You can't blame yourself for not knowing everything, Eddie, that's stupid.
[ perhaps a more critical, harsh tone of voice than befits a reunion and all her relief that he's alive (well, "alive") and NOT secretly a manipulative asshole that she'd briefly worried he was, based on what he'd said. ]
I should know this stuff. I spent more time than most people probably find healthy reading about it. [ he's frustrated but it. he's not a fighter or anything and while the pre-spring break eddie wouldn't have given a damn, he wants to do more than run here. ]
You didn't. [ he can tell when he's being a dick, at least. ] Sorry. I just--- sorry. It's been a lot.
It's just a lot and I can't make sense of it. [ he really needs another cigarette. ] Back home, I spent a whole lot of time reading about monsters and magic. Probably would have finished school if I hadn't.
Reading about those things is a lot different than dealing with them. [ she settles down on her bed, rubs at her neck. ] No one expects you to have all of the answers just because you're a scholar. I've faced monsters before, fought for my life before, and I'm still out of my depth here. If you're stupid for being overwhelmed or wrong sometimes, what does that make me?
[ there's a laugh on his side of things and maybe this time there's a hint of delight. ] I wish I could record you calling me a scholar and send it back to my teachers.
[ hey now, eddie, back on track. ] Sorry, sorry.
If we're both out of our depths, I guess I can't be that hard on myself but shit. This sucks.
At least no one is trying to eat us? [ that would really suck. ]
Yeah, we aren't. [ and then he laughs, a little wry laugh like he's trying to find humor here somewhere as he shakes his head. ] You're at least stuck with me if we don't keep going missing.
[ and he sees what you're up to here, good lady, but he'll allow it. ] If you'd asked me like two, three days before I got here? I would have said he was a huge asshole but... yeah. Steve's-- [ actually? still an asshole but not the sort that eddie hates on a fundamental level. ] He's good guy.
[ and he genuinely believes that one. ] Definitely someone you want on your side if stuff goes down.
[ it seems obvious. anyone who's already latching onto a soulmate must have someone they already trust, right? even if it was an accident, like eddie's case. ]
[ a long pause. does she want to trust eddie with that? eddie might be too good of a person to leave aleksander here when they escape. there's no way he'd understand, and she doesn't really want him to pry into who exactly aleksander is to her. she's not even sure she has an answer. it's her shadow telling her to hide everything, telling her she can't trust anyone else, can't confide in them or rely upon them as she had tried to with aleksander himself. look where that went. ]
... Yes. I know someone else who's here. Just the two of us, from what I can tell.
[ that pause has eddie pausing too, taking a moment to let that sink in.
no name, no details. nothing like he shared with alina about steve but then again, alina doesn't owe him anything. sometimes eddie doesn't know where to stop but here, now, he can guess there's reason behind that hesitation. ] I'm sorry.
Let's hope we both stick to two-somes from our worlds, huh?
On my end, I don't know if I want my whole town here.
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[ perhaps a more critical, harsh tone of voice than befits a reunion and all her relief that he's alive (well, "alive") and NOT secretly a manipulative asshole that she'd briefly worried he was, based on what he'd said. ]
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I am pretty stupid though.
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[ with the kind of annoyance that seems to suggest he's misrepresenting her on purpose. ]
What do you mean 'this stuff'? You'd already heard of Stygia and the Shadowlands before coming here?
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It's just a lot and I can't make sense of it. [ he really needs another cigarette. ] Back home, I spent a whole lot of time reading about monsters and magic. Probably would have finished school if I hadn't.
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[ hey now, eddie, back on track. ] Sorry, sorry.
If we're both out of our depths, I guess I can't be that hard on myself but shit. This sucks.
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[ a deep, world-weary sigh. ]
But at least we're not alone. [ idle, prying, ] Steve is ... nice.
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Yeah, we aren't. [ and then he laughs, a little wry laugh like he's trying to find humor here somewhere as he shakes his head. ] You're at least stuck with me if we don't keep going missing.
[ and he sees what you're up to here, good lady, but he'll allow it. ] If you'd asked me like two, three days before I got here? I would have said he was a huge asshole but... yeah. Steve's-- [ actually? still an asshole but not the sort that eddie hates on a fundamental level. ] He's good guy.
[ and he genuinely believes that one. ] Definitely someone you want on your side if stuff goes down.
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[ it seems obvious. anyone who's already latching onto a soulmate must have someone they already trust, right? even if it was an accident, like eddie's case. ]
Is he the only one here who you recognize?
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So far. I'm hoping I don't see anyone from home.
[ a pause. ] I was hoping I wouldn't see him either.
Is there anyone here from your home? [ it's not a great feeling to know the people you care about are dead, even if it means you're not alone. ]
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[ a long pause. does she want to trust eddie with that? eddie might be too good of a person to leave aleksander here when they escape. there's no way he'd understand, and she doesn't really want him to pry into who exactly aleksander is to her. she's not even sure she has an answer. it's her shadow telling her to hide everything, telling her she can't trust anyone else, can't confide in them or rely upon them as she had tried to with aleksander himself. look where that went. ]
... Yes. I know someone else who's here. Just the two of us, from what I can tell.
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no name, no details. nothing like he shared with alina about steve but then again, alina doesn't owe him anything. sometimes eddie doesn't know where to stop but here, now, he can guess there's reason behind that hesitation. ] I'm sorry.
Let's hope we both stick to two-somes from our worlds, huh?
On my end, I don't know if I want my whole town here.