don't wait for a knight in shinin' armor, your savior's reflected in the mirror

[perpend]

[That sure was a fucking thing. That execution was a fucking thing. Those secrets are a fucking thing.

Cabanela retreats to his room, but not for all that long. Everyone will get a note eventually, written in very neat handwriting

I do not plan on bowing down to threats and intimidation. If you did not act, it means you were, like me, aware of the risk, but decided against it. Your reasons are entirely your own.

Join me in the dining room if you agree enough is enough, and that you won't acquiesce to threats. I don't plan to let this stop me, and neither should you.

-C

In the dining room itself, Cabanela has set up coffee and tea for those who want it-- there's no food, because to be honest, he doesn't know how to cook. Two more candles have been lit-- he wasn't really sure what to do about the whole... parasite thing... so Fern's candle will have to make due.]

Comments

[sleepytimegal]

[ Another adult who isn't judging her. ...Well, after today- ]

Want me to grab you one? Like...yeah.

[ninehundredlives]

...yeah, okay.

[She’ll probably buck up the nerve to drink out of the bottles again later, but]

[sleepytimegal]

[ So, she does just that. A can of beer, avoid the liquor all together. ]

Here you go, let's drink and be...tired, yeah.

[ninehundredlives]

[Susan sits down next to Alex as she cracks it open.]

There’s not much else to do now, is there?

[She takes a sip and grimaces a little. Is this American beer? Awful.]

The...flowers were part of it. A big part. That’s why. [It’s not really an explanation at all, but she’s not sure how to just...open with that.]

[sleepytimegal]

[ ...Ah. ]

No wonder you were... ...If I got a...I dunno, lake in a box, I'd be pretty pissed too. [ She takes a big drink. ] My brother drowned, uh...my fault.

[ Thus...the photos. ]

[ninehundredlives]

[.....she wonders how much it was her fault, really, but not the time.]

My daughter had a rare pollen allergy. I didn't know, and I put those flowers in her room while she was sleeping.

[driiiiiiink]

[sleepytimegal]

[ ... ]

God, I'm so sorry. I- fuck those flowers.

[ Another drink on her end, too. ]

[ninehundredlives]

Yeah.

[Drink, drink, drink]

I'm sorry about your brother. And...the photos.

[sleepytimegal]

It's... They just surprised me. It's kinda nice to see his face again, especially in...an impossible situation.

...How long ago was it, for you?

[ninehundredlives]

Almost...two years, I guess. [She peers down into her beer.] It feels like it's been forever.

[sleepytimegal]

Like all the good memories are so far away...right?

[ninehundredlives]

.....yeah. Just like that.

[sleepytimegal]

Why...can't we stop dwelling? Stupid question, I know, just... It feels like I'm never gonna be anything else.

[ninehundredlives]

...yeah. I've felt like that for a while, too. I wish I could tell you that I've seen the other side of it - and maybe I have, a little? My dad died five years ago, and even though I still miss him, it doesn't hurt as much now.

But that wasn't like this.

[sleepytimegal]

Mm. My grandma did too, years back, but it felt...manageable. This is just like... It's been only a year, but- it's like you said. It feels like it's been like this forever, and sometimes like...it was just yesterday. Like I just lost him.

[ninehundredlives]

I cleaned out her room, but I feel like it's all still there. Like I always end up in that place...

[This isn't helpful. As the adult, it feels like she ought to be saying something useful. But if she had something useful to say, her life probably wouldn't have gone the way it did.]

It's a little nice to talk to someone who...understands it.

[sleepytimegal]

We got...Mike's all set up, for...my new step-brother. It's his, and...not, all at once.

[ Her room. Mike's room, down the hall and up the stairs, no longer...

She breathes out. ]

Yeah. Much as it hurts, it really is, it's not like- the crap they told me in therapy.

[ninehundredlives]

I never went to therapy. I had to talk to a psychiatrist, when I was in hospital, right before I came here. But...

[Her expression, if it's possible, goes darker.]

...it didn't really go well.

[sleepytimegal]

[ ...Alex just raises her can of beer. ]

Screw 'em.

[ninehundredlives]

[Susan snorts and lifts her own can.]

I can drink to that.

[sleepytimegal]

[ They can't clink, but Alex does tap them together. ]

To...saying to hell with people trying to tell you what's good for you when they've got no clue. Eh, that's supposed to be snappier but I'm tipsy.

[ninehundredlives]

To telling people to fuck off?

[to stabbing people in the face with flaming weapons?]

[sleepytimegal]

That. That one, there.

[ninehundredlives]

[Susan snorts.]

Good.