The flower of evil pitifully scatters with brilliant color...

[desperateprayer]

[ After everyone leaves the Rose Ceremony, Clarith gets to work. With Nari's help, there's a few snacks set up, and then she delivers a message beneath everyone's doors. ]

Please meet up at the first floor rest area. I don't think people should be alone right now.

- Clarith

[ Takumi's includes a bit extra: "Especially you." Sure enough, there's a few snacks set up in the rest area, but otherwise just. Blankets and pillows set up so that people can pile in as they please. She's waiting, seeming a fair bit tired in more than one way, but... She doesn't want to leave people alone. ]

Comments

[daughterofthemark]

I am fine.

[...wait, but maybe Angel could use something to keep busy with, too.]

But... perhaps some tea?

[brokencode]

Okay, I can do that.

[She was certain some was already made, and if not, surely boiling a little water wouldn't be so difficult.]

Give me just a moment, alright?

[daughterofthemark]

All right.

[Arianna spends the moment helping out some other person who needed a hug or something.]

[brokencode]

[Quickly, Angel set off to gather the requested tea. Thankfully, her assumption was at least partially correct -- hot water was already at the ready. She selected a tea bag and then plopped it into a mug. After a moment of thought, she added a spoonful of sugar. She would have preferred it that way, at least.

With everything together, Angel returned to the rest area, waiting for Arianna to finish her business before holding the mug out.]

Will this suffice?

[daughterofthemark]

Thank you, Dame Angel.

[She takes a sip right away, just to reinforce the notion that she actually wanted tea and it wasn't just busywork.]

Oh, it's sweet.

[brokencode]

[She'd learned her lesson about Arianna's formality by now, and didn't so much as flinch at the title. She did, however, lift her brows at what followed, concern lancing through her chest.]


That's. That is okay, right? Don't most people drink their tea sweetened?

[daughterofthemark]

--ah! Yes, it's good! I simply wasn't expecting it.

[brokencode]

Oh. Oh good! [The relief on Angel's face was clear. She breathed a sigh of relief.]

I'm... I'm glad. I hope it brings you some comfort. I've noticed that hot drinks do that for me sometimes.

[daughterofthemark]

It does. [It's perhaps a little early to say that, but.]

Do you often--

[Wait no don't ask her if she needs comfort often this is probably a bad time for that. Ask something different that makes sense and won't sound weird.]

--make tea?

[Nailed it.]

[brokencode]

Ah -- [That... was an odd question. She quickly shook her head -- she was lucky that the tea had been pre-made, otherwise Arianna would have wound up with a bitter mixture, rather than a sweet one.]

No. This was my first time. Really all I had to do was pour it.

[daughterofthemark]

Well, you poured very well. And added sugar very well, as... well.

[Oops that came out sounding really weird.]

[brokencode]

[Really, this was a poor time to laugh. Two people were dead after an emotionally exhausting trial. And yet, a soft giggle bubbled up Angel's throat and poured from her lips.]

Well, thank you. I hope to one day be able to brew it, too. But I suppose that will only come with time.

[daughterofthemark]

[Maybe laughing is what they need. Maybe if they can all laugh together nobody will kill anyone next week.]

It is relatively simple, provided you have enough patience. Perhaps I could teach you?

[brokencode]

That... would be lovely.

[A faint trace of color decorated her cheeks. After a moment, she glanced away.]

Sometimes I feel a little silly, asking all of these people to teach me simple things like this.

[daughterofthemark]

It isn't silly at all. All of us know things others do not.

[brokencode]

Certainly, but... The people here have been able to offer far more to me than I could offer them. It feels... wrong, somehow. I wish I could return the favor in some way.