![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Oh. Ohh, you have a pet dog.
[She was thinking of Khoriya, who, she reminds herself, is a wolf. Which, uh, matters. Apparently.]
Anyway, yeah, I can get some of Wesley's stuff. He was a librarian, he probably made out with the Encyclopedia Britannica or something.
[She was thinking of Khoriya, who, she reminds herself, is a wolf. Which, uh, matters. Apparently.]
Anyway, yeah, I can get some of Wesley's stuff. He was a librarian, he probably made out with the Encyclopedia Britannica or something.
[ It was one night too long.
The wound the void had left in Daryl's head has been healing for months, had nearly knit closed, and then all in one night it's been torn open again. He is indeed outside to meet Quentin but that's because he's been outside since dawn, splitting wood to keep from going back inside and killing Danny with the axe where he's still lying hogtied and gagged in the middle of the floor where Daryl left him.
His shirt is soaked through with sweat and there's a shallow cut on the side of his neck that wasn't there when Quentin left. He bites the axe deep into the stump he uses for a block and watches him approach, scowling through how torn up the kid looks. How much he feels like he's played this waiting game before.
He hasn't. It's important to remember that. ]
You missed a knife.
The wound the void had left in Daryl's head has been healing for months, had nearly knit closed, and then all in one night it's been torn open again. He is indeed outside to meet Quentin but that's because he's been outside since dawn, splitting wood to keep from going back inside and killing Danny with the axe where he's still lying hogtied and gagged in the middle of the floor where Daryl left him.
His shirt is soaked through with sweat and there's a shallow cut on the side of his neck that wasn't there when Quentin left. He bites the axe deep into the stump he uses for a block and watches him approach, scowling through how torn up the kid looks. How much he feels like he's played this waiting game before.
He hasn't. It's important to remember that. ]
You missed a knife.
[ Daryl looks like he's run a marathon. And fought a bear. And like he's already heard from Quentin's teacher. His expression wilts; he's just a guy, he's still learning, don't be mad. ] I'm sorry. Sorry, he's always got...just one more.
[ He drops his bag next to the wood pile, scrubbing his eyes with both palms. ] I owe you. For all this. I don't know if it's helping, I don't--I just need a couple more days.
[ He drops his bag next to the wood pile, scrubbing his eyes with both palms. ] I owe you. For all this. I don't know if it's helping, I don't--I just need a couple more days.
[ He's always got just one more. Isn't that the truth? Blade, taunt, idea, trick. Danny's always got just one more up his sleeve. ]
It ain't helpin'.
[ He yanks the axe free, lifts another log into place and brings it down violently to cut it in two. He needs the outlet if he's going to talk about this. ]
He fucked me at knifepoint. [ Another log, another savage swing. ] Before you find out an' cry to me about it again. He made me fuck 'im so I did.
It ain't helpin'.
[ He yanks the axe free, lifts another log into place and brings it down violently to cut it in two. He needs the outlet if he's going to talk about this. ]
He fucked me at knifepoint. [ Another log, another savage swing. ] Before you find out an' cry to me about it again. He made me fuck 'im so I did.
Edited 2024-06-08 05:46 (UTC)
He-- [ Is he supposed to not cry about it? In an instant, Quentin's eyes well with tears of anger and exhaustion and pity, but to his credit, he doesn't choke. It's all in the eyes, all down his cheeks, no beats skipped. ] --what the fuck, Daryl, are you okay? What do you--what do you need?
[ As soon as he says it, as soon as Quentin's face crumples, Daryl regrets it. He swings that axe as if he's cutting through the guilt he feels for having not stopped all of this, kept him in line, something. But that guilt isn't his and he won't take it on.
Chop. ]
Nothin'. For you to get him outta here, if you ain't gonna put him outta his misery.
[ Daryl's out here because he couldn't. He couldn't get the knife away from him until the end, then he hadn't been able to drive it home. Failed, then failed again. ]
It's my fault. I shoulda sat outside with a bow an' been done with it. [ He should have said no to Quentin but even now he doesn't want to say that to him. ]
Chop. ]
Nothin'. For you to get him outta here, if you ain't gonna put him outta his misery.
[ Daryl's out here because he couldn't. He couldn't get the knife away from him until the end, then he hadn't been able to drive it home. Failed, then failed again. ]
It's my fault. I shoulda sat outside with a bow an' been done with it. [ He should have said no to Quentin but even now he doesn't want to say that to him. ]
[ Out of his misery. That's what Danny keeps asking for too. To hear it off someone else's mouth--as soon as it's out his mouth, he hears how selfish he sounds, asking for advice on top of favors, but not until then. ] Is that what he needs?
Is that what you'd do?
Is that what you'd do?
Uh, hey.
[A significant, but not exhaustive, pause.]
So, I was a bitch. I wanna ap- I'm sorry. I was real fucked up and I took it out on you. You- [She's pretty sure it's not totally her fault, but today? She is fucking tired of fighting. She tamps down on her battered ego and moves on.] You were just trying to be nice. And your jacket was pretty cool.
[A significant, but not exhaustive, pause.]
So, I was a bitch. I wanna ap- I'm sorry. I was real fucked up and I took it out on you. You- [She's pretty sure it's not totally her fault, but today? She is fucking tired of fighting. She tamps down on her battered ego and moves on.] You were just trying to be nice. And your jacket was pretty cool.
[ You're gonna kill him with that face and those questions, kid. Daryl finally falters, lets the axe slam home again and stay there. He sags. ]
He's still alive. That's your answer.
[ Maybe it's what he needs. Maybe killing him just brings him back worse. Daryl's starting to think that might be the case, but... ]
I can't. [ It comes out defeated, hoarse. He doesn't know how much Quentin knows, if Danny had ever whispered about it to him. Daryl's hurting too much right now not to spit it out like a chipped tooth. ] He was my kid once, too. In... like when you were mine.
[ But not like how he was with Quentin, in far too many ways. ]
He's still alive. That's your answer.
[ Maybe it's what he needs. Maybe killing him just brings him back worse. Daryl's starting to think that might be the case, but... ]
I can't. [ It comes out defeated, hoarse. He doesn't know how much Quentin knows, if Danny had ever whispered about it to him. Daryl's hurting too much right now not to spit it out like a chipped tooth. ] He was my kid once, too. In... like when you were mine.
[ But not like how he was with Quentin, in far too many ways. ]
[ He's quiet for a while before answering, just to make sure she's actually finished. ]
You ain't gotta be sorry. [ He doesn't sound annoyed, which would be enough for someone who knew Daryl well to tell that he's just a little bit amused. ] You just ain't foolin' anyone.
[ Well, maybe someone. But not him. ]
You can have the jacket if you want.
You ain't gotta be sorry. [ He doesn't sound annoyed, which would be enough for someone who knew Daryl well to tell that he's just a little bit amused. ] You just ain't foolin' anyone.
[ Well, maybe someone. But not him. ]
You can have the jacket if you want.
Edited 2024-06-21 18:41 (UTC)
Page 18 of 19