driftfleet | Libuscha IV System Mingle (no. 1)

[ dfjsakl He very quickly moves in and catches her by the shoulders! ]

I'm, uh, going to take that as a pretty hard no.

[ He pauses, considering his options... Then once she seems to be standing about as steady as she's probably going to get right now, he lets go of her, and starts to turn around. ]

Okay. Climb on my back, I'll get you to the shuttle.

[ And he'll just go ahead and lower himself to her height to make it easier. ... and fingers crossed if she pitches forward again she'll just fall onto his back instead of faceplanting into the snow. ]

Nnn... fuck, dunno how that happened.

[Well, okay, she does distantly, but that thought is at least three bottles and a couple of hours ago. She can't even really remember how she got to the park bench - or recognize that this even is a park to begin with - so she's definitely reached and momentarily stepped backwards from the Blackout Drunk stage.

Rather than climbing on his back as he'd suggested, she fumbles for a moment, muttering to herself ("wait, wait" is the only part of it that comes out coherently) before she gets an arm awkwardly over his shoulder, carrying with it her wrapped stick. Which... might've bonked him in the head on its way over, oops. She's not exactly the most graceful right now, but with the iron grip she's got on it, it's evident that she's not leaving it behind, even on the verge of passing out. Only once her arm and the stick are secure does she slump against him, her chin resting on his shoulder, the other hand gripping whatever passes for sturdy in her addled brain.]

Fly me away, Birdman... 'm gonna sleep it off in ghost prison if I gotta.

[ Bonk! He winces when the stick connects with the back of his head... He wonders what it is, since clearly it warrants such a death grip, but he'll just have to ask later - when she can actually coherently answer. For now, looks like she's got her arms over his shoulders, free hand holding his coat collar firmly (enough). He hooks his arms under her legs and stands. Time to go! ]

Being drunk in public hardly warrants ghost prison. You didn't actually... necrotize anything. [ He's going to find that one amusing for a while, sorry~ ]

So, sleep it off on the Bloodsport. I'd rather not just leave you alone.

[She snorts inelegantly.]

Like that's my only crime.

[Which is... not a complaint, exactly. This whole getting-out-of-jail-free thing is still new for her, though, especially since she doesn't remember talking her way out of it the way Taako did. ...And thinking about him, even briefly, pushes her into a long bout of silence as she tries to drag her noggin out of the hamster wheel of misery that today's been, between the tree and what happened after and drinking and him and the fight and now this, huddled drunk and lonely and cold in a goddamn park like a homeless vagabond. Why the fuck did she call Kravitz? Out of everyone in the fleet that she could have called, why...?

Dumb shit. Dumb drunk idiot.

You know why.

Her grip tightens, her voice quiet, half muffled against his collar.]

Y'don't... have to do that. Just dump me off somewhere warm, it's fine.

[ He's thinking it, too. Why him? Of anyone in the fleet, why drunk-text him? Sure, in his time, they're coworkers. Friends. But here? She made it pretty clear back on the trash planet that she needed some time and didn't just magically trust him or something (not that he'd expect her to). So... there's probably a reason she called him, and he figures it might have something to do with things she can't tell Taako. Other clues include just how drunk she is, the fact that she didn't call him instead, and... that ever-tightening grip. ]

Ah, no can do. I can take you to the Bloodsport or the Heron, but I'm not about to just dump you off somewhere and leave. [ He shakes his head, his tone quiet and concerned - but firm. ] And I'm going to have to put my foot down on that one, Lup.

[She huffs quietly against his neck.]

Yer not... boss of me.

[She doesn't argue with him further, though- his logic is sound, or sound enough that her utterly blasted mind can't come up with an argument. Evidence suggests already that she doesn't give a shit where she sleeps tonight as long as she does, and at least the Bloodsport is better than a snowy park bench.

Her one concern is that she might run into Taako if he comes calling, but... she can't avoid him forever, either. Not like he'll want to speak with her, after today.

Instead of voicing any of this she just re-burrows her head and closes her eyes, leaving the decision-making up to Kravitz. She's beginning to trust him because Taako does, and if Taako trusts someone then he must have earned it. She can at least give him the benefit of the doubt... when it benefits her, at least. For the moment.]

[ Well, he's certainly not arguing with that - he couldn't be the boss of her if he tried.

He lets the silence last, thinking maybe she'll even get some sleep between here and the Fleet, or at least doze a little bit. Anything would probably help right now, he's pretty sure she's going to have one hell of a hangover. Poor Lup.

He's careful about getting her into the passenger seat of the shuttle, and she doesn't even have to let go of that wrapped stick-thing she's so keen on holding onto. Now he just has to hope that take-off and docking aren't too jarring. And that she doesn't get airsick easily. Fingers crossed.

He takes her back to the Bloodsport, figuring it's probably the least imposition on anyone else involved. They have plenty of room, after all, and he can't imagine anyone would mind. He takes her to the lounge, lets her situate herself while he grabs all the throw pillows to dump onto the couch, so she can pretty much take her pick. Or collect them all~ whichever. ]

All right, much better place to sleep than in the snow. [ He looks to her. ] Need anything right now, or is the plan to just immediately pass out again?

Edited 2018-11-28 07:37 (UTC)

[Lup doesn't remember the trip; she'd definitely dozed a little, curled up in the passenger seat and clutching her bound package close to her chest with one arm. By some grand miracle she doesn't puke, though that's mostly thanks to her doing an awful lot of it before he found her. Hopefully it's frozen by the time some poor sucker goes to shovel the snow off the path in the morning.

Once she's settled, a couple of pillows piled behind her and at her side, she doesn't answer him for a long moment. Just slumps against the cushions, staring ahead with a dull, tired expression. She should... she should thank him and let him go on his way. She knows it's what's best for everyone. This is a momentary lapse that'll be gone in the morning (even if the headache won't), and she'll get back to normal. She'll laugh. She'll dump what she found on the First Breath for Taako and carry on as if nothing's changed.

She'll swallow the ache and the panic when she sees him with it.

She'll smile like it's okay.

She'll tell no one and say nothing and it'll be fine, just fine, and no one's going to know except for her and... and Kravitz...

....

A tremor passes suddenly, silently, through her body, and she lifts her eyes to look at him: tired, drunk, but haunted. She owes him at least an explanation for this, after he's done her this kindness.

At last, albeit reluctantly, she reaches over and lifts the stick from where she'd propped it against the couch, offering it out to him.]

[ He'd half expected her to already be asleep before he could finish his question, but instead, the silence is heavy and thick. He frowns. He's never seen her look like that - not the drunk part, which he hasn't really seen either, but that's not so worrying as the way she looks completely worn down and... almost afraid? No, that's not it...

He takes the stick when it's offered, sits down on the other end of the couch, and considers it for a moment before carefully unwrapping the canvas. He doesn't have to get very far - he could recognize every inch of this thing if asked, and even seeing the handle is enough to let him know what this is all about. ]

The Umbra Staff...?

[ He doesn't unwrap the rest of it - knowing what it is, she's clearly got it wrapped for good reason - but his heart sinks just thinking about it. ]

Lup... How did you get this? -- Was it that tree?

[ No wonder she's drunk... Things are about to get a little stickier between her and Taako at this rate, not to mention how terrible this must make her feel on its own. ]

[Now that he's made the connection she looks away, staring deadpan at the opposite wall. Easier to focus on than his expression, which is still far too kind coming from someone who ought to be a stranger.]

I went down there trying to get something for Taako. Shoulda been more specific, I guess.

[Which is not strictly true, at least as far as she can guess. Even if she'd outright asked for it, the tree probably loves the drama of this "gift" as much as the Atroma do. Maybe it was her indecision that screwed her over.

Maybe this will help with Taako. Her own pain is just the price she has to pay for whatever this does to their relationship.]

Yeah, that's... that's definitely something for Taako. [ Gods. He takes a deep breath. ] Of all the things to give you, though...

[ She'd made the thing. Been locked inside of it. Done her damnedest to help Taako the entire time he had it. And now that Atroma's brought them all together from completely conflicting points in time, with varying levels of memories and understanding... it just seems all the more like her wish was incredibly backhandedly granted. ]

You're still going to give it to him?

[ He knows the answer. But still. ]

[She smiles weakly, hugging a knee up close to her chest, her movements still clumsy thanks to the alcohol. Even so, the conversation is about as sobering as it gets.]

What else am I supposed to do with it? It's not mine, it's his.

[And it is, plain as day. Kravitz may not have seen it when it was hers, but there are signs of his touch all over it even with it still half-covered. Little glittering stars peppered across the fabric, tiny accessories dangling that suited his fashion sense and wardrobe. It's Taako's. It's undeniably Taako's. It ceased to be hers the moment she was sucked into it- and that only became more true when he pulled it from her corpse.]

It's a good focus. He's stronger if he has it. Safer.

That's true. And who knows, we probably need all of the advantage we can get in this place.

[ Even if she kept it away from him, any scenario in which Taako finds it with her while not knowing who she is would just be even worse. He sighs quietly - he hates this for her. But all he an do to help is keep her secrets until something changes -- and he has to hope that something will change.

He winds the canvas back around the handle, hands it back over to her. ]

Don't worry - I won't tell him anything about this. I'm just... I'm sorry this happened.

...Mmm.

[Lup leans back against the couch, accepting the Umbra Staff and just sort of tucking it awkwardly between the cushions- so she can feel it there, but no touch it or be too close to it. She knows it won't do anything unless she physically does, but fear is rarely rational.]

Thanks, dude. For this, and... y'know. For that. I totally know how shitballs it is to keep all these secrets from him.

[ He nods - even cracks some halfways semblance of a smile for a second, because he kind of can't help but do so at the word "shitballs". But it isn't there for long. ]

Of course. I think you know that better than anyone.

[ He stands, looks over the stack of pillows she's got going on... ] I'm going to go get you a blanket. So I'll be right back. ... You should really get some sleep, Lup. And I can't imagine you'll have an easy morning, but... I'll be around if you need anything.

[ He wonders if she might be completely conked out before he even gets back, honestly. fjskdl ]

[Lup mumbles something unintelligible in response, burrowing further into the pillows and closing her eyes, secretly grateful to at last be able to rest. She's definitely unconscious when he returns; she doesn't even twitch or notice if he gets close to tuck her in.

She's also gone before 10 the next morning, without a word or a note. Hopefully he'll forgive her, because she really needs to vanish for a couple of days.]

Libuscha IV System Mingle (no. 1)

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