chicago ♔ love only knows if we'll give into fear and choose life undercover

[romanticidal]

♬ Love Only Knows - Josh Groban

WHO || Rafael, Buffy, Myri, Des, Jade [closed]
WHAT || Buffy & Myri break orders and take Rafael to Chicago to reunite him with lost love Jade. Des comes too.
WHERE || Nightscape; Chicago
WHEN || July 7th, night.
HOW || Actionspam

Standing across the street from the nondescript looking building, Rafael frowns across at the line of people entering into the fruit stand canopy.

"You are certain this is the place?" he asks uncertainly, without looking at Buffy and Myri beside him.

Comments

[slay]

[ she gives des a hard look for that. ] Understatement. [ it sounds a lot more like WOW THANK YOU FOR BEING AN ASSHOLE THAT'S REALLY NECESSARY. she looks at rafael, more softly. ]

Rafael, I'm -- I'm so sorry. I didn't think that ...

[romanticidal]

[ My December - Linkin Park ]

I know. [ his voice is quiet, but there's a strained quality to his expression as he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, before opening them and casting one glance back at the doors retreating behind them. he lets buffy all but drag him down the hallway, looking for all intents like he doesn't know or care where they're going. ] It is not your fault.

[witchwoman]

This isn't what we wanted at all. [She manages to get out, holding herself together, even though she feels like crap about everything.] Maybe... in time... [She looks back over her shoulder at where they've been.] There's always room for hope.

[slay]

I just hope that ... that it beats never knowing. Even if it didn't work out the way any of us wanted it to, it still -- [ optimism. not helping. she just deflates. her hand rests on his back instead of his arm for the sake of comfort and reassurance as she continues to guide his poor lost self toward the stairs as they hunt around for them. ]

[romanticidal]

[ oh hey stairs

he heads down them automatically, like a robot/zombie/half...elf... but his eyes glance at her as her hand shifts to his back and there's gratitude there, even amid all the IMMEASURABLE SORROW ]

Do you think she is happy?

[slay]

[ honestly? she doesn't. she doesn't think anyone could be happy here, and jade's never appeared exceptionally so. but it's not about the truth. it's about lying to make rafael feel better. ]

I think she's where she wants to be, and doing what she wants to be doing. [ it's not technically a lie, actually. more of an avoidance. for all intents and purposes, that should mean jade is happy. but buffy just isn't seeing it. ] We saw her perform our first time here. She was ... she was incredible.

[witchwoman]

[Myri just chews on her bottom lip and lets Buffy do the talking. She knew Jade better anyway. Plus, talking is hard when you are being swallowed whole by guilt.]

[romanticidal]

[ he seems ready to buy the line, either way. ] I am sure she would have been. She always was.

[slay]

Invitation's still open for you, you know. If you want to come back with us. [ he's ~helping~, after all, and the leader of some crazy resistance shit so wynn would probably be cool with it. ]

[romanticidal]

It is appreciated but...

Hiro and Isabella will need my help, trying to stem the leak of our identities before it goes even further and endangers others close to us. I cannot abandon them, and we can do more alone than drawing attention by asking any of you to come with us. I am afraid here we must part ways.

[witchwoman]

[It's a shame that he makes so much sense, because Myri doesn't want to go back to the castle completely empty handed, but it seems that they must.]

I wish we could have done more. [Everything feels like an apology as it falls out of her mouth, but she can't help it.] If you should need anything... we will do all that we can.

[slay]

Maybe when things get less crazy, we'll get the chance to see you again. [ buffy offers him a smile, stopping as they get to the end of the hallway that exits nightscape. ] Work together a little more honestly. [ there's a bit of a sheepish cringe there, because she does feel bad about the lying, but it was on both sides so ... it's more like teehee we're so silly and trying to lighten the mood a little. ]

[romanticidal]

[ her sheepishness is met with an odd note of hesitance on his part ] Si... I did give you my word.

[slay]

Then, I guess we'll be seeing you.