mayavericks (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mayavericks) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
itscurtains2021-06-12 09:21 pm
mayavericks) wrote in itscurtains2021-06-12 09:21 pm
"A Swing and Miss Doesn't Mean it's Game Over"
[Well… All of that sure happened. And while Maya is visibly shaken Sissi's literal dance with death, she’d meant what she’d said to the others -- she would protect them. At that moment, it meant voting and making the “right” decision. Now, though? It means ensuring that no one feels alone, and that everyone has a good meal in them.
She’s not Nana Daiba, however, she certainly can’t do this alone. But she does have the resourcefulness and authoritative disposition to to recruit allies. Discord is sure to be… mostly unbothered by everything that’s happened, and Spongebob will likely be eager to help. She approaches both men: one is asked nicely; The other is grabbed by the collar and dragged from whatever hole he’s locked himself in. Sorry Discord.
For Maya's part, several potato dishes are prepared (can you tell someone has a bias). And while she doesn’t have the resources to make baumkuchen, Maya does manage to produce a cake, as well as… muffins? They’re not… quite how she remembers Nana making them, but she can at least recall how hearty the food had felt, and how it had restored her energy on long days.
It’s a pleasant memory, even if it does make her a touch melancholy.
Nevertheless, the food is laid out in the kitchen, as are a number of pies that Maya has uncovered. She even tucks a few bottles of wine in a corner for the adults that might like it. This is in addition to the mead apparently brought by Salieri. Look she’s not a fan of having alcohol but… she can’t tell the adults no.
But hey, courtesy of Benjamin, there is even some cocoa. It doesn’t start off spiked but… you know. Thanks to Spongebob there are, well… Angry Patties? It’s fine. Even Discord managed to contribute some pies and tea, as well as being bossed around to do the grunt work in the kitchen. There’s also that inexplicable pizza? Huh, that’s weird.
Eventually the group goes around extending invitations to the dorms, knocking on doors and explaining what’s been set up. No one will be forced to go, just… strongly encouraged. Maya herself will even duck into the principal’s office and, if she’s there, invite Hester.
She seemed just as upset as the rest of them.]
She’s not Nana Daiba, however, she certainly can’t do this alone. But she does have the resourcefulness and authoritative disposition to to recruit allies. Discord is sure to be… mostly unbothered by everything that’s happened, and Spongebob will likely be eager to help. She approaches both men: one is asked nicely; The other is grabbed by the collar and dragged from whatever hole he’s locked himself in. Sorry Discord.
For Maya's part, several potato dishes are prepared (can you tell someone has a bias). And while she doesn’t have the resources to make baumkuchen, Maya does manage to produce a cake, as well as… muffins? They’re not… quite how she remembers Nana making them, but she can at least recall how hearty the food had felt, and how it had restored her energy on long days.
It’s a pleasant memory, even if it does make her a touch melancholy.
Nevertheless, the food is laid out in the kitchen, as are a number of pies that Maya has uncovered. She even tucks a few bottles of wine in a corner for the adults that might like it. This is in addition to the mead apparently brought by Salieri. Look she’s not a fan of having alcohol but… she can’t tell the adults no.
But hey, courtesy of Benjamin, there is even some cocoa. It doesn’t start off spiked but… you know. Thanks to Spongebob there are, well… Angry Patties? It’s fine. Even Discord managed to contribute some pies and tea, as well as being bossed around to do the grunt work in the kitchen. There’s also that inexplicable pizza? Huh, that’s weird.
Eventually the group goes around extending invitations to the dorms, knocking on doors and explaining what’s been set up. No one will be forced to go, just… strongly encouraged. Maya herself will even duck into the principal’s office and, if she’s there, invite Hester.
She seemed just as upset as the rest of them.]
no subject
We will do everything in our power to make it so. [he swallows, at that]
no subject
Where did they go wrong?
He'll finally lean back from Salieri a little, then, using the side of his glove to wipe his face.]
I- ...I'm really sorry.
[He says it again, only this time he's more apologizing for...all of this. The crying. It isn't something Varian is known for, despite his age.]
no subject
You have nothing to apologize to me for, Varian. Truly.
no subject
He looks at it in his hand for a long moment before actually wiping his face with it, lingering.]
It's...maybe kindof messed up, to say this, but...I'm glad you're here. N-not...that you're kidnapped like the rest of us, but....I dunno.
[He sniffs, looking off to the side where Ruddiger is starting to anxiously crawl over to them.]
I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have people like you to support me.
no subject
I can be incredibly grateful that I have been afforded the opportunity to have met and gotten to know you and also lament the terrible circumstances that have brought it to fruition. [he squeezes his shoulder gently]
And I am. Grateful, that is, to have met you and though the circumstance may be terrible, I'm glad if I can help you through them in any way.
no subject
Somehow, that just makes him miss his dad even more. It's very bittersweet.]
I've been...trying not to show how I've been feeling. [He admits, not just to Salieri but also to himself.] I knew that if I was scared, or panicked, or even angry...the others would pick up on that, and maybe feel that way too. And...I don't want that. They all have their own stuff to deal with.
[But it's also not...healthy. It's sort of why he just collapsed in a puddle of his own tears after escaping the trial room.]
1/2
I can understand the intent behind such an action. Truly. The wish to not burden anyone when they are dealing with their own difficulties.
[It's is a far better reason than "if I show any emotion, someone might use it against me" that Salieri himself has learned in Court. But this...is not Court. Perhaps the Wizard or whomever is controlling this entire circus would like it to be so, but at the end of the day, it is not. From what Salieri has seen for the most part, these are good people. People who would not use someone's emotions against them, especially those of a child. He has only been here a little less than two weeks, and yet, Salieri feels closer with these people than he does even Rosenberg or the Emperor himself and moreover, he trusts them. For better or for worse.
So...here, showing emotion is perhaps not only alright, but a far better path. It is something that, upon brief reflection, he has already been doing. He thinks of Benjamin, of their easy friendship, of how completely he trusts the man and his good heart. He thinks of Orpheus and his sweet disposition and steady, strong Eurydice who loves him (and he, her;) the Balladeer with his almost child-like openness to learn and talk; Maya, whose determination and drive guide a caring and kind heart. He thinks of Angus and Cassandra and Elle and Elsa, in whose presence and conversation he finds a surprising ease and comfort; of Spongebob, and his earnest charisma that even Salieri can't find within himself to dislike.
He thinks of the children brought here: Connor, Janis, Rina, Farrah, Peregrine and Varian, taken from their homes and yet still doing what they can to keep going. He especially thinks of Farrah and Varian; of how he feels like he wants to do whatever he can for them.
He thinks of Hester, who made him tea, and who had been so clearly upset during the trial. He even thinks of Discord, of his clear discontent at the trial--of (to Salieri's surprise) his helpfulness, his discomfort at the entire situation. Salieri would've though he would revel in this chaos; instead, though he certainly did his best to hide it, he was clearly unhappy with the situation, even speaking out with the others when the SQUIP went far too far.
Finally, he thinks of Mumble, and of Sissi. He misses them both terribly, suddenly. Mumble was such a kind, bright, positive person who had done his best to be friendly and familiar to everyone. Sissi, especially, he had felt a certain kinship towards, being of Vienna and of the Court. It hurts, now, to think especially of her. To know have put so much of his own feelings into that relationship, and now she's gone. Yet, he wouldn't trade this pain he feels now for the loss of any affection he feels towards her; that was built through all of their conversations and time spent together.
Without even realizing it, in the last two weeks he's come to care for these people far more than anyone else in the last several years back home.
This isn't home. There's no need to treat it like it is, and so...he won't]
2/2
Myself included.
no subject
Salieri makes an excellent point, assuring Varian that offering them the same vulnerability in return would only be natural. It's just difficult to not consider himself a burden with all of the past struggles he's had to shoulder on top of the new ones presented here.
He closes his eyes for a moment, letting the man's words sink in.]
I want to be the type of person people can rely on. ...the type they feel they can trust, too.
If I'm not open, and I keep closing myself off...I won't be able to do that, will I?
no subject
no subject
[Weird when you're not used to having friends!]
no subject