(o) Familiar stranger

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

It was strange to be back. Under the overcast skies everything looked exactly as gray and dreary as she recalled. Broken buildings and piles of ancient debris interspersed with the eked out shops and dwellings of a people that had once been hers. She had walked these streets before, so many times that the turns could be taken with closed eyes. And she did look away at times. From the Chandrakant bakery, closed and empty with dust in the display window. And away from Wordsworth Books - that one hurt in a different way.

When a thin drizzle began to fall, Maea found shelter in a ruined doorway and watched the marketplace with a distant expression. Habitually pulling her dark ragged coat tight against a chill she didn't really feel, she tried not to hate everything she saw.

It was difficult. If only because easing off the resentment opened up for other emotions. Sharp and jagged, a pile of broken glass in her mind, just waiting to be stepped on.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

i found hope in a hopeless home
found my father but i lost my soul

Rain, so much rain. It’s been a while since he’s been drenched like this. The jacket does little to prevent the rain from penetrating his clothes underneath. He doesn’t really want to be out, but he’s forgotten something important that he needs for the next day and it brings him, drenched, to the markets in search of the item. Something for the twins, something for himself, something to take his mind off of the peace treaty he’s attempting to do when all he wants to do is everything but.

The young demigod grabs the items once he’s traded for them, a tension from his shoulders that only grows as soon as he turns around and spots her – like a ghost. He could ignore her, but he knows that he shouldn’t, not when he’s looked straight at her. So he clutches the bag close to him, drifts under the cover of the building to hide from the rain, too, before he works his jaw. “Back in the Grounds again?” He asks by way of greeting, unsure what to even start with given that last conversation they had in Torchline what felt like ages ago.

i tried to trace it, i aimed to scope
been tryna kill it, but it's all i know

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

She wanted to ignore him. Spotting that hulking figure had been inevitable - the man towered over everyone where he went - but Maea had done her best not to actually look. Even as he approached. Even as he invaded her shelter and struck up a conversation.

Like nothing ever happened.

Amun had told her Sunjata would be in the Grounds, but she had thought it a slim risk of actually running into him. It just went to show how terrible her luck was.
"Apparently," she replied coolly, without sparing him so much as a sideways glance. It was better that way. She had become very good at pretending his mere existence wasn't an open wound that refused to scab over. "As are you. Fancy that."

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

i found hope in a hopeless home
found my father but i lost my soul

It was easier to pretend, at least, given the way everything continued to go to shit. Better to pretend that the conversation hadn’t ended the way it had, that nothing else had happened after (though he doesn’t know of the clinic and her involvement so far), so it leaves him collected enough, despite the bags under his eyes, the tattoos that are missing, the new and fresh scars that streak through the compass tattoos that once used to point at her.

Now they have no northern point, and as per usual, the man’s becoming more and more scar than skin these days. The bags are dark under his eyes and as soon as he notices she doesn’t give him so much as a full on glance, he shifts the bag in his arms and turns to the side, pressing his back against the wall, staring out at the rain as it pours harder, as the wind bounces it around. “Apparently.” He responds in kind. “Torchline isn’t exactly welcoming to me these days.” Nor the Greatwood. Nor Halo.

Just here and his house in King’s End.

i tried to trace it, i aimed to scope
been tryna kill it, but it's all i know

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

She kept her eyes fixed on the rain, on the way the cobbled street speckled and darkened with damp, on the peddlers that hurriedly covered their wares with canvas as the weather deteriorated. She focused on the chill damp of the air (imagination, she couldn't feel it) and the pitter patter of water against stone (it was too loud, yet not enough to drown out the sound of his heartbeat).

His presence was a slow ache that gradually built, like the beginnings of a throbbing migraine. "Oh. What did you not do this time?" Because whether it actually was his fault or not, Sunjata always blamed everyone but himself. Sooner or later, he would always be the villain and victim of his own story. No matter what anyone said.

It took a concerted effort to pretend even a sliver of polite interest, and even that was forced. All she wanted to do was leave, rain be damned. But he might think she was running from him. That wouldn't do.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

i found hope in a hopeless home
found my father but i lost my soul

What did he not do this time? It’s a hard question to answer, one that leaves him silent for a bit longer than he otherwise would have. He’d likely have some kind of quip, some kind of attempt at a witty response, but the Flood is tired and Nate’s in a long deep slumber for gods only knew how long, and Sunjata truthfully only had himself to blame for the majority of everything that’s happened to him as of late.

Including Safrin coming an inch away from killing him for his betrayal to her, for Ronin to breathe the life back into his lungs with a terribly dark promise. He reaches up with a pale, lighting scarred hand to run a hand through his wet hair, slicking it back before it falls onto the bag in his arms. “Didn’t want to rule alone. Made Nate governor alongside me. Safrin loathed it, demanded I demote him. So we both left.” He shrugs, knowing well enough that Nate was a sore spot for the pale girl, but having no way to avoid the truth of it.

“And now we’re here, which was supposed to be a little supply run before… Well, I’m sure you heard.” He gestures helplessly, his steel gaze exhausted as it lifts to the empty building across the street where the bookmaker used to be. "And now it's just me for the moment." Until he takes that trip to Stormbreak with Isla, tries to finagle his way in to get Nate's body back to him.

i tried to trace it, i aimed to scope
been tryna kill it, but it's all i know

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

Pale eyes betrayed her intentions and darted aside to sneak a quick glance at the Flood. Habit, yet she cursed herself inwardly all the same. It only made it worse, to see the weariness of his face, the lines criss-crossing whatever section of skin that showed through. It used to make her feel so helpless, those scars. Especially the ones she'd had a part in creating.

"You really didn't see that coming?" she said, in a tone that came dangerously close to compassion. Nate's name stung, indeed, but not nearly so much as all the time she had lost. Time to - no. None of that!
"Amun told me some of what happened." Her hands tightened around the bundled cloth of the coat, picking at the frayed edges. "Where is Nate, anyway?" Might as well get it over with.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

i found hope in a hopeless home
found my father but i lost my soul

“I did.” He says sadly. He’d just hoped he’d had enough time to be able to find a backbone for the goddess of the stars – when in reality, he’d only managed to find one with the help of her opposing deity. And gods, the fury and pain from that where they had burned Safrin out of him. How it had taken days of agony to get her out. “Just wish I had more of a backbone to her at the time.” But he’s always been stupid when it came to trying to please those that could hurt him the most – imagining that the more status quo he stays, the less pain in the long run.

He was wrong, though, time and time again. He stills when she asks where Nate is, swallowing hard as his gaze shifts towards more of a glare toward the rain, but it gives him time to take a deep breath and look down at the bag in his bands, before he finally lets his gaze drift over toward her again, not quite looking at her, but at least in her general direction. “Dead. Sort of. Asleep for a while?” His shoulder shrugs, a freehand rising to gesture a little in front of him. He doesn’t quite understand the technicalities of it – doesn’t know if the Voice is correct when she says that she can bring him back. “The Voice said he’d come back.” And it’s the only silver line he’s holding onto for hope these days.

i tried to trace it, i aimed to scope
been tryna kill it, but it's all i know

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

It awarded him another look, though slightly puzzled this time. "I thought you adored Safrin. Why would you need backbone against your goddess?" It made no sense to her. From where she stood, Maea's problem was that she hadn't stuck with hers when it mattered.

When he dropped the news about Nate's state, she stilled with the shock. Dead? That was... almost hilarious. "Maybe you are cursed," she blurted - then the wall thumped into her back, and she realized that she had swayed on the spot. Ridiculous. All these sentimental emotions directed towards people who didn't give a damn about her - Amun was wrong, she was weak. Nate wasn't even a friend. Just a could-have-been.

"Well. At the very least she's good at dredging up dead things. It's the only thing she's going for her." Her tone carried an undercurrent of bitterness, familiar and rank as bad breath that never seemed to wash away.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

i found hope in a hopeless home
found my father but i lost my soul

He misses the puzzled look she gives him but that doesn’t mean he misses it in her voice, the frown deepening and evident from where he leans against the wall. “Thought I did too.” He admits. “Guess I didn’t agree with her whole anti-Ascended viewpoint.” How she’d promised to help him save Nate if the Voice were to perish, only to promise it under the guise of a life for a life, to a daughter he’d raised, only to be pitted against him time and time again. “Among other things.” Things she didn’t need to know about fully.

He finds her, though, when the news of Nate drops and sees her sway, sees her back hit the wall and he quickly looks away, staring at a speck in the bricks used to keep the house up that they sit between. “I did tell you that, didn’t I?” He rumbles with a hint of frustration – though not entirely at her, but more so at himself. At least, until she mentions the fact that the Voice was good at dredging up dead things.

To this he finds his gaze drifting back to her, his storm cloud eyes dark and muted. “Because of that LongNight or other reasons?” His curiosity outweighs the frustration that burns in his chest.

i tried to trace it, i aimed to scope
been tryna kill it, but it's all i know

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

"You did. I didn't believe it. Didn't want to, I suppose." A fool, through and through. How much would be different if she'd just heeded all the warnings given when it came to Sunjata? From him, from everyone around him? It was too late to wonder now.

"Her monsters killed my family. Do I need more reason than that? Then let's see." Maea started counting off on her fingers. "She started this war with the gods, and I don't care what reasons she might have had. They're not good enough. Then she threatened me. But I've told you about that before - just after the barrier fell, after she showed in great detail what she does to people who ascend." The shudder passing through the young woman was very real this time. In hindsight it felt too much like a promise or a premonition. "And now... well, it's my own fault too for listening. But if she hadn't opened the way back, I'd be safely dead and not dependent on her for my continued existence. And from what I understand there's no point in dying again either - I wouldn't return to Mort anyway. I'm stuck. And I absolutely blame her for all of it."

Fairness had nothing to do with it.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

i found hope in a hopeless home
found my father but i lost my soul

Sunjata’s silent for a moment before he can’t quite bite his tongue. “Would’ve saved us a lot of hurt, huh?” It’s quieter, but an admission that has him staring at the bricks harder as if he can see through them, before she starts in on the dislike she has for the Voice – and a lot of him feels responsible for some of the reasoning. The most being that she’d come back, as this, for him as well as the things she’d missed.

His lips twist slightly, the scar that spans up the side of his face that faces her twists with it, and his gaze drifts away from her to look back at the rain that continues to pour outside, the puddle starting to drift into the alcove that they’re both under. He lowers his hand toward it, using his magic to shove the water away, spreading it out in the middle of the road and away from them before he looks back to her. “I’m sorry. For all of it.” He offers, though he knows it likely doesn’t mean much coming from him.

i tried to trace it, i aimed to scope
been tryna kill it, but it's all i know

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

Clenching her teeth together, Maea looked away. Saved them hurt... yes. But there had been some good in there too. Whether it balanced out or not she had yet to decide. At the moment, it only added to the pain of loss. And the longer this conversation carried on, the more it was hammered down how far they had come from where they'd been. There was absolutely no going back now.

In the place where a heart should be constricting painfully at the thought, only a hollow echo remained.

The apology sounded like a mockery. "If you had said that earlier, it might have helped." Before she died. Before everything broke beyond repair. "It's a bit late, now." There was no fixing this.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

SUNJATA

i found hope in a hopeless home
found my father but i lost my soul

He sinks into the wall a bit more once he’s gotten that puddle to slip away, listening as her words reach him and all he can do is suck in a soft breath, exhaling in a gentle sigh, fingers twitching from wanting to clench into the bag he holds when he’d honestly much rather it be a drink in his hand than the items he has. “Yes, well, I have a tendency of pushing people away.” Though it’s nothing that should surprise her. They’ve been over this time and time again.

“And I didn’t exactly get a chance to tell you I was sorry before you went off on that ghost whale hunt.” And then the shit that followed after, he finds himself staring out into the street again, anywhere but her. “So for what it’s worth, I’m telling you now. You don’t have to accept it. I don’t blame you if you don’t.” He shrugs his shoulders, reaching up to run along a hand along his scarred neck.

i tried to trace it, i aimed to scope
been tryna kill it, but it's all i know