#kc_necropolis

His voice is gentle, and his thumb strokes her hand*

"If you aren't alone there, have allies, you shouldn't have to forget. It's dangerous. You risk losing the satyr completely."

"And you and your sword, chica. Doing it for the good of everyone, right?" Pale eyes sympathetic, fixed on her face. He's lying down, dreadlocks coming loose from their band*

"Even if, like, it gets you killed."

"But for a girl you can't even trust with the truth of her own eyes?"

Sparrow hasn't opened her eyes, her lovely features dimmed and defeated and tired.

"I love Jade, man. But she's too young and inexperienced, to like....be trusted with the truths of what's out there now, isn't she?"

"Not because she's evil, chica. But because she wouldn't know what to do with it, and like....might let it slip, or try to go looking for it."

"And like...I heard Willworkers fall to like...Bedlam, kind of. And then they can....really be dangerous, see?"

"And she won't look for answers now? She saw you, Luke, and the mists don't protect you."

"I know, chica. But like....this is what I mean. With her, with Sass. Send them on another track."

"You've tried this. How has it worked so far?"

"Better since I stopped trying to have it both ways." He continues to rub his thumb over the back of her hand*

"I..." She stops, swallowing the rest.

"I thought I could have both, you know? And keep my....like I said, man. I thought I could have Julia, and Rain-girl, and Jarrod and, like...Jade and Kevin, and...just as people, you know? But like....I guess I can't?"

"Not as people. But as what they are." She frowns. "Jarrod..."

"He didn't know he wasn't supposed to tell. I had a hard time believing it, too, chica. But I'd been warned, the guy, like...can't not open his mouth and shove a foot in." A wistful grin* "What we are...what I am, chica....is Luke."

"And Rain-girl is Rain-girl, whether she can see ghosts or whatever, or not."

"And Luke is a satyr."

"Yeah. But you don't have to see the horns and legs, chica, to know that the dude is kind of....a music guy, and doesn't like shoes, and sort of....stares at any pair of tits attached to a pretty girl, man." A grin at her* "Just like Julia doesn't need to show her wings to be an artist and a good person, you know?"

She withdraws at something, disappearing into herself.

He lets her hand go if she pulls it away, the grin fading*

"What did I say, man?"

"Sorry, I mean, I only looked at your tits, like...a few times, honest."

"Nothing. It's fine."

"I can try not looking, if it bothers you. Sorry, chica."

"That's not..." she shakes her head.

"Then what is it, Bird-girl?"

"I don't know what you want me to tell you."

"Maybe, just....what just made you act like I grabbed your ass, maybe?" A grin at her*

"I'm tired, Luke."

"You want me to leave, chica?" He pushes to sitting up, at last. He stares at the hat between his hooves and reaches down for it, sighing. He'd managed to not think about ....this....for the last half hour*

"Won't see you again, will I?"

"I don't know, chica. I think we have to, if like...I need to talk to Jude-dude, right?"

"Oh. Of course."

"My honest belief is that you should tell Rayne. And that you should stop avoiding Sassy. I know... I can't tell you what to do. I know my actions have only,,, that this is my fault..."

"If you track it back, chica...it was my fault, for like...not being more careful. I might be a goat, man, but like...I try to take responsibility for what I do, chica. And I fuck up. A lot." He stands, and tucks the rolled straw hat in his rear waistband. Then....perhaps taking her by surprise....he reaches for her hands, and grasps them if allowed, to pull her to her feet....*

She rises.

He pulls her in for a hug, careful of her wings. A long, warm one*

"Missed you, Bird-girl."

She shrinks, going still.

He pulls back when she shrinks away, his expression stricken a moment. Then his gaze slides aside and he backs up* "Sorry, chica, That...like....sorry."

"Just....let me know, when I can meet....the dude. Sorry."

He makes his way for the door, his head ducked wincing at.....whatever he did wrong, he isn't sure what*

"I'll do that." Dull, defeated. She sinks back down on the futon.

"Sorry." He lets himself out, with a final, confused and slightly hurt expression, then shuts the door*

She can hear his hooves clattering down the steps, fading as they go down landings*

Sparrow curls up on the futon, closing her eyes. She doesn't sleep.