(Untitled)

[olbay_seasoned]

[Mary's leaning against the railing of her porch, a small smile on her face.

It's not a nice, happy smile, but a rather knowing one]

Congratulations, you guys! Keep killing each other off, and I won't have to do it myself!

[She leans back to give a sarcastic, slow golf clap

Comments

[thefirststate]

Mary...

( He's just looking at her from where he's standing, but there's nothing. No emotion, just blank. Where he might have said something before on the matter, he doesn't. He can't. Because frankly, it's everything he wants to say and do. )

[olbay_seasoned]

Hey, if everyone's killed off, we can take their land, Dela. You and me. How about it?

[thefirststate]

I don't think I'd care much for it to be honest. ( though notice how he doesn't say a thing about the killing. )

[olbay_seasoned]

[She moves towards him, grabbing at his hat to tug it down over his eyes more, lips curling in a cruel smile]

Yeah? I would. Wanna help? You and me, Haws. We could take on the world together, you know.

[She shakes her head a bit, smile slipping] So. What happened with Will? [because of course Mary knows about it, she hears about just about everything that goes on]

[thefirststate]

( he doesn't say anything, just stands there in the sudden dark. )

I don't want anything that belongs to any of them frankly, but if you do... ( a beat. ) Well, I suppose I could always help if that's what would make you happy.

( there's another pause, and he draws a sigh at the question. ) A beating, nothing close to what he deserved. But you know, ( he reaches up, lifting his hat back up to show his eyes and giving a slow smile her way. ) It will happen, him getting what he deserves. I'm oddly confident about it.

[olbay_seasoned]

I want to be strong enough to protect everyone. [it's said softly, a quiet whisper for Delaware's ears as she leans in, resting her head against him] I want to be strong enough that no one kills any of my family again. I'm so sick of it.

[There's a humorless chuckle and she leans back to look at him, eyes dark. Mary leans up to kiss his cheek, smirking against it] We'll give 'em all what they deserve, yeah?

[But for now she just wraps her arms around his middle, needing the hug a bit more than she needs to shoot a gun right then]

[thefirststate]

( he's quiet as he listens. again, his face showing no emotion even when the whisper against his ear sends a shiver down his spine. her words are bringing back so many emotions, emotions he thought he buried away ages ago. back when he said something vaguely similar to her when emotions, and failed to be able stop anything happening around them as the tides of war swept over them and tore them all apart.

the kiss to his cheek snaps him out of his thoughts, and he tilts his head to look at her as her words continued echoing through his mind.

wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he raises his other one to brush aside her bangs and gently kiss her forehead, muttering quietly as he does: ) Of course.

[olbay_seasoned]

You and me and me and you.

[She smiles, just a bit, and laughs again. Mary snuggles closer, just breathing him in and concentrating on keeping her breathing even.] Just like old times.

...Do you think Lulu will be back soon? [Her voice cracks slightly with emotion, and it's all Mary can do to not start crying. Because she has to be strong and she has to be brave. Because Maryland isn't afraid of anything except tornadoes and snakehead fish. Because Maryland is strong and will never crack and always protects the most important places in America.

Because that's her job, to protect and to fight, and Lulu dying almost makes her feel like she failed]

[thefirststate]

And like the old times, I just want you to stay safe.

( because that's the root of all this, isn't it? he knows he can't stop mary, so the least he can do is stay close and make sure nothing more happens. because he can't take it, he knows he can't losing someone else. it's just like mary, all he wants to do is be able to protect, be able to do something because he doesn't want to feel this again.

at the question, he gives a sad smile and nods. ) Yeah, I'm sure she will and she'll be fine.