Elliot - [013]

[snapekillsedgar]

Who: Elliot, Leo, Noel, Mami, Vanessa, and whoever else asks to join.
Where: An empty (probably debris filled) field in Espoir
Style: Either
Status: Semi-closed
Notes: This event contains spoilers of epic proportions for Pandora Hearts. If you want to join in, just contact one of us.

Comments

A few days later

[snapekillsedgar]

Consciousness slowly made its presence known in the dull ache that came to Elliot's mind, before he even knew he was awake. Sluggishly, he opened his eyes, all to aware of how heavy he felt, and the grogginess that tried to draw him back into sleep. Falling back asleep now was the last thing he wanted. In fact, he was sure he'd get less rest asleep then when he was awake. His sleep had rarely been peaceful before he knew what he had been having nightmares about. They had been bad enough when he hadn't known what they were, but now, they were a constant reminder of what he had let himself forget.

After blinking to clear his vision, Elliot slowly started to take in his environment. He was lying on his back on a mat, and from the look of the ceiling, he was in some kind of a makeshift tent. At first he was confused by it, but then he remembered that he was being carried here on Leo's back right before he lost consciousness.

Wanting to get a better look around, he pushed himself up to sit. Obviously he tried it way too quickly, because black spots exploded in his vision and he felt like the world swayed harshly as soon as he got up. The feeling forced him to lean forward with a groan and rest his head in his hands, hoping that the dizziness would abate quickly.

[stfuelly]

Vanessa hadn't left his side in all that time. It was shameful, sleeping in the dirt and only leaving to bathe and eat, but she owed this to Elliot. She owed it to him to be the first person to greet him when he finally woke, to be the one who would let him know that this strange life after death could be possible for the both of them, and that maybe one day their brothers would join them.

But, she'd fallen asleep not soon before he woke. She stirred at the sound of his voice and instinctively reached out for his hand as she'd done so many times in the last few days. But this time, instead of lacing her fingers with his, she only touched the top of the mat that he'd been sleeping on.

"Elliot...?" she whispered as she also sat up, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

[snapekillsedgar]

He had been distracted enough that he hadn't thought to look around for anyone else in the room. If he had known who else was there, he might not have wanted to let her know he was awake yet, but it was too late for that. He heard her voice next to him, and he let out a soft gasp as he sharply turned his head to look at her, again regretting it because that made him dizzy.

Instead of saying anything Elliot just stared at her, locked in a moment of surreality that his mind could barely cope with. He was overjoyed upon first seeing her, but this had also been a moment he was dreading. The last time he had seen his sister, she didn't have a head. He had seen her die right before his eyes, and no matter whether he was in control or not, he was the one who killed her. Now he knew she came to Somarium after that... She had to have known what he had done all along! Why would she have stayed by his side after everything?! He didn't even have the right to be anywhere near her after what he'd done.

Guilt was not an emotion Elliot usually had to cope with, and it was extremely hard to hide how he was feeling right now.

[stfuelly]

"Elliot!" she gasped as she finally caught sight of him. Not lying down and sleeping, but awake and sitting up. He really was going to be okay...even after being told that he was dead, and all of the anger and sadness that had accompanied that news, after everything, he was back here, safe. The world that they'd known was lost to them now, and as much as she hated this place, she had to thank whatever power loomed over them for this second chance.

She sat up on her knees and leaned over to hug him, gently just in case his wounds were still hurting, one hand resting against the back of his head comfortingly. The look of guilt went unnoticed - she was too relieved to process it.

"Thank goodness..."

[snapekillsedgar]

Elliot was watching every detail of his sister's expression closely. After half-expecting her to run screaming from him after what he had done to her, the unexpected look of relief on her face almost hurt worse. How could she be relieved?! She was staring right at her murderer!

When he saw Vanessa move towards him, he nearly jerked away from her. It took him several moments to realize that he was in his sister's arms, and even then, he didn't respond to it. Very slowly, he brought his arms up around her as well, hardly believing what was happening. His head moved down to rest on her shoulder as he tried to choke back the pain welling up in his chest, refusing to let himself break down. Shakily, he forced himself to breathe, and for the moment, he let himself be comforted, still in disbelief that his Vanessa was really there with him.

[stfuelly]

She forced herself to pull away from him a second later, but kept one hand still placed carefully on his shoulder, as if afraid to bruise him by touching too hard. Really, she'd expected to see him turn to dust in front of her this entire week, ever since he'd returned, or do disappear while she slept. For this all to be nothing more than a cruel prank.

"Are - are you thirsty? You haven't had much of anything since..."

Nervously, and without waiting for an answer, she turned away to look for the jug of water that they'd set aside somewhere inside of this tent.

Short tag. I faaaail

[snapekillsedgar]

Her gentleness was just making his own conflicted feelings even worse. He reluctantly let his hands drop as she pulled away. When she asked him if he was thirsty, he opened his mouth to protest, but she had already turned around before he could say anything.

It wasn't that he wasn't thirsty. He was, extremely so for some reason. He wasn't even trying to refuse it out of sheer stubbornness either, which was typical for him. If it were anyone else, he would have told them not to start fussing over him, but not with her, as much as he couldn't stand the thought of her waiting on him right now.

YOU NEVER FAIL

[stfuelly]

She was halfway through pouring the water into a glass before she noticed that he hadn't really answered her. It was strange for Elliot to not say anything at all - he usually had plenty to say even to those who didn't want to hear it, and especially to her. They'd never had trouble voicing themselves to each other, even if sometimes the truths about certain topics were kept hidden, like her fear of abandonment after their brothers' deaths.

But, he'd been through a lot. Of course he might not feel up to talking right now. The jug was set aside and the glass handed over to him as she settled back down on her knees beside him. Though, her hands were shaking just enough to be obvious, but not enough to spill as she did so.

"Here, drink just a little. Not too much."

[snapekillsedgar]

Indeed, they never had, but if Elliot had known who had caused their brother's deaths, he might have had a much harder time voicing what he felt about it. Even worse now was the fact that, even though he still mourned his brother's deaths, he felt completely betrayed by them. If he met them in the afterlife, he still would want to punch them both for what he learned they were planning.

As much as her trying to take care of him tore at him, he couldn't just deny it. Though he couldn't understand the reasons why, he had to accept it.

"... Thanks."

His hand was shaking too as he reached out to take the glass from her, immediately bringing it up to his mouth taking a small sip. As he drank, he began to feel just how thirsty he was. His throat was completely dry and sore... It hadn't been like that before he fell asleep. He wondered how it had gotten that way. He wasn't hungry though. On the contrary, his stomach was churning and aching in a sickening way.

[stfuelly]

Her shoulders remained tensed and hunched forward as she watched him drink, but then finally she tore her eyes away and brought them down to rest on the ground in front of them. It was silly, this worried feeling. Fretting over her brothers had always come so easy, but this time...this time was most decidedly different. And there was nothing that she could do about that.

"You...you really worried us, you know! Disappearing like that so suddenly and then...then..." she mumbled, trailing off as she realized that she couldn't even bring herself to chastise him for leaving her, like she'd planned on before.

"Elliot...your servant told me what happened to you."

[snapekillsedgar]

He took a huge gulp of the water, but realized he was going too fast when it hurt his throat. Wincing slightly, he set the cup down beside him, looking back up at Vanessa as she started talking again.

Ah... he had almost forgotten the nature of the world they were in. Somarium did tend to be particularly cruel when choosing when its inhabitants would disappear. He wondered how long he had left her here. Most of all though, he was wondering if she knew who killed her all of the time he had been with her the last time he was here.

Frustration mounted as she continued on, sounding so sad when she told him about what Leo had said. What was she doing worrying about him so much?! Finally he had to say something.

"To hell with what happened to me! What about what happened to you?!" ... He had intended to yell that, but he was still exhausted, and his voice definitely showed it.

[stfuelly]

She jumped at his outburst, as weak as it was. No, this absolutely wasn't about her. For all the trouble she'd been through the last few weeks with the flood and agonizing over losing Elliot and then getting him back, none of that could compare to what he must have gone through back home. She could sit here and complain about the flood and how poor the accommodations had been in the aftermath, and even complain about the incompetence of the people in charge, but...right now, it simply didn't matter.

Balling her fists in her lap, her shoulders shook even more as she replied, "For once stop worrying about others and let them worry about you! No matter what's happened to me, how can it compare at all to what you've been through?!"

[snapekillsedgar]

He gritted his teeth at the argument. What had happened to him honestly meant completely nothing in the moment.

"Easily! Vanessa, I---!"

... The words he was about to say died in his throat. No matter what he had experienced since the last time he had seen her in this world, she was still acting the same. Even before he had left this world, she treated him the same way. He hadn't thought about it, but she hadn't known how she really had died before.

The frustrated look on his face sank into one of sad realization.

"... You don't remember." It wasn't a question, and he wasn't elaborating for her. If she really didn't know who killed her, it would be his responsibility to tell her. It was the least he could do.

[stfuelly]

"...What don't I remember?" she asked, voice small and very much unlike her. Even as a child she'd never spoken so softly, not when there were three much louder voices to have to try and speak over, and then finally a fourth. She sat up on her knees again, leaning in to rest her hand on the back of his neck.

"Elliot, you're worrying me. What's wrong? I know that...that it must have been horrible for you, but it's all right now. We'll get through it together. I won't leave my brother alone again - I absolutely will not."

[snapekillsedgar]

He opens his mouth slightly to start explaining, nearly admitting everything outright... And then he looks at her face, and his guilt increases so much more. She was worried, and she cared so much.

Without saying anything, Elliot reached forward to pull her into a hug again, though she probably could easily get out of it. He didn't have the energy to stop her. The moment she realized what he had done, how would she respond? She shouldn't be worrying about him, she should be very rightfully terrified, and yet, he still couldn't tell her what happened. Maybe she was better off not knowing...

... But did he really have the right not to tell her? It was completely cowardly, but even if it was his responsibility to admit what he had done, he knew that he just couldn't.

[stfuelly]

She sighed and shook her head as he hugged her, but still raised her arms to hold him back, raising up on her knees a little to cradle him against her shoulder like she'd done when he was young and there was nothing wrong with something like giving your older sister a hug. They'd both had to grow up eventually, of course, but for now it was the only real comfort that she could give him. She couldn't continue insisting that it was going to 'be okay', because what if something like that flood happened again? What if this time she wasn't lucky enough to have been rescued by Ace? (As embarrassing as that whole thing was now that it was over and she had a chance to consider it.)

"...Your servant is still here. If I'm not here with you, then he will be." There was a slight bitterness to her voice at this, but it needed to be said.

"Just concentrate on recovering and you will ask us to take care of anything that you need. Do I make myself clear?"