squashed in like sardines

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

She began to shake her head, more and more vigorous - until the slight touch to her forehead. That made her go still again. Still and quiet and very unhappy about everything he said. It was... sad, in a way. There had been a time when she was quite capable of going at it alone. When she had been more comfortable in her own company than with others.

Now, the thought of being on her own made her want to weep.

"Without you, I have nothing left," she said tonelessly. "So you better come back. Always. No matter what." And she would do the same. Even if she had to... imagination failed her. Didn't want to process the lengths to which she would go for this person, whom she so arbitrarily had decided to make a brother of. A family. A reason to go on.

The dead grip on his shirt loosened, digit by digit, until she was able to let go. Her arms flopped uselessly to her sides. Empty; the mere thought of having to repeat this nightmare left her feeling painfully hollow.

Since when had she become so clingy? So very needy, like a child.

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

Amun

You'll be faced with problems of all shapes and sizes
You're going to have to make a few compromises

Nodding, Amun shifted so he could pull Maea into a hug, not caring about the mess from the gourds and their fluid coating both of them. His arms tightened around her. "Always." He closed his eyes and let out a breath. For a moment he just stood there and held her close.

However, he eventually had to pull away. "Now I don't know about you, but I need a bath. And yet another new set of clothes." He reached up and pinched her cheek. "You are terrible for my wardrobe." However, the joke didn't land with quite as much of his good humor as it usually would have.

For now we're happy if not overjoyed
And we'll accept the things we cannot avoid

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

Her arms came up and wrapped around his back as he pulled her in, hugging him back with a fierceness that implied she wouldn't forget this for a long time. When they eventually let go, it was with some reluctance.

"Blame the gourds, not me." The joke wasn't really funny, and she couldn't make herself smile at it. Not yet. "We didn't get your clay..." Looking down over herself, she began to pluck seeds and pumpkin guts from herself. Good thing she had chosen the old wardrobe for this outing. It had made no sense to wear brand new garments into the woods, and how right she had been.

"That damned house. I wish it would stay away." If only she had paid more attention, if she hadn't frozen... If they had run right away, maybe none of this would've happened.

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

Amun

You'll be faced with problems of all shapes and sizes
You're going to have to make a few compromises

Snorting at Maea's response, Amun nodded. "Sure. I'll do that." Instead of bothering to pick off gourd innards, he just stripped off his shirt. He wiped the worst of the mess from his skin and hair before offering it to her.

Shrugging, he glanced in the direction of the Woodland. "Seriosuly, don't worry about the clay. There are other, not surrounded by gourd deposits we can go to, alright?" He sighed and flipped a finger in the direction of the damned squash.

Gaze drawn back to her at the mention of the house, he pressed his lips together. "I'm not a huge fan either, but you did good. Didn't let it stop you from fighting back. Next time you see it, you'll do even better." Of course, he didn't know that he'd actually be the one to encounter the house for real.

For now we're happy if not overjoyed
And we'll accept the things we cannot avoid

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

Declining the shirt with a shake of her head, Maea shrugged her shoulders at the reassurance. It wasn't as effective because Amun didn't seem to quite believe in it himself - or maybe he was actually getting tired of reassuring her, for once. About damned time. "If you say so."

Supposedly it was the lingering shock that soured the mood. The fact that a simple walk had turned into such a dangerous situation - and all over vampire gourds. It had the indignity of being squished by a Magna about it, or falling asleep with ones face on a plate, just to drown in the pool of sauce. Ridiculous and careless and entirely stupid, because she knew better.

Looking around, she spotted the rod on the ground. Must have dropped it before she reached Amun. Maea went back to retrieve it, and offered it back to him.
"Next time, I need to have a weapon on hand," she filled in. "Are you... able to make things? For others? Or I can... ugh, visit the blacksmith." The grimace was unconscious and she didn't even realize that the reluctance was very plain. Her thoughts were on swords and daggers, and the fact that she needed a lot more practice.

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

Amun

You'll be faced with problems of all shapes and sizes
You're going to have to make a few compromises

"Hey." Amun reached up with one hand. Using one finger, he tried to push her chin up so he could smile at her. "Any fight you survive is a good fight. Say it with me." He paused to let her repeat after him.

Taking the rod, he activated his upgrade. It morphed into a knife, then a club, then back to the rod. "I can absolutely make you a weapon, or multiple weapons. Just need access to iron. But that is a conversation and a decision to be made after we've washed up and recovered. Okay?" He shifted the metal back to a knife and held it out to her hilt first.

For now we're happy if not overjoyed
And we'll accept the things we cannot avoid

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

There was an impulse to pull her head away, but that path left to an argument, she could practically guarantee it. Not something Maea had the headspace for. So she let his finger guide her chin up, and sighed at him. Rolled her eyes, before murdering "Any fight you survive is a good fight. There, I said it. Feel better now?" These smiles of his were irresistible. Helpless to resist, she found herself flashing a quick one back. Only a twitch at the corner of the mouth, but something gave inside.

Reaching up to take his hand and keep it held, she watched him manipulate the ore into various shapes. Accepting the daggers, she turned it over. "Thank you. When did you learn to do this?" She began to walk, setting course for the Settlement. "Can you work with any ore? " It looked magic, she thought with a pang of nostalgia.

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

Amun

You'll be faced with problems of all shapes and sizes
You're going to have to make a few compromises

Rolling his eyes right back at Maea, Amun smirked. "Yes, obviously," he drawled. Arching an eyebrow at her, he shook his head. "Could you at least try to say it like you mean it? For me?" He pouted and batted his eyelashes at her.

Taking her hand, he turned to walk alongside her back towards the Settlement. Humming a low note as they staggered towards civilization, he glanced over when she asked her question. "Hmm? Oh it's an upgrade." He shrugged. "According to my scans it can work with anything that's at least half metal. The more metallic content, the better. I generally stick to iron because it's durable and fairly common."

For now we're happy if not overjoyed
And we'll accept the things we cannot avoid

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

She laughed at him then, and it was only a little bit dry. "Nope. One shot only. Take it or leave it."

The dagger began to twirl around her fingers. Over one, under the other. It was a basic trick, and allowed her to think a bit better. The only trick she knew, really. "It seems very convenient. I'll assume you are restricted to the mass of the ore? Are there other limitations?" His abilities, upgrades, whatever, was a safe subject. Something to help her regain an equilibrium after the emotional fireworks.

"Sometimes I really miss my magic. It's funny - I used to want it gone more than anything, but now it's like a part of me is missing." Funny how people were never content, no matter how you shook them.

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

Amun

You'll be faced with problems of all shapes and sizes
You're going to have to make a few compromises

Amun narrowed his eyes at Maea. "I'll leave it, then," he drawled. Still, something close to a smile danced on his lips.

"It's definitely the most versatile of my upgrades, I'll give it that." Nodding at her questions, his brow furrowed. It had been a while since he'd actually considered the exact specifications of his upgrade, so he initiated a scan. It was quick, and he was fast in reporting the results. "Yes, I can only alter up to a specific volume of metal."

Pressing his lips together as she talked about her magic, his gaze flicked to her. Snorting, he turned so he was staring straight ahead. "Well, I'm pretty sure you have some inkling about what I'll say next." He squeezed her hand.

For now we're happy if not overjoyed
And we'll accept the things we cannot avoid

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

She cocked her head aside and shrugged, the half smile deepening. "Fine. The only good fight is the one you win by overwhelming curb stomp." It sounded like a challenge, and she raised a brow to see if he wanted to counter.

Nodding, she tried to compare it to magical skills she knew of. The closest was actually the middling stages of her own water manipulation, where the water had to be pulled from a source. The comparison was rather pleasing, actually. She thought she understood.

"If it has anything to do with asking the Voice to restore it for me," she grumbled, resisting the urge to roll her eyes again - gods, he was stubborn - "then the answer will probably be no. And not from my part. Last time I had that chat with her, she was about as enthusiastic about magic as the Old Gods. If I recall correctly, she said that the spark... interferes with what she tries to do. At least when it comes to ascending someone." It had been mildly disappointing at the time, if only because it was another rejection of her based on something she couldn't do anything about.

Tilting her head aside to look at her brother, she squeezed his hand back and offered an apologetic smile. "Was that about right, what you were going to suggest?" If so, this was becoming a very familiar pattern.

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

Amun

You'll be faced with problems of all shapes and sizes
You're going to have to make a few compromises

Amun narrowed his eyes at Maea. Brow furrowing, he let out a huff of air. "If that is true, then I've never been in a good fight." Shaking his head, he glanced ahead as the buildings of the Settlement began to appear in the distance. He picked up the pace a bit now that civilization (of a sort) was in sight.

Arching an eyebrow as she launched into her spiel, he found himself laughing when she finished. "Oh, so close, but yet, so very, very far sister." He reached up with his free hand across his body to pat her on the shoulder. "I was going to suggest going to the Voice, that much is right, but for upgrades that could mimic or even surpass your magic, but since you've stated your not ready I won't force the issue."

For now we're happy if not overjoyed
And we'll accept the things we cannot avoid

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

She gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Sorry to bust your illusions. The truth is, the only good fight is the one that doesn't take place. Violence never actually solve problems. It just shifts the focus and give people something new to argue about while they stall the inevitable. In the end, it always comes down to dialogue anyway, and it always ends with both sides having to make compromises. No one wins, everyone loses." And until that happened... all anyone had was war. Big or small, over whose turn it was to do the dishes or whose gods got to do what to whom.

There was a faint catch to her sigh, not quite annoyance but not not that, either. "Oh, no. Not force it. Just prod and poke and weedle until I go, right?" Keeping up the high pace with little effort, Maea let go of him and shoved her hands in the pockets instead. "Honestly, I..." There was a pause, a slight hesitation that could almost be consideration.

But when she went on, back came the usual circumvention of the issue. "Listen, I don't know why you're so sure she'll even talk to me at all. I'm not exactly her biggest fan... and I've tried to hurt her demigod. Indirectly, sure, but it was still aimed at Nate." Emotions bled from her voice until there were none left, and only cold indifference remained. The shield was back up.

"You haven't asked about that, yet. Why's that, Amun?" She stopped at the edge of town and turned to face him. "I don't really buy into the idea that you don't care about what I did."

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

Amun

You'll be faced with problems of all shapes and sizes
You're going to have to make a few compromises

Amun blinked at Maea's response. Frowning, he glanced over at her. "I agree. There's no conflict that ends well. But sometimes conflict is inevitable, and if that's the case, I'd rather be the one to walk away from it with my life." Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look we both just went through a lot of stress and we're unlikely to be able to have a productive conversation until we've both calmed down a bit."

Lowering his hand as she replied to his latest comment about the Voice, he shook his head. "If you want me to drop the issue I'll  drop it until you bring it up." In a quieter tone, he added, "I don't want to force you into anything. I just want what's best for you." He pulled on his lower lip with his teeth.

Shrugging his shoulder, he slipped his hands into his pockets. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Even if I did, I don't really care about Nate. He hurt Sam, badly, and while Nate and I can work together we'll never be friends." Rocking onto his heels and then back onto the balls of his feet, he stared over at the building that were incredibly close. "I think she'll talk to you because one, you're not the same person you used to be in so many ways, two, she tries not to get in the middle of our disputes, and three, I'll be there." Lifting his hand, he gestured at the Settlement. "Now can we please go get cleaned up and rest and recover before we get into an actual argument?"

For now we're happy if not overjoyed
And we'll accept the things we cannot avoid