☆18 [voice | action]

[skaterbrain]

The house was too quiet. He woke up after the craziness of the past two weeks wanting to reconnect with his sister, but when he'd gone looking the house was too quiet. There was the chicken still, sure, but otherwise the usual sounds were missing. Beat had never been a very observant person, but it was hard to miss silence. He searched the house room by room, went to All Passions, checked the school, then came back to the house and stared at the vacant room. There were drawings, a letter, a personal item or two and a familiar necklace.

It only meant one thing.

After he finished screaming and punching holes in walls that would inevitably fix themselves, Beat found himself sitting in the middle of a trashed living room, looking at raw knuckles and realized other people needed to know. Someone had to remember her in case he ever disappeared.

Someone had to know she existed.

[Audio]
Rhyme's gone.

...She-- She's gone.

All Passions's closed 'til...I dunno. Sometime.

Rainbow kid, it's jus' you an' me now.

... [He tightens bruised fists around a bell charm and it rings dully.]

Beat out.

Comments

[voice | private]

[disastergirl]

Beat... [She paused. Just sitting there after hearing that didn't feel right at all, even after everything that happened during the last shift. That left only one thing. After making sure it was private so no one would hear her saying something nice]

Where are you? I'm going over there right now.

[voice | private]

[skaterbrain]

...At-- [It isn't home anymore, not without Shiki, Phones, Ribbons - not without Rhyme. He can't call this place home.] ...the house. You can't come. It ain't...good right now.

[voice | private]

[disastergirl]

If I was the one saying that instead, would you accept that answer? [If he really wanted to be by himself then she couldn't stop him. Everyone needed time alone once in a while, but she didn't think that was one of those times. She was sure she wasn't the only one who would think that.]

I'd be a pretty bad friend if I didn't even try to help you!

[voice | private]

[skaterbrain]

Nngh...I guess not.

[No, he knows he wouldn't, but at the same time, it's easier to be nicer to other people than to want to accept such niceties for himself. Besides, he's punched holes in the walls and his knuckles are bruising up and that'll only make her worry more.]

Gimme some time. I gotta do...something.

[voice | private]

[disastergirl]

...Okay. [Wait, was she really agreeing to that so quickly?] Just don't go completely silent on me.

[To be honest, she didn't really think he would do that. Sure, she didn't know exactly what that 'something' was, but now wasn't the time for her to poke and prod him for answers. Scolding, on the other hand...]

[voice | private]

[skaterbrain]

Mm. I just gotta find the Soda pin. I dunno if she--

[Left it. Technically, Rhyme had been the one to be better at using them. He'd just somehow or another stumbled on it and been able to since she was here. Without her, would his pins even work? Would he start to fade again?]

...Guess I gotta do it the hard way. Y'know where I can find bandaids?

[voice | private]

[disastergirl]

Huh? [Pins and bandages? If he hadn't said anything about soda, she could have at least assumed that he was talking about sewing something. The part about bandages was a lot harder to misinterpret, however.]

The clinic, probably. There might be something in the item shop too.

[Written]

[whiskytraitorfirefight]

I'm sorry.

[A pause.]

I'll bring some food over. What do you want?

[Written]

[skaterbrain]

[It says a lot that he'd rather write than talk right now.]

nuthin. i aint hungry.

[A few minutes later, he adds.]

thnx tho

[Written]

[whiskytraitorfirefight]

I know you aren't hungry now, but you'll be hungry later and you'll need to eat.

[Trust her, she knows grief.]

[Written]

[skaterbrain]

i gess sumethin 4 the chiken?

[Written]

[whiskytraitorfirefight]

That I can do.

Sure you don't want anything? Or need help with anything?

[Written]

[skaterbrain]

naw gotta wait 4 teh walls 2 heel. thas all.

but i dunno wat 2 give the chiken & he's Ribbons' kid so itd be bad 2 let it go.

[Even if she wasn't here. Or anyone. He's going to have to get used to taking care of this house by himself now. He has no idea how the hell he's going to do that.]

[voice]

[neverplaysfair]

[ ... oh. Well then.

Joshua is quiet for a few minutes after he hears the news, but finally gives a small sigh and responds. ]

Not that I particularly expect it, but if you want to talk [ and actually talk, no punching, he is not in the mood ] I'm available.

[ And he doesn't expect it. But at the same time, he doesn't like the way his Players are slowly disappearing on him. It's just another reminder that he's really not supposed to be here, and for all that he pretends to be alright with it and forges ahead in his usual ways anyway, being here upsets him on a fundamental level.

He does want them to go back to their lives. But he wants to go back, as well. ]

[voice]

[skaterbrain]

You know I ain't good at talkin'.

[Especially not about this; not about her, and not with him. Still, they're the only ones left. He's kept Shiki's room and Phones' stuff as much as possible, but with Rhyme and Haruhi both gone it's just...hard to even care anymore.]

...Sorry that you lost the only one here who was any good at likin' you.

[voice]

[neverplaysfair]

There's a lot of things you're not good at that you do anyway. Why should this be any different?

[voice]

[skaterbrain]

That an' this're different.

There's stuff I can be bad at an' do it anyway an' stuff I'm bad at that just ain't no helpin' how bad at it I am. I dunno what to even say to you! It ain't like we're friends or nothin'. She liked you just fine, but I up and slugged you in the face.

[voice]

[neverplaysfair]

Yes, thank you for the reminder.

Not everyone starts off on the right foot, you realize. As I recall, you and Neku weren't the best of buddies to begin with, either. Perhaps you simply need more practice dealing with those you have a negative opinion of. [ And not in a way that involves bruising their cheeks! ]

[voice]

[skaterbrain]

[Goddammit, he knew that was the wrong thing to say. Beat grits his teeth over the microphone, biting his tongue.]

Yeah, but I ain't Phones. He's better'n me at forgivin' stuff and I dunno how I'm supposed to practice negative opinions. You might've noticed but I don't have the best temper.

...I ain't really sorry for punchin' you though. So I can't say I'm sorry 'cause I don't wanna lie.

[Voice]

[secretmiracle]

[It's a nun's duty to help out those who are in need, and Beat certainly sounds as though he's in need right now. Even if things might have been a little strange during their last meeting, she wants to do her best to help him.]

While I might not have known her, she sounds as though she must have been a wonderful person. [What else could she be to put someone in this sort of state.] If there's anything I can do for you then I would be happy to help.

[Voice]

[skaterbrain]

You don't know half a' it. She was better'n me by a million times.

...I don't really... I mean, it's nothin'.

...

Guess you got big again, huh?

[Voice]

[secretmiracle]

Yes, that's right, I'm very thankful to be back to the size Erica is supposed to be. [But there are far more important things to see to than her size right now.] ... If she was that much better than you then I don't think I can say I even know a quarter of it. But I'm sure she thought the same of you in return.

[Voice]

[skaterbrain]

[Erica? So that's what Prayers' name really was, huh. He'd have to try to remember that.]

...I dunno, I guess maybe she did. Not like it matters though. She ain't gonna remember me anymore.

[Voice]

[secretmiracle]

Oh no, please don't say that! [She almost sounds hurt that Beat would think it doesn't matter anymore. She might not know everything about this place, or about Beat, but if you feel strongly about someone then you can't just think those feelings won't matter anymore just like that.]

Even if because of this place she leaves and doesn't remember, those feelings are still very important. If they matter to you then they will always matter.

[Voice]

[skaterbrain]

Naw, I mean...even at home, she ain't gonna remember me. She forgot who I was and the-- [And then she'd died again. Right in front of him. She'd left her bell pendant then, too. He looked down at it in his hands, squeezing the metal until it creaked.]

...I can't tell her again, yanno? It's kinda hard.