unknownseas | but even if the stars and moon collide [afterparty]

[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!]

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[Hmm. Well, okay, onto the next best thing, he supposes...]

I apologize in advance, Dandy.

[Not that Dandy can hear him... Oh well. Anyway, Rossiu slaps Dandy across the face - it's a sharp, sudden smack, but given that Rossiu has like no strength whatsoever, it probably isn't going to hurt all that much. Hopefully it does the job!!]

[That does wake him!

Dandy snorts once more, rising from the dead like some sort of zombie. Unfortunately, the first thing he yells out just so happens to be-]
BOOBIES!

[...And after coming to and realizing where he is, and that he hasn't really left, he blinks like an owl in Rossiu's direction. Oh no, this looks bad, quick, time to cover his tracks-]

...Well this is a weird first date.

[At this point, Rossiu has somehow managed to look even more done than he was during the trial! He's just going to accept that his life is like this and Dandy will forever be Dandy.]

...You must have slipped and knocked yourself unconscious. There was water running out under the door and when you didn't respond, I decided it would be best to check on you.

[He moves to stand and... ugh, right, his poor uniform... oh well, he was going to go to bed anyway, he can throw that in to be washed.]

I'm glad you're unharmed.

[...this might be a little backhanded because he slapped dandy but like. shhhh.]

Shit, was it really?

[Dandy didn't get himself into this mess by thinking, not logically, anyway. The whimsical facade gives way to visible guilt, and for a split-second, he looks almost uncharacteristically frightened.]

Well, thanks for comin' to get me.

[He sounds legitimately surprise.]

I didn't mean to make such a mess.

[Oh...]

I wasn't going to leave you here. If I can help, I will.

[Admittedly he is glad that this wasn't anything more than Dandy just falling unconscious, because he definitely wouldn't have been able to help otherwise.]

Don't worry about it. Are you feeling well enough to get back to your room?

Yeah.

[That "yeah" sounds a little high-pitched, especially for someone whose voice tends to stay in that deep, velvety smooth register most of the time. Well, when he's not yelling like a goon.]

I'll be fine.

So, go on, get!

[Dandy makes no attempt to move himself whatsoever.

Instead, he soaks in the bath, looking melancholy as shit.]

I'll, uh, clean up! Or whatever.

[Hmm. Well, that doesn't look good...]

If you want to be left alone, I'll leave now. But if you want to talk, I'll listen.

[He can't promise much more than that; Rossiu's not exactly great at comforting others.]

Don’t worry your big-ass head about it! There’s not much to talk about.

[THAT IS COMPLETE BULLSHIT!]

You were workin’ really hard in there today. Thanks for taking care of the bunch!

You’ve earned yourself a nap, Melon-baby.

[He has collected so many dumb nicknames......]

I do plan on going to sleep soon, but I can spare some time if there's anything else I can do for you.

[Listen, he can tell Dandy took Obi's death really hard, but there's no nice way to bring that up and pushing him into talking about it seems like a bad idea!!]

Of course, that offer stands whenever, not just tonight.

I don't think you can.

[Ok... B-but! Slowly.]

I just need you to know that I didn't wanna torture Blondie, I swear.

But as we all seem to have figured out by now, whether we like it or not, anybody can be a killer.

The people who lashed out in both of the cases so far were babies, baby. I'm not here to crap on either of them, but...

I think we owe it to whoever dies, you know. To try and find out who hurt 'em?

No matter how shitty they are. Not that Obi was anything like that.

Edited 2022-07-03 04:43 (UTC)

I never thought you were trying to hurt her. You wanted to help, and you were trying to figure out what happened with the information you had.

[It's as clear-cut as that, as far as Rossiu's concerned. But he knows Dandy wouldn't bring it up if he wasn't torn up about it, so...]

But I can see where it must have been difficult, knowing you hurt her when it wasn't your intention, and when it didn't go where you thought it might.

We all have to try our hardest in there, even if it means hurting feelings in the process. I don't know how things will go between the two of you now, but I think many of us understand that.

[Hopefully. Or maybe they're far less pragmatic than he is.]

Eh! I don't really mind. She's got her own head! It's her right to think what she wants of me.

[Which is very little. It was, in part, why he brought up that half-accusation.

She isn't as mild-mannered as she may appear. There's no way he has of knowing that exactly. For now, he's going to give her the benefit of the doubt.

But she, a tiny little girl with big googly eyes and doll-like features, had made him feel so wretched in a matter of seconds. He won't easily forget that, even if it's not gonna be something he talks about.]

No matter what happens, I'll always be Dandy, baby!

And what's not to like about that?

[It's a little hard to tell if Dandy's just saying it because it's a defense mechanism and if he fakes it enough he'll eventually settle back into normalcy, or if it's because he truly is feeling a bit better now.]

I'd be surprised if that ever changed.

[But despite the... everything that this thread has been, that isn't an insult at all.]

I do hope your discussion with her goes as well as it can.

[With that said, he starts to move toward the door, but pauses once he reaches it.]

Do try to be more careful in here in the future. I don't want to have a repeat of this incident.

[It's still said lightly though; it's not quite a joke, but it is covering how terrifying it would have been had Dandy been a corpse instead of unconscious.]

Sure thing, Mr. Hall Monitor! Too bad the only ass you're haulin' is mine.

[Oh, it won't. It hasn't happened yet, but that's gonna be a whole-ass shitshow.]

Speakin' of which, I forgot- Can you get back over here and help me outta the tub?

[Rossiu just shakes his head at the first part, but he doesn't look as annoyed as he could be. Pro...gress???]

Yes, of course.

[Anyway yes, he'll move back over and offer Dandy a hand - c'mon, let's get you up.]

[And he's gonna take that hand!

But not without sending a giant splash of his dirty bathwater Rossiu's way first... Once he is close enough.]

Thanks!

[Bastard...]

[SIGHS LOUDLY...]

You're welcome.

[Hopefully you can make it to your room on your own??]

but even if the stars and moon collide [afterparty]

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