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

[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.

[arrowace]

[ sniffs, nods again ]

[poisonista]

[ Going to squeeze them dry with the hanky. ]

... Cry as much as you want, but now you need to focus on you. How long will you stay like this?

[arrowace]

I can change back . . .

[ but they kinda like being tiny and cuddly ]

[poisonista]

You don't have to. You're easier to hold like this.


[ And he's been enjoying holding critters lately. ]

... just know that if you make my hunter any sadder, I won't forgive you. He's given you his love and his trust. So you're not allowed to hurt yourself and hurt him through that, understand?

If you want to hurt him, then you do it where he can fight back.

[arrowace]

He never . . . wants to fight back. That’s Rubato.

[poisonista]

He fights back when he has to. Even when he loves someone. He can pierce them full of arrows, without warning. You'll never see it coming.

I should know. I've been carrying the wounds he gave me, and I've yet to know why. But it doesn't make me love him any less.

[arrowace]

. . . he wounded you?

[poisonista]

[ ... ]


I'm not sure what I did to deserve those wounds, but because he was hurt by something I did, then he was hurt. All I can do is heal and make sure it never happens again.

If I were in his place and as hurt as I felt him to be, I'd never want to see me again, personally.

[ He gestures to the bracelet he has on, one with a bow and arrow, heart and dagger and apple charm, from after the memoryshare event. ]

But he's kind, even when he's being so cruel. And I refuse to let anyone hurt me more than I allow it.

[arrowace]

Minuet says . . . it may not be possible, to love without hurting. Not entirely. If that’s true, then . . . one can not be . . . loved without also being hurt, sometimes.

[poisonista]

Perhaps, but love is also knowing to set your boundaries. Though in this case, as I said, I've no idea what escalated things, and all I know is he was hurt. My own boundary is not allowing myself to feel worse until I know why. He's worth making that effort for.

[ He sounds determined, though he has been pretty depressed, was even when he helped Mute out with fishquest.

He's just a very good actor. ]

Anyway... it's nothing to be concerned about. Things will be alright eventually. Or they won't. I can't say. I'd rather focus on the now.

[arrowace]

[ TOO LATE THEY ARE CONCERNED. but also. have difficulty with Complex Emotions, which this feels like it could be. So maybe they will let it go . . . maybe. ]

Mm . . .

[poisonista]

[ Just going to wrap the handkerchief around the plushy head and turn it into a wrap. Frog plushy head wrap. ]


Are you hungry?

[arrowace]

Not really . . .

[ but maybe this is an “accept care” situation so ]

Uhm, thirsty? Maybe . . .