recognizing the self in the other

[misheard]

Title: recognizing the self in the other
Fandom: Mogeko Castle, The Gray Garden
Character(s): Yonaka, Licorice
Pairing(s): Ivlis/Yonaka, Licorice/Ivlis, Satanick/Ivlis, Yonaka/Shinya
Genre: Drama
Word Count: 620
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Talk of canon-typical incest and non-con
Summary: Yonaka has a talk with Licorice.
Notes: Part of drifting through hell in a handbasket.

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Things have changed in the Flame World, for Yonaka especially.

When Ivlis was just another one of Satanick's playthings, he was able to keep a lover of his own. Yonaka had to hide whenever Satanick paid a visit - she couldn't promise to keep herself from stabbing him, knowing what he did to Ivlis, and there was no way that would end in her favor - but when Satanick left Yonaka would be there to do what she could.

Now that Satanick's grown more and more obsessed with Ivlis, it's not safe for her to be around Ivlis at all, much less intimately. Satanick doesn't share well with others, and she wouldn't survive Satanick's attention being turned on her. Even if she wanted to, Ivlis refuses to put her in that position. He doesn't have so many people who genuinely care for him that he can afford to put one in danger.

She still stays in the Flame World's castle. She has nowhere else to go, and she's relatively safe here. Everyone who works in the castle knows her and knows better than to lay a hand on her.

She can't interact with Ivlis directly, but she does still see him around the castle. And, by extension, she sees him with Licorice. Or, more relevantly, she sees Licorice with him.

Yonaka would have to be an idiot not to recognize the way Licorice looks at Ivlis. It's the same way she looked at Shinya, a long time ago. She knows the longing in his face and hears herself in his sighs.

She knows that Ivlis doesn't recognize it, because Ivlis is, with all the love in the world, kind of dense. It took forever for him to realize she liked him, and they didn't have a major cultural taboo in the way.

So, okay. She knows, and Ivlis doesn't know. What does she do about it? Does she tell him? Does she tell Licorice she knows? Does she give advice, brocon to dadcon?

She mulls it over in her mind for a while, and while she's debating, Licorice's behavior changes. He can't look Ivlis in the eyes anymore. He puts more distance between the two of them, and there's an invisible weight pushing his shoulders down.

Ah.

"Hey, Licorice. Can I talk to you for a minute?" Yonaka asks, the next time she catches him alone (and as an adult). "It's kind of important."

He blinks at her. "Oh… Kurai? Is it something to do with Mother?"

"You could say that." She takes a deep breath. "How long have you been in love with Ivlis?"

Licorice goes red, then pale. "Y-you didn't-"

"I'm not going to tell him." There's nothing Ivlis can do about it, and it would just make him feel worse. He already has plenty to worry about. "And I'm not mad at you either, I just want to talk about it."

"…I don't know how long. Maybe always." The words come out slowly. "Does everyone know?"

"No, definitely not. I only recognized it because I was in love with my brother, so I know the signs." This is the most candid she's ever been about that: even with Ivlis, it was a wound too fresh to touch, and he didn't ask. But if her experience can help him and Licorice at all, then she'll force herself to be honest.

Some of the weight leaves Licorice's shoulders. "You too? So… so, I'm really not abnormal?"

"…No, we're both abnormal." She wishes she had better news for him, but telling him that it's healthy and fine to be in love with your parent would be more damaging in the long run. "I don't want the things that happened to us to happen to you, or both of you will end up being hurt."

"I don't want to hurt Mother," he says, with obvious guilt. She doesn't call him out on it. "So what should I do?"

"Meet different people. Find someone else you like in that way. The more you have other people in your life besides Ivlis, the easier it is to move on." That's how spending time with Ivlis worked for her, at least.

"I don't get along with most people. But people who are kind to Mother are fine." Licorice considers her carefully. "Do you-"

"You can't date me because we would both be thinking of your mother the whole time and that kind of just defeats the point."