[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]

That much I figured. You felt really fond of her. [His chuckle is light.]

I just didn't really get to see her at all. What she looked like, how she acted. What sort of weird things she did that made her special to you.

[It's a lot to ask, though. So he puts up a hand to wave it off gently.]

...Those are the kind of things I like to remember about Lily. I always wonder if, maybe, it can help things not... hurt so bad, when certain dates come up.

[It doesn't always work. Sometimes it spirals into guilt. But it's nicer, in the moment, to remember the good.]

[secondthoughts]

[ Hector drops his gaze at that. It's been more than ten years at this point; sometimes, he can't remember what she sounded like, what her laugh was like. But some days, he'll get a whiff of her shampoo on the wind and it hurts all over again.

He doesn't want to talk about her. When Misteaks moves on to Lily, he quickly bottles that all up while he's not looking, locks it tight, buries it deep. Where Demet's memories belong, lest he forget the smell of her shampoo.

His eyes turn to Misteaks, and the rest of his body follows. The sympathy is back. There's a little smile on his lips, partially forced, barely there. ]

You should tell me the weirdest thing Lily ever did. She seemed like a fun kid.

[gluttoning]

[He watches that gaze fall away, how distant it looks when Hector finally looks back at him. He stays silent, an apologetic pain to his eyes. A line's been crossed, and he can't really take it back.

Talking about Lily... he could do that.]

...She was really stubborn. One time, she saw my brother Matthew bragging about how many push-ups he could do, and she got all red and yelled at him until he did push-ups with her, just so she could try and be as good as him.

She was so little that she couldn't really do it, you know? [Toddler age and all that, just starting to grow into her limbs.] But she'd prop herself on her elbows and wiggle up and down the best she could until she was all red... and any time Matt would try to get her to stop, she's just call him a chicken. [He chuckles brightly.] Which would just make him mad.

So he would get all worked up and try to do push-ups faster, but he was-- geeze, twelve, maybe? Thirteen? Trying to out-do this little girl that was just laughing at him and having fun.

They just did that until they both got exhausted, and she insisted all the time that she won. We have pictures of them on the floor. They look like tomatoes.

[secondthoughts]

[ Hector listens quietly, the tension in his smile evaporating as Misteaks tells the story.

Kids are so pure. He chuckles a bit at mention of the ages, picturing the brief moment of happiness the boy's family shared. No one can take things like that away from them—those memories are precious, and untouched. ]

She sounded like a powerhouse. Whole family wrapped around her finger. [ His smile grows wider and he shifts his weight. He's relaxed now, not having to think about himself. ]

I'm glad you have pictures. Things like that are precious.

[gluttoning]

...Yeah. She could have run the whole country someday if she wanted, I'm sure.

[Being the only girl surrounded by a ton of boys would do that, he thinks. They all adored her. She would have had the world in her hands.

...]

I don't think many of us would have bothered at the time. But Aiden, the brother right before me? He was always taking pictures of everything so he could show them off to friends later. And he loved showing Lilith off.

So most of what we have now of Lily... I think he's a big part of that.

[secondthoughts]

[ Hector believes it. His mind starts leaping at what-ifs, but he knows that's a dangerous path to go down. Maybe not for him, personally, in this situation—no. But in general. So he shoves those aside.

He reaches to clap a hand on Misteaks's arm and gives him a little shake. It's a gesture of comfort more than anything. ]

You should thank Aiden next time you talk to him. It might've been a little thing at the time, but that's irreplaceable now.

[ Because, well... Maybe that's a talk he'll have with Misteaks one day, maybe not. If Hector refuses to talk about his sister, then... ]

I know wherever she is now, she knows you still love her.

[gluttoning]

...

[This is where he goes quiet - less out of pain and more something else. A reminder, something that eases his expression even if he doesn't speak up right away.

Lily still loved him.]

...

Same with yours. If now is anything close to what I felt...

I think Demet knows for you, too. Wherever she is.

[secondthoughts]

[ Hector keeps his eyes on Misteaks for a little while, his expression sobering.

He never thought of her watching over him. It always toed too dangerously close to his delusions and hallucinations that, once they stopped, he never bothered entertaining the idea.

Who knows where she is. She could've run away. She might be dead. He'll never know.

But...the look on Misteaks's face tells him that it's not worth arguing. Take the sentiment and go. ]

Yeah.

[ His eyes drop to the side, contemplative. ]

...Thanks.

[gluttoning]

[He hums a gentle affirmative, before a hand goes to clap against Hector's shoulder.]

I know a good stand nearby with slushies the size of your head. I think that's probably better than this heat.

You want to come get one?

[secondthoughts]

[ Hector smiles a little at the clap. Misteaks—Barrett is a good kid. He doesn't deserve this trauma.

He steps back and gestures with a sweeping motion back towards the fair, glimpses of a more genuine Hector quickly boarded up and blocked from view. ]

Of course. After you.

[ Maybe things can be more light-hearted from now on. ]