[closed]

[69problems]

Who | The Signless and Marius
What | Marius tries to mercy kill his bro and spectacularly fails to go through with it
Where | The cinema
When | A wibbly-wobbly point during Week 3
Warnings | Attempted murder, possibly in-depth talk of death, depression, suicide and morality

The Signless has finally left the food court for a different, darker, less-traveled hiding place. It means he has less access to food and water but at the rate things are going for him he doesn't think it will particularly matter soon. There's always the grungy popcorn if he really, really needs to eat. He's curled up in the back row of seats, ignoring what's going on on the screen, not exactly sleeping but dozing in that way you do when you're weak and monumentally tired.

He doesn't even notice when someone else enters the theater, but with the light glinting off the sequins on his outfit he's probably easy to spot, even far up in the back like he is.

Comments

[saisamour]

Marius discards the uncomfortable, ridiculous costume the very moment opportunity shows itself to him, and he now traverses the mall in a plain, black jacket and black jeans he had acquired from the racks of the department store. In his hands is a silk neck-tie, which he wraps and unwraps around his palm, again and again.

How he had gotten to the cinemas he does not know; it seems as if, ever since Cosette disappeared, he's been trapped in a tedious, wearisome dream, where sense did not exist and reason did not matter. But he's here because of a simple order: put those who are suffering out of their misery.

Truth be told he reflected little on the morality behind it, only that it had to be done. He pushes the heavy doors into the theatre, finds the light from the moving pictures on the screen and the spill from the doorway catching on something glittering in the dark. His breath hitches but only momentarily, and he steps into the shadows, wondering if the person has noticed him.

[69problems]

Indeed the person has. In such an empty place as this theater any movement that's not on the screen immediately draws his eye.

The one good thing about Marius's ridiculous fluff of hair is that it's distinctive. Signless uncurls a little and looks closer, just to be sure, but there's no mistaking a familiar face (which, thanks to troll night vision, he can see fairly clearly).

"Marius?" he says in a loud whisper.

[saisamour]

His shoulders tense, and for a moment he wishes all of a sudden to run away as if he had been caught doing something disgraceful. But the tension and the feeling disappears after a few seconds, and he steps into the light, the flickering of the screen casting odd shadows upon his face.

He nods in acknowledgement and approaches Signless, neck-tie still wrapped in one hand, and then stops on the seat next to him although he does not settle into it. His head cants almost imperceptibly to one side as he notes Signless's present state and searches for any fatal, or soon-to-be fatal wounds.

[69problems]

There's nothing actively bleeding out, at least. He has some tears in his skating outfit where Nasir attacked him, but the cuts beneath were shallow and are scabbed over already. One of his horns is cracked, but that's only really painful if pressure is put on it. The most obvious injury is his burns, currently covered by torn strips of cotton shirts pilfered from the various clothing stores. Some of it is visible on his face, which was harder to bandage, and it's bubbled and off-color and ugly.

"It's good to see you," he says with a half-smile that pulls at that discolored skin near his mouth.

[saisamour]

Marius winces as if it's his skin that's been burned, or perhaps it's because of the gut-stab from the abrupt guilt summoned by that unsuspecting, friendly greeting. He shifts on his feet, suddenly uncertain of what to do, before setting onto the seat beside Signless and giving him a short, stiff nod. He tries to meet his eyes but finds that he cannot, so he casts them down onto his hands, silent, and stares at the tie; unwrapping it around his hand, wrapping, unwrapping again.

Signless will not last a week, he thinks to himself, it is better to end his suffering now. Is that not what Enjolras believes, after all? Is it not acceptable, to keep his comrades and friends from suffering? To cut short their time in this constructed hell?

He's quiet all the while as he reflects on it, and the most indication of his troubled thoughts is his furrowed brow and lips drawn into a thin line.

[69problems]

His smile fades to be replaced by a look of concern. Marius has never been the bubbliest of people, especially not recently, but this seems a little out of the ordinary even for him. He would have expected a greeting at the very least, even a terse or unenthusiastic one.

"Is something wrong?" he asks gently, setting his good hand on Marius's arm.

[saisamour]

Marius jumps slightly at the touch, but it does prompt him into finally glancing at Signless. He pushes down the guilt, the second-guessing, but it is difficult when he knows he is about to break one person's trust.

"You will not last longer than a week," he says, less directed at Signless and more as if to convince himself that what he is about to do is right.

[69problems]

He pulls back a little, his brows drawing down in confusion. There's something here that feels off, something that he can tell he's missing, and it's making him just a little uneasy.

"I... I've been surviving well enough so far. If I keep my head down I may last longer. You don't need to worry about me."

Oh, Signless, if only you knew.

[saisamour]

At the retreat Marius panics; what if Signless runs? What if he escapes? What if he cannot do this, after all?

He unfurls the tie and holds it in both hands, so tight that his knuckles grow white against the flicker of light from the screen. His heart beats fast against his chest, and there is something deep within him that he ignores, this nagging, insistent feeling that twists his gut and makes him sick.

"Perhaps, but unlikely." He fixes his eyes on Signless, steady despite his mild irresoluteness. "My friend." A deep breath. "Forgive me for what I must do."

And with that, he lunges from his seat and attempts to wrap the tie around Signless's neck.

[69problems]

"What--" he starts, and then he lets out a strangled shout as Marius lunges at him. What the hell? Instinctively he brings up his arms to try and push Marius away, but with only one of them actually able to grip he doesn't get very far in that endeavor and winds up just sort of frantically pushing instead. Inhuman hisses slip from between his teeth, a reflexive warning signal he's not even really aware of making.

"Stop!"

[saisamour]

Marius lets out a strained, frustrated cry, although he does lean back. He grits his teeth, however, and quickly tries again, lunging forward, one knee on his seat, the other on the floor to give him balance. It's a little more difficult to aim with all the pushing his target is doing; it would have been easier if Signless simply surrendered.

"Do not move!" It comes out almost pleading. He does not want to do this, but what other choice does he have?

[69problems]

He only hisses louder, fangs bared even though the snarl tugs at the burnt corner of his mouth something awful. A little bit of discomfort is better than death, even death at the hands of a friend.

"Marius, no!" He manages to get a hand on that tie; if nothing else now he can force space between it and his neck to allow him to breathe.

"You are not a murderer, you're better than this--"

[saisamour]

Something about what Signless says causes Marius, abruptly, to freeze. He blinks; he's still bent slightly on top of Signless but he eases the pressure on the tie and, after a while, sinks back into his chair, wide-eyed, as if suddenly yanked out of a nightmare.

He recalls the barricades and isn't certain whether he should laugh or cry. He settles for the former, letting out a short, bitter sound that's more of a choke than a cackle, then away, down to the tie in his hands.

"I am not."

[69problems]

"You are," Signless says firmly. He places his burnt hand over one of Marius's, and then leans forward to wrap his good arm around his friend's shoulders.

"You are. I know you think you'd be doing me a kindness but it would hurt you and I don't want that."