thevoidsdarkhorse | Heart Game (Continued)

Heart Game (Continued)

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Not cheesy. Sounds kind of familiar. [WHY DO YOU THINK SHE WORRIED SO MUCH FOR YOU. This. This is why.]

...well, you can help now. I still need a bit more to be stable. [A sadder smile.]

[Maybe I figured out why and VIOLENTLY REJECTED HELP because walls and piss poor coping

He returns the smile, though with a little more of a spark, an unspoken equivalent to a ruffling of her hair. Being sad is for losers. Let's focus on something not so sad, shall we? So he gathers the blanket close as he pushes himself to his feet.]

I'd be happy to. Where would you like me to start?

[This is probably true. '-']

[So healthy.]

[But she moves over to pick up one of the green cubes and she tosses it over to him.]

[Catching it easily, though he gives her a questioning look in return.]

I need a new base. They...they were the old base.

[She's looking at some broken shapes. The colors are going to be familiar. Basically the exact shades of those pesterchum chats, plus a purple.]

But I can't have it just be one or two people, too unstable. The more I have, the more give there is for me to change the base if I need to, to still support everything.

Goes along with your friends being so important to you, right?

[That smirk strengthens a bit, rueful but honest. Acknowledging the loss, the sight of what looked to be her friends from home, and letting it be for what they could do now. Dwelling on it too heavily was what got the other room in such a mess, after all.]

What do I need to do, then, to help build that base up? Anything special?

[Nods.] They're important. They always will be, but I can't use them as bases for my hope anymore. And we need it with how bad the rest got.

[She looks at him and gestures to the cube.] I need feelings. Your hopes and dreams for me, why you want to help. The more specific, honest, and strong the feelings are, the better.

Why you want to help me specifically especially.

[Okay, he has to laugh at that.]

Should be easy enough, right? Seeing what I got stuck with thanks to Nix.

[A tug at the Heart on his shirt.]

Do you want me to talk it out, or just do whatever feels natural?

Talking is the easiest to do, but if the feelings are strong nuff and you're channeling it right, it can go into the cube. Only one to do that so far is poolboy though.

...your poolboy.

He's hearty and been doing shit all over to get in though.

...Poolboy?

Who the hell is poolboy?

Oh, I guess you didn't get the memo.

Cascade Haru. [Because Rin keeps using BOTH NAMES at her and Cascade is a tool who doesn't introduce himself and she doesn't like using names people don't give her.]

He's got like a super waterboner.

Oh, Cascade--!

[Pfffft okay the nickname makes a LITTLE more sense now.]

Yeah, he's new. I wasn't aware you guys had met.

Met him for a few minutes before hand.

But Sakura showed me a mem with him before. Recognized him.

[Leans forward, ONLY SLIGHTLY, and raises a hand around her mouth like whispering.]

I'm p sure they're in denial of feelins. They're kinda super gay.

Hey, hey, let them figure that out for themselves. It'll be good for them.

[But Cascade and Sakura are from the same world, huh? He'll have to file that away for later.

For now, he pauses to think. What does he want for Roxy?? Hell, what DOESN'T he want for Roxy at this point? But he should find a way to be concise about it, anyway.

Exhaling deeply, he tucks the cube under one arm, holding out his hands toward her.]

I know this might sound off, but... could you come here for a second?

I make no promises, but I'm not gonna be all overbearing. Better at the matchmakin' thing.

...you sure? [You freaked out earlier.]

[A nod.]

As long as I don't get caught by surprise. It, ah. It takes some work.

That aside, I'd still like to be able to hug a friend who's dear to me.

...

[Moving closer then. Stopping close by and holding out her hand, close to his, but not touching first.]

[Also she's thirteen, I CAN USE KID ICONS.]

[Taking it, squeezing firmly with a bit of a smile, an unspoken request for her to close the distance.]

[Just checking bro.]

[And then she's stepping forward and she's....she's kind of tiny. Forever small child. So you get a hug from a small kid.]

[Hey, no complaints here. Mostly a one-armed hug from him with the other holding onto that cube, but he holds her close and firm, an aura of protectiveness around it.

It's hard. He knows he's being such a hypocrite here, and there's a fear that it will color what he passes on. But... just because he can't follow the advice himself doesn't make it any less true.]

I want you to be happy, Roxy. Not just for the sake of it, or to make things get by for the people around you. My hope is that... somehow, with the people you're meeting here, you find your way back to happiness. That you have plenty of chances to smile and enjoy things, while never forgetting the past that's made you how you are. I hope you're loved as much as you choose to love in return... even if you can be plenty stubborn about it. I hope you find the bravery to speak up when you feel overwhelmed or scared. I hope you cherish what you have here.

And... I hope you can keep going. Find ways to heal. Find the ways I... still haven't found myself. You're only a teenager, you know? You have so much life left to live.

...

I don't want to see you ever give up. My wish is that you keep finding your reasons to continue. Find your reasons to smile and laugh and love someone, even if it scares you to pieces.

Until then, I want to be here to help you out whenever you need me.

[As he speaks, Roxy hugs him just a bit tighter, seeming to be taking full advantage of ths hug while she can. Moreover, the longer he speaks, the more the fireflies gathering around them. Particularly around the cube in his hand.]

[She nods against him.]

Why do you want to help? [Not a disbelieving tone. Just a question, a prompt.]

You mean, besides the fact that you're my friend?

[Not a defense, just a teasing clarification.

Also gonna kiss her hair gently. Missed you, Roxy.]

['^']

[She nods.]

Yeah. It...helps make it more real, when I know why you care. And your heart was kinda cheating.

Ouch, harsh.

[Hums a bit against her hair, thinking.]

Well... mostly because you and I are alike. Not completely, but... I know how this can feel. Too much of this. It's miserable, it's lonely, it's absolute, and no amount of nice pats on the back or kind surface words or hopeful idealism can really change the fact that it sticks with you, you know? It's a burden you have to carry, no matter what. And not many people can really understand that. Not without things being... different. That's hard. I know it's hard. It makes being alone seem like the best option, even if it's the one you hate.

I want to help you because I... I know I could have used the help, too. Hell, I probably still could. I can only do so much for myself... but it's important I try for those I love, too.

[And, quieter:]

I don't want to see you as sad and hateful as I was when I was a kid. Hard to break that once it becomes a habit.

Well, it was more ME cheating honestly....

[She listens and the fireflies gather more and more around the cube, making it glow. A gentle, beating warmth and he can feel it, how his feelings flow into the cube. The cube that's such a basic building block of everything, the potential for everything, and it's taking those feelings, making it part of it's whole structure. A literal manifestation of the emotions.]

[There's a flash and the cube has changed. The same blue of his eyes, with an orange border that matches his text.]

Thank you.

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