(closed) sometimes we just need to talk

[forethinking]

Who: Mercy & Ren
When: Sometime in August, before the Circus!
Where: A1 ADI housing!
Summary: Mercy has a nightmare. Selkie experiences talking!
Warnings: Dissociation, nightmares, violence, gore, everything that goes with the Selkie event.

(Ren's come to make everyone dinner, as per usual, but boy, is he tired. No particular reason as to it, it's probably just a result of a poor night of sleep coupled with a few worries crawling in the back of his brain. Next thing he knows, he falls asleep on the couch, sitting where he once was chatting.

Hours go by, and Ren's woken up by a scream coming from one of the rooms. It's not Monika's voice, so it must be Mercy. He runs, almost leaps over the couch in his despair to get to her - the last experience they shared wasn't so kind that he can just take a second out of reaching the source of the scream. He'll apologize for entering abruptly later, but he does so, calling her out immediately:)

Mercy? Are you okay?

Comments

[graveyounglady]

[It's maybe a little embarrassing that this has become a common enough occurrence that her regular roommates don't immediately race into the room. But at the moment, she's just panicking as the door and voice wake her from the nightmare. Mercy practically flings herself out of the bed and into one of the walls. She's drenched with sweat, shivering, and it's only after making a sight of herself that she manages to look around and see-]

R-Ren? What...?

[She's wound tense, panting, but on seeing his outline in the doorway, she slumps and just tries not to cry.]

I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to... I'm sorry.

[forethinking]

Nothing to apologize for.

(Without an ounce of hesitance, Ren comes closer, offering her an arm so she could nest by his side if she needs it as they walk out of the room. If not, it becomes an invitation for them to go to the kitchen. He'll make her a nice cup of tea, that should help.)

What happened?

[graveyounglady]

[She takes his arm and clings close to him as they walk, closer than is probably socially acceptable for someone who isn't technically her housemate.]

Nightmares. I-I keep trying to find the right mix to stop them, but... but I keep going back to it. To the water. Being trapped in that skin. All... bound up without anything feeling right.

[forethinking]

(Oh. That. It'd be a lie to say it hasn't been something Ren himself had to work on. He spent too much time not feeling right, his fingers feeling foreign as he returned to his body, toes that shouldn't be there, while having fins didn't feel right either.

Traumatizing. He doesn't blame her one bit. Instead, he gently caresses her back, walking short steps towards the kitchen.)

I know how you feel. I'm glad nothing worse happened to you, though.

[graveyounglady]

[Mercy's eyes are still watery, but she turns them on Ren with something approaching awe. He's just... so nice? She'd known he was a brave and handsome man, generous as well, to cook for them, but this is... does he do this for everyone? Would he does this for everyone. It feels a little special. She feels special with him stroking her as they walk. Mercy leans against him and sniffles quietly.]

I got... bit. One of them got my flippers. I was limping around for a spell. It's them in the nightmares when it ain't just the skin. All-all teeth and screaming laughs. How could anyone be that cruel?

[forethinking]

(He's just like this, unfortunately, but that doesn't mean Mercy isn't special to him. She's willing to share her space with Ren, make him feel as though this apartment is a safe haven where he too can live, even if he doesn't. At least a little bit, it feels like home, like his place as well, and the habitants of it, his people.

Which means, he's vowing to never let Mercy go through something as terrible ever again. He refuses. He only lets her go to grab the kettle, put water into it and set it on the stove. She could use a comforting cup of tea.)

Let me see.

(Very delicately, he takes her arm to check the bite mark. He needs to see how bad it had been.)

[graveyounglady]

[There aren't any marks on her arm beyond some older faded scratches. Mercy shakes her head and pulls away before moving to sit on the counter.]

It was my back flipper... foot. [She pulls her right leg up over her left and hold it there, tugging up her pajama bottoms a little bit. What she shows is a nasty bite scar that almost entirely rings her heel and up a little past her ankle.]

I was lucky Caduceus and that other man he was with were there to pull me out of the water and kill it.

[forethinking]

Do you feel strange in your body at all?

(A hand gently caresses the scar. Unfortunately, he can't do anything about that - all he can do is provide support. He knows what a traumatizing experience it had been, and if he can make her feel at least a little bit better, he'll count it as a win.

His attention only leaves her for the cups and to separate the tea he wants to make. He basically lives here, anyway. No shame in picking things from the kitchen.)

[graveyounglady]

[She twitches at the touch and feels the heat blooming anew on her cheeks, but manages to stay still, otherwise. When he turns away, Mercy lets her foot back down.]

Aye. Sometimes it's like a part of me thinks it's still a seal. I been thinking about trying to go in the water just to see what happens. It's stupid, but I'm half-afraid I'll turn into one of them again.

What about you?

[forethinking]

I'm the same.

(It took Ren an entire month to start feeling like a person, to not feel grossed out at the mere idea of having fingers and toes for fins.

The kettle whistles, and Ren gets two cups of chamomile tea ready for them. When he hands her, it's with a smile.)

It was you, wasn't it? I told you to escape under the water.

[graveyounglady]

I wasn't gonna leave no one to deal with those things alone.

[She shakes her head.]

We weren't built to do that. I got help, helped others. You know you can let someone else look after you, right?

[Mercy tilts her head.]

I wouldn't mind seeing to you when you need it. You been here cooking for us, listening. Who listens to you?

[forethinking]

I know.

(Because technically, he does. It's just his self-sacrificial knack - he fully comprehends that there are people out there who would take care of him if he just let them, but as is? It's much more important for Ren to be the caretaker.

If he crumbles, what would happen?

So his smile is gentle, kind as he takes a sip of his tea.)

I prefer to listen, so I ask you to not worry. If I need it, I'll come.

(He'll never come. He offers her a hand to slide off the counter so they can go to his couch. There's a blanket there, and some comfort could do her good.)

cw: reference to suicide

[graveyounglady]

[She lets him lead her and sits down close to him when they reach the sofa. It's maybe being a little too familiar, but she's scared and she likes being pressed against his side.]

I worry, Ren. I knew a man who always put other folk before himself. He felt like he had to. He didn't come to no one when he was hurting the most. Even when he needed. He just... just let it go 'til he couldn't take it no more. He said in his note he didn't want to be a burden, he just wanted to be strong for the folks he felt like he needed to look after. I don't want that happening to you.

[forethinking]

(It's fine to be next to him, if that's what she needs right now. Ren thinks of it like nothing but friendship, anyway.

Thing about Ren is that this is him, as well. He'll quietly take his hardships and turn them into strengths, so he can move on and become better from it. That's what he does.)

I promise you - I'm not leaving.

(Because he understood what she means.)

And I am good at taking care of myself. I promise you it'll be fine.

[graveyounglady]

I ain't saying you're not. Reckon most of us as fell through are pretty good at taking care of ourselves from what I seen. I just... this ain't your world, you know? Ain't got the same things you're used to, even if you're clever as a fox.

What happens when it gets past the point of being fine? I just want to know you got-you got someone. Is it Akechi?

[forethinking]

Akechi is there for me without a question - and I know you are, too.

(Whether he'd go to the people who's got his back is another matter altogether. He wouldn't, unless he's really at the point of breaking - but it's more likely that the people he helps wouldn't let him get to that.)

[graveyounglady]

Just as long as you speak up. [Mercy moves to wrap an arm loosely around his waist while she's cuddled up.] I know I ain't as clever as some people here, but I can listen. I want to listen.

Remember that, okay? You'd be doing me a favor and a kindness, knowing I could help you.

[forethinking]

(While an arm wraps around her too, the other attempts to hold a hand, as to give her full attention and support-- not thinking about himself, even as she calls him out for it.)

I'll remember it.

(And a squeeze of her hand.)

You're clever, though. You're benevolent, things like that are needed in a place like this.

[graveyounglady]

I ain't dumb. [She has enough self-confidence to agree to that.] I'm just saying I know I'm not gonna be the one figuring out the clues that'll get us home. I'm good at following a thread once I caught hold of it, but I ain't sure where to grab here. You seem more like you got that sort of head on you.