[ He can't stop him and more than that, Daryl doesn't want to. He doesn't want much of anything these days. He hasn't been able to since being knit back together in this prison. ]
[ if he delays this meeting for another second, he might avoid it for the rest of his life (and that'd be awkward), so he rushes to the roof. a cold fear is already settling in his chest when he wonders what Daryl could be doing up there. ]
What are you doing?
[ he calls out when he spots the man. seeing him feels surreal after believing that he was dead for days. Felipe climbs over the roof to join him but leaves some distance between them, not even knowing himself why. ]
[ And he is, up near the crown instead of at the edge like Felipe must have thought he might be, judging by his expression now. Daryl still doesn't know what to think of him after everything he's learned and everything that happened, but all just is what it is, isn't it?
And none of them are going anywhere. ]
Relax. [ He isn't stupid. He knows what Felipe is probably still thinking. ] Hurts too much comin' back. Don't recommend it.
[ how could it not hurt? it's unnatural, wrong and it involves magic. he despises it and yet he's glad that it's happened, relieved that Daryl is back. Felipe makes an awkward grunt in response as he climbs a little closer, almost breaking a sweat since it's difficult to move with a bunch of stitches decorating his side. ]
Making me climb up here... [ he mutters quietly, just filling the silence. Daryl, you could have reached out? it's a little rude. he looks to the other man, wants to reach out to him, but can't bring himself to do it. ] I saw Mavis.
[ Daryl doesn't even turn to watch him climb over. He just keeps staring out over the roofs of the town, looking like he's seeing everything and nothing. ]
Yeah. I saw her too.
[ And somehow, against all odds, she hadn't been afraid of him. Not any more than he's afraid of Felipe now. Understanding what happened is a horror all in itself but it also brings a sort of numb calm that Daryl is clinging to.
He finally turns his head to watch Felipe struggle and then glances at his favored side. ]
[ sighing deeply, Felipe takes a seat next to him and turns his attention to the view. it's convenient. they don't have to look each other in the eye. ]
I did worse.
[ a curt reply since he feels guilty and his vanity can't deal with being seen as weak. back at home he was the one hanging out on roofs, taking stupid risks leaping from one building to the next. now he's just a shadow of himself. not that he blames Daryl for any of that, it's all his own fault. ]
You know why I'm here, don't you?
[ they're the only people here who really know what happened in the forest. Felipe has been planning apologies in his head ever since, but now that he actually has an audience for them, he doesn't know where to start. ]
[ Daryl nods slightly at that. Yeah, he had done worse, and he's damn glad for it. It had stopped him. He has no idea if he would have been able to stop himself after what he did, if it maybe wouldn't have just started up all over again. Instead, Felipe killed him, and it was just over. ]
Nope.
[ He doesn't know, not really. He can make an assumption, and maybe Felipe wants him to, so he does. ]
If it's to apologize, you ain't gotta. If it's to push me off for Mavis... [ He shrugs. ] Do what you gotta do.
She already punched me once, I don't want to know how she'd react if I did that.
[ pretty sure he already got back at him for Mavis. if that even counts as payback because neither of them was responsible for their actions at the time. but Daryl guessed right. ]
I want to apologize. [ it's as much as for him as it's for Daryl. he hopes that Daryl understands. ] Will you let me do that? Properly?
[ That gets a very slight raised eyebrow out of him, but he can't say he's surprised. Whatever had gone on between Felipe and her when she'd disappeared out of Daryl's camp is their business if she wants to keep it that way. She does seem like the punching type.
But the next look Felipe gets from Daryl is flat and non-plussed. A proper apology? ]
What, you gonna curtsy? [ But even the joke doesn't have barbs. He sighs and just looks off over the rooftops again for a moment. ]
Alright. Say it if you gotta. I ain't gonna stop you.
[ dismissive. there's already a lot of history between him and Mavis and they've only been here for weeks. funny how time flies when you're messy as hell. ]
You aren't? [ Daryl better hold on to that promise because there's not going to be a warning as Felipe turns around to face him and pulls him into a hug, so tight it has to be uncomfortable for them both. one way to make this count. ] Listen. I'm so fucking... sorry.
[ Okay, he actually wasn't expecting the hug for some reason. Daryl grunts at being suddenly pulled into it but he instantly tries to account for Felipe's wounded side by putting no pressure on it. That leaves them slightly unbalanced on the roof and Daryl has to put a hand down on the shingles, leaving just one arm to hang awkwardly by his side at first, confused. ]
You don't-- like I said, man. You ain't gotta be sorry. I owe you.
[ So he finally wraps his other arm around Felipe, returning the gesture of the hug with a dose of thanks. ]
You... stopped me, is what y'did. From hurtin' anyone else.
[ he lets the hug linger on for another moment. presses his face into Daryl's shoulder and shakes his head in response. who was Daryl going to hurt in the forest anyway? he could have turned back even without Felipe interfering. maybe he was already on his way back to himself? ]
No. That's not how it went.
[ it was nothing but blind rage and violence. intense feelings he's now ashamed of. his grip of the other man tightens as he shifts his center closer to him so that they don't lose their balance and fall off. ]
[ He's way better at hugs now than he used to be and he lets Felipe get comfortable for a solid few seconds before he starts trying to pull away. Then he feels Felipe holding tighter and Daryl pats him between the shoulder blades instead, just letting it continue.
His friends used to hug him like this sometimes. It isn't the worst thing. ]
How'd it go, then?
[ He doesn't have to ask very loudly. ]
'Cause from what I remember, I fought back. It... wasn't done for me.
[ but that could have been just because Felipe riled him up again. ]
I think you saw me as a threat. Attacked me because I...
[ he lets out a ragged exhale. there's a heavy feeling in his chest sucking out all the air when he thinks back on what happened. he wishes he could concentrate on Daryl's arms instead. ]
[ That finally gets Daryl to put back properly. He shivers and it's almost like a flinch, the way he quickly withdraws because the sense memory that follows Felipe's explanation is so strong. The damage he'd done to her, the way he'd been prepared to protect the body. To...
He can't look at him. ]
I deserved it.
[ He feels like he deserved worse. That he still deserves worse. He should still be being punished; for what he did to her when he transformed, for getting them all out there in the first place. For everything. ]
You two would never have been out there if it weren't for me. It was my fault.
[ Daryl nods, but the movement is tight. He lets it sit and tries to accept that the darkest things he's ever done are the sort of things that are still forgivable here. It isn't exactly a reassuring thought.
But if death isn't the consequence it used to be, why should that be out of the question? He wouldn't wish resurrection on anyone but he's here to listen to Felipe's apology. If they're trapped, at least this one thing is given to them. ]
I couldn't accept that we're... stuck. But we are.
[ He reaches up and clasps Felipe's hand on his shoulder, squeezing it for a moment. For once, the last thing he'll be able to stand in the coming days is being alone. ]
[ Felipe makes a small noise in agreement. there's no way out of here, at least not for now, but maybe there are worse places one could find themselves in. ]
Are you okay?
[ he finally draws the hand back to himself, but pauses to watch Daryl. the resurrection process raises some questions, but he's not sure if he's curious enough to learn about it. best to go before he finds his mouth moving on its own as it usually does. ]
I should return to Mavis. I don't want her to be alone. You can come too, if you like.
[ It's the only response he's had to give that question for over a decade. He's going to be okay, eventually, because he has to be. That's all there is to surviving. ]
Nah. [ He answers quickly though, shakes his head. ] She shouldn't have to look at me right now. Not for a while.
[ Felipe understands. he wishes that he didn't, but it is what it is. he nods and gets up, holding his side because the wound started throbbing painfully again. ]
Try not to fall off the roof.
[ he jokes, but the look he gives Daryl is dead serious. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ Why would anyone want to see him right now? Especially Felipe, who he'd walked right into mortal danger? ]
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[ he's already on his way bitch. ]
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[ He can't stop him and more than that, Daryl doesn't want to. He doesn't want much of anything these days. He hasn't been able to since being knit back together in this prison. ]
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What are you doing?
[ he calls out when he spots the man. seeing him feels surreal after believing that he was dead for days. Felipe climbs over the roof to join him but leaves some distance between them, not even knowing himself why. ]
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[ And he is, up near the crown instead of at the edge like Felipe must have thought he might be, judging by his expression now. Daryl still doesn't know what to think of him after everything he's learned and everything that happened, but all just is what it is, isn't it?
And none of them are going anywhere. ]
Relax. [ He isn't stupid. He knows what Felipe is probably still thinking. ] Hurts too much comin' back. Don't recommend it.
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No shit.
[ how could it not hurt? it's unnatural, wrong and it involves magic. he despises it and yet he's glad that it's happened, relieved that Daryl is back. Felipe makes an awkward grunt in response as he climbs a little closer, almost breaking a sweat since it's difficult to move with a bunch of stitches decorating his side. ]
Making me climb up here... [ he mutters quietly, just filling the silence. Daryl, you could have reached out? it's a little rude. he looks to the other man, wants to reach out to him, but can't bring himself to do it. ] I saw Mavis.
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Yeah. I saw her too.
[ And somehow, against all odds, she hadn't been afraid of him. Not any more than he's afraid of Felipe now. Understanding what happened is a horror all in itself but it also brings a sort of numb calm that Daryl is clinging to.
He finally turns his head to watch Felipe struggle and then glances at his favored side. ]
That from me?
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I did worse.
[ a curt reply since he feels guilty and his vanity can't deal with being seen as weak. back at home he was the one hanging out on roofs, taking stupid risks leaping from one building to the next. now he's just a shadow of himself. not that he blames Daryl for any of that, it's all his own fault. ]
You know why I'm here, don't you?
[ they're the only people here who really know what happened in the forest. Felipe has been planning apologies in his head ever since, but now that he actually has an audience for them, he doesn't know where to start. ]
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Nope.
[ He doesn't know, not really. He can make an assumption, and maybe Felipe wants him to, so he does. ]
If it's to apologize, you ain't gotta. If it's to push me off for Mavis... [ He shrugs. ] Do what you gotta do.
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[ pretty sure he already got back at him for Mavis. if that even counts as payback because neither of them was responsible for their actions at the time. but Daryl guessed right. ]
I want to apologize. [ it's as much as for him as it's for Daryl. he hopes that Daryl understands. ] Will you let me do that? Properly?
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[ That gets a very slight raised eyebrow out of him, but he can't say he's surprised. Whatever had gone on between Felipe and her when she'd disappeared out of Daryl's camp is their business if she wants to keep it that way. She does seem like the punching type.
But the next look Felipe gets from Daryl is flat and non-plussed. A proper apology? ]
What, you gonna curtsy? [ But even the joke doesn't have barbs. He sighs and just looks off over the rooftops again for a moment. ]
Alright. Say it if you gotta. I ain't gonna stop you.
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[ dismissive. there's already a lot of history between him and Mavis and they've only been here for weeks. funny how time flies when you're messy as hell. ]
You aren't? [ Daryl better hold on to that promise because there's not going to be a warning as Felipe turns around to face him and pulls him into a hug, so tight it has to be uncomfortable for them both. one way to make this count. ] Listen. I'm so fucking... sorry.
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You don't-- like I said, man. You ain't gotta be sorry. I owe you.
[ So he finally wraps his other arm around Felipe, returning the gesture of the hug with a dose of thanks. ]
You... stopped me, is what y'did. From hurtin' anyone else.
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No. That's not how it went.
[ it was nothing but blind rage and violence. intense feelings he's now ashamed of. his grip of the other man tightens as he shifts his center closer to him so that they don't lose their balance and fall off. ]
You don't owe me anything. Shut up.
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His friends used to hug him like this sometimes. It isn't the worst thing. ]
How'd it go, then?
[ He doesn't have to ask very loudly. ]
'Cause from what I remember, I fought back. It... wasn't done for me.
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[ but that could have been just because Felipe riled him up again. ]
I think you saw me as a threat. Attacked me because I...
[ he lets out a ragged exhale. there's a heavy feeling in his chest sucking out all the air when he thinks back on what happened. he wishes he could concentrate on Daryl's arms instead. ]
You saw me with Mavis.
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He can't look at him. ]
I deserved it.
[ He feels like he deserved worse. That he still deserves worse. He should still be being punished; for what he did to her when he transformed, for getting them all out there in the first place. For everything. ]
You two would never have been out there if it weren't for me. It was my fault.
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Hey, you couldn't have stopped us from coming.
[ he wasn't even invited, remember? Felipe reaches to touch his shoulder gently. ]
Considering everything... I think we're even.
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But if death isn't the consequence it used to be, why should that be out of the question? He wouldn't wish resurrection on anyone but he's here to listen to Felipe's apology. If they're trapped, at least this one thing is given to them. ]
I couldn't accept that we're... stuck. But we are.
[ He reaches up and clasps Felipe's hand on his shoulder, squeezing it for a moment. For once, the last thing he'll be able to stand in the coming days is being alone. ]
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Are you okay?
[ he finally draws the hand back to himself, but pauses to watch Daryl. the resurrection process raises some questions, but he's not sure if he's curious enough to learn about it. best to go before he finds his mouth moving on its own as it usually does. ]
I should return to Mavis. I don't want her to be alone. You can come too, if you like.
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[ It's the only response he's had to give that question for over a decade. He's going to be okay, eventually, because he has to be. That's all there is to surviving. ]
Nah. [ He answers quickly though, shakes his head. ] She shouldn't have to look at me right now. Not for a while.
[ Not after what he'd done to her. ]
Go keep her company for me.
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Try not to fall off the roof.
[ he jokes, but the look he gives Daryl is dead serious. ]
See you later.