Pastry!

[beheads]

[The feed clicks on to show Cain sat on the edge of his bed, he looks exhausted and pale but less harried than last time he had been out an about.

He makes a show of a smile to the camera.]

Does anyone know where to buy the best pastries around here?

--

Comments

action;

[damadiferro]

Just a minute Abel. What are you doing up at this hour?

[Caterina was getting ready for the day ahead. She hadn't seen much of Cain since he returned but, the Duchess made peace with it. That didn't make it any less surprising when she opened the door to see him.]

Cain...what brings you here?

action forever

[beheads]

[There's a pause before he speaks, carefully looking at the doorframe to the left of her.]

May I speak with you?

[damadiferro]

Of course. Please come in.

[She opens the door up enough for him to come in.]

[beheads]

[Walking inside, he looks a little lost for a moment, before he finally just stands facing her with a small frown.]

I wanted to... apologise.

[damadiferro]

[She was fully expecting accusations and anger...but this?]

Excuse me?

[beheads]

You helped me, even when you knew... I might be a monster, and...

[He cuts himself off, still not too coherent.]

[damadiferro]

Please...don't ever apologize to me. You're not a monster.

[beheads]

You're wrong.

[It's not an argument, just a statement of fact.]

[damadiferro]

It was my fault for... [...] Don't apologize. Do you understand?

[beheads]

[He blinks at her, not comprehending. He had understood she had been manipulating him at the time to learn more, but no more so than he had been withholding stories of the past to gain what he wanted. She couldn't have known he would crack, it wasn't her fault.]

...It's not your fault, I know Abel would say the same.

[damadiferro]

He has.

[But that didn't make it true. She took a gamble with his sanity and lost badly.]

I still can't help but, feel responsible for this.

[beheads]

Don't.

[He'd be more forthcoming and eloquent, but he was still piecing together this facade. It was hard, so hard to just keep breathing, this added effort was excrutiating - the only thing that made it possible, was that it was for Abel.]

[damadiferro]

[Should she let this go on? No just this once she should face the consequences of her actions.]

I knew this would happen to you.

1/2

[beheads]

...

[beheads]

[He just... nods. He supposed it was alright to sever a man's sanity, when that man was really a monster.]

Then I forgive you.

[damadiferro]

[She grasps his arm at that.]

What is wrong with you?! I just confessed to purposely harming you for my own gain! Stand up for yourself!