[Closed] misteaks' mistakes (catchall)

[gluttoning]

Who: Misteaks and also some other people
What: Event catchall + dungeon runs
When: August - September, maybe later who knows
Where: various, please note in headers
Content Warnings: parental death, child abuse (emotional/verbal), child death, ED mention. Please cw in headers.

[overflow and log space for August and September]

Comments

[gluttoning]

...

[Yes. Yes, it does. And it's alarming to think of a total stranger knowing something that he didn't really tell anyone beyond absolute basics.]

...Hey, you're -- You're not pulling my leg or something, are you?

How do you know something like that?

[threatmewted]

[...Tugging her hood down over her face a little. This sucks.]

I told you, I saw it in the mirror! And, like-

I don't know! If I knew what was happening, I wouldn't have looked. But I did. So.

[gluttoning]

[Oh. Oh no, is she feeling bad about this?

Despite his own discomfort, a hand still goes out to her when she backs away, palm up as though to try and tell her to stop.]

Hey, whoa, no... no, no, don't do that...

It's okay. I don't get it, but... look, I'm not mad. I'm not. I promise.

[...

He lets out a rough exhale, running a hand against his hair as he looks back at the mirror. What the hell...

...]

Yeah, that's my real name. And... yeah, something happened when I was four. I got a little sister, but our mom passed away at the hospital. Dad said it happened kind of fast.

...It's okay. I was too young to remember a lot of it.

1/2

[threatmewted]

It did kinda zip through the funeral.

[Ugh. Awful. This is awful.

At least she's peeking out from under her hood again.]

I mean. Obviously it's not my fault. But... sorry anyway?

2/2

[threatmewted]

[...And after a beat, she turns to glare at the mirrors again.]

But if that was for real... seriously, what the hell is going on with this game?

[gluttoning]

You don't have to apologize.... Swallow, right? [Squinting at her UN for a second.] It didn't look like you were doing anything but minding your own business, anyway.

[Still, she's got a great point. If she did see a memory that no one but Levi could have told her... what kind of things did that mean?

He's not sure.]

There weren't any notes in front of this building talking about something like that happening, was there?

[threatmewted]

Nope. Far as I can tell, it's supposed to be a totally normal house of mirrors.

[gluttoning]

[He exhales slowly.]

Maybe... it's a glitch in the game or something. It's hooked up to our minds, right? So maybe we're standing too close to each other. Or something.

[A moment passes, before his expression turns a bit sheepish, glancing to the side.]

I don't know. I never understand how these kinds of machines work.

[threatmewted]

Still, if it can even pull out our memories... that's super creepy.

[Although that said-

He may just notice that there's a mirror behind her, one that's reflecting a young girl instead of either of them.

She doesn't seem to notice.]

This game's seriously kinda sus.

[gluttoning]

[...Huh.

That definitely catches his attention. Time to go get a closer look.]

Yeah...

Hey, are you... seeing this over here?

cw: child neglect

[threatmewted]

Seeing what?

[The closer look rewards him with a memory to view for himself.]

Cw: child neglect

[gluttoning]

[He doesn't respond, eyes fixed on the glass with a hand braced to the frame. Oh...

It's not something he's experienced in a while. The disappoontment and the fear, the need to be self sufficient. But he had his brothers. He always had his brothers. To be alone...

When the memory starts to cloud, Barrett's eyes are back to the ground.]

...It's a kid. Trapped at home, because their parents aren't there taking care of them. So they sneak out.

Re: Cw: child neglect

[threatmewted]

[Her blood runs cold, but you wouldn't be able to tell just looking at her.]

...And?

[gluttoning]

...Nothing else. Just wandering out in the city after that. Rough parts of town. Whoever it was felt kind of excited, but... sad, too.

[Whoever in the world it was, we may never know. Still, he gives her an apologetic look, letting the silence hang between them, before his voice drops quieter with a nod towards the front door.]

Maybe we shouldn't hang around in here. I felt like I shouldn't have seen that.

[threatmewted]

[At that apologetic look, she just looks away, grumbling:]

This game sucks.

[...But she will go ahead and leave the house of mirrors.]

[gluttoning]

[He's silently in step behind her, keeping his eyes away from the glass in fear he might see something else invasive. When the heat of the air hits them like a truck, though, Barrett tries to at least gently catch her by the shoulder.]

Hey. It's forgotten if you want, okay?

Nobody needs to remember parents like that.

[There's a streak of bitterness to the way he says it. He speaks from experience, not idealism.]

[threatmewted]

[She gives an unimpressed snort.]

Yeah, well. Kinda hard to forget the people you live with. Allegedly.

[When they deign to show up.]

[gluttoning]

Mn. [His arms cross against his stomach, frown thin.] Are they still treating you like that?

I think I'd be feeling pretty trapped.

[threatmewted]

[She shrugs.]

They have their stuff to do, I have mine. I'm not a little kid who needs mommy and daddy's permission to do what I want.

[gluttoning]

Still doesn't make it any less irritating.

[A beat, the redhead exhaling through his nose. Man, she reminds him of Damian a lot. It kind of aches.]

I haven't seen my dad since I was twelve and I'm a lot happier for it. I hope you can get there, too.

[threatmewted]

...

Did he become an asshole after... all that happened, too?

[gluttoning]

...

Something like that, yeah.

[Was his dad different after Mom died? Yeah, for sure. Was that what made him truly snap?

...

Well. It's not like it matters now.]

My oldest brother got us out of there as soon as he was old enough.

[threatmewted]

Hah. Wish that were me. But getting out is waaaaaay too expensive.

[gluttoning]

Yeah. [No need to sugar coat that. Lucas was STILL handling the legal fees from that case and it was coming up on a decade now.]

You're still too young, I guess?

[threatmewted]

Nope. Just too "inexperienced" for anything that'd pay me enough to get out already.