KOTLC One-shots

Set My Heart Alight- Marellinh (Part 2) (OUMH(ALMFFF))

Word count: ~13500 words

Part 2 of 2 of Set My Heart Alight because wow this got long. 

Part of "Open Up My Heart (And Let My Feelings Fly Free)" series, aka the ORV au. (all parts to the au now have (OUMH(ALMFFF)) in the title)

Warnings: violence, some of the warnings from prev chapter but way tamer, temporary main character death, struggling to determine what is real (unreality, ig?)

"Hey, how'd your talk go with Tam?" Marella asked as Linh found her and sat beside her.

"It was fine," Linh replied. As fine as it could be, at least.

[The constellation, Lady Of The Darkest Depths says that ve is lying.]

"Hey!" ve said, then realized that there were constellations that had been listening in to ver conversation with Tam. "It didn't even go that badly, I got myself answers, and he gave me a hug."

"Hugs are good," Marella said, nodding. "Guess it's not as bad as your sponsor says."

"I think she has a stronger sense of justice. Though, it wasn't like she said anything at all while he explained his situation."

"Are you satisfied with his answers? Or do I need to beat some more out of him?"

Linh laughed. "I've learned enough, maybe too much. It's been established that things will never be like they were in the past, but I think he knows now that he can come talk to me if he feels burdened."

"That's good," she said. "And you know... I hope you feel the same way. You can always come to me if you feel overwhelmed. I don't know how you managed the aftermath of the first scenario."

Ve flinched. So ve was going to have that conversation, wasn't ve?

"I don't mean that in a judging way, I promise," she quickly added. "It had to have felt awful. You grieved on your own, didn't you?"

"This wasn't really something I could just tell someone," ve said.

"I know. But none of us would have blamed you, you know that. I don't think you're a bad person."

How sure can you be? How can you hear something like this and think good of me?

[The character, Marella Redek has activated the skill Hour of Judgement.]

[Majority of the Absolute Good constellations do not agree with the judgement.]

[Hour of Judgement has been cancelled!]

Linh stared at those messages in shock.

"Maybe it doesn't say anything about my own personal beliefs, because I don't have any say when it comes to the activation of this skill, but most of the constellations don't think you're evil. And those are the constellations, who enable the dokkaebi's games. Do you think you can believe me now?"

Marella looked at ver with shining eyes, her mouth pursed into a determined line. Ve wanted to believe her, when she stared at ver like that.

(Ve couldn't figure out why she stared at ver like that. Like she... like she loved ver or something.)

"You didn't sound happy when you heard that Tam was the sole survivor in his subway car," Linh pointed out, "In his case, it's a subway car, in mine, an entire aquarium. What's the difference between him and I?"

"Was his case an accident too?"

When Linh didn't reply, Marella continued on.

"I think that's what makes the difference for me. And I get it, he had to make a kill, so did I, I've also willingly killed people. But..."