middaeg | [Open] Come In From The Cold...

Who: House Darkness Residents and OPEN
When: All of February
Where: House Darkness in the Haven
What: It's an open log!
Warnings: Shadowbringers Spoilers in some threads possible, possible talk of the Snatched Event

[If anyone knows the residents of the house, it might seem strange that such a group have selected a cozy abode for their home in the city. However, it is not to be said that they are unwelcoming (depending on who) and usually when someone comes to visit, there's always a warm cup of tea ready for them...and maybe some food to go along with it. Feels like a crime if someone doesn't get fed. And despite the hardships of the previous month, the house does welcome guests for any particular reasons whether a visit for the soul, a chat to catch up on events, or even maybe go a few rounds with the poor striking dummy in the backyard.

When you live with sword users and have stress, it gets used, ok?

It might be chilly outside but strange enough, the house itself is pretty warm. Just mind the gaelkitten and Flood running around from time to time.]

((OOC: Feel free to make a top level if you wish! Open to all!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Perhaps not on the outside, no. But it's clear it is that bad elsewhere.

[She turns to face the sitting room, a look of entreaty on her face.]

Can I help you at all? Please don't storm off.

[ That response almost makes him flinch. She's talking about hurts on the inside isn't she? Honestly these people aren't really the problem. All of the housemates are likely to be on the receiving end of Van's mood.

He sighs, just wanting to escape and be alone. ]

Do what you want.

[ It's not really the answer Irhya is looking for, but it's permission of sorts to do what she thinks she should. ]

[Her lips twitch. When he doesn't seem inclined to move like she'd expected, she turns back and prods forward to take him by the hand, her expression set in concerned neutrality.]

Problems like that don't just go away if you ignore them. They burrow real deep and rear up again later. [Pause.] ...I'm coming from a place of experience here. I was an angry teenager once, too; I'd rather not see you do the same stupid things I did out of blind loathing, either for yourself or others.

Oh yeah? What sorts of things were those.

[ He's not sure that he defines himself as an angry teenager, but whatever. Vanitas is an angry thing at the very least. So Irhya can take him by the hand; he is used to her presence so it isn't like he is going to yank his hand back. ]

[Oh, boy, does she have stories for him. Once she manages to lead him back into the sitting room, she drops his hand and sits next to him, leaning forward.]

Hah... you're gonna think I'm an idiot if I tell you. But that's all right.

I've gotten in plenty of stupid fights before, but they were more verbal than physical, and mostly with one single person who I had a really complicated relationship with. I don't know what happened to you, whether you lashed out or were lashed out at, or perhaps both... but I used to do that to others, too. If someone was doing something I couldn't reconcile as anything but injust, I'd really let them have it, and it got me in trouble more than a few times.

[She pauses to look at him.] I may not even know the person, chances are, but I suppose I can ask anyway. Was it someone you care about?

[ Congratulations on getting Vanitas to sit down rather than retreat to his room. Too bad it won't last.

However what she says and how it works for Van aren't really the same. Not exactly. The complicated relationship he has is with Ventus. That's both physical and verbal. Almost every time. Vanitas can hardly reconcile Ventus' existence, really. ]

I wouldn't say "cared about." [ Not really anyway. ] Just trusted.

I've never had one without the other to some extent, but I'll take your word for it. Did this person turn on you or something?

[How else do you get beaten up that badly, anyway?]

[ He's not even remotely upset by the bruises and the like. These are things he can handle. Vanitas is the cause of them.

What he can't abide by is: ]

They just up and left me.

[That's a piece of the puzzle, certainly, but not enough of one. Still, the way he says it clearly illustrates his feelings about the idea. She puts a hand on his shoulder.]

Was this before or after you were hurt physically?

After, obviously.

[ He still doesn't understand the concern about being "hurt." ]

I kind of asked for the beating.

So, they beat you up and then left you to lick your wounds afterward? Is that it?

[A sliver of disbelief enters her tone.]

You don't deserve to be physically hurt by someone like that, Vanitas. That sounds like the real trust-breaking thing to me.

Basically.

[ The leaving part is what gets under his skin. Xehanort would do hings like that and so it just leaves a bad taste in his mouth. ]

But the rest? It is my own doing. They were effected by a ghost's rage and I encouraged them to just let it all out.

A ghost's rage... So they weren't in their right minds when it happened.

[All right, maybe that's a reasonable thing to forgive so easily if they were being influenced by something else. But this leaving part... something doesn't sound right about it. Could it really be that someone did something so callous to him?]

Did they say anything to you when they came to? Or just up and left without a word?

No and I knew that. Did it anyway because they really needed to release some steam.

[ Van shrugs though then winces. ]

They bit me. Wasn't really paying attention to words at that point.

[Irhya is silent for a moment, just studying him. He really is a lonely kid at the end of it all, isn't he? If his side of the story is to be believed, they just walked off without a word of gratitude for him sticking his neck out like that...

She frowns deeply and pulls him a little closer, her grip firming.]

I don't think I've been in your position before, but I've definitely been the aggressive one on the other side of it. I don't know if they had a reason for it, but I can only hope they come back eventually and try to make amends. Maybe the guilt will get to them eventually.

...For now, you should still heal yourself up. Bites can get infected if they break skin.

[ Of course Irhya may forget that this is Vanitas. "Encouraging" and "goading" are really the same thing for him. There is no difference. He had told Sora to let it out and when the brat did by punching him, Vanitas didn't stop him. Just sort of laughed.

He isn't really fighting her grip on him either. It's not like she's proven that she's out to hurt Vanitas. ]

Considering they've been avoiding me since? I'm not going to hold my breath.

[ Van lightly touches the shoulder bite, frowning. ]

I don't know how to use a first aid kit.

[ And he isn't going to use magic because he still isn't entirely convinced that these things shouldn't be allowed to heal on their own. ]

I do. Stay there.

[With that, she gets up and shuffles to the bathroom, trusting he won't run away while she's not watching him. Retrieving the first aid kit from the cabinet, she returns and opens it at his feet, scanning him up and down expectantly.]

Where exactly did he bite you? Show me.

[ Van sighs, shrugging off his jacket. His shirt soon comes after. He's a bit careless about it and it shows. Parts of the shirt stick to the bite mark on his shoulder.

There's old scars on him, but Vanitas? Absolutely doesn't care. ]

Shoulder.

[Open] Come In From The Cold...

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