itscurtains | week 4

Entry tags:

act 2,
week 4

week 4

[Another week, and two more dead. King Richard and Red are both gone, and once again, it was through nothing more than an accident in the heat of the moment. Maybe if you all stay calm and collected, nothing bad will happen again?

Well, maybe not.

When you wake on Sunday, you'll find that you've recovered another one of those memories - or had another dream, if you still wanna be in denial about it. The grounds remain as they are, but this time, the door blocking the stairwell has been unsealed. You can now venture up to the second floor! This is the second time that's happened; it's almost as if you get more space every time someone dies. Or maybe the whole place just seems quieter.]

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( Welcome to Week 4! Please remember to submit your AC and your memory regains, as well as your coins! You can also still contact the Phantom. ))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[By now, Stephen should be used to Mephisto just... butting into whatever he does. At least there's no ~~Mourning~~ morning after nonsense here. He also doesn't immediately shove himself into what Stephen is actually doing.

He just. Settles into the table that Stephen appears to have claimed and starts reading his book. Or trying to.]

[Guess what, Mephisto? It's about astronomy. Who'd have thought. It's also painfully bland, unless you're in to that kind of thing. The sort of blandness that goes beyond college textbooks; this is what the people who write college textbooks read, and then attempt to 'liven up' for the students.

Stephen doesn't notice the other at first, but he finally turns around while trying some of the coffee and- blinks. Okay, well. Sure.]

...Do you want some? [He raises his mug]

[The longer Mephisto reads (or tries to), the more his lip curls. When he looks up, there's a particularly grotesque expression on his face, and he takes a moment to push the book away before answering.]

Whatever it is, certainly.

[He sits back in his chair, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Staring at a wall is less boring than all that nonsense had been.]

I'm honestly not sure. I tried chemistry. [There's a slight smile on his face that might not just be from his attempt at a joke; Mephisto's clear distaste for his choice of reading material is more than a little entertaining. It's easily enough to pour a second up, though, and he brings them both over to the table]

It's interesting to me, I promise. [Nods at the book]

Not alchemy? [His smile is wry, and it doesn't quite lift the shadows lining his face, but it does get pretty damn close.]

I don't know how it could be interesting to anyone. But you've always been a touch odd, haven't you?

[He fusses with his own cup for a moment, then lifts it to his lips. He doesn't... quite drink, though.]

How were your dreams?

Did alchemists try to brew drinks? [Stephen smiles a bit more, despite himself. Yes, it was a cover, but- still. He takes a seat and another sip]

...you were right, last week, when you guessed that I had experience with kids being...kids. I don't let it bother me anymore, but at the time, it was rough. [And that's enough on that, because Mephisto's continuing and his brow furrows. His gaze drops as well, looking down in to his cup.]

...Jeremy's SQUIP said these weren't just dreams. That...memory had been corrupted, or something like that.

[A subtle I don't want to talk about them.]

[Mephisto is quiet. All casual conversation is off the table now. He's finally reached what he'd been wanting to talk to Stephen about all morning, but hadn't been able to figure out how to broach the subject. He'd warred with whether or not he would bring it up at all.

But... it's weighed too heavily on his mind throughout the day for him to fully be able to forget it.]

Ariel was never the man you thought he was. [He finally takes a drink, if only to allow himself the time to think.] So consumed with his quest, he spurned Helena after they'd spent some time together. And her grief took her and their child from this world.

[Stephen's gaze flickers back up, and then he blinks at the first comment. At the rest, though- his throat closes up, and he closes his eyes. In this, he feels far more for Helena than Ariel, but to take the child...]

Christ. [He may be Jewish by tradition, but he's lapsed, and it's entered his vocabulary as an expression if nothing else. He almost adds 'I'm sorry', but Mephisto wouldn't care, would he?

...would he? He opens his eyes.]

You had nothing to do with it. [It's not a question, not even seeking affirmation; he's stating he knows, but it's also leading him in to something else:] Ariel was important to you, though, wasn't he?

[He sneers at the word, but it's purely habitual. He doesn't seem outright agitated by it, more consumed with Stephen's reaction than anything. After everything that had happened, both before their arrival and everything since, he knows that this conversation will weigh just as heavily on his companion's shoulders as it would Mephisto's own.]

I would not hold me entirely blameless. [He wasn't the one that told Ariel to leave. He'd had nothing to do with that affair. But -- ] We had a deal. I do not know what it was, only that it happened before he abandoned Helena. All the same -- he was driven by what I had offered him.

[Another gap, after that, and then his memory from the previous week.]

Whatever it was, it didn't work. He left some time later, angered by something I had done.

A deal for his soul?

[...he can't blame Ariel for getting pissed off at Mephisto, all things considered, but...it kind of reaffirms Stephen's own choice, of not offering his own; just his natural lifespan and/or until Mephisto releases him.

Nonetheless, he nods. He was thinking more on Mephisto driving Helena to take her and her child's lives; it doesn't make things much better, but marginally so, that he was merely driving Ariel and Ariel, in turn...drove Helena. He takes another long sip of his 'coffee'. Espresso? Stephicano?]

Is that...common, when you make deals? That more people than the one are affected? [I mean, obviously, but - to this extent?]

Correct. That was my deal, after all. Ariel's soul for my return to heaven. Word of God itself.

[Despite everything, Stephen hasn't outright left and that brings... relief to Mephisto. He doesn't need to guess why any longer, even if he won't acknowledge it out loud. It's the same reason he'd allowed Stephen to stay with him the night prior, after all.

He considers the question for a long moment, moving back to twisting his cup about. He's made a great many deals throughout his agonizingly long life, after all.]

It depends on what the deal is for. Issues of love and vengeance -- those ripples are far reaching. But something like this -- [He shakes his head.] When I spoke as Ariel, I meant what I had said. He had not seen Helena in years. I had planned to prey on that -- the longing, the solitude.

But it should have impacted her in such a way.

[It reminds Stephen of Job, honestly. Again, a story that he's been exposed to as opposed to learned from upbringing; and it's not an exact story, but the whole 'deal' thing brings it to his mind.

Still - he had promised to have an open mind. Perhaps not about what he already 'knew', but he's willing to decide on his own judgement. Which can be...admittedly poor, at times, but so far, he's...managing.

Another sip. He thinks he should be more disturbed, especially with what Mephisto's telling him. But it's hard not to think of Mephisto as...maybe not a peer, he's nowhere near that and there's an impossible distance between them, but at times, Stephen finds himself considering the man one nonetheless. Even as...someone he'd dare call friend.

...like Aston. He looks down again.]

...my own 'dream' was an argument. I had been working with a man to find answers, and we were talking about the transmission, and- I wanted to put it out in to the world. Aston thought it would just be playing in to their hands, and he left.

[He's not...trying to change the subject. He's just not sure what to say.]

I wonder how Dana's doing.

[He'd had more to say on the matter, but for the time being, he's content to let it go. He's still reeling from the juxtaposition -- Mephisto smirking and decrying Ariel's grief, to now mourning his own losses. He'd never once claim to understand or even sympathize with Ariel, but...

He feels raw, that's all there is to it.

The subject change gives him a little more time to come to terms with it. He can focus on... whatever seems to be gnawing at Stephen's mind instead of his own. Not that he understands much of it.]

Dana?

[...sip.]

She sort of got involved...by strongarming us, I guess? She had information and said she wanted in on what Aston and I were doing. We didn't really have a choice.

The last thing I remember was us tracking down a man, thanks to her...but my memories sort of jump from there, in the dreams? First, Gregor, and now, Aston walking out...there's more time missing between those, and Dana didn't seem the type to skip out on this. I just can't remember where she is.

[And he's frustrated- before abruptly looking at Mephisto, a sudden realization coming to mind]

The Phantom said the people we were with were right where we left them- and yeah, we don't have any reason to believe him, but what if he'll threaten them at some point?

[Irrational though it is, there's something that twists within Mephisto's gut. It's hot, knife-sharp and entirely unreasonable, but it sticks there even as he studies Stephen. He clutches the mug a touch tighter, a brief moment where his hands seem to strain against the ceramic, but stops just before the fragile cup tries to buckle beneath his grip.

He's silent for a long moment, composing himself. He smooths his brow -- when had it tightened, anyway?]

I would not put it past him.

[He speaks plainly, dryly even.]

[That look in Mephisto's eyes before he's able to compose himself - Stephen can't believe it's entirely false. He can't believe that all of this is part of the grand act and a master manipulation. Not after everything he's - they've - gone through.

It's less reassuring, right now, than one would think.]

Sigyn- [he hesitates, trying to think if this is breaking his promise to her. He decides it's not] -she wondered if there'd be more pushing. If he'd threaten us more directly. Mephisto, the only way we can beat him is getting out of here.

[Does he doubt his fellows? No, not at all. What he's doubting is their own humanity.

'A lot of people would go back and kill Hitler.']

Then we keep working. [Yes, this is a much better topic. It's something he can channel that earlier feeling into, disguise it as anger. He manages to resist slamming his mug down to the point of shattering it, but the table still shakes all the same.]

Christine is helping me find more gold. If we can create more fulminate, I can use it on the wall the same way I did the train.

[He doesn't mention his doubts to Stephen -- that if they could slam instruments against the doors without a single scratch, there's no chance an explosion would do what he hoped. But it's actionable, and takes them further from the topic at hand.]

Can you make anything else?

[beat, and he looks down at the book]

...I think I need to put astronomy on hold for a while, come to think of it. [it's time to LEARN!! MORE!!! SCIENCE!!]

Oh, Stephen. I thought I told you I'm no Ariel.

[Now more than ever --

And just like that, he's back to where he was. His expression sours, and he finds himself glancing to the side with a dark expression.]

I thought him a fool for caring so deeply, you know. [He glances back to Stephen now. He doesn't expect the other man to understand any of this, but perhaps if he says it, it will stop haunting him.]

Now I think he is a fool for not caring enough.

[Whups. To be fair, Mephisto has made it clear he's picked up a few things by watching humans- but now the mood's changed, and Stephen isn't sure he can direct it back.

After a moment, he reaches forwards, placing a hand on Mephisto's.]

Hey.

Humans are stupid. Take it from one.

[Because otherwise, he wouldn't have brought up a Deal in the first place.]

The most you can hope for is that we learn from our mistakes.

[He hesitates a moment, but only just. His hand rotates within Stephen's, curling until he's secured his fingers around the other man's hand. It helps muffle the earlier sensation he'd felt burning in his chest as well.]

You are very stupid. [He sounds almost affectionate when he says it. It will bother him more later, but for right now.]

Funny, how I once banked on you creatures not learning from your mistakes.

[He'll take it, and smiles again as he wraps his fingers right back] Sometimes we don't. Sometimes we do. Depends on the human, really. And if they have someone to call them out if they're slipping in to some bad habits.

Thanks, by the way. [For stopping him last night.]

It's.

[He thinks to make an excuse, to bury his moment of concern beneath logic. His answers die on his tongue before he can fully form them.]

You are my closest ally here. I do not enjoy seeing you so low.

It's still appreciated. I'll try not to need it again. [But he wouldn't be upset if...it did turn out he needed another hand, and if Mephisto gave it to him. The (fallen) angel's been there more than God's ever been, anyway.

He squeezes Meph's hand briefly, then eases his grip without pulling away]

In this place, or any other. I might see about staying dry for a year, after all this is over. [Just to make sure he's kicked it as a habit.]

Coffee Shop

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cw: child death, suicide

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1/2 because i need two icons for this

2/2

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