(no subject)

[lefthandpath]

Who: BARiTONES and... ??? visitors???
Where: BARiTONES
When: Day 130, post-game

[two cats drag home a bird--that is to say, Crown Royal and Kohime help Eichi get home and into bed.

what's everyone doing after that horror show?]

Comments

[tradesecret]

[ angling herself to get into his line of sight, trying to read his expression a little better. ]

Is something wrong?

[syckophant]

No.

[ It's a lie, but it's one he's so used to telling by now. Nothing is wrong. He is fine. He's content and healthy. ]

I'm just tired is all.

[tradesecret]

I'd hate to rush you, but the soup will get cold if you just leave it.

Granted, I can always heat it up later if you're not hungry now.

[syckophant]

I'll eat it. I'm not really hungry right now but I'm sure if I don't I'll regret it.

[ That's just what it's like eith his condition. It's a little slow going, but he accepts the bowl, placing it on his lap... and slowly beginning to eat.

At least miso soup is light and easy to eat any time. ]

[tradesecret]

[ she'll make herself comfortable, taking a seat at the foot of his bed, while she sits for him to finish. But it's so weird when things are quiet, so conversation will have to be had. ]

I'm not sure how it tastes. It's simple enough, but I'm not a chef.

[syckophant]

If I'm honest, I can't taste much just yet, but it's not bad from what I can tell.

I'm not a chef either, if it is any consolation. Usually just had cooks taking care of me.

[tradesecret]

Noted. I'll have Ruby double check my cooking; I don't want her to fee as though she has to do all the work.

Do you miss that kind of thing? This has to be an adjustment.

[syckophant]

I don't know if I miss it.

I don't really know how to cook. I'd always had servants of every kind. Constantly watching me, monitoring me, gauging my health. I had a meter that would measure the stamina I had left and out I dropped below a certain level, it didn't matter where I was or what I was doing, I'd be assaulted and whisked away to sit in a hospital room for days, weeks... sometimes months.

My parents had reserved a special room in the hospital for me, and so I spent most of the time there alone.

...I shouldn't complain, their vigilance allowed me to live long enough to graduate grade school, but sometimes I wonder how much of that time I was actually alive.

And how much of it was just hooking up a corpse to life support.

[tradesecret]

[ oh, that's a lot... that's awful and unfair in its own way. Her gaze falls to her lap, unfocused. It takes a while to process, to imagine what that must have felt like. ]

So, if this is your New Game+, what would like to do with it?

[syckophant]

[ He stops and thinks about that, but like. What is he supposed to say? It's stupid to say "be cured", because he's dead and there are NO people here with the kind of knowledge that'd take, if it were even possible to stop being sick. ]

I don't know. I kind of hoped that dying would have let me rest. Or at least mean I wouldn't have this... hateful, wretched body.

But in lieu of that, I just want to do the things that I never got to do in life. Eating rich foods, doing strenuous activities, being able to socialize...

[tradesecret]

Realistically, you have more... [ pausing. What word best describes collapsing from too much bacon, dying from too much pain and some pink haired Taisho yelling TENSHOUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNN!!!!111111eleventyone!! over little things? ] ...limitations than the rest of us, but it's feasible within moderation. [ a beat ] Moderation probably takes some of the fun out of it, though.

[syckophant]

I lived my life in moderation.

And I still died. I died and went to Hell, and I died again. When does moderation end? When do I get to stop holding back in fear of killing myself? How many times do I die before it doesn't matter anymore?

Is eternity meant to be spent in moderation?

[tradesecret]

I don't have an answer for that. But if you end up stuck in bed again, it's very unlikely that you'll be alone.

[syckophant]

...Sorry. I shouldn't be trying to get you to answer that.

[ It isn't something he's answered yet, so why should someone who has only known him for a short time have the answer. He doesn't know what to say to that second part. Not being alone...? ]

I don't expect anyone to sit in here and entertain me. You all have your lives as well.

[tradesecret]

There's no need to apologize, I think anyone in your position would wonder that. And while I can speculate, it's really not my place to answer, because our perspectives and life experiences are fundamentally different.

You're part of our lives whether you want us to be or not, so please tolerate my presence until I make you want me to leave.

[syckophant]

[ Sighs. He sits back into his pillows... missing one since Kohime took it with her. Which kind of sucks, but he's making due. ]

If that's what you want to do.

I don't want you sitting in here just because you pity me.

[tradesecret]

I was more concerned about you blaming yourself for something beyond your control— in the game.

[syckophant]

Well, I don't think you will manage to convince me otherwise, but I appreciate the thought. It turns out guilt doesn't really need logic.

1/2

[tradesecret]

If that keen on torturing yourself, I'd be happy to lend my assistance.

[ toeing off her heels and creeping just close enough to take that Erika/Codex book off the tray.

She opens the book with unrestrained glee, throwing herself into this scene but.

Oh, right.

He's not a mind reader. He said that. ]

[tradesecret]

[ She peeks over the edge of the book and whispers, like he's an acting partner who has unfortunately forgotten his lines ]

While I'm fully committed to doing a dramatic reading of this entire book, this was meant to be an opportunity for you to recommend either a debriefing or a distraction, because I didn't want to pick one or the other for you.

[syckophant]

...

[ This is a weird thing that is happening, he thinks. ]

I... uh.

Just do what you want to do.

[tradesecret]

A distraction, then.

[ snaps the book shut ]

You don't want to listen to me read this for three hours, believe me. Let me know when we're ready to receive company. I'm inviting Primrose on Heart Solider over for tea.

We'll also need teacups, and since you're the only one who'd care about that sort of thing, I'd like your input.

[syckophant]

Only three hours?

[ Raises his brows, mostly curious. ]

Well, we'd have to look at different sets. Have you never entertained before, Yvette?

[tradesecret]

It would have been shorter if I didn't draw out the sex scene.

[ and she won't give him much time to react to that. ]

I have a general understanding of throwing parties from previous Lives, and from reading every book on etiquette and party hosting the library had. That being said, since I have no personal preferences regarding the aesthetics, it is best to defer to the only person who would.