foolishwren | 97. [Action for Goldenrod/Private Text]

[Locked to Ironhide, Minnie Mouse, Otacon, and Dale Cooper]

I don't know if it'll fix anything at this point, because I said some pretty horrendous things to all of you, but for what it's worth, I'm sorry.

I'll understand if you're still mad. None of you need to reply to this.

[Action for Goldenrod]

_{[It's probably not surprising that there's been radio silence from Heather on the 'Gear for awhile, considering... well, everything. Even if she hadn't had her 'Gear confiscated as part of the 'grounding', she hadn't exactly been in a chatty mood.]

[But even if she's bound to the city, she's not bound to the hotel room, and considering that she's sort of in the doghouse at the moment, she's not too interested in staying cooped up with the people who are rightfully upset with her.]

[So she can be found wandering the streets of Goldenrod City with Cujo padding along at her side, window-shopping or occasionally lounging on a bench-- minus the firepowers that blew the metaphorical Diglett-hole into a volcanic mountain a few weeks ago, but unfortunately still with the unattractive aftereffects of the whole ordeal: smoky black hair, patches of scorched-looking skin, and a permanent burnt-toast smell following her around.]}

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

_{[Then there's voluntary manslaughter - intentionally killing someone but with mitigating circumstances. So he ... doesn't quite explain, but keeps asking, because it's clear she didn't quite understand him.]}

Was it self-defence or with malicious intent?

_{[... There is a long, long pause.]

[Because you know what? She has to think very hard about that question.]

[After maybe fifteen minutes, the answer comes.]}

both

_{[Both.]

[There's something in him that sort of just wants to snap the gear close and walk away from this. But he can't and he won't because this is Heather, and he cares far too much to abandon her.]

[Thing is, that's not a good answer.]

[It's better than other options, but it's still not good. It still means something he can't look past and he feels close to betrayed by it.]

[And struggles with that for a few moments.]}

Is there anything else you'd like to say?

_{[The response comes fairly quickly, although she did have to think about that question a little bit.]}

i'd like to say a lot of things but i don't think any of them would make things any better






i'm sorry i never told you

_{[It's not something she's ASHAMED of, really-- hell, she's told people before. Told CARMEN. Flippantly, even! But at its core it's not a joking matter and it's very specifically something she never brought up to Cooper before.]}

_{[It's not a joking matter at all, and that takes away from the apology. Besides, it's more about the action of having done it - not what she's hidden from him. Which he'll type out next, taking a bit of time with it before he hits send.]}

This isn't about what you did or did not tell me. It's about your actions.

_{[It probably comes across accusing or even hard in text, but ... he isn't, he's more tired than anything else. All the same, he's not going to switch. He'd rather not.]}

_{[Even if it's not meant to come off as harsh, it... well, does.]

[Once again, the justifications are at her fingertips... the fact that her kills had not been murders even if they'd been intentional, the monstrous nature of her circumstances.]

[But she doesn't type them. It would feel cheap, pathetic, defensive. More like immaturely clawing for ground in an argument than actually vindicating herself. And to be honest, vindicating herself isn't even really something she wants to do right now.]

[So, heart sinking, she just sends back.]}

the only thing I can say is sorry

if that's not enough, I understand

_{[He pauses there, not immediately sure what to answer. Because in many ways he hadn't expected that. He'd like to imagine he knows her. Not that he'd been waiting for justifications or excuses or explanations, but the tone that those words give - "if that's not enough, I understand" - is different than what he might have expected to find.]}

I'll let you know the moment I do. We'll talk about this more at a later date. Okay?

_{[The question like an afterthought.]}

_{[His response, in turn, surprises her a bit. Not that she'd necessarily expect him to leave her hanging there, but rather than a further expression of his disapproval, it's one of caring.]

[Not that there's much comfort to be had, really, but it's something. And it's a lot better than some things he COULD have said.]}

okay

97. [Action for Goldenrod/Private Text]

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