intermission mingle

[idolpro]

Who: people
Where: from outside the game tower to the hotel lobby or around either building
When: Day 50, evening

[ well that was WILD. or maybe not wild for people who decided to be smart and not try to bother monsters.

there are quite a few people milling about now from the game. careful, some of them are monsters. ]

Comments

[awakenerd]

And you're not Santa? Is this a multiple personality thing?

[artificialinelegance]

Oh my god you're actually smart, congratulations on being like the second person to figure it out. Yaaaay.

[awakenerd]

[I'm too tired for surprise today.]

Ah. Nice to meet you, Marigold. Sorry, seems like kind of a sore subject? Is there anyone else I should know about?

[artificialinelegance]

No, because I'm the only one who actually matters.

Technically there's Rosemary but she's a programming quirk, not a tee-hee my brain is fucked up because daddy hates me.

[awakenerd]

... Okay what.

cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[artificialinelegance]

Oh, hey did you say 'time to waste points to show a nerdlord some horrible shit'? Because I think that's what you said.

[ so she pulls out her phone and just like

replays this memory

no big deal ]

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[awakenerd]

[What the fuck.

Aidios are you okay? Is anyone okay???

I don't have icons for the horror on Phoenix's face but he looks absolutely stunned and horrified, a hand covering his mouth, and he's definitely spared some of the worst just because his eyes well up with tears too much too even see, and also because he looks away. He's not. Watching all that. He's definitely feeling ready to throw up and it takes an effort not to.

Sorry if you wanted a verbal reaction all he's got is distressed tears for a minute after that memory. Composing himself enough for words is going to take a second.]

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[artificialinelegance]

[ it's fine because she's busy suddenly being way more animated

you know like bouncing on her heels and freezing at every little sound that happens and rapidly tapping her fingers against her thigh just normal things one does ]

Take your time.

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[awakenerd]

[Wiping his eyes and trying to breathe. He can't just break down sobbing about her life he has so many things still to do he cannot afford to just collapse into a stressed, upset lump over one horrific memory. It's not even his memory.

Cool okay he hiccups like twice but gets his breathing under control. Absently his hand drops to cover his heart, which aches physically. He feels like it might burst with upset and impotent distressed rage.

His voice isn't angry though, just... tired and upset and genuine.]

I don't know what to even say. I'm sorry that you went through that doesn't even seem to start to cover it.

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[artificialinelegance]

Yeah man it sucks just look at how much you're fucked up by it, anyways hope you get it now I'm just out here trying to make sure a girl doesn't get the ol' meat and beat again.

[ looking. over her shoulder. clear path to door, check. she also just shuffles so that her back is towards the wall, because she just likes walls okay ]

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[awakenerd]

[He's stupid about himself, not other people (unless it involves himself). He watches her and opts to sit down like Yasuragi suggests.]

... I'm sorry it's probably not very reassuring to be here right now.

[There are so many guys.]

Is there anything I can do to help you be more comfortable?

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[artificialinelegance]

I am perfectly reassured and comfortable.

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[awakenerd]

[Ma'am.]

...Uh.

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[artificialinelegance]

We could fuck though, that'd be fun I guess.

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[awakenerd]

Is that your coping mechanism?

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[artificialinelegance]

Uh, no? I'm my coping mechanism.

[ hahahahahahhahahahahahahaha kill me ]

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[bevoted]

[ well.

guess he's here for this now.

except there's a stark difference between being told about it and actually seeing it. no words could have actually prepared him for seeing santa-- mari-- foxglove-- this girl who he loves and wants to protect -- being so thoroughly destroyed in more ways than can actually be said.

he

somewhere in the middle of the memory-- about the first time that baton cracks over her skull-- he actually surges to his feet, his eyes wide and rapt on the man. ]

Stop-- [ but of course it doesn't.

actually stop.

because it's a memory. it's a video, the things happening are unreachable and unstoppable. ]

Santa-- [ no, ] Foxglove-- ? [ fuck what is he supposed to say, what is he supposed to do, he can't help her --

he can't even see her. not really. because his vision is going red and his eyes are turning a dangerous, primal yellow. his instinct to fight-- to destroy whatever hurts her,

is most likely not actually helping at all. ]

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[artificialinelegance]

[ um

okay on second thought this was actually a really bad idea and I'd like to undo

she rushes over to him, clasping one of his hands in hers ]

Hey, hey, Loki! I'm fine! See?

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[bevoted]

[ hindsight is 20/20

that being said his eyes do dart towards her face the moment he feels her hand on his. ]

Mari-? [ maybe. he doesn't know for sure. it's about all he can do to keep from crying as he brings her hand to his face, his mouth pressing against his palm as he closes his eyes. ]

I'm sorry- [ rattles, it's the only words he can find. he's outright trembling with rage and disgust, with frustration as anger twists inside of him into a tight ball that threatens to burst. his nails are growing longer-- darker, thicker, and she can feel his fingers start to develop pads-- ]

I-- I'll kill him. I'll kill him. Santa... Mari....

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[artificialinelegance]

Mari. It's me, Mari. It's okay. You don't have to kill anyone, okay?

[ she squeezes his hand, and...

hm

well, might as well keep making mistakes until I die. ]

If you're upset, I'm right here.

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[bevoted]

Mari. [ he repeats in a kind of daze. in a kind of daze. alright. ]

.. I know... you're here. You're here, [ and not there. that's the important part actually. she's here with him, and not there with that monster.

that's. how he's taking this mari. ]

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[artificialinelegance]

[ well

ok. I mean, that's better than basically any other way to take it ]

He can't take me away from here. I'm safe. With you. Yours.

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[bevoted]

[ honestly he's a bad fucking state right now that none of that sounds nearly as alarming as it actually should. he just. breathes out, leaning forwards to put his forehead to hers as he reaches up to cup her face in his hands, ]

Right. You're right... you're here. I'm sorry... I didn't know. That was... that you went through something so horrible, for so long...

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[artificialinelegance]

[ aaaaaAaaaaAAAA FACE TOUCHING.

ok ok no. calm. not upset. not ]

It'sfinejustcalmdownaboutitalready!

Re: cw: child abuse (physical, mental, and sexual)

[bevoted]

... Mari? You're upset...

[ so it's obviously not fine? ]