[It's not that Layla hasn't noticed that something is bothering her husband, it's that she is giving him the time to figure out how to come to her about it. She's more than happy to wait, because eventually he'll tell her... right? They promised no more secrets.
But that hardly mattered at the moment, right now it was about house hunting. She was taking plenty of pictures and sending them to Steven as she does. Some with little captions like "Aquarium here?" "Oooo spacious office? Or downstairs bedroom where you can have sex with Hawke away from Marc." It's the little things that give her joy like knowing how red Steven likely is.
She likes that there's a balcony on the second floor, nice place for some of their plants and a sunning spot for Marc. Plus the bookstore next door for Steven... It had a small back patio, another good place for some chairs and plants. A little garden.
Kneeling down, she's testing the carpets for dampness - they could rip these out with Cobb's help and make them wooden and get rugs - when Marc speaks. She doesn't really look at him, but he has her complete attention from how her head turns in his direction.]
[Marc doesn't mind the constant communication with Steven through the Relic. Whatever they end up choosing will be his home too, after all. He should have a say. They can always take him here in person once they've narrowed down the options to a top three, but even that top three requires input. Part of him wishes Steven were here with them, while another part of him is thankful for the privacy. The conversation is clumsy enough as is.]
He told me he uh... Got killed, back home. Shot.
[It's something he hasn't told Steven, because somehow it feels wrong to let him know their alter undermined their purposeful mercy. He trusts Layla with it, though.]
[Okay, he might have had her attention before, but now he has her gaze too as she looks at him with wide eyes, standing up once more. Harrow was dead? But Marc and Steven spared him. Layla was there encouraging Marc to refuse Khonshu's demands. Harrow was alive... Probably more than a little fucked up, but alive...they...]
That's not possible. How?
[She closes and puts away the relic, not wanting to risk calling Steven by accident or something and having him listen in. Sure he probably knows all this, but Marc was having this conversation with her privately for a reason.]
[Marc's a little unsure what to do with his body now. Does he keep standing? Does he sit down for this? Should he ask Layla to sit down? The indecision ensures he just stays rooted to the spot, shoulders hunched and jaw clenched, gaze averting away from Layla's own.]
He... was pretty vague on the 'how' beyond 'shot'. And he didn't know the 'why', but... It's the who that matters. It... ["it was me", he wants to say, but that's not true. That's just his guilt talking. The words shoot through his mind in a blur, then settle on different phrasing. A different angle.] You ever hear of a guy called Jake Lockley?
[She can see Marc is panicking some and so she takes the decision from him and takes his hand and holds it firmly. Reassurance that she wasn't going anywhere or was upset with him. He was fine, he was safe, he was with her.
Still, she listens carefully and her brow pinches. Okay the how and why don't matter it seems but the who...
Why would the who matter?]
No... should I? Is he someone from your past? Or-- [Then-- something in her eyes might give it away if he looks, something that says she's got a pretty good idea what he's about to say, but she doesn't voice it.]
[Marc's eyes dart towards Layla's hand as soon as she reaches out, then stay stuck on the hold- on her fingers around his knuckles. He's thankful to have her support and at the same time, he's terrified of it. It's still foreign and new and overwhelming. His eyes close and he shakes his head.]
There's... There's three of us. I do-don't know how long- I didn't know...
[That's about all he can bring himself to say. To anyone else, it's probably cryptic, but he's sure Layla can figure out what he means by it.]
[Her gut feeling was right, this Jake was another alter.
Okay... okay, she loves Steven so that's fine she could get to know another part of Marc's mind and love them too. She can tell this is really eating him up. That he didn't know of, didn't have some awareness of... that killed Harrow. Why did he kill Harrow? Marc is free of Khonshu... so why?
She steps closer and raises a hand to his cheek, resting it there gently.]
It's okay, we will figure this out, okay?
[Layla closes her eyes too, trying to desperately remember anytime Marc wasn't himself but wasn't Steven...]
[He wasn't sure what to expect from Layla's reaction. Every possible scenario felt plausible and implausible at the same time. That's why, when she does react, it doesn't really surprise him. Mostly, he's glad to have it over with and not have it backfire in his face right away. And the hand on his cheek does help to settle him further.]
It's so... so fuckin' stupid. I chose to... spare Harrow, and it was all worthless in the end. No wonder the guy's bein' such a dick.
It's... probably that damn bird's fault somehow. He wanted you to kill him and you refused afterall.
[She's always hated that shithead but she hates him even more now. Fuck that pigeon. Still, she doesn't take her hand away, just thinking about all the times it wasn't Marc or Steven...]
Remember when the battle against Harrow was going poorly, you said you blacked out... Maybe that was Jake, saving both of us.
[It would be Khonshu's fault somehow. Though, now that he thinks about it, he can't remember the terms of their release from that old bird's hold. He knows that Steven and himself were freed from service, but when they bartered for it, they hadn't known about Jake. Was there a loophole there to take advantage of? Had they accidentally left the third alter behind in Khonshu's greedy claws?
... Fuck.]
Maybe. He's... the real opposite of Steven if that's his definition of savin' us.
[Because Steven would avoid causing pain at all costs. But Jake? Jake seems like he's more than willing to lash out, going by all the collateral damage left behind.]
[Yeah, Khonshu was probably at fault, something. She wouldn't be surprised if he had a loophole like that. It pisses her off, she wants that damn bird dead for all that he's put Marc through. Maybe she should have left him sealed... well except she wanted Marc and Steven back...
Dammit.]
I mean... if you think about it, Khonshu wouldn't have cared if I died right then, just that Harrow did, yet he went out of his way to kill the men shooting at me too.
[She can't think of a reason why other than to protect Marc somehow. Protect them both.]
Maybe he's a bit of a pyromaniac, but we all have something, right? [She's joking kinda, trying to lighten the mood a little.]
[Marc can think of another reason why Jake would've gone out of his way to kill the goons alongside Harrow; it's because they were Harrow's goons. People who endangered the travelers of the night, who were ready to kill anyone judged 'evil' by Ammit, elderly and children included. Ultimately, it comes down to one question. Did Jake come out meaning to protect, or to punish?
He doesn't want to think about it too much, because the absence of real answers will drive him- well. Even crazier. And Layla's trying to cheer him up. He can't let that be in vain.]
Right. [His hand moves to back of Layla's own, pressing against it.] We'll figure it out some day, probably. Either here or back home.
[A pause and then she leans in to give him a quick kiss, something simple and fleeting. A thank you for keeping her in the loop, she can tell how hard it was for him to do it. She's proud of him.]
Until then, we just have to keep going forward. And figure out what color to paint the walls, because I'm not into this beige.
[The kiss is very much appreciated, and he does his best to lean into it, brief as it may have been. He loves this woman so much, it's unreal. And the remark about the paint brings a smile back to his face.]
Oh yeah? You think this place is one of the top contenders, then?
I think so, don't you? I mean, the bookstore next door for Steve, the living room is nice and big for an aquarium and my paintings and a huge couch and tv.
[She steps away with a smile to start gesturing at everything. Big sweeping motions.]
The back patio and yard are perfect for a nice garden and for sunning. There's enough bedrooms for all of us, plus an office. Oh, and a cute nook.
[Marc's not a decorator; they both know that. He sees an empty room and nothing else, but Layla sees the possibilities there. She sees a life here. That's amazing to him.]
What's your thoughts on a man cave? Hell yes or hell no?
[She chuckles, something amused and happy. Not at his idea, but at the thought of needing one here. It makes her wonder-]
And what in the world would you have in your man cave that we wouldn't equally want to share in the living room? Because if you're thinking of absconding away with the Xbox, you have another thing coming, mister.
[Marc's pretty sure he knows what she means. He's seen enormous bed couches in the store before.]
I like it. As long as we make it a rule not to get tempted by the lure of huge cushions and have sex on the bed-couch.
[Not because he doesn't want to have sex on the bed-couch with Layla, but because it would open the door for Steven to have sex with Hawke on the bed-couch and he's not comfortable with that.]
Won't happen. [The response comes immediately and with full conviction.] 'Cause you won't beat my ass. Not without cheatin', anyway.
[Which is really just about the prospect of losing Oiram Kart. Wrestling Layla and getting tempted by the couch anyway is a real possibility. He'll do his best to stick with his principles and get her over to the bed, though.]
Bowrain Road is just one track, babe. [In other words, Marc will admit that Layla's better at that one particular track, but there's loads of others where he reigns supreme.]
Yeah, I'm fine with lookin' at a couple others. I'd hate to miss out on a gem of a house just 'cause we settled for this one.
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But that hardly mattered at the moment, right now it was about house hunting. She was taking plenty of pictures and sending them to Steven as she does. Some with little captions like "Aquarium here?" "Oooo spacious office? Or downstairs bedroom where you can have sex with Hawke away from Marc." It's the little things that give her joy like knowing how red Steven likely is.
She likes that there's a balcony on the second floor, nice place for some of their plants and a sunning spot for Marc. Plus the bookstore next door for Steven... It had a small back patio, another good place for some chairs and plants. A little garden.
Kneeling down, she's testing the carpets for dampness - they could rip these out with Cobb's help and make them wooden and get rugs - when Marc speaks. She doesn't really look at him, but he has her complete attention from how her head turns in his direction.]
And?
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He told me he uh... Got killed, back home. Shot.
[It's something he hasn't told Steven, because somehow it feels wrong to let him know their alter undermined their purposeful mercy. He trusts Layla with it, though.]
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That's not possible. How?
[She closes and puts away the relic, not wanting to risk calling Steven by accident or something and having him listen in. Sure he probably knows all this, but Marc was having this conversation with her privately for a reason.]
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He... was pretty vague on the 'how' beyond 'shot'. And he didn't know the 'why', but... It's the who that matters. It... ["it was me", he wants to say, but that's not true. That's just his guilt talking. The words shoot through his mind in a blur, then settle on different phrasing. A different angle.] You ever hear of a guy called Jake Lockley?
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Still, she listens carefully and her brow pinches. Okay the how and why don't matter it seems but the who...
Why would the who matter?]
No... should I? Is he someone from your past? Or-- [Then-- something in her eyes might give it away if he looks, something that says she's got a pretty good idea what he's about to say, but she doesn't voice it.]
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There's... There's three of us. I do-don't know how long- I didn't know...
[That's about all he can bring himself to say. To anyone else, it's probably cryptic, but he's sure Layla can figure out what he means by it.]
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[Her gut feeling was right, this Jake was another alter.
Okay... okay, she loves Steven so that's fine she could get to know another part of Marc's mind and love them too. She can tell this is really eating him up. That he didn't know of, didn't have some awareness of... that killed Harrow. Why did he kill Harrow? Marc is free of Khonshu... so why?
She steps closer and raises a hand to his cheek, resting it there gently.]
It's okay, we will figure this out, okay?
[Layla closes her eyes too, trying to desperately remember anytime Marc wasn't himself but wasn't Steven...]
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It's so... so fuckin' stupid. I chose to... spare Harrow, and it was all worthless in the end. No wonder the guy's bein' such a dick.
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[She's always hated that shithead but she hates him even more now. Fuck that pigeon. Still, she doesn't take her hand away, just thinking about all the times it wasn't Marc or Steven...]
Remember when the battle against Harrow was going poorly, you said you blacked out... Maybe that was Jake, saving both of us.
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... Fuck.]
Maybe. He's... the real opposite of Steven if that's his definition of savin' us.
[Because Steven would avoid causing pain at all costs. But Jake? Jake seems like he's more than willing to lash out, going by all the collateral damage left behind.]
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Dammit.]
I mean... if you think about it, Khonshu wouldn't have cared if I died right then, just that Harrow did, yet he went out of his way to kill the men shooting at me too.
[She can't think of a reason why other than to protect Marc somehow. Protect them both.]
Maybe he's a bit of a pyromaniac, but we all have something, right? [She's joking kinda, trying to lighten the mood a little.]
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He doesn't want to think about it too much, because the absence of real answers will drive him- well. Even crazier. And Layla's trying to cheer him up. He can't let that be in vain.]
Right. [His hand moves to back of Layla's own, pressing against it.] We'll figure it out some day, probably. Either here or back home.
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[A pause and then she leans in to give him a quick kiss, something simple and fleeting. A thank you for keeping her in the loop, she can tell how hard it was for him to do it. She's proud of him.]
Until then, we just have to keep going forward. And figure out what color to paint the walls, because I'm not into this beige.
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Oh yeah? You think this place is one of the top contenders, then?
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[She steps away with a smile to start gesturing at everything. Big sweeping motions.]
The back patio and yard are perfect for a nice garden and for sunning. There's enough bedrooms for all of us, plus an office. Oh, and a cute nook.
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[Marc's not a decorator; they both know that. He sees an empty room and nothing else, but Layla sees the possibilities there. She sees a life here. That's amazing to him.]
What's your thoughts on a man cave? Hell yes or hell no?
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And what in the world would you have in your man cave that we wouldn't equally want to share in the living room? Because if you're thinking of absconding away with the Xbox, you have another thing coming, mister.
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So what you're sayin' is that the entire livin' room is my man cave? Our man cave?
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[She waves her hand to indicate she doesn't care if he understands because one day soon he will regardless.]
That way we can cuddle and watch TV and not be struggling to not fall off the couch.
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I like it. As long as we make it a rule not to get tempted by the lure of huge cushions and have sex on the bed-couch.
[Not because he doesn't want to have sex on the bed-couch with Layla, but because it would open the door for Steven to have sex with Hawke on the bed-couch and he's not comfortable with that.]
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If you say so. Though I think an inspired round of Oiram Kart will change your mind when you wrestle with me because I beat your ass.
[She knows how this goes and how it might seem like the bedroom is so far away in the moment...]
But I promise, I won't tempt intentionally.
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[Which is really just about the prospect of losing Oiram Kart. Wrestling Layla and getting tempted by the couch anyway is a real possibility. He'll do his best to stick with his principles and get her over to the bed, though.]
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[Of course it's said in jest. But she moves over to take his hand in hers. She pulls him along to step outside together.]
Let's look at a couple more okay? Then I'll bring Steven in to make the final decision, yeah?
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Yeah, I'm fine with lookin' at a couple others. I'd hate to miss out on a gem of a house just 'cause we settled for this one.
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So, she gives his hand a squeeze and leads them down the road to the next on their list.]
Exactly. Come on, we have a list to get through.