CLOSED ♔ when it drains your soul it will flood the gate

[behindcloseddoors]

Firewall - Les Friction

WHO || Elena and Myri [Closed]
WHAT || Elena pulls over to the side of the road on the way back to the Castle.
WHERE || On a dark road heading back from London
WHEN || After investigating Elena’s burglarized apartment
HOW || Actionspam

[Elena slams the door to the car, holding her head in one hand as she leans against the vehicle’s frame for a few long moments before she starts to take a few slow steps away and down the road. She can’t lie to Myri, and she knows that, as far as this is concerned, she’s cornered. The only thing she can do other than answer her question honestly is to snap and tell her to drop it, and she can’t do that. They’ve both been through a lot today, and the last thing she’s going to do is hurt the one person in the Castle that loves her the most.

She doesn’t say anything, doesn’t even look back at her right away. She just listens for the sound of her friend following after her because she can’t imagine Myri just watching helplessly from the car. That’s never been her way.]

Comments

[witchwoman]

[As the car stops, Myri blinks, struggling to react as quickly as she might normally, but still following Elena out of the car.]

Elena, wait... What is it? What have I done?

[doubletake]

[That has Elena finally looking over, her eyes incredulous, before she looks away, shaking her head.]

Nothing, Myri. You haven't done anything. I knew something like this would happen eventually. I just...

[The words catch in her throat.]

...I don't know what I thought.

[witchwoman]

Something like this? [She looks even more confused.] I don't understand.

What is it?

[doubletake]

[Elena looks at her again, taking in her confused expression, looking even more conflicted before.

Finally, though, she seems to decide something, sliding up her skirt just enough to retrieve her dagger from where it lays flat against her thigh before smoothing the fabric back into place. She holds it in her hands, looking down at it with a strange kind of emotional reaction, spinning it once lightly, before she steps over to Myri, holding the blade out to her.]

Here.

[She's not sure this will make anything easier to understand, but she seems to have trouble getting the words out.]

Whenever you need to, just give it back to me.

[I'm sure it's fine.]

[witchwoman]

[She hesitates for a moment, but steps forward and wraps her hand around the hilt of the blade.

Definitely 100% fine.]

[doubletake]

[As soon as it's in Myri's hand, it's clear that something is definitely wrong.

There's a sucking feeling in her gut, a wrongness to the fact that it's touching her skin, and it spreads as an awful debilitating weakness that should unsettle anyone.

She also takes one negative level. Fun.

Elena watches her with raised eyebrows and an outstretched hand, expectantly waiting for a reaction, as if she knows exactly what it will be.

Terrible.]

[witchwoman]

[As the feeling starts to settle into her very being, Myri draws in a sharp breath. Her eyes move quickly to Elena's face, searching her expression for an answer to a very simple question.

Why?

She looks horrified, and possibly even a little betrayed. She can't bring herself to hand over the knife as asked. Instead, she acts on reflex and simply drops it, letting it clatter to the asphalt.]

Stargods protect us...

[doubletake]

[The corners of Elena's eyes tense visibly at that reaction. She expected it, that much is clear by the way she keeps her expression as schooled as possible, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

Any discomfort she might have felt starts to fade after she breaks contact with the weapon, and with a reflex save of 31, Elena manages to catch it as it falls from her hand before it can hit the ground, slipping it back into it's holster before she takes a step toward Myri, gauging her reaction to her proximity.]

You don't need them to protect you, Myri. I'm the only person here, and I'm not going to hurt you.

[witchwoman]

[It isn't Elena she's afraid of, but the way she so easily handles that blade clearly disturbs her.]

That dagger. It's... [Evil. Wrong. Something like that.]

[doubletake]

It's desecrated.

[She finishes where Myri left off, saying the word clinically.]

But it's no more evil than any other weapon. What matters is how I use it.

[witchwoman]

Of all the kinds of magic... Why that? [Now with the initial shock worn off, she's more just curious.]

[doubletake]

[She's quiet for a moment, as if deciding how to explain.]

I didn't know it would happen at the time. It was a...side effect of something else.

[witchwoman]

A side effect? Of what?

[doubletake]

[She looks like she's swallowed a penny or something, but eventually she just shakes her head.]

I can't tell you. [She puts her hands on her hips, starts to pace back and forth on the small space on the side of the road.] I don't know if you overheard me talking to Buffy on the plane. I imagine most everyone did but...I wasn't lying. This is dangerous for me to talk about for more reasons than you can possibly understand.

[witchwoman]

[Her brow furrows with concern.]

Elena..? Are you in some sort of trouble?

[She can't help but wonder if she'd be able to tell Myri even if she was. Preemptive sense motive...nat 20, cries about it. 31 total.]

[doubletake]

[Elena looks sad, if anything.]

I don't know yet. I suppose that depends on you.

[Her words ring true, and she seems to be carrying some massive burden, one that she doesn't mind carrying, but still hangs tragically from her shoulders. She's afraid, but not because of whatever it is she won't talk about, but because of what might happen if she were to be completely honest.

But she also knows that her time is running out, and she doesn't know how to stop it. She's not sure she can.]

[witchwoman]

Elena... [She takes a step toward the other woman.]

I would never do anything to place you in any sort of trouble. I only fear for your safety. All of these secrets...

[doubletake]

You will if you tell any of this to our friends.

[And therein lies the problem.]

All I want to do is help you, to help them. I can't do that if they know, because they will no longer trust me. Instead, some of them will want to hurt or kill me. That is the reality of my life right now and that is what I need you to understand.

[She looks at her imploringly.]

I never intended to lie forever. I just want to see the mission through. I have to finish it, and you need my help.

[witchwoman]

I won't tell them anything. Not if it would put you in danger, but... Elena, please. Can you tell me what's going on, at least? On my life, it won't leave my lips, but...

[She doesn't really have a good argument for it. She just would feel better if she knew. Or she thinks she would.]

[doubletake]

[99.9 percent of the time, Elena would simply trust Myri's word, because she believes the woman wouldn't lie to her, but this is a severe situation, and she scrutinizes her to be sure (sense motive 38).]

You can think it might make you feel better, but I can assure you it won't...

[witchwoman]

[There's so much sincerity in her tone and expression. Never was there a more genuine person who truly just wants to know what's going on in Elena's life in order to try to help or keep her safe. ]

That doesn't matter. If it has to do with you, I want to know about it. You're important to me. You're one of the most important people in my life.

[doubletake]

[Elena lets out a heavy breath, her expression briefly radiating uncertainty, before she seems to come to some kind of inevitable conclusion, her features settling into place. It's not devoid of emotion, but she's hiding most of it away.

At this point, she's hurting Myri either way. There is no good answer.]

I'm carrying an unholy dagger with no consequence. Surely you have some theories as to why that's possible?

[witchwoman]

Perhaps something to do with your doppelgänger heritage? I don't know much about these things...

[doubletake]

[Elena's lips part for a minute before she almost smiles, though it lacks any actual humor.]

No, not quite. My heritage beyond the Veil is something of a non-issue regarding all of this.

[witchwoman]

So... What is it, then? How is it you can carry that blade?