The bodies in my floor all trusted someone. Now I walk on them to tea.

[kingshaming]

[After the trial, Xander does what he does best. What always blanks his mind when training is not an option:

He organizes.

The hot food for lunch is out still, and while he feels far from hungry, he knows they all SHOULD eat. Everyone wanders off to take care of their own grief, and he lets them for now- and instead busies himself at the espresso bar. There's something specific he wants to do.

Later, under each door, and with the same thing written on the white board he had dragged out for meetings:]

There is hot food and tea in the cafeteria, and while I have no stomach for food it is there for those that can.

While it is tempting to be alone right now, if you wish company I shall be there until evening. Now may be a good time to compare new information while it is fresh.

If not, please stay well.

Xander

[And as promised there is fresh tea. Green tea in fact, though it lacks the milk Chitanda made- but basic tea he can manage at least]

Comments

[curdle]

No--

[ She pictures it even though she doesn't want to. The body bursting forth from her wrappings, floating through that endless night sky... ]

It's not right. [ Now she really feels sick. ] Even with no place for burial, they might have given us time.

[ratherdoweddings]

...That just makes what we can do more important. When people die in space and there's no recovering bodies, we can remember them and do our best with what we've got.

[curdle]

[ --and there's no recovering bodies--

That's not what Yurika is talking about. She mustn't think of it. ]

I'd not spoken to [ everyone should just assume her pronunciation of Japanese names is hesitant as fuck, for the record ] Chitanda. But at the least, in death, I thought I might do what I could for her. If remembering is all...

... 'tis a terrible thing to not speak of the dead.

[ratherdoweddings]

That's true. She was so nice to everyone, and she had a life to go back to.

[curdle]

All of them did. Even...

[ Toby. ]

We must remember them, then.

[ratherdoweddings]

Jane-chan and I have a paper roll, here! [She gestures to a spot on the table where a roll of art paper lies with a few doodles.] We've been trying to draw things that make us think of them, or just things that would fit on a memorial.

[curdle]

[ Things that would fit on a memorial... ]

Rosemary.

[ what ]

[ratherdoweddings]

...The plant?

[curdle]

It stands for remembrance. 'Tis for that we leave a sprig in the grave, if we can. Nothing grows here, but...

[ratherdoweddings]

...maybe there's a spice rack in the kitchen?

[curdle]

Well -- I thought I might draw it easily enough. Though I hath little experience.

[ratherdoweddings]

I'm sure you can! Here, we've got pencil crayons.

[curdle]

Thank you, Yurika.

[ She starts examining the goods to find that particular shade of green. Not leaving anything out of place, of course -- just picking through. ]

I pray this is the last you ever must make.

[ratherdoweddings]

I hope so. We can get out of here without killing everyone else, I'm sure of it.

[curdle]

... Aye.

[ She finally selects two crayoms and starts drawing. First a few light brown lines, as though she's drawing the stems in a bundle. ]

And, um... you loved her as well as anyone else. [ Probably better, with their bubbly personalities. But she and Jane are still putting the work forth for her... ] I am sorry of thy loss.

[ratherdoweddings]

She was so nice and did everything she could. It's unfair.

[curdle]

Would that any of this were fair. Even the punishment...

I had thought it would feel just.

[ratherdoweddings]

They want to hurt us, more than anything. That's the only thing that makes sense.

[curdle]

[ She chews this over while she finishes drawing the green leaves, and then considers something else. ]

Yurika. [ this is so weird when you can't just say "come hither" and be immediately understood ] Would you like a hug?

[ kill her now ]

[ratherdoweddings]

...Okay. Thank you, Thomasin-chan.

[Yurika hesitantly, awkwardly holds her arms out.]

[curdle]

[ Astoundingly, Thomasin actually is an inch taller than her, which gives her enough of a feeling of confidence to follow through! She walks into the Embrace Zone hesitantly and wraps her arms around Yurika's shoulders, trying to stand firm and steady without pushing anything too hard. ]

You need not always be strong.

[ the delivery is more comforting than the content by itself ok ]

[ratherdoweddings]

If I can't, then...

[Yurika sniffles and clings, trying not to look like she's crying. She totally is.]

Thank you.