[active/open]

[3minutefisting]

Who: Knuckle, Open
Where: Where ever! He's wandering a bit
When: Night 004
What: Knuckle wakes up no longer dead.... AGAIN!
Warnings: Grotesque amounts of pure uncensored derpfluff.

Comments

Hallway outside her room

[was_a_hunter]

Mary had spent days just reading the margins in the bible, learning more about Knuckle than she ever thought she would...that poor man. He was so similar to her, his tragic past, his self loathing for things that happened in the past... Running a hand over her face, she paused as she heard someone in the hallway.

Standing from her bed, she left the bible open as she went to see who it was. Easing her door open, she froze as she saw Knuckle...he was back. It didn't take more than a second for it to truly click; once it did, she threw open her door and she ran forward to throw her arms around his neck. The dust didn't matter, she'd wash. What mattered was that he was back at last and she could see him again.

She had been so worried when he wasn't there when she returned. She knew he'd likely died, but it wasn't something she was ready to believe.

"I'm so sorry..."

[3minutefisting]

Knuckle almost stumbles back, and it takes him a moment to realize what's going on, but once he sees who it is, he more than happily returns the hug. Finally, they could both return the gesture after being subjected to one horrible event after another. He found that he couldn't wipe the smile off his face now. This somehow felt like this was the mark of the end of all that tragedy.

"Mary!" He doesn't separate from the hug, or even bother pulling back as he spoke, this position was fine. This moment was far too precious to end too quickly. "Oh thank the lord you're alright!"

[was_a_hunter]

She hadn't been able to properly hug him since before they were kidnapped. All that she'd wanted when she was in that cell was someone to hold her and she was finally getting it...and they were both okay. That was all that mattered anymore.

"I was so worried when you weren't there when I came back...I should have stayed with you or distracted them...I could have cut myself and distracted them." She hadn't tried to outrun them yet, not when she was perfectly capable of running fast.

She didn't have to run far, just to a safe room. It was possible and it would have saved him.

[3minutefisting]

He hushed her as she started to try and go through all the 'woulda coulda shouldas' of the event.

"Now, now, where would that have gotten either of us? You could have been hurt, or killed, I would have remained in that wretched state, or killed off anyway. All things considered it was more pleasant than the first time I perished. Besides, I would say the end result wasn't all that bad." He hugs her just a bit tighter to demonstrate that his arms are no longer broken, then he finally pulls back to see her face and give her his trademark bright smile. "What happened, is past. It's simply God's will."

[was_a_hunter]

Well...there was that. But she still would have preferred that he didn't have to die alone. No one should have to die alone.

"God's will." Smiling slightly she nodded, trying to will away the tears from welling in her eyes. At least he wasn't suffering anymore. "I hope you don't mind...I was reading your bible." She couldn't really read the Italian, but the Latin was a cakewalk and of course, English wasn't a problem. He hadn't really given her permission to read through it, just the clippings, but she couldn't really stop herself. She just hoped that he wouldn't be angry with her.

[3minutefisting]

He chuckled lightly, and finally separated, but kept a hand on her shoulder.

"Of course not. I don't have any secrets."

The closest thing he had to a secret was that incident... but that wasn't a secret so much as it was not something he openly spoke of unless asked. And... the entire purpose of giving Mary the old Tome was for her to read about said incident.

"I hope it's not too dull. I've gotten a bit punch-drunk after my boxing days. My memory isn't quite what it used to be... and it never really used to be any good either."

[was_a_hunter]

Reluctantly pulling back, she patted the hand on her shoulder, not quite ready to let him go just yet. It felt like she lost him for good back there...she wouldn't even let anyone touch his bible.

"Everyone has secrets...even if you don't know it."

There had to be something that he didn't want anyone to know about. Whether it was that he liked wearing lacy pink underwear or even that he was nothing but fur under his robes, everyone had secrets.

"It wasn't dull. There were even a few parts I had to read over again...I'm actually a little happy to know that you have a name other than Knuckle." It made him a little more...human, for lack of a better word.

[3minutefisting]

Secrets... alright... maybe he should try to think of one. His face scrunches up in thought as he honestly wracks his brain for answers, but to no avail. If he had any, he had forgotten them.

And then he paused for a moment, losing his focus on his first train of thought, another na- OH! He had nearly forgotten about that! He lets out another laugh. That name had all but been lost in his boxing days. Of course his mother and father still called him that... but that was about it.

"Right! My family name, Christopher. I.. haven't been called that for years." Completely forgetting his encounter with the little girl... unsurprisingly.

[was_a_hunter]

...It was so adorable as he tried to think of any secrets he had. How anyone could ever wish to hurt this man, she couldn't fathom. More so as he couldn't seem to remember his own name. Perhaps she'd remember to call him that from time to time, just to make sure he never forgot it.

Stepping back, she kept hold of his hand as she motioned for them to continue this in her room.

"It may be best to continue this away from the hallways. I don't know what it is, but things feel more dangerous tonight."

Besides, she had a feeling that they had a few things to discuss and she'd rather not have it quite so in the open for everyone to hear. "Also, I'm really sorry about before; when I wasn't myself."

[3minutefisting]

"Right, of course." He nodded in agreement and with his hand still sitting on her shoulder, guided her to her to the nearest open room, which was conveniently enough, the room she came from. "I believe we already had this talk. You were not yourself, and neither was I. There is nothing to be sorry for."

He spotted the familiar Tome and, while making sure to keep the page, picked it up and set it on his lap, re-opening it to the page Mary had it at. The scent, weight, and feel of the book was always a comfort. For him this was more than just a book, or a bible- it was his memory. Of times long gone, good and bad, things he strived for, the daily life he once had. It was the compensation for what his mind was significantly lacking. He would be quite lost without it, in more ways than one.

[was_a_hunter]

Shutting the door behind them, she didn't turn for a moment as she tried to get her feelings under control. Finally making her way to the bed, she sat next to him and leaned on his shoulder, her eyes looking over the page but not really reading anything. "That's just it though...it wasn't...not really me. There was some truth to my words, so yes. I do need to apologize." Her history was her problem, she didn't mean to ever burden anyone else with it or tell just how fucked up she really was.

She knew what that book was to him. Anyone getting more than a few pages in would know just how much he depended on it for just his daily life. The dates that were marked, tiny notes, simple things that most people would remember; he simply seemed unable to. She knew he had a bad memory, until she read the book though, she didn't know just how bad.

[3minutefisting]

He doesn't takes his eyes off the page, and nor does his little smile fade. He honestly couldn't understand why she was so upset about it. He chuckled softly at a little note on the side in Italian. After a moment he looks up at her, he obviously didn't feel any wrong had been done on her part. He had said he would gladly listen to any tale she decided to confide in him. He was a priest, it was his job. Not only that, but she was a very valued friend.

"You were not in your right mind Mary. If there is anyone that owes us an apology it is the monsters that caused us so much harm in the first place."

He doubted he would get an apology from those creatures though, if he did he would accept it and forgive them. It would be difficult, bot for what they had done to him, but to Mary and Orihime and the others. He could not forgive them on their behalf... but he would most certainly give them quite a talking to. Ah, but here he is getting off-topic again.

[was_a_hunter]

"They'll never apologize. But if it's the last thing I do, I will find a way to stop them." She had Dean, they could work together to find a way to kill the bastards. She wouldn't let them hurt anyone else like they had hurt them, no one deserved that kind of torture.

Speaking of... "Knuckle, I want you to do me a favor. I have no right to ask it of you, but; I want you to talk to my son. Tell him what you saw in the lab." She had been useless for telling him about what she saw down there, she didn't remember half of it for obvious reasons. "We need to know, he needs to know, what he's getting into before I take him there." She wouldn't force him to go with her if he decided not to, but she couldn't just sit idly by and not even look for a way into the lab. "If we're lucky, he'll know how to kill them."

Perhaps killing them will lift the wards on this place...it was worth a shot.

[3minutefisting]

Her determination was touching, and a bit concerning. Her son was temperamental last time he saw him, and she, against something of far greater strength, would not fair well. Still, he was in no place to turn her down.

"I'll recall it to the best of my ability. I took a few notes on the creatures so I wouldn't forget. I'll do my best to help in any way I can." His face turns stern, "But please, allow Giotto and I to accompany you? I will admit, this is not something we are used to handling, but I am sure there will be something we can do to help. I may not have been as effective as I should have been back then, but Giotto is far superior to me in strength and skill. I, at least, may be able to mend any injuries and provide apt support. I do not think these are the sorts of creatures that can be handled with just two people."

He may have said 'please' but this was far from a request. Though he would not push the matter too much himself, he would bring it up to Giotto, who he was sure would not take 'no' for an answer.

[was_a_hunter]

Smiling slightly, she shook her head. "I can't let you, I'm sorry. The only reason I'm letting my son go is, as much as I hate it, he's trained to deal with monsters. If I can't guarantee we'll all make it out, I wouldn't feel right letting you and Giotto go with us." If either of them got hurt, she'd never forgive herself for letting them tag along. At least with just Dean, she could focus more readily on getting between him and danger, it was much more difficult to do that with three people.

Shifting on the bed, she locked her eyes with his. "Remember when I said I killed that kid? He...wasn't the only thing I've ever killed. I was trained for this since I was a little girl. Everyone else is more suited to patrolling the halls; I was trained to go right into the nest." If she was killed, it was an occupational hazard. Never mind the fact that she hadn't actively hunted anything in ten years, She'd just have to hope it was like riding a bike.

[3minutefisting]

Trained to deal with monsters? Well that would explain a few things. Still, even if he wasn't qualified to hunt monsters and beasts, he knew he was strong. He had beaten the odds against him many times before, as had the rest of the Vongola.

"And neither of us would feel right with you and your son going off to fight these creatures alone. I'm sorry if I come across as rude, but as you are it would not be hard to physically overpower you. Even if your son is physically stronger than most, that demon might be an issue."

He places a hand on her shoulder and gives it a supportive squeeze.

"The world's burden is not yours alone, Mary. We are all in this together. I daresay we are not the pushovers you take us for. Besides, should something happen to you and I wasn't there to help, I would never forgive myself."