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Tweak says, "I'll take that for $200, Alex."

Hans (woodcuttersson) wrote in spinningcompass,
@ 2013-08-17 17:17:00

Entry tags:

!closed, !plot

Who: Future Little Hansel and Juliet
Where: Ending up at Vinyamar
What: Hansel going back into hiding
When: Around 4am Saturday
Rating: Likely low
Open: No
Status: Ongoing
It didn't take long for Hansel to make his way through the streets and out to where he could access the palace. He'd found many different paths from the city to the palace, most of them at night. He needed supplies and hunting provided only so much, but this trip was different. This time he left something rather than taking something. It didn't matter, really. He knew his way around the island probably better than anyone.

He did his best to ensure that he wasn't followed. It was more because he didn't want anyone to know that he was there. It was better to let the future kids believe him dead. Better to let them mourn him than know he'd simply gone into hiding, too much of a coward to live life without Sophia. Once inside the palace, he pulled off his hooded cape, draping it over his arm.

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winters__heat
2013-08-17 06:32 pm UTC (link)

Izzy had warned Juliet about patrolling at night, but the only thing Juliet had really listened to was the 'don't kill anyone!' instruction her 'sister' had given her. And Juliet had promised her she wouldn't. It didn't stop her from discovering there were quite a few things that were out at night on this Island than showed their faces, or themselves, during the day.

And tonight was no different. Though this time she couldn't see the face, just the shadow that moved almost imperceptibly, her eye catching the flick of a corner of a cape as it disappeared around a corner.

Quickly she hugged the wall, and silently followed the equally silent figure as it melted through the streets and out to a path Juliet hadn't discovered until now. With great care to ensure her quarry couldn't hear her she followed him along the path, until a large dark structure was eventually looming over them. The figure entered, Juliet remaining crouched behind an ancient stone statue that appeared almost as if it was protecting the place.

What the hell is this place?

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woodcuttersson
2013-08-17 06:38 pm UTC (link)

Hansel made his way into what he was calling the living room. It was really the grand hall. With a fireplace large enough that he could live in it by itself, let alone the rest of the castle. He used the light of an oil lamp to light the logs currently nestled in the large fireplace. Whenever he was away, he would put out all of the fires, save for one small lamp that he could use to light his way around the palace, since he never went out during the day.

Once the fire was roaring, giving the entire hall light as well as a little heat, he sat down in a chair not far away, just staring at the flames as they flickered.

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winters__heat
2013-08-17 06:51 pm UTC (link)

Her nose twitched as she smelt the smoke, her curiosity finally getting the better of her when she discerned the faint glow of light from a room that was clearly not right beside the entrance.

Well, if there's only one... Juliet didn't even bother finishing that thought as it didn't matter. She'd walked into more dangerous situations before.

She made her way across to the entrance, pausing a moment to get a feel for where the soft glow was coming from. With cautious steps she entered and made her way along the wall, all her senses alert and ready, her butterfly knife still closed, but at the ready in her hand.

Slowing, she reached the large doors where the sound of timber crackling as it burnt and the warmth of a large fire were clearly coming from. She craned her neck and peeked around the corner, surprised to see a young man sitting in a large chair and staring into the fire.

He looked completely normal, but she knew that didn't mean anything.

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woodcuttersson
2013-08-17 06:55 pm UTC (link)

Hansel let his mind wander as he stared at the fire. He'd contemplated not giving the gift. Thought about just letting things play out as they would. But his broken heart wouldn't let him. He couldn't sit back and do nothing, knowing what pain lay ahead.

As he watched the fire dance, he wondered if it would change his life. If his memories would turn to happier times. Maybe even having a life and a family with Sophia. He also knew that his luck wouldn't allow it. He was meant to be miserable and alone.

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	winters__heat 2013-08-17 06:58 pm UTC (link)
	The sorrow that was almost palpable hit Juliet just before she was about to withdraw, making her stop dead in her tracks. Instead, she found herself walking into the room, hands by her side and head angled slightly. There was nothing demon-y that she could feel, and she frowned a little, realising she was probably going to scare the life out of him. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	woodcuttersson 2013-08-17 07:01 pm UTC (link)
	Hansel had lived in the palace by himself long enough that the silence and the crackle of the fire were very familiar to him. So familiar, in fact, that he could actually make out the faint, almost silent footsteps of the other person as they approached. "I thought I wasn't followed." He said softly, keeping his eyes on the fire. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	winters__heat 2013-08-17 07:03 pm UTC (link)
	"Yeah, sorry about that," she replied, giving a half grin to the back of the man's head. "Wasn't easy?" she added, as if trying to appease him. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	woodcuttersson 2013-08-17 07:05 pm UTC (link)
	"Don't tell anybody I'm here, okay?" It was a simple enough request. Could she do it, though, was the real question. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

winters__heat
2013-08-17 07:10 pm UTC (link)

"Anybody in particular?" she asked, cautiously covering the last of the gap between her and another chair and seating herself on the arm of it. She could see him now, the firelight flickering across his face and the pain reflecting back.

"I mean, I won't tell anyone, at all, if you don't want, but was just wondering, is there anyone in particular I should keep it from?"

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	woodcuttersson 2013-08-17 07:13 pm UTC (link)
	He shook his head. He saw no point in naming names. "The ones that have come back. The...kids. They think I'm dead and I'd like to keep it that way." Even if he had told the younger Sophia. He wondered if she would tell anyone. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	winters__heat 2013-08-17 07:31 pm UTC (link)
	"Well, that's a lot of people, and I don't know who is who," she told him with a wry smile. "Guess I just don't tell anyone." She watched him as she spoke, his eyes still fixed on the fire. "I'm Juliet, by the way. Who am I not telling people about?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

woodcuttersson
2013-08-17 07:34 pm UTC (link)

"Better to just keep it from all of them." He nodded. "Don't want any of them worrying about me." He ran his fingers through his hair and cleared his throat. For the first time, he looked over at her.

"My name is Hansel. You've probably met some version of me or another. Back in the city there's a 14 year old me and a 35 year old me. I used to be the 14 year old." He scratched the back of his neck as he looked back at the fire.

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winters__heat
2013-08-17 07:38 pm UTC (link)

"Wait, what?" Juliet shook her head, stepping through the words he just said.

"There is already two of you running around back there, and then there's you?"

And people thought the demons she talked about were hard to believe.

But then Izzy and Tommy had suddenly been swamped with a whole brood of kids so on a level of weirdness this was just looking to battle up to the list, let alone even get close to the top.

"And you're Hansel? As in Hansel and Gretel, the woodcutter's kids from the stories Bartholomew used to tell me?"

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	woodcuttersson 2013-08-17 07:42 pm UTC (link)
	He nodded. "Yes, that Hansel. Only the version you heard was the kid's version of the story." He cleared his throat. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	winters__heat 2013-08-17 07:55 pm UTC (link)
	"Yeah, well Bart wasn't really into having to try and get me to sleep and deal with me having nightmares, so it was fairly tame, if you factor in the whole 'old woman eating kids' thing as tame." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	woodcuttersson 2013-08-17 07:59 pm UTC (link)
	"Gretel and I went on to hunt witches after that. Made a living at it." He sighed. "Until I was brought here. After the older me was brought here. It's....very complicated." He shook his head, not really wanting to get into it. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

winters__heat
2013-08-17 08:03 pm UTC (link)

"So you were here first? Or your older you? And does your older you know you came here at all before he came here?"

Juliet was used to working out 'confusing' and this was intriguing. As was he. She couldn't imagine being in the same place as two versions of herself, although the opportunity to see herself in the past, and her future self was something that would be very amusing.

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	woodcuttersson 2013-08-17 08:07 pm UTC (link)
	Hansel took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Older me was here first. Then I showed up. And then, I made them all think I died. And I was living here rather peacefully until I got sent back. So now there's three of us on the island and one of us, me, grew up here." He thought that explained it simply enough. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	winters__heat 2013-08-17 08:09 pm UTC (link)
	She frowned. "Why did you want everyone to think you were dead?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	woodcuttersson 2013-08-17 08:17 pm UTC (link)
	"Because it was easier that way." He shrugged, sighing a little. "I wanted one particular person out of my life and that was the quickest way to accomplish it." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	winters__heat 2013-08-17 11:36 pm UTC (link)
	"Well, it's a better way than some others I can think of she agreed, but still not sure it was the best way. "Don't you get, well, lonely out here on your own?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	woodcuttersson 2013-08-18 01:37 pm UTC (link)
	He shook his head. "After the first year or so I got used to it." He shrugged. It wasn't entirely true but it was for the most part. He had plenty to do to keep his mind off being alone. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	winters__heat 2013-08-19 05:25 am UTC (link)
	As she'd listened to him talk about the need to get 'one particular person' out of his life, she figured that that could only mean one thing. He loved that person very deeply. Her voice softened. "Has it been worth it?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	woodcuttersson 2013-08-19 10:12 am UTC (link)
	He turned back to stare at the fire, sighing a little. "She's happy. Found somebody else. Moved on. Getting married. Guess that's all that matters." He cleared his throat, trying to keep his emotions under control. Was it wrong that he hated seeing her happy with someone else? (Reply to this) (Parent)

	winters__heat 2013-08-19 09:46 pm UTC (link)
	"I'm talking about you. Hiding away here, she's moved on, you're still in love with her... did you ever tell her?" (Reply to this) (Thread)

	woodcuttersson 2013-08-19 10:04 pm UTC (link)
	"Why would I tell someone something they didn't want to hear?" He shrugged, looking down for a moment. "She's happy. That's all that matters." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	winters__heat 2013-08-19 11:22 pm UTC (link)
	"How do you know she doesn't, or didn't, want to hear it? Did you tell her?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	woodcuttersson 2013-08-19 11:25 pm UTC (link)
	"She made it very clear on multiple occasions that I would only ever be her friend." He shrugged, looking at Juliet. "Why does any of this matter?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

H/J

winters__heat
2013-08-19 11:40 pm UTC (link)

Juliet shrugged. "It doesn't, to me, but it does to you," she told him simply. She was never embarrassed by her questions, and when she was curious they would flow thick and fast until she found answers. Her voice softened a little as she continued.

"And it sounds like you've got it all sussed. Though if you never told her how you felt, she never had the chance to tell you either. You men never get the right message when it's subtle."

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	Re: H/J woodcuttersson 2013-08-19 11:52 pm UTC (link)
	"She had a crush on someone else. And I could never be him. So there you go." He shrugged again. "All that matters right now is that she's happy. That's it." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: H/J winters__heat 2013-08-20 12:08 am UTC (link)
	Rolling her eyes a little Juliet shook her head. "Like I said, you men are just frustrating!" She decided to goad him a little. "And from the sounds of it you never really fought for her, so no wonder she looked somewhere else." After all, she was used to dealing with demons and while he might be quick with a bow she was a lot quicker. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: H/J woodcuttersson 2013-08-20 12:14 am UTC (link)
	"You don't know what you're talking about." He shook his head. "I did everything but come out and tell her that I love her and she completely ignored every sign. Always made sure I understood I was just a friend." He looked back at the fire. "There was no reason to fight for her. It wouldn't have done any good." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: H/J winters__heat 2013-08-20 01:01 am UTC (link)
	Juliet sighed and folded her arms. "OK, so you bury yourself out here, away from everyone, pretend you're dead, and that's the only answer? Man, that's pretty sad. What about your friends, and family?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: H/J woodcuttersson 2013-08-20 01:05 am UTC (link)
	"It's better that they don't have to deal with me." He shrugged. "They've all moved on. They're happy. My nieces and nephews don't even remember me. It's fine." He shook his head. "They probably don't even miss me." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: H/J

winters__heat
2013-08-20 01:27 am UTC (link)

"Probably," she agreed, nodding her head but completely disbelieving. Though she did have to wonder sometimes if her mother ever missed her, other than no longer having a potential talking piece, socialite bride, or whatever to brag about to her rather unpleasant friends. She did know her father missed her, and she could tell how much by the payments he would make into her account each month. She wondered whether he would notice she wasn't using any of that money any more?

"So, guess I'd best be on my way then," she said, standing up and staring at the blaze still burning in the fireplace for a moment. "You uh, yeah, enjoy yourself out here."

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	Re: H/J woodcuttersson 2013-08-20 10:02 am UTC (link)
	"Nice talking to you." There was a little more sting to the words than he'd intended. It had been nice talking to her, even if he hadn't liked the subject all that much. He sighed again. "Remember, you said you wouldn't tell anybody I was here." That was the most important part. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: H/J winters__heat 2013-08-20 07:04 pm UTC (link)
	"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." (Reply to this) (Parent)