unknownseas | WEEK 5

That's three murders now - and this last trial got more than slightly out of hand. It looks like you might be in for another tough week... or at least, maybe that's just the refusal of this place to change too much. You lose Saturday again, but maybe six-day weeks are starting to feel normal by now. Who knows? The cycle of day and night continues apace, changing so little.

Speaking of change, though, there's a new area to look through, the biggest and most complex yet. And the end of one wing of the facility, from the looks of it - though you can probably guess where more areas might start to open up.

And speaking of opening up (segues!), this week if you're out particularly late, you might sometimes see Angel out and about! So hey, maybe change is on the horizon.

Just gotta hope it's a change for the better, don't you?

SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to Week 5! Remember to turn in AC here, threads for regain coins here, and if you feel so inclined you can visit Angel's office hours over here! Or, if you want Angel to come to you, that's now an option! Simply put a prompt after lights-out into your toplevel and indicate you want Angel in the subject line, same as investigations! ]

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[ Well, he's not telling her to screw off, so. She inches a little closer. ]

It smells like it, but... Oh. A honeycomb. Where'd you get that from?

[After a moment in which he decides whether he wants to answer, he finally says:]

Angel. I asked for it.

[He can see where this is going. To save time--and maybe because Birkin got to him, or, gods forbid, he feels bad--he explains.]

I'm going to make finish. You mix the wax from this with some oil.

[ She smiles, though it's quite subdued. ]

That so...? I've never had to make it before. What are you going to use it for?

...I've been giving away some of the things I whittle. To keep my hands busy. Alfyn would have my head if I didn't do something to protect the softer-skinned of you all from splinters.

[He finally looks up to sustain eye contact with her.]

Wouldn't have thought you'd want to talk to me again, after last week.

Thought that was my line.

[ It's supposed to be a joke. But, it falls incredibly flat. ]

...As long as you don't try to tell me who I can and can't trust...

[The look he gives her is equal parts wary and unsure.]

[ And what's looking back at him is someone incredibly tired. ]

I've learned my lesson, Therion.

[Oh no, Della :(

Therion considers, then nods, half-shrugs, and scoots his chair a bit to the side in wordless invitation.]

Then I don't mind. This isn't the most scintillating process, though.

[ She's fine! :D

She gladly takes that invitation. ]

Oh, it's fine. I once taught myself how to rebuild a...uhh a vehicle from scratch, and that took months. I'm fine with things being not totally thrilling.

This won't take months, at least.

[He's still not chatty, but some of the tension's gone out of him. He prods some more at his honeycomb mix and says:]

You boil the water, then put the honeycomb in to melt it. Doesn't take long. Then you pour it into something else. The wax rises to the top as it cools, and you toss the rest. Just keep melting and straining it until the wax is clean enough to use.

[It's easy to talk through a task. Soothing, even. Tasks don't have feelings, they don't ask you to make yourself dependent and vulnerable and easy to hurt.]

How much do you get from one honeycomb? Do you have to toss out a lot?

You don't get a lot from just one, but I think Angel gave me enough to work with. You only need one part wax to four parts oil, and I won't use it on everything I make.

Wonder where Angel got a honeycomb from... What kinds of things are you making?

Stuff I've seen around, mostly. Anna's dress seemed like a challenge, so I tried my hand at it. Mira--

[He pauses.]

...I owed her an apology, so I gave her one that looked like her dog. Things like that. [Oh. He draws the spoon from the saucepan.] I made this spoon, too. Spoons are easy.

You carved a whole dress? [ Okay, color her impressed. ]

[Snrk.]

No. Well, yeah. But this size.

[He holds his hands a short distance apart.]

Like a doll.

[ A light smile curls onto Della's face. ]

Ohhh. That...makes a lot more sense, doesn't it?

Probably need a whole tree to carve a life-size dress. For a human, anyway.

[He glances at her, then gives her as much time as it takes for him to turn off the burner, pour the melted mix into the bowl, and set it aside for the wax to congeal at the top. Only then does he ask.]

Are you... doing okay.

[ The question frankly surprises her so much she's stunned silent for a few moments. She sits a little taller. ]

Where'd that come from?

You just seem...

[Up he tugs the scarf.]

Not yourself.

[ ... ]

I've...been thinking about some things. In my own head a lot. I don't know if that's an issue for you, but-- but I don't do very well, when it's like that.

[Still holding the scarf, he blinks and looks at her.]

...Where else are you supposed to be.

[If you're not in your own head, then whose???]

[ A light, stammering noise, and she shakes her head. ]

I- I mean I'm stuck on some thoughts. I normally like to be...doing something, engaging in something. Just sitting here, thinking, that's not what I like.

...Well...

[He says it slowly and carefully, like he's handling something unknown and fragile.]

What's stopping you?

...Sometimes the thoughts are a bit too loud to drown out.

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