Waking from a nightmare...

[myblueskies]

Who: Romeo and Open
Where: Luggage carriage and then dining room
When: Evening of day 18, month of Egret
What: Romeo returns from hiatus, believing his best friend dead. (Note: Both parts are open, but I ask that we allow Joss the "honour" of the reveal.)
Warnings: Very sad, grieving small child. Mentions of death.



Waking- luggage carriage

When Romeo opened his eyes the rage he had felt was all gone. For a moment it was just like any other morning and he sat up, still in his flight suit, pushing upwards when he realised there was a roof to his bed. Not a bed. A suitcase.

He sat up, bleerily eyed and looked around. He was back on the train, in the luggage carriage.

Joss was dead.

The fact hit him hard. Joss was dead. And he was back on the train. He looked at his hands and noticed the blight spotting his skin. He was blighted? Yes. Because he had been bad. Joss had died because he wasn't quick enough or strong enough and then he had gotten really angry and wanted to kill the bad enemy.

Had he hurt Elfnein?

Bad shinki hurt their gods and the idea that he might have hurt her was terrible. But not as terrible as the fact that Joss was dead.

He sat there for a very long time, numb, staring at nothing. Joss... His best friend. It couldn't be true but it had been. It hadn't been a dream. This isn't his bed.

Slowly he clambered out of the suitcase on shaking legs, he held on to the trunks and suitcases. His heart hurt too much for him to be able to walk confidently. But also his body hurt as well, blight and bruises mottled his skin.

One step, then another. He needed to find Elfnein. But he just wanted to curl up and cry forever and ever and ever.

Romeo stumbles into the dressing carriage, pale and bruised. Exhausted and dazed. For those that know him there is none of the perpetually enthusiastic, hopeful child they know. Instead he shuffles his feet, looking lost as he makes his way into the light.

Later: In the dining room

Romeo is sat on one of the benches, he looks exhausted and shell shocked. But a lot less sad. He's confused but can only be grateful that Joss was not dead after all. His best friend was not gone forever.

He had still been bad and he had a lot of big things to think about but he was very tired and very very hungry so he was sat with a plate of food, picking at it. Despite his hunger he seemed to lack his normal appetite.

Maybe it was because he was too exhausted, everything still hurt but it was fine. Because Joss wasn't dead. That was the biggest thing, a thing that made hope in his heart.

Comments

[myblueskies]

"I am glad to see you too sir." He nodded, no one else had been there when the bad person had killed Joss, people must have been very confused and sad.

"I'm sorry we made you sad sir. I'm really glad Joss has come back."

[so_dark_a_road]

"Have I ever told you that you don't need to call me sir or mister? I'm not that formal with young people." He smiled. "I'm fine if you just call me Curufin."

And then of course he had to add, "No apologies necessary! Getting killed was not something you chose to do. And I'm sure you're happy about Joss. You two are close friends, and it's wonderful you're reunited."

[myblueskies]

He nodded, he remembered. He didn't have to say sir to Curufin. But his eyes widened a moment later.

"I died too?"

He didn't remember dying. It was all very confusing and scary but the bad person had ran away and Romeo had been about to go after them, he had been all mad and angry and had bad thoughts, which was why he was blighted now. But died? He didn't remember dying.

[so_dark_a_road]

"All right, I'm not sure if you died or not. I wasn't there and can't say. But you did apparently disappear, because it's only the dead or the disappeared who come back via the luggage car. If that's what happened, you didn't choose that either, so you're not to blame for it."

Always verify your facts before talking to a kid, Curufin!

[myblueskies]

"Oh." Well that was a relief, though disappearing was really strange as well! Where had he gone? How had he ended up in the luggage carriage.

"Did I miss a lot?"

[so_dark_a_road]

Questions everybody on the train must have, either because of Romeo's disappearance, other people's, or their own. Where did they go? How did they end up in the luggage car? How on earth did the train bring them back? And for that matter, how did the train bring them here in the first place??

"I'm not sure how much you missed. You went on the mission, right? What's the last thing you remember?"

[myblueskies]

He nodded, looking subdued once again. "I did... I was with Joss... Then a bad person was trying to do something to the space station, Joss could see him because his eyes are really good."

Were good, they weren't so much anymore. Dying had done something to him, made him not a vampire anymore. But that was much better than him being dead forever.

"Then they attacked and... I tried... Joss pushed me out the way and then..." Tears filled his eyes again, because even though Joss was okay now, back and alive. It had still been a terrible thing. "Then he died and I... I got really mad... Then I woke up in the suitcase."

[so_dark_a_road]

"Joss was protecting you with his life. He cares a great deal what happens to you. He's a brave soul."

He slid onto the bench beside Romeo and looked at him with empathetic eyes. "Then you know for sure that he died but not what happened to you. Maybe the train pulled you out of there in order to rescue you."

[myblueskies]

Joss was really brave. He was the bravest, bestest friend Romeo had and he was so sad that he had been hurt to try and save Romeo. It made him sad and mad all at the same time.

The idea that the train had rescued him made him even more mad!

"Why would it do that? Why would it save me but not Joss! Joss died! He had a big hole in his chest and he was all dead and... and..."

If the train could rescue them like it had Romeo, why would it not have done the same for Joss. He squeezed his eyes shut to try and keep the tears inside him.

[so_dark_a_road]

A feeling that Curufn could well understand. His brother Caranthir had been mortally wounded while trying to distract Dior, their adversary in a sword fight, so that Curufin could kill him. Curufin hadn't had time to mourn his brother for very long, since Curufin himself did not survive for more than a few hours after that fight. But the feeling was similar -- he was inundated with anger and sorrow.

"I don't know, Romeo. I agree, the train should have saved you both."

He set a gentle hand on Romeo's shoulder. No one who was feeling such grief should have to endure it alone, especially not such a loving person as Romeo. Life and death were serious matters, and the death of a loved one was a terrible thing.

[myblueskies]

Romeo paused at the heavy hand on his shoulder and then turned into Curufin's arms as the tears escaped from him anyways. He was trying to keep his spirits up because Joss was back now, but it had been so scary and so bad. If the train was able to save them it should have saved Joss first! Joss had been hurt and killed and Romeo hadn't been able to help him.

He knew he wasn't meant to cry but it hurt and was scary and for a moment he just stood and sobbed for Joss. For his best friend who had saved him and gotten killed. Who now was all changed again.

It hurt a lot and he was so confused so he couldn't stop the tears even though he tried.

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin knelt and put his arms around the grief-stricken child as long ago he had done for his own small son. He tried to convey nonverbally with the the gentleness of this gesture that it was all right to cry. Romeo's face was turned against Curufin's shoulder and his tears fell on the Elf's shirt. Curufin's eyes were tender as he held the child and offered solace and comfort out of the warmth of his heart.

[myblueskies]

The arms around him just made him cry more and for a moment he didn't think he would ever stop. Once the tears left his eyes they just kept coming and he trembled in Curufin's embrace. Everything hurt and was terrible and he could do nothing but cling to Curufin's sleeve and cry.

After a few moments though he slowly calmed down, he blinked and looked up at Curufin, looking very confused at what had just happened. He couldn't remember every crying, not like that.

"Sorry sir..."

[so_dark_a_road]

"No apologies, Romeo. Everybody sheds tears. Especially for those they love and have lost, even if the lost one comes back."

[myblueskies]

"They do?" That was a relief at least. The tears had come out of nowhere and now that they were drying he felt a bit embarrassed about them. He had just felt so sad about Joss.

He sniffed, feeling a bit shaky as he rubbed at his eyes, still feeling confused and a bit sad. But not as terribly sad as he had a few moments ago.

[so_dark_a_road]

"Yes, we do. It's natural." He smiled at Romeo. "I can't think of anyone whom I've known for a long time who hasn't wept for someone."

There was another important thing about tears. They washed your heart clean, and they also gave you the experience of the depth of your own love. Painful as they were, they enriched your soul.

[myblueskies]

He nodded, looking up at Curufin with big wide eyes. That was good then, if everyone cried for people. Even if had been strange and a bit embarrassing, at least it was normal.

He found a smile and nodded at Curufin. "Thank you, mister Curvo."

[so_dark_a_road]

Those big wide eyes were affecting Curufin. He really felt protective of this young person. He smiled at Romeo, hearing him use Curufin's nickname.

"You're welcome, Romeo. I'm really glad you're back, and that Joss is back, and that you have each other as friends. Feel free to come talk to me if you ever feel sad again, by the way."

[myblueskies]

"Thank you mister Curvo." He nodded, he would try and remember that and go and speak to him if he got sad again. It was nice to know there were such nice grown ups that would try and help.

Want to wrap this one?

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin just smiled at Romeo with kindness. He was glad to help. It was good to know that he could.

Yep!

[myblueskies]