Nul looks back at Arie as Mutt tugs him towards the stairs. "I'm really sorry - you shouldn't have to go through this." He turns back toward Mutt and follows them up the stairs.
Mutt barely sleeps, and as soon as light creeps into the room he wakes Nul up. Nul protests, but they finally get him to get up. They open the door and look around to see if anyone else is awake yet.
Arie. When you wake Christmas Morning, you see a small, carefully wrapped package on your desk. You can see your name on it already, even from here, in the dim light, and a gemstone stuck to the tag. ~ Mutt, Nul, the house is as quiet as a grave.
Arie shudders a full-body shudder. It looks like the ones that shouldn't be there, for the people that are Mica-but-not-Mica. A "gift" from mysterious forces that took her brother and did something to her parents. She should burn it, or something. More than that, she wants to go to sleep again. But that isn't going to happen. She sits up in bed, instead, and glares at the package for a full minute with baleful suspicion.
Nul pushes past Mutt and sits down on the top step. He's not sure what time it is, but it should be light soon, and people will wake then.
The package doesn't move, doesn't make a sound... simply waits. ~ Ethan quietly looks out the door to his room, then ducks back inside when he sees Nul and Mutt.
It's not going to go away on its own, no matter how much she wishes it would. She's going to have to make it. Arie slips out of bed and approaches the thing warily. The back of her neck is tingling again. She reaches out, just short of touching it.
Nul sees Ethan's face for a split second before he vanishes, and he looks at his feet. Fuck. He shouldn't be here. The poor kid is never going to be okay with him being here. But where else would he go? He doesn't know anything about this world, or at least he thinks he doesn't. He buries his face in his hands and tries to think of something else.
It... it definitely feels off. Just like Mica. Just like the strangers he let into your house and vanished with, weeks ago. Just like Mutt and Nul. You're still not sure what's going on with your parents. The package seems to sense your hesitation, then unfolds like a flower, wrapping paper gently unfolding to reveal a small, sealed jar made of what looks like iridescent glass on a sturdy-looking necklace. The gemstone clinks on the desk, gleaming bright and luminous in the dark.
Ethan hiccups, swallows, working hard to figure out what to do. He's scared, and he knows Arie seems to be, too. They. They don't seem mean, but. But where's Mica? Is... maybe it is Mica, but with amnesia? Scared people get amnesia sometimes? Or. Maybe he hit his head? This isn't a joke, he knows Mica wouldn't do that. But. But. If. If he just can't remember... How could Mica forget the people who love him?
Arie draws back her hand with a gasp when the present opens itself. It's more startlement than surprise; honestly, she half expected something like this. The gem is beautiful, and so is the vial necklace. It's just her style. She hates them. Does whoever's been dicking around with her family's lives think she's going to shut up and accept it because of some shiny toys? She has to blink back fresh tears before she can look any closer.
The text on the note is painful in its simplicity: This Is What Remains Of Mica Kluss. It Is Remanded Into Your Care. My Promise Is Kept.
Arie grabs the necklace convulsively, holds it close in both hands. Even thinking about what to actually do with the thing is beyond her at the moment, all drowned out by a wordless inward scream. She wants to scream for real. She starts to, in fact, but it dies before more than a strangled squeak emerges. The tears refuse to be held back, though, and while they don't fall picturesquely onto the note they do run fast and plentiful. Down her cheeks, and then her neck, to soak the collar of her nightshirt.
The jar is warm in her hands, thrumming against her palms, the heat slowly ebbing and flowing like a heartbeat against her skin.
She holds it even closer. The warmth and the pulse aren't comforting in themselves, not when she can also feel the hard glassy surface and the cold metal chain. But if she keeps it close enough, maybe she can at least protect it this time.
The pulse slowly settles until it matches that of her own heartbeat. ~ Ethan hesitantly opens his door, looking out quietly at Nul, again. He's wiped away his tears and is trying to be brave.
