girlmeetsribbons | (no subject)

Maybe later. ["Later" as in "never."] There's still plenty of people I can introduce you to. After this, we can swing by the bakery. We can probably scam some free cake out of the owner. She's really nice.

[And also a total murderer. But eh, so's everyone around here.]

[ "Later" certainly didn't mean "never" to him. If he was going to be here more than a day, which he expected was the case, he would confront the issue. Even if it just meant smiling now and planning demises later. He didn't know how, but that wasn't okay. If someone wasn't allowed to make him feel like nothing and undeserving of friends, then just as much someone else wasn't allowed to tell Maya she was stupid. ]

Alright. How 'bout you show me something you like around here? [ She'll probably say there isn't anything she likes. He knows that. She'll say things are okay when they're not and that's why he's not as good as Riley. He can't help there. He glances at some of the passing people and frowns some once more. ] Or anything else, really.

[ Because if Maya gets even one more look he'll snap on them. ]

[The stares are normal. She met up with him in Vandare, the smaller village that's been fairly fully ransacked by monster arrivals. The civilians here tend to b a fearful bunch, while the ones over in the "big city" Bavan consider monsters a fascinating phenomenon.]

We can stay. Eat. There's no telling how long you'll still be able to do it. Enjoy it while you can.

[ The more she says things like that the more his brain kind of goes oh no. But maybe it would be wrong to say he wasn't hungry, not with the way Maya says 'enjoy it while you can'. Because it's not the same for her, right? And that's kind of what's terrifying. Old Farkle would probably run away. New Farkle might, too, when alone-- but. ]

Sorry, Maya, I know it might be insensitive but eating's not all that important to me right now. [ He does pick a piece off his plate as he leans forward slightly. ] You're not alone anymore, I want you to know that first.

[ Because he was here for what little it meant. And if he was stuck here for any amount of time, something would happen to him too, right? That was scary, but seeing Maya like this was scarier. ]

[She lets out a dismissive "pff". Farkle is always good at seeing through pretense and getting to the root of things. It's why she's got to sit up straighter, wave a hand and regard him as if he's said something absolutely ridiculous. It's the standard Maya defense. ]

Well. Or course I'm not! Look at all these people here, do I look alone to you?

[ He could let it go, he could. ]

...Yeah, you do.

[ Sincerely as he picks at the food on his plate again, chewing on what to say. He doesn't add anything more this time, though, and just eats a moment and waits.]

[That's what Farkle's good at. He sees things down to their root, and never minces words about it. Maya will never admit it aloud, but she's missed this desperately.]

well. I'm not.

[It didn't even sound convincing to her own ear.]

The sounds convincing.

[ So he voices it, because of course he does. Pauses a moment between bites and considers, because he's not exactly sure what's going to happen from here. Not good things, probably, given what's obviously. Going on with all of Maya. That's going to be him and it's terrifying, but what's more terrifying is the idea of going through it alone. His response in the end remains as simple and as minute as the ones prior:] Guess that means I'll have to stick around for a while.

[It's a slow smile. Farkle wants to stay near her because he loves her. And even though that's usually annoying and dismissed, these aren't usual circumstances. She wants to hug him and never let him go.]

Eh, I guess. I already have one tail, might as well deal with another.

[The "thank you" is implied.]

So is that a yes to living with me?

[ It's said with a grin, it's a joke. A serious one, mind, because he doesn't want her to be alone but frankly he knows the answer. Or what it would be. ]

Questions like that always end in "no", Farkle.

[But the reaches over, a ginger paw warm and cuddly against his forearm.]

It's probably not safe for you where I live. Not until you change a little. But I'll come stay with you for a while. I'll bring you over to the right side when you're ready for it.

Yet I won't know unless I ask him.

[ That's weird. This is weird. It's just another reminder of weird things going on. And in spite of all of his love for Maya it's still weird and he kind of pauses. Because maybe it is starting to sink in and this is bad but he. Doesn't want to say that, because it's not Maya who's bad. And wow his mind is going on about 100 miles per second so it takes a moment of confused uncertainty before he speaks up. ]

Right side? Is there a wrong side? Am I in the wrong side right now?

I'm pretty sure you can figure it out. You're a smart kid.

[Maya used to think it was bad. But now it's just kind of a thing that is. It's like moving out from a training bra to a real one. Just. With extra bits.]

There's definitely a wrong side. But you don't have to worry about it yet. You're not on either side since you're so new. I'll bring you to the Fog God as soon as I can, and everything'll sort itself out. I won't let you be one of those gross other-God people.

[ A lot of extra bits, Maya. What even.

Somehow this God thing is concerning, too. Like Kronos eating his kids concerning.]

Do these gods eat people? I'm not sure I'm in the god-eating-people kind of type of person.

[ It's a legitimate question, okay!! ]

[It's been a long, messed up time, Farkle.]

Of course they don't eat people! They're gods. [Translation: Maya's got no idea so she's just gonna make some stuff up until someone tells her she's wrong.]

Kronos ate his kids. Zeus imprisoned some of his. Gods don't usually care that much about people people in the legends. Unless it's like Artemis or Hestia, and even Artemis turned guys into jackelopes.

[She pauses, blinking. translation required.]

Sorry, what? Arta-who?

The Greek Gods? There's other gods just as bad in other pantheons.

[What's a pantheon?]

Well we're not in Greece right now. We're here. And the Fog God is good.

She loves me. [See where this is headed, Friend?]

Us, I mean. She loves all of us. That's why we're here in the first place.

[ MAYA. Maya, no, he's getting more tempted to make you stay here. Whatever that means. ]

...So are a lot of gods depending on the context.

[ He frowns. ]

Wouldn't someone who loved you ask to take you away from your friends and family? Before changing you?

[Pfft, oh that argument again.] She's not strong enough for that yet. We're supposed to help her.

But -- it's okay if you don't understand yet. I know it sounds weird at first. You just have to give it some time.

[ Okay, well gods need power, okay. ] Help her with what exactly? We're still just a couple of kids.

[ ...HE'S NOT SO SURE ABOUT THAT. But he doesn't know enough yet to argue with maya :u ]

[Help her with killing the followers of the fourth god. But that's probably not going to go over so well, so she doesn't bring that up.] We get to be more than kids here.

Farkle, there's no rules anymore.

You know, Maya, I didn't mind being a kid. I got to be with you guys everyday. When we're adults we might not have that.

[ Which is kind of the thing here in its own way. ] Rules help us. Even dictators need rules.

We'll have that if we're here. Nobody can split us up. We'll be too strong.

Rules hold us back.