[text] @five [open]

[fogey]

[ well, there's no way to say it, except to say it, so: ]

One of us died today. Big guy, blond hair. I don't know his name. I found his body.

[ that's his schtick, isn't it? finding bodies. ]

What I do know is that he fell on some rocks near the beach. Looks like an accident, no foul play. The fall shouldn't have killed him.

[ could've, if the bastard really were that unlucky, but it's unlikely. besides: ]

But it did break his lantern. Seems like Winters was telling the truth about that after all. Before anyone asks:

1) No, I didn't see it happen.
2) Yes, I checked for a pulse.
3) No, I didn't do it.

[ juST COVERING HIS BASES THERE ]

One more thing. I had to step away to get my tablet. When I came back, both he and his lantern were gone. No one else was here, I'm positive. They just vanished into thin air.

[ ooc | so as of today, rosinante (callada) is dead :C feel free to threadjack in this post and use it for discussion or whatever! ]

Comments

[withsadness]

[Thankfully, she nods.]

Wade. It was the three of us together!

[fogey]

[ he's quiet for a moment, carefully picking his words. then, ]

Wade's going to be worried about you if you don't go home. Don't you think?

[withsadness]

No.

[The word's a bit lower, less tearful.]

A home isn't anything without family, and it's Rosi's room. He found it first, and then he let me stay, and he found Wade and brought us all together.

[fogey]

Family's more than just one person, Mary.

[withsadness]

But it's broken right now! It's broken!

[fogey]

Did I ever tell you about my brothers and sisters?

[ not a real question; he knows he didn't ]

[withsadness]

[She shakes her head. Because, yeah, of course he didn't.]

What are they like?

1/2

[fogey]

There were seven of us. Five brothers, two sisters. All adopted by our father -- which was about the only thing we had in common. That, and our birthday.

[ and the freaky way they were born. but. moving right along past that. ]

But my brother died when we were young. [ five was the first, actually; he got lost, and the cracks only spread from there. ] Believe me, our family is sure as hell broken. Worse than I can describe. But that doesn't mean we don't come together when it counts.

[ they banded together to stop the apocalypse the first time. they've helped him, when he let them, when he asked them; and he knows, deep down, they would've done more if he let them. ]

[fogey]

If you want to stay here for a while, I'm not going to stop you. [ he doesn't care, or something. ] I don't have anywhere better to be, anyway. But you're going to have to tell Wade where you are, if nothing else.

[ is he the responsible adult here?? terrifying ]

HELP

[withsadness]

...I'll tell him.

[It's not like she intended to keep it from him, anyway, so much as...she just reacted before thinking about much of anything else. Or anyone else, for that matter.]

I just don't want people to go where I can't follow all over again, Five.

YOU MADE IT

[fogey]

[ he nods, like, good when she says that. he's not going to force her or anything, but he will keep an eye as to if she does or not. he might have to reach out himself if she doesn't, is all. ]

I can't promise you that'll never happen, Mary. Not without lying.

[ and that's just going to hurt her worse in the long run. he breathes out, scoots backwards a little so he can rest his back against the side of a pew, sitting down more fully. ]

[withsadness]

[Quiet for a moment, Mary's tears slow and she calms, sitting down against the side of the pew across from him.]

Thank you for not lying.

[fogey]

Don't thank me, kid.

[ PLEASE DON'T......he's the worst guardian figure.... ]

[withsadness]

[It's too late. It's too damn late!]

But I mean it! And I bet...your brothers and sisters must miss you.

1/2

[fogey]

[ what the fuck is this attack, oh my god mary

he breathes out a wry not-a-laugh, tips his head up so he can look at the ceiling. ]

My brothers and sisters...

[ have a lot they need to do first. this isn't even a thought he's orbited, because it's so much more critical that they survive long enough to be able to worry about missing him.

if this weren't mary, he might bring up her father, her own family. but this is mary, and she's barely stopped crying, so -- ]

[fogey]

You should call your friend before it gets too late.

[ what are emotions. ]

[withsadness]

I will.

[...]

Five?

[fogey]

[ he looks back at her, at least. ]

What is it?

[withsadness]

Don't die.

[fogey]

I don't intend to.

[ not satisfying, probably, but not a lie. not a promise that can be broken. ]