[TRUTH ROOM] and I wanna hear what you have to say about me

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

[The Oldacon's found a room where one of the kitchens used to be. It's not remarkable in any way other than it's irritating non-kitchenness. There are some comfy chairs, a nice plush carpet, some reddish mood lighting-

-and a door that won't open again.]

Oh, you... come on. [He fights with the door momentarily, getting nowhere at break-neck speeds. He sighs and moves to sit in a chair, looking somberly around. He has no idea what the room wants, but it's not letting him go just yet.]


((OOC: This is a room that forces people to say truths they normally wouldn't divulge. You can only get out after saying one of these truths aloud for someone else to hear. The effects could last for as long or as short a time as you wish. Feel free to either bother Hal or just wander in alone or wotever.))

Comments

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

[baffled snort] Which company are you referring to? Did someone else come in while I wasn't watching?

[be-safe-hal.livejournal.com]

You. Okay, what the hell?

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

[frowns] Problem?

[be-safe-hal.livejournal.com]

I'm not really meaning to say any of this. It's all slipping out.

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

Really? Hm. [looks around some more] It looks like a high-end bar. Maybe the room lowers inhibitions. Drunkenness without the fruity drinks to work through first.

[be-safe-hal.livejournal.com]

Too bad, I like the fruity drinks. They interfere with my meds, though. ...[She looks mortified]

Okay, I officially hate this room.

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

[watches Emma for a long moment, stare calm but searching]

I won't ask for details. As hard as it is for you to accept, I'm not your brother. It's not my business.

[be-safe-hal.livejournal.com]

I just don't like to bring my meds - damn it, room, "it" works too - up.

It doesn't matter if you're not the Hal from my world. You're still a Hal, still the guy I fell in love with. ...

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

[holds up a hand and congratulations, you've managed to make Mr. Stoic look uncomfortable] Emma. Just stop. We're going downhill fast.

[be-safe-hal.livejournal.com]

[Squeaking with embarrassment:] Shutting up now.

there's no way this will end well

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

[runs a hand through his hair, sighing deeply] Forgive me, but I'm going to take advantage of this room's effects to ask something that's been bugging me.

Do you know about Julie?

[be-safe-hal.livejournal.com]

Do you want me to answer that or should I just growl? I know.

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

[nods solemnly and looks uncharacteristically fragile. his gaze drops and he says nothing, just tracing the faint wrinkles in his hands]

[be-safe-hal.livejournal.com]

... so what do you want to ask? Or was asking about Mom's failure as a parent it?

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

Don't blame her. [leans his head back against the sofa back, eyes shut tiredly] Forget I said anything.

[be-safe-hal.livejournal.com]

I can't blame you, Hal.

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

[quietly] And we both know why.

Don't blame Julie, Emma. Please.

[be-safe-hal.livejournal.com]

I'm older now, Hal. I've seen you happy with Snake. I've gotten to reconnect with you. It's still there, that crush I had when I was six. But it's usually overshadowed by the love I have for you as a sister.

Hal, here's the list I gave the teenage you. One, she was much older than you. Two, you were a minor then. Three, she was an authority figure. Four, the pool thing. Hal... Mom knew better. You didn't.

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

[grits his teeth] Do you honestly think I didn't know it was wrong? I didn't realize exactly what I was doing? I was naive, but no one is that naive.

[be-safe-hal.livejournal.com]

You were also alone. And young. And full of youthful stupidity. Mom wasn't.

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

[insistent, but still looking away. even now, some things were still painful. he'd had dreams like this, the visage of Emma yelling at him for what he'd done to their family. this hurt nearly as much.] The blame's not just hers.

[be-safe-hal.livejournal.com]

Hal, why are you so insistent on being guilty? [She places a hand on his shoulder] I don't blame you. At all. The days that I did are gone. Right now... I just want to be your sister. Help you out.

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

Because I was there. I know what I did. And I couldn't even tell you I was sorry before you died because I was too much of a coward. [sighs] I've made a lot of mistakes in my life. Ruining your life was one of the bigger ones to me.

[be-safe-hal.livejournal.com]

And I helped ruin my own life. I stayed with Mom. I didn't try to get in touch with you. I held onto your memory like that. It's not your fault.

[justhalnow.livejournal.com]

You were also just a child. [rubs his face, so tired...] We could argue in circles about this for hours. The Hal in your timeline, doesn't he still have guilt over what happened?