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

[goodforsomething]

Hey.

[Stan looks up at Bruce for a moment. But he can't think of anything to say.]

[amygdalae]

[Bruce does his best to give a smile, although it probably doesn't work out as well as anybody is hoping.]

How are you feeling?

[...its not quite 'are you alright' but close enough, he supposes.]

[goodforsomething]

Eh.

[He shrugs. There's not a lot to say that isn't obvious, really.]

At least it went quick. I know what I said before, but... [He does regret that some, now.]

[amygdalae]

...they were both victims, in their way.

[Megumi for dying like this, Norman for... being how he is. There's no real good ending for this one, not really.]

[goodforsomething]

Yeah. I don't think -

[Stan stops himself, glances around the room, and starts again.]

I dunno if a lotta folks here really get that. All these vampires and aliens - it's like we forgot that sometimes folks just come from fucked-up situations.

[amygdalae]

...yeah.

[Bruce mutters with a soft sigh tacked on at the end. He knows very, very well about fucked up situations, like it or not.]

It's not hard to... [A pause.] I just wish we could have done something to help before he...

[Well.]

[goodforsomething]

I feel like I should've seen it. I've known a lotta guys who were...

...not like that, exactly. But not exactly on their meds either, if y'know what I mean.

[amygdalae]

[A nod. Bruce does get it, more or less.]

Don't dwell on that. I probably should have seen it myself too, given that he was right next to me every night.

[They were next door neighbors, after all... not to mention their other neighbors all died off pretty quick.]

[goodforsomething]

[Stan nods. It's a logical thing to say, even if he thinks he'll likely keep kicking himself a little bit anyway.]

He was always kinda squirrelly. But I just figured - all this is enough to freak anybody out.

[His expression flickers into something pained for a second.] Kinda made me think of my great-nephew. Kid can be pretty nervous sometimes.

[amygdalae]

It's easy enough to write it off.

[Considering everything, where they were... its far too easy to assume. It does kind of sting, now that he thinks about it.

But they shouldn't dwell on this for too long. Time to try and move this to lighter topics.]

I didn't know you were a grandfather.

[goodforsomething]

Nah, they're my brother's grandkids. I never had any kids myself.

[He's casual enough about it, though sometimes he wonders what that would've been like. If his life were entirely different, maybe.]

[amygdalae]

Can't say that I don't understand the sentiment.

[It's not like Bruce is ever really going to have kids himself too.]

[goodforsomething]

Yeeeeeeah, well. Maybe it was for the best anyway.

[He's referring to himself, obviously.]

[amygdalae]

[There's a brief pause here, and then--Bruce nudges a pork bun towards Stan.]

Tell me about him, then. Your great-nephew.

[goodforsomething]

...yeah, okay.

[Stan slides the pork roll over to himself.]

His name's Dipper. I mean, that ain't his real name, but he's got this birthmark - [He gestures to his forehead.] - looks just like the Big Dipper. Always wears a hat...I think kids back home must've made fun of him.

[amygdalae]

...it's not hard to see why.

[There's a bit of sympathy here. With his own small physique and, well, nerdy exterior, Bruce himself wasn't exactly spared from being made fun of too.]

Does he come to see you often?

[goodforsomething]

Nah. This summer's actually the first time they've ever been to Gravity Falls...if it's still summer, I guess. They'd been with me a month or so last I remember.

[Yes, their first visit lasted an entire summer, in what was honestly not great judgement on their parents' part!]

[amygdalae]

[Such incredibly trusting parents.]

...that's a nice name. Gravity Falls. [Sounds very... quaint? At least it is for Bruce.] I assume that's where you live.

[goodforsomething]

Yeah. Little town up in Oregon. It's not too bad - got some mountains, a decent fishin' lake. [It's sort of a madhouse, but he doesn't feel like getting into all that right now. Let's pretend he lives somewhere nice that he moved to on purpose.] Been there thirty years now.

[amygdalae]

[A brief blink here--Bruce is American himself, despite everything, and he certainly doesn't recall a place called as such near Oregon.

Then again, its not as if he's a local in that area.]

Sounds like a pleasant enough place. [Mountains and lakes--almost the kind of place Bruce would like himself, personally.] You must really like it if you've lived there for so long.

[goodforsomething]

Yeeeeah, it's actually pretty nice. Didn't think a whole lot of it at first, but the place grows on ya.

[It's not even really a lie, even if that wasn't the first reason he stayed.]

How about you, where're you from?

[amygdalae]

That's good to hear.

[And he's honest about that, too.

When Stan returns the question Bruce just kind of... shrugs.]

Nowhere in particular. I've been travelling around for the last couple of years.

[His dreams tell him New York, but Bruce still doesn't know how much he wants to believe them.]

[goodforsomething]

Yeah? I used to do that too, before.

[Enough so that he knows not to press when people give an answer like that. People have their reasons. Their own shitty situations.]

[amygdalae]

[A small smile crosses Bruce's face at that.]

Didn't peg you for the travelling sort.

[...despite everything, its not as if the travel itself is all that bad. Just the circumstances around it.]

[goodforsomething]

[Stan snorts and shrugs.]

What can I say, I was younger then. Never stayed in one place too long. [Not...entirely by choice, but nevermind that.]