i feel the love, and i feel it burn, down this river every turn

[oyashiromama]

[The trial, as usual, was taxing. It's for different reasons every week, but what it all comes down to is there are fewer of them than there were, and that keeps on happening. The note comes, as it always does, earlier than last week, but still with some delay. There's a note slipped under everyone's door. ...One under Gold's door because of course Silver will be staying there, she knows.]

Please come to the dining room, if you would like not to be alone. There will be food, and there will be some cards and board games if you need a distraction.

- Hanyuu & Elda

[True to that, there are a variety of foods. It's nothing too fancy. Rice, grilled fish, eggs in various styles. ...No creampuffs this time, it seems Hanyuu thought that would be a little in poor taste. Also a bunch of fries? ...Really spicy fries, like incredibly so.

On a far table, board games brought from the games room have been left out, along with many decks of cards.]

Comments

[foundfate]

[Now he's frowning down at her. Previously he had combed his hair down in front to cover the words on his forehead, but after today he's been busy and hasn't had time to mess with it, so the word is peeking out from under his bangs again.]

Startling someone like that isn't a good idea! You'll give someone a heart attack.

[matchbreaker]

I had stepped in on him making many things. Some soup - miso, I believe? - and flapjacks and all manner of things. His lesson was on grits.

[ She shakes her head ]

I could make you a rice omelette unless eggs offend your sensibilities too.

[ Might as well get more practice ]

[plegia]

I know it did. If I'd known that it wasn't from my clothes, I would have submitted to be checked. You know that. I've allowed myself to be checked every other time.

[But there was a possibility that this would look like he did it, and he couldn't take that risk.]

[oyashiromama]

[Here she be... Hanyuu stammers for a moment.]

I-I- I haven't tried them all, I don't know.

profiles

[iaspis]

Orihime...

[Her voice is distant, lacking any inflection.]

If they can send us letters... do you think we can do the same for them?

[matchbreaker]

Oh please. You're mad of sterner stuff than that, Kimihiro. Or at least you best be, if you're going to continue making such grand promises.

[ she waves a hand dismissively, laughing it off ]

[oyashiromama]

[Oh. Oh, Vanille- Hanyuu spins around in surprise.]

A-aah- h-hi. I...forgive me, I didn't realize you were there.

[plegia]

Why are you like this? Why can't you be like Estelle or Emmeryn?

[If you were like Estelle it'd just be a matter of being aggressively himself and threatening you for awhile and if you were like Emmeryn, he'd hate you immediately. It'd be easy!! But no. Of course not. Because nothing in Gangrel's life can ever be easy.]

[matchbreaker]

I know.

[ And she hates it, really. Because the fact of the matter is: ]

If that brat could've hauled in just a smidge more food, we might be dead.

[iaspis]

[It's kind of a shame Elda can't taste the food...]

Are there many different spices?

[oyashiromama]

[It's less of a shock than Vanille's soft approach, but Jasper still catches Hanyuu by surprise.]

Oh, aah- yes, you could say that. It's...well, it's a shrine. One to the dead, specifically.

[matchbreaker]

Come now, you've surely tried some! Otherwise it'll be my choice and my wager!

[ She said, smirking. ]

[ravagers]

Eh? Why am I like what?

[ She genuinely doesn't know!! She's got a feeling though. ]

[oyashiromama]

[Watanuki... She lightly pulls him into a hug.]

You don't have to be.

[plegia]

Tch. I would've fought the entire way, but I know how I act. How I am. It didn't look good for me or any of us.

...Killia wouldn't have wanted everyone to die, though. His other self would have, but I don't think he could have gone through with it.

[It's just a hunch and he's already been proven wrong about Killia before, but maybe some small part of him wants to believe that.]

[matchbreaker]

This kitchen has well over a dozen I could pick from.

The ones you have there have... [ She considers one, as she picks it up, sniffing it ] ... Four of them, I believe?

[plegia]

You're... You're nice, even to people who don't deserve it! I've done nothing to earn your trust or your... friendship.

[it sounds like saying the word is painful, it might actually be because gangrel has no friends ever]

[matchbreaker]

... Maybe. But he still was holding himself back in there for a few hours.

[ Instead of just admitting to it. But then... could she blame him? She wouldn't have admitted to it either. Or maybe he had other concerns, like going nuts and trying to bat them all up - ]

Wordsmith really is most unfair.

[elepe]

[That gets a decently long pause out of Lusamine. She's not really sure how to put what she thinks into words--words that people usually put them in, that everyone else would understand. That...normal people would understand.

...Oh, hell with it, it's Gangrel. Has anything been normal between these two. She looks back to Gangrel with a bit of an odd expression.]

...You're not the sort of person to conceal their true face under a facade. As irritating as that can be, I at least know that what I see in front of me is the truth. I trust you to be no less than yourself.

[It's an odd way to put it, and she has to look away again because it feels stupid to say.]

The rest of these people act like they're saints. They have been since the first trial, and it almost feels like a game to figure out who is going to turn their backs next.

It's hideous. [Lusamine's hands go on her hips.] I don't think any of us could have expected what happened with him.

[tsugomori]

[ He's a little glad to hear the bit of teasing, actually...

... The fact that Mikazuki has asked two of the people with claws/long sharp nails is probably a little amusing. But he'd have never asked anyone else here, so...! He has a lot of faith in them to be able to do things like this delicately.

Looks like that at least worked out. ]

I don't think I'm quite ready to go back to my room tonight, so, sleeping with you in here would be nice. Oh and yes, if you can ask someone too, that'd be great.

[ This time the tears return, but they're silent, grateful ones, and he goes to wipe at his eyes again. He'll turn to give Gangrel a little bow. ]

You've done a good amount for me tonight...ah, would you like for me to make you some tea?

[foundfate]

I-

[Well okay, hugs are happening then.]

I'm fine, really. It would have been better for him to live through this, but it's not the last time I'm going to see him.

[Because he's going to take Varric home, one way or another. He made a promise to him, and he intends on keeping it.]

[plegia]

Of course he is. He's probably enjoying every minute of this.

[Maybe he'd be able to enjoy every minute of it as well if he wasn't forced to get to know the people here.]

[iaspis]

I see.

[She stoops down to examine the shrine more closely.]

If a Gem is killed, one who was beloved, what shards of her can be found are gathered together. She can never be made whole again, but...

There are those who say some sort of consciousness remains, even after death. I believe humans would call that a "ghost".

[matchbreaker]

I meant the blue one.

[ She sighs, and looks around the room ] Still, Hanyuu'll scold me for speaking ill of the dead, so let's get off this topic.

[plegia]

[That makes perfect sense, actually. He's used to dealing with people who are either just like him or are like Lusamine's describing, two-faced and willing to stab you in the back at any given moment.

(Like Aversa.)

He shakes his head after a moment.]

No, I thought I knew Killia fairly well and even I couldn't have seen that coming. It made more sense to think he was trying to frame me.

[That would have hurt worse. In some twisted way, he's thankful that Killidia exists just so he doesn't have to consider how it would feel if Killia had intentionally framed him for murder.]

Someone's going to pull the same sort of stunt next week, and the week after that, and the week after that. It's only a matter of time to see who breaks next.

...I'm glad you understand, though. I'm not the sort to be two-faced about it.