(no subject)

[blue_ice]

Who: Kaiba & you!
What: Contemplating his life choices and dealing with uncomfortable feelings
When: late Fiddlesticks, a few days after his network post
Where: Various places
Warnings: discussion of the murder plot, repressed trauma, zombie attacks, and child abuse likely. proceed with caution.

in and around cabin 3-D

Kaiba's roommates may note that he hasn't been sleeping much...at least, not at normal times. He's taken to burrowing under the blanket, using the flashlight function on his SCA to read or write. He's being very quiet and unobtrusive while he does this, but he might slip up sometimes. Sorry, roommates.

He'll head out to breakfast with everyone, of course, but sneak back to the room for naps throughout the day. It's mid-afternoon and everyone's socializing, while he trudges back through the sleepers with bags under his eyes.

"Screw this."

rock garden

Kaiba's next stop is the rock garden. He looks around warily for the weird book and his toll booth, but eventually settles into a corner at the end of one of the streams. He kneels, takes a breath, and splashes water on his face. He does it again for good measure. It doesn't seem to help.

Eventually he makes his way to a bench, tilting his head up and watching the void drift by through the clear ceiling. He probably...shouldn't do that for too long. He's humming a long forgotten tune as he sits.

cinema

Kaiba has selected a film that seems to fit his mood at the moment: Night of the Un-living Chefs, a bizarre spoof movie about a community of zombies with a bizarre ability to retain enough higher thought processing to cook.

Or at least that was what he thought he'd selected. Instead, the first episode of Merry Little Voidtrain is playing. He stares in disbelief for a moment:

"...seriously not in the mood right now."

But he resigns himself to taking his notebook out of his rucksack and starting on observations anyway.

Comments

[blue_ice]

Kaiba sits up slowly, his hand reaching to close around it. Even holding it is nice, but he does manage a sip eventually.

"...thanks. I must've zoned out for a while."

He looks over at her. "Did you need one too?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Understandable. But, yes, I did. More than a few times," she says as she takes a seat next to him. Enough to be there but not close enough to crowd him. "Hugs help too if you can get them. Have you spoken to Motou-san yet?"

Have you gotten a hug from your boyfriend yet, Kaiba???

[blue_ice]

Kaiba's face colors interestingly at the mention of Yugi. He grips the mug a little tighter and takes another drink.

"...we've both been reeling from it. We've talked where we can, and we did comfort each other, but we need to give each other some space to process too."

He looks at her. She's struggling just as much, and he sets the coffee down carefully. "Did you...get what you needed?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

"True." She says with a nod of understanding, and while she can poke at that blush, she doesn't. Not yet, anyway, but it is filed away.

"I did." Mama-elf hugs are the best hugs ok ok. Eva you are so biased. "It shook me more than it should've, but I'm ok now. Anyway, I'm more worried about you."

She's fine! Let her Big Sister you, Kaiba.

[blue_ice]

Kaiba takes a heavy breath as he drinks. It does help to calm him, but he's still tired of it all.

"I never wanted to tell the others that much about myself. But Wester's in trouble, and if there's anything I can do to help..."

He doesn't want to admit how much he cares, but he does.

"I admit, the train's reaction to it all threw me for a loop. ."

let me know if this isn't ok!

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Because the come from worlds where they are coddled." It's blunter than blunt, but it's what she thinks and feels. "They've never faced the harsher realities of the world so they react like frightened children when it's suddenly shoved in their faces. But," she says, voice serious.

"It doesn't mean what happened is okay because it isn't. It's... Gods. If that happened back home... Well. Execution would be on the paper given how serious it is."

It's said like the weather- a fact of life she's unashamed of.

[blue_ice]

Kaiba pales, but he nods. "I know we've been accused of being too soft. But a murder in retaliation won't accomplish much if they'll just revive."

He bows his head. "And there's nothing soft about the penalty game. The feeling of the abyss closing in on you, knowing you've failed and you'll never feel again...when you're dying, your last moments seem to stretch out for eternity. Even just the simulation of that is terrifying. It's how he'll react after that's the question."

Kaiba is quiet as he drinks his coffee. "I'll help if I can, but we have to be prepared for things to get worse before they get better."

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Execution isn't retaliation; its the ultimate punishment for crimes that threaten the peace of a people." Again, it's like this is the weather. "But like you said, unfeasible here and it'd be seen as cruel or heavy-handed."

She's silent for a bit, before: "Yeah, but the dark of the storm will pass. Just like it passed for you. I'm not saying psychic attacks are to be brushed off as nothing-" and for the briefest second, a shudder rips through her. "But people can come back from whatever damage is inflicted. You did."