[WEEK 5: SATURDAY, POST-TRIAL: Lucina]

[spinatalltale]

[she doesn't care. why should she? she knows how this ends. she knows how it's always ended. she opens her heart to someone, and is a disappointment enough for them to cast her aside or leave her]

[she doesn't know why this place would be any different]

[. . . and yet, this evening after the trial, her feet guide her without input from her brain. she checks their mutual hut first-- nothing. she wanders for some time, weaving in and out of the wicker houses]

[until she finds herself at Bellamy's hut. she doesn't know why she didn't try here first, honestly. . . she knows how close the two are, how close they remain, despite the exchanged glances at trial]

Lucina?

[no dramatics. no theatrics. no cheer or usual peppiness. just Magilou, searching for her partner, and totally not because she actually cares or anything like that]

Comments

[spinatalltale]

[. . . oh my god]

[OH MY GOD]

[Magilou knows a drunk person when she sees them, and for some reason, a drunk Lucina is the most surprising thing of all. she stares for a moment, blinking rapidly, like she can't quite comprehend the site in front of her]

[. . .]

[eventually she just. steps forward, and plops down onto the ground next to Lucina]

Depends. Which morning are we talking about, again?

Also? Share your goods.

[give her a sip, partner :/]

[rightfully]

The ... morning.

[ Look, she doesn't know!

Lucina does manage to get her back upright, if little else. She doesn't make a lot of effort to untangle her legs, however.

The bottle is offered to Magilou. ]

[spinatalltale]

[she takes it]

[. . .]

[brings the bottle up to her mouth, tilts back her head, and takes a swig. she she's done, she wipes at her mouth and hands the bottle back to Lucina]

Is this part of the stash that Jack requested after our first trial?

[rightfully]

Yes, it is.

[ She's about to say a word she's never said before. ]

Yeah.

Mine, and - and Bellamy's, and Serph's...

[ no wonder she's like this right now ]

[spinatalltale]

[. . . drunk Lucina. . .]

Well! I suppose tonight is as good of a night as any to finally break them open, hm?

[she links her hands together, resting them in her lap]

[rightfully]

I quite agree.

[ It's breathily said.

Also, Lucina is just going to... nearly faceplant into Magilou's lap, whoops. ]

[spinatalltale]

[UH????]

[nearly jerks back in surprise when Lucina slumps forward, almost into her lap. she blinks again]

. . . sheesh. . .

[and then reaches out to take Lucina by the shoulders, and help her pillow her head into her lap]

You really need to work on your alcohol tolerance. Or did you just have that much?

[rightfully]

[ Lucina lets herself be eased down, letting the loose plait of her hair serve as a cushion for her head where Magilou's legs and/or bookskirt fails to be comfortable.

(What the fuck web browser, how is bookskirt a legit word.) ]

Both, I imagine. Bellamy let me keep going.

[ ... ]

I am sorry. I couldn't save him, too.

[ She's not talking about Bellamy anymore. ]

[spinatalltale]

[THANK BERSERIA FOR BOOKSKIRT BEING A THING]

I bet he's three sheets to the wind too, right about now.

[her expression flickers, but doesn't waver, at Lucina's next words. though there is a long, long pause, as she idly twirls a lock of Lucina's hair around one of her index fingers]

. . .

Hey.

Sorry I didn't tell you.

[. . . ???? LUCINA IS LITERALLY THE ONLY PERSON TO GET MAGILOU TO APOLOGIZE. NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE]

[rightfully]

[ The light tugging of her hair at her scalp honestly feels good, and Lucina doesn't contest it. She simply burrows a bit deeper, comfortable to hide her face in Magilou's lap. ]

I do understand, even if it seems like I didn't...

[ Briefly, she thinks of Jack. It opens up something raw in her. ]

You did what you felt was best.

[spinatalltale]

[. . . it makes her feel a bit better, honestly. even if Lucina is disappointed in her, even if she pulled away when learning that Magilou kept Akira's secret from her]

[it fills that emptiness she felt earlier, and it both makes her glad and makes her want to pull away in disgust. ugh. caring!!]

As did you.

[. . .]

It broke you as well. . . didn't it? When you executed Jack.

[rightfully]

You couldn't have known, but... Yes. I hid myself after. I cried so hard, it felt like I would never stop.

[ Likely, Lucina is only revealing this because of how intoxicated she is. At least being still, lying down, has restored some of her eloquence. ]

For the first time, I felt truly alone. Bellamy found me, and held me. I begged him to reassure me that I could do this.

[ Which may explain a lot about their dynamic in the weeks following. So much of it had been hidden from public eyes, a sudden transition from acquaintances to... something inseparable. Not that it changes anything else, Lucina knows.

Ashamed, she turns her head some more. Her mouth feels like cotton. ]

I have no cause to be proud of my own weakness. I had no right to dismiss it in others.

[spinatalltale]

. . .

[her mouth curls into a lopsided smile. a bit wry]

You shouldn't be ashamed of your own moments of weakness. With weakness, comes strength. With weakness. . . comes the will to fight. Isn't that true?

The darkest parts of us help the brighter ones shine all the more brilliantly. And despite you breaking, Lucina, you continued to carry a lantern to lead us home.

Even if today's trial was a mess-- everyone believed in you. And that's important.

[rightfully]

[ Everyone believed in her. Magilou had decided, midway, that Lucina might not have killed Fie, even though she did, even though they both knew it. They had all chosen to vote Akira over here, even when the truth was clear and blatant. His position had been so, so much worse than hers.

Everyone believed in her, but she couldn't save Akira. Not really.

Everyone had believed in her, but that hadn't stopped them from disappointing her repeatedly, without end. Jaffar, Laura, Serph, Akira... even Magilou. Even if she knows she will miss some among those names, she knows she will be better off if she never has to see any of them again. When they wake up. Months from now, when this dream fades into an odd, irreverent memory. Lucina will be better off for it.

And yet, she finds herself clinging to this moment, to Magilou's soft words and careful attention, and the way it seemingly exonerates her. Strange, isn't it?

Well, anyway. Here's something important: ]

... I think I am going to be sick.

[ MAGILOU LET HER UP ]

[spinatalltale]

[. . . oh dear]

Whoa, hold on, don't be sick on me! You'll ruin the moment!

[h-here Lucina, let her take you by the shoulders and help you off the porch so you can be sick in the front yard of the hut]

[rightfully]

[ beware, snow

this is going to get gross




here, have some vomit sounds ]

[spinatalltale]

[what did the snow ever do to deserve this!!]

[at least Magilou is there, with her hand on Lucina's back, trying not to make faces]

[rightfully]

[ Eventually, she eases up, wiping her mouth. The taste of sour liquor and bile is likely going to remain until well into the morning, but Lucina's medieval, so you know she's been through worse.

She's never had a hangover before, though.

Tomorrow will be interesting.

In a small voice, she says, ] Thank you.

[spinatalltale]

[it sure will be. drink lots of water, Lucina]

Don't mention it. I just want to make sure you don't accidentally wind up puking up your stomach.