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Robin and Mary have a lot of situations they don't talk about in their death.
They've been there for the longest out of everyone and it's understandable they've got some sort of shared connection out of it, but there's more to it than that.
The first time Robin holds Mary in his arms it's fairly soon after her death. She's screamed herself hoarse, eyes streaming and coughing from the smoke as she dies. Robin feels fucking helpless a lot, but somehow she locked eyes with him while she was still alive. She probably didn't know she had, but Robin is rooted to the spot, helplessly watching her burn and expecting her to walk into that bright, white light.
That doesn't happen. Her village continue to chant loudly and she watches her own body burn. He watches her heart shatter again, time after time and watches her scream out to her family who still can't hear her.
She keeps shouting until they go home, and Robin lets her.
As she stands, watching the embers flicker in the night, he slowly approaches her. He's pretty sure she knew he was there, but even so, he clears his throat.
"Me. Robin."
She blinks at him, eyes red and full with tears she hasn't worked out how to cry yet. "H-how can yous see me then? Been tryin' for hours."
"Me ghost. You ghost now." He winces as she lets out a sob. "They no see us."
"No. My mind might still be playin' them tricks on me. Seeing those things again. You sure you real?"
"Mmm. I ghost, real to me. You touch if you like." He holds out his arm for her to prod at if she wants. A lot of the ghosts who stay for a couple of days tend to need some grounding.
There was a monk who was around for 10 days, he said it was like St Thomas feeling Christ's wounds. Robin just nodded at him and saw him leave through that bright, white light two days later.
He's startled out of that flashback though as Mary full body laughs. Again, he's used to this. Some people have weird reactions to their death, unsure how to cope with it and this is one of them.
Kind of harshly, she prods and pokes at his arm, laughing under her breath.
"I really was mad then. All this, when I thought I saws you when I died. You was looking at me."
Robin feels his body jolt. The fact she'd seen him when she was still alive sends a weird tingle through his body. It's the first time he's been seen or noticed in any way in so, so fucking long. He can't help but smile a little bit.
"You tired," he manages to breathe out, "you rest."
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Resting, it turns out, is not something Mary is great at. It's been about 45 minutes and every time she closes her eyes, she screams out, clearly remembering those sparks, that cacophony of smoke and jeering.
Robin sighs, shuffling over towards where he's left Mary, slumped against a tree.
"You want..." he lifts his arms up, motioning a hug to her. At her scandalised expression, he simply says "we dead. No one will see."
He watches her face contort, working out the options in her head. She needs comfort, something solid to lean on while she rests and she can't get that alone. She needs human-ghost contact. "'Lright." She mutters.
Robin settles in beside her, leaning his back against the tree as Mary snuggles closer, with her head against his chest. He feels a sense of warmth, something he hasn't felt in years, as he wraps both arms around her.
Now, Robin doesn't sleep much. He doesn't feel the need, but he does like to sit and let his mind wonder sometimes, with his eyes closed. It's like he's dreaming again. Dreams are something he misses so, so much. Sitting here though, with his arms around Mary and the smell of smoke in the air, gentle snores against his chest, he feels himself drift off to sleep.