itscurtains | Is This Where You Wanna Be? Crawling On Your Hands and Knees?

Is This Where You Wanna Be? Crawling On Your Hands and Knees?

[In a perfect world, Maya would have been able to isolate herself for the rest of the evening. It's not like her to wallow in her feelings, but it's also not like her to be trapped away in a murder school or part of an execution so... not like she has much choice there. Besides, between the influence of Janis, and the sight of her remaining dormmates, it's clear that Maya simply can't... let things go.

It's like she told the SQUIP. They look to her for hope. And so, hope she must be. It's her job to stand tall for the others. Thankfully help comes easier this time -- there's no need to scruff Discord, or try to keep Spongebob from making Hate Patties. Maybe that, in and of itself, is a good sign.

It's just another fluke. They'll be okay. They're together, after all. Even Salieri and Discord are getting along well enough to help.

Cutting potatoes proves to be an interesting task, considering the fact that most of the knives are missing. Maya has a few guesses as to how that happened, but she won't point fingers again today. She makes do with what she has -- two swords between her and Cassandra.

Potatoes, cakes, pies -- the arrangement is much the same. There's even cocoa (made by less experienced hands, unfortunately), and alcohol. It all feels like a repeat of last week, but she's trying to not think about it. She does her best to keep a smile on her face as she knocks on each door, inviting others to the cafeteria once more.]

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[Salieri is just returning to the kitchen to get a couple more cups of cocoa to pass out when he notices Orpheus standing there, quietly, and moves to step closer to him]

Monsieur Orpheus--?

[then he notices the tears

Oh.

Something in his chest squeezes tightly for his friend's sorrow, he's stepping close to him, unthinkingly moving to reach out to him, to put a hand on his shoulder and offer comfort in anyway possible]

Orpheus--I'm so sorry.

[ Orpheus doesn't look up, just grits his teeth and shakes his head and chokes out- ]

It wasn't - it wasn't an accident this time. He- he did it on purpose.

[ And it feels stupid and childish to state the obvious like this, but it's all that's whirling through his mind. How he could do that, over and over and over again. He sobs, brokenly, and reaches up to put his hand over Salieri's on his shoulder. ]

[Salieri...doesn't really have a response to that. What can one say, really?

There's a moment of hesitation--and then he gently tugs Orpheus forward a bit so he can pull him into a hug, wrapping an arm around his shoulders]

I'm so sorry.

[ Orpheus leans into it, throwing an arm around Salieri in turn and resting his head on his shoulder. ]

He knew what he was doing and he still did it, he killed someone and he would've let the Wizard kill all of us and I know it was to protect his friend, but - but why?

[ It all comes tumbling out in a single breath, and he gasps afterwards, shuddering with the tears. ]

It's all wrong. It's all wrong.

[Salieri is just going to just keep a hold of him, hand resting between his shoulder blades and rubbing back and forth gently]

I don't know. I don't know why and I can't claim to understand the intricacies of what it claimed was programming, or what that even means. But you're right, it is wrong. I'm sorry that I can offer no better explanation than that.

I don't know. He talked about his code - like instructions, or a code of honor, or of ethics, or of conduct. He defined himself by it. He said his choices weren't choices, that they were just the result of following that code.

[ Orpheus takes a deep breath. ]

But it didn't have to happen this way. It didn't. And if he'd had faith - in us, that we'd find a way to stop the Wizard - then Connor would still be -

[ He chokes, again, and goes quiet. ]

It didn't have to happen this way at all. His fear drove him to this, and Monsieur Connor paid the price for it. While I can understand that faith can sometimes be hard to come by, but it is no excuse for taking someone's life, especially his.

[there's a thread of bitter anger in his tone]

We are all scared. We are all in the same position, as terrible as it is. It was a horrible, selfish action.

I just - I don't know what to do. I've never felt this helpless. If the Wizard can threaten to make parts of our homes vanish, and he's telling the truth, what else could he do? How much power does he have over us?

I...I don't know. Everything he does is a mystery, and he's holding all the cards.

The most we can do is just...keep persevering. Keep trying. Do what we can to keep everyone safe.

That's all we can do. [ says Orpheus, hollowly. ] For a while I thought I was lucky. That Eurydice was here with me, because I thought he couldn't threaten her directly while she was a part of his game. But last week, when we got those photos of places from our lives...

[ He closes his eyes, and clasps his hands around the cup of wine in front of him. ]

She got a picture of an empty field. Nothing in it, except for me. I don't - know if that means I would have vanished, if the SQUIP hadn't done what he'd done? But...

....but the thought is horrible nevertheless.

[quietly]

[ Orpheus nods, looking pale and tired. When he speaks again it's haltingly, hesitant and afraid. ]

I don't know... what I'd do. If something happened to her. She's the world to me, and I - I can't lose her. Not like this.

I...I know. I know she is, my friend.

[he is trying so hard to not think about the myth now, to not think about what he already knows]

Whatever does happen, I know you'll find a way to help her.

I will.

[ He says, and breathes out slowly, trying to steady himself. ]

We all will. We'll get each other out of this, and we'll go home, and we'll live. For Connor, and for Elisabeth, and for Mumble.

[ And maybe not the SQUIP, so much, despite all the tears Orpheus is willing to shed over what could have been. ]

[Salieri nods to that, sucking in a breath, trying to bolster himself with all this]

We have the will, we simply must find the way.

[ Orpheus closes his eyes and takes another deep breath.

Keep giving me hope for a better day
Keep giving me love to find a way
Through this heaviness I feel
I just need someone to say, everything's okay

[Salieri listens, quietly, before his hand reaches out to grip Orpheus's arm, to steady him, singing quietly but resolutely in return]

I'll give you hope in the darkness that we will see the light
'Cause oh this gave us such a fright
But I will hold as long as you like
and promise you we'll be alright

[ The touch does prove steadying, and Orpheus raises a hand to place it over Maestro Salieri's, eyes still closed as he listens. ]

Thank you. Thank you. [ He opens his eyes again and looks at Salieri. ] I still have hope. That we'll get out of this. None of us would hurt each other, and we'll find our way out before the Wizard can take too much away from us. But it doesn't make this hurt any less.

[Salieri nods, to that]

No...it certainly doesn't. But at least we can take that hurt, and use it as proof that we are not yet numb to the horrors here--that despite them, we still can feel for once another, and care. And in itself is it's own sort of hope.

We can. It's... like we were telling the SQUIP. The hurt is just love that doesn't have anywhere else left to go. It means it was important, and we remember.

[ He takes another drink, though in greater moderation than before. ]

I trust you. I know we've only known each other a little while, but. I trust all of you. The Wizard won't tear us apart.

["The hurt is just love that doesn't have anywhere else left to go."

There's something painful that throbs somewhere in his chest at that, because that's right, and the reminder is...important.]

He won't. I trust you, too. Everyone here. We're...we're going to get through this.

We will. [ says Orpheus quietly, then again, more firmly, ] We will. No matter what. I don't know how, but we'll find a way out.

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Is This Where You Wanna Be? Crawling On Your Hands and Knees?

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