driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Eithan Paine and YOU!
Broadcast: fleetwide
Action: the SS Blue Fish - proceed with caution
When: After the latest shuffle

( video - fleetwide )
[ He wants to stick to text. He's been crying, sobbing okay he'll admit it, since he found out. but... they deserve better than text. So Eithan sucks it up, collects himself long enough to turn on the video feed, and addresses the fleet. His eyes are typically red because of the whole demon thing, but well, now they're a completely different kind of red in addition. ]

For those of you who knew 'em... Belthazar Spellscry and Allen Walker are gone now. Looks like Atroma sent 'em back.

[ He looks like he wants to say more, but... He doesn't know what. Aside from: ]

... Miss 'em already, honestly.

[ Okay. That's probably enough. He turns off his camera, but leaves communication open, just in case anyone has anything to say. ]

( action - ss blue fish )
[ Eithan is very, very, very far from okay. First they take his best friend, then his other friends, then his crew and his boyfriend? Goddess...

Anyone who manages to find him near his room will get to see him moping, for very obvious reasons. He keeps picking up his guitar like he's gonna play something, anything, to take his mind off it, but he never manages to play anything for long. And with frustrated cursing, he'll just put the thing down and curl up on his bed instead - or pace through the hallways.

He stops by Belthazar's former room quite often. And he'll stare at the closed door, for longer than he really should, before he can bring himself to look away - usually with tears in his eyes all over again.

And for those who catch him in the cargo bay, he's currently got a bottle of rum, and he's sitting on the floor with his back against the ship wall, drinking straight from the bottle. There's a pack of cigarettes at his feet - for later. And he'll share, if anyone wants - booze or smokes. Or just company. ... Fuck, company would be great right now. .... Fuck. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ The bump gets a tiny smile out of him, at least. He does feel marginally better now that he's not just sitting in his room, alone. ]

Hey. Thanks for comin', yeah? ... 's really quiet around here.

[ Everything still stings, though. ]

[...you know what? Sorey is just gonna set his mug aside and turn to face Eithan, and once he has his attention he's going to pull him into a hug, resting his chin on his shoulder.] It really is way too quiet. [Presses his hands against Eithan's back, closing his eyes.]

[ Aaaand there it goes. Eithan can't even fake holding it together anymore. He all but clings to Sorey, forehead resting on his shoulder and his own eyes squeezed tightly shut, as if that would stop the tears. But of course it doesn't.

He takes a deep breath, a bit shaky from trying not to outright sob. But he doesn't say anything. For once in his life, he's just plain out of words. ]

[Sorey rubs a hand up and down his back; he can't even say something about how it's going to be okay, how things'll be fine; he's been here before. He's lost people near and dear to him, some of them never to see again. And those two weeks he'd been without Mikleo...they'd been the darkest he's ever had.

Eithan's lost not just family, but someone he loved like that. And while Sorey believes that Belthazar will be okay, that he'll become as powerful a mage as he hoped he could be, he knows that it won't help ease the pain of missing him.

So he doesn't say a word, doesn't shift or sigh; he just holds onto Eithan, rubs his back, cups the back of his neck and lets him find comfort wherever he can. Knowing him, he's probably been bottling it up.]

[ Yeah, he's absolutely been bottling it up - gotta keep going, gotta make sure everyone else is okay, gotta help keep the ship's spirits up... but that's pretty impossible right this second.

It's a long moment before he finally straightens, scrubs at his eyes with the heel of his palm. ]

Ah... sorry. Thanks. ... I-I'll be okay.

[ No idea when, but... he will. ]

[And Sorey holds Eithan's shoulders until he meets his eyes, so he knows he's serious.] Eithan? Anytime.

[Squeezes his shoulders again before pulling away to give him some privacy; he'd brought some snacks Mikleo had made so he'll just get those ready while Eithan collects himself.] There's no shame in showing grief. It's a pretty essential emotion, as unpleasant as it is.

[ He knows all that, logically speaking - and it's the same sort of thing he'd tell anyone he was trying to comfort instead. He smiles a little, in spite of himself, and busies himself with grabbing a mug and pouring himself some coffee. ]

Yeah. I just... Typical me, I wanna make sure everyone else is okay first, gotta make sure nothin' needs doin'... The whole ship's kind of a wreck right now, you know?

[Yeah Sorey's just gonna fiddle with that tea instead.] Well, the Huntress crew is at your disposal. If you need help with anything we've got a full set, so just let me know; we can spare some people.