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

[ravagers]

[ Generally, people need time to cope and gather themselves after a... thing... like that. Unfortunately, that's not how Vanille sees it. Her thing is avoid, and once she gets out of that hellhole that's the courtroom, she makes her way to the supplies closet, then to the library. She spends some time setting up things, pushing things aside to make room. Once she's finished, and she's met up with the Party Brigade, she makes enough invitations for everyone. She slips them under everyone's doors, or hands them out if she sees someone walking around.



Inside the library, there are candles set up to provide some soft, comforting lighting. There are pots of tea, courtesy of Mercy, pancakes made by Viktor, and books (picked out by Estelle, of course) laid out on the surrounding tables. The others have provided their own touches, and Vanille's even managed to make something: sugar cookies, which are actually very good. They're flavored lightly with all sorts of flavors--not all in the same cookie, okay--and each plate is marked with whatever flavor she's put in them.

After a successful trial, it's healthy to indulge, right? Let's mingle. ]

Comments

[uncouthhatcher]

[... Well, um.]

I was still pissed at him for... a misunderstandin' and I kinda waved him off about it. We're okay now, I guess, since we straightened it out, but I'm still pretty mad at myself.

[stepout]

[ ...oh. Oh no. ]

That's just what happens. [ Hearing the wrong things, thinking it's one thing instead of something else... ] Don't beat yourself up over it too much, or you'll just end up blaming things that aren't even your fault on yourself, too.

[uncouthhatcher]

I don't even know how I got it from him, or why I even believed it -- me and him've been through all kinds of shit together, you know? I pushed him and Crys outta a bad situation, knowin' I might not survive it myself, and before then I couldn't even really call him anythin' more than someone who was on my side.

[... They weren't friends, not really, not until later. But that's in words only; Gold's considered him a friend for a longer than he probably expects.]

He's put his life on the line for me just as many as I have for him. There's no reason for either of us to mistake that or think otherwise, you know?

[stepout]

Remember the couple I told you about our first day here? They'd been in love for a while, and they still had that misunderstanding. [ ... ] The husband had overheard some of his wife's friends talking about a "Machi" who was having an affair and mistook it for her, because her name was "Machiko".

[ ...They might've been the same, they might've not been; she didn't get the memories, she doesn't know. ]

Hopefully it'll end up better for you two than it did for them, though.

[uncouthhatcher]

[... Is she calling them married. Is she saying they're in love. Like, he had this Thing with Elda, but his face still isn't sure what to do with itself, uh.]

How'd it end with them?

[Let's focus on that.]

[stepout]

[ SHE IS SAYING THAT EVEN SOMEONE WITH A RELATIONSHIP OF LOVE AND TRUST LIKE THAT CAN FALL TO MISCOMMUNICATION ISSUES, YOU COMPLETE FUCKING WALNUT. ]

...They broke up.

[uncouthhatcher]

[WELL, YOU KNOW. ANYWAY.]

Well, that ain't gonna happen with us. Silver's tried gettin' rid of me before, but I stick to him like a Remoraid does a Mantine!

[... which means nothing to you]

Besides, we usually solve things by beatin' each other up.

[stepout]

[ MAYBE ONE DAY SHE'LL TELL YOU THE REAL STORY™ BUT TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY. ]

So you'll be fine this time. Nothing to worry about.

[uncouthhatcher]

[PLEASE.]

You have anyone like that? Best friend or anything?

[stepout]

[ ..........................UH. ]

No, not really.

[uncouthhatcher]

You live in a bar and you're not even besties with the tender.

[... Now, does he mean tender as in money, or as a short for "bartender."]

[stepout]

[ ... ]

We're friends, but I wouldn't say we're best friends.

[ he's her best by virtue of being her only friend, if she has to go with that. ...and he's her friend in the first place by virtue of being the only person she spends a decent amount of time with and is friendly with and talks to???

this is sounding as pathetic as my other characters why do i only play friendless losers ]

[uncouthhatcher]

[see look she's in your character comfort zone]

Do they live in the bar too?

[stepout]

[ shut up

also, the most straight-faced reply: ] Yes.

[uncouthhatcher]

... So you live together, but you ain't anything more than friends.

[dude]

What're they like?

[stepout]

Serious and good at making drinks. [ ... ] I'd say he's kindhearted, but it might just be that he just doesn't know how to be rude. On purpose. He's also much more suited to being an... a bartender than a comedian.

[ so. ]

I like talking to him and he helps me understand things when I ask him to. [ Decim's so great. ] I've been working as his assistant for...

[ .................. ]

I'm not sure, actually. Time has a habit of just... getting away from you there.

[uncouthhatcher]

[... Sounds like a great guy. Huh.]

What's a bartender need an assistant for, anyway? And... you guys don't have a clock or anything like that there? Calendar? How do you know when you're gonna get paid or whatever?

[stepout]

One question at a time.

[ So she can figure out what to say. ]

[uncouthhatcher]

Are you into him?

[that wasn't one of the questions but it sure is now]

[stepout]

[ WWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHH ]

I... What?

[ ...she's just so ??? she's not even like, blushing or anything. ]

[uncouthhatcher]

You know, diggin' his looks or anything like that! I'm tryin' to figure out your type. I figure a straight-laced chick like you'd probably be into the type of guy you could lose yourself around a little.

[stepout]

We're friends [ because he's literally the only alive-ish-whatever thing I talk to on a regular basis ] and that's all.

[uncouthhatcher]

[Boring.]

So what's he need an assistant for?

[stepout]

To assist him.

[uncouthhatcher]

With what?