castaside | Heart Game: dreamwalker variety

"I take it you approve. It'll be more fun this way, too."

I —

[ holy shit he just ]

[ swapped out a piece of his heart? for her? ]

You ... for me? Just like that?

"Just like that. It's really no problem. The central shaft is my way of getting around in here too, so it's considered part of the consciousness. And those parts I can change easily."

"Like this room. Before, I was so guarded that the only way to get access to the elevator was to temporarily destroy my consciousness. Now, I'm okay with people I trust exploring, so here I am with a picnic basket containing whatever you request, and a hill of wildflowers."

[ Just like that. ]

[ aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ]

[ She does relax some when he explains that it's under his conscious control. And the rest is — welp. Korone makes a wry li'l sound somewhere between a huff and a chuckle. Heart games, man. ]

Here you are. [ Squishes him into an even more thorough hug. ]

... If you say it's okay, I believe you. [ It's still HOLY SHIT though, because holy shit?! (She is a dab hand at having many feelings simultaneously.) ]

"It's really okay. As long as there's a vertical way to navigate the heart, I'll be fine." Of course he hugs her back, why wouldn't he?

"Something to eat or drink? I can pull anything out of this basket. But unlike last time, there's no taking it will you."

Vertical ... because layers, right? [ She hums. ] So if C is consciousness, does that make the others two layers of subconscious, the unconscious, and then ...

[ There's the faintest hint of a coo in her exhale. Macaque's hugs are the best. ]

[ She peers at the basket without making the slightest attempt to peel herself away from him. ]

Is there anything you've wanted to introduce me to?

"Subconscious is in two layers, then unconscious, and then -- well, I'm not sure what's at the bottom now. By definition it's hard for me to see."

The basket is empty. Marry Poppins Rules, apparently.

"It's hard for me to pick one place in particular. You're all over this heart now."

[ wait - ]

Me?

"Of course. How many daughters do you think I've got?"

[ help ]

I — okay, touché — [ FACEPALMS ]

[ hides her facepalmed face against his shoulder ]

He chuckles softly and leans his cheek against her head. "Just as I'm in your heart more than I was initially, right?"

[ Her wings fluff ]

... Yeah. [ She grumbles, embarrassed. Maybe one day affirmations won't hit like a landslide? (x to doubt.) ]

Can I have some strawberries?

"Coming right up, babygirl." He reaches into the picnic basket and pulls out a bowl of large, perfectly ripe strawberries.

Thank you, Mr. Menace.

[ IS THIS EVEN MENACING, KORONE ...

Boops her forehead to his shoulder and then shuffles around so she can cuddle and nom. ]

... S'there anywhere you know you don't want me to go?

[ Picks out a strawberry to delicately nibble. ]

Hmm. He considers this.

"The North door on S1 is anger. There's nothing to be done with him, and he'll try to kill you. The West door on U is where the Lady Bone Demon is trapped. Lots of light blue in the mirrors. She's trying to use Epsilon as a lure to draw people in, so she can try to escape. I won't say don't go in, just be careful. Everywhere else should be safe enough, even if it doesn't feel like it is."

S1 North ... Okay. Good to know. [ She gives him a small squeeze, remembering what he'd asked of her when they'd been working towards his first heart game. ] I'll avoid that one.

[ The same way she avoids Desolation unless she has an extremely damn good reason. ]

And the West ... [ She makes a Face at the idea of that awful woman fucking with Epsilon, wings bristling. She actually starts growling faintly before catching herself and swallowing it back. ] ... If I go in, I promise I'll be extra careful.

"Good, then." He's grateful that she won't have to encounter his anger, that asshole wouldn't be any good for her even if she crawled away alive.

"The Lady Bone Demon's big thing is mentally screwing with people until they lose their shit, so just watch out for that and you should be fine."

[ Are there circumstances under which Korone will take massive risks during a heart game? Sure! Unfortunately! Is this one of them? Absolutely not. ]

Thank you for trusting me, Dad. [ Nuzzles his shoulder. ]

No wonder that stupid game paired her up with Nyssa. [ U. G. H. Korone huffs. ] Is there any chance she'd know my taboos to use them against me?

"There's no one I trust more." So there.

"Hm. I can't say what she has found out since she's been in here. So there's a chance. But I would bet hard money that if she tried that with you my heart would lash out at her, hard. So she might just try her little psychological games and leave it at that."

[ wait. wait? hold the fucking phone???

korone stares at him, wide-eyed, mouth slightly open. red blossoms across her cheeks.

... slowly falls over and disappears into a wing cocoon, possibly on his lap, peeping faintly all the way. ]

He chuckles at her reaction, petting her wings since they're the only thing available.

[ She's dead now, brutally murdered by a monkey wielding a steel chair with expert precision. Goodbye. Remember her fondly. ]

[ aaaaaaaaa ]

[ SHE. WILL NEED A MINUTE. Or several. To interpret and process that ruthless bludgeoning. Part of her tries to deny it, tries to assume he's lying (he isn't) or joking or babying her (he wouldn't), because — even accounting for the fact that there's definitely people he trusts at least as much — it's high fucking praise. So high it feels … impossible? improbable? bewildering? that it could possibly be for her???

AND YET? ]

[ aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ]

[ peep peep peep ]

She's too cute for words, really.

"Let me know when you're feeling up to talking again, babygirl." He reaches into his basket and pulls out a plum, which he starts eating.

[ Just over four and a half minutes later - ]

... Hi.

[ Peeks out from between two primaries. ]

"Hey there." He has an expression that is both soft and amused.

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