on picking her up at all.

[tildeathdouspart]

I'm really not sure this is a good idea.

No, there are so many other people in this, this headspace already, I shouldn't...

Comments

[tildeathdouspart]

[She eases against him, finally. Feels a little like crumbling, and she hates losing herself to him so much. What holds her together is that she's caved like this before and survived to shoot him later. Not that she thinks he'd make that mistake again.]

No. Of course not.

[syncopath]

My own little companion. What am I going to do with you?

[He pauses thoughtfully, stroking her hair, before:]

Choose.

[tildeathdouspart]

I don't- [want to die. Of course not. She swallows thickly, pauses, makes sure she won't say that. Wasn't there a time when she'd readily have died if she could take him down with her? It seems like a long, long time ago.]

I... you know I'd do the same thing over again. And you're still giving me a choice?

[Hard to believe. On the other hand, probably the most cruel thing in this situation.]

still alive I swear (barely)

[syncopath]

[He smirks; he's far too confident to believe she'd actually succeed again.]

Don't you think even I am capable of mercy?

Barely at least. ^^;

[tildeathdouspart]

[She makes a small sound that could've been a laugh, maybe. It's a bit too broken for that now. It disgusts her to feel comfort from his embrace, but it's in there in that conflicted mess with the hate and spite and long-gone-hope. She wraps her arms around him in return, finally.]

No. Well, capable, maybe. In theory.

[Except when he calls something mercy he's only being more cruel, from what she's seen.]

[syncopath]

[Ohhh, semantics. The Master huffs out a small laugh, kisses the top of her head with more tenderness than she deserves.]

So? Choose.

[tildeathdouspart]

I don't want to die.

[syncopath]

Who does? Do you think I did?

So tell me this, darling. How are you going to make it worth my while?

[tildeathdouspart]

[This is wrong, all wrong. She should die. She should already be dead, but then, so should he, and somehow being killed by him seems much more like giving up than this does. Her hands clench in the fabric of his suit, she trembles for a moment before calming herself more or less.]

I'd do anything. Anything at all.

[syncopath]

[He smiles into her hair indulgently]

And so you will.

Use my name, Lucy. My real name. And tell me how you plan to repay your debts.