untrueheart | Act 3

[Once upon a time, there was a girl who noticed that every single day, she had to track down her dearest love from wherever he happened to wander at the time. He could meander quite far if left to his own devices, which he was, more often than not, because establishing him a 'permanent' place to sleep at night? Had been overlooked.

That's not going to go on any longer. Rue leaves her room in the morning with some serious intent: first to find Mytho, then to convince him to get a room. His own room. ...Somewhere nearby. She has the perfect spot in mind. Of course, she has to find him first, a journey which takes her all over town and back again. Thinking of the only two things he's shown a real interest in doing, and with an eye out for anyone acting particularly odd and emotional, she'll stop a few people she happens to pass with a question:]

Have you seen a white-haired boy pass this way? Or perhaps he was dancing somewhere?

[Once all the hunt-and-find is over and done with (it is a long day), she might be forgiven for overlooking something upon her return to her own apartment. In truth, she doesn't get a good look until she starts to get ready for bed.

There on the living room chair is a pair of terrifyingly familiar black toe shoes.

That is all it takes to turn a frustrating but decent day into a rising nightmare; Rue screams once, turning to run out of her apartment and out of community building seven, as well. Distance, she wanted distance. If she could get far enough away they would not be real.

It is her particular brand of destiny that takes her on a collision course with at least one other person in her flight. Hopefully whoever they are can manage to stop her doing something foolish and irrational.

After all, it's just shoes.]

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[It's going to be a long day, isn't it.

The bakery is next, and all the buildings around it. When she's outside, on a whim, she watches the rooftops she passes. He's been known to make foolish decisions about heights before, too.]

[She might miss him while he's looking up there instead of along the ground. But he's too busy being asleep under a nearby tree to correct her.]

[Better to find him safe on the ground. On a second pass she sees that flash of white, her walk turning into a half-run across the distance to that tree.

She kneels there, to study him and decide if he's only asleep, or if something worse has happened.]

[He's only asleep.]

[Very well. She can sit down in as dirt-free a spot as possible and just...wait for him to wake up. It's peaceful enough. No one will bother them. She wonders what has Mytho so tired. There wasn't a shard for sleepiness, was there? A library book comes out of her briefcase and Rue opens it on her lap to read.

Whether it is something about the tree or something in the air, she soon finds herself head-to-shoulder with Mytho, eyes half-closed.]

Edited 2013-07-11 05:12 (UTC)

[It is a while - he's certainly sleeping as if it's been some time since he's had a good night's sleep. But eventually, he emits a soft mumble without moving.]

Mm.

[If she closes her eyes and distances herself from the feel of wings between herself and the tree, it's almost normal, if there was a 'normal' for them before the story began to dance again. When Mytho makes a sound she doesn't hear it so much as feel it, a hum against her temple.]

Mytho?

Mm.

[He mumbles again, but more audible this time. Slowly but surely, he's regaining consciousness.]

[Yes, she can most certainly live with that.

If he doesn't wake, they could stay here for a very long time. Even if he does. She's concerned about a few things, but why face them when this is better and easier?]

[Because he can't sleep forever.

His eyes flicker a bit.]

Rue.

Mm? [What if he's dreaming about her? That would make her happy; just thinking about it brings out the first hints of a real smile.]

Yes.

[His eyes are half open now, glancng towards her.]

Yes? ...Yes, what? [Did she ask a question? Maybe she fell asleep and said something.]

Yes, Rue.

I didn't ask you anything.

"Mm"?

What are you doing here?

[It is easier to change subjects than to think about why her heart aches when he looks at her that way.]

Talking to you.

I mean before that. You've been here asleep for a very long time. Do you feel all right?

I don't know.

[It seem she remains unused to asking the proper questions. Rue sits up to get a better look at him, but she wouldn't know him looking sick-unwell from his regular vacant stare.]

Do you remem- [No, he'll say yes or no and, something else would do better.] When did you decide to sleep here?

[A seemingly thoughtful pause.]

At night.

Edited 2013-07-13 05:53 (UTC)

Last night? You've been here all night? What about your room?

[Thoughts brush against her conscious self like vines. They point her in an unsettling direction. Had no one really thought to- and what did that say about her, who supposedly loved him?]

It's at school.

[You know that, Rue.]

Your room here, Mytho. You never found a place to live?

[Was she really so lucky, for once, to have found kind strangers (and Duck) to show her around?]

[Mytho]

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