post-dungeon regroup

[discutio]

[Obviously, they had to pull back and recover; Phoenix thought it would be best to head to the pseudo-headquarters in Invidia and settle back into the mansion to recover as well as consolidate what they all knew. There was a lot to get through, and a lot of recovery to be done by some of them. He'd need to talk to Etoile, thank Ariel, thank Medic again--]

[...But for now, he just about immediately collapsed on a couch and decided he would exist there for a while. You're on your own for food this time, kids.]

Comments

[alcahest]

[ !!! ]

—Yes! [ she jumps to her feet immediately. ] I'll be right back!

[ there's the soft thump thump thump of her running off to the kitchen — and then after a short silence, the sound of her running back towards him. ]

We do! Um, I'll make you some right now... please wait just a little while.

[discutio]

You don't have to rush, Mona. I assure you I'm not going anywhere.

[alcahest]

I know, but I want to get it for you right away!

[ she runs back to the kitchen.

and half a minute later runs back to Phoenix again. ]

I think — you take your coffee black, don't you?

[discutio]

I do, in fact. Thank you for remembering.

[alcahest]

Of course!

[ one last time, she hurries off to the kitchen. some ten minutes later, she returns, a cup and saucer rattling in one hand. there's also a plate that she lays down on the coffee table. ]

I brought shortbread too — but you don't have to eat any if you don't want to. It's just, we already had some, and I thought, it goes well with coffee...

[discutio]

That would be nice, actually. Thank you--would you like to join me for a bit?

[alcahest]

If you don't mind...

[ she sits down on the floor again, leaning back against the couch. ] It's nice to finally be able to go back home, isn't it?

[discutio]

[you know you can sit on the couch honey he'll move]

It's certainly reassuring. I'm glad we were more or less able to make it back here in one piece.

[alcahest]

[ no the couch is for the sick patient!!! ]

... I'm scared to go to the next Layer. We couldn't even get out of Superbia, and now that girl...

[discutio]

[He leaned forward, enough to put a hand on her shoulder.]

It's alright to be afraid. But we're all here with you, and we'll all support one another whatever may come next.

[alcahest]

I'm not afraid for my own sake.

[ she grasps his hand in her own, and with her other hand, gently pushes him back to lie down. ] You have to be more careful. We're here for you too... so please don't be reckless.

[discutio]

Mona--really, I'll be fine. It was my own power that put me into such a state; so long as I learn to control it a bit better, this won't be likely to happen again.

[alcahest]

That's what I'm saying! It's something that hurt you so much, and you're acting like it's nothing! Do you think I'm going to be happy if you say it "won't be likely"?! If Ariel hadn't been there, you—!

[ it's the most Mona has ever raised her voice. her shout dies mid-sentence with a sharp gasp — that particular wounded intake of breath from someone who is about to cry, the sound of a puncture in the dam. she lets go of Phoenix's hand and shrinks away, slumps to the floor with her head hanging. ]

... I'm sorry.

[discutio]

...Mona.

[He slipped off the couch to sit beside her...then pulled her into a hug.]

No, I'm sorry. Perhaps I've been a bit too dismissive of the situation, but the truth of it is that even were I to panic over what could or might have been, it won't change matters. We were lucky Ariel showed up, and we were lucky any of the three of us can still function. We can plan with more caution going forward, and work together to try and prevent such a dire situation from happening again.

[alcahest]

[ she should tell him to lie back down, that he needs to rest, not sit here on the floor comforting her — but... she clings to him, carefully, cautious of his aches. ]

... Okay. [ she hides her face in the crook of his neck. ] I know it won't change anything to worry now. But when you talk like that, I'm scared it's just going to happen again. You always look after the rest of us, and you don't care about yourself enough.

[discutio]

Perhaps not. But that's why I have the rest of you looking after me in turn, don't I?

[alcahest]

Yes. So you have to lie down and eat biscuits.

[discutio]

A most terrible fate. [He stroked a hand gently through her hair, letting her cling to him all she wanted.] Surely, that will teach me to be far more careful in the future.

[alcahest]

[ the tension bleeds out of her slowly, and while she doesn't lean her weight on him, she does relax — though it may be exhaustion catching up with her, now that she isn't supported by her high-strung nerves. ]

... I'm glad that she didn't take your memories too.

[discutio]

…He’s going to be fine, Mona. We’ll figure something out, I’m sure of it.

[alcahest]

[ her head shakes, as much as it can when she's tucked in against him. ]

I'm not the one who's hurt most by it. Chiron remembers almost everything about me — and selfishly, I'm relieved by that, but... You're hurting, aren't you?

[discutio]

Only a little, really. I’m just relieved he’s still with us, more than anything else—and it’s hardly selfish to think that way.

[alcahest]

Only a little... But it does still hurt. You can be happy that he's here and sad that he's forgotten at the same time.

You... don't have to be the person who's always alright, Phoenix.

[discutio]

...Someone ought to be, Mona. The rest of us need that much.

[alcahest]

[ she pulls back from the embrace and holds Phoenix's face between her gloved hands. her frown is stubborn. ]

But it doesn't always have to be you. We can take turns.

And right now it's my turn, so you can't have it.