[Closed]

[sing_for_me]

Who: Alex Benedetto and Others
When: Later half of Noveur
Where: Places and things
What: Closed starters
Warnings: None!



Returning was a surreal feeling, a sensation similar to waking from a dream. Once again, she found herself going through the mirror, not quite sure how she arrived at the other side. All she knew was one moment she was back in Ergastulum, returning to the point before she had been taken a year ago, and the next she was back in the room of mirrors. She’s not quite sure how long she’s been gone, and she returns with a few injuries, but she brings no attention to it. All Alex does is try to go back to her usual routines. Brief as her stay was in her world, there were quite a few things that weighed on her mind.

Comments

For Levi

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex’s first stop after her return was the cottage she had started to call home, though she’s careful as she approaches it. In Ergastulum, it had only been a day, but she found that a lot more time had passed in Aefenglom. Could things have changed so much since then? Did she still have a place there? Alex didn’t have her keys on her, nor any of the other stuff she had on her before she was taken away again. It was a struggle even getting back here without her glasses.

She gives a quick thank you to the entities above as the spare key is still where she had placed it, and ever so slowly, she unlocks the door with a soft click and pushes it open gently. The cottage had remained the same—a lot cleaner, in fact. There wasn’t much there to begin with, other than the essentials. She needs a bath, and a change of clothes. Her city dress along with the oversized army jacket did not blend well with the crowd. The wood creaks beneath her heels with each step, and she wonder if the house was always so loud.

A familiar pair of beady eyes stare at her from the dining table, and she almost jumps out of her skin. ]

Sh-shhhh...!

[dirtdevil]

[ to the shock of no one—least of all Alex, who's stuck living in the same house—Levi was just tidying up. for the fifth time today, probably. it's a little bit troubling that the front door suddenly opens, but fortunately Alex steps in before there's much time for panic and/or knocking a possible burglar out with a broom. (would it even be the first time? seems unlikely.)

no, instead of coming at his poor roommate broom blazing, he heads toward those beady little eyes under the table and (gently) shoos Fatass away with the straw end. stop scaring people, stupid.

after the rotund raccoon scampers away, he turns to Alex, brows furrowed. believe it or not, he is happy to see her. ]

You're back.

[ it kind of sounds like he wasn't expecting to see her again. ]

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex has her hands up when Levi comes out with the broom, only putting them down when he seems to relax. ]

I-I am...yeah.

[ She wasn’t really expecting much of a reaction from him herself, but this was more expressive than she normally saw of the man. ]

It seems...time passed differently between here and where I went. Um...sorry if that inconvenienced you...

[ Having him do her part of the chores probably wasn’t pleasant for him. ]

[dirtdevil]

[ whoops. it definitely wasn't his intention to scare her, but it could have been a burglar. gotta be prepared for anything, right? ]

Why would it inconvenience me? I'm sure it wasn't even your choice to leave.

[ he's just gonna put the broom away for now. there will be no broom violence today, it seems. ]

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex opens her mouth to answer, but sucks in her bottom lip instead. She should just be happy that he didn’t think it was a bother that she was gone...

Or that she returned. ]

Have you been okay?

[ Who knows what could have transpired while she was gone. It was just a day for her, but a lot more here. Although it looked like she had been through something herself with the bandages on her face. ]

[dirtdevil]

[ yyyeah, now that the broom is back in its rightful place and he's no longer on alert for potential targets, he does notice that her face is bandaged. that's much more cause for concern than some rando coming in to try and steal their shit.

he frowns. ]

I'm fine, but it looks like I should be the one asking you that. What happened?

[sing_for_me]

Ah, this...I got sent back to right before I came to Aefenglom a year ago. I was, um, knocked out. But! They’re also the ones who treated my wounds.

[ So it wasn’t all bad? ]

It was really weird being sent back like that...it was like no time had passed there.

[ Her gaze is a bit more distant, a smile on her face, but a melancholy one. ]

For L

[sing_for_me]

[ Returning to her routine meant returning to the orphanage, helping out in little ways here and there, whether it be through minor repairs, preparing meals, or just to watching the children. One other way was cleaning up while they were in class. With the children in the room, it was a lot easier to tidy up. Sometimes though, while passing by, Alex would overhear the teacher’s voice—a familiar one in fact. It was curiosity at first, with Alex being surprised to find L up front and center, comfortable in his role as instructor. After that, it was interest. Having missed out on most of her education and still wanting to learn, she found L’s lessons to be both easy and intriguing as she stole peeks and glances and eavesdropped every now and then. When he starts to close up the lesson, Alex slips away and returns to her tasks until it’s time for her to leave.

She bumps into L then, just as she’s about to head out. ]

Hey, great job today.

[hearthebell]

[As recently as a year ago, L would have considered this sort of work beneath him. He taught geniuses, when he deigned to teach at all, and in those cases they were expected to keep up or drop off. He was adored more for this attitude, if anything; it made him more inaccessible, more mysterious and exalted by people like Mello, and... well. L had been rather indifferent to it, then, and he recognizes now, more than ever, what can happen when children are trained to feel that a human is both a father and a god to them.

It's kind of nice for them all to see his face, know him by his safe, fake name, and only think of him as the guy teaching them their letters and numbers. These are basic truths, absolutely... but they are also completely novel to these kids. They're hungry for the tools to understand their world better, and for once, the detective is equipped to actually nourish young intellects.

Class is over, and the youngsters are scampering off to play, when he bumps into a presence he hadn't seen for quite awhile, until recently.]

...Alex.

[Perhaps it's the association with Mello holding over, but he hasn't actually welcomed her back yet. There's a brief silence as he grapples with whether he should, before he simply says]

Thank you. The material is fairly basic, so... it would be really embarrassing, if I did a poor job presenting it.

[It's his idea of being modest; he doesn't realize that Alex is as educated as some of the much younger children.]

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex takes no offense to it. Having observed his interactions with M, there was no doubt that these two were highly educated, probably moreso than others their age. ]

No matter how basic, I think being a teacher in any form is a challenge. Not to mention keeping their attention. I think I just got lucky with my brother since he was so behaved back then.

[ She was teaching him way more basic things, but at her age, it wasn’t a cake walk. Standing in front of him now, the marrow can’t help but look him over, noting that he doesn’t look as dejected as he had before. Was it wrong to assume he was doing somewhat better, perhaps? ]

Are you headed back home??

[hearthebell]

[A thin hand goes to tug at the hair on the back of his neck. Alex might notice that around each finger is the mottled line of a scar, as though each one was removed and reattached, new since the last time they spoke proper.]

I never thought of myself as a teacher, but... need brings it out in some people. It sounds like you know that, just as well.

[Still pale, thin and solemn, L does seem more substantial, tethered by more purpose, more intention, warmed perhaps by some inner flame.]

Well, yes, eventually, but... I'd meant to stop for coffee on the way back to the Haven. It's on me, if you'd like to join?

[Now that he has a paycheck again, he's proud that he can offer.]

[sing_for_me]

[ Watching people, their actions, their tone, it was a habit Alex couldn’t shake off. The scars do not go unnoticed, having observed those same fingered as they would gingerly pick at his food not too long ago. But she doesn’t ask, not right away. The offer surprises her, what with how he tended to keep to himself. Still, it brings a smile to her face. ]

I would like that a lot, actually.

[ There was something wonderfully normal about it, which has felt like such a novel thing as of late. ]

[hearthebell]

[A lot has happened. A lot has changed. Bonds leave their mark on people, every one, every time, and L is no exception. Myr, ever earnest, has lived in his heart for a year. Light Yagami has brought the connection L has missed; both of them are more socially able than the detective, but more likely, his work at the orphanage has made his fake identity feel like he finally has a stake in something real, that matters.]

Ah... good.

[He wasn't expecting her to say no, but it still feels good for her to accept. Outside of his Bonded, L does rather keep to himself; he wouldn't ask if he and Alex didn't already have rapport. Perhaps he still feels guilty about Mello, the association exists, and it's some form of closure and repentance, through her.

Even normal has layers. In fact, when it comes to L, the more normal something seems, the stranger it actually is when cut to the core.]

Is there anything else you need to get before we go?

[There's a leather doctors' bag at his side, slightly worn, a birthday gift from Light. It's so much neater and smarter than just stuffing his pockets with chalk and abacuses.]

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex shakes her head in response. ]

Lead the way.

[ Maybe normal wasn’t something Alex was used to after all. Simply walking down the streets with Linden, as if the last few weeks hadn’t happened. ]

Other than teaching here, what else have you been up to? You look well—at least, better than when I last saw you.

For Kaede

[sing_for_me]

[The calmness that filled her when she was immersed in water quickly disappeared the moment a familiar scent hit the water. There was something off about it— it was a certain chimera’s scent, no doubt about it, but there was a stillness to it that left her on edge. Alex quickly swims upstream, the loss experienced in Ergastulum having her thinking the worst. She sees a shadow sinking down, relieved to see it was too small to be a body, and moves to grab it. For a moment she looks it over, not quite sure what to make of it. It was Kaede’s scent, no doubt about it.

With a flap of her tail, she floats up, breaking through the surface and looking around for Kaede herself. ]

[long_live_the_queen]

[The object was a helmet; heavy, reinforced metal whose only openings were from the bottom where the neck would have been, and six little ports in front to see through. A heavy, oppressive thing.

There was a massive gouge carved in the side, near where the temple could have been; too much pressure, and the helmet would start to come apart.

It didn't have the scent of feathers or fur or the beastly things that made up Kaede's form now, but it was easy to identify her regardless. The oppressive metal also carried the chemical burn of floors cleaned too often, sterile walls, and latex gloves.

Kaede herself wasn't too hard to spot once Alex broke through the surface, her brilliant feathers still bristled up a bit into angry spiky shapes. She had turned away from the water, and had been stalking up the bank with stiff knees when the sound of a splash made her ears turn back. The Chimera looked--and jumped, like a startled cat.]

Shit--Alex? Is that you?

[sing_for_me]

Hey...[ So it was Kaede. Not that she doubted the smell, but the design of the helmet made her gut twist uncomfortably. Why would she wear such a thing? Despite that though, it was nice to see her again.

Alex lifts it up easily enough, the water giving her that added strength. ]

Are you alright? Did you drop this?

[long_live_the_queen]

[With a worried crease in her frown, Kaede turned to double back. She hadn't seen Alex in...weeks. Too long to keep just missing her like ships passing each other in the night.]

I'm fine. Are you--

[The Chimera stopped short at the sight of that twisted metal thing, expression hardening immediately.]

...I didn't. I threw it away.

[sing_for_me]

[ When Kaede moves closer, so does Alex. There was a warmth that filled her chest, realizing she had missed seeing this young woman.

Her expression slows Alex down, and the marrow glances at the helmet before lowering back into the water. ]

Does...it bring back bad memories?

[long_live_the_queen]

[Seeing Alex so close to a smile made Kaede feel...strangely light.

Seeing that expression dim twisted unpleasantly in her chest. The Chimera focused her glare on the remains of the helmet, shifting her blame and anger to the impassive piece of metal.]

...it was my prison. I spent years staring at the inside of that thing. Got real well acquainted.

[As she spoke and the bitterness seeped into her voice like a poison, Kaede's tail lashed this way and then that, slow but agitated.]

For Yona

[sing_for_me]

[ It seems Alex wasn’t the only one crazy enough to work on the roof of this beat up house on such a fine, rainy day. She watches as the other climbs up the ladder, lacking confidence in the stability of the ladder under these conditions. Walking briskly towards it, she steadies it from both sides, looking upwards to make sure they made it to the top. Her voice is muffled behind the scarf she wrapped around the lower half of her face, covered from head to toe with her coat, boots and gloves. The merrow wasn’t taking any chances. ]

I’ve got you.

For Nami

[sing_for_me]

[ The day after she settled in, there was someone she both hesitated to but wanted to see. She knows where the navigator would usually be, despite the brief length of their relationship.

Their friendship.

She hesitated for so long to use that word, even as she lost one person after the other in this world. Even now, she wondered if it mattered all that much to Nami. She could easily make other friends, bright and warm as she was. But what she did know, was that it mattered to her, no matter how much Alex tried to stop herself from getting attached.

Alex pauses the moment she spots her, but the words catch in her throat.

She’s still here.

The first thought that crosses her mind. Because Connie wasn’t when she returned to Ergastulum. This whole year, she thought surely Constance would still be behind that gun counter when she would eventually get back, the carefree grin still on her face as she greets, “Al!”, with a warm cup of coffee and her grandmother’s soup on stand by. But Alex was never going to see her first friend again. She would never get to say “I’m back.”

Did she really want to lose that opportunity with Nami too?

No, and yet all she could do was watch her from afar until their eyes met. ]

....Hello.

i'm so late to this pls forgive

[weatherscience]

[ the day when she'd gone to see alex on her way back from sailing and just not found her there, nami had walked back to her house, picked up tangerine, and cried for an hour.

of course, partings were nothing new to her, what with sailing from island to another... but for her friend to just vanish, without a chance to even say goodbye, it was terrible!

and then she'd resigned herself to how things were here. she would treasure her friends and make sure they knew just how much they meant to her... so that if they ever left, they would have left knowing that.

what she hasn't at all considered is that those who leave may actually come back.

so when alex greets her, nami blinks.

blinks again. ]

Alex-chan...?

[ wait, it's really her — ]

Alex-chan!! [ she wastes absolutely no time at all jumping to alex and dragging her into a hug. ] You're back, I can't believe it!!

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex was so stunned by the enthusiastic greeting that she’s rendered speechless for a moment, her arms not sure what to do with themselves. ]

Ah..y-yeah...I wasn’t really...I didn’t think you’d...

[ Eventually, they settle to hug Nami, loosely at first, but feelings didn’t show themselves even after hearing the death of her first friend suddenly come to the surface. Her hold on Nami tightens, and Alex finds herself burying her face in Nami’s shoulder. Something about Nami’s presence just brought things out of her Alex couldn’t explain, and she begins to sob.

What if it was Nami? What if she had come back and Nami had been gone too? She lost her chance with Connie, and the fear that it might happen again just began to dawn on her. ]

[weatherscience]

Didn't think what? That I'd miss you? Or that I'd be here still?

[ whichever it may be... nami hugs her friend all the tighter, placing her hand on alex's head and carding her fingers through her hair. she seems upset — more so than she thought.

it can't be just seeing her again or being here again that's doing this; a thought that solidifies when alex starts to cry. ]

Alex-chan... [ nami frowns, holding her. ] What is it? Are you hurt?