( #003 )

[brainiest]

Who: Hermione Granger and you!
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: On the Vanquish
When: 30/11 onwards

I think it might be time for me to ask for a little bit of advice.

I've been here a while, now, and I'm normally very good at not missing people. I used to give people tips on how to feel better about it, and it used to work for me, too, back when I was in the Drabwurld and there was a war to focus on. I would go and look in the library, but I can't imagine there's much of a help section there - dreadful, honestly - so.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to cheer yourself up, I'd be glad to hear it.

(Also: I have potions for all the ships on the fleet, now. If you'd like a set for your Lab, please let me know and I can bring them over!)

Comments

[brainiest]

[ All she can do is step up to give him a quick, gentle hug, relishing in having him close for a moment. ]

At least it's not a bad habit.

[exothermia]

[He pats her back briefly; judging from the tone of her message, she wasn't having an easy time.]

I can certainly think of worse. Kitchen?

[brainiest]

[ It softens her, and she nods her head, moving away to give Erik a little space. ]

Kitchen. Let's go - no one seems to be around so we won't be bothered.

[exothermia]

[He nods, and follows her into the kitchen. Having been there a couple of times now, he immediately moves to fetch the mugs from the cupboards and places the tea on the bench.]

So, how much advice have you gotten?

[brainiest]

[ It makes Hermione smile; Erik is comfortable here and she likes that, likes that there's a warm bubble in her chest when she realises it. ]

Oh, more than I'd imagined. People have suggested talking, reading, smoking, casual sex...

[exothermia]

Smoking? That's a strange one.

[He won't comment on the casual sex, because... well, he can see more of a reason for offering it than smoking.]

[brainiest]

It's... Unique. Nothing that interests me, of course, but I appreciate the attempts.

[exothermia]

I imagine a lot of people here have methods of their own they can share.

[Because the nature of a place like this is that you're away from somewhere else; where you're meant to be. Most everyone here would be missing someone.]

Whether it works or not is the question.

[brainiest]

What people do to cope isn't for me to judge. It was nice to get some good advice and company, though.

[ It's hard, really. She's missing two entire worlds, and not everyone on the fleet gets that. ]

I think I must be running out of books.

[exothermia]

[Erik can understand, even if he's moved beyond missing the other worlds he's seen. Those are relegated to the dark, quiet recesses of his mind, the abandoned areas where his hopes were buried.

He passes a mug to Hermione, raising an eyebrow.]

It's normal to judge, you realise. Especially if the suggestion is too outrageous.

I wouldn't claim to have any good advice for you. [His losses are too great, and he doesn't find himself cheerful very often.] But I find doing something creative can pass the time.

[brainiest]

[ To Hermione the Drabwurld was home and she still struggled to get away from it. Her memories soothe and haunt her in equal measure, and seeing familiar faces around her... It's just not as easy as it could be. ]

I do my best not to. I'm sure people could judge me for thousands of things.

[ She takes the mug, though, breathing in the smell with a smile. ]

I've been thinking about writing, actually.

[exothermia]

What kind of writing?

[He had suggested something similar to Charles not long ago.]

[brainiest]

Anything, really. I was considering doing my best to transcribe a book from home, since I practically had it memorised.

[exothermia]

That would occupy you for a while. [Whole books are not the quickest things to write.] Nothing original?

[brainiest]

At least if I had it written once I could just duplicate it. [ She pauses, though, considering. ] ... I'm not sure what I could write about, really.

[exothermia]

Sometimes it's the act that's important, not the content.

[He's done a bit of writing himself, here and there. Mostly his efforts have been focused on his letter to Charles, and some notes on the Fleet, but at times it's enough just to put pen to the paper and write anything at all.]

Someone I knew here for a little while spoke about art therapy. She said it helped her to deal with problems she was having. [He feels a touch wistful about Alex, a girl he both had known and hadn't known, thanks to the intricacies of universes.] It's not the worst idea in the world.

[brainiest]

... No, I can imagine that would work. I had a few friends in the Drabwurld that enjoyed art and making things.

[ It was the same for them as it was for her and her potions; having something to put her hands to do, having something to think about that wasn't the world around her. Shaking her head, she glances up. ]

I'm awful at drawing, though.

[exothermia]

I'm not any good at it either. The only artistic thing I was ever good at was metalwork... and I have an advantage in that area.

[brainiest]

You do have a unique ability. [ Hermione just smiles, idly stroking her cup of tea. ] I never had much time to do anything like that, either at home or in the Drabwurld. There was always a lesson to go to or a battle to fight.

[exothermia]

Having free time is a difficult adjustment. I find it helps... to have a routine.

[brainiest]

I suppose spending most of my time brewing doesn't count as a routine.

[exothermia]

That sounds like more of a chore.

[brainiest]

I like brewing. It's how I made a living in the Drabwurld.

[exothermia]

I never assumed you didn't. But if it's the only thing you're doing... [Then it ceases to be just enjoyment. It becomes something else. A crutch.]

[brainiest]

[ She sees where he's coming from and ends up huffing a quiet noise. ]

Then it ends up not being as healthy.