[it's late at night, and shess is still up. namely because he doesn't, well, sleep.
thankfully, even in the dark, the earth cave is lit by torches. it's here, as he looks around, that he spots a familiar figure. ah, looks like they've found a new hole to hide in.]
[ they're still awake, miraculously; the torchlight and the strong albedo from the mercury trailing in the air around them provide enough illumination for their inclusions to stay active, even in the cave at night. Shess is instantly recognizable before Cinnabar even sees him. ]
You again... [ a sigh. They turn halfway where they're standing (in front of a particularly large grouping of crystals that they were apparently looking at), giving him a sideways glance. ] Shouldn't you be sleeping right now?
[ he said they could come find him in the mountains, so... that's exactly what they do, although not for several hours after the trial ends. They needed time by themself to mull over everything that happened tonight. There's the matter with the girl, and the killing, and how she was evidently made to do it against her will - but that didn't shake them nearly as much as finding out their poison was ineffective against everyone, not just Shess.
Their poison was a useful weapon back home, and they'd finally been necessary to the others because of it - they're aware. For the first time, they'd been useful. Losing that usefulness scares them terribly - like the world is conspiring to keep them useless. It should be a good thing - they want to believe it's a good thing. But, as always, they're wracked with anxiety, unable to believe that something good like that would really happen to them, and after swimming in indecision and unhappiness for a few hours, they go to seek him out, if only to talk about it with someone.
It takes a lot of energy for them to even do that much. They're sure they're bothering him; he barely knows them, after all. But Cinnabar eventually makes it nonetheless. ]
[there was almost a chance shess wouldn't be—he's had to check up on a lot of people, and generally, those people haven't run up to the mountains to isolate themselves. but luckily for cinnabar, he is. once he hears cinnabar's voice, he quickly pops on over.]
[ it's during the day, so Cinnabar is a little sleepy, despite the fact that their inclusions are humming with life in the sunlight; they're leaning against a rock face in the Earth section, tucked around a corner slightly out of the way, and are fading out of consciousness slightly when they hear Shess calling them. ]
[ they... do not open the door!! What a shock. However, there's the sound of rustling inside - they're getting up to peer through the peephole and see who's here. ]
[ rock is there!! rock is not doing that badly, all things considered. They're good at rolling with the punches, despite how badly they react to things on occasion - they wouldn't still be here after all these years if they weren't.
However, they're still not polite. They open the door, and: ]
[ okay, so Cinnabar may or may not have been a little scarce this week after the flower crown thing. The idea of him being creeped out by them giving him a gift, or not really wanting to be friends, or one of any other anxiety-fueled hypotheticals made them hesitant to face Shess again. But then the deaths come yet again, and they feel like they should talk to someone about what's going on, and the only person they actually feel comfortable seeking out is Shess, ironically enough.
Strategizing is important for these things, right? (They're mostly just lonely, as usual. But they won't admit it.) They stand in front of his door for a solid two minutes debating on running away or not - but, in the end, they get the guts to knock. ]
[well, the knock tells him it's not hisoka, who'd probably just try and come through the window.
so, tablet under his arm, he gets up and opens the door! ... and this isn't someone he expected at all, to be honest. the surprise is visible on his face for a moment, before he smiles and writes,]
Hello, Cinnabar. How are you doing? Did you need something?
[ they just came from his house, actually - they knocked on the door, but nobody answered, so they figured he must not be home. Which is... fine, but they sort of need help. It's a blessing they actually find him still in the area. ]
-- Shess, [ they call out, somewhat awkwardly, as usual. It's hard to get used to just ... talking to someone. They're still in their red, shiny state from before, so bright and translucent that it's actually somewhat hard to make out their features other than their eyes. In their hands, they're carrying a big wooden bowl. ]
[ they can't help noticing Shess's unusual reaction to Hisoka's body. Maybe they're nosy - or maybe they're being a little too familiar with their one singular friend. Maybe they're bothering him like this. A lot of anxious "maybes" flit through their mind, but in spite of all of them, Cinnabar still finds him on his way out of the main hall. ]
... Shess.
[ their actual question is still percolating, so they settle for trying to get his attention for the moment, dragon-red eyes thin and questioning. ]
[ it's already dark by the time they find Shess; they'd put it off longer if they could, but they're running out of time to procrastinate on this, so they have no choice but to bite the bullet. At least he's in the garden - they can play it off as if they just happened to run into him. ]
Shess. [ their usual greeting, abrupt as ever. ] You're not at your house?
[ they know where to find him this time, at least - and they have a little more confidence, too. Quite an achievement for Cinnabar - but he said okay before, and he seems like he's almost always willing to accept them, so maybe it's okay to believe a little bit more. ]
Shess.
[ friendly as ever... ]
Let's stay together again tonight. [ ... their confidence runs out immediately after saying that, and they glance off to the side again. ] Um. I don't trust that this peace will last.
well, something unusual might happen. specifically, shess doesn't have his tablet out, and yet—]
As much as I'd like to say yes... there are a few complications this week.
[a real voice. it won't quite come off as a "sound" heard with one's ears, instead serving almost as an echo inside cinnabar's head—but, even though his mouth hasn't moved at all, it's shess's.]
[ they kept to themself all day until now - not doing much of anything other than wallowing in their own misery, but that's nothing new for them. The only thing that's different is that they eventually get up and go. The air region is the only place they can think of that they're sure he'll appear at. They don't know what they want to say to him when they find him - they want comfort, but they don't deserve it; they want relief that he can't offer; in the end, when they spot him, the words simply fall out, trembling, from their cracked face. ]
[ they thought about avoiding the farmlands because of what they found there, but, in the end, there's too many places that had some smear of Minato's body painted on them, and getting sentimental about it will only make things harder than they already are. Truth be told, they'd still rather be sleeping than out here, and alone, too - but they know they wouldn't get to sleep, and they know that they don't want to leave Shess to his own devices, either, still wanting to help, still not knowing how.
Cinnabar's approach is hard to miss with how heavy their footsteps are. They're carrying a flower in their hands - a white chrysanthemum, the same kind they've seen Lune giving to remember the dead - and once they're close enough, they hold it out to him. ]
[ it's probably no surprise that Cinnabar appears in the air area (airea) as day turns to evening. It may be a little surprising that they don't begin their conversation with another stumbling request to stay with him. They've finally got enough confidence in his feelings to believe he's okay with them being here, and they don't have to ask every time. ]
Shess. [ a pause as they reach into their back pocket and retrieve... a deck of cards, which they hold out in front of them. Wearing gloves, of course. Their eyes dart nervously to the side. ] Do you know what these are?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
week 0, monday? or tuesday. one of the two.
thankfully, even in the dark, the earth cave is lit by torches. it's here, as he looks around, that he spots a familiar figure. ah, looks like they've found a new hole to hide in.]
Hello, Cinnabar.
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You again... [ a sigh. They turn halfway where they're standing (in front of a particularly large grouping of crystals that they were apparently looking at), giving him a sideways glance. ] Shouldn't you be sleeping right now?
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week 0 sssaturday!!
Their poison was a useful weapon back home, and they'd finally been necessary to the others because of it - they're aware. For the first time, they'd been useful. Losing that usefulness scares them terribly - like the world is conspiring to keep them useless. It should be a good thing - they want to believe it's a good thing. But, as always, they're wracked with anxiety, unable to believe that something good like that would really happen to them, and after swimming in indecision and unhappiness for a few hours, they go to seek him out, if only to talk about it with someone.
It takes a lot of energy for them to even do that much. They're sure they're bothering him; he barely knows them, after all. But Cinnabar eventually makes it nonetheless. ]
... Are you here?
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What is it, Cinnabar?
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week 1, monday.
Cinnabar? Are you here?
[where are you, sad rock...]
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... What?
[ poking their head around the corner. ]
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week 1, friday.
please open your door...]
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What?
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week 1, saturday.
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However, they're still not polite. They open the door, and: ]
What?
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week 2, friday
Strategizing is important for these things, right? (They're mostly just lonely, as usual. But they won't admit it.) They stand in front of his door for a solid two minutes debating on running away or not - but, in the end, they get the guts to knock. ]
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so, tablet under his arm, he gets up and opens the door! ... and this isn't someone he expected at all, to be honest. the surprise is visible on his face for a moment, before he smiles and writes,]
Hello, Cinnabar. How are you doing? Did you need something?
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week 2 saturday
-- Shess, [ they call out, somewhat awkwardly, as usual. It's hard to get used to just ... talking to someone. They're still in their red, shiny state from before, so bright and translucent that it's actually somewhat hard to make out their features other than their eyes. In their hands, they're carrying a big wooden bowl. ]
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Cinnabar. Is there something you need?
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week 3, friday
... Shess.
[ their actual question is still percolating, so they settle for trying to get his attention for the moment, dragon-red eyes thin and questioning. ]
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Cinnabar. How are you feeling?
[about, you know. deaths.]
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week 4, thursday
Shess. [ their usual greeting, abrupt as ever. ] You're not at your house?
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No. I don't typically stay there for the night.
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week 5, thursday
Shess.
[ friendly as ever... ]
Let's stay together again tonight. [ ... their confidence runs out immediately after saying that, and they glance off to the side again. ] Um. I don't trust that this peace will last.
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well, something unusual might happen. specifically, shess doesn't have his tablet out, and yet—]
As much as I'd like to say yes... there are a few complications this week.
[a real voice. it won't quite come off as a "sound" heard with one's ears, instead serving almost as an echo inside cinnabar's head—but, even though his mouth hasn't moved at all, it's shess's.]
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week 5, friday evening
Shess, it was me...
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What do you mean?
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week 5, saturday YOU SICK OF ME YET
Cinnabar's approach is hard to miss with how heavy their footsteps are. They're carrying a flower in their hands - a white chrysanthemum, the same kind they've seen Lune giving to remember the dead - and once they're close enough, they hold it out to him. ]
... Here.
NEVER
he takes it, though—]
What is this for?
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week 6, thursday
Shess. [ a pause as they reach into their back pocket and retrieve... a deck of cards, which they hold out in front of them. Wearing gloves, of course. Their eyes dart nervously to the side. ] Do you know what these are?
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Ah, cards?
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DAMN IT SIB
;)
;_;
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