It floats away, a small wish with tears and a little regret

[desperateprayer]

[ After the entire trial, Clarith gets to work. If Rii-san won't make the memorials, she will, and if Rii-san does, she'll supervise. And then, she'll slip a letter under each door. ]

Please join me in the gardens for a funeral and then a wake in the first floor rest area.

- Sister Clarith

[ When people arrive, Clarith is waiting with her Levin Bible in hand. Afterward, they can all file into the rest area, where hopefully someone has made food! She's sure someone would have, but she wanted to just... Get the funeral done. ]

Comments

[theundertaker]

[Cece misses the funeral for reasons everyone is more than familiar with by now but she does make an appearance at the after party. Before that she takes a lap through the entire house, taking a headcount, seeing where everyone is and, if they want, stopping to talk with her Champions.

If anyone stops to talk with her her it's clear her mood from the other after parties has changed. There's no crying or curling up in corners looking for comfort. She walks the halls stiffly, her arms crossed over her chest and giving off a general vibe of "if I had my girlfriend's element powers this whole hallway would be an ice rink". Occasionally she clenches and unclenches her right hand a few times, like its bothering her.]

[shikosuki]

[ He's in the kitchen, helping with cooking and still in his post trial daze but the familiar sound of her clicking heels on the floor snaps him out of it long enough to turn and look for where she is. ]

Cece-chan...?

[theundertaker]

[She jumps when he says her name and spins to shoot him an angry look before she realizes who it is and immediately softens.]

Oh, Choromatsu. Hey.

[shikosuki]

[ He flinches for a moment but when the look softens he knows it's not him that angry look is for. ]

What... what are you doing?

[ He doesn't want to ask "are you okay" because NONE of them are okay but he's worried anyway ]

[theundertaker]

[She shrugs a little, rubbing the knuckles on her right hand and grimacing slightly.]

Everyone is a litle scattered right now so I wanted to try and check on you. [She looks at him over the tops of her glasses with a furrowed brow.] How are you feeling?

[shikosuki]

Like shit. [ Just put it right out there super casually.

He approaches closer ]

Is something wrong with your hand?

[theundertaker]

Same. Nice to know we're all on the same page.

...I went to clean-up after the trial and I saw who it was. [She shows him the back of her hand. Her knuckles are starting to look a little bruised and just a little swollen.] ...I got a little angry.

[shikosuki]

[ His eyes widen a little ]

Shit, Cece-- [ He goes and takes the bruising hand in both of his, if she'll allow it, getting a closer look ] What did you hit??

[theundertaker]

Rhys. [She lets him, looking away more embarassed than ashamed.] Or I tried to. I missed the first time and punched the floor.

[shikosuki]

...I don't blame you.

[ He got his punch in on Handsome Jack but he kinda wishes he could have had a few more too including one for Rhys. ]

We should get some ice on this or something though...!

[ Ah, slipping into his most familiar mode. Mother hen big bro mode. ]

[theundertaker]

I got him the second time. And the third. Missed again on the fourth but fifth time's the charm. [Sweet, sweet catharsis.]

Choro, I'm okay. Just a little sore. [Please make her ice this, Choromatsu.]

[shikosuki]

[ He shakes his head insistently ]

No, you should definitely ice it. You have to take care of yourself, even in a place like this! [ CHOROMATSU YOU GIANT HYPOCRITE WHO'S THE ONE DOING PRECISELY NOT THAT DUMBASS ] If something happened to you, then we'd all...!

...We'd probably fall apart.

[theundertaker]

[Oh...oh. Wow, that sure is a stake to the heart.

She goes still and quiet for a moment bedore taking her free hand and laying it on his wrist.]

Would you mind getting me some ice then? The last thing I want is to see you all fall apart because of some bruises knuckles.

[shikosuki]

...Okay. I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere.

[ He retreats back into the kitchen to find a wash cloth and ice cubes to put together, then comes back with it ]

This isn't perfect but if you talk to Re-- Nari-san, she'd know if we have anything better in the first aid room.

[theundertaker]

[She holds out her hand to take the ice and wash cloth from him, smiling softly.]

I'll ask her but I think this'll be fine. Thanks, Choromatsu, I appreciate it.

[shikosuki]

[ He nods. ] You're welcome.

[ A pause ]

...Sorry if that put any... weird pressure on you or anything.

[ He means the thing he said before. ]

[scourgingstars]

...You're liable to snap, holding yourself so tightly.

[and then there's this asshole and the pigeon nesting in his scarf.]