now listen good and listen straight, you're not the master of your fate

[bloodisthicker]

[Another week, another murder, another absolute shitshow. Tarrlok kind of just wants to lock himself in his room for a while, but... well, he volunteered. So... it's definitely going to be much later in the day before a note advising everyone to meet up in the bar for some comfort food is slipped under everyone's door.

At least Tarrlok didn't have to take care of everything alone, though; while he spent most of the time cooking by himself, Speedwagon and Yosuke helped take some delicious pork buns up to set them out across the bar so that everyone could drown their sorrows in stuffing their faces. And, you know, alcohol, maybe that too. There's also some vegetarian stir fry for people who don't like pork, too, of course.

There isn't an official bartender to start out with, but there is live entertainment courtesy of Yosuke, who's strumming his guitar over in the corner there.

Hopefully someone will step up, because lord knows everyone in the Vault needs a drink right now.]

Comments

[cherryblooded]

[Cherryblod doesn't go to the afterparty right away. It's easy to find him, though - he's in his room, 22, and the door is halfway open, enough to see and hear what he's doing if anyone cares to investigate.

He has one of the cherry blossom bouquets from the vending machine, and he's ripping it apart - cracking branches, tearing blossoms to pieces.

It's something. Not much, but something.

After a while, when he's a little calmer, he'll join the others at the bar, and wordlessly pour himself a stiff drink.]

bar

[amygdalae]

Feeling better?

[Bruce had sort of caught a glimpse of Cherryblod earlier but didn't want to intrude, so now that he is in a public space Bruce will take the opportunity to check up on him.]

[cherryblooded]

Venting helped, so I'm as well as I could be, now. Thank you.

[amygdalae]

It's not a problem. You know I'm always around, if you need to talk it out.

[cherryblooded]

Not much to say. They just took a hammer to nearly all my buttons at once, that's all.

[amygdalae]

[A small nod.]

Talking still helps, but I won't force you. Even if you just need to vent, its good to let it out instead of bottling it up.

[cherryblooded]

...I told Aqua earlier that torture was the one thing I couldn't forgive being spoken of lightly, but it's one of two things. The other is people who take their desire for someone else and twist it into doing things like that.

I lost my head a bit.

[amygdalae]

[When Cherryblod explains it it does become a lot more clear now, and Bruce nods again.]

I... well. [You know, besides the joke of Bruce disliking himself on the profiles, abuse is another thing listed there too, so.] It would be a lie to say that I was in the best state myself.

[cherryblooded]

If you were vividly imagining ripping their head off, you were doing a much better job of hiding it than I was.

[amygdalae]

...it takes a lot more than this for me to want to picture that to anybody.

[A small, wry smile.]

Its easy to want something like that, but... [A pause, and Bruce sighs before he shakes his head.] Nobody really wins, honestly.

[cherryblooded]

No, not really. But I might have felt better, before I got executed for murder.

Not worth it.

[amygdalae]

Violence begets violence - or in this case, another execution for the Kingmaker.

[...which is probably want he wants anyway, let's be honest.]

[cherryblooded]

Can't get executed yet. I have my sons to look after, and all of you.

room 22

[ignorantly]

[ He hears the noise coming from inside the room and decides to go see what's going on in there. ]

...What are you doing?

[cherryblooded]

Breaking something. Anything.

[Snap, goes another branch.]

[ignorantly]

I've got one of those branch bouquets in my room. Want it?

[ He's not using it for anything, and if Cherryblod wants another to break... ]

[cherryblooded]

I have two more of these after this one, so I should be fine, but thank you.

[ignorantly]

Okay. I can make some tea for ya when you're done breakin' stuff, then.

[cherryblooded]

You're very kind. I'd appreciate that.

[He's not really in the mood to make tea for himself.]

[ignorantly]

Maybe I should break some branches myself... that trial was kind of a mess.

[cherryblooded]

You're telling me. Had no idea it was going to be that bad - but really, who'd have expected something like that?

[Even someone like him, who comes from a weird world, wouldn't have predicted the mess that was Inviting.

Tear, another blossom.]

[ignorantly]

I kinda expected it to be a mess because the trials are always a mess in some way, but that... [ He shakes his head. ]

That was pretty ugly. I wanted to punch his... her... their face in.

[cherryblooded]

You were not the only one, by far.

[As was probably pretty evident by the way Cherryblod was acting.]

[ignorantly]

What kind of parent does that do their own kid? [ He's disgusted, really. Who even does that, Norma. ]

[cherryblooded]

A disgusting one. Shouldn't even be called a parent.

[Norma. Why.]