Drunk Cards

[crittersheep]

WHO: Some sheep and you
WHERE: Right in the middle of the pasture
WHEN: Day 83, afternoon

[Two red sheep and one lilac-colored sheep are having a picnic in the shade of a tree. There is a smorgasbord of finger foods laid out over the huge blankets spread over the grass, but even more notable is the frankly unreasonable amount of drinks, both alcoholic and non.]

[They beckon you over as you're passing by.]

"Psst..."

Did you know? Did you know?


There was a demon here just now!


Yeeeeeeeeah...! We ...played a game of *hic* cards! With the drankssssssss...


When we beat him at cards he left all his stuff behind.


Hey! You! Yeah, youuuu! Wanna drink some cards and play some hooch? We got some uuuuuuuuuuh sandwiches too. *hic*


We can't drink this all, so we might as well share.


We got extra cards, too.


*hic*

[Sessions | Turn-in | Mingle | Winners | Endgame]

Comments

[poisonista]

[ That is.


Really. REALLY CUTE. ]

... How adorable. It suits you.

[ He can't hide how pleased he is by this! ]

Is it something you have on you normally, too?

[arrowace]

[ they don't have facial expressions right now but they flop in a self-satisfied way ]

New. For Bluebell. For . . . our love.

[poisonista]

All of Bluebell? Or someone in particular?


[ Either way, it remains cute. He'll hold them up against himself as he walks. ]

Sounds like you've only been improving since that time. I'm glad for you.

[arrowace]

Mm! All of . . . Bluebell. We're . . . so good at . . . love.

[poisonista]

[ If you say so, Mute... ]


Tell me more about why that is. Who has the most love among you?

[arrowace]

Minuet. He's been . . . practicing. He practiced a long time.. But . . . Rubato has . . . innate love genius. Don't you think?

[poisonista]

He acts on his own whims and desires, but sometimes... I think he needs to love himself more. You've noticed, haven't you?


[ That Rubato will put everyone else before himself. ]

[arrowace]

Yes.

[ that actually makes them go quiet for a moment, and still. ]

Belle . . . ?

[poisonista]

[ Tilting his head. ]

Yes?

[arrowace]

I hurt him.

[poisonista]

[ You aren't the only one. ]

... how?

[arrowace]

I allowed harm . . . to myself. Let him see. Asked him . . . not to tell the others. I hurt him.

[poisonista]

Mute...

[ Something simple, Rubato would expect. Everyone gets hurt here. There's no changing that. ]

If you had to hide it from others, then it sounds like you did something grave. Of course he'd be hurt. He loves you so much.

[ If anything, he'll love you more for it. ]

You trust him, though, don't you?

[arrowace]

Yes. That is why . . . I let him help. Why I let him . . . be hurt as well.

[ what a conversation to be having with a little frog stuffy ]

[poisonista]

[ He's in his Disney Prince era, this is fine. ]


How did you do that?

[arrowace]

There is a Weed. Ranger. Year ago . . . I failed him. Betrayed him. I should . . . have loved him, and protected him but I . . . did not know how to love, then. I was too afraid. Now . . . he's still suffering, for what . . . I did to him then.

Because he asked it, I let . . . him carve some small recompense . . . from my body. But I knew . . . knew it would hurt those who loved me as well.

Then . . . Rubato found me while . . . the limbus was growing my replacements.

[poisonista]

[ That makes him stop as he looks them over... their plushy body. ]


... you had your reason, but this is still... cruel to you, too. Why did you think it was alright to allow recompense over something you had no control over back then?

[ He'll just cradle them close though. ]

Foolish potato. Don't you know that when someone loves you, you stop belonging to just yourself?

[arrowace]

I had control. I chose then. Knowing I was . . . giving away what is . . . not just mine to give . . . I chose this as well.

I am not always . . . good, at loving.

[poisonista]

You know now. You knew even when giving it away.

[ He sighs. ]

You'll have much to make up for, now. To my Hunter, and to every person that loves you and doesn't know you did this. You owe them the truth if you love them. So they can help you not have to do this kind of thing alone again.

[arrowace]

[ well, they're certainly not arguing that they owe Rubato, but . . . ]

The truth will hurt them . . .

[poisonista]

Lying to them will hurt them more. When you hide something even by omission... all it says to them is that you don't trust them to stand by you.

To love is to trust that they'll make the right choice for themselves with you. So you should tell them when you're ready, let them hurt and heal, and trust that they'll stand by you.

No one wants to see someone they love hurt... but more than that, no one wants someone they love to hurt alone.

[arrowace]

[ they are quiet a long moment after that, and then they nod. ]

[poisonista]

[ He'll lift plushy Mute up to look at them properly, eye to froggy eye. ]


No one can force you to do anything you don't want... but in time, you'll have to decide what you want to do. I'll trust that you'll decide what's best, knowing what you know now.

[ That others that love them will want to be there for them, and with them, and not make decisions like this without them. ]

You matter even more now. That's a burden of love you'll have to bear. Don't squander it. Promise me that.

[arrowace]

I don’t- I don’t want to . . . to squander it.

[ their plush froggy fur is getting clumpy with tears ]

Rubato . . . Bluebell . . . being loved . . . it’s the b-best thing that’s ever— I wanted it for him too, for my junior, but— . . . my love only hurts him now. And only my s-suffering . . . brings him happiness. How— how do I . . . ?

[poisonista]

[ Oh no. How does he keep making Mute cry, the heck. Well, this one's warranted for them, he thinks, but!!

He'll just pull out a handkerchief and wrap it around their froggy head. ]

If your junior can't share your happiness and joy, then it's not theirs to ruin either. No one should be happy at anyone else's misery, especially not someone who loves them!

[ Firm. ]

... I don't know how they can be helped, but what I do know is you'll find a better answer with the people who will be there for you in sadness and joy. And maybe you'll be able to help them better together, than alone. So don't give up on them yet... but focus on yourself, first.