26. LOL

[heisrisen]

[Public]

[The Emperor stands the hallway of Level One, awkwardly clutching a beehive shaped like a small griffon, with soot smudges on his face, dirt on his clothes, a few drowsy bees bumbling around him, and the door of his room, smoke billowing gently through the sliver of open door behind him.]

No need to be - alarmed.

[His breath catches wrong, and he coughs hard for a few seconds.]

Planned incineration. Perfectly contained.

If nobody claims the bees they're going to the greenhouse.



[Private to Barbara]

I'm going to need a new room.



[Spam - deliveries for Bush, Morgana, Hannibal, and Sylvanas.]

[Hours earlier, but not many- On the morning of the 10th, each of them will open their doors to find neatly potted plants. Bush recieves one elegant apple bonsai, less than two feet high. Morgana gets several pots of pansies, in different colors, arranged so as not to block the door, Sylvanas gets catnip, and Hannibal gets herbs - basil, sage, rosemary, and thyme.]

Comments

Private

[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara just. Stares at him, for a second.]

Yeah, fine. You can stay with me until we sort it out. [It's should be difficult, to say that. She should be hesitant, wary. She isn't.]

What did you do?

[Spam]

[forsaken_queen]

[It's Lirath that discovers the very nice, exceptionally wonderful plant that has been left at the door. The leopard is well trained in how to take care of himself should he either be kicked out of the room, or find himself without his mistress for more than a few hours. So when he returns from walking himself in the garden, he finds the best thing ever.

Immediately the leopard falls in love with the plant and proceeds to rub, nuzzle, nip at and even cuddle the pot itself. Soil spills. The leopard purrs and eventually curls himself up in a happy heap around the pot of catnip.

His owner is no where to be seen.]

Private

[heisrisen]

I burned it all down.

[He has a lot of catharsis endorphins right now. Or maybe he's just dizzy from smoke inhalation.]

Private

[bodilesswarrior]

Ah. Well, that's one way to move forward, I suppose. You didn't get yourself burnt, did you?

private

[godsays]

What.

[ even. happened. here. ]

private

[heisrisen]

You don't mind, right? I'm sure they'll get along with the Chicago bees fine.

Private

[heisrisen]

Just a little. It doesn't matter.

[Flesh is mutable.]

private

[godsays]

That wasn't what surprised me.

Private

[bodilesswarrior]

[No.] It matters if it gets infected. I'll get a burn kit out.

Private

[heisrisen]

Oh, don't be so terrestrial. I'll do a scour and skinweave when I go on shift. It'll be like it never happened.

[beingdifferent]

Goodness! Why on earth did you do that, and why have you got bees?

private

[heisrisen]

I wanted to burn it, so I did.

Private

[bodilesswarrior]

If you promise not to forget about it.

[heisrisen]

Because it reminds me of things I can't have, and I wanted it gone. Because burning greenery is a mourning custom where I come from, and I've left too much of myself behind lately not to mark the passing.

The bees were a gift.

private

[godsays]

That's stupid.

Private

[heisrisen]

I wouldn't. Pain is still...new.

[Strange. Fascinating.]

I promise.

[Which is to say - in a moment of nervy sincerity - he'll heal it as soon as he goes on shift anyway. Since she asked.]

private

[heisrisen]

It's perfectly rational.

Avoiding my room was stupid.

private

[godsays]

That too.

Private

[bodilesswarrior]

Thank you.

...You know - there are ways to experiment with that kind of thing that aren't harmful. And other sensations, too.

[beingdifferent]

Oh. I'm sorry, both to hear that and for being intrusive.

I wondered.

Private

[heisrisen]

I know.

[He glances away.]

Other sensations aren't really different. Pain is just - it's very there.

I don't really. Trust myself to pursue it right now.

Private

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her voice softens, just slightly.] Understood. You ever do - I'm here.

I'm always here.

[heisrisen]

If it was intrusive I wouldn't have answered.

[After a moment.]

And it was satisfying, in itself.

Re: Private

[heisrisen]

[His mouth twists, a smile, if only just,]

I'm impulsive these days.

Private

[bodilesswarrior]

That doesn't surprise me.

Any takers on the bees?