InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Good to see you, Cloud."

Mary Magdalene (gospel_of_mary) wrote in nevermore_logs,
@ 2013-05-01 22:39:00

Entry tags:

huitzilopochtli, mary magdalene

WHO: Mary Magdalene [narrative, but open to Huitzi]
WHEN: Late Tuesday night (or early Wednesday morning)
WHERE: Mary's apartment/the streets around Huitzi's place
WHAT: Bad dreams and wanting Aztecs and then HUMAN SACRIFICE, YAY!

Mary woke from a dream she didn't remember, but her sheets were soaked through with sweat. With a moan she threw them off her and got up, padding around the darkness of her apartment as she tried to remember what her nightmare had been about. But it was gone, leaving her with nothing more than lingering sadness and discomfort and, now, goosebumped skin from the cold night air.

She considered going back to bed but her sheets were damp and her body was restless. So she stripped the bed (throwing everything into a pile to be dealt with tomorrow) and got dressed in the dark.

From under her bedside dresser, Mary fished out her gun and - after double checking the safety - pushed it down the back of the waistband of her jeans. If she was going to walk the streets, she wasn't going to let anyone hassle her. (Not that the gun was really for any mortals. It was more a thing to be carried in case of demons. Demons were always lurking somewhere.)

As she walked, Mary told herself she didn't know where she was going, that she didn't have any real destination in mind. And yet after an hour of walking she wasn't at all surprised to find that she was near to the Hummingbird's building.

From the edge of his block, Mary could see lights in the building. They didn't comfort her. Those lights weren't for her, not anymore. There had been nights when light from those windows had been a beacon drawing her to a real home and to Huitzilopochtli's arms, but she'd lost all that somehow.

Across the street from the building she sat down on the pavement and watched the building, lamenting that she was on the outside and not the inside. The memories of Valentine's Day were still strong, the taste of him distant from her but something she couldn't forget.

With a sigh she dropped her head onto her knees.

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gospel_of_mary
2013-05-02 02:29 am UTC (link)

He didn't want her there and Mary knew she shouldn't be there, and yet she followed him into the building. While he ate, Mary shrugged off her jacket and set it on a chair, then pulled out her gun and set it on top. It seemed rude to remain armed here in his home.

Then she approached a little closer, letting him keep some distance but looking out over the same view he was seeing. For a while she was silent, just letting him each as she watched the city, her arms crossed protectively.

"I've been thinking about you," she finally admitted quietly.

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bluehummingbird
2013-05-02 02:50 am UTC (link)

He'd taken a seat on the railing as he often did. The sounds of the city were helping him think.

When she spoke he turned to her, then wiped the blood of his lips with the back of his hand. He wasn't sure what to say so he turned back, finished the bowl and then turned around. He rose and set the bowl on his idol. "You are never far from my mind. Both good and bad I imagine." With a sigh he leaned against the railing.

He took a knife and started toying with it. He'd never been good with social things. This awkwardness was beyond him and he saw no way out of it.

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	gospel_of_mary 2013-05-02 03:01 am UTC (link)
	"I miss just being around you," she said to him, staying where she was as she watched him. "I regret how our last meeting went. Well, no, I regret that someone forced us into doing something. I can't regret that it happened." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	bluehummingbird 2013-05-02 03:12 am UTC (link)
	He nodded, "In that, you have a point. There are good memories." He smiled then shook his head, "And the one who forced, he'll regret that decision. I am not a god who enjoys being manipulated." He was fairly sure she wouldn't go and tell anyone. "Once was forgivable. Twice, not so much." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

gospel_of_mary
2013-05-02 03:23 am UTC (link)

"Punch him in the face for me too," Mary said, her voice low and grumbling. "It's the third time that little shit has used me." Besides, Mary still saw Eros as the reason she lost Huitzilopochtli in the first place. It had been that bastard's arrow that had taken his love from her and given it to one of his own. Maybe if that had never happened, she and Huitzilopochtli would still have been together.

(Wishful thinking, too many difficulties, so many differences. Her hummingbird was always going to leave her. Mary knew that much.)

"Tell me honestly," Mary said, looking at him. "Is there any chance that you and I could be close again? We were friends once, weren't we?"

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bluehummingbird
2013-05-02 03:50 am UTC (link)

He gave a nod to her request. "Will do." Love was a thing he'd tried and now was in his past. Somehow it kept ending up badly, so he didn't think himself really up to the task. So few could understand him. "He seems to think himself untouchable. I'm going to correct him."

Her question made him look at her, and he tilted his head. "I cannot answer that. I consider you someone dear to me. Not many leave their marks on me. You did." He rose and walked closer, leaning against the icon. "But then I would torture myself with always being near, yet unable to touch. A thing I hope would pass in time."

He crossed his arms, "I think, if we keep to certain boundaries, yes. If you understand what I am, knowing that I won't stop my path not even for you then we can be friends. I can learn we are simply too different for one another. In time."

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gospel_of_mary
2013-05-02 08:13 am UTC (link)

"Good," Mary agreed, because at least on this subject they were on safe ground.

"I'll never stand in the way of what you need or want, not ever again. Tell me what I can do," Mary whispered, arms wrapping around herself again. "I've failed in the past but I care about you more than anyone. Ask me to renounce my faith. Ask me to sell my soul to the devil and I would do it." Her voice was quiet but ernest. She wasn't lying when she said it. If what it took was giving up her own immortal soul for Huitzilipoctli then it would be done.

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bluehummingbird
2013-05-02 08:39 am UTC (link)

He watched her for a long moment, "you're serious." He didn't believe in the Christian's concept of soul, but he could understand it. Sort of. "I can't ask that. I don't even fully understand what that is, but I get it enough to where I can't ask that. I may be a lot of things, but I'm not a monster."

He ran his hands through his hair, frustrated and trying to shut the little voice up that wanted her back. "Your faith is as ingrained in you as I am a God. Your faith made you immortal. Besides, I've told you I have no issues with your Christ. Just everyone who follows him." He leaned against the icon and sighed, "I don't know what you can do. We are so different Mary."

He tilted his head, "you say so much and I'd like to believe you. But here. There's a man in a room, bound. He invaded my home. A member of a gang not of my own, trying to gain ground. Tomorrow, at dawn, he dies. They will tie him to this icon, and give me his heart. This is war. This is me. Can you stand here, next to me, and watch that man die? See them take his heart out, while it beats it's last, and offer it to me? He's done nothing to you. He's just unlucky enough to be caught."

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gospel_of_mary
2013-05-02 08:52 am UTC (link)

They were different, on that she agreed, but she didn't want to let that completely end everything. Plenty of people were different. There was relief though that he didn't want her to sell her soul, that he understood enough what that meant. She didn't want to go to Hell at the end of days, but for time with him she would have.

She was glad that he hadn't made her choose though: Huitzilopochtli or Jesus, the two men she'd loved.

Huitzilopochtli spoke of the man to be killed tomorrow and swallowed the tightness in her throat. Could she do that? Could she let a human being die to have what she wanted?

Didn't she give enough to them? She'd provided support and safety and love to them her whole life, what was one life to that? And what was one life that Huitzilopochtli needed for his own life?

She thought about it for a long time, turning the question over in her head. Then she lifted her eyes to him again and said, "yes. Yes, I can stand beside you for this."

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bluehummingbird
2013-05-02 09:13 am UTC (link)

That surprised him. But words were one thing, actions another. "We'll see." He rose then. "Dawn is soon at hand. I need to change." He didn't know if she'd ever seen him dressed as the god he was. One way or another he'd see where this led.

"Do as you like in the meantime." He wouldn't stop her if she'd leave now. He walked to his room himself. When he returned he'd left behind his mortal mask. He emerged dressed as he'd once had, in nothing but a long loincloth and blue paint. A headdress of feathers sat on his head and the same feathers were tied to all his limbs. He'd painted his face as he'd once had in war. If anything, he'd see the mortal off as what he'd been before.

Subtly he was different. More god then man. The heat radiated off his skin almost visibly, and when he sat before his icon he looked detached. The most obvious thing were his eyes, as they blazed brightly.

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gospel_of_mary
2013-05-02 09:30 am UTC (link)

While Huitzilopochtli was gone, Mary felt weak in her limbs. What had she agreed to? Could she do this?

She made her way to the room of the building that had once been hers, but it was empty now. In the corner were her boxes of things that had never been sent on and she went over to them now, opening one of the lids and looking through it. Her hand fell on one of her dresses, sky blue and soft. A dress she had always thought of as Huitzilopochtli's.

So in that empty room she drew off everything she wore and slipped into that dress instead, pulling her hair out of the ponytail and leaving her feet bare. It felt right to shed the clothes she'd worn here.

In that same box she found both the necklace and earrings he had once given her. Those she put on as well and took a few deep breaths with her eyes closed.

Then she returned to the room Huitzilopochtli had left her in and waited silently, eyes cast down as she considered this choice. When Huitzilopochtli returned Mary found she barely recognised him.

All she could do was watch him now, her breath heavy and anxious.

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bluehummingbird
2013-05-02 09:47 am UTC (link)

He didn't acknowledge her, nor did his warriors. To them, this was a sacred thing. They brought the man out and draped him over the altar. The mortal been given drugs so he wouldn't struggle, and he seemed to barely register where he was.

The priest started to chant, holding the obsidian blade over the mortal's chest. When the sun crested just above the horizon, the priest struck and with quick movements brought out the heart. It was done so quickly the heart beat it's last pulses as the mortal gurgled, then died.

Reverently the priest gave the god the heart and without any hesitation Huitzilopotchli took the offering and bit into it. His mouth was covered with blood when he drew back, and only then did he look to Mary and tilt his head, to see what she would do.

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	gospel_of_mary 2013-05-02 09:59 am UTC (link)
	At her sides Mary's hands were clenched so tightly that her arm muscles shook and her nails drew blood from her palms. She had flinched and closed her eyes when the knife struck, but then forced herself to look again. She had to look. She had to see. She wanted to cry. But she met Huitzilopochtli's eye when he looked at her and she didn't falter. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bluehummingbird
2013-05-02 10:05 am UTC (link)

He'd expected her to run. He was impressed she'd stayed, then wondered how long she could pretend she was alright with this. He remained as they cleaned up the body and handed his priest the heart. It'd be used for next months supply.

He wished he didn't have to ration, but it kept people distant. When the warriors retreated to make sure the body would be served as a warning he glanced back to Mary. He purposefully didn't go to change. She had to see him as he was, not the mask he wore.

Then he rose and walked to her. He extended his hand. "This is who I am, blood and all. I won't wear masks Mary."

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gospel_of_mary
2013-05-02 10:12 am UTC (link)

"I won't ever ask you to," Mary promised him. The blood made her uncomfortable, the death made her uncomfortable and sad, but didn't he deserve to live just as everyone else did? What was the difference between her eating cow and him eating humans? (Mary knew the answer to that but she ignored it.)

"I'll never make you change," she said, swallowing her doubt and taking his hand. "And if I can't handle it... I'll walk away. I'll walk away and I'll stay away and that will be my failing, never yours."

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bluehummingbird
2013-05-02 10:20 am UTC (link)

He didn't know what was worse. That he believed her despite seeing the signs, or that he just ignored the signs. Still he tugged her a bit closer so he could set his free arm around her and set his head against hers.

He kept her like that for a while before drawing back and removing the headdress. "A tiny shadow of what I had in Tentochitlan. I make do." He shrugged. "For what it's worth. I won't ask you to change. I'll ask you not to stop my rituals, the sacrifices but you don't need to participate. It's not your blood I want."

Then he smiled at her and reached out his hand ot set it on her cheek. "I don't see this ending well, but it's all I have."

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gospel_of_mary
2013-05-02 10:28 am UTC (link)

Mary didn't tell him that she saw it falling apart as well. They both knew how unstable this was. She closed her eyes with his head pressed to hers, and in his arms there she felt better than she had in so long. Since she'd been his before.

She would have kissed him then if she didn't believe she'd taste the blood in his mouth. Death she could ignore, but she refused to partake in it herself.

"I love you," Mary told him. "All I care about is you."

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	bluehummingbird 2013-05-02 10:40 am UTC (link)
	He closed his eyes to that and nodded, "I love you." He always would, bad as though this may end. But he was lonely and he'd missed her. "We should take one step at a time, so perhaps it is best that you return home. I'd rather you not, but I do not wish to go too fast either." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	gospel_of_mary 2013-05-02 10:46 am UTC (link)
	Mary just nodded. She needed to go home and process all that had happened here. Taking his face in her hands, Mary stood up on her toes and kissed his forehead tenderly. Then she stood back down and smiled at him. "I'll come around in a few days," she said, her voice soft. (Reply to this) (Parent)

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