[OPEN/CLOSED] A falling star fell from your heart and landed in my eyes

[chronomancer]

Characters: [AU1] Eridan Ampora, [AU1] Equius Zahhak and YOU!
Setting: First dormitory floor showers [CLOSED to Equius], Forest floor.
Format: Action, but I'll match you.
Summary: Eridan emerges from a month of hermithood with the firm conviction that he's not gonna fuck shit up again and the certain knowledge that he's definitely going to fuck shit up again.
Warnings: Sad, stupid boys being sad and stupid and maybe angry, too. Standard Eridan warnings apply: make him angry and he'll shoot you in the head.

[Showers]

[The one thing... one of the things Eridan really liked about the Tower - for some values of "like" anyway, was the free access to water and the showers. The showers were nice. Helped one think and keep thoughts in order, or at least put those thoughts in some semblance of order, anyway. It was relaxing, was what he was getting at. And for the past month, he'd worked very hard to relax.

He'd also spent most of the past month murdering things and avoiding people, out of fear of what he could do to them if he didn't. Which meant a lot of showers to get rid of grit and grime and monster innards at the end of the day, even if the day wasn't the real day he was supposed to be in. He was tired though. He was tired of running away and trying to purge the violence only made him realize the pit in the back of his mind was deeper than he originally thought, because he just didn't run out of will to kill shit. He didn't stop feeling angry. He can't hide away forever though. Can he?

Of course he can't, that'd be stupid.

So now there he is, muttering to himself - hot words being Equius, sorry, care and sorry - as he towels himself dry and starts getting dressed. He really... needs to talk to Equius, doesn't he? He does. He owes him an apology for snapping at him like that. An apology for a lot of things, really. Since there really doesn't seem to be much activity around this time, Eridan walks out of the stall shirtless and toweling his hair, wanting to use the mirror by the sinks to study a gash on his back that he got about a week ago. He's not expecting anyone else to be around, clearly, it shows on his posture.]

[Forest floor]

[If you're walking about the forest floor, you might notice a long, long grey scarf hanging from a tree about eye level. And if you follow it up, you'll find a taciturn troll sprawled on a branch with a riffle on his lap and a bunch of carrots. That's he's eating. Raw. Just chilling out there, occasionally flicking a bit of carrot at a squirrelly forest creature. No biggie.

Eridan's taking babysteps to relearn this whole social interaction thing, okay. Baby steps. Someone knock him off the stupid tree, please.]

Comments

[chronomancer]

[...you are. Hitting so close to home, right now, it's almost not fair. Except he probably needs it anyway. His smile softens.]

Yeah, that's right.

[Does he even have friends anymore?]

[starofpleiades]

Mm! So, um... are you going to keep staying up there? It's really cold out here...

[chronomancer]

I've been colder.

[He offers a little sardonic smile, because at least he's not freezing anymore. It takes him a second, before shrugging.]

...we can go somewhere else, though. If you wanna keep talking.

[starofpleiades]

Yeah! I mean, if you're okay hanging out with me? I don't want to be a bother if you'd rather not...

[chronomancer]

's alright.

[He offers a small smile before sliding down that branch with relative ease.]

I could use the company.

[starofpleiades]

Heheh... so, hungry? We could go grab something.

[Kazumi always is]

[chronomancer]

Sure.

[Eridan's gotten too used to starving himself. So he should probably eat more.]

At least it's not the damn bars anymore.

[starofpleiades]

Mm, yeah! I'm glad we have food again... it's a bit ingredient-centric at the meals, but between the three of them, there's a good variety of things to work with in the kitchen again!

[chronomancer]

[He shrugs a little.]

I wouldn't really know, I'm not all that good at cooking.

[And being picky about food doesn't help either. Seriously, vegetarian trolls. What the fuck were they thinking?]

But I can help if you want.

[starofpleiades]

Heheh, you don't have to, but if you like...

I'm more than happy to cook for you though! Just tell me what you like.

[chronomancer]

Uh. Food?

[Awkward turtle, move over, here comes Eridan Ampora to take over the kingdom of all things awkward.]

Preferably not sweet, if that's not a big problem.

[This is one kid who doesn't need to be coerced into eating his veggies.]

[starofpleiades]

[BUT SHE DOESN'T KNOW HE'S VEGETARIAN]

Hmm, well, I think I can definitely accommodate that!

[She smiles as they tromp through the snow towards the stairs]

[chronomancer]

I mean, if it's not too much toruble, I don't want to be an inconvenience or anything.

[Off they go towards the stairs.]

[starofpleiades]

Aww, come on, I love cooking! I always have.

[She frowns for a moment after she says that, then shakes her head and smiles again]

[chronomancer]

If you're sure, then.

[There's a small pause, almost as if he's trying to remember a line of the script he forgot.]

You're a pretty kind girl, Kazumi.

[starofpleiades]

Eheh, that's sweet of you to say.

[She skips happily down the stairs]

I just think, you know, it's better to get along with everyone you can? Seeing people happy makes me happy a well.

[chronomancer]

[I used to think that, he doesn't say, smiling indulgently because she's not cracked right at the center of her pan, listening to the same melodious rumble clamoring for blood day and night, and he used to be like that. Used to spew that shit to any and all he met. Used to walk with that twist in his step. Used to be a fucking fool that didn't know how good he had it til they took it all away.]

I know what you mean.

[I know how it ends, but then it probably won't, for her. Because he used to pretend to be that way, except he never was. She's nice and kind and means it, and he was nice and kind and faked it. For the sake of peace, he's gonna keep faking it, so long as the idea of stopping and letting go makes him want to hurl. His only redeeming quality these days: the thought of murder still makes his bilesack turn, for all it keeps bouncing between his ears all. the. fucking. TIME.]

I wish more people shared the sentiment.

[starofpleiades]

Mm... it would be nice. But sometimes they're hurting and have too many of their own problems to be able to always think of others... and they're the ones that need the most understanding. I know it's not so easy for everyone...

[chronomancer]

I suppose you're right.

[He smiles a little faintly.]

The people who need the most help often don't get it.

[starofpleiades]

Mm... that's why, I want to reach out to those that might be hurting! Even if it's painful, if it can ease a little of that pain...

[chronomancer]

I'm sure you help a lot more than you realize.

[He shrugs.]

Everyone has a little something they can contribute.

[starofpleiades]

Maybe.

[She nods]

Yeah, even if it's just being there to talk with or listen... anyone can do it, but it's so important and not everyone does.

[chronomancer]

Not everyone can, actually. It's a talent, just like everything else.

[Eridan smiles a little hollowly.]

We've all got ours.

[starofpleiades]

Hmm, you think so?

Well, I agree that everyone has something. [She smiles and skips the rest of the way down as they come out into the Cafeteria]

[chronomancer]

Trust me, I'm fairly certain of it.

[She's too happy to not feel a little happy around her. Cheering up seems almost impossible, right now, but she makes him feel a little lukewarm cheer. She's just too happy not to.]