pyrighteous | [OOC] Folkmore IC Inbox

You don't have to guard it, you know. [Casey shakes his head, chuckling.] Just live there.

[Maybe they could make him a house. A little house in the palisman tree, he can decorate himself and shelter from the elements and- gosh.]

[ That gets a small blink out of the guard. Well - okay yes obviously he know he doesn't HAVE to guard anything. But. ]

I want to. I want to have a purpose.

I mean, sure, you can do that. It's your life, your choice. I'm just saying you can pick a different purpose, if you want one.

[Rue would definitely support any purpose he wants.]

… Like what? What other purposes are there?

[What a question.]

Um... well, okay, maybe I'm the wrong person to ask. I haven't found a specific purpose for myself since I got here either. But stuff like, find a new job, or discover your hobbies, or... I dunno, be the best at something... it can be anything that gets you excited about life.

[ Oh boy. Bad news on that front. ]

I’ll … have to think about that.

You don't need to find one right away! Look at me, six months in and I'm still figuring stuff out. You're gonna have loads of time to think about it. And you can change it any time you want.

[Like yes there are multiple layers of complexity here - he's been stuck in a galdorstone for god knows how many years, under Belos' thumb for his whole life before, and will very soon be in a bird body which admittedly limits his options - but still. He doesn't have to only do what he's always done.]

[ Yeah. The guard is performing much the same calculation here.

He nods, after a moment, and slumps a bit. Drives him crazy not to have a plan, but he can’t argue with the fact that he will have to figure it out later and not right now. ]

I guess I can just exist for a while at first, huh. Just … sit in the garden, or visit Mom, or -

[ He looks a bit shy and uncertain. ]

Visit here?

[Casey's nod is immediate.]

Yeah! You can definitely visit here. You're always welcome in my book, and, uh. I don't know if he's said as much to you, but Hunter's looking forward to getting to talk to you properly. He'd be really happy if you came to see him.

[ That immediately eases some of the tension in the guard’s shoulders. He’d hoped that things were good enough for ask for that, but he hadn’t been sure… ]

He did say something about that. Yeah.

[ But Casey could have just as easily said no if he wanted to as well. Shared living space and all. ]

… Thank you. I know this situation is stressful for you too. That first night you seemed … pretty panicked.

Ah... yeah.

[He can't deny it, nor is he inclined to apologize or regret it in retrospect. His panic at the time had been in his mind very justified, and until Hunter regained control of his body and became more okay with what was happening, his worry wouldn't abate. Things are different now.]

I was panicking, mostly for Hunter. He'd been afraid of it happening... and I didn't have any way of helping him at the time. I know it's not your fault either, but fear's not that logical.

[He clasps his hands together in his lap, gazing down at them, thumbs fiddling.]

Hunter's more okay with it now, so... I can be okay with it, too. And now that we both know you better, it's way less daunting. It's just... the idea of having control of your body taken away is... well, it's terrifying to me, too.

[ A faint snort from the guard at that. ]

Your fear was plenty logical. There was a stranger in your boyfriend’s body and you had no idea what my intentions were, to start with.

[ Even WITHOUT intentions being involved, if the guard’s presence had been actively hurting or destabilizing Hunter … or anything other than this benign presence … ]

I get it. I’m still sorry that’s how it all started out.

[Okay, fair point. There were lots of good reasons to fear what was happening. He's not sure that even context would have eased that panic much. It wasn't until he saw Hunter's smile again that it hit him just how afraid he'd been.]

I guess... apology accepted, then? [Feels weird, since it's still not his fault, but it's easy enough to offer back.] I wish it'd been less jarring for you, too. This mindscape thing was supposed to help us, but it kind of feels like all it did was let everyone meddle where they don't belong.

[ That does ease the guard some; he nearly relaxes all the way now. Almost. He still lets out a soft sigh at that last comment. ]

Yeah … I don’t understand why it was allowed to happen. I’m not sure I trust Thirteen’s intentions.

Hah... you're joining a big list, there. [Hardly anyone trusts Thirteen at this point. It's a very common sentiment.] Maybe she allowed it because she wants to see you reach your potential, too.

…

My potential? Why?

Why does she care about anyone's potential? [Honestly doesn't have a better answer than that, at this point.] If anybody deserves a chance to find out, it's you.

[ That evokes a pretty complicated look on the guard’s face. he has to take a moment to sort through his thoughts, trying to find a balance between blunt honesty and … well, some level of tact. ]

I’m a fragment of a ghost who shouldn’t exist in the first place. And wouldn’t exist if not for this whole mess.

[Casey's brows furrow, scrutinizing him for a moment. His response, when it comes, is both blunt and probably not expected, but:]

So what?

[ Definitely not expected; the guard startles in surprise.]

I’m - I’m not a person, Casey. And even if I were a person, I’ve already lived my life. I had a chance and it’s gone now.

[Another frown.]

I mean, wrong on all counts, if you ask me, but if you really want to go with that- if that's the case, why'd you want to keep living, then?

[He lifts the bird again, holding it up to make the guard face it.]

What's this for?

[ The guard flinches a little, guilty. But he doesn’t turn away from that beautiful little bird; he just reaches out a trembling finger to touch its head. ]

… It’s more than I deserve. More than I could have ever hoped for.

...You know, you could say I'm a ghost, too.

[Casey pushes the bird further forward, trying to coax the guard into holding it.]

I can't ever go back to where I came from, and even if I could, everyone's gone. The New York I'll go back to when I leave here... I'm not supposed to exist in that world. My parents met in a refugee camp, so without the invasion, I might never be born. I should've died in that future version of Earth. What do I deserve?

That’s -

[ Different, he tries to say, but he knows that’s the whole point. Because they’re not different, are they? Not really. Both of them had their chance - both of them are now stranded in worlds that they weren’t born into with some seriously bullshit being the cause.

The guard carefully takes the bird, then, and cups it delicately between his fingers. ]

I’d say you deserve a lot after saving the world from the future.

[Casey waits for an objection, settling a bit when one doesn't come. I didn't save the world, he kind of wants to say, but doesn't. He just gave a warning, and closed a door. Anyone can-]

If not for Belos maybe you could've helped save the world too, one day. Maybe that was your potential. [He's kind and strong, and a good big brother. There's a ton of potential in those three factors alone, and he'd know. That was his family.] We've had talks about that word... I think we use it too much. Whether or not you deserve another chance doesn't matter. You've got one, and we're all glad for it. Take it now and figure the rest out later.

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