Carissa is watching them nervously.

Sigh. :I should go to bed: Ma'ar says to the other Carissa, then gives his Carissa a reassuring smile. He mostly looks sad and tired though. 

:Good night.: 

"Me too."

And she stands.

Ma'ar heads off toward his room, looking at the floor. 

(Leareth is still out.) 

She goes to bed too once Ma'ar has.

....Ma'ar is absolutely not going to succeed at going to sleep right now. 

:Carissa?: he sends, to the one who's approximately his mother, not the other one. :Are you busy: 

:No.: And she comes and knocks on his door.

He opens the door, steps forward into her arms and immediately starts crying. 

- hug. 

:I'm really really really scared: Ma'ar confesses. :That - we're going to mess it up - that it's - like the Cataclysm part of the story, that it...didn't need to happen and doesn't need to happen here but it will anyway because it's a bad stupid terrible story...: 

:I don't - think it works like that. I don't know. I think - Leareth learned things from the Cataclysm. He wouldn't make the same mistakes today.:

:- Aroden still made mistakes when he was thousands and thousands of years old. And got horribly murdered and millions of people died and Asmodeus conquered Cheliax...: 

:Yes. They're not - immune to mistakes. But they - do learn from them....: Headshake. :I don't think we should do it. But Iomedae and Aroden are very smart and I think they'll make the best bet that can be made. Which doesn't mean we'll win.:

:...I know. I know that's - how it always is - I know very smart people can do their best and - still lose - but I'm so scared: 

:It's pretty scary. 

We might want to send you back to your world - just in case -:

:....That makes sense. But - I don't - I want to be where you and Leareth are...: 

:Yeah. I understand.:

Ma'ar doesn't have anything more to say, really, he just wants Carissa to hold him for a while. 

Carissa isn't sure anyone has given her a motherly hug since she turned sixteen but she hardly had to deal with this kind of thing as a young adult, either. She can hug him for as long as he needs.

After about ten minutes of hugging, Ma'ar is somewhat more relaxed. 

:Thank you. Sorry I'm so upset, I know it's - just a distraction...: 

:....I don't think I have something I should be doing instead. I think - probably if people are trying for something other than Asmodeanism they need lots of hugs.:

:Leareth managed without any hugs for such a long time! And I don't think the grownup Ma'ar got very many hugs either. But...it does help: 

Squeeze. :I don't really know how he managed and I think you shouldn't try, if you can manage without.:

:Don't want to try. Already enough things that need trying: His mindvoice is sounding drowsy now. 

She can walk with him to his bed, and tuck him in. Even though he's all grown up now.