[ karlach can't see his face until he lowers his hand and turns to look at her. his eye is wide and horrified. the red in it has dimmed to its normal shade.
he lifts both of his hands out in front of him, like he's about to bury his face in them. ]
Karlach... [ his voice wavers. ] What have I done...?
okay! okay. well, this could be a trick. it could be something fucking with her, but he looks at her and he's horrified, and it absolutely breaks her roaring metal heart in two. she almost feels like it cracks. immediately she tears up, gets choked up. stubbornly, she brings a hand up to rub at her face, trying to keep her expression from showing how upset she is.]
Them "monster affinities" we heard about... That's what turns ya' into this, I'm sure of it. Makes ya' have violent thoughts till ya' can't fudgin' see straight. It'll do anythin' to not get caught when it finally kills some poor forker.
Y'all have to find a way to stop this mess. Till we do... I can't trust I won't do this again.
[ he looks down again and takes off his hat. he just holds it at his side. ]
I'd rather be pushin' daisies 'fore that happens. You get me?
and then swallows hard, resting her head against the barrier.]
I hear you.
[quietly, at first, because she knew that was going to be the case. the overseers had said it. blood is required, something violent, brutal. it won't stop, and you won't want to get caught. boothill isn't a nonviolent person, she knows that, she knows his bounty is there for a reason, but she believes that it isn't like this. and he's all but asking.
she hates it, she hates this.]
I promise. You won't hurt anybody else, alright? I know you don't want to.
[ boothill just watches her above him, taking in her face. he stays quiet for a moment before speaking softly. ]
Sure I made it obvious enough, but I did fancy you somethin' fierce. You're one fudgin' heck of a woman. Need more like you out there, so I want you livin' as long as you can.
he closes his eyes. those words snake past all of the metal bits and machinery of his chest and settle on his heart like warm cinders. his fingers curl on the barrier in front of karlach's hand. he murmurs through a small, bitter smile: ]
This muddle-fudgin' thing... I know you will.
[ he knows what he would have done if the barrier wasn't there.
or does he? because something wrests him from karlach the moment he thinks too deeply on it. he needs that barrier gone for other reasons. not this forkin' hetero nonsense. ]
And don't you worry. It won't be for too long.
[ he opens his eye. the red of his pupil shines outward again, glowing like a warning. his pointy smile spreads butter-smooth up his face, wide and tilted. his voice returns to that low, rusty octave. ]
I'll have finished all of ya' by the end a' tomorrow.
it's awful, because she watches him go. it's like watching someone die right in front of you - not for the last time, either, though she doesn't know that part yet. the exhaustion hits her about the same time, as he smiles at her like the demon that's infected him, and her shoulders slump.]
You won't.
[she says, soft.]
It'll be alright, soldier. It'll be over soon. It'll be okay.
[she doesn't want to talk to the monster, really, so she doesn't keep on with this, but she will sink down to sit in front of the barrier for a bit, just watching him. keeping him company, before she goes off to talk to the others.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[she says, voice a little wobbly. she clears her throat.]
What exactly do you think you did? You told me, earlier, right, you said Aventurine had something you needed? What.
1/2
M'I supposed to know who that is?
2/2
Somethin' I needed? When the forkin' hell did I...
[ he blinks at the floor and then holds his head. ]
Somethin' I...
no subject
she presses closer to it instead.]
Something you needed. You said you couldn't get it anymore because he's dead?
no subject
Aventurine is...
[ karlach can't see his face until he lowers his hand and turns to look at her. his eye is wide and horrified. the red in it has dimmed to its normal shade.
he lifts both of his hands out in front of him, like he's about to bury his face in them. ]
Karlach... [ his voice wavers. ] What have I done...?
no subject
okay! okay. well, this could be a trick. it could be something fucking with her, but he looks at her and he's horrified, and it absolutely breaks her roaring metal heart in two. she almost feels like it cracks. immediately she tears up, gets choked up. stubbornly, she brings a hand up to rub at her face, trying to keep her expression from showing how upset she is.]
Hey, soldier. It's alright. Look at me? That you?
no subject
he quickly approaches the barrier in front of her and sets his hand up in front of hers, whether or not it's balled in a fist. ]
Karlach... I really did kill 'im, didn't I? I wanted to think I didn't. And then I turned into that thing... I'm sorry. I'm sorry ta' everyone.
[ he shakes his head, looks at the ground, and lets out a shaky breath. ]
You gotta listen to what I tell you next.
no subject
You... yeah. You did. [she says, quietly.] But it wasn't you. Not really.
... I'm listening.
no subject
Them "monster affinities" we heard about... That's what turns ya' into this, I'm sure of it. Makes ya' have violent thoughts till ya' can't fudgin' see straight. It'll do anythin' to not get caught when it finally kills some poor forker.
Y'all have to find a way to stop this mess. Till we do... I can't trust I won't do this again.
[ he looks down again and takes off his hat. he just holds it at his side. ]
I'd rather be pushin' daisies 'fore that happens. You get me?
no subject
and then swallows hard, resting her head against the barrier.]
I hear you.
[quietly, at first, because she knew that was going to be the case. the overseers had said it. blood is required, something violent, brutal. it won't stop, and you won't want to get caught. boothill isn't a nonviolent person, she knows that, she knows his bounty is there for a reason, but she believes that it isn't like this. and he's all but asking.
she hates it, she hates this.]
I promise. You won't hurt anybody else, alright? I know you don't want to.
[a beat, and then:]
Gods, Boothill. I just... I wanted more time.
[with you, is the unsaid part.]
no subject
Sure I made it obvious enough, but I did fancy you somethin' fierce. You're one fudgin' heck of a woman. Need more like you out there, so I want you livin' as long as you can.
no subject
she just. thuds her head against the barrier, looking pained.]
Hah - ahah. I'd hoped you did. I feel like I was too obvious that you absolutely charmed me. [she says, voice wavering.] Fancied you too.
[a long, slow sigh. she doesn't bother wiping the wetness from her eyes this time. not much point.]
I'll carry you with me as long as I can. I promise.
no subject
he closes his eyes. those words snake past all of the metal bits and machinery of his chest and settle on his heart like warm cinders. his fingers curl on the barrier in front of karlach's hand. he murmurs through a small, bitter smile: ]
This muddle-fudgin' thing... I know you will.
[ he knows what he would have done if the barrier wasn't there.
or does he? because something wrests him from karlach the moment he thinks too deeply on it. he needs that barrier gone for other reasons. not this forkin' hetero nonsense. ]
And don't you worry. It won't be for too long.
[ he opens his eye. the red of his pupil shines outward again, glowing like a warning. his pointy smile spreads butter-smooth up his face, wide and tilted. his voice returns to that low, rusty octave. ]
I'll have finished all of ya' by the end a' tomorrow.
no subject
it's awful, because she watches him go. it's like watching someone die right in front of you - not for the last time, either, though she doesn't know that part yet. the exhaustion hits her about the same time, as he smiles at her like the demon that's infected him, and her shoulders slump.]
You won't.
[she says, soft.]
It'll be alright, soldier. It'll be over soon. It'll be okay.
[she doesn't want to talk to the monster, really, so she doesn't keep on with this, but she will sink down to sit in front of the barrier for a bit, just watching him. keeping him company, before she goes off to talk to the others.]