03 ☢ i'm gonna make this place your home

[changeit]

[He's starting to catch on to how this works, now. When he speaks up, it's tentative but hopeful. There are people he misses, misses so much, and if he has even the smallest chance of talking to them he's got to take it.]

My name's Kieren Walker. I'm, um. I'm looking for the Walkers, from Roarton? And anyone - who remembers me, I suppose.

Comments

[irishrotter]

Kieren--

[Oh. He saw her.]

private

[changeit]

Simon, I don't understand.

[He says this fiercely, almost angrily. This is too much. He can't do it.]

private

[irishrotter]

[His heart aches at the tone of Kieren's voice. There are some things he wants to expose Kieren to, but whatever this is... He thinks this is something he wishes he could shield him from, a pain he could take away. He wishes he at least had the right words.

He shakes his head, helpless.]

private

[changeit]

What do we do? What do we tell her?

[Nothing? Everything? Should he just be quiet and not say a word? Should he act as though nothing's wrong at all? He doesn't understand.]

private

[irishrotter]

[He hesitates.]

They're saying this only lasts for the day.

[That Amy's not really here; that they'll have to say goodbye to her again at the end of it. He's not sure they should say anything, knowing that. What good would it do but hurt and confuse her?]

private

[changeit]

So we have to lie to her?

[He's almost in tears at the thought. This is, this is ridiculous. He can't lie to Amy.]

private

[irishrotter]

You're here to save her, Kieren. Don't forget that. Whatever happens today, it won't be the end.

[Simon needs Kieren's faith to believe in the Barge, but he needs absolutely nothing to shore up his belief in Kieren.]

private

[changeit]

[This calms him, but only barely. Only briefly. He looks down, away, at his fidgeting fingers, until he thinks of something else to say.]

She looks well. She looks really well. I can't tell her that, or she'll know something's wrong, but I have to tell you she looks really well.

I didn't realize how much I missed her until just now, right now.

private

[irishrotter]

I know. Me too.

private

[changeit]

. . . I didn't even ask if you're okay.

Are you okay?

private

[irishrotter]

Yeah.

[Is he? He's not sure. But he's been weak enough lately, needed Kieren to shore him up too often, and right now he can't ask that of him. Simon loves Amy, but she's Kieren's before she's his.

He could love Amy when she needed to be loved. He can be okay for Kieren.]

Yeah, I'm okay.

private

[changeit]

Yeah.

[He's not sure he believes it - but if that's the story Simon wants to tell right now, then he'll at least accept it. He even offers a soft smile, ever so briefly.]

Someday it'll be like this again all the time.

private

[irishrotter]

I know it will.

[It takes him a second, but he returns the smile.]

All this and more.

[He has a deal too, after all. It won't just be him and Kieren and Amy; it will be them and all the Redeemed together, and it will be glorious, he knows.]

private

[changeit]

[He doesn't question it; thinks of it as rhetorical. It makes him smile all the wider, leaning back in his seat.]

Thank you.

private

[irishrotter]

Always. You know that.

Do you want me to come by after--?

[He'd be happy to be there right now, but he wants Kieren and Amy to have whatever privacy they need.]

private

[changeit]

If you don't mind.

[For now he's okay. Later he's not sure he will be.]

private

[irishrotter]

[If. Kieren, please. Simon doesn't need to dignify that with a verbal response: he just gives him a look.]

private

[changeit]

Well, all right, I'll just boss you about then.

private

[irishrotter]

[He smirks a little, raising a brow.]

I don't think I'd mind that.

private

[changeit]

--Not like that.

[Maybe like that.]