( #004 )

[brainiest]

Who: Hermione Granger and you!
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Vanquish
When: Today!

[ The feed starts out with Hermione sitting on her bed, looking absolutely miserable. It's obvious that she hasn't slept, not really, and when she speaks her voice is quiet and, more than anything, sad. ]

Cisco isn't here anymore. [ She's lost people before, but she never gets used to it. It's never fair, and it's not right. It's not right that you get to be this close to people and then they get taken away from you. ] I don't think he's the only one that's gone this time, but it's - I don't think it's my place to talk about anyone else.

[ She's doing this because Cisco was her partner, after all. Her boyfriend. She'd been so happy.

I'm not sure what's left in his lab, but - I didn't want to touch anything. I'm sorry for anyone that knew him, but... He's probably happier at home, so it's okay in the end.

[ The feed cuts off, abruptly, because she didn't want to think about it anymore - it was easier to just turn it off and put the device to one side and pretend for a little while. ]

Comments

Video

[english_dignity]

Miss Granger?

Would you like some company, perhaps?

[Dad country mode is go.]

Or some tea?

video

[brainiest]

Mr. Kirkland. [ She does her best to smile, but it's... Faltering. ] I'm not sure that I'd be good company right now.

video

[english_dignity]

Maybe not, but could you use some half decent?

[Doesn't like seeing his citizens hurting.]

text

[passingthrough]

[She never chooses text. Doesn't like text at all. It's so devoid of any kind of emotional clues to read. And usually she doesn't care if hers are being read. She tends to be honest to a fault. Almost aggressively honest in some cases. But she could use some of that pretending today too.]

You're not wrong. [She didn't know about Cisco and she doesn't know about the others yet, but she knows about Winn, and she's not making one of these posts. He deserves it. His friends deserve it. But she deserved a life with him so no one gets what they deserve today.]

text

[brainiest]

[ Sometimes it's just easier. Sometimes text makes it... Better, just a little, because there's no facing the emotions or the hurt or - any of it, really. ]

It's not okay, but I'm sure he's happy. [ She hopes the same is true for the others - Hermione knows about Winn, too, and she's careful and uncertain. ] I wish it was easier for the people left behind, though.

text

[passingthrough]

He was happy with you too. [She's glad she didn't try voice or video. She's already not holding it together. She used to be so stoic and now it's like the tears don't stop. It may be healthier, but it goes through a lot of tissues and kind of sucks.]

There are messages on the network that Winn left for people. You probably know, but just in case.

I'm sorry about Cisco.

action;

[geonomy]

[It's a few minutes after Hermione's post when there's a few knocks on the door. He doesn't push it open yet though, just in case she doesn't want to talk to anyone, but...]

Can I come in?

action;

[brainiest]

[ She doesn't really want to answer, not at first, but soon enough she's rubbing her eyes and pushing herself up. ]

Of course. Come in, Clay.

action;

[geonomy]

[After her confirmation, Clay makes his way inside. He stops for a second, taking in her appearance, feeling a pang of sadness in his own chest even though he never knew Cisco. But he moves after that, to sit beside her and wrap an arm around her shoulders.]

Hey.

Action

[sonofgold]

[Al sees the message and drifts to Hermione's room, knocking softly.]

action

[brainiest]

[ She pushes herself to her feet, slowly, and goes to answer the door, trying her best to put on a smile. ]

Hi, Al.

action

[sonofgold]

[Al smiles back, wanly.]

I'm not going to ask if you're OK, because obviously you're not, but... is there anything I can do?

Text

[nonightdriving]

[Ignis is an eloquent man. He's dealt with words his entire life. And he's had to deal with diplomacy and politics and everything since he was a child.

However, talking to a woman that he barely knows is difficult when it is obvious that she has lost someone important to her. Not contacting her, on the other hand, is unacceptable, considering how much he has come to respect her and her abilities in the short time he's known her. So, while he would rather do this in person, he cannot trust himself to be as comforting to Hermione as he was to Noctis.

Text will have to do for now.]

I'm sorry to hear that you've lost someone, Hermione.
I cannot guarantee that I am the right person to offer you comfort, but should you like some distraction, I'm sure that I can come up with some ideas.

Perhaps, when you're ready, you can come over to the First Breath and I can have you try some of the desserts I've been working on lately.

text

[brainiest]

[ They might not be close, but Hermione appreciates it all the same. She learned years ago that you can't just shrug things off just because you don't know someone as well as you'd like; you never know how much time you have to actually get to know someone. Learning as much as you can, speaking as much as you can, doesn't soften the blow, but...

The kindness is something she appreciates. She had done the same to people before, as an ally and as a Marchioness, and she understands where he's coming from even if she's shaky in her acceptance of it. She'd lost someone special and it's going to take time for her to be okay with it. ]

Thank you, Ignis. I appreciate it.

Have you had any luck setting up your garden yet? What sort of desserts have you worked on?

[nonightdriving]

[There is something to be said for having manners and reaching out to others when they need company. Even if you're turned down, others will remember the effort. It works in your favor should the need arise.

But mainly it shows that you have basic human decency.

And Ignis has that in spades, especially when it comes to those he happens to like.]

Think nothing of it.

My project requires the help of my friend. I'm waiting on a good day for the both of us so that we might pick a good spot. As for the desserts, it's mainly fruit pastries. The asteroids we're on have a sort of sweet yam and something that looks like elderberries. So, I've been experimenting with those to try and find something that everyone enjoys.

video } (... i'm sorry, hermione)

[supertardiness]

[Barry would normally be more sympathetic in a situation like this, but he's still reeling from his arrival from the fleet to begin with. So when he sees this message from Hermione, he reacts as Barry reacts to most things.

Not well.]

What do you mean he's not here anymore?

video | poor barry....

[brainiest]

[ Hermione stares into the camera, a blankness on her face, before she breathes out. ]

He's gone home.

video | also poor hermione (and sorry this is so late)

[supertardiness]

[There's a rough exhale as his face falls forward into his hands, trying to just roll with this punch, though that's getting harder by the second.]

They can do that? People can just ... disappear?

text.

[exothermia]

I'm coming over in fifteen minutes.

[It's enough of a warning for her to tell him not to if that's what she prefers.]

text.

[brainiest]

Okay.

[ She doesn't fight it. A part of her wants to see Erik because she trusts him to be there for her and not smother her, either - he'd proven that the very first time she had been truly upset on the Fleet. She might not be the best company or even prepared for it, but she's going to try. She has to keep going. ]

> action

[exothermia]

[True to his word, he shows up to her room in about fifteen minutes. Instead of tea, though, he's brought hot chocolate. Part of the stash he got from Kitty for the holidays, he feels like this is a situation that warrants it.

Erik passes her the mug without comment at first.]

I'm not as experienced at making this, so I hope it's decent.

Video;

[servantnotserving]

[He didn't know Cisco, but he can see this is hurting Hermione, and she's Good People. If he can do anything at all to ease that hurt, he will. His tone is a little more gentle than his usual exuberance. ]

I am sorry for his leaving, ma cherie. Is there anything I can do to help you? Company? A listening ear? A naughty limerick?

video;

[brainiest]

[ Hermione's voice is soft and quiet, but she does manage to reply and try her best at a smile. ]

It's alright. I think he'd be happy to be home. [ All the same... It still hurts. ] I don't think there's much that can be done. I just... Need time?

video;

[ofkirkwall]

Dog wants to come say hi, if you're up to it.

[ Because dogs always make things better, yeah? Or at lest temporarily better. ]

video;

[brainiest]

Is Dog okay with cats?