Twentieth Unused Utility Belt | Video, voice, possibly spam

[hellofist]

[For anyone who was on the Barge for Christmas, this sight might be a familar one. Cass, alone in a bed in a blank room. No tears this time, just a haunted, lost kind of expression.]

Merlin is gone.

[She opens her mouth to say something else, but nothing comes. What is she supposed to say? That the person she loves most in the entire world is just gone and she didn't get to say goodbye? That she's terrified because she might not ever get to see him again? That she's sorry maybe, for all the people who love him and won't see him either. She switches the feed to just audio because it's easier that way.]

He might come back. He... did last time. Didn't remember things, but... he was back. That was... was what counted. So I guess... we just wait.

[She can do that. She can focus on him coming back, she has to.]

That's... that's all.

[Now things cut off completely. Should anyone happen to be passing by Merlin's now empty room, it might be possible to hear crying inside. Looks like she didn't manage to keep it together after all.]

Comments

spam

[patheticvillain]

[He doesn't hesitate; once he's inside, he hugs her tightly in a way that he would never have dared to months ago. He doesn't know what he'd do in her situation, doesn't have any platitudes that'll make this better, so he doesn't say anything. He just holds her.]

spam

[hellofist]

[First Stephanie, now this? It's so much to have to try to wrap her head around, two of the most important people of her life just gone without a trace. She feels empty, like losing them has taken something out of her.

She ducks her head against Cassel's chest and hugs him a little too tightly. She can be vulnerable with him, it's allowed.]

Thank you.

[She doesn't really want to be by herself right now.]

spam

[patheticvillain]

You don't have to thank me.

[He lets his chin rest on the top of her head and pulls her close.]

You shouldn't have to thank family for loving you.

spam

[hellofist]

[Somehow, as bleak as all of this feels, that helps. The pin is clenched in her hand hard enough the the symbol will likely be embedded there for the next day, but that helps too.]

Thanking you... for being here.

spam

[patheticvillain]

[At that, he nods, slowly and hesitantly.]

'Kay. Then you're welcome.

I don't really want to leave you alone right now.