I dreamed of a world so far from here that's not on the map

[matchbreaker]

To my Fellows,

What is "good" and what is "evil" is something that can be debated for longer than most of you will ever live, as is the nature of men. These debates are without meaning in my eyes. Despite that man's belief, men are not born to be good or evil, and what flaws they have in personality or character are things that can be overcome through their choices. Both for better and, as we've seen, for worse.

Life is not without suffering, but I should hope that every one of you is loved by someone. Loves someone. Many of you probably know that some of those loved ones are entering into an experience similar to our own. The terror of that is an undeniable sword which hangs above our heads.

Do not isolate yourselves, and hold onto what belief will best inspire you. And if you wish to join us for another one of these gatherings, meet us in the dining hall at 8PM.

Sincerely yours,
Elda Marker

PS: Those who can taste will once more provide food.

[ Well that sure is a lot of words which is being put under your doors, put on the fridge, and generally distributed around. It... uh, sure is a letter? It's in the same impossibly perfect cursive as last week, and is written with an almost angry bravado. Because even if she was vindicated at the end there, she was vindicated by a (by his own admission) evil priest. So. That feels bad.

Anyway, with some effort, the dining hall (which now has a lot of candles at Cabanela's little shrine, even with adding the two more here) is filled with food: Susan's got the booze as usual but also a big pot of mac and cheese. Adelina's done her noble best with some finger sandwiches. Yuri's brought some sweets that Estelle might've made. As for Elda, well, she still basically can't cook, so what she provides instead is:

A few board games including a Settlers of Catan, Sorry, and Candyland knock off. I guess we're playing games. Or at least she's suggesting it, who knew? ]

Comments

[notaccurate]

An apology doesn't mean much if your heart isn't into it. It can wait.

[He more thinks that Yuri is just drained now, and that an apology would be better later, when he can actually feel something.

But Luca is going to go ahead and sit on the edge of the bed, because sitting down would be helpful now.]

...we had an argument, you know. Myself and Estelle. It was one of the last times we talked, before...today.

[hesperos]

[ He doesn't respond to that--it's true, though. His heart's not even so much as a bit into it, and most of it is because he is emotionally tapped out. He was angry for hours and that wasn't even the full brunt of emotions he was feeling. ]

What was it about?

[ Because it's clearly time to be nosy if Luca's going to be bringing it up. ]

[notaccurate]

Long story short, she found out my marriage isn't a very good one in one of the worst ways possible.

[Because like hell is he going to admit that this all started over Luca complaining that Yuri was too dense to pick up on flirting.]

She...well. I'm sure you know what she thought of 'true love' and such. So she got a little upset, in the way she would get upset. And I may have said a few things a bit more harshly than needed.

I meant to apologize for it- for my tone, that is- but I never got the chance to.

[hesperos]

[ Oh Luca... ]

I'm sure she still considered you to be a good friend, you know. Estelle's really not the type to hold grudges, and she forgives easy. So, I can't really tell you not to bother you too much, but it's not like...

[ He sighs. ]

I don't know. It's been a long day.

[notaccurate]

Rationally I know that, but it still would have meant more to actually say something.

[He chuckles a little, but it's hollow.]

I suppose Kirei's words got to me. They made me want to at least try to be a good person.

[hesperos]

Yeah, I guess.

[ ... ]

Kirei was full of crap. You're already a good person in my eyes.

[ Somewhere in his head he belatedly figures that Luca might mean he wants to become a better person, but oh well. ]

[notaccurate]

[Even if it's delayed, he's starting to get stuff!

Still, Luca looks as though he doesn't quite believe that.]

You say that, but...mmm. It's alright, I suppose. I'll fix it later.

[He's twisting the wedding ring on his finger as he says that.]

I know I have stayed over the last few nights, and I can do so again if you wish, but if you want your space tonight then I can return to my own room.

[hesperos]

I'm serious about that.

[ ...Anyway. ]

I want some alone time to myself eventually, so it'd be best if you did. But it doesn't mean you can't stay in here late.

[ He doesn't mind that, at least. He does want some alone time, but... for the first time he doesn't want to deal with something like this completely by himself. ]

[notaccurate]

[He's serious too, but he has to do something important first. Maybe then he can actually tell Yuri about a few key details he has been purposefully leaving out. Provided neither of them die before that point, that is.]

Oh? Is this your way of saying "please stay and talk with me some more, my mind is heavy with thoughts and it's preventing me from sleeping"?

[hesperos]

What the hell. Since when is it like that?

[ That is exactly what it is.

Yuri is just going to throw a pillow at him first, though. ]

[notaccurate]

Since you decided to stay here instead of-

[And there's the pillow. He half-catches it, but he still gets hit by it. Luckily it is a pillow and does not hurt.]

...good luck sleeping without this, then.

[hesperos]

...Hey! Give it back.

[ He will reach over and try to take it back!!

Because this totally isn't Yuri's fault at all. ]

[notaccurate]

[Nah, he's scooting back towards the end of the bed now, holding onto the pillow firmly.]

Too late, it's mine now. It sure will be nice to have two of them tonight, I think I'll sleep particularly well.

[hesperos]

[ Yuri scrunches up his face in what is presumably something resembling a pout (see icon), before he starts to quickly crawl over and make a grab at the pillow. ]

We'll see about that, buddy.

[notaccurate]

Hey-

[He can't crawl back any further, but he can lean back and hold the pillow way past his head! And use his foot/leg as leverage to try and push against Yuri and keep him away.]

[hesperos]

Right back at you.

[ Now they look ridiculous, as Yuri is being pushed back a little and he's still trying to reach for the pillow.

It just looks like some kind of stupid flailing because this is where we're at today. ]

[notaccurate]

[That is absolutely the kind of day it has been.

And Luca's going to answer that by swinging the pillow around and attempting to hit Yuri with it.]

[hesperos]

[ He gets hit in the face with a pillow.

And the surprise from being hit in the face with said pillow has him fall off the side of the bed (since he was close to it anywhere thanks to moving over to where Luca was). There is a thud, and he sits up almost immediately. Don't worry, he's fine, except his bruised ego. ]

... Not one of my best moments.

[ ... Does Luca still have his pillow in this room though because if he does, Yuri is about to hunt it down and grab it because THIS IS WAR and it's not a real pillow fight until each side has one (and he needs to get back at him!!!) ]

[notaccurate]

[ACTUALLY he probably did! Luca brought over his blankets and pillow to camp out on the floor, so they're probably neatly folded and pushed off to one side of the room.

Now is a good time to hunt it down too, because Luca is busy having a good laugh at what just happened.]

You look absolutely ridiculous!

[hesperos]

Oh yeah?

[ Once Yuri grabs that pillow he's going to be coming straight at Luca with a swing!! ]

[notaccurate]

[Welp

Luca screams and brings his arms up to protect his beautiful face from the horrible pillow. But he is definitely hit anyway, and it totally musses up his hair.]

[hesperos]

[ ... Okay, you know what? It's been a really long day, and nothing will change what happened. But...right now, Luca's reaction is something that gets him to laugh. ]

Pffhaha--man, I can't believe you actually screamed!

1/3

[notaccurate]

YOU were the one who-

2/3

[notaccurate]

[And he just. Stops. Because he sees Yuri laughing and it's the first time he's looked actually happy all day. And goddamn if that doesn't make his heart skip a beat.]

3/3

[notaccurate]

[But he can't handle this at all right now and he shoves his face into the pillow in his hands as he rolls off the other side of the bed, landing on the ground over there.]