I'll wait, so show me why you're strong

[isafraid]

[And so the day's trial for the attempted murder of Gabriel Knight draw to a close with... charitably better results then usual.

They were alive, at the least, but that didn't mean there wasn't several blows against the trust that had been built up here. One mole that attempted murder, another that quit, and another that was given the offer no doubt put strain on several relationships... most notably Sigrun's.

It was all, in a word... frankly shitty. But now it's all out there, no sense in trying to get it back.

An hour (or two) after the "trial" ends and everyone's gone off on their own business, Speedwagon heads back to the kitchen. It was the usual plan in mind, what they did after every trial. And everyone, regardless of what was said or done, would soon find a note being slipped under their door.]

[Name],
There's gonna be food in the dining hall, in case anyone's got an appetite for it.
I know some might want to be alone after that mess of an investigation, but if you don't then the offer's as open as it's always been.
I'd say sticking together might still be safer then not.

-R E.O. Speedwagon

[And yes, folks that arrive in the dining hall will find a nice spread of sandwiches, soup, and what leftovers Speedwagon could scrounge out of the fridge. Speedwagon isn't the best cook in the group, but there's definitely stuff here that's good enough to eat.

...Sigrun's 'masterpiece' was, thankfully, left out of this. Keeping folks alive is the goal, after all.]

Comments

[captainobnoxious]

[Well, Black isn't leaving her side any time soon, so expect to find him in all the places she is too!

... Before the dinner they're invited to, Sigrun and Black are in Room 13, because it helped last week to calm her head and because she's going through Mettaton's stuff after starting a letter, leaving it aside to collect all the written information he left behind.

She was right in thinking that most of it was on his dead as fuck phone.

A quick stop up in the chapel to deposit her finished letter and the multitude of unfinished ones she'd taken from Mettaton's sketchbook and she'll take Black to dinner.

Though they're notably sitting away from others in the dining hall, it isn't like there's no room for company if... anyone wants to talk to either of them, though Sigrun doesn't think anyone particularly will. She's busy eating and keeping an eye on Black as he scribbles in his notebook, not thinking that anyone'll want to talk to them either.]

dining hall

[cherryblooded]

Hello, captain.

[Don't mind Cherryblod just icing his shoulder. His bruised shoulder. From the punch you gave him.

He certainly doesn't seem mad, though.]

How are you holding up, all things considered?

[captainobnoxious]

[... Well, if anyone was gonna talk to her, it'd be him. She gives his shoulder a glance before looking away.]

Fine, for the most part. My dignity's about as wounded as your shoulder is, so mind if we call it even or do you want to get one in on me too?

[Because she'll allow it.]

[cherryblooded]

Said it was forgiven and it's forgiven. Nothing that won't heal up.

[...Might take a week or two.]

[captainobnoxious]

[...]

Keep it iced and a bruise like that won't take more than a week. Take a seat, I'll tell you what we decided.

[cherryblooded]

[He has a seat next to her.]

How'd it go?

room 13

[penduli]

[ He feels like he's being babysat.

Maybe he is. Black twiddles his thumbs, watching Sigrun look through Mettaton's stuff, and sighs. He... can't blame it, and he agreed to it. It's not like he really has any right to complain either—he's the one who sold them out for the last month and a half, roughly. He's the one who knew what he was getting into, what it'd cost if anyone found out the closer he got to people, what would happen if he...

he was so stupid, thinking he could keep secrets from anyone. Even if he had killed someone all those weeks ago and saved White (somehow), he's sure it would've come up eventually. Even if he managed to keep his deal and what their parents did for White under wraps—that was just because neither of them wanted to talk about that day, wasn't it?

He feels completely hollowed out, and all he wants to do is go back to his room and sleep and never come out again. Black watches Sigrun for another moment, then watches the floor instead. ]

...Miss Sigrun?

[ He's... testing the waters, and it's evident in his tone. Hesitant, soft, ready to close up again at the first sign of "Don't talk to me." ]

[captainobnoxious]

[Her head snaps to attention, pausing in her search for anything good, and she watches him for a moment before smiling. It's only a little awkward.]

Yes, sweetheart?

[penduli]

[ Please don't call me that, he wants to say, because he doesn't really deserve pet names.

But he hums, trying to work up the courage to not sound like a child on the verge of tears. ]

Do you... does everyone hate me? [ ...his courage was all for naught, because guess what he sounds like. Doesn't stop there, either. ] I— I wouldn't blame them, any of them, because what I did... what I've been doing isn't forgivable, but I...

[ Well, the world sure is getting mistier again, and he grits his teeth. He's not going to cry. He did enough of that earlier. ]

I don't want them to. [ Especially her. Especially Yosuke. Especially Cherryblod. ]

[captainobnoxious]

[... Well, if there ever was a way for her to stop doing what she was doing faster, it was to introduce her family in a mess of choked up words. Sigrun comes to sit beside him instead, arms wrapping in a hug almost automatically.]

I can't say about everyone else, but I don't hate you, Black. I... kinda get Cherry's feelings about loving someone even if they did bad things, even if they hurt you somehow, because I still love Mettaton, too.

[As over it as she should be, there's just... Well. Anyway.]

I don't forgive him and I won't forgive you, but that doesn't mean I hate you. It'll take time for the others to trust you, I'm sure -- Yosuke especially, [because she knows that's probably one of the bigger ones,] but you've gotta give it a shot. Everyone makes mistakes.

[Evidently.]

Some people make bigger mistakes than others.

[penduli]

[ He flinches a little at Yosuke's name—they probably need to talk, but is Yosuke going to want to? ...can he stomach the idea of talking to him? He's not sure, he feels sick just thinking about it, and while that replaces the hollow feeling it isn't pleasant.

Black presses his face into her shoulder, choking out a few sobs. He doesn't want to cry, he did enough of that, let him be— ]

They're never going to trust me again. I wouldn't trust me again.

[ ...the village pariah, all because he couldn't stop hoping he might be able to get the answers he really wanted if he was a good boy and told Polonius what Hamlet and his friends had done instead of keeping his mouth shut and knowing better. ]

If it's any consolation [ and maybe it will be? he doesn't know, everything feels like fuck ] I didn't tell him anything you told me. At least, nothing you wouldn't have said to him yourself. That goes for Mr. Cherryblod and Yosuke, too.

Room 13

[notjustawriter]

[Gabriel will eventually show up at Mettaton's door, knocking politely.

He really isn't angry at Black, truthfully, and he needs to discuss things with Sigrun anyway. He steels himself, because this could get ugly, but he doesn't have much choise as he sees it. He needs to keep holding it together.]

Sigrun? It's me.

[captainobnoxious]

[Ah... It's the guy she, as Stan so poetically put it, "threw under a bus". Sigrun glances back at Black, motioning for him to stay there, before going to the door herself.

Whoo. Okay. Let's talk.]

What's up?

[notjustawriter]

[He smiles, not looking angry, just tired and sore.]

I just wanted to make sure you're okay. Today was... pretty awful, for all of us.

[captainobnoxious]

[... Ah...]

I've been better. And worse. Both times here. [A shrug, before she looks at the marks on his neck and looks away.] How're you?

[notjustawriter]

[He rubs at his neck.]

About the same. I've been better. Hurts like hell, but the kid didn't do any lasting harm.

[....]

How is he, by the way?

[isafraid]

Captain.

[And Black. Hey there. He nods curtly to both of them on approach. He's not about to say it but he's glad to see them out here.]

Feeling a bit better?

[captainobnoxious]

[It'd be nice if you said it, Speedwagon! Would really cheer her spirits.]

Bit by bit. Got some things on my mind, truthfully, but it's nothing I can help right now.

[isafraid]

[It would, wouldn't it?]

Hmm, anything worth talking about? If you'd like.

[He might not know what to say but he'll always listen.]

[captainobnoxious]

[...]

Well, I was... gonna put it to a vote anyway, sometime, or... something, but I know I'm the third least popular person in the vault right now. First is the Kingmaker's, second's...

[A small head-jerk to Black.]

And as much as I'd still like to lead you all, I imagine the majority isn't gonna want that. That's the biggest thing.

[isafraid]

[....Ah.

Without a word, Speedwagon grabs himself a chair. He doesn't dislike you enough to sit away from you, Sigrun. That's one person at least.]

You did say something about that during the trial, didn't you?

dining hall, late

[garudynamic]

[Hi Sigrun. Yosuke stops a few meters away, eyes wide and and trembling slightly. He tilts his head, asking her to come over a bit away from Black]

[captainobnoxious]

[... She's giving him a real hard look at first, but... seeing how he's acting, remembering Cherryblod's words earlier, she's more inclined to lean towards Black first.]

He looks pissed scared. And he probably wants to talk to you. How're you feeling?

[penduli]

Like I'm going to puke.

[ ...he's going to carefully shut his notebook and set it aside, playing with his pencil to keep his hands busy. ]

I... I told Mr. Cherryblod I'd try, though. [ Man of his word. ...fuck, he hates that. ] So...

[captainobnoxious]

[...]

If you need me, sweetheart, I'll be right by. I won't let you get hurt.

[That's something she can promise, so she gives Yosuke another hard look before going to stand a little ways away, though she's keeping her eyes on them.]