Marco's Heart

[peccatore]

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.

Comments

[peccatore]

Marco thinks about it for a couple of seconds.

"No, I... I do. I'm not... completely certain about the timeline as a whole, but I remember..."

He sighs.

"I remember an old friend coming over. I remember the trial. ... I remember I got married."

[rescentful]

[smiling a little at that last example]

Your marriage came afterwards? That's encouraging.

[peccatore]

"Yes. So I-- I must have turned something around. Somehow."

[rescentful]

It'll come back to you. That's something to hold onto, too. In the meantime... it's okay to just... be where you are, I think. Focus on the friendships you're making here, the day-to-day life. You can collect ideas of what you want to do next and see how they match up with your memories as you go, but you don't have to figure it all out at once.

[peccatore]

Very, very quietly:

"Thank you."

[rescentful]

[thoughtfully]

... well. Thank you for... for being open with me. And for listening. None of that is easy, either.

Can I ask you one more thing?

[peccatore]

"I'm-- I-It's the least I can do, really."

Which he says because some part of him still feels like he ought to be Repenting for something, but it's fine. It's fiiine.

"... What is it?"

[rescentful]

I'm just curious, so you don't have to answer, but. The first door I tried to go towards... that you called me back from. What was that...?

[peccatore]

"Oh. That's..."

... Well, this is probably going to sound silly now.

"That was my best friend."

[rescentful]

[for the first time, he looks judgmental, but it's just very mild outrage. he actually smacks Marco on the arm.]

I shouldn't have listened to you!

[with humour, though.]

[peccatore]

"I-- I mean-- It wouldn't have told you why I was feeling this way, so..."

[rescentful]

That's fair. Still! Tell me about them sometime, okay? Can't believe I had to talk to Mister Shithead Gameshow Host instead of your best friend...

[peccatore]

"... I will. I promise."

[rescentful]

Good. Thank you. I'll look forward to it.