Love's no good but it sure beats the hurt

[madgiganticfeelings]

[That was... Christine can only call it the most horrible thing she's seen so far, with that familiar dread that says something worse may come. Four people have died. Four friends Christine had trusted in and relied upon. And four more people she cares about have turned into memories and painful reminders of her failure to do anything meaningful here.

And Christine wallows in that. God, does she wallow. But she also knows that those painful ghosts of the people she loved relied on her to keep getting back up when the world knocked her down. And she has to keep going, if only to honour there memories.

The note she slides under each person's door is very simple, the bright orange gel pen somehow seeming duller in the wake of mourning:]

Food is in the dining hall.
Please come have something, or I'll track you down in an hour and force feed you.
If there's anything at all you need, please come talk to me. We shouldn't have to suffer alone.
-Christine

[There's a few dishes Christine knows how to make: lo mein and beef stew, some simple sandwiches as well. There are almond cookies after the more filling foods are prepared.

Off to the side is a plate with a few dumplings and... what looks like mashed turnips? An odd combination, but they were Angus' favourite.

And Christine is true to her word. If you don't come in an hour, she'll find you. In fact, she makes rounds around the opera house pretty much every hour, checking each room, and... maybe singing softly to herself as she goes.]

O god,
I can't stay, I won't stay for things left unseen
I can't stay, I won't stay, this end has no means
I can't stay, I won't stay, you were just a dream
A sweet sweet dream
You were a dream
But not my dream...

[Speaking of dreams, someone should convince her to go to bed.]

Comments

[likemypicture]

[She's polite enough not to disturb him while he attempts to climb the wall on her way to do the sugarcube thing with the horse-- but on her way back, she can't just ignore him. That would be awkward.

Or maybe it's more awkward to talk to him. Who knows?]

Cute bear.

[heathencall]

[Mephisto breathes out. Maybe it's supposed to be a laugh? It's hard to tell by the sour look on his face.]

I gave it to Riley last week. I'm sure she thought so too.

[likemypicture]

I'm sure. [She's a little quiet for a minute, because not even Anna of Cleves can think of a thing to say. She just stands there for a while, before joining him on the ground, in the dirt, the basket with Tad Cooper balanced on her lap.]

[heathencall]

[He glances over at her, down at Tad, and then back up to the sky. He's quiet for a time, but then...]

I was ready to blame you. For all of your talk of God and Conversion. [A scoff.] Would you hate me if I said I wish I had been right?

[likemypicture]

Rude.

[She doesn't sound nearly as troubled as she should, though, and she shrugs her shoulders, lifting her head to look at the sky too.]

Murder is a sin, for Protestants and Catholics. [But does she hate him? She plucks poor Tad Cooper from his basket, holding him against her bosom, as close to her heart as she could.]

No. I can't even blame you for it.

[heathencall]

It's easier, to think of an adult being willing to do something like that. A child --

[Something catches in his throat, hot and angry. He looks back to the sky.]

How do you believe when He makes such broken things and puts them through hell?

[likemypicture]

How could I not? All of the things in the world-- all the people-- the fact that I lived, and I died, and then I was in New York City, and now I'm here--- [She looks up at the sky. At the ..... very very very big blanket that's above them, in Richard's terms.]

God is not always good. I've known that for a long time. But He is there. Somehow.

[heathencall]

He sounds more like a puppetmaster than a creature to be worshiped. [But... he doesn't fight much more than that.]


Your lizard. Is it well? I imagine being in the arms of... Whatever Angus came was rather traumatizing.

[likemypicture]

My dragon. [Anne corrects, but her voice is musical, almost like she may laugh. She does not wish to argue either, and she's still not sold on the notion.]

He seems to be.... back to himself. [She makes a duck face as she looks down at Tad Cooper, cooing at him while he just chills out on her boob.]

It was the strangest thing. I don't know if you noticed-- there was so much going on. But it seemed like-- he was aware-- or... Oh, I don't know. I'm glad I got him away from Angus' clutches though. Richard would return to haunt me if I hadn't, I'm sure of it.

[heathencall]

I noticed. [It was hard to miss a goddamned running lizard, especially when Angus had commanded so much attention.]

Do you suppose it was one of them? The dead? [The other option is the lizardman. Or beetle man. He doesn't like that option, though.]

[likemypicture]

I would like to think it was. It could have just as easily been particularly good self-preservation. Will you tell us, dearest Tad? [She lifts him and stares him down, like he's going to tell her. Then she sighs, and puts him back in his basket.]

Not a big talker, I'm afraid.

[heathencall]

[a half laugh. it makes his chest ache even more.]

Perhaps a kiss from his true love? That's how your fairy tales go, yes?

[likemypicture]

What fairy tales? I'm currently in a contest with five other women about who had to deal with the most shit from a man, and I'm somehow the loser of that contest. And my love life was so awful that all of my handmaidens made fun of me behind my back, because I was waiting to get pregnant from forehead kisses! [....Back to Henry again, but look. There is. A lot to unpack there.]

[heathencall]

Someone... has explained to you how pregnancy actually works, yes?

[Wait. Not the point.]

Tad Cooper could be a prince, is what I'm saying. Perhaps you should try.

[likemypicture]

Ja-- a little late to save the marriage. [There's a beat, then she pouts at Mephisto.]

You're just trying to get me to kiss a liz--- dragon!

[heathencall]

[Shrugs!]

You never know until you try. And it would make me feel better about this whole mess.

[likemypicture]

[She continues to pout for a few moments-- but! It's one of her character traits that Anne will do just about anything to be liked. And he is currently manipulating the fuck out of that.]

Well. He's likely the least gross thing I've kissed. [And with that, poor Tad Cooper is getting swept out of the basket, and smooched.]

[heathencall]

[He at least has the decency to cover his mouth and... bite back whatever laugh tries to bubble up. He just wishes he had one of the cameras that --

No. Don't think about that.]

Well? Does he feel any different?

[likemypicture]

[Anne pulls back with shock, so dramatically that there must be something happening--] Ja! Ja! He is---- [She can't keep the joke. She dissolves into giggles, returning poor Tad Cooper to the safety of the basket.]

[heathencall]

[Ah, she got him. He tucks his head down, laughing almost a little... too hard. Probably not a big deal.

He's only shaking from laughter. And it only lasts a second before he pulls himself back together.]

Sorry, Tad Cooper. Suppose it wasn't your time

[likemypicture]

Tad Cooper will be fine. We will find him a nice, haughty little princess dragon to be friends with. Won't we, Tadothy? [She makes a few more silly kissy duck faces at Tad, then smiles, just relieved to hear Mephisto laugh.

Laughter. The finest of medicines. It won't heal what just happened today-- but if she can start-- well. She'd kiss worse than Tad Cooper, for that.]

[heathencall]

All the more reason to drag us out of here, isn't it? [He looks at the liz... dragon. He can believe that he's dealing with a dragon, right? It's no less unbelievable than a fallen angel being tamed by a group of teenage girls.]

We can't have him take after his new mother, after all. A life of celibacy? I shudder at it.

[likemypicture]

Of course. I have Richard's kingdom to rule now, and finding Tad Cooper love seems a good secondary reason. But-- hey! You know what they say. [She recites, as if carefully memorized]

The one who is most chaste, will win first place! [They being Anne, in this case. Anne is the only one who says that.]

[heathencall]

[Mephisto's... expression verges on the disgusted. Chastity? How dare you.]

Yes, I... suppose I did hear my brethren saying something similar. I imagine they'd quite like you.

[But for all that... he still seems amused. And grateful, at that.]

At least you'll be able to pray to God and tell him all about how you've resisted the temptations of a demon.

[likemypicture]

Wife five did counter with The biggest sinner is obvs the winner-- you'd probably like her too. But I kept my head, so who is the real winner there?

I'd rather tell God I made a demon laugh. That's wildly more impressive.