trusthell | and it takes, and it takes, and it takes

and it takes, and it takes, and it takes

[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...]

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I...

[She sees him, offering a smile.]

Yes, I think it would be a good time.

[Right now, she desperately needs the distraction. Something to make her forget where they are, that Gold just died and went down with a fight. That she lost a friend.]

[ ... Then now is certainly a fantastic time for that. He'll even go ahead and come closer so he can be right by her. And then, he'll smile a bit helplessly... ]

I know the ingredients only to make a tea cake. Is this all set out for a normal cake? If it is, I think this is the part where not only teamwork will be helpful, but also if you can make sure I'm doing things correctly will be good.

[She's got sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, and milk set out. It will be a very simple white cake, but it's a cake nonetheless. The simpler is probably the better right now.]

I might be able to teach you to do things correctly, in that case. The recipe is something I have memorized so I know the measurements and such needed for each ingredient.

[She gives him a small smile. Though then she thinks for a bit, something off topic.]

I've always noticed that you're so strong around these times and supporting others. Are you doing that right now? I mean helping others. I... very rarely see you sad.

Edited 2017-02-19 00:41 (UTC)

[ He doesn't seem to mind answering, at any rate. ]

I am doing that right now, yes. Feeling sad for very long is an unusual thing for me... or much at all. You see, I am used to acclimating to situations that end up having "loss"...

It's good that, while I don't really like what happened, I am not feeling too sorrowful to the point where I feel very down. Times like these, there needs to be someone who can reach out to others.

... I hope I haven't worried you, by the way.

[She shakes her head at his statement.]

No, you haven't. You just seem... I don't know. Like you just have it all together. It's not like this doesn't affect you, I've seen you get mad at trials, but afterward you're always so composed.

[She starts measuring some flour and then pouring it into a large mixing bowl.]

I wish I was that strong. Instead, I'm here trying to be as distracted as possible. To wallow in sadness and let it take me over, I feel that would just be giving up. My friends aren't here to tell me to 'go on' and that 'I can overcome this' so I have to imagine they're here sometimes, telling me to keep fighting. I... know there are many thoughts I have about being here, but... I...

[She sighs.]

And it's not just about me. There are others here who need comfort. To be honest, me doing all this is selfish, but if the end product is something that can comfort someone else, then I'm happy.

[She's rambling on and she knows it as she starts to measure the sugar. Distractions. She just wants distractions. She wants to escape.]

Edited 2017-02-19 01:17 (UTC)

In order to get to that point, there were many things I had to witness that I couldn't turn away from.

[ "Even scenes I didn't want to see, and sounds I didn't want to hear--"

He'll just shake his head. ]

But, they helped immensely, as I was able to deal with the things I can now, because of them. Without them, I'm sure I'd be less composed, as unfortunate as that can be to say...but...

[ But as he's talking, he's not just standing still. He doesn't want her to think what she's doing is selfish, because he doesn't think that it is, and so he will choose the moment to begin to reach out to her at first to place a hand on her shoulder. ]

Estelle, you can be strong too, even if it is not exactly in the same way as I can or anyone else, and what you are doing is not selfish either. You are trying to help out in the best way you can, aren't you? I am sure some people here would be happy to have a cake right now. It just so happens that doing this also happens to benefit you a little too, and what is wrong with something like that?

[She's definitely listening to him as she then pours the measured amount of baking soda in. She mixes all the powders together as he continues to speak to her, however, once he places that hand on her shoulder she stops and starts shaking a little bit. Is she strong? If anything she feels weak right now, not able to go out and comfort others, instead escaping on her own.]

I-I know... I just... wish I could be there for others. I wish I could hug them and tell them that we will all be okay, yet even I can't believe that anymore. [Her voice is a little shaky.]

We're all stuck in this game of murder and no one can do anything about it.

[She drops her spoon into the bowl and instead finds herself against Mikazuki's chest, her hands grasping on to the front of his clothes.]

Mikazuki... I'm scared.

[She's been strong for so long yet she feels herself breaking little by little. Who is her friend? Who is her enemy? Who would be willing to kill her for one of those incentives? It's terrifying not knowing if anyone allying with her may be her enemy. She doesn't want to believe, nor does she know, but...

...that's what makes this all the more terrifying. Optimism only goes so far anymore.]

[ He'll soon encircle his arms around her once she's moved to grasping the front of his clothing, because she really looks like she needs this embrace, and who is he about to hesitate from doing that? He also begins to rub at her back a little. ]

Shh... I'm here for you.

It may not be as soon as we'd like, but... this game won't be forever.

[ He is not too sure of his statement...or if he will leave at all himself. But, he must keep looking forward. Not just for his own sake, but for those back at home, for those here as well. ]

And those that hold us here against our will shall fall. But for now, I will be by your side, for as long as I am able, and eventually all will be well.

[It's perhaps because she knows he's a comforter like this that she's easily able to do this. To not put up that strong front and instead ask for the comfort she so desperately needs. He's been there for her a lot and she feels kind of bad, but... it's difficult to pretend she's okay by the end of the night.

It's not just Gold, it's so many factors combined.

But those words 'for as long as he is able', they seem to have the opposite effect on her. However, then again, that's the reality of this place. No one's lives are certain and... that just makes this more terrifying.

Still, it makes her happy to hear him say that. An odd sense of comfort that he'd stay by her side. So she looks up at him with her teary eyes.]

I really appreciate it. You've always seemed to be there when I haven't been well and I'm... just grateful for the strength you give me when I need it. Honestly, I don't know what I would do without you here even if none of us should be here in this game.

I'm glad you do.

[ Mikazuki is always happy to be able to reach out and help someone -- especially those who need it the most, and even moreso those who he considers to be close to him. It was only going to get more tough from here on out, and to think it wouldn't is an incorrect presumption to make.

He carefully reaches out to gently wipe away a tear of hers, should she allow it. All with a gentle smile. ]

I think it's good to know that we have those we can rely on or be there to share such things with. If I didn't have companions like you, and didn't get a chance to know anyone, it'd be hard.

So, I suppose we've been helping each other out all along, haven't we?

[She gives him a bit of a wider smile when he wipes her tears. Really, he's been so kind to her and everyone else here.]

Yes, this would be difficult either way. Without companions, we wouldn't have reason to fight, yet with companions we fear they may be... next.

[It's how this works. 4 weeks of being here and she's certain everyone has figured out this dreaded cycle. It definitely hurts to see her friends killed, but how lonely would it be if bonds weren't made.

Bonds are truly a double edged sword...]

[ Well, what can you do? Only the best you can in a situation like this, but...he's seeing the action has done some good, judging by the smile on her face. ]

Let us continue to move forward, and hope that we don't lose any more companions in this.

[ 'Hope' because they're powerless to prevent it. But it doesn't mean they're too powerless to try to do something about their situation... ]

... Now, where had we left off on? That is, if you still are interested in baking the cake. If not, I can at least help you clean up since this is quite a lot of things we have here.

We can still bake it. It... would be a shame to waste the ingredients.

[She'll wipe the remainder of her tears away as she pulls away from him and back to her ingredients. And pulling the spoon out of the bowl.]

The butter needs to be softened a little more if you want to put it in the microwave for about ten seconds.

[ Mikazuki blinks and then... ]

So I just put it into here?

[ He places it into the microwave. He counts to ten in his head and takes the butter right out... spoilers, he doesn't know how to use the microwave yet so he didn't even press the buttons. ]

And then take it out now?

[Oh Mikazuki...

She goes over to him and takes the butter from him and places it back into the microwave.]

Okay, we need to set the microwave for ten seconds.

[She presses the '1' and '0' buttons.]

Then you press 'start'.

[Then she presses that button. It goes for ten seconds and it's done. And viola! Softened button.]

Oh, ah, thank you...

[ He will give a sheepish smile of sorts. ]

I'm not used to some of this modern technology yet, so thank you. Did you have this sort of thing back at your home?

[She shakes her head.]

What we have is somewhat similar, but not quite the same. I just learned how to use it on my own through trial and error.

[And maybe watching others.]

Ah...

[ He looks a little embarrassed. One of these things he'll learn too, he is just inexplicably incompetent with anything that has to do with cooking (or chores), honestly. ]

This is a little embarrassing, isn't it? I still have much to learn...

To be honest, I didn't cook much until I got out of the castle.

[She smiles as she cracks open the eggs into the butter and mixes the vanilla extract and milk as well and whisks it all together.]

I practiced a lot, cutting up vegetables every day. I would give the shavings to Repede. [She giggles to herself a bit.] I wanted to be a better cook for my friends, so I practiced and practiced and here I am now.

[ Mikazuki watches her patiently, waiting for instructions, because he is sure if he touched something, he may create an accident. ]

So, practice... hm. Well, I have been practicing with some help, so eventually I believe I'll become as good as you. At least, someday, ha ha ha.

Perhaps one day you will! When you're traveling, cooking is the only way to eat a lot of the times, especially if you're no where near a city.

[She pours the powdered mix into the batter and mixes it all in together, kind of forgetting that she's supposed to teach Mikazuki...]

I didn't want to be a burden, so I wanted to help, too. My friends never treated me like a princess, so I was able to. And I'm grateful for that. Being a princess means being lonely, but being a normal person means I get to be around such wonderful people.

Ahh, alright...

[ Pause. ]

...Am I supposed to be doing something, by the way? Or...?

[ Estelle, pls, he doesn't learn well by just watching!! Unfortunately... ]

[Oh, oh right, she had forgotten. It's been... a night and her mind is practically scrambled.]

C-could you set that knob on the oven so the number 350 lines up with the arrow?

[That should be a straightforward request for now.]

[ That's understandable! Mikazuki heads over to the oven and turns it up to 370 at first, before changing it to 350 right after. Then he turns to face her with a smile. ]

It's done.

Come to think of it I believe this is the first time I've touched the oven.

Is it? I've never seen an oven like this here before, however, it didn't seem terribly difficult to figure out how to use.

[And yay, he was able to do that much! At least she knows to give very specific instructions to him now.]

Now, two cupboards to the right of the oven are circular pans. Could you grab one of them? A medium sized one.

[Whelp, he's been reduced to a kitchen aid rather than being taught how to cook.]

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and it takes, and it takes, and it takes

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