towerofanimus | memory//all alone in the moonlight

Characters: John Perry (OU) and open.
Setting: Floor 1, the kitchen.
Format: Action.
Summary: John is making food, and runs across something that reminds him of his dead wife. Tears occur.
Warnings: Mentions of death. Also a crying old man.

[John is hungry, so he heads down to the kitchen to make himself something. He looks through the supplies and decides to make himself pasta, so he gathers the ingredients and starts cooking.]

[After a little while, he tastes the noodles. They need more salt, so he reaches into a cabinet and freezes when he grabs a familiar bottle. He pulls it out and stares at it.]

['Where the hell did I put the vanilla?']

[John staggers over to a table, the bottle of vanilla clutched in his hand, and sits, staring at it. It's been years since she died, and he has her again (but not) in the form of Jane…]

[But with the threat of having lost his world - according to whomever ran this place, anyway - the pain hits him again, and he lowers his head, crying quietly and hoping no one comes into the kitchen before he can pull himself together.]

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[Romeo had decided he was going to bake something. He could bake simple things without help, and without making a huge mess and nothing edible, though for more complicated things he still sought out miss France to help him.

But cakes were always a good way to help keep your spirits up and Romeo wanted something fun to do. The bad people had taken Molly again and though he would never give up trying to look for her or finding them and beating them, there wasn't anything he could do at the moment, as they still didn't know any more about this place.

He stopped as he entered the kitchen, his weasel Piccolo sat on his head. He saw the man crying and went towards him.] Is everything alright sir?

[John looks up, wiping his face. He tries to speak, and finds his throat closed up. He clears his throat before he speaks, his voice strained.]

... Yes. It'll be fine. It's... something that happened a long time ago.

[Romeo watched him for a moment before nodding slowly. Usually when he was upset he tried to think of happier things, to keep his spirits up. But Psiioniic had taught him that sometimes when you were so sad that you couldn't even think then sometimes it was good to talk about your problems because sometimes talking about them helped.]

Do you want to talk about it sir? Sometimes it is good for you to talk about what makes you sad.

[He sets the vanilla down reluctantly, sighing.]

I just miss my wife. She's been... gone for a long time. And I met someone who was very much like her more recently, but I still miss her.

Your wife? [Romeo came closer to stand in front of the man. He knew enough to know that when adults said "gone" it meant dead, unless they were talking about people in the tower, where it meant the bad people had made them disappear.] It's okay to miss people who are dead sir because you don't get to see them anymore and sometimes it hurts so much you want to cry and cry and cry and never stop.

But... I bet your wife was a really good person and so she is in heaven and watching over you. And if you love her she lives on in your heart, so she is still here with you.

[He reaches out and pats Romeo on the head. He appreciates it, but...]

She was a good person. She had a temper, but I loved her. And I know she's with me somewhere - Jane is a lot like her.

... But she's not with me here. It's not the same. It's hard being apart from someone you loved for so long. ... Who you still love, really.

[Romeo gave a small sad smile and nodded.] It is hard sir, because even though you know they are okay and watching over you they aren't here and... so it's okay to be sad because you miss them.

[He fell silent for a moment] What was she like sir? Sometimes talking about people who are dead helps, because then you can remember the happy things about them.

She was... strong-willed. She loved arguing with people - it was funny to watch her argue with our son. She also loved baking... her pies were the best in the area. Tough as nails... but loving and kind when she wanted to be.

[Romeo smiled and listened] She sounds like she was really nice sir!

She was. I thought I'd be mostly over it by now, but... every so often...

[He takes a deep breath. Time to move on.]

Do you want me to make you anything?

[Romeo nodded and smiled at him understanding, sometimes he missed Alfredo so much that he just wanted to curl up and cry for a very long time. But he had promised he would keep going, and he knew Alfredo was always with him and so he couldn't stay sad for long.

But now John had told him his feelings it was time to try and keep his spirits up so Romeo grinned.] Do you like baking too sir?

I do. I'm not as good at it as she was, but I think this old brain can still remember how to make something good.

[A huge grin] Miss France taught me how to bake! It's really fun isn't it! Can we bake something?

Sure thing. What do you want to bake?

We will have to look to see what things they have! I like baking cakes especially chocolate ones! What's your favorite sir?

I like pies. But I think I could go for a chocolate cake.

What kind of pie? [He skips over to the cupboards and starts looking for ingredients.] I've never made pie before!

Cherry, blueberry, apple... I watched Kathy enough to at least kind of figure out how she did it. Mostly she just made me stay out of the kitchen when she was working, though.

"I saw some apples," he skipped over to the side smiling. "Why weren't you allowed to help?"

[Eleanor eats, as much as she sometimes wishes she didn't. She never eats what the kitchen staff prepares, though. It's good that at least a few of those ghosts in her ADAM know how to cook with moderate skill. She stops at the doorway, though, helmet in her hands, as she realizes there's someone already there.]

Oh, I--

[And he's crying. Eleanor shrinks a little, unsure of what to do.]

I'm sorry.

[So now there's a half-armored girl standing awkwardly in the doorway, not sure what she should do.]

[... He looks up and tries to wipe his face. She's... about Zoe's age, and he's not sure what to say for a moment.]

I... sorry. Were you going to make something?

I'm not in a hurry. I can come back later if I'm... inconveniencing you.

Oh... no. Sorry. I was just... reminded of someone. I can leave.

Please, you don't have to do that.

[She pauses a moment.]

Unless you want to. I don't want to be importunate.

It's all right.

[He wipes his face a little more, and then clears his throat.]

I'm John. What's your name?

Eleanor Lamb.

[She offers a small smile and bobs her head.]

Pleased to meet you.

memory//all alone in the moonlight

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/headcanon go~

yay headcanon!

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