It's like I'm carrying the weight of the world

[hesperos]

[ So, Yuri's going to be going around, putting up slips of paper for everyone to see, because even with everything that was that trial, he is sure it could help. He doesn't know--it's worked from time to time before anyway and someone should do it. ]



[ Yuri, for once, is going to be making some food for the afterparty that isn't desserts. On his side of things, his food is generally going to be geared towards something more western-style and hearty. In essence, there is some things of curry with beef, chicken, and vegetables in them, take your pick. Sayaka and Kyrie also will be assisting with food, providing stuff that is likely to be geared towards something asian.

This whole set up, of course, is going to be done in the dining hall, since that's where it usually is. ]

Comments

[matchbreaker]

Obviously.

[ She all but spits that out. ]

[notaccurate]

...it sounds like something about it is bothering you, though.

[matchbreaker]

Apart from what uncertainty normally plagues us? No. There isn't.

[ There's minor things - what becomes of Alex, if that stupid girl will go with Alex instead, the easiness with which Sayaka agreed to go... but all of those are minor in comparison. ]

[notaccurate]

You're not worried about how she will adjust to life there?

[Even if it's better, it's bound to be very different.]

[matchbreaker]

I'm not. Not at all. [ She smiles a little. ] Get her some apartment in the city. She'll have a place there, one she can make for herself. And a family just on the west side of town.

[notaccurate]

Maybe she can have that bar she talked about then.

[Luca still hopes she goes through with that idea, she sounded excited about it.]

[matchbreaker]

... She'd need another year to do that. Drinking age's twenty in Japan, I'm pretty sure.

[notaccurate]

Still, in due time.

[He smiles a little.]

I told her about the bars where I am from, where men and women sing for the patrons. She said that sounded nice, and she would like to do something like that instead of being an idol.

[matchbreaker]

Hopefully not a Burlesque.

[ She grins, but then nods a little, leaning back some from her seat on the bed. She... she's going to cry more, she knows it. She can feel it now - the idea that Sayaka will settle like that, and yet - yet six years later, none of them will be going to Hellsalem's Lot.

That bitch. ]

[notaccurate]

Oh good heavens no, that would be-

[And then he sees the change in her mood, and he stops.]

...Elda?

[matchbreaker]

[ She puts a hand over her face, running a nail along that cut she made to force herself to smile for Aligula at the end. God, that selfish little gremlin. That insane, absurd, selfish piece of shit.

She's trembling, and if it's full of sorrow or anger she's not sure which.

If only she could talk to Susan. Susan would probably just say Aligula's awful and move on, but she would hear her out, right? She would take her pain at face value-

... But Susan's gone too.

Her eyes are hot. Luca might as well not be in the room. ]

[notaccurate]

[Oh boy

Luca stands there for a moment, at a loss for what to do. Talking through things, he can do that. Giving platitudes that people want to hear, he can handle that as well. But actually comforting people? That's not something he knows much about.

A hug might help, but she's laying down and that would be extremely awkward. So instead he will carefully sit down on the edge of her bed and reach out to take her hand, the one that's not covering her face. It's not a hug, but maybe a hand-squeeze will help.]

[matchbreaker]

[ She doesn't have many friends, and she's lost two today. One of them killed the other, to boot. And for what...? To prove a point, to let herself know she was still free? Because she was bored? Elda's not sure which answer is worse than the others. But the physical contact actually sees the woman choke a sob, and then grip the one hand tighter over her face as she starts to cry again. She mutters, more to vow to herself than anything. ]

I shall be fine by- tomorrow.

[notaccurate]

[He's seen people cry here many times, but to see Elda this upset feels almost wrong. She's the one who always stayed strong and helped others, and now it finally got to her.

He squeezes her hand.]

Take all the time you need.

[matchbreaker]

[ She will conquer this sorrow, just like everything else. The worst day of her life is always, always behind her - that's the source of her strength. Nothing, not the loss of James, not the loss of Aligula and Susan in one day... not the day Karin was kidnapped or when she learned about that girl's death sentence. Nothing will ever surpass the loss of her homeland and the shattering of her childhood all in one strike. That loneliness, the crushing, cloying feeling of darkness... even if she feels the edges of it now, in the back of her mind, she knows she has purpose. Henry and all the others are waiting for her. Sayaka is her girl and is still here, she needs a home in Shihaba.

She never wants to see that sunrise again.

So this? This is something she will get over in time. A day, a day is what she'll allow herself to be some crying maiden. And even if she hates that this stupid human man is here to see it, the hand does feel nice, and he does pretend to be a gentleman well enough. And so she'll just quietly cry and tremble here, squeezing his hand back. ]