peccatore | Marco's Heart

Marco's Heart

You find yourself in a bright white, circular room. It's nearly empty; too bare, almost clinically so. But the bareness of it means that what is visible here stands out:

A podium in the center, where a familiar figure sits, head buried in his hands. Three paths running from the podium to three different spots near the edges of the room - not corners; circles don't have corners - where three doors leading seemingly nowhere stand with no regard for their complete lack of structural support.

It doesn't take you long to figure out where you are, does it? You only have to decide where to start.

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"Not just... back home. I have other things going on back home. I, I meant here. Everyone here. I don't know how to..."

He shakes his head.

"I can't undo it now. I'm aware of that."

Admitting you fucked up is a good start.

Accepting that not everyone is going to accept an apology is another. And then you ask for help. If you don't know what to do, that's the next step.

"Of... Of course."

Have you considered using your ridiculous wealth to try and cover up what you did?

... have it lauded like a very realistic publicity stunt. You're making... ah... shows. About the supernatural.

"Too late to put the genie back in the bottle, I'm afraid. People came out of the shadows. Even the justice system was beginning to adapt."

... Then, funding support systems.

I... do like the sound of that.

(He does, and he's already started doing it, back home. He just doesn't remember it yet.)

There's a lot of people who will have a pretty rough time going, so that's a start.

And frankly, have you considered funding research to see if there's food alternatives?

"I... I suppose that's an idea, too."

But...?

"... We'll see if that's even possible."

Nothing is impossible.

"It... would be excellent, if you were right. And there really was a possible substitute."

You don't know unless you actually find out?

"That's... true." He nods nervously. "Either way, it's-- it's something I can only worry about when I return home."

And in the meantime, while you're here. Maybe stop looking all self-tortured all the time?

"..."

With the energy and enthusiasm of someone who has heard some variation of "will you just stop being so miserable" at least five or six times in the past two weeks:

"Of course. I'll take that to heart."

[he looks skeptical]

Will you though?

"I'll..." He takes a deep breath. "Try. To the best of my ability."

... Can I ask you something very personal?

"Y-- Yes?"

How do you see yourself?

"I..."

He hesitates.

"I'm not sure I really know anymore. I, I suppose, after showing you all of this, I... can't help thinking of myself as a sad-- sad, misguided... thing.

Well. I think it's important to go back to the basics. Find out what you enjoy, what you want to do, and... You know. Plan what you want or need to make amends for. Do something about it.

"You're... right. You are. I do know that much."

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too_cleverfox - 2025-07-13 19:07 (UTC) - Expand

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