( #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

[nonightdriving]

[He is, by virtue of his position, a good listener for those grieving. And he has the experience, considering his charge is a prince with a lot of loss in his life. Sharing his expertise in this field to someone else that he happens to like is actually a benefit to those years of training.

And distractions are always a good way to get through the hardest part of it all.]

Yes, I started cooking, actually for a friend. He'd had a treat in another country as a child but didn't know what it was made out of. So, I spent a great deal of time trying to recapture that for him. It turns out that I'm quite good at cooking.

[Even if Noctis seems to be preternaturally adverse to vegetables. Especially if there are carrots anywhere nearby.]

Please let me know if there's any day that you would be free to come and try them. Or I can bring them over to you if you'd rather do that.

[brainiest]

[ Hermione is doing her best to regulate herself and be okay with this, but it's hard. Losing people in the Drabwurld was worse, she can rationalise that - she knew they didn't go home like they do here on the Fleet - but it's still a loss. It's stilll someone she might never get to talk to again or get to see again, someone she cared about and cherished.

There's no going back from that and she's aware of it, and maybe that's what hurts the most. ]

Oh, that's so kind of you. I'm sure he appreciated the fact that you tried so hard.

[ She knows she would - that's a level of dedication she can't even imagine. ]

I'll probably be okay in a few days, maybe? I could message you?

[nonightdriving]

I'd like to think he does. He has never once complained about being my taste tester at least.

[It's not like guys talk about that sort of thing out loud.]

That would be more than fine. Whenever you're ready, I will set some time aside. Perhaps then I could luck your brain about your own garden.