but even if the stars and moon collide [afterparty]

[allatonce]

[Well, that sucked!

After about an hour, invitations written in colorful ink appear under everyone's doors.]

Understandable if you're not up to it, but we're having a memorial and "don't wanna be alone" hang-out in the restaurant again.

[The restaurant has very much been decorated with the most rainbow fabric she could find in the department store. Jonathan got roped in, mainly so she could make sure he was doing okay, but also because she assumed that he knew how to put a tablecloth on a table. He seemed like the type, anyway.

After consulting with Undertaker, most of the food that's been set out is more traditional Chinese funeral food than Victorian—you can get a whole roast duck in the restaurant—but she tried for a mix of things. There is fruit, the aforementioned roast duck, and several vegetarian dishes along with potatoes for some reason and... cookies? Okay then.

Joy's trying, because that was way less terrible for her than it was for basically anyone else.

Happy Pride Wrath, New Rapture!]

Comments

CW: Innocent double entendre

[giddyundertaker]

[ Snicker. ] Looks like a lot to pack in there, mind if I help?

[ Yes, he is phrasing it that way on purpose. Some people's sense of humor seems to be rubbing off on him. ]

[fuckingguy]

[ There's definitely a mild double take at the remark! Like, a "was that just happenstance or is the Undertaker also making dirty jokes now" sort of expression. ]

Very well, you may take the penguin and the unfortunate flowered shirt. [ It's a Hawaiian shirt! ] Be careful with him, please, the Scoots are very soft.

[ And off they go to the elevator! ]

[giddyundertaker]

Alright, alright...

[ At least he doesn't make anymore weird jokes as he helps with the loot... In fact, he sounds a lot more serious once they're inside. ]

... I ought to apologize for what I said at the trial's end. Didn't want to reveal myself in front of everyone, and you were the only other former human in the room as far as I knew.

[ Everyone knows Nandor is a vampire, but only two people here know the Undertaker is the grim reaper gone AWOL. ]

But I suppose I shouldn't assume things about other worlds if the devils from Penelope's are so much different than the devils from mine.

[fuckingguy]

... Why is it that after every trial, someone always thinks they gotta apologize for something?

[ He doesn't seem offended or anything, though! Just a bit confused. Also, he's talking with his one free hand. ]

This time last week, Jonathan is all, "oh, I am so sorry for being insensitive to vampires because you are such a nice guy!", and now you are telling me this? [ ... ] I am not complaining, I do appreciate it, but, eh...

[ He's not used to being apologized to by anyone but Guillermo! That's just not how they do things on the island of Staten! ]

I was never offended by what you said. To be clear. It was just... not accurate, as I did not necessarily "come back" from the dead.

[giddyundertaker]

Ah! All's well, then. [ He smiles. ] I'm more used to talking to fragile humans who have no idea what I am...

[ He tilts his head a bit, and Nandor can see the smile meet those brilliant green eyes of his. ]

It's a nice change of pace.

[ He straightens up a bit, idly petting the head of the penguin he's holding as if it were alive. ]

[fuckingguy]

Indeed.

[ He watches the Undertaker pet the penguin, which is completely normal behavior in his opinion, and thinks for a second before just outright saying the thing that's passed through his mind! ]

Have you thought about telling them the truth?

[giddyundertaker]

[ He pauses... Then shakes his head. ]

Would you tell every human you met you were a vampire?

[fuckingguy]

I mean, as I tried to conceal it here for two weeks, obviously not. But now that it is out there, everyone has been surprisingly cool about it.

[ He shrugs. The jury is, of course, still out on whether or not someone is going to try and stake him in the future, but that aside! ]

I was just thinking about how a lot of things make sense in light of your secret, you know? People might try and understand, instead of thinking you're just some creepy asshole who loves corpses.

[giddyundertaker]

Hm... [ He glances down at the penguin... Scratches its head... ] I suppose it's easier in your case...

[ Glances back up. ] But in my case, not many humans know the nature of Grim Reapers... Not even at home. They usually think of a singular being who goes out and chooses who must die... Which isn't the case, if the reaper's following procedures. Not supposed to murder people who aren't on the list, can't interfere with the process of life and death... [ Grumbling about that last bit for a moment... ]

It's too much to explain! I think it's much more fun to let people think I'm some kind of kook instead.

[ ... He IS some kind of kook, actually. Even by Reaper standards. ]

[fuckingguy]

... It is your prerogative whether or not to tell, of course. But that only took a minute or so, and, feels like it covered most of the beats.

[ The elevator doors, which I totally forgot to write him pressing, ding and slide open. Before walking out, Nandor pauses and looks at the Undertaker. ]

Does it not get lonely?

1/2

[giddyundertaker]

. . .

[ Well. That's a hard question to answer. Makes him think of the kind of company he kept for the past few years... Company that seems to keep dying on him. Company he'd turn the world upside down for the chance to bring back. ]

2/2

[giddyundertaker]

[ An empty smile forms. ]

Sometimes it does.

[ And he follows Nandor out of the room without another word. ]