sootprints | PC: Childe

[ she turns her head. ]

Childe.

[He's quiet for a minute, looking her over... but of course he can't tell anything about how she's doing, aside from her degree of Sooting, so.]

How are you feeling?

[ it sure is hard to tell. if she has bandages, they're covered by her clothes. ]

A little better.

My head is clearer, too. I'm sorry if I said anything worrying.

[That makes him smile a little, tiredly--but he relaxes slightly, pulling a chair over to sit near her.]

I won't pretend you didn't, but I'm glad it seems to have passed. [Seems being the key word, he will keep an eye on her still in case she starts talking about flying and gods and blood purity or whatever the fck, but.] It looked like most of us were prepared for something like this.

... I suppose such things are also one of the "patterns" in these places.

Yes. [...] ...Will you tell me what happened?

... I don't know how to describe much of it...

[ she thinks of some kind of starting point. ]

Do you know what a "bible camp" is?

[THE WAY THIS TAG GOT ME SO BAD HELP ME]

Uh... no. What is it?

It's where bad children are sent, to study holy scripture and to "get right with god."

[Hmmmmm. He has some thoughts about that, but he keeps them off his face.]

...What constitutes a "bad" child?

Those who misbehave, who don't respect authority... or, when it comes to rotten adults, they can simply declare that any child is "bad." It's not as if anyone can stop them. They claim that spending all day praying and singing songs about god will fix them, in some spiritual way.

And if you get on an adult's bad side, you're sent to meet the devil.

I see.

[...]

...Is that who you all were talking about? The one who--made you all "perfect"?

[ there's some smoke that rises from her head. she tenses. ]

... Yes.

We met the devil, and it changed us.

Mm. [He's quiet for a minute--then sighs softly.] Change isn't necessarily a bad thing... but I admit I'm relieved to see it didn't stick.

... It didn't feel bad, at the time.

[ she hesitates to admit that. ]

It meant there was no more soot or shadows. At least for a little bit.

[...Carefully--] Is that something you want?

[He remembers her talking vaguely about horrible things happening at home, but--no particular details, especially about what she is or how she got that way. It's never been hard for Childe to accept, because he's seen far stranger things than a walking shadow, but that doesn't mean he's oblivious to what it might mean for her.]

[ ... a small nod. ]

I wasn't always like this. I'm human.

...So I was right. You are a secret princess. [A gentle tease, just to lighten the air around her for a moment.] You know, I first learned to fight in a place where no one looked human. It was scary at first, but I have wonderful memories of it now.

But it's okay if you want to go back to being human. And it's okay to do what you have to, to get what you want. You're not a bad child--not even for working with a devil.

[Granted, Childe is... extremely biased about this, and not in his usual "kids can do no wrong ever" way. But we don't have to worry about that. More importantly--]

...I'm guessing something went wrong? [Considering they were so injured... were they attacked? Lied to?]

... I'd like to hear more about it sometime.

[ but she lets him continue with his questions. she's not sure she can accept that her choices were okay in the end, but that's a little complicated. ]

We went back to the camp. To them, we were monsters. So they picked up their weapons and fought us.

Of course.

[It used to be something he kept much more of a secret, but... well. It's hardly relevant these days.

His expression is somber as she talks, though, and he sighs, reaching to cover one of her hands with his.]

I wish I could say that was surprising. [With a hint of bitterness in his tone, though he pushes it back down right away.] How did you get out?

[ there's some hesitation, soot rising from her head. ]

... We fought our way out. Together.

Good. [Gently, but firmly.] You had every right to.

[ a little stunned, even though she really shouldn't be at this point. he doesn't know that!! ]

... I wonder.

[Pats her hand once.]

You can wonder. It's always good to reflect--it's important that you don't forget who you are, and what you're fighting for. But if it weighs on you too heavily... then believe in me, and let me put those doubts to rest.

[ she falls quiet...

but the smoke stops and fades from the air. ]

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