I Want to Break Free / closed

[ophidiarex]

Who: Snake and Doll
What: Snake, who's run away from his living situation, is found by Doll, who disapproves
When: Early in Alola, after Joker's log
Where: Starting in the woods
Warnings: Sadness, possible mentions of past trauma, depressed Snake is depressed


[This is not what Snake wanted, not really. But with Doll in the carnival, he felt he had no choice. That's why he packed up his few meager possessions, boarded all his snakes but Emily in the carnival's menagerie, and set off with his stuff into the woods, ostensibly to meditate. More to hide.

He's not surprised that for a long time no one follows him. Why would they? He's not wanted. Joker would rather he wasn't here, and he'll be happier sharing a space with Doll. Those two are close. It's alright, Snake tells himself repeatedly, as he sits cross-legged under his umbrella in the forest's labyrinth depths. It's fine. They'll be happy, that's all that matters, and he can find someplace else to stay.

He's always been considerate of others' feelings, never once following along, never leaving his post until the day his family didn't return. He wishes sometimes he was more selfish, but his acts of selfishness always seemed to hurt others, so maybe it's better this way. Maybe it'll even help him separate from the demon within, the same demon which grants him hearing sensitive enough to pick up on the acrobat's light footsteps as she approaches. He'd know Doll's scent anywhere, and his hackles rise slightly at her approach. Though he wants nothing more than to run away again, he can't do that to her. His voice, when he speaks, is not harsh, but resigned, despite his words.]

"What do you want?" says Emily...

Comments

[steadydollypegs]

[When Snake pulls her closer, when she feels his chin on her head, Doll takes that as permission for her to let it all out. She cries, loud and hard, to get everything out. How afraid she was for Joker and the rest of their family, how traumatized she was from being killed and waking up after it, how different and new and difficult her new home was, and how Joker and Snake didn't seem to be getting along and she wouldn't be able to fix it. Doll gets it all out, clinging to Snake until she's done and exhausted and snuffling the last of her tears out.]

I'm sorry, 've been holdin' all that in, I didn' mean f'r it t'come out right here 'n now.

[ophidiarex]

[He just nods against her and wipes his own eyes with a hand. Now the hand is bloodstained, but that's not important. What is important is that she's ok, she's safe here. That she's feeling better now.]

"It's ok. Everyone needs to cry sometimes," says Emily.

[steadydollypegs]

I know. But it was a lotta cryin'. [She laughs a little and pulls back to look at Snake.]

[...what in God's name happened to his eyes.]

Bloody hell, Snake! [She gasps reaching up to look for some kind of wound.] There's blood under yer eyes!!

[ophidiarex]

[... Yeah, this is awkward. Sure he's a little taller and his tongue is forking but this is a liiiittle more noticeable of a change. He looks away, turning his head before her fingertips can touch his blood, and wipes at his eyes again.]

"I cried, too. It's alright, I'm not hurt," says Emily.

[It's the simplest explanation to a not-so-simple situation. She might pry, though, and he doesn't know what to say then.]

[steadydollypegs]

...Y'cried and there's blood under your eyes?

[Doll doesn't know much about what goes on in terms of these transformations yet, but she does know that generally crying blood wasn't something that happened to anyone. At all.]

Snake, what's goin' on with you 'n Joker? I know somethin's happenin', but y'both won't say anything for some reason.

[ophidiarex]

[He continues his technique of avoiding eye contact, but he can't do it forever. Or maybe he can. He doesn't really need to blink. All his reflexes, all the things that made him alive, are kind of gone. He can do them if he tries, but not automatically.

But at the same time, he can all but feel her stare wearing him down. He can certainly hear her heartbeat pick up as she worries. Finally he turns to her and takes a deep breath - he hasn't been breathing super regularly either - before speaking.]

"You should ask Joker. It's all my fault, but he knows more," says Emily.

[steadydollypegs]

Joker's passed out in our trailer, 'e came home half-walkin' on th'shoulder o' a man named Ginko, wasn' long b'fore he was sawin' wood. So I can' really ask 'im nothin', y'see.

[She crosses her arms.] ...m' not such a child anymore, I don' need protectin' as much as I used to. If I'm not helpin' y'both here, I'll go mad.

[ophidiarex]

[That... it sounds like Joker's really upset. And Snake wasn't there for him; Ginko, Snake's coworker, carried him back. Snake's unbeating heart feels heavy in his chest. He's not sure what to say, what to tell her. Will it make Joker mad?

Finally, he lets out a single word, little more than a whisper.]

Vampires...