drove to Chicago, all things know, all things know

[cherryblooded]

[This is getting so routine.

Cherryblod had thought about napping the rest of the day, like he'd said, but there are people to take care of, people who'd been closer to Aiden and Shirazu than he had been. So after about an hour in his room to decompress, he'd headed to the kitchen and started cooking. At some point Stan and Bruce had both joined him.

Almost everyone seems to want to take care of those who are remaining. Almost everyone.

The food this time is mostly soup and sandwiches - nothing fancy, nobody's in the mood to appreciate it - but it's there set up in the dining room by the time everyone (alive) receives notes under their doors. ...He slips an extra one for Sigrun under Mettaton's door, just in case.]

[name],
If you want to spend this time by yourself, that's fine.
If you'd rather have some company, there's food in the dining room, and you're all welcome there.
If you want to take some food and go, that's fine, too.
Take care of yourself.
-Cherryblod, Stan, Bruce

Comments

[garudynamic]

...managing. Could be worse. Needed to be busy.

[He expects Cherry to understand- if he broods over their failures again he'll just get discouraged. Better to brute through it. Idle hands and all that]

[cherryblooded]

[He does understand, as he nods, quiet a moment.]

...Could I confess something to you?

[garudynamic]

Dude, of course.

[He slides the weapons off his fists, shoving them in his pocket for now]

[cherryblooded]

When we found Shirazu's body. It takes a moment between when we find the body and the announcement to sound, and while I was listening for it, I was so tense. You weren't there - I'm glad you weren't, the sight was awful, but...

I remember thinking 'please let there only be one'.

That's cruel, isn't it?

[garudynamic]

Maybe a little. I probably would have thought the same thing. Hell, I've thought worse.

['Better you then someone else.' More then once- he doesn't have to say that but he has a feeling Cherry understands]

That's just, sorry for the phrase, being human. We all have our Shadows man. You can't beat yourself up over it.

[cherryblooded]

[He can't not beat himself up a little. Shirazu was a good kid - someone he'd liked, and been sad to see in a state like that.

But he wasn't Yosuke, or Sigrun.]

...We made it through another week.

[garudynamic]

[He knows- he told Cherryblod as much once. They were turning into monsters. But maybe that was unavoidable. The shadow wasn't just what you denied, but what you had to do to survive. Your brutal, mean instinctual self that only cared for you and yours. It wasn't pretty, but it was their nature as flawed beings, in the end.

Confession was supposed to be good for the soul though, so he will take it for Cherry.]

Yeah, we did. Damn us for it, huh?

[cherryblooded]

How many more weeks left? If we lose two a week... A month, more or less. Less if someone decides to kill more than one person again.

[They have a time limit. That's simple math.]

[garudynamic]

[He nods]

We can't keep this up. That's assuming we keep managing trials- honestly I wouldn't be surprised if we just turn on each other.

[There were too few of them left not too. Everything was too personal now. Almost any death would be maddening to someone]

[cherryblooded]

Neither would I. ...I'd like to think otherwise, of course, but...

[If it had been Yosuke dead, his reactions would have been entirely different at that trial.]

[garudynamic]

[Cherry, you are getting a hug. Because you deserve it.

...and so Yosuke can talk right in his ear, low]

We gotta do something extreme. I don't know what yet, but we have to push back.

[cherryblooded]

[Hugs are good and appreciated!

So is secretive whispering.]

You're right. I'll try and come up with something.

[garudynamic]

Talk to Sigrun, Bruce and Stan. We'll figure out a plan.

[Squeeze, because secret whispering or not, the hug is legit as fuck]

[cherryblooded]

[Squeeze back, because when can he say no to that, never.]

Count on it.

[garudynamic]

[He steps back, nodding]

We'll get through this.

[cherryblooded]

Of course we will. We'll stay strong.

[There just isn't another option he can take.]

[garudynamic]

[He knocks his knuckles against the wall- without the brass it lacks that satisfying clink]

Might head back to the dining room. Get some soup too. Dunno. Wanna come with?

[He'll end up back out here eventually either way, but he can spare some time for Cherry]

[cherryblooded]

Of course. There should still be some that's warm.

[The kitchen is locked by now, so he can't heat it up...]

[garudynamic]

Beggars can't be choosers.

[cherryblooded]

Maybe I'll break into the kitchen just to use the microwave for you.

[garudynamic]

Ha! Wouldn't that stick right in his craw!

[cherryblooded]

He shouldn't have gotten between me and warm soup.