Act 4

[untrueheart]

[The sun is on its way down, clouds moving to fill in the spaces left by fading light, when a tired, staggering Rue makes her way back home again. At first she can't tell which part of the village she landed in; after a while she recognizes the road leading south and trudges along. She isn't sure whether to be sour or grateful that she has shoes on.

Eventually, after a nice long walk and a thorough freezing, Rue wanders into Seventh Heaven hoping for warmth and relative peace and quiet. Of which there is never any guarantee, an astounding feat for a town so small.]

Comments

[soheartless]

[And his eyes flutter open as he hears her voice.]

Rue...? [And his arms affectionately cling around her as he sits himself up, the soup container left standing on the floor.] Rue! I had hoped to find you...

[untrueheart]

[Really?

He...he's there to find her?

Already fragile, Rue catches herself before she can lose more than a few tears.]

Well I- I'm here now. You've found me.

[soheartless]

I'm glad, Rue. [And it shows in his voice.] When you were gone... I was afraid and hurt.

But, you're back...

[untrueheart]

[She was afraid and hurt, too. Hearing him say it, she holds on even tighter.]

I didn't want to leave.

[soheartless]

I don't want you to leave, either. [And he clings more tightly to her.] What happened...?

[untrueheart]

They just came and took me away. Don't think about it. [Rue doesn't want to think about it either.]

[soheartless]

Okay. [He says obediently. If Rue doesn't think he should think about it, he won't.

He'll still feel fear.]

Rue... [He gazes into her eyes for a moment, as if trying to put together the right thought.]

Is there anything you need?

[untrueheart]

[Yes. She needs a long hot bath and to sleep for ten hours and then maybe another hot bath and if possible all the time in the world to curl into her tightest ball and cry in someone's arms.

Rue knows better than to think she will get or should have any of these things. Particularly that last one. So she says the first and most instinctive thing instead.]

Just you.

[soheartless]

[He matches her volume with a soft whisper.]

I'm here.

[He then moves himself upright while holding onto her, and trying to lift her up, cradled in his arms.]

[untrueheart]

[Unless he falters, Rue goes on clinging and not getting in his way. That last wish might just happen after all.]

[soheartless]

[He's not the strongest boy, but he's still able to lift carry her well enough. And he gives a soft smile as he glances towards her face, then walks towards her door. It's when he nearly steps on the container of chicken soup that he remembers its existence.]

Ah... That's right.

Rue... Would you like some chicken soup? Emil taught me...

[untrueheart]

Chicken...soup? What for?

[How long has it been sitting there, is a better question.]

[soheartless]

For you. Your health, Rue...

I don't know if it's still warm or not.

[untrueheart]

No, I don't want any soup.

[Tired as she is, it makes answering Mytho's barely-emotive self much easier.]

Thank you anyway.

[soheartless]

You're welcome. [He says automatically. And the soup is left forgotten.]

If there's anything else you'd want... I'd like to know.

[He says as he tries grasping at the doorknob to open it.]

[untrueheart]

[While her inner voice repeats its fervent wishes for disappearing into hot water and sleeping for six years, her physical voice does nothing. Dropping her head back onto Mytho's shoulder and shaking it 'no' is all she manages.]

[soheartless]

Okay.

[And then the door is finally opened, and he steps through into Rue's apartment, holding her delicately. It's been tidied up as much as it could be in her absence.]

[untrueheart]

[Rue is hardly untidy to begin with, but her kidnapping did leave something of a mess; seeing it clean elicits a strange sigh.]

Are you...going to leave?

[soheartless]

If you want me to. [He says, now taking her towards her bed.]

I would leave if you wanted me to...

[untrueheart]

I don't. You shouldn't go.

[Rue does not want to be alone in this apartment so soon after being taken from it.]

[soheartless]

I won't leave you.

[A simple, automatic statement.]

Loneliness... [He pauses, as if trying to remember.] I don't recall liking such a feeling at all. You shouldn't feel that, Rue...

[untrueheart]

I want to be with you forever, Mytho.

[Was it wrong to want that now?]

[soheartless]

Forever...?

[He ponders softly to himself as he carries her towards her bed and moves to set her down there. He looks towards to her eyes; devotion and affection and hints of fear tangled up peeking at her.]

Rue... I'd want to be there for you that long. Could such a thing... be done?

[untrueheart]

[It's not just forever she wants. It's happily-forever-after, and most of the time it feels like such a lofty goal that she would need real wings to reach it.

As if to remind her, the tiny ones on her back flutter and twitch.]

I don't know. That's really what you want? [She hates this, when her voice gets stuck in a rapidly-closing throat while she talks.] Even after everything I've done to you?

[soheartless]

You've done good things for me, Rue.

[A soothing stroke at her shoulder.]

You've helped me.

The things that happened in the past... I don't think that I understand them. But... You don't act in that way anymore. And... I don't believe that I do, either.

[He just doesn't know why sometimes he feels a strange, burning sensation within him. Slightly more gradual with each emotion gained. It's never happened around another person.]