(Untitled)

[8th_castellan]

Someone stalks and tears through the corridors of Castle Salazar in an inconsolable, howling rage. He screeches curses and roars in useless anger as walls are beaten and scratched and furniture is knocked aside or thrown.

Ramon Salazar is on the war path.

Deadpool can do that to a person.

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[h_hollister]

In that two hours, she wanders, finally. Still not dressed, just with the throw blanket wrapped around her shoulders. And she wanders right into the portrait gallery, her bare feet going numb against the cold marble floor. She dances onto a carpeted area, but even that is cold.

So she's shivering as she finally stops in front of the portrait of Isobelita and Miguel Salazar, the seventh generation of castellans.

"I don't get it," she says up to them, not realizing how she might be echoing HIS conversation down below. "I just don't get it. He knows the source, he knows it's Wade! He knows it's just to get a rise out of him and he reacts anyway. Why doesn't he understand? Why can't he just ignore it? Doesn't he know how I'm trying to keep him s-safe? Doesn't he know it's just a dumb joke? Why does this happen every time? Please, please, I want him to stop this. This is going to get him hurt! I c-can't stand seeing him hurt! And then he blames me, ME! And he's right to. It's all my fault. Because I fell in love with

[h_hollister]

"If I get my way, we're gonna renew our vows every single year we're married, my man. Every year on February twenty-sixth."

But she can sense his reluctance, and a wry smile plays across her face. She pulls back a bit.

"If you'd rather wait, we can. I just...I'm desperate, Ramon! I'm desperate for something that'll get us back to...balance. Equilibrium, if not happiness. We need to get a goal. Something. Anything. We can't go on like this, and I'm not letting you go. We gotta change this. Now. We know we can, we've done it before. Let's keep going, Ramon. Let's make it happen. Let's have an adventure. Let's go exploring."

She touches his face with her left hand. The platinum ring is already warming up to her skin temperature, even though she's starting to shiver a bit in the cold gallery.

"You heard me. You know what I'm scared of. Don't let me be scared anymore, mi amor."

[8th_castellan]

"Never," he murmurs. Their words always seem to be swallowed slightly by the vast marble room they sit in, the size and echoes eroding volume. But any words that are blunted in such a way are only bolstered by his parasite speaking them as well, and directly to her heart.

"I'll never let you be scared, mi amor. I'll never let this take us again. I love you; no matter what." There's another pause as he leans closer, cupping the side of her face in one hand, kissing her softly.

{We'll go forth, then. Find us a goal, give us a renewed sense of purpose. Our life will never stagnate again, nor will our love. I swear this to you.}

[h_hollister]

{Oh, Ramon...}

She curls in even closer, still shivering but not even noticing.

{I love you. I love your family and everything it means to you. I love our life together. I'm sorry Deadpool was a complete jackass, and I won't let it happen again. I love you. Forever and ever.}

Then she sneezes, loudly and shuddering and echoing. Heh.

{...And I'm getting cold. Let's go back to the bedroom and finish this there? In front of a nice fire?}

[8th_castellan]

"Mmm." He'd already sat back in time before she sneezed, so good thing he wasn't in the line of fire. He smirks softly in amusement. She is so cute sometimes.

{I'd say something about this being what you get for running around the castle naked, but it's not as though I would ever fault you for going nude. And, er, not like the clothes you wore here aren't a little worse for wear after our...er, yes.} He coughs into his fist, looking away in mock innocence.

Then he stands, offering his hand to help her up as well.

{Si, let's take this to my bed. Either to further the discussion of what we do with ourselves from here, or just find solace in one another's company. Either works splendidly for me.}

[h_hollister]

{Yeah, you ruined my clothes, silly thing. I'm going to make you buy me new stuff.}

A weight seems to lift off her shoulders, and she sighs heavily. Then gasps. And the next thing you know, she's crying again. With deep, gulping sobs, shaking against his legs, as he's standing and she's still seated on the floor.

{Don't ever leave me. Not physically, not emotionally, not any way. Please. I need you, Ramon. I need my friend back. I need my husband back.}

This is the last spasm of her fear, for now. The last gasp of the thought of losing him to stupid, petty bickering and frustration with their boredom. This is, and always has been, her deepest, nastiest fear. Abandonment. Indifference. Hate and anger coming from somebody she loves. And the last few months of putting a lid on that fear has finally broken, leaving her a mess on the floor, in full sight of his ancestors. She almost imagines that they're looking at her with scorn.

[8th_castellan]

He'd say differently. If they can forgive him for what he's done, of course they'd view Hippolyta's marital strife (that is largely his fault) with only pity.

Ramon bends himself to cradle her shoulders and head, his face buried against her hair. Holding her tight to stop her sobs' lurches, cease her trembling.

{I know. I know. I know how much that scares you, mi amor. I won't. I won't ever leave, not of my own accord, and never will I leave forever.} His 'words' are warmer now, pouring his love and comfort into Hippolyta, making the air around them vibrate with the tender emotions he has for her. After so long of either shutting off or ignoring the link forged by their Plaga, it only seems right to renew this bond with nothing but affection.

{I will never forsake you, mi amor. You are mine, and I'll always be here to protect and cherish you. I swear it.}

[h_hollister]

She'd like to be able to stop crying at his reassurances, but this has been building and building for a while. She's got to get these tears out now, exorcise this canker in her soul, or it'll just keep coming back.

Not the fear, just the sorrow at these last, lost few months. Because for her, it's felt like half a year. She was gone for three months, her time, on the Dwarf, and then another three months after that...

Half a year without her darling husband, without the solace and comfort and companionship of the man she near-worships with love. Even though she doesn't show it very well, sometimes.

So she's not very coherent in her answer back. Her voice is gone entirely, and her parasite is trembling and crooning in healing pain. But the emotions flowing off of her now are relief, happiness, satisfaction. And Ramon should be getting an 'earful.'

[8th_castellan]

To 'hear' those non-verbal, largely incoherent, but still sweet, darling sounds from her, it fills him with an almost overpowering desire. A need to protect and keep her always, one that's so strong it almost makes him ache. He moans softly, aloud, while still not ceasing his own Plaga song to her. Cradles her against him closer still.

{I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry we've been hurting this long and we've never tried to really fix it until now. You're so precious to me; nothing is more valuable than you, Hippolyta. To see you so hurt, so frightened, it hurts me as well. Oh my heart, how you ache and cry. My love, my love, don't cry. I'm here...}