so much that's happened this week, and it feels like her blood is boiling, and she just wants it to stop. ]

I hope so. [ she's able to use another link to force herself to be a little longer, at least. ] But if the antidote doesn't work...

[oathic]

[can you please link with calmer people, brilith]

... We won't know until it happens.

[infire]

[ listen she didn't want this life ]

I know. [ she hesitates then, averting her eyes. ] I'm afraid it won't. I... I don't want to let him down.

[oathic]

... Whatever happens, it won't be your fault, Brilith.

[infire]

I know.

[ she snaps and instantly regrets it, but she can't bring herself to apologize. ]

But I told him we'd do everything we can. I told him we'd try. I just... [ her voice cracks, just a little. ] I don't want him to die.

[oathic]

... Neither do I.

But at the very least, if he can't be saved, it's not as if he'd want to live on hurting others either.

[infire]

...You're right.

[ but she's clinging to that hop, however slim it may be. ]

He's a good kid. He's the one who told me about the antidote in the first place, so I never even thought it could be him.

[oathic]

He's a very good kid. He doesn't deserve this. None of them did.

[not even meltryllis, for all of her cruelty. what agni won't tell others is that he was linked with her that night—and that what she felt at the end, when he killed her, was gratitude.]

Do you know where the antidote came from? Was it a reward?

[infire]

No, they didn't.

[ her eyes close. she's so, so tired. this week has been horrible, in so many ways. ]

They found it in the morgue, he said. It was part of their... adventure, just like mine in the infirmary.

[oathic]

What'd you get from the infirmary, by the way? If you don't mind.

[infire]

[ ...hm. instead of answering, she pushes her purse toward him. inside are all the same things from the trial: her notebook and crayon, room key, the folded fan, some beans, a bottle of pills, a white flower, and a red crystal. ]

The beans are supposed to have healing properties, but the description didn't elaborate beyond that. The rest... probably won't be useful.

[oathic]

[he looks through.]

What do you mean?

[infire]

The flower is a hallucinogenic. The pills induce memory loss. The crystal...

[ she looks troubled by that one. ]

...It said agonizing pain.

[oathic]

... Worrying. But if you ever get attacked, it might have its uses.

[infire]

...I suppose so. But I also have the knife for that, and the staff. I don't intend on getting close enough to anyone to be able to use these things.

[oathic]

Hopefully.

[...]

Do you want my gun?

[infire]

...Keep it. There are plenty of others, if I really need one.

[oathic]

... All right.

[...]

I'm sorry, Brilith. I know this isn't a good time, but there won't ever be one—if I ever have reason to think you're the monster, what do you want me to do?

[it's something that's been on his mind for a while.]