[Thread] Finding You

[thieveryofstars]

Characters: OU!Jing, AU!Persephone
Where: Alley behind the shops
When: Nighttime, after Persephone goes all creepy, and after this post
Summary: Worried about his roommate and upset by her claims to destroy the compound, Jing goes searching for Persephone. He's definitely getting in over his head as usual
Warnings: Angry!smite-y goddess. Probably

Comments

[poppingseeds]

Through the dark she moved, one of her lighter scarfs pulled over head and covering it and the lamp. It was sheer enough to see through, but the night still obscured her vision as she traversed the alleyway. Fingertips of one hand stayed against the rough surface of the building she was passing between, Persephone moving slowly.

The sound of Jing's voice startled her out of her wandering. A bramble snapped out of the ground, scooping up the nearest object it could find -- a crumbling brick -- before hurling it at the man as she whipped around. The shawl she had been using to hide with fell about her shoulders and she stared into the dark, head held high, to face who was out there.

[thieveryofstars]

It never had ceased to amaze Jing how the natural surroundings -- albeit as unnaturally as they acted -- shielded and reacted to the goddess' will. He knew it made sense, her being a nature deity and all, but to actually see it in action was something else entirely.

And feel it in action as well, as the unexpected source of attack caught him unawares, and the brick thunked rather solidly into his chest -- perhaps the plant had been expecting someone a head shorter, and that would've ended the meeting quite quickly.

"The saying goes that you shouldn't throw rocks in glass houses," Jing said, stepping forward a little so the glow of her lamp could reach him more clearly. "I would've thought, with you being so attached to the greenhouse, that might've carried over."

He held his hands out, showing he was unarmed; although granted he still wore his arm-mounted sword under his coat sleeve. He didn't intend to use it, however.

"Just talk to me, Persephone. Please?"

[poppingseeds]

The bramble curled at the goddess' feet like some sort of deranged pet and she regarded her friend with cold, grey eyes, head tilting just a fraction. It would be easy, all too easy, to end him now and the thought that she had the power to do so brought a smirk to her lips.

"I've said my piece already," Persephone lilted, the smirk growing wider. The vine raised itself a little, menacingly, and was joined by another. "What more is there to expound about~?"

[thieveryofstars]

It would've been, Jing thought, a perfect time to launch into any number of stirring speeches; about how she wasn't acting rationally, about how doing this was selfish and crazy, even how Robin wouldn't have wanted this to happen.

But the truth was, he wasn't very good at stirring speeches, and so he did what came naturally to him: he kept it simple.

"We're friends. I want to make sure you're okay."

Which was a ridiculous statement to make, given that she was obviously very not okay.

[poppingseeds]

Had he done so, Persephone would have ended him right then.

An awful laugh bubbled from her throat and broke through the night. Okay, making sure she was okay! That was rich!

She was very much not okay and knew it, but the goddess couldn't stop herself. She was going to make good on her word.

The pout she gave him was mocking, only made worse by the puppy eyes she attempted. "Oh, Jing... My darling. It hurts, that hole, like my heart has been torn~" Again she laughed, unable to help herself.

[thieveryofstars]

"No it doesn't," Jing said with a surprising lack of sympathy. "You can't even feel your heart at all. All there is to feel inside of you right now is a white-hot fire. There's nothing left within you to burn so you want to turn it loose on everything else. It doesn't matter who's in the way. Nothing matters except trying to make the outside hurt as much as the inside. Because maybe if you destroy every last reminder, you won't have to go back. If you have to suffer, everyone else is going to suffer just as much. Nature is unbiased like that."

[poppingseeds]

Persephone stiffened. It was a close enough description, but for all intents and purposes, it passed through one ear and went out the other. Talking to her like he understood, why she should...

The goddess' face fell and she looked demurely at the ground. "I'm sorry, Jing, so sorry..." she murmured.

[thieveryofstars]

The thief looked at her somberly. "No... the pain doesn't turn off like a switch, not with all the clever words in the world. I'm not trying to change who you are just by talking. But even if I don't say another word, even if you killed me right on the spot, you'd still know that someone else understands what you feel like right now. And I'm telling you, doing what it is you want to do won't make it better, not even one bit. I know that doesn't matter right now because you can't feel sadness or regret or guilt. But you will eventually, and so for once you can feel again, I want to make sure you're okay."

[poppingseeds]

The act of pretending to understand was cut out quickly -- this one was talking too much and Persephone had let it go on long enough.

When Jing paused, the goddess let out a feigned yawn of boredom. "The subject has been beaten into the ground, my dearest Jing." For a moment, she contemplated actually attempting to wire his mouth shut with one of the brambles, but dismissed it -- too messy. A wonderful thought, though.

"I sincerely meant what I said about razing the compound to the ground. Nothing shall escape~"

[thieveryofstars]

Jing's grey eyes were sad, but understanding. "I know you did. But I meant what I said too. I have to stand in your way as long as I'm able. I wouldn't be a good friend if I did anything less."

[poppingseeds]

The look Persephone gave him was amusement mingled with skepticism. "And you, a mortal, intend to stand up to me how?"

[thieveryofstars]

He shook his head. "I said stand, not fight. We both know it'd be pretty short fight anyway. On the upside, I guess you'll have an extra bed for your plants in Ast-Tessera. You're still going to take care of them, aren't you? Even that aloe... it starts to grow on you, after a while. A long while."

[poppingseeds]

That cold, icy look was back. How dare he bring up her plants? Despite the look on her face, Persephone tried to reply as nonchalantly as possible, "They can take care of themselves. They know what to do."

[thieveryofstars]

A slight hesitance -- calculated or real? -- and then Jing sighed and dropped his hands to his sides. "Okay," he answered. "You know best for them."

[poppingseeds]

A pang of sorrow flit across her face before disappearing as abruptly as it came. The goddess sneered, hugging the lamp closer to her form before turning, moving to go. "I do, mortal."

[thieveryofstars]

Another hesitance, this one definitely real, and while she had her back turned away Jing closed the difference between them quickly. But instead of attacking, as some might've used the opportunity, Persephone was subjected to... a hug from behind.