PCs for Brilith

[shortforever]

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week 2, Thursday

[shortforever]

[YEAH UH

He definitely felt all of that Wednesday evening. Which means he's going to go track down Brilith early Thursday morning? Where can he find her at about 9 am?]

[infire]

[ well after taking about ten showers, she is now in the kitchen clutching a cup of hot tea. there are bruises on her neck and arms, not at all hidden by her dress. otherwise she's... pretty okay, actually, just a bit shaken. she'll offer chuuya a tired smile when she sees him. ]

Oh - Chuuya. Would you like a cup of tea?

[shortforever]

[Yeah, that right there? Not good at all. It's lucky that Brilith's general calmness as tempered Chuuya's usually-fiery attitude, because he might otherwise have jumped in demanding answers immediately.]

Yeah, sure. It's a good breakfast, right?

[He usually eats junk food for breakfast, he has no idea if you actually drink tea that early or not. But tea means conversation, and they definitely need to have one of those.]

[infire]

Maybe not by itself, but it helps.

[ she pours him a cup and hand it over. it's jasmine! ]

It's... Thursday, right? [ keeping track without a sleep cycle is... surprisingly hard. ] You should keep an eye on the hour, so you aren't locked outside.

[ pleasant morning conversation ]

[shortforever]

Yeah, I've mostly been staying in the game room. Did you know I was able to unlock all 55 fighters in SM*SH? And I only started playing it Monday afternoon.

[It's amazing what no sleep can do to a person.]

Buuuut I'm guessing you got locked outside last night?

Week 2, post-trial

[shortforever]

[Yeah, as soon as he sees Hunter's reaction, he's going to go seek out Brilith. He'll try to catch her leaving the ballroom and lead her off somewhere private for a bit.]

I know you've been through a lot today, but we need to talk.

[Since the connection is still up, she'll be able to feel the urgency behind those words too. Chuuya does not have good news here.]

[infire]

[ she's struggling right now, between her own sorrow, rage at nie huaisang, jin ling's anger at her, and... hunter. being connected to someone who's lost themselves is... even worse than she could have imagined. the temptation to swing her staff at the first person to speak to her is great, and the only thing holding her back is a very deliberate projection of calm from another of her links. still, she has to take a deep breath before turning to chuuya. ]

What is it?

[shortforever]

[Interestingly, Chuuya feels all of that through their connection, and it actually makes him flinch.

He should probably wait on this. They have time, he can ask her in a day or two, when emotions aren't running so high. It's urgent, but not so urgent that it has to be discussed immediately.

...]

...it's going to be alright. It's- it's really tough now, yeah. But it's gonna be alright.

[Yeah, it can wait. Helping her feel better is more important right now.]

[infire]

I know. [ said through her teeth. ] I'm sorry, Chuuya, I shouldn't -

[ she clings to her staff like it's a lifeline. ]

Hunter... He and I are linked.

[shortforever]

Yeah, I know. You and I are linked too.

[He can't feel Hunter's stuff, but he can feel how it's making her feel.]

It's not gonna be easy tonight, but maybe I can help? I'm not normally a calm person, but I can try to be.

Week 3, post-trial

[shortforever]

[Yeah uh. That trial was a Lot and Chuuya is honestly pretty upset. But he's also worried about Brilith so he's going to go looking for her. Maybe taking care of others will keep his mind occupied enough to not think about Dazai for a bit.

He's going to check her room for her first. Can he find her?]

[infire]

[ he will find her there, trying to read a book entirely to have something different to focus on. it isn't going well, however, so she shuts it immediately when it's clear she has a visitor. ]

Chuuya. What is it?

[shortforever]

If I ask you 'what the fuck happened at the trial', will you give me some kind of answer or will you tell me to fuck off?

[Might as well get the tone right for this conversation, at least.]

[infire]

[ ...it seems that no one is going to leave her be. so much for resting while the sedative wears off. brilith sighs. there's no use in not answering. these people are stubborn, and besides - they're from a different world, some of them even without gods to meddle in their affairs. it shouldn't matter what she says here. ]

I remembered all of my previous lives.

[shortforever]

[Wait until Brilith finds out she's talking to the human vessel for a god. That's going to be a fun day.]

Yeah? How'd that happen anyway?

[He sounds genuinely interested here. Both because it's something about Brilith he didn't know before, and because he's worried about her.]

Week 4, post-trial

[shortforever]

[Hey Brilith, he's not exactly avoiding anyone but you're gonna have to come find him. He's out by the duck pond, trying to skip rocks across it.]

[infire]

[ injured as she is, it may take more time than usual for brilith to find him. but when she does, she isn't wasting words: ]

Why didn't you speak up sooner? Were you afraid they'd vote for you so easily, instead of trying to find the monster?

[shortforever]

No. I knew that, once they figured out it was me, a coupla people would stop focusing on the trial all together. So I thought I should try to get them to solve the other murder first before I confessed. But that didn't work out.

[infire]

[ hm. ]

Better to speak up, and help us eliminate the evidence, than to waste time letting them focus on what they want. Their attention wanders too easily for that.

[shortforever]

Yeah, I guess you're right. I probably should've come clean at the start. But when I saw everyone- even people I thought were my friends- saying all that stuff? I just...couldn't.

[Despite the tough act he puts up, Chuuya actually does want acceptance from others.]

Week 5, Friday

[shortforever]

[Hey Brilith.

Hey.

Hey.

Your short, angry friend is hiding in his room. But the door is unlocked if she wants to come looking for him.]

[infire]

[ to her credit, she at least knocks and calls out a quick greeting before trying the door. when she spots him inside, she steps in and quietly closes it behind her. ]

What will you do when you find his killer, Chuuya?

[ she's quiet, and maintains her distance, just in case chuuya doesn't want anyone near him right now - which would be justified, as far as she's concerned. still, there isn't a trace of doubt in her voice that they will, one way or another, find the killers. ]

[shortforever]

[He's sitting on the floor, back against a wall, head tipped up so it's resting against the wall too. His expression is surprisingly neutral, given the events of the day, and his voice is even too.]

I'm gonna be their executioner, that's what.

[He'll take his revenge in an appropriate manner, he means.]

[infire]

[ after a moment, she nods. ]

Good. I'll support you as much as I am able. Hopefully, there will only be one killer to worry about. You may have some competition as executioner, though, if that's the case.

[shortforever]

[That's where his gaze turns sharp, and he tilts his head forward so he can actually look at Brilith.]

I'm sure I fucking will, but I'll break the legs of anyone who tries to intervene.