week 4 - execution & aftermath

[vicedirector]

seven vices execution & aftermath ♫ sunday After everyone has voted, the paper and photos will disappear. Miata will usher everyone outside, only allowing them to grab their coats and weather-appropriate gear, and lead them to the bonfire. Floating in the middle of the flames, a list appears, clear as day. >Gather? victim culprit cast setting rulebook

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[princessantly]

I know... like this... I'm not very good company.

[ Not that she thinks she'll sleep much when her chest is on fire, but she'll try and curl up anyway. ]

Thank you, Faize.

[symbologic]

That's not what I was trying to imply at all! [The words come out before he really had a chance to debate on whether or not he wanted to admit to that. His cheeks turn faintly pink as he continues.] Rather that...though it is not your throat that's afflicted, talking is still difficult for you now. I do not wish to cause you more pain than you are already in, and a night's rest seems to be the only things that soothes these reactionary pains.

[Anyone with ears can tell that much.]

I still...find you excellent company, even if speaking with you is not possible. So...if you wish for company now, a-at least until you fall asleep... I...

[The more he speaks, the darker his cheeks flush. He can't help but be vaguely horrified at his own boldness here, what the hell has gotten into him this weekend? First hand holding, now piggyback rides and offers to...sit with her in her room like a creep till she falls asleep? Holy shit, he just realized something: this was a terrible idea. He shakes his head vigorously, as though trying to clear it.]

Of course, I realize such an offer is rather presumptuous on my part. I will, of course, leave immediately if you would rather be alone!

[princessantly]

[ And to think, most (none) of this wouldn't have happened if Alisha hadn't been in the path of a fire extinguisher or had to deal with excruciating death shocks. Thanks, Vegeta. In the end, you may have actually done some good here.

Not that Alisha is thinking fondly of Vegeta right now. She's a little too startled, staring wide-eyed at a Faize who's-- actually, has she ever seen him this red and flustered before? She's pretty sure she hasn't.

She's had princess etiquette about this sort of thing, about being alone with a man not your intended, and the answer has always been Don't. But then again, this is Alisha, who had camped out at the home of a boy she barely knew, who hadn't been dismayed when he'd walked into her room and engaged him in a talk about armor-- and this is Faize, and maybe it's idiotic to trust people in a place where they're encouraged to kill each other...

But she trusts him, anyway. And if she had to be selfish, she'd be able to admit-- ]

I'd... rather not be alone right now.

[ Well, that sure slipped out. Maybe a little helplessly, and maybe Alisha herself seems surprised by her own candid statement, but it's sincere. ]

[symbologic]

[You were a dick and your reasons were terrible, Vegeta, but if not for you, Faize would never have realized that he is capable of boldness...for very brief moments. But hey, it's a start, right? Even if he kind of lost steam halfway through. Maybe he'll get better at it with time because surely that's not something either of them needs to worry about. All the time in the world, right? It's not like either of them could die at any moment.]

[Nobody here has seen him this flustered before, but then again, nobody else here is Alisha. And he doesn't feel quite the same way about anybody else here. So perhaps it's not all that surprising (to anybody other than the two of them, at least) that she's capable of turning him into a flustered mess of flushed cheeks and half-thought words.]

Then... [He moves across the room, grabbing the little chair that I assume is in the room because it's on the picture in the setting page, and bringing it back next to Alisha's bedside. Princess etiquette lessons be damned, there's nothing to worry about here, see? Not even going to sit on the bed or anything, he knows what boundaries are, even if asking to stay is a small push against them.] this is where I shall remain, at least until sleep claims you or you tire of my company.

[Whichever comes first. Then he'll go back to his room and...probably lay in his still mostly-unmade bed, staring at ceiling and thinking about his life choices instead of sleeping.]

[princessantly]

[ Faize no, you'd better sleep tonight?? You need it?? So Alisha would insist, if she knew that was a distinct possibility, but alas, all she knows right now is that she's curled on top of her blankets, her chest hurts, and Faize is staying-- which is more happiness than she's felt for the past few days.

Even if that makes her chest pains worsen, but whatever, she'll endure it. ]

The latter... won't happen. [ So don't even think it, really. ] Please give... yourself a little more credit...

[ She is exhausted, though, so sleep will probably come soon. ]

[symbologic]

[What is sleep when you have unfamiliar emotions to grapple with? He'll be fine, he can sleep when he's...uh. Tomorrow afternoon. He can sleep tomorrow afternoon, yes.]

[His lips curl into a small smile, and he seems to be having trouble looking at Alisha for more than a few moments at a time. Speaking of unfamiliar emotions, there's another one of those weird warm chest fuzzies she seems to have a knack for giving him.]

Then I will...gladly [Is it okay to admit that?] put the possibility out of my mind. [He just doesn't want to impose, okay. THE GOVERNMENT RAISED HIM WAY TOO POLITELY, who would have thought.]

[princessantly]

Please do so.

[ As imperiously as she can manage, even though there's a small smile tugging at her mouth. Honestly, she'd love to talk more... but give her like ten minutes, and her breathing will slowly even out and deepen.

It's comforting, to have him close, but that's not a good princess-y thought. ]

[symbologic]

[Talking more would have been his first choice too, but that would have hurt Alisha, so obviously it's a no-go. There will be (hopefully) plenty more time to talk later.]

[He lingers just a little bit after it seems like she's dozed off. Just to be sure she's actually asleep or that the deathshocks aren't about to wake her back up again. But only a few minutes before, true to his word, he returns her chair to the proper place and leaves the room as silently as he can, whispering only a very soft "pleasant dreams" as he closes the door behind him. And with that, he's gone.]