John Constantine (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
scouserer) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
unknownseas2021-02-13 06:30 pm
scouserer) wrote in unknownseas2021-02-13 06:30 pm
(too late) you're at the party
[Well, it's safe to say that trial fucking sucked. Therefore, some sort of afterparty is in order. Constantine is admittedly not good at throwing parties without some sort of liquor or other drug involved, but that's where Data and Sylvando guide him.
First order of business--invites. Upon returning to your rooms, crumpled pieces of paper have been taped to the doors. Written in poor handwriting is the following:]
meet at the lounge
bring whatever you want
[Simple, but effective. The lounge itself has been livened up a bit with Sylvando's help. Some nicely patterned fabric has been draped around on the tables to liven up the place a little, and snacks from the café and vending machines have been placed out for people to peruse.
A few supplies from the first aid room have been gathered, as well, for those who may need it. But perhaps the help is unnecessary, as tomorrow will likely bring another New Years Eve. And with it, another week of despair and frustration.
But for now, they can forget about that and pretend that all that matters is the present.]
First order of business--invites. Upon returning to your rooms, crumpled pieces of paper have been taped to the doors. Written in poor handwriting is the following:]
bring whatever you want
[Simple, but effective. The lounge itself has been livened up a bit with Sylvando's help. Some nicely patterned fabric has been draped around on the tables to liven up the place a little, and snacks from the café and vending machines have been placed out for people to peruse.
A few supplies from the first aid room have been gathered, as well, for those who may need it. But perhaps the help is unnecessary, as tomorrow will likely bring another New Years Eve. And with it, another week of despair and frustration.
But for now, they can forget about that and pretend that all that matters is the present.]
no subject
When she's done with that, she throws the box for good measure, and just... kind of stares. ]
I'm fine. I don't need you to sit here.
[ She'd say that he doesn't need to worry about her hurting someone, but. They both probably know that's a lie! ]
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[ He gives her a smile, though after a moment he looks up to the sky instead. ]
...Sorry if I said too much back there. I wasn't sure how else to convince them.
[ And even then, it hadn't really worked... ]
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Whatever. I should've known better than to expect anything else to happen. Not that it did much good, anyway.
[ She picks up a BBQ sauce bottle, pauses to think about throwing at him, but just decides to toss it over the edge. ]
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[ There's a silence, and his brow furrows as he idly rubs his wrist.
... ]
It felt a lot like it did back then, when no one would listen to me. But it was worse, because this time it was you they were going after.
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[ He definitely isn't concerned with power to the same extent she is, but being at the complete mercy of the majority like this really doesn't sit well with him when it gives him no way of protecting her. If everyone gets an idea like that in their heads again and there isn't someone with telltale bruises, what is he going to be able to do about that? ]
I guess it was because this week they were all convinced there was a third person involved, which wasn't a thing last week... though I still don't get how they even ended up on that track.
emeto ment
[ Which, like? Wasn't a bad idea in theory, but in the long run would've been way more problematic if she actually had thought of it. Not to mention he was better alive at this point, anyway.
She watches as whatever she threw hits the water, then looks back at him. ]
Are you still sick? I don't need you getting anything on me if you are.
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He shakes his head. ]
Pretty sure it's over now. It was mostly just lingering nausea during the trial anyway. I got some sleep and drank a lot of water like Albedo said.
[ And he's clearly taken a shower since then, so that's a plus. ]
...I guess maybe it's good that you hadn't changed rooms already, with this going on. But... maybe this coming week? I've been airing it out like you asked me to.
[ He hasn't used his cologne in almost a week! ...Still smells like it since it's so deep in all of his clothes and everything, but it's a start!! ]
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[ Which is actually a good segue into room talk number........ 600. ]
What, you think doing it now is going to be any less suspicious? Don't be stupid. What makes you honestly think that that's not going to be the first thing that gets brought up next time?
[ Because there will be a next time. None of these humans (or humans adjacent) could sit still for long enough before someone snapped, with or without an "incentive." ]
Besides, Reika's weirdly bent on somehow making all that up to me. It seems like a waste to squander that now.
[ though is reika gonna really want to do anything else beyond letting herself get injured a little?????? ]
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[ :(
He's pretty sure she's right, though... he may not have anyone who can verify his alibis for him, but at least Reika can do that for Alice, and do it more convincingly than he'd be able to. ]
Well... I guess that's true. Keeping suspicion off of you is probably the most important thing I can do to protect you now, right?
[ Guess he can put that welcome banner he was working on on hold for now, then...
Anyway. ]
She is?
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She gives him another look that's a little hard to read, before going back to the seemingly endless pile of junk. It's technically to keep the suspicion off him, too, honestly. She's not exactly interested in dying because someone gets the bright idea to push the blame on him, next, but...
He'd probably read too much into that if she said anything, so she holds off on that for now. ]
She's hoping if she somehow made it up to me, that I'll play nice with the others long enough to avoid another near miss in the future. So she let me play around with her, a little bit. [ She snorts. ] Guess she really doesn't want to die that badly.
[ Which, like, she respects to a degree. ]
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Huh... That seems like a strange way to try to accomplish that, but okay.
[ Sounds more like she was just volunteering as a cat toy for Alice to get out her aggression than actually making anything up to her, but what does he know!! ]
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That's what I thought, but she was pretty sure about it. [ beat ] People do weird things when they're desperate.
[ Like make pacts with demons! ]