I never knew one could feel such relief and yet sudden worry at the same time. I am calm, and yet I am afraid. No just concerned or is it just worry
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[His smile disappears just as quickly, fingers sliding over his heart lightly with a fingering of his tie. He doesn't even notice when he starts clutching at the fabric of his coat. This was going so wrong. It was entirely what he had been trying to avoid]
Yes, of course, Mister Burn. It was not my intention. I would've told you when you were more comfortable.
[... the reaction. No amusement. No smiles. Burn drew back, observing him carefully. He'd listened. He'd corrected himself. Somehow, he didn't believe Black was doing it to humor him.
That was downright unsettling, in all kinds of ways it was almost physically painful to make sense of.
A group of chattering tourists walked by and Burn stepped forward, slipping his hand into Black's, dispelling the odd looks that they'd cast towards them. A boy and his father, nothing more. He looked like a child.
... he'd done it without thought, as if he were used to people being suspicious of him. Burn paused, staring after the people as they went, before his slipped his hand out of Black's.]
I do not know who I am.
You cannot keep me blind. Not in a place like this.
[So many voices in his head, trying to sort them out as they came to him. Did he run from this? Did he hide from it? Should he tell him now? Should he wait? He didn't want to overwhelm him. He didn't want to give a reason for the Tree to take him away again.
Emotions. How he hated them. Why couldn't he be cold and unfeeling?
The hand in his broke his trail of thought, fingers curling a little tight around the small hand, looking towards the tourist with a polite smile. They minute they were gone the hand was removed as was Black's smile.
He turned on heel and walked away from him towards the picnic table and sat down, pulling out his journal and opening it to a marked page, spreading it out]
You've been here before. It is my duty to protect you.
[Burn followed, back straight, settling down at the table next to Black. He didn't like putting his back out there in such a public place, but he would have to, to see what Black was doing.
... whatever he was expecting, it wasn't that. The first would explain why Black knew his handwriting.]
[He flipped open to Contract's journal entry, sliding it in front of him if he wanted to read]
Because the tree has taken you away before when you had finally begun to open up to me. When we had sensed something about us was the same.
[He slid out a notebook as well, fiddling through pages that were filled with his own memories, and set it open. On the page was a giant centipede. His voice grew very quiet]
The tree had decided to attack you with this creature. Somehow you had cried out for someone and I came and killed it. The tree was unforgiving and you were taken away a night later.
[The tree. Everything was about the damn tree. Black, a complete stranger, was worried about him. Something tight clamped around Burn's heart, something that made him uneasy, made he want to push away, as hard as he could, and never look back. He could not have that. It was an instinctive feeling, a gut reaction, and knee-jerk response.
Don't touch me.It was terrifying, not knowing who he was, not knowing what would come for him, what was already here, what was in his own heart. He should know. He should. But every time he thought about it, the headaches got so bad he couldn't see. Something inside of him, warning him, even around the painful pangs of a soul-deep hunger
( ... )
[Relief. He felt so relieved to hear Burn say those words. That fire was back and smoldering underneath, but it wasn't a sedated hatred, but of something that just wanted to burn everything away. What had tramatized him so?
He slide the notebook out and tucked it back in it's spot, fingers moving under and curling against the journal. Memories went into the notebook, thoughts into the journal. Juliet had taught him that. It was a notebook he had found down below in the junkyard, otherwise it would simply defeat the purpose.]
As you wish. Is the eyepatch okay? [Truth be told, he was considering stealing another from the Pirates of the Carribean exhibit if he could find one that didn't bother him]
It itches, and the edges keep rubbing my cheek raw.
[Honesty. There was nothing polite about it, though he'd rather have something that cut rather than let anyone else see that mark. It confirmed something about him, something that was connected to Black, something no one else had.
It belonged to no one else.
The tie was a welcome one, a hand holding his, but at the same time, it felt like a chain. He didn't know this man, he didn't understand why their lives were linked. Apparently, Black knew far more about him than he even knew about himself.
The other side, the side that was glad to have him there, was much harder to understand. Every instinct, every reflex he had seemed to point to wanting to be alone. It had even been part of his dream. The loving, warm hands, and the cruel trap, the pain.
Why was this hand bothBurn watched the man out of the corner of his eye, noticing his little movements, the way his thoughts shaped his actions. The old notebook was precious to him. And he'd let Burn see it. Burn settled down on the
( ... )
[The note book and journal were tucked under the vest securely in place and out of view. He buttoned the make shift tail coat that seemed out of place for the outfit. It didn't have that Victorian accent to it as the rest of him did. It was merely a coat with tails at the end.
Contract had been rather bitter and rude with him every step of the way. He hadn't known he was a child nor had he even met him for a short while. Cold, bitter, unforgiving and averted to him were his traits.
'Smile' had come in every day into the bakery, first thing in the morning for his small cakes. A bright smile. A teasing quirk about him. The expressions he made like a happy child. To think it had been false all along.
But it hadn't been at all. Not the way he chose to believe it now. Burn had obtained qualities of both 'Smile' and Contract. For some reason, he kind of liked it that way.I was born just like you. I didn't know what to feel. It was just a tree, just a place. The mark on my hand was always itching and eventually I began to 'hear' things.
( ... )
[Burn lapsed into being hard to read, fingers curled under his chin, listening without emotion, taking in each bit of information as if it were the steel foundation of the world in which they lived.
It was.]
You are the only employee in an entire business, and you work at night as a Greeter.
Yes, the only employee. The employer comes in at times to rotate stock and help during the lunch hour, though I insist I'm fine on my own. From five in the morning until the shop opens at six and then onward to five pm when the bakery closes.
[Burn leaned in, his voice serious, low, a soft whisper. When he voice sounded like this, Burn wondered if his age even matched his appearance at all.]
You are also able to down a gigantic, man-eating centipede... alone.
[A smirk tugged at the edge of Burn's lips, though it was anyone's guess as to why.]
Pandora?
Reply
[God it only makes him madder that Black's just SMILING at him.]
If you knew that, you could have said that, instead of playing me for the fool, and don't you dare address me so familiarly-
[Pauses. That didn't even. What.]
... you should have told me.
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Yes, of course, Mister Burn. It was not my intention. I would've told you when you were more comfortable.
Reply
That was downright unsettling, in all kinds of ways it was almost physically painful to make sense of.
A group of chattering tourists walked by and Burn stepped forward, slipping his hand into Black's, dispelling the odd looks that they'd cast towards them. A boy and his father, nothing more. He looked like a child.
... he'd done it without thought, as if he were used to people being suspicious of him. Burn paused, staring after the people as they went, before his slipped his hand out of Black's.]
I do not know who I am.
You cannot keep me blind. Not in a place like this.
Reply
Emotions. How he hated them. Why couldn't he be cold and unfeeling?
The hand in his broke his trail of thought, fingers curling a little tight around the small hand, looking towards the tourist with a polite smile. They minute they were gone the hand was removed as was Black's smile.
He turned on heel and walked away from him towards the picnic table and sat down, pulling out his journal and opening it to a marked page, spreading it out]
You've been here before. It is my duty to protect you.
Reply
... whatever he was expecting, it wasn't that. The first would explain why Black knew his handwriting.]
What do I need protection from?
Reply
Because the tree has taken you away before when you had finally begun to open up to me. When we had sensed something about us was the same.
[He slid out a notebook as well, fiddling through pages that were filled with his own memories, and set it open. On the page was a giant centipede. His voice grew very quiet]
The tree had decided to attack you with this creature. Somehow you had cried out for someone and I came and killed it. The tree was unforgiving and you were taken away a night later.
...everything the tree touches, it can see
Reply
Don't touch me.It was terrifying, not knowing who he was, not knowing what would come for him, what was already here, what was in his own heart. He should know. He should. But every time he thought about it, the headaches got so bad he couldn't see. Something inside of him, warning him, even around the painful pangs of a soul-deep hunger ( ... )
Reply
He slide the notebook out and tucked it back in it's spot, fingers moving under and curling against the journal. Memories went into the notebook, thoughts into the journal. Juliet had taught him that. It was a notebook he had found down below in the junkyard, otherwise it would simply defeat the purpose.]
As you wish. Is the eyepatch okay? [Truth be told, he was considering stealing another from the Pirates of the Carribean exhibit if he could find one that didn't bother him]
Reply
[Honesty. There was nothing polite about it, though he'd rather have something that cut rather than let anyone else see that mark. It confirmed something about him, something that was connected to Black, something no one else had.
It belonged to no one else.
The tie was a welcome one, a hand holding his, but at the same time, it felt like a chain. He didn't know this man, he didn't understand why their lives were linked. Apparently, Black knew far more about him than he even knew about himself.
The other side, the side that was glad to have him there, was much harder to understand. Every instinct, every reflex he had seemed to point to wanting to be alone. It had even been part of his dream. The loving, warm hands, and the cruel trap, the pain.
Why was this hand bothBurn watched the man out of the corner of his eye, noticing his little movements, the way his thoughts shaped his actions. The old notebook was precious to him. And he'd let Burn see it. Burn settled down on the ( ... )
Reply
Contract had been rather bitter and rude with him every step of the way. He hadn't known he was a child nor had he even met him for a short while. Cold, bitter, unforgiving and averted to him were his traits.
'Smile' had come in every day into the bakery, first thing in the morning for his small cakes. A bright smile. A teasing quirk about him. The expressions he made like a happy child. To think it had been false all along.
But it hadn't been at all. Not the way he chose to believe it now. Burn had obtained qualities of both 'Smile' and Contract. For some reason, he kind of liked it that way.I was born just like you. I didn't know what to feel. It was just a tree, just a place. The mark on my hand was always itching and eventually I began to 'hear' things. ( ... )
Reply
It was.]
You are the only employee in an entire business, and you work at night as a Greeter.
[Stare.]
Reply
Yes, the only employee. The employer comes in at times to rotate stock and help during the lunch hour, though I insist I'm fine on my own. From five in the morning until the shop opens at six and then onward to five pm when the bakery closes.
It's not that hard.
Reply
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[Should he tell him so quickly? He was just a child and others didn't even believe in demons. Only Rabbit and Juliet knew of that little fact.]
...I manage.
Reply
You are also able to down a gigantic, man-eating centipede... alone.
[A smirk tugged at the edge of Burn's lips, though it was anyone's guess as to why.]
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