ofmisfortune | ♝ i . c. i n b o x

["Avoiding" them. Keep telling yourself that, Vincent. Tools weren't supposed to be allowed to feel anything.]

Yes.

[She picks up the bottle and reads the label. Hopefully it's not one of those super long ones because Echo's going to read the entire thing. Once she's at the end, she opens the bottle and shakes four pills onto the tray.]

This is double.

[ Though he could probably use the medicine sooner rather than later, he finds himself amused enough by this behavior that he allows it. Just to see if she would, in fact, read the entire thing. He keeps himself busy by finishing his cracker, and a corner of his lips is just barely quirked up into a smirk as he beholds the pills on the tray. ]

… Perhaps triple.

[She shakes out two more. She's your dealer now, Vincent.]

[ Oh, sweet Echo, you’re his fix.

Exhaling in something of approval, Vincent scoops up the pills to take, washing them down with some water. He vaguely winces as he reaches to set the glass on the nightstand. ]

Tell me - [ Resting his cheek atop the pillow, his mismatched eyes drift tiredly. ] - what are you learning from these new emotions? Are they all painful to you?

[Honestly, Echo thinks the personality difference makes the fact that he's not doing well far more obvious than his gaunt appearance or the bones sticking out of his back. She has to take a moment to think over the fact that he asked such a strange question before thinking over her answer.]

No. I am not sure what to call many of them. The pain is not exactly a physical thing; not in the sense of a wound. It is...

[Finding the names of the emotions is already hard, describing them isn't much easier.]

...the intensity. I do not know what to do.

[ Vincent’s lashes flutter with mild annoyance, that Echo feels the need to clarify the difference between emotional and physical pain to him. Closing his eyes, he halfheartedly snerks beneath his breath. ]

I’d suppose you left that to Noise, mm?

[Alas, this means he misses Echo wrinkling her nose and pulling her head back a bit. He may even miss the angry and confused frown he's getting.

What did he mean, that she just left all of her emotions for Noise to feel? Somehow, the fact that he was apparently clueless as to what she'd been through made it feel more offensive.]

I did no such thing to her. As an echo, I was not permitted to have feelings. I had no right to anything human.

[She continues in a mutter.] You of all people should know that.

[ The tone tells him everything that he needs to know, really! ]

You ultimately failed at that, didn’t you? Failed her. [ Lazily peering over at her, his smile pulls taut. ] I’d thought that I taught you well, and yet, you unraveled so quickly.

[ Really, he doesn’t care if she’s upset with him, but that sour face she makes is pretty cute. He’ll tilt his head to watch her fondly. ]

I’m curious to know where I went wrong. There’s still much about you that is a mystery to me.

[...If she kills him right now, would that just end this whole process for him? Echo doesn't know if she likes the thought of shortening his misery at the moment.

She's fighting to keep her irritation below the level where she'd snap. Vincent doesn't know what he's talking about; if he didn't know they were dead, that much was true. It seemed like he was doing that thing where he annoyed people until they made a mistake and he could take advantage of it, whatever that was called. She might be wrong, but that's the hypothesis she's going with.

So, ironically enough, she needs to try to dial in her emotions right now. If only to prevent Vincent from gloating. Just because he was suffering didn't mean she wanted to brighten his mood. He does get to keep enjoying the expression on her face, though.]

.....

Did you need anything else, Master Vincent?

[ Ah, Echo may him too well, in that regard. Knowing that it would be unwise to keep pushing he relaxes into his pillow with an airy sigh. Still, that flash of venom in her eyes has brought him a fraction of satisfaction. ]

No, Echo. That would be all.

[Nothing would make her happier than leaving right now.

...But a thought is nagging at her, and unfortunately following her free will also meant sticking around even if she had been told not to.]

Did you want something to be done for the lumps on your head?

[ Questioningly, Vincent raises his head to look at her once more. The blond takes a moment to weigh his options in matters of importance, but inevitably, he sighs. ]

There is one of those… ice things in the kit. You could grab that for me.

[ What he is referring to is an instant cold pack. It’s not something that he’s used before, but he’s certainly noticed it in there. ]

[Echo fishes around in the first aid kit until she pulls out something that looks accurate. Excuse her as she takes the time to read everything about this, as well. Once she's finished, she squeezes the pack and hands it toward him. There were some safety notes, but she's pretty sure he's not going to care.]

It's only big enough to cover one of those...spots.

[She's still not certain what they are, honestly.]

Edited 2025-09-30 01:12 (UTC)

[ Indeed, he does not care, and will lift his hair to place the pack directly against one of the sore nibs. Briefly, he winces, but his brow eases a fraction just moments after. ]

If you’ve a better suggestion, I’d be happy to hear it.

[ Not said to be callous, but there’s no use in padding his words with Echo. ]

[Oh, you can't offend her any more than you already do, Vince.]

Apart from more ice, not really.

[She pauses.]

What are they, exactly?

[ Vincent sighs, as he shifts to alternate the pack to the other side.

To the question he simply looks at her for a moment, before begrudgingly speaking. ]

Horns.

Edited 2025-09-30 04:36 (UTC)

I see...

[Echo's just gonna take a moment to visualize this. She brings one hand up to her chin as she thinks.]

Horns, and presumably, wings? Something like a stereotypical demon out of common folklore...

[She really didn't have to talk herself through that out loud, but that's sure happened.]

[ UGH. ]

So it is…

[ Shifting the pack yet again, he’s already finding the process annoying… but what is he to do otherwise, strap a pair of them to his head? Embarrassing. ]

Certainly would be my last choice, if given the option.

[Echo knits her brow. It wasn't like she thought this was a good thing, but to be particularly against it strikes her as unusual.]

Why is that?

[Sorry about this whole "free will" thing, her questions are coming out of her mouth now... She may or may not be the person who knows the actual Vincent the best, but she's pretty sure he still keeps a lot of secrets from her.]

[ The blond regards Echo as if that answer should be obvious! ]

The occult, the supernatural… It’s all distasteful. I hate it.

[Slowly, Echo's eyes grow wider as her train of thought progresses. The occult... those memories she had received... and the way he had started acting regarding a certain someone who was in those memories...

She lifts her hand just slightly so her sleeve covers her mouth and murmurs before she realizes she's vocalizing.]

...Then Lady Ada...

[ WHAT. Vincent very near bristles upon hearing that name.

The way the blond tenses definitely leaves him wincing, and he grunts in overall displeasure! ]

What about that woman?!

[ How could Echo possibly know that??? ]

[Echo raises an eyebrow and looks at him suspiciously. It's hard to tell if she paid any attention to what he just said or not.]

Is that why you would lock yourself in your room with "emotional distress" right after seeing her?

[ How dare she call him out like that? With an indignant scoff, he leers at Echo… and switches his cold pack to the other side of his head. ]

That sort of presence is a drain on me, in general. [ As the memories set back in, he is weighed down to sulk on his pillow. ] Though she had forced me to listen to her go on about those atrocities for five hours… A man can only take so much…

[Oh, this is so... what's that word again?...

Funny? Yes, this is funny.

Echo had found her hobby surprising and a bit odd, but nothing worth this sort of response. Vincent himself was infinitely more annoying in her opinion. And she spent a lot of time with Ada in those memories.]

Yet now you must endure it day in and day out... Being a creature of Lady Ada's world...

[...Where did that come from?! Did this extra soul give her an attitude?]

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