Day 51: Arts and Crafts [Second Shift]

[gald_digger]

They actually listened to some of the suggestions people put in that box? Anise thought the Head Doctor had to be joking when he said that, but she soon heard him mention something that she herself had suggested: sewing supplies. They were really going to get some? Anise could finally get a real needle, so she could make repairs to Tokunaga whenever she needed to. She swiped one of their blunt, plastic needles before, but using that just left big holes in the fabric. Using it on Tokunaga made her feel bad, like she was hurting the poor doll.

"Isn't that nice, Dolores?" The nurse must have caught Anise's hopeful look. "But remember, you'll need to be on your best behavior until then."

"I know, I..." Anise began with her usual dismissive reply, but quickly remembered that the intercom had said 'behavior and attitudes', and instantly changed her tune. "I'll do my very best! Hee hee!" She forced a smile for the old hag.

Unfortunately, the sewing supplies weren't here today, so Anise had to find something else to do for now. Stepping inside the Arts and Crafts room, she quickly found that several tables already had paper craft ('origami,' they called it?) supplies laid out for them, so she guessed she'd just occupy herself with that. The girl sat down at one of the tables, opened up one of the books, and started looking through it.

Cranes, frogs, horses, turtles... There were lots of familiar animals, and a few unfamiliar ones, too. The rabbits looked kind of cute.

[For Ilia!]

Comments

[purgatio]

Hmm. Too close. Albedo would do better then, to figure out the one this girl was blocking. The likelihood of it being identical to his own situation was doubtful; speaking prematurely would get rid of an interesting situation. Albedo sat back in the chair, shrugging loosely. "I didn't say that it did." He held his hands out, palms up, then rested them on the table. He wasn't trying to start anything. Simply making conversation.

"At any rate," the boy went on. "I'm Albedo." To give and to get, and there was nothing wrong with speaking truths without saying too much. Nothing wrong now, with no one around to recriminate him for his views. It came as fire in his stomach, ice in his heart, but he ignored it. There was an incessant need to take something in his hands, hold something and crush it until it cried out, but that was neither here nor there. Daylight was not when he could move. It was true; an inherent truth.

Monsters only came out at night.

His jaw, which had been firmly clenched, relaxed with effort. All else remained. Albedo made no effort to change his expression--the hate and pain there would only make this easier to show as fact. "It's not as if I'm telling you what to do," he said slowly, a sharp edge to the words. "It's only familiar. The situation." His eyes narrowed. "My brother. Something like that--" His head jerked towards the girl, eyes filled with distain. "Got in-between my brother and I."

[timeseal.livejournal.com]

Albedo. Rolo finally had a name for the face. That might have been the end of the conversation, as Rolo almost tuned out the rest of what Albedo was saying - what point was there in their conversation, if they are already established what had to be done - but then he heard a single word that jerked him back to reality, and back into the conversation with a start.

My brother.

Rolo's reaction was probably all that was necessary to tell Albedo that their situations were truly alike, a slow shocked look forming on his face as he realized that Albedo was speaking from experience. To think that he would find another who was suffering from the same thing he was. Rolo actually thought that it wouldn't be possible; other people did not have the background he did. Other people were lazy; they could have their siblings all to themselves. They didn't have to work for it, they didn't have to suffer for it. But not Albedo, not this one. He was like him.

So Albedo had also suffered, and from the way he was speaking in past tense, Albedo had also found a solution. Suddenly, Rolo was very interested in what the other boy had to say, and he was almost sorry for brushing aside the other boy's advice so quickly. That was when he didn't know about this.

"So, what did you do?" Albedo more or less already answered his question, but Rolo had to know more. There was always more; getting rid of the obstacle was just the first step

[purgatio]

It had become readily apparent that Albedo had touched on something. Now he had this one's full attention, and an expression to match. The reaction might have been something interesting, otherwise, something to play with with delight, but for the simple fact of the subject they were discussing. Albedo was not so simple as to not add things up. A reaction like that... It could tread that they were more similar than he had given them credit for.

It was shaking, that. Disorientating in the same kind of way as when Hikaru had revealed he had a twin. Something that touched too close mirrored in another. It was unwanted and clung to all the same. In this, Albedo had found... something of an ally. And already the other was touching on the heart of things.

Albedo grinned without humor, dull hatred still shining his eyes. Anything else and he would have been asking questions, readily ripping apart the situation to use as he pleased. But here... Mm. Something different it truly was. Still, it didn't mean he had to lay all the cards on the table instantly. "I failed," he gave blandly, mouth quirking as if to say otherwise. But he had, hadn't he? In everything he had tried to accomplish at that point and time, he had failed. "But she still died."

This was a flash of blue and red pain, a memory of the death of something dear tearing down the link before retreating. This, before that, was blood doubted and blood covering, and last words no clearer than anything ever stated. This was the realization that with her death came Rubedo pulling back further than he had already done. This was Albedo's desperate eyes unknowing what to do--much and more, when a hand tore away.

Far too much streaked through him in a rush, and Albedo's eyes flashed violet for a moment without his knowledge. "Do I need to ask your name?"