[Canon update: Week 34, day 2] Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
SPOILER WARNING for the PH manga from chapter 52 to 59, and a bit from 61. Also there is death and decapitation in this, but not really written all that detailed, I don't think?
( Humpty Dumpty had a great fall )
( Humpty Dumpty had a great fall )
[Leo senses it in his sleep. Things are shifting and changing again, and the focus is 'that' time again. It's like Vincent's dream before but... it's worse this time because it's coming from Elliot, and everything is so much more clear and... he can feel Elliot's emotions far too clearly. The worst part is that he knows what's going to happen next. Leo knows what's coming because he's seen the climax of this horrid story before. He'd only managed to remain sane because for him... it was just like a story. Because Elliot was still here and safe and ignorant and he wasn't dead, wasn't even hurt... wasn't even aware. But that was about to change wasn't it. The panic was already rising. Leo didn't want Elliot know all these things. And he didn't want to face Elliot once he did. He was scared. When its over, he's almost afraid to wake up, but it has to happen. His eyes flutter open and he's staring at the ceiling, but Elliot is there, close to him... in the same bed. All he has to do is turn his head and look at him.
But that takes longer than one would think. And when he does... everything inside Leo turns cold and panicked. His world has been turned upside down and his days of pretending were over. Now, the thing he feared the most had come. Even here, Elliot was not safe. Even here it would haunt Elliot.
Even here, Elliot was dying.
He's bleeding a lot, that's the first thing Leo notices. And he's conscious for this. It's the worst feeling. Worse than back home. Harder to swallow.
And even though the insanity wants to chip away at him now, he won't let it. Not yet. He grabs his Hitomi and proceeds to scream at it brokenly, praying that someone will hear him at this time... that someone will help save Elliot... because he can't...]
Someone!! Please... I don't-- I don't know what to do... Elliot is...
[He's already rather hysterical. He can't force himself to be calm. The calm him he had been seems so far away. It'll never be the same, he thinks. But he just... wants someone to save Elliot. Because he doesn't want to be a part of two worlds in which he can't see this person... He thinks he'd rather die.]
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His brothers, his mother, his sister... Leo and Oz and... who else is involved in these false memories.
"I can't anything."
--right, Fai. Fai, Fai, Fai-- Shit, damn it, no...
"I want to protect Yuui from harm."
"I can give you that power."
"You must absolutely promise that Yuui will be safe. What do you want in return."
"He will be if you want him to be. It will be in your hands, not anyone else's. I require only your time."
SHIT.]
Leo... It's. It's okay.
[He grits his teeth at another throb of pain, sucks in a sharp breath. He remembers dreams, too, so many dreams. And Leo...
"...you'll just forget."
Leo has known for a long time now, and he's had to carry it all on his own.]
You... I'm sorry.
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[He wants to hit Elliot for saying such a stupid thing. He wants to... what? What was so clear a second ago becomes unsure. His mind is clouded and confused; going in a million directions.]
Don't say that.
[Leo hates apologies. If they're directed at him, he doesn't know what to do. As if he'd regret anything he'd done for Elliot. No. The things he regrets are the misfortunes he's brought upon Elliot by choosing foolishly and blindly to follow him. He didn't know that it would hurt Elliot this way. No matter what world it was... it was bound to happen. And it all went back to one thing.
It was Leo's fault.
He can't look at Elliot. Even though he's here... even though he's awake. He doesn't know what to do. Isn't it inevitable? Elliot would die if left to him. That's why... he needs... someone... He needs someone to save Elliot, because Elliot is... Elliot is... everything.]
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Not that it matters, because he can't... he'll just die again, won't he? Surely the seal has only progressed further here and... he can't give into Humpty Dumpty, won't. He just needs to... remember everything.]
No, I... have to say it...
[He starts moving, slowly, even as he keeps his eyes shut to keep remembering.
"He used you. He used the children of Fianna House, he used everyone. Do you think your father didn't know anything? Do you think that your death was something he couldn't have foreseen or changed?"
His father...
He feels so sick...]
I'm sorry, I... I'm going to...
[As soon as he feels his feet touch the floor, he tries pushing himself up, slowly and carefully. But, unsurprisingly, his legs can't carry him and he ends up falling to the floor and bracing himself on his trembling arms, with a hiss because that impact kind of hurt.]
To leave, for a little while...
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But instead of saying as much, Leo sneers.]
If you have time to be an idiot than you have time to live, you moron.
[And he's saying it to get through to Elliot, but... he's really hiding a great pain of his own. Even though it hurts him...]
If you die, I want nothing more to do with you.
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Does Leo think he doesn't know it hurts?! It doesn't... it doesn't matter it just doesn't matter. Ugh. He feels horrible about it but he... he has to...
If only he had the energy to yell, then he would. But he can only raise his voice. Well, he will as soon as he's done coughing because getting thrown away from the force behind that punch and toppling over wasn't all that nice at all.]
W-what do you suggest I do then?! Wait and see... what happens once the seal completes its lap..?! It's not going to stop! And I-- I refuse to let Humpty Dumpty take my memories again only so I can live! I refuse to... [Deep, shaky breath.] To carry this thing that made me... kill my family inside of me!
[He curls up again, gasps for air after the effort of getting all that out, as he clutches his arms to his chest.]
Leave me all you want, but I... I'm sorry but I... I have to...
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[That's all he can say, as he barrels into the room, catching just the last snippet of the conversation.
He's seen the dream. And while it wasn't the first time he dreamed of Elliot's death, it was the first time that he dreamed it from Elliot's perspective, saw and felt everything just as his brother had. His brother whom he had wanted to badly to support and hadn't been able to, who he hadn't been able to help or save. He hadn't been able to do anything but relay a last message, and then... what he'd done after... dedicating himself in such a way hadn't been for Elliot though.
He hadn't been able to do anything for Elliot.
It wouldn't be that way this time, not here. Here, he was determined that things would be different, that everything would be different. Here, his own perspectives were changing, his own views on the world shifting and growing to include things he would never have expected.
Here, he will make a difference. He will.
He launches himself into the room with far less than his usual grace, his white nightgown trailing behind him and his hair in disarray.
He doesn't care about anything right now but getting to Elliot. He doesn't look at anything but Elliot as he tries to push his way to the boy.]
Hold on, I'll take care of...
[And already he's doing it. As soon as he lays a hand on Elliot, there's an energy that sparks between them.]
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Leo places a hand on Vincent's shoulder and grips it firmly. He needs this.]
Please save him... I don't care what he says... please...
[He doesn't think he has the right to ask something so great of Vincent, but he knows that they share at least one feeling... and that is the desire for Elliot's well being.]
Let him help you Elliot. I don't care what you think is the noble or right thing to do... I don't know anything about that. But it doesn't have to end like this!! So... please...
[And he moves to hold Elliot down. Because he doesn't expect Elliot to take this gracefully. In fact, he's not even sure that whatever Vincent needs to do won't hurt. So he'll hold him down or comfort him... whatever he has to do. Obviously he isn't as ready to let Elliot go as he said a moment ago.]
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Indeed, Elliot isn't about to just sit back and let Vincent do it. Sure, Vincent did say that if he rejects the Chain he'll die, so it doesn't matter if the wound is actually there or not. Maybe it could even be nice to be rid of it, if it wasn't for the fact that he knows Vincent didn't use to have it and he doesn't know how it works or how he got it or what the requirements are or... or anything.
So he doesn't trust it, so he does try to push Vincent away, as he grits his teeth and hisses and protests:]
No, don't, you--!
[And then Leo is holding him down and he swears between his gasps for breath. Damn it, this is tiring! Mmnmjghf why can't they just--]
It's going to end some day, somehow, and I'd rather choose! You're just wasting your effort, let me go!
["I would have supported you."
The warmth of Vincent's embrace... Honestly, he would rather have something like that now, if anything, not attempts to try to save him when... when it's not saving, it's not. Only postponing for an inevitable end.
Even if at the same time he would like to go away and be alone, or at least further away from people, it's nice to not be alone. So a hug would be pretty nice right about now, he grudgingly admits to himself.]
I... I can't... That thing is a part of me and I'll do what I want with it..!
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[He holds Elliot tighter, a frown deeply embedded on his face. It's really guilt. So much guilt.]
It's my fault. I won't let you give up so easily!
[That would only make it hurt more.]
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Continued here
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