IC Inbox for Diatu

[outofyourshadow]

INBOX text / audio / image / action [This is the place to leave any messages for Lena, be it a note on the BBS, a communication spell, paired journals, or through familiars] code credit

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[talkyourwayout]

He scoffed at her sarcasm, because if there was ever a time to be serious and upfront, this was it.

"I talked to the researchers. I needed to know what will happen to you when they figure out how to send us home." He sighed, and - though he was reluctant to reveal himself as capable of being thoughtful... Well, that was also a case of "if there was ever a time"...

"Do you want to know what I found out?"

[outofyourshadow]

She drew up a bit short, both from how serious he actually was as well as the fact he had asked such a question for her. But while she was touched that he did care to ask, to know that he had been that concerned about her...well, there had been a reason she hadn’t asked that question herself.

“...Judging by how cryptic you’re being, I’m guess it’s not good,” she replied. And while her answer did sound a bit flippant, there was an undercurrent of worry - of fear - in her tone that she wasn’t able to mask completely.

[talkyourwayout]

Another sigh. "Sorry. I mean, it's not as bad as it could be, but, no. It's not good." He clenched his hands into fists, and shook his head. "This isn't fair."

He still wasn't going to outright tell her what he'd learned without her asking him too, though.

[outofyourshadow]

“Yeah,” she replied, glancing off to the side for a moment.

She didn’t really want to ask. But she was trying to be someone new, someone better...so she didn’t want to avoid the hard stuff anymore.

“So what’d they say?”

[talkyourwayout]

"You'll stay here. They won't send you back, so you'll still exist, but..." He trailed off with a half-hearted shrug.

[outofyourshadow]

“But I’ll only exist while I’m here,” she finished with a bit of a huff. She wasn’t angry at Louie though, but just frustrated at the situation. Subconsciously she played with the new friendship bracelet Webby had given her. “Well, let’s hope that whatever magic brought us here will last.”

[talkyourwayout]

"Yeah," he said - half-heartedly, because he missed home. Still, he had the tact not to bring that up. "Are you gonna be... You know, okay?"

[outofyourshadow]

She’d actually meant something entirely different about the magic lasting, which he might get a glimpse of when she sighed and glanced away.

“...I don’t know,” she admitted softly, after a long moment. As much as she hated how vulnerable she was being, she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep this to herself.

[talkyourwayout]

Something was definitely registering as "off" with Louie, and his frown deepened.

"Lena...?"

[outofyourshadow]

She hesitated, and for a moment she debated just writing it off as nothing and letting it drop. But...they are friends now, right? And Webby knew about this too, so there wouldn't be any betrayal of trust.

...At least, depending on how he reacted to it.

"...You ever think," she started slowly, "about what the magic must be like here? About...how it'd be possible for it to bring someone like me back? Me...when I was nothing more than a shadow, and my entire existence was dispelled?"

She glanced down at her hand, the friendship bracelet dangling from her wrist.

"...and do you ever think about...how magic can be undone?"

[talkyourwayout]

As she spoke, Louie found that he had to lean back against one of the desks in the classroom to stay upright. He hadn't thought of that, and he felt stupid that it hadn't occurred to him. It was a scary potential reality to face.

"I'm thinking about it now," he uttered. "I don't... What can we do?"

Because they could do something, right? There was always something.

[outofyourshadow]

She was silent for a moment, playing with the friendship bracelet.

"I...don't really know," she admitted softly. "Without really knowing how the magic works...I don't know what to do."

[talkyourwayout]

Louie sighed and nodded. "Yeah..."

He was at a loss for what to do as well, and not just to keep Lena safe, but to help her get through even just this one moment. After a moment, and not without reluctance, he reached out and took her hand.

"We'll figure out what to do, then."

[outofyourshadow]

She glanced at him, a bit surprised. But it eased into a small, if slightly unsure smile, as she nodded.

"Yeah...thanks."

[talkyourwayout]

Louie nodded, then cleared his throat loudly. Being emotionally open with anyone was weird. With Lena? It was really weird.

Not the worst thing, though. No worse, at least, than it was with anything else - just stranger.

"Well... I'm definitely not in the mood for class now. You wanna go hang out?"

[outofyourshadow]

It was definitely strange. But Lena found that it was starting to get easier, opening up to people.

But it was also easy to fall back into her usual way. And really, convincing her to ditch class was not difficult.

"Absolutely."