[a heart.]

[antreegonist]

There's a moment of nothing but light and sensation. Someone's looking you over and the scrutiny prickles and burns – it's nearly a physical pain, like fine little hooks digging past your skin, into the very meat of you. I know who you are, it says, and I know what you are, and that you don't have any business here --

“But you do,” says Mithos behind you. He's a tired, steady voice in your ear, a light hand on your shoulder. “I don't know what Dream's thinking, but everyone is welcome here in my heart; just keep in mind it's a real mess right now.”

Your vision clears.

((assume your characters wandered in here through a dream. also join #ihateyouihateyouiwanttocuddle on irc if you can!))

Comments

Re: [ground level]

[antreegonist]

"Giving yourself away doesn't fix anything! You just don't have a self to care with afterwards! C'mon, turn this thing around—]

Re: [ground level]

[unionoftheheart]

[well now he's just going to feel fucking awful about this]

[throwing up the barrier and powering them through the storm, hopefully they can go fast enough with the extra weight]

Re: [ground level]

[antreegonist]

You make it back down; if anything, it's a little easier with Lloyd along. He takes one look at you and straightens your storm-tossed clothing a bit, briskly, then ruffles your hair.

"Don't look so down for not knowing. Exspheres are tricky. Especially exspheres and human hearts."

Re: [ground level]

[unionoftheheart]

[no too much being yelled at about this sort of thing in the past, shaaaame]

...e-exspheres?

Re: [ground level]

[antreegonist]

"Inorganic lives. It's not really a part of the heart; it's separate. We're just inside this one for now. But we're gonna fix it!"

Re: [ground level]

[unionoftheheart]

Inorganic...

[setting bewilderment aside and latching onto that pretty intently] What do we need to do?

Re: [ground level]

[antreegonist]

"It's not something you can help with, I don't think..."

Re: [ground level]

[unionoftheheart]

[aaand wilting again]

...oh.

Is there...a-anything I can do?

Re: [ground level]

[antreegonist]

"Hey, hey, quit that. There's a ton you can do. Look around you — this place is a mess. Didn't you hear what True Heart said when he let you all in?"

Re: [ground level]

[unionoftheheart]

[flinching a bit. and then taking a deep breath. stop being stupid and getting your stupid problems in the way Ven. :<]

I meant more...i-if you know where I should go. Unless it's one of those things that I need to figure out by myself.

Re: [ground level]

[antreegonist]

"Forward's the best I can do for you. But listen..."

He ruffles Ven's hair again.

"I was taking about what True Heart said — that you're all welcome in here. You are, you know. That means there's always something you can do. People are important in this heart. Not being able to fix everything at once doesn't mean you're not helping things just by being Mithos's friend."

Re: [ground level]

[unionoftheheart]

[forcing himself to relax and accept that]

...thank you.

Re: [ground level]

[antreegonist]

"I mean it. You're really cool and brave and kind. Mithos thinks you're awesome."

He squeezes your shoulder briefly before taking his hand away; you can feel something radiating from the touch, not something to affect your mood but a certain quality of warmth. You know with certainty that the heart does believe in you.

"And don't listen to the guy ahead on the way in, okay? He's angry, but anger's only one feeling, and it doesn't rule the heart."

Re: [ground level]

[unionoftheheart]

[g-genuinely stunned, touched little noise as that knowledge sinks in; heartLloyd is getting moedere puppy eyes on full blast for a moment here]

[much more heartfelt this time] Thank you.

Re: [ground level]

[antreegonist]

"Sure thing. Don't worry, half the time none of us know what we're doing anyway! But it'll be all right. Awful stuff is hard to work through, so just take it one thing at a time."

He backs off a couple of steps, turning away, and grins over his shoulder at Ven.

"You'll do fine. I got places to be, but good luck—"

And he's gone.

Re: [ground level]

[unionoftheheart]

You too.

[taking a few deep breaths. and following those bootprints, yup.]

Re: [ground level]

[antreegonist]

. . .