07 / video

[onlysurvivor]

[Kelsier smiles brightly to the feed. He waves a scarred hand at the camera.]

For those who I haven't personally irritated, my name is Kelsier. I'm dead. Well, I'm fairly certain I am.

I'm curious, how many of us know for certain we are dead? At home. Not here, of course, or I am a very articulate and lively corpse.

[SPAM FOR MARSH]

[Kelsier is the annoying little brother sometimes. Scratch that, all the time.

And today it comes as a knock on Marsh's door.]


[Greenhouse spam]

[Late into the evening, Kelsier is found in the greenhouse near a bed of a certain type of flower. Now and then, he says something to them. He sits on the floor.

Later into the night, he falls asleep there.]

Comments

[indispensible]

[She finds him sleeping, when she wakes up and can't anymore, when she decides to go for a walk. It's dark and quiet. She feels compelled to speak in a whisper as she leans down to tug on his shoulder, as if she's in a library.]

Kelsier.

[onlysurvivor]

[He doesn't stir at first. He breathes deeply when he feels the tug and slowly comes around. He doesn't jolt awake. His eyes open and squints against the light.]

...Vin?

[indispensible]

It's me.

[She crouches at his side, listening to him carefully. He seems to be breathing right. He was really just sleeping.]

Why are you here?

[onlysurvivor]

[He's not hurt, drugged or otherwise impaired. He looks confused for a second and glances around.]

Because I fell asleep here?

[That's the answer you wanted right?!]

[indispensible]

[She frowns deeply, looking abruptly older than she should.]

Yes. But why?

[onlysurvivor]

[It's like that look Marsh gives him. He sighs and nods to the flowers.]

They make me feel closer to her.

[indispensible]

[Her face falls. She sits, crossing her legs, and laces her fingers together, all quiet concentration.]

I understand.

[She really, really does.]

I . . . gave the drawing to Sazed. I'm sorry. He needed it.

[onlysurvivor]

I know.

[He turns his head to the flowers, raises a hand to brush the leaves.]

There are better.

[indispensible]

[She nods, watching the movements of the leaves as they bounce back from his touch.]

Here, people pick them. I don't understand it.

[onlysurvivor]

They die if you pick them. [He doesn't understand it either. He sighs.]

I couldn't sleep. So I came here.

[indispensible]

I couldn't anymore. So I came here, and I found you.

[A pause, as she searches his face.]

Do you want me to stay?

[onlysurvivor]

I can't hide myself away here, to let the wounds close. [He looks distractedly at the flowers.]

There's no Northern Dominance to travel until I have a new focus.

[His attention shifts back to her.] You shouldn't have to see me like this.

[None of which are an answer.]

[indispensible]

[No. She shakes her head and leans toward him intently.]

In the end. When we were failing. Elend asked us about you. What you were like - how you inspired people. That's what we had lost, he said; the ability to smile.

But I saw him when he wasn't smiling, just like I saw you. Don't think I don't know, whether I see you like this or not.

[onlysurvivor]

[He considers that, tilting his head to the side. Eventually he sighs then nods. He runs a hand through his hair.]

I think I'll stay here a while longer.

[indispensible]

I won't be sleeping anymore tonight.

[So if he wants her to leave, he'll have to say it outright. She won't leave of her own volition, especially not after telling him that.]

[onlysurvivor]

[He sure doesn't ask her to leave.]

I need a new focus, Vin.

[indispensible]

A new focus.

[This is almost a smile. She needs one, too.]

Not just Erik. Not just this place. Something else.

[onlysurvivor]

[A smile now.] Something else.

I'll still do everything I set out to do here but I need... something.

[indispensible]

What . . .

[A hesitation; a breath. If she isn't careful, she'll give everything away and make him worse. She can't do that. She can't show it. The only person who knows she's dead is Stark, and it will stay that way.]

What would she want you to do? To have?

[onlysurvivor]

[He frowns for a second, it never was an expression that suited him.]

I... [he rubs his face. It's not like he hadn't thought about it.]

I've spent so long on her dream. It's hard to think of what she could have wanted for me. I was only thinking of her.

[indispensible]

You're dead. [With only the barest hint of old bitterness.] There's time to think about it now.

[Elend would want her to be safe and happy. She is trying.]

[onlysurvivor]

I think, I already know the answer... [He glances down at his hands, folding them together.]

I just don't want it to be the answer.

[indispensible]

No. [She wouldn't either.]

You think she'd want you to live on without her?

[onlysurvivor]

[A sigh as he looks over the scars on his hands and arms.]

She gave her life for mine. I know she wanted me to live.

[indispensible]

So live.

[Easier said than done. She gives a wry smile.]

Who's Raven?