Nic let Laurel keep hitting him, not saying anything.

Laurel eventually gripped Nic shirt, shaking him a bit, "H-How much... do you think I c-can take?" she demanded, "H-How did you... expect m-me to react?"

Still, Nic said nothing.

Laurel looked at Nic for a long moment, her slow sobbing the only noise in the room. "... Y-You stupid... s-stupid man..." she finally whispered before hugging him around the neck as tightly as she could.

Still, Nic said nothing, not hugging Laurel back. He sat there silently as still as a statue.

Laurel continued to hug Nic tightly, muttering something inaudible into his neck.

Nic didn't reply.

It didn't appear like Laurel was going to let go for awhile. Though eventually she got a bit more control over her emotions and managed to stop sobbing, though she still seemed overwhelmingly heartbroken.

After a very long time, Nic suddenly spoke. "Do you believe in magic?" he asked.

Laurel had her cheek resting on her own shoulder, arms still tightly around Nic's neck. She thought about his question for a long time, "... Yes." she decided quietly, "Do you?"

"... I think I'm starting to," Nic replied, but for such a typically positive topic his voice was too dark.

Laurel contemplated his words for a bit, "You... still couldn't find anything?" she assumed.

Nic seemed to be lost in thought for a long moment before nodding.

"... I'm sorry." she said quietly and wholeheartedly. She lightly touched the back of his neck where the start of the huge scar was. "I'm sorry..." she repeated in a whisper.

Nic was silent for another long minute. "I think... someone cursed me as a child," he suddenly revealed.

Laurel started to stoke the back of his neck, "I'm sorry..." she whispered again, several heartstrings breaking in her voice.