someday we will foresee obstacles / through the blizzard

[lmafo]

[ About an hour after the trial ends, maybe an hour and a half, there's a series of notes written in pink that end up slid under everyone's doors. No pomp, just a slid note and a knock at the door before Roxy moves to the next one. ]

aight so
if you guys want uh
there's food and drinks and stuff all chilling in the caf
no presh, just
fuck
we probs shouldnt be alone rn

- rolal and marisa

[ And indeed, set out in the dining room, there's a bunch of pretty basic sandwiches (she's a scientist, not a chef, what do you want from her), some drinks from the bar set out on a nearby table courtesy of Marisa, and uh. A single cake, set out on its own table. It's not the most visually impressive thing in the world, but Roxy worked real hard on it, okay? It's chocolate, even, with chocolate frosting also.

Piped onto the top of the cake in rough pink icing letters is "eat me pls," so. At least you know what to do with it. ]

Comments

[le_mat]

[Akira is quiet on the way back, still coated in gore and blank eyed. At least he has the foresight to head straight to Room 5 to get fresh clothing. That was the plan. He doesn't even close the door behind him, since he intended to just turn right back around to the showers.

Then he sees Morgana on the bed, everything still mussed from when he and Karamatsu woke up that morning. He moves to pick the plush up, the one his friend had clung to for the last week. But as soon as his legs hit the side of the bed they... give up.

His knees hit the floor, the sound not dissimilar to the thump of Karamatsu's corpse hitting it less then an hour before. It's only clinging to the mattress that keeps him from curling up on the floor.

At first he screams into the blankets, the sound muffled, the viscera in his hair and on his face smearing into them as he tries valiantly to smother himself. But before long his instinct for air wins out, and with a toss of his head he gasps, just to start wailing into the open air. Shameless and raw.

Later, once he's clean and dressed in the cat shirt and bluejeans the Benefactors gave him- the only clothing he has left other then the jumpsuits now, he's... in the cafeteria for a bit. Maybe he intended to eat. Maybe he just... can't be alone for long.]

[playthedamncard]

[He barely even looks where he's going. There's a droning buzz in his head he can't get rid of that's driving him crazy, his heart beating staccato, and breathing is mostly forgotten. Everything feels like it's closing in, and if he doesn't get somewhere alone in the next five seconds he doesn't know what he's going to do but everyone's going to see it and he won't be able to show his face again.

What would Atem have done?

Found a way. With magic, or the heart of the cards, or just being better, outplanning everyone at every turn. He would have been able to do more than anything Kaiba's done, and when there's a muffled noise, and screaming, he moves on pure instinct while his head rings the repeated phrase of can't do this again can't do this again can't do this again--

--and Akira's fine, he's just--he's just like the rest of them, and Kaiba doesn't stop because his legs have wanted to give out for hours now, doesn't care about the blood, the guts, he just goes down and wraps his arms around Akira's center mass.]

[le_mat]

[Akira tenses, a small wheezing sound escaping his throat like he's being strangled- this is finally it-

Only it's Kaiba and he just kinda slumps, strings cut like a broken puppet. The screaming as stopped at least, but more of those low breathless cries. He doesn't want Kaiba to see this, doesn't want anyone to, honestly. Maybe it would have been okay if Max did. But not Kaiba, who he wanted so badly to be strong for.

But it's too much, he feels like he grasping at sand, everything he had carefully kept together melting between his fingers. No matter how much he scoops there's no undoing the damage. So any pride or shame he had in him is simply overwhelmed, and he clings back like his friend is a life preserver.

It's cruel, he knows. Kaiba isn't any stronger then he is, he saw that when looking at his wound. But like all humans he is bound by his flaws, and can't resist being selfish any longer.]

cw: gore, suicide

[playthedamncard]

[It's too much too soon. Between losing people cared about, the mutilation, only days half awake before having to sift through the remains of an ally, and then Manaka, and Thomas and the arc of blood from the podium, and Karamatsu exploding--

The shadow games could be terrible, yes, and horrifying, but he'd never seen or felt anything like this before. Not when Gozaburo threw himself from the window (he should have looked and made sure he'd smeared himself across the sidewalk but no), or when the children Amelda had known were at best crushed by debris and at worst taken out by a tank, or when Zorc's blast had simply incinerated those children he tried to protect...never good enough, never fast enough, destined to never be able to do anything.

So if it takes being here to protect Akira, then by every fucking god in the Egyptian pantheon, he will be here.

Because part of him recognizes the pain as his own, and he needs this, too. Even if he doesn't have the words. Genius intellect, but he cannot for the life of him come up with the words, because he's refused to acknowledge it. He doesn't have any plans on letting go soon, even with the hot mess of blood and guts sprayed on Akira.]

cafeteria

[lmafo]

[ Roxy's here, and she has a piece of cake on a plate in her hand. ]

Hey. I can get you a sandwich if you'd rather, but you should eat.

[le_mat]

... yeah.

[She's right, and he doesn't have the drive to argue it. So he takes the cake. He even takes a bite.

...in a flash he's manages another two or three huge bites. Like he's dying and cake is the only cure]

[lmafo]

There you go.

[ She smiles a little, waiting to see if there's anything he wants to say. Or if he like, needs another piece. ]

[in4apounding]

[So, it takes Penny a long time to show up. Like a LONG time. When she does show up- hair bowless and damp and sort of scraggly from washing, and in Zombina's too-big MON suit? She is immediately moving to Akira's side and glomming on like a toddler onto candy. Only much sadder, and smelling like blood and soap, and only slightly less likely to induce diabetes.]

[le_mat]

[Akira allows it, even leaning into a little. His muscles feel disconnected and watery, so hugging back just feels too much like effort. But he's trying]

[in4apounding]

[It's cool, she's got enough hug for both of them right now.]


...I froze up.

[unhappylittletrees]

[Jamie is nowhere to be seen at the after party. The door to his room is open though and so is the door to Max's room if anyone wants to come looking for him.]

[dejabrew]

[Bruh if he’s not in either of these places you better the fuck just tell me where he at because Bolton intends to Find Him.]

[unhappylittletrees]

[Jamie's room is in the same state of disarray it was in when Bolton left that morning. But in Max's room there are some letters scattered across his desk and the sound of running water coming from the open door to his bathroom.]

[in4apounding]

[Penny is here, eventually. She's slightly damp, but apparently blood-free, and dressed in a too-big work suit.]

[She's just. Kind of sitting, hugging a cat-shaped pillow.]

[lmafo]

[ Roxy, for her part, spends a lot of the party wandering and... she's not actually sure what to say to make people feel much better, for once? But she'll hand out cake, at least she has that. It makes her feel better, anyway, to have cake around right now. ]

Hey. You should... eat something, probs.

[ Or later on, she actually... ducks out of her own party for a while, to duck into the holodeck. Huh. ]

[lovecolored]

[ presently eating a piece of cake..........and uh, keeping her drinking away from Roxy, she has the presence of mind to do that at least ]

Didja make this yourself? I didn't know ya were into bakin'.

[lmafo]

My best friend is. I just kinda copied what I remembered from her, since... I dunno. I wouldn't want her here, but I miss her.

[ Which seems to have been a lot since... hi yes guess who is very smart, but. ]

Her stuff is way better tho.

[playthedamncard]

[After dealing with Akira and cleaning up himself, Kaiba does not show up at the afterparty. But maybe if you knock on room 22's door, he might answer.]

[dejabrew]

[Before Bolton puts in an appearance at the party, he goes into Max, Thomas, and Karamatsu's rooms, visiting his own in between going to each.

...He doesn't take anything from Manaka's room. Fuck that and fuck her and good fucking riddance.

But after that's done and Jamie's taken care of, Bolton comes to the cafeteria and sets up as usual making coffee or hot chocolate for everyone who needs it. When he's not needed, he can be caught sitting at one of the tables, reading a letter and wiping his eyes dry with his sleeve.]

[in4apounding]

[So at some point, Penny's making her way over to Bolton. She slides into a seat at the table, and just kind of. Leans against him quietly.]

[dejabrew]

[Bolton just. Puts his arms around her and pulls her flush against his side, burying his face in her hair.]

How're you holding up, Pumpkin?

[lmafo]

[ Well, while he's reading that letter later on, Roxy's gonna just... come up to him with. A cup of coffee? ]

Heya. I... didn't know what flavors you like, but I figured someone could bring you a drink for a change.

[dejabrew]

[He sees the mug before he sees what's in it and sends up a prayer that it doesn't have milk in it.

He's surprised and touched by the gesture, though, and his voice is a little rough as he reaches to take it.]

Thanks, Ro. See, we'll make a barista out of you before you know it.

[He pats the seat next to him.]

[le_mat]

[Akira hasn't read his letter yet. He can't, he's pretty sure if he does right now he'll sit down and never get back up. And while he's clean and in fresh clothing, everything is still on a razor's edge.

He comes and just... silently sits with Bolton, once Roxy has made sure he's eaten]

[dejabrew]

[Bolton looks up and then wipes his eyes and gives Akira a tired, worn-out smile, reaching over to grip his shoulder.]

Hey, kid.