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dregs

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From:

dregs

{ he did revive, he is at home, for what it's worth. he can't even sleep well as it is, so it isn't like he can just sleep off the feeling. try and pull himself back together to head into the outside world again.

his cake cats are following him everywhere, maaing at him in worry since he got back. this means when he does open the door, after trying to pat his hair down and look at bit more presentable, they are hot on his heels. }

Maa?

{ one stretches up around him, falls back with a jiggle.

aventurine smiles, but it's clearly a struggle. it wobbles at the edges, teeters on not making it to the end, then comes on too strong. almost }

Miss Guizhong, to what do I owe the pleasure?

From:

godofdust

[There's the tiniest stomp of her foot.]

To what do you owe the pleasure?

[Then, wagging her finger slightly at him.]

You know very well why I'm here, mister. Boothill told me about what happened, and I've been waiting--

[Huff!!!!! She breathes in, exhales, shakes her head, closes her eyes for a moment to compose herself. She has had friends die before, but they never came back. They could never stand there trying to smile and ask her why she was unexpectedly visiting.]

I'm here to make sure you're all right. Because I'm worried about you.

From:

dregs

{ his mouth twitches at the answer that is met with, torn between carrying on with the act and letting himself just. stop. for once.

of course boothill told her, why wouldn't he? how much had he told her though? does he even know all the details? he's avoided delving too deep into checking. hasn't even sent the apologies he needs to send yet.

his fingers dig into the door, trying to stop the way his hand shakes from nerves. he doesn't know how to deal with this. why is she worried? she barely knows him. doesn't know what he's done or who he is. knowing boothill can't be enough. surely.

so that's why-- }

...Why? I'm... { he exhales, he pauses, then his words speed up, as though he's trying to convince her of this. he believes it enough to be true, so. } I'm probably the reason it ended up this way to begin with. I don't deserve your worry, certainly not your sympathy.

From:

godofdust

Don't be ridiculous. You deserve just as much care as anyone else who was involved.

[Guizhong certainly has a way about speaking that makes it clear she regards her opinions as facts, at least to herself. She shakes her head as she looks up at him, not fooled for a moment even without how terrible he looks as he stands there.

She glances up, looking him over, from the way his fingers are whitened against the door and the subtle tremor he's trying so hard to suppress, to the way he's not holding his expression together quite as well as he might like, and how he just looks so tired.

One small hand lands on his arm. Rubs gently against his sleeve.]

Can I come in?

From:

dregs

{ You deserve just as much care as anyone else who was involved.

he wants to believe it, on some level. craves it. craves being thought of or cared for as though he isn't another disposable piece. isn't just another cog in the machine.

his mouth opens as though he's going to speak but the words catch, instead what bubbles up is... a laugh. it's not the kind of laugh someone would use for laughing about something funny though. no. it's self deprecating, disbelieving. }

You'd be one of very few people to think that.

{ his eyes dip to her hand that lands on his arm, and... he steps back, enough to let her into the apartment. if she looks down, she'll be met with six pairs of very large with eyes peering up at her pleadingly. they, too, are worried. }

From:

godofdust

And I'd be glad to be one of them, even if there aren't many.

[Her fingers slide down his arm to give his hand a gentle squeeze as she passes him to enter the apartment, then she... blinks, a couple of times, at the little creatures she finds staring up at her.

Guizhong crouches after a moment and gives all three of them a soft pat.]

Don't you worry, I'm here now.

[She'll take care of this idiot, at least for a while.

Standing, she brushes an imaginary crease out of her dress then turns her attention back to Aventurine.]

Let me take a look at you. [Sigh. Headshake. This won't do at all.] When was the last time you ate anything?

From:

dregs

{ he'll... skip past that comment, because if he says anything on it he'll make things worse.

all three of the cats will jiggle happily at the pats, clearly very relieved someone is there to help. they'll rub their faces against aventurine's ankles one last time... before hopping away. guizhong apparently appeased them enough they aren't going to cling on at the moment.

while that all goes on, he'll shut the door behind her, then... stand awkwardly as she takes a look at him. he doesn't quite look her in the eye now though. }

This morning? { he doesn't sound certain of it, but he also likely has no idea it's probably mid afternoon now either. time has become a bit wonky. }

From:

godofdust

[She looks him up and down in silence, then sighs.]

Here is what is going to happen. [The tone of her voice doesn't give much room for any kind of refusal.] You're going to get into some comfortable clothes and sit on the couch, preferably with a blanket.

[If he doesn't have one, she can get one.]

And I'm going to investigate your kitchen for any food, and make you something. Don't-- worry if you don't have anything. I'll see to that. Now. Go on. Do as you're told.

From:

dregs

{ he at least knows to stay quiet as she... lectures(??) him. is it being lectured, he has no idea, but it sounds a bit of a similar tone to how a doctor would tell their patient their bad habits need to be stopped. }

I'm already... { he starts, then stops. changes direction with his words. } Everything should be as Lycaon left it when he cleaned last if you're looking for anything in there.

{ but okay. he can at least do that. get comfy, sit on the couch. stare at the wall and overthink- }

From:

godofdust

[She hums, though it's hard to tell if his reply satisfies her or not. He's left to his own devices for a few minutes while he'll be able to hear her rummaging around in the kitchen, exclaiming a few times as she finds... well, not much of anything.

How is he living like this?]

I shall have to have a word or two with Lycaon. [Guizhong announces as she joins him not long after. She has her phone in her hand.] I've had to engage someone to bring me some supplies.

[By which she means she's had to use whatever Ellipsa's version of Instacart is. She sits down next to him with a huffing sigh, then places her hand on his arm and squeezes it gently.]

You don't have to talk about it, but I'm here if you want to.

From:

dregs

{ to be fair, he doesn't normally stay in to eat. it's a lonely experience, and he'd rather just be surrounded by other people to drown things out.

but he does look confused when she comes back announcing that. }

Huh? Lycaon? Why? His cleaning is pretty on par with that I got back home...

{ did she assume he's doing more services than that? he doesn't know. but he'll pause when she settles down, places her hand on his arm. }

And... there isn't much to talk about. I pressed a button, an alarm blared and then-- { he laughs } It was very quick.

From:

godofdust

[Never you mind why. She doesn't answer that, but moves on to the more pressing matter.]

It's disconcerting, isn't it.

[She had mulled over her words for a few moments and when she does speak, it's thoughtfully.]

Dying, and then suddenly... living again, with those memories of it. [Her hand moves off his arm and slips around his back instead, her fingertips pressing brief and blunt against his side.] It took me a while to get used to it.

From:

dregs

{ he continues to look baffled as she keeps talking, looks her over then visibly frowns now. }

You died?

{ but yes let's talk about her, not him- }

From:

godofdust

[Don't worry, Aventurine, she's coming back to you.]

Oh, yes.

[Nod, nod.]

During a war. A very long time ago, by the reckoning of everyone else here from the same world.

From:

dregs

{ no, no, really this is fine.

well, not fine. but, y'know. }

Sorry, I didn't... I didn't realise it'd happened back home for you. Does, does Boothill know?

From:

godofdust

[She does pause at that, actually having to think about it. It's just a simple fact of her life but not something she often just... brings up.]

It has been talked about, yes.

[When that shining light cut across her entire torso had made it very clear she had suffered a wound that could not be recovered from.]

I died, and then I was here.

From:

dregs

{ he thinks about that for a long moment. really thinks about it. hates how his stomach twists because of it. and it isn't either because of guizhong, but... if people who have died before can come here, does that mean his sister, his mom could... eventually turn up? it's actually possible?

he looks away from her, bites the inside of his cheek to force pain to stop himself getting stuck on that thought. it's too dangerous. }

Then I suppose I should just be happy for my friend that you found each other here.

{ he does sound sincere when he says that. }

From:

godofdust

[A soft, warm chuckle answers that.]

I'm glad for it, too. He's not like anyone I've ever met.

[But it was important to mention not because of that, but because of what it means for how well she understands that peculiar feeling of displacement, and of having memories that a living person is not supposed to have. Of the moment of your own death.

She leans against him the smallest bit.]

Are you tired?

From:

dregs

{ that he does laugh at. not self deprecating like it has been before, a small genuine laugh. }

MmmMm. Though I doubt he pointed a gun at you the first time you met, did he?

{ he probably shouldn't find that funny though, the fact that he did to him. in hindsight, at least, it is. }

But no. Not right now.

{ that's a lie, but it does actually sound convincing. }

From:

godofdust

Nnno... but he did point a gun at me right before I decided that kissing him was the only way to make him stop acting like an idiot.

[She tilts her head at him, smiling wryly as she recalls that particular event.

With her arm around the young man she gives him a small squeeze, not entirely convinced despite how sure he sounds of his answer. She'll come back to that.]

What kind of soup do you like best.

From:

dregs

{ ok, at that he does laugh. it's loud, sharp, just once. }

Hah! { he exhales then, looks up at the ceiling, wonders where in their history that actually sits. but she asks about soup and he. shrugs. }

I don't really have a preference. Anything is fine, really.

{ then he pauses, thinks back a little bit and realises ... he should clarify something. }

And for the record, it isn't dying that is bothering me. { a small chuckle follows that, and it doesn't sound sad--he's being truthful here. } I've been searching for that for long enough. If anything, it was pretty anticlimactic. I did at least get some rest for three days. { moving on with the yapping } Anyway, no, the issue is I pre-tty much almost took all of our group with me.

{ his speech finally slows, becomes a bit more subdued. }

That... No matter how much I may be willing to gamble on my own life, it was never my intention to include or bring any of them down with me.

Edited Date: 2025-12-24 12:35 am (UTC)

From:

godofdust

Mm, good.

[Because that makes things easier for her, and it's going to be excellent soup no matter what kind of soup she makes.

She listens to him again, tilting her head a little at what she says (she did not miss that, sir) but not interrupting. It's important not to interrupt, she thinks, in situations like this.

And it's hard to know what to say, but... sometimes that's all right. Sometimes there isn't anything to say.]

I believe you. [Guizhong replies softly. She turns in her seat and wraps both arms around him, lightly pressing a kiss to the side of his head.] Oh, Aventurine. What am I going to do with you.

From:

dregs

{ it does make it easier for her, but it's easy to not be picky when you would take anything someone gives you, especially if it's homemade. sometimes the small things in life mean more.

but he doesn't expect the gentle hold of her arms around him, nor the kiss to the side of his head. guizhong will feel him freeze up momentarily, and even if he relaxes a bit he's still tense. }

Well, another round trip to the flower yard wouldn't be a bad start.

{ no??????? that isn't what she meant!!! }

From:

godofdust

[A little huff.

That isn't what she meant!

She shifts back enough to look him in the eyes, one hand on his shoulder and the other gently cupped against his cheek. What is she going to do with this boy!]

Humans can still be so perplexing to me, even after all this time.

[Not least when they don't want to live, when a mortal life is so fragile and precious. Not that she intends to lecture.

She kisses his forehead instead.]

Why do you want to die so badly?

From:

dregs

"Humans"? { there's no judgement with that though, but he does glance her over. the cosmos has a hell of a lot of different species, so she could be a number of them. best to not assume. } You're a long lived species then?

{ he ... is not answering the other question yet. not yet }

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