And we're all adrift together through the cold mist, 'til we're lifeless together

[dokkalfheimr]

[The preparations hit differently this time.

Last weekend was at least an attempt at being festive, even with the light supplies they have; at being joyous, at giving people at least one nice thing to look back upon before things inevitably took a turn for the worse. And now two people are dead, and instead of trying to figure out structure placement and how best to keep everyone entertained and occupied and well-fed, the preparations now are given to much more practical purposes.

Large amounts of bottled water from the machine. Bagels and bread and muffins, light starchy things to avoid forcing anyone to keep meat or seafood down after seeing a corpse. Fruit for the sake of providing energy. Avoiding including bananas for any reason. Quietly pulling aside one of the first people she sees with any experience in the matter and asking them to help her make tea.

Once she's got one of the tables at the party zone set up and the tea is on its way to being prepared, she'll set around letting people know; the invitations are simple, written in Freyja's broad, elegant handwriting:

I think another gathering tonight would be beneficial. Not to celebrate, but to remember; perhaps more importantly, to ensure that no one is alone if they don't want to be.

Tonight is hard. There is nothing further to do but get through it.]

Comments

cw: drugs...as usual....

[hellahighwater]

[ Chloe takes awhile to show up. Mostly because she finds herself the most secluded area of the ship she can and smokes up, because she sincerely cannot be thinking so hard about the events of the day. She's been stupid, fooling herself...

No, the only way she's going to stay calm is if she medicates.

After awhile, though... Chloe goes to the party zone, if only to eat, since she hasn't really done that today. Yeah, she could just stay in the buffet area but... Well, maybe part of her doesn't want to be alone right now. Maybe it's simple as that. ]

party zone

[dokkalfheimr]

[...oh, there you are. Freyja had admittedly been wondering.]

Chloe, it's good to see you.

[hellahighwater]

[ Chloe raises a hand in greeting, but she's largely subdued. ]

Yeah... I figured it'd be good to show up to your shindig. Kinda bad form to bail, right?

[dokkalfheimr]

I wouldn't have faulted you if you hadn't wanted to. Today was...a bit much.

[hellahighwater]

Nah, I'm the life of the party. [ To be sarcastic you have to actually...have...a sarcastic tone, Chloe... ] Really, I...did want to be here, I just...had to clear my head first.

[dokkalfheimr]

Of course. Even so, we can return to the room whenever you would like.

[...]

Do you mind if I join you for a while?

[hellahighwater]

[ Something about that we is actually...kind of reassuring, already. ]

...Nah, not at all. Go right ahead.

[dokkalfheimr]

[Good. She currently has, like, just so much fruit? This woman eats so much fruit and like. ...lbr if she's eating from the buffet it's always anything that is over there that isn't completely sad and doesn't involve meat.]

Have you been all right? You seemed...stressed, during the trial.

[hellahighwater]

What, that? Oh, that wasn't stressed, that was stressed lite. Decaf stressed. [ Mmmgg.... She lets out a very big sigh. ] People actually died, joking deflection feels shitty.

It all just... It started to get me thinking.

[dokkalfheimr]

In what way...? If I may ask.

[...]

Was it about your friend?

[hellahighwater]

[ She winces and looks away. ]

Rachel? No, not... [ ... ] This time I was thinking about me.

[ She almost snorts. ]

I'm always thinking about me, but— in a different way this time.

[dokkalfheimr]

[Chloe...]

Is it anything that you would want to talk about...?

cw: suicidal ideation as a blanket warning

[hellahighwater]

[ ... ]

I keep talking about... After this. About what's coming next. But... It's kinda stupid, you know? 'Cause... After all, at the start of this...

...I'd already accepted, that... I have to die.

[ltcommandroid]

[Ah. Data's been here the whole time, and he has observed her absence.]

Hello, Chloe. Have you eaten?

[hellahighwater]

[ Hello, Data... She kinda picked up on the whole android thing but you know she hadn't really thought about it? But... Everything with Shard... It brought some of that to the forefront. ]

Getting to it. There's a whole buffet with my name on it.

[ She sounds like, negatively enthusiastic about that. ]

[ltcommandroid]

Good. I can make you some tea as well, if you would like.

[Or, like, a non-alcoholic mixed drink?]

[hellahighwater]

Uhhh... Pass. I drink coffee, not tea.

[ltcommandroid]

Is there coffee available? I would be happy to make some of that as well. Flayn tells me that warm drinks are comforting.

[He's...trying...]

[hellahighwater]

[ Chloe considers for a moment. But. ]

...The stuff at the buffet? It...kinda tastes like dirt.

[ All non-seafood options......ARE BAD. ]

[ltcommandroid]

[Data neither eats or tastes, and has given this like Zero Thought.]

I am sorry to hear that. Is there something else you would like?

[hellahighwater]

A way off this ship? [ She gives him a sort of wry smirk, but it melts into something a little confused after. ] Nah, it's... Why do you care, man?

[ That sounds like a genuine question. Not her getting defensive or anything. ]

[ltcommandroid]

Your emotional well-being is important.

[Like, obviously?]

[hellahighwater]

Okay, sure, but why do you care? I'm just one punk kid on this shitship.

[ltcommandroid]

[Data stares at her for a moment, like this is not computing.]

Your...emotional well-being is important. [clearly he needs to add something else, though he does not know what] It is only natural to be distressed.

[hellahighwater]

[ He doesn't...get it, does he? ]

My emotional well-being's never been a top priority. Are you like this with everyone?