and it takes, and it takes, and it takes

[acherontiastyx]

[It... definitely takes a while for the weekly after-execution note to arrive, but it does --- kind of scrawly and on ripped paper rather than nice stationery.]

EY. YO. WE GOT EFFIGIES IN THE DINING ROOM AND WE'RE GONNA BURN EM.

FOOD TOO. THE USUAL AND HOT COCOA. GOOD FOR THE SOUL. GET SOME. MAYBE TAKE IT BACK TO YOUR ROOM IF YOU HAVE TO. JUST GET SOME.

[Anyway, in the dining room, there's plenty of mugs set out, with a janky looking arrow sign pointing into the kitchen to where you can get your hot cocoa. On the table, there's Vichyssoise, a pot of green tea, and some booze. There's also a cookie tray on the floor away from the table on which to burn the Wordsmith and Kimbley effigies, which are handily placed near the food on the table.

...also if you go in the kitchen without shoes on just. Watch the northern corner. There's no kidneys, but there's a lot of broken plates there for some reason...]

Comments

[neverheardofhim]

[The state of her face is noted, but not commented on. He'd been around her long enough to at least note her vanity, and figured it best not to upset her any further by bringing it up. Instead, he slipped in, book in hand.]

You were looking for stories, when we first met. Figured... now might be a good time for a distraction. I have to get this to Estelle before the night is over but... it's a quick enough read, you might be able to make it a decent way through before I get it to her.

[elepe]

[She's thankful for that, at least, and...perks a bit at the mention. That's right, she did mention that, didn't she? That...

Actually gets the smallest of smiles from her.]

...You remembered. [It's nice.] I would love to read it, Varric. It'd be nice to get lost in something else, if only for a while.

[neverheardofhim]

[Varric offered two things to the woman, a smile and the book. The smile was slow and gentle, maybe even wobbly, but there all the same. The book, on the other hand, was held out carefully, with one of Varric's thumbs fondly swooping over the cover.]

Hope you enjoy it, Lucy. I'd hate to have hyped it up for so long and have it disappoint you.

[elepe]

Varric, I've heard your lovely stories of the people...if they are even a mile away from those, then I will be more than satisfied.

[She'll gently take the book, handling it with care as she opens it up and begins to read. She's honestly excited for it.]

[neverheardofhim]

[With her apparently busy, Varric glanced about, at a loss for what to do. He considered retreating from the room but... he still wasn't fond of the idea of leaving her alone. She had a distraction but...]

Anything you need? Tea. Dinner? [He paused a moment] Could make you something in a beaker.

[elepe]

--Varric!

[Lusamine looks up from the book, but at the same time, she...laughs a little? She actually laughs a bit.]

If you intend to deface the chemistry lab, don't use food to do so. But I think I will be--

[...'fine' is what she wants to say, but considering that her stomach just growled, uh.]

...food would be wonderful, if you don't mind.

[neverheardofhim]

[He chuckled softly alongside her, which quickly devolved into a much louder rumble at the sound of her stomach. Maybe in the face of everything it was wrong to be so happy, but laughter was the only medicine he knew. The only solace he'd found after losing Hawke was telling the stories about her that'd made him laugh the most.]

I'll see what I can shake up for you. Any preferences?

[elepe]

[Why does her body have to betray her like this.]

No meat, please. I'm a vegetarian. Otherwise, feel free to do what you like.

[neverheardofhim]

No meat then. [He waited until he turned around to grimace at her statement. There were plenty of finicky eaters back home, but none that he'd ever had to cook for. What was there except meat?]

[Nevertheless, Varric set himself to his task, returning later with a cheese sandwich, garnished with lettuce, tomatoes and various other things that seemed... sandwich-y. Barring meat, of course, because Lucy seemed to enjoy making things complicated.]

[He knocked before entering, announced himself, but didn't wait for a response to open the door. Manners could excuse themselves when he was serving someone, he figured.]

[elepe]

[When the meat is typically your friends at home, one tends to avoid it, gosh Varric

Either way, Lusamine gets a little more engrossed into the story before he knocks, and she smiles when she sees what he brings in. It's perfect, as far as she's concerned.]

Why, thank you. You're incredibly kind to do such a thing for me...even with how difficult I was at the trial.

[neverheardofhim]

Maker, Lucy... [He closed the door behind him, figuring they could use a little privacy for whatever came next. Before saying anything, he delivered the plate to... wherever she was, then moved to sit against a wall.]

I can't imagine how it might have been for me, if it had been Sunshine and Bubbles up there. And if that were to happen, I could only hope for this kind of comfort. Guess I'm self-serving in that way.

[elepe]

[She's sitting on her bed for the time being, but she'll have gotten up to take the food--she's...usually a little more careful, but she can clean it up if the crumbs get everywhere.

...Even still, she...laughs? A little bitterly at Varric's words.]

We all are, when it comes right down to it. [She shakes her head.] That's just how it is, sometimes. I simply...wish none of this happened. If it didn't, almost all of us would perish, but...

[She wants to put the entirety of the blame on Kimbley's shoulders for this, but there's still a lot of facts about what has happened that are fucking right with Lusamine.]

[neverheardofhim]

Maybe someone else would have caught it... [He almost wished he hadn't gone to speak with Kimbley on Sunday. It had put him at ease, convinced him that even if he couldn't trust the man fully, he could at least believe that he wouldn't kill any of them. If he hadn't, he might have been the one to stumble onto him.]

I'd have taken the Shadow if it meant keeping everyone alive. The kids included. [Not to mention the fact that he had been itching to wrap his fingers around Kimbley's neck anyways.]

[elepe]

...You would have left those girls behind, if you had done that.

[As much as it feels hypocritical to say. Lusamine was prepared to do the same thing in the heat of the moment...]

There's really no way we could have known, is there?

[neverheardofhim]

Maybe. But it wouldn't have been so bad, if I knew women like you and Feather were there to watch over them.

[It was the same line of thought he'd had before, time and time again. Thus far, nothing had spurred him to action, but it wasn't so out of the question just yet. Gangrel was still a concerning anomaly, albeit less of one than Kimbley had been.]

[He couldn't relax just yet.]

I don't think so, Lucy. He even had me fooled.

[elepe]

["But it wouldn't have been so bad, if I knew women like you and Feather were there to watch over them."

...she has to kind of repeat that in her mind a few times, but...wow. She wasn't expecting that at all. It gets a mile out of her none the less.]

It's strange, isn't it? You think you know someone, what they're willing to do, and...then they turn around, and do something like this. It's an interesting world.

[...not. Quite the best words for that, but y'know.]

[neverheardofhim]

If I had a sovereign for every time I thought I knew a guy... [Then he wouldn't be nearly as rich as he had gotten writing about the blighted mess.] It's... it's something alright. Not something you get used to though.

[At least... he hoped he didn't.]