video;

[nukeoleptic]

Hi, um! I'm alive again, in case anyone was worried. Which you shouldn't have been! Everything that happened was my fault and I was kind of dumb, but, you know. If you were.. I really am sorry. I was reckless and that was selfish.

[ Jade's in her room again; she looks fine but certainly sleepy even as she rubs at her eyes with her wrist. ]

So it seems like we're gonna be here for a little while. A little while longer, at least, I guess? So Orihime and I were wondering if anyone wanted to help us work at the restaurant. Sweden's gone, so it's just me and her, and that's kind of a little much, even for the two of us!

If you're interested, would you let one of us know? I really, really love the Highwind, and I don't want to see it go out of business. We can pay you fairly!

Comments

audio;

[nukeoleptic]

I've died a couple of times before.

[encored]

Practice does make for familiarity and comfort, I suppose.

[nukeoleptic]

Haha. Were you worried?

[encored]

Not particularly. The war is already lost when one begins to obsess over its trivial details.

[nukeoleptic]

I wouldn't think it was trivial if you died.

[ All of the huffiness is a front. ]

[encored]

Because one person holds so much weight, yes.

Regardless, if you're going to die, you don't need to apologize for it. A good number of deaths are dumb, reckless or selfish. [his way of saying "don't worry about it", more or less.]

[nukeoleptic]

Mine was two of three, at least.

[ Jade shrugs a little at that, tipping her head to him at a nod. ]

Okay, then, I won't apologize. But you're really okay, too?

[encored]

Two of three selfish deaths? [an arched brow. geez Jade that's the sort of pattern no one should fall into...

but the question is met with a flick of his fingers, light and dismissive.] Of course. I've seen war before, the proper sort where no one rises from their gurney days later once pronounced dead. It was certainly a long inconvenience, but we've done better than I expected.

[nukeoleptic]

No, dummy. I meant- my death was dumb and reckless, but I don't think it was selfish. There were a lot more selfish ways I could've died.

[ She considers him for a moment, then finally sighs. ]

So we're still here. Back to work at the flower shop, right?

[encored]

[a little snort of a laugh] Two of three isn't terrible, in that case. However, were I you, I'd prefer selfish to dumb. [but his priorities can be a little skewed...

the ease she shows in accepting their situation and her apparent eagerness to return to the humdrum daily makes him pause, feeling somewhat at a loss.]

Unfortunately. This city will continue to need protection, so I don't suppose that comes as much of a surprise. Will you be returning to work, or will you be focusing on your restaurant?

[nukeoleptic]

[ She still has a lot to do, here- it doesn't take her as a total surprise that they haven't escaped the city, not just yet. ]

Of course I'm coming back. There's no way in hell I'm leaving you to kill all of those plants by yourself.

[encored]

So you're returning to help me kill them off, is that it? [HUFFS] I mightn't have a green thumb like you do, but I certainly don't kill the things I touch.

[mostly... still, he takes offense to the implication that his gardening skills are anything less than top-notch!]

[nukeoleptic]

I'm just teasing you, calm down. I've got the plant power, remember?

[ She wiggles her fingers at him. ]

[encored]

[no never, he will continue being a huffy champ who takes everything as an insult! if he were a less classy individual, he'd totally be giving her a thumbs down right now.]

I might as well leave the entire shop to you, then, and just sit in the back managing finances.

[nukeoleptic]

Do you want to do that?

[ She's taking him quite seriously. ]

I wouldn't mind.

[encored]

[no why that would be so boring!! is what his expression says, making him pretty glad that he answered in audio.]

Don't be ridiculous. That grey manager would have nothing left to do if that job was taken on full-time as well.

[nukeoleptic]

I like him.

[ Jade's voice is a little hum. ]

He's sweet, in a completely blank kind of way.

[encored]

[unsurprising, is what he wants to say. he laughs instead, quiet and short.]

He's as dull as a board, if you ask me. I wouldn't mind taking on his job, but god knows what ousted Faceless do.

[nukeoleptic]

They probably just roam around the city. That's what I did when I lost my color, at least.

[encored]

What a pitiful existence. [the usual note of disdain is present, but there's something else beneath it that's a little overly-solemn.]

Still, it is better he be contained inside of a building than left to wander the streets. If anything goes terribly awry like the hospital again, we could use as few of them as possible out there.

[nukeoleptic]

[ Her eyes cut down for a moment, lips pressed into a thin line. ]

-- do you think they come back when they die, too?

[encored]

No. [it's a short, dispassionate answer, but that underlying solemnity remains.]

Most wouldn't, I'd imagine. Even gods can only spread themselves so thin.

[nukeoleptic]

.. what if we gave them our bracelets? Would they get color back?

[encored]

Would you truly want to risk trying?

[nukeoleptic]

Well --

[ ... maybe. ]