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]

It looks pristine, exactly as it was when Marco was at the door. Which -

"... It's... like this?"

- seems to surprise him.

[pyrrhicviktory]

It's your mind. It can look any way you want it to.

[peccatore]

"I... guess so."

He touches a wall with the gentleness of someone who's afraid it might crumble.

"This... The town was abandoned, you know. Completely abandoned, a few decades ago. Too many earthquakes. Er, it was just unsustainable. It's... sort of a tourist spot now. Sometimes, I think I'd like to see it for myself, but..."

[pyrrhicviktory]

Maybe one day, you will. ... One step at a time.

[peccatore]

"R-Right."

... He's not sure if he should go inside, so, uh.

"How, how exactly do we...?"

[pyrrhicviktory]

... Let's go around the back. Is there a nice spot in the garden?

[peccatore]

"I... don't remember very clearly." Despite this, he starts heading that way.

[pyrrhicviktory]

Your mind will probably make something up that looks close enough, even if you don't remember it exactly.

[ following ]

[peccatore]

"A-Alright. Er, alright."

The garden looks ordinary. Maybe too ordinary; it's more like a suburban lawn, rather than something that might have conceivably existed in a rocky, cliffside town.

This visibly frustrates Marco.

"That can't be right."

[pyrrhicviktory]

Hmm. Try to think about... how other gardens used to look when you lived here...

[peccatore]

"I-I don't..."

He huffs, pinching the bridge of his nose. It's getting a little better? A little more natural, a little less... put-on.

"That's... It still doesn't feel quite right, but..."

[pyrrhicviktory]

What's missing, do you think?

[peccatore]

"I'm not sure..." He shakes his head. "Maybe we can just work with this."

[pyrrhicviktory]

... All right.

[ handing him a shovel. where did it come from? dream logic. ]

Pick a spot. Start digging.

[peccatore]

Marco takes it and gets down to business.

For what it's worth, the way he's digging, Viktor might get the sense that this isn't his first time using a shovel like this. That could also be dream logic, or it could be that he's buried other people before.

... But at some point during the process, he takes on this appearance, and the garden changes some more, too. So... who can say.

[pyrrhicviktory]

[ Viktor can't help with this part. Not because he can't dig-- it's a dreamscape, so anything is possible-- but because he believes it's important for Marco to do this on his own. But he keeps a silent vigil, and when enough time has passed for there to be two decently sized graves, he speaks up again quietly. ]

The depth looks about right. If you wish to stop.

[ it's hard work so he can't imagine Marco doesn't want to, but you never know. ]

I LOST YOUR TAG AHHHH

[peccatore]

"Ah... Yes. I think you're right."

He looks back at his house. Does he... have to go get the bodies...?"

[pyrrhicviktory]

... You have to face it, Marco.

But I will come with you.

[peccatore]

"... Thank you."

He takes a deep breath before heading inside.

[pyrrhicviktory]

[ Viktor will follow a beat later, close enough to give support if Marco needs it but also leaving enough space if Marco needs that as well ]

[peccatore]

The inside of the house looks... less presentable, certainly. A lot more like how Marco must have left it that night, blood splatters on multiple surfaces and a broken table on the floor.

Right now, he's doing his best to clean his parents' bodies, arranging them into what he hopes to be more peaceful positions. His hands are shaking.

[pyrrhicviktory]

... Easy.

[ Viktor puts one hand over one of Marco's. ]

[peccatore]

"Ah?!" He flinches. "I-- I'm fine."

[pyrrhicviktory]

You don't have to be fine.

That is the whole point of this. Taking the time to do what you could not before.

[peccatore]

"... Right. It's just... Y-You know."