[One of the best experiences Maul said came out of Deerington. It doesn't come as much of a shock, given Maul, but it still speaks at least a little bit to the sort of horror the town inflicted on all of them.]
You got sewn to a deer and almost burned alive, and you call that one of your best memories?
[She's smiling a little, and says with a hint of amusement:]
It's one of my best memories because that was the day I met the man I eventually fell in love with.
[Maul explains. It is a bit messed up for Maul to feel this way over such a traumatic experience, he knows, but it was one that had led to one of the best relationships Maul had ever had in his life. He'd fallen in love a little with Reaper right from the very start.]
That's my mate, Reaper. We parted ways after Deerington so he could go back to his own world but he came back to me here in Trench because he loves me and I love him.
[Willow's eyebrows raise as Maul explains. She's never encountered anyone named Reaper, and given her history with Maul, and what's she seen from that memory, that's probably not a bad thing.]
I never knew you were seeing anyone.
[Or, at least she doesn't think she did. Maybe he had mentioned it before and she simply can't recall it.]
It does sound like you two must love each other a lot, if he gave up going home to come here instead.
There are many things you don't v know about me. [For all his vicious nature, Maul isn't a dumb animal. He's multifaceted.] Besides, he and I don't advertise it the way the youth of this city do, draping ourselves all over one another at every opportunity.
[They are more private and subdued than all that. Maul nods, a soft look coming over his face.]
He gave up his quest for revenge for me. That's how I know how important I am to him.
[And Maul of all people knows how important revenge can be to a person.]
I imagine that probably goes both ways. It's not like we've ever gotten to know each other that well socially.
[Mostly, at least in the past, she's preferred he know as little about her as possible. It seems to matter a little less with Maul at least making the attempt to do better.]
[As usual, Maul accepts no responsibility for the idea that it's hard to connect with someone you've made multiple murder attempts on.]
He's one of the most important people here to me. I tore down an entire street in my quest to get to his murderer months ago. Did you miss that?
[Maul had been in a huge towering rage, one none of his loved ones even attempted to calm him down from. It was the first time he'd called Reaper his mate and accepted their relationship here is for the long haul. He's never going to take the death of those he loves with a calm, serene nature. The only way he'd known of how to deal with his grief and rage was to try and murder Lance, the one who'd caused it all.]
[Incredulity rises in her voice. Wow, Maul. Just wow.]
I make it difficult?
[In case he didn't hear her the first time.
It's far harder to control the flare of temper with the stress of the last few months; between all the grief, and horror, and the exhaustion from far too many sleepless nights.]
Who tried to kill who, exactly? And I don't know if I missed your rampage, because I still can't remember my time in Trench before you actually did kill me.
[She remembers bits and pieces sometimes - little flashes of familiar moments that confirm what she's already been told. That March had not been the first time she had washed up on these shores. Frustrating doesn't even begin to cover it.]
Considering you judged me before you even knew me, as most people here have done, and then decided to punish me, you're not blameless either.
[Gotta hand it to Maul. He commits to saying things with his usual audacity in a wholehearted fashion, no backing down or trying to weasel his way out of things.]
Still? Is there no one here who can recover memories from the mind?
You cut off my friend's arm. You tried to kill me over an argument we had on the network, and you destroyed my house. I'm pretty sure my actions to defend myself - and others - were pretty justified.
And anyway, no. I haven't found anyone here who can help so far. I guess I could talk to Remina, but I'm not sure how much I want to get the Pthumerians involved.
You chose to involve yourself. Everyone here who likes meddling in my affairs chose to do that. You all had the chance to walk away but instead decided things like "teaching me a lesson" were more important.
[He's never going to stop holding that against her or Luna. Constantine had gone back to the sea and Maul still holds it against him.
He pauses, seems on the verge of saying something, stops, and then finally starts again. This is a bad idea to make the offer he's about to. But Maul does it anyway.]
I have skill in manipulations of the mind. I might be able to help.
[He knows there's no way in hell Willow would ever trust him enough to accept but it's been made all the same.]
[Willow drops the argument suddenly, and falls silent as though seriously considering his offer. She's made very little progress on her own, and it feels very much like she ought to be looking for another solution.
Is she desperate enough to let her killer mess with her mind?
She considers it for about half a second before she decides no. No, she is not. Not yet, anyway. No matter how much he appears to have changed.
Still, she can't deny it's a strong testament to just how far he's come that he even suggested it, and she doesn't want to rebuke him too harshly. So instead, she tips her head in a slight nod of acknowledgement.]
Uh, thanks. I'll - I'll keep that in mind. There's still a few things I might try first, though.
[He figures she would give an answer something like that, although she has done it a bit more diplomatically and polite than Maul thought she would.]
Well, the offer is there should you ever feel the need to use it.
[Maul isn't going to go back on his word that easily, not in this case. He still needs to make things right between he and Willow. He believes in balance and there is still none after he killed her.]
[She chooses to take it as a sign that he's taking responsibility for his actions, and trying to fix the things that have gone wrong because of what he did. She thought he had meant it back in March when he said he had wanted to change, but it gives her a great deal of hope that he's actually backing it up with his actions.]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2022-06-01 12:31 am (UTC)You got sewn to a deer and almost burned alive, and you call that one of your best memories?
[She's smiling a little, and says with a hint of amusement:]
You know that's kind of messed up, right?
[Then, turning back to serious.]
So, who's the guy?
no subject
Date: 2022-06-01 01:35 am (UTC)[Maul explains. It is a bit messed up for Maul to feel this way over such a traumatic experience, he knows, but it was one that had led to one of the best relationships Maul had ever had in his life. He'd fallen in love a little with Reaper right from the very start.]
That's my mate, Reaper. We parted ways after Deerington so he could go back to his own world but he came back to me here in Trench because he loves me and I love him.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-03 03:09 am (UTC)I never knew you were seeing anyone.
[Or, at least she doesn't think she did. Maybe he had mentioned it before and she simply can't recall it.]
It does sound like you two must love each other a lot, if he gave up going home to come here instead.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-03 06:22 am (UTC)[They are more private and subdued than all that. Maul nods, a soft look coming over his face.]
He gave up his quest for revenge for me. That's how I know how important I am to him.
[And Maul of all people knows how important revenge can be to a person.]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-05 09:33 am (UTC)[Mostly, at least in the past, she's preferred he know as little about her as possible. It seems to matter a little less with Maul at least making the attempt to do better.]
I'm guessing he's pretty important to you too.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-07 08:52 am (UTC)[As usual, Maul accepts no responsibility for the idea that it's hard to connect with someone you've made multiple murder attempts on.]
He's one of the most important people here to me. I tore down an entire street in my quest to get to his murderer months ago. Did you miss that?
[Maul had been in a huge towering rage, one none of his loved ones even attempted to calm him down from. It was the first time he'd called Reaper his mate and accepted their relationship here is for the long haul. He's never going to take the death of those he loves with a calm, serene nature. The only way he'd known of how to deal with his grief and rage was to try and murder Lance, the one who'd caused it all.]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-09 04:17 am (UTC)[Incredulity rises in her voice. Wow, Maul. Just wow.]
I make it difficult?
[In case he didn't hear her the first time.
It's far harder to control the flare of temper with the stress of the last few months; between all the grief, and horror, and the exhaustion from far too many sleepless nights.]
Who tried to kill who, exactly? And I don't know if I missed your rampage, because I still can't remember my time in Trench before you actually did kill me.
[She remembers bits and pieces sometimes - little flashes of familiar moments that confirm what she's already been told. That March had not been the first time she had washed up on these shores. Frustrating doesn't even begin to cover it.]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-09 10:20 pm (UTC)[Gotta hand it to Maul. He commits to saying things with his usual audacity in a wholehearted fashion, no backing down or trying to weasel his way out of things.]
Still? Is there no one here who can recover memories from the mind?
no subject
Date: 2022-06-11 06:07 am (UTC)And anyway, no. I haven't found anyone here who can help so far. I guess I could talk to Remina, but I'm not sure how much I want to get the Pthumerians involved.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-11 09:07 am (UTC)[He's never going to stop holding that against her or Luna. Constantine had gone back to the sea and Maul still holds it against him.
He pauses, seems on the verge of saying something, stops, and then finally starts again. This is a bad idea to make the offer he's about to. But Maul does it anyway.]
I have skill in manipulations of the mind. I might be able to help.
[He knows there's no way in hell Willow would ever trust him enough to accept but it's been made all the same.]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-12 06:21 am (UTC)Is she desperate enough to let her killer mess with her mind?
She considers it for about half a second before she decides no. No, she is not. Not yet, anyway. No matter how much he appears to have changed.
Still, she can't deny it's a strong testament to just how far he's come that he even suggested it, and she doesn't want to rebuke him too harshly. So instead, she tips her head in a slight nod of acknowledgement.]
Uh, thanks. I'll - I'll keep that in mind. There's still a few things I might try first, though.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-12 11:30 pm (UTC)Well, the offer is there should you ever feel the need to use it.
[Maul isn't going to go back on his word that easily, not in this case. He still needs to make things right between he and Willow. He believes in balance and there is still none after he killed her.]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-16 05:29 am (UTC)Thank you. Really.