confession . . . ? - MUMBLE

[Mumble]

Um.

Umm.

......

To say that Mumble hadn't been expecting that reaction would be like saying...well, there really isn't an analogy that implies that level of obvious. He had no words, had no response to that at all other than staring, eyes wide (even wider than usual), trying to piece together everything he'd just heard. She'd...killed her parents? And her sister? And now she was stalking some niece (Mumble didn't even know she had a niece...), and he had for even one minute ever doubted that she had it in her to kill him in cold blood.

Yeah, he was screwed. She was either homicidal and out of her mind, or just out of her mind enough to make up stories about being a homicidal maniac. Neither of those seemed to predict a positive outcome in Mumble's future. What was he supposed to say? That he was sorry for her misfortune?

"That sucks," he said, finally. He didn't even have the presence of mind to think that was a stupid reaction, because there was no good reaction here. There just wasn't, so whatever he said, it was going to be a bad idea. He might as well just say what he was thinking. Which was that yeah, her life seemed like it had sucked. She couldn't possibly be happy like this. Maybe she took sadistic pleasure in causing other people pain, but she couldn't actually be happy.

[redd]

She couldn't help it - Redd laughed at Mumble's reaction, a peal of almost girlish giggles that was so far beyond characteristic for her that she was mildly surprised herself that it had escaped her lips. She pressed a hand against her lips as if afraid it might slip out again, before her gaze turned back to Mumble.

"Sucks, would be an understatement." She said slowly and as she did, the vines covering the door of the tiny box curled toward her, wrapping themselves around her left arm, completely disappearing from the door. She studied them as they wrapped around her arm, the thorns digging through the fabric of her shirt and into her skin.

"We all have things we're not particularly proud of, Mumble. I just happen to have a lot more than most people." She continued without looking at him. Her lips twisted as if she wanted to smile, and the ghost of one briefly flashed across her face.

"Magic doesn't help, either. Too little magic and you thirst for more. Too much magic, like I have, drives you beyond the point of insanity. I suppose I can attribute most of my mental issues to it. Black Imagination has a tendency to twist the user's mind beyond repair." She sighed. "I don't know why I'm telling you this, really. It's not as if you care at all. So go ahead. Leave. I know you want to and I'm letting you."

She cast him a smirk.

"No tricks. Promise. And I'll probably not bother you again."

[Mumble]

This was getting creepier by the minute. He didn't even know how to deal with it. He was fairly well used to dealing with Redd being violent and hurtful and saying really hostile things, but the giggling was definitely new, and took the level of creepy just a notch or two higher.

He relaxed, only slightly, but only because she'd pulled the vines back and most definitely not because of anything she was saying. He didn't believe her for a second. He wanted to, wanted to just say "oh, thanks," and walk away, but...whatever mind game she was playing, he was walking right into it. Somehow, he was feeling sorry for her.

"You're right," he said, quietly, coming over to stand in front of her. And then something shifted, the terror in his eyes changed just slightly into something no one else would probably even notice. For all of his shortcomings and his utter lack of ability to make good decisions, Mumble had shining moments every now and then, little moments that indicated that someday, if he kept at it, he just might be a good person. "I don't care." He wasn't going to lie about that. There wasn't a chance in the world or anywhere under it that he was going to lie awake at night and agonize over what terrible things Redd's magic had done to her brain. "But someday, somebody will."

He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, which was a pretty weird thing to do to someone who'd terrorized you and threatened your life, then he turned around and headed for the door.