(no subject)

[contraltoflute]

[Descole isn't exactly holding up well since the election results. Given her tendency to mix Monocle up with her own Layton in her head if she's not thinking about it clearly - which she rarely is - and the fact that she knows Monocle knows where her rooms are, she's basically spent most of the week so far wandering around in the rafters, catching naps in odd places. Cupboards, mostly.

She fell out of the rafters earlier today, though, so now she's just wandering the corridors aimlessly, limping a little. If she had her way, she wouldn't run into anyone on her wanderings, given that that's largely the point of her moving around the whole time, but this is the Dressing Room and nobody really gets their way around here.]

Comments

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

[He's just... there. At the end of the corridor. Like he's always been there and she just hasn't noticed him until now.]

Hello, my dearest Jean, I have not seen you in such a very long time.

[contraltoflute]

[...oh god. She might struggle to differentiate the different doubles of everyone when she's seeing them all at different times and she hasn't seen the versions from her own world to compare against since her arrival, but that doesn't mean that Descole doesn't recognise him when she sees him.]

Y-you.

[She intends to sound confident and accusing, but the fact it comes out as a squeak kind of ruins that.]

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

My beloved, it is me. And we are together once again.

[The way he walks down the corridor... he doesn't seem to be moving particularly quickly, but it feels all too soon that he is standing right in front of her.]

...How I have missed you.

[contraltoflute]

[Descole starts to back away, breath hitching.]

N-no. I-it... it had been years even back home so leave me alone!

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

[Holds up a hand to stroke her face.]

Do you think I will leave you so easily once again?

[contraltoflute]

[That makes Descole shriek, and she leaps back to get away from him, nearly staggering into the wall in the process.]

Go away go away go away!

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

[He smiles warmly, then in an instant he is holding her up against the wall.]

We will not be having one of your little episodes, will we?

[contraltoflute]

[Descole shrieks again, shoving at his chest ineffectually.]

I don't want you here! Go away, I don't want you here, I want to be safe!

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

As long as you and I are together in our endless battles you shall never be safe.

[Kisses her softly.]

[contraltoflute]

[Reaching up, she tries to scrabble at Layton's face instead. She's aiming for the eyes, especially; two can play at that game.]

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

If you touch me in that manner I will stab out what remains of your eyes, dear little lady.

[contraltoflute]

[She jerks and then slumps against the wall, legs giving out under her.]

Just let me go...

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

[He puts a hand around her to support her weight.]

In all these years I have never let you go.

[contraltoflute]

Why? I never did anything to deserve this from you!

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

You did everything, my dear. And you were always there. Even when the others weren't. I cannot forget such kindness.

[contraltoflute]

I don't want you! I want you gone, even the other one is better than you and I can't stand him!

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

Other... me?

[contraltoflute]

Yes the other one, the one with the monocle-- where's he gone, he was nice to me, I...

[He was terrifying too, but less terrifying than her own Layton and Descole would take anything at this point.]

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

I can assure you that he is not here and if he was that I would make him no longer present in your life, my lovely dear.

[contraltoflute]

[Descole shudders, then draws in a long breath and screams at the top of her voice. Dammit, Monocle, if you rule this place you should come the the rescue of citizens in distress.]

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

[He covers her mouth sharply.]

Shut up! Do not say anything more!

[contraltoflute]

[Kicking out at him, Descole tries to bite his hand and carries on trying to yell in between that, even with his hand still there.]

[1/2]

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

I'll break you're little-

[2/2]

[monocle-layton.livejournal.com]

[Grabs onto the new Layton, pulling him away from Sheschole.]

You will do nothing to my citizens.

[contraltoflute]

[She lets herself drop to her knees then, pretty much hyperventilating at this point.]

Please please please please Layton--

[1/2]

[monocle-layton.livejournal.com]

[Kneels down.]

It's all right, I'll protect you.

[2/2]

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

[Pulls Monocle away from her.]

Do not touch my toy!

[contraltoflute]

I'm not yours, you-- you can't have me, I--

[Biting back a sob, she reaches out towards Monocle shakily.]

[1/2]

[charming-layton.livejournal.com]

I can-!

[Jumps for her.]

[2/2]

[monocle-layton.livejournal.com]

[Pulls Shescole away.]

We're leaving!

[Pulls her into his arms and darts down the corridor.]

[contraltoflute]

[She doesn't even fight it at all - she might not like Monocle usually but anything is better than her Layton - just holds onto him for dear life and buries her face in his shoulder.]

[monocle-layton.livejournal.com]

[He doesn't stop running until they are well out of that area of the Dressing Room, in an unexplored corridor. Then he slows to a stop.]

That was him.

[It wasn't a question.]

[contraltoflute]

Yes.

[She doesn't look up at all, keeping her face pressed into Monocle's shoulder and shaking all over.]

I just-- I couldn't--

...I was scared.

[monocle-layton.livejournal.com]

I know, I could see that you were.

You will stay with me.

[contraltoflute]

I don't-- I...

[Monocle scares her enough himself that she doesn't want to be staying somewhere that he knows, but on the other hand... he's the one who just saved her from her Layton, who scares her even more, and she doesn't really want to stray out of Monocle's sight at this point for fear of her Layton catching her, let alone going back to wandering again.

Add on to that the fact that she's barely eaten or slept since the election results and she's still not calmed down in the slightest from the encounter with her Layton, and all Descole can really do is burst into tears against Monocle's shoulder.]

[monocle-layton.livejournal.com]

[Rocks her.]

You aren't being given an option. I will keep you safe.

[contraltoflute]

...

...why?

[monocle-layton.livejournal.com]

Because you are one of my citizens and I care for my own.

[contraltoflute]

...but you're... I-I was scared of you too and you seemed so much like him and I...

[Monocle had seemed like her Layton until she'd had a reminder of her Layton.]

[monocle-layton.livejournal.com]

Am I... that much like him?

[contraltoflute]

...you seemed it. At first.

I-it's been years since I last saw him. I think I... f-forgot just how much he messes with me.

[monocle-layton.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm sorry you had to have a reminder. But we should keep moving.

[contraltoflute]

...mmhmm.

[She lifts her head enough to look at the side of Monocle's face.]

...I don't think your Clive will like it if I stay with you.

[monocle-layton.livejournal.com]

There's a lot of things that Clive doesn't approve of, but you need someone to care for you regardless.

[contraltoflute]

I-I...

[She can't process it in any way that makes sense to her right now.]

...why would you care?

[monocle-layton.livejournal.com]

Because... because he is a double and he abused you.

[contraltoflute]

...

...what if I deserved it?

[And she's never really said that - she's danced around it with her double, but never outright posed the question like that - but she's wondered because it's Layton and he hurt her like that, and there's a part of her that still can't reconcile Layton and what he did without thinking that she must be to blame, even now.]