Cruelty Tease
Berthier sees Koan whimpering (wasting) and whining away for that Rubeus, sees her sister scheming a million ways to attract his attention. Her tears are enough to be sickening, carry burdens transcending to the future on her shoulders. This continues for weeks.
(There is so much she wants to say to that man.)
And Koan throws herself further into the abyss. Willingly she strives to die. Caught and flailing—failing—Koan dances like a cat on a skillet. She wrestles away her freedom, desires, and hopes. She trips and bruises easily (almost funny).
—There is so much she wants to scream to that girl.
But Berthier knows: she has no word, no "insight" in this matter. That it's best if she leaves it alone. That it might be disgusting and nauseating (painful) but she should be cautious and humbling and forget anything ever happened.
Like how he pushes and she pulls. Like how she buys mountains of makeup to be used, just for him. Like how she sings to herself in her sleep, chanting his name continuously like a chain of cursed pearls.
Like—
(like how some things never abate soon enough)
"You're stupid."
Koan looks up, her face red and heated from anger (and crying). For once, she looks rightfully embarrassed.
"I'm stupid? What about you? Your guy is dead."
(That hurts.) She mocks.
Berthier retaliates, not batting an eye. She's accustomed to banter. With a skeleton mind, she sees through the walls and microscopic fractures, peers into the center and separates the gory lies.
"At least he really loved me. Can't say the same for you, sister."
"No! He does love me. We just had a fight, a little misunderstanding that's all. It's being stuck in the past, he's so on edge these days. It's not his fault. It's that stupid Rabbit! When we find her and go back, everything will be better again."
"Are you sure about that?"
(Her lips curl up in a malicious smile, her ugly streak comes out shining. Berthier is gifted in making anyone crazy—she can even bend their stone-cast necks.)
"Of course I am."
"Is that so? Because I saw him kissing Petz this morning. He looked really into her."
Koan drops her arms (was poised, was posed) and hangs her head low and narrows her eyes. Quickly she sharpens her tongue and makes tiny incisions along her sister's bare shoulders and breasts.
" You're just jealous."
Koan is smart and calls out her lie. Clever bitch.
The air becomes tense and sizzles. And maybe there are sparks flying where they clash (Berthier shudders and watches her guard crumble apart). And for a moment, it's like she has surrendered without even knowing it.
Rubeus wins (as always) without even thinking it.
Koan lets herself get possessed, consumed, all rotted and skinned from obsession. She straightens her back and kisses Berthier tenderly.
"I know you mean well."
"Then why do you do it?"
Because ignorance can be a brutal bliss.
"Because I love him."
(But I love you too.)
"But what about…"
"Everything will be fine."
And Berthier almost leads herself to believe it's true. She smiles back sincerely and gingerly side-steps out of the game. Rubeus will lose, one day. Everyone falters—eventually. And when it's Rubeus' turn, she'll be ready.
