OPEN;

[wandbreaker]

When; Saturday, January 28th, nighttime
Characters; All are welcome! Open log, just specify if it's an open thread or not or if there are 4th wall rules for your character in the comment or subject line! (4th wallers also welcome~)
Summary; The Blue Light's one chilling hangout; good music, good food, and a spectacularly crabby owner who is even letting in under-18s for the 4th Wall weekend.
Log;

Edmund is actually at work tonight - he hopes a member of his family might show up, but he's also wondering who else might show up. He's made sure that he's well staffed for the extra crowds and well stocked, no less.

He just hopes nothing gets out of control.

And of course, that a member of his family shows up, looking for him.

Comments

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

I did, I know.

[She finally lets go]

What changed? Good changes, I hope.

[killerstyle]

[His expression, in that moment, is the epitome of "Uh...about that."]

From a certain point of view.

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

Like yours?

[killerstyle]

Like mine.

[He's going to leave off the part about being married. It's the best news he has, probably, but there's something painfully unclassy about bringing that up here, like this.]

We made a difference in the end. Things changed.

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

I'm glad.

[killerstyle]

[He regards her thoughtfully a minute. It won't be the first time this visit that he's broken this news, but it will probably be the worst of them all.]

It was worth dying for.

[A slightly less blunt variation on his earlier, simpler, "I'm dead."]

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

Dy-

[She freezes]

Oh.

[She really starts shaking now]

Oh.

[And then the tears. She's trying hard not to cry but it's not working]

Oh.

[killerstyle]

Lucy. Lucy.

[He's holding her tight, cradling her head in one hand, guiding her to his shoulder. She may need to stand on the tops of his feet but he's not letting her go, oh, no.]

It's okay. Hey, shhh, it's okay, I mean it. I'm all right. Don't cry. I'm fine, I promise, I'm okay, Lucy.

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

[She holds onto him like she can hold him to the City, as if that will make everything better]

I'll ask the deities, I'll ask them today, they have to, you can't.

[killerstyle]

No, you won't.

[He strokes her hair, as soothing as he can be.]

You're not making any bargains for me. Especially since to do that, I'd have to let you go, and I sure don't plan to anytime soon.

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

Oh, Finnick.

[She's still crying a little, but the shaking has stopped]

I'm sorry, even if you think it's all right.

[killerstyle]

It is all right. Kind of funny, too, since your lion told me it would be, way back before I'd even met you.

[He tips his chin down, brushing a kiss against her head.]

I didn't believe him until it came true, though. You'll have to tell him, next time you see him, that he was right and he told me so.

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

He's always right.

[She just puts her head against his shoulder]

I love him. And you. I love you.

[She has to say it now.]

[killerstyle]

I know you do. I always knew.

And I'm going to keep holding you so that when your brothers jump out to kill me, I have you as a hostage.

[FINNICK. YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR. NOT NOW, MAN.]

Ever noticed how, when you take a heavy weight off a heart, there's suddenly a lot more room for love to move in?

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

They're not here.

[She holds onto him still, though, because she doesn't want him to go]

You're not going to take another heavy weight off your heart, are you?

[killerstyle]

Dying once was enough for me. I think I can handle not doing it a second time.

[He says, resting his chin on the top of her head.]

I was scared, all the time I loved Annie. I still do, I mean--I could never just stop. But I was scared, because that was all she had. Just me. And that was all I had to go on. Just her. That feeling...it wasn't something that would ever go away. It stuck with me for the rest of my life.

[Which, coincidentally, is over now.]

That's why it took me this long to tell you that the things I love about her are the same ones I love about you.

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

[She's quiet because it's important he say these things and she just listen]

Finnick.

[killerstyle]

She'll either be safe, or she'll be dead, too. Whichever it is, it's still better than what it was.

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

She'll be safe. She has to be.

[killerstyle]

Last I heard, Johanna was with her. That's about as safe as it gets.

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

[She nods, tight, small]

Yes. Of course.

[killerstyle]

That's not so bad, either. Johanna didn't have anyone left to love, after everything that happened. She had more people than she thought she did, but...

[He shakes his head.]

I know her. She'll look out for Annie and think she's doing it as a favor to me, and keep doing it right up until the day it hits her that it's as much for herself, too.

But me...I'm done now. [He laughs a little under his breath. It's surprisingly warm, considering the topic.] I'm done. It's over, all of it. And even better still, I'm here running into you again.

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

You're here, right?

Really here? You're not just saying all this.

[killerstyle]

Should I kiss you to prove I'm really here? Really really?

[desiredhertobetheirqueen]

I don't know if it would help.