Second Bowl (Backdated to Between-Act Break)

[ricebird]

[It’s late the next morning before a message goes out across the network. She and Varian had spent a long time last night baking and eating Linzer torte, talking about the homes waiting for them and the wonder they held, the future plans they have here and there, and just letting each other know how important their friendship is. It took longer after for Kotori to wake up, so hopefully everyone was alright on their own for breakfast.]

I hope everyone’s having a good day. I just wanted to let everyone know Varian went back to his world last night. He was able to say goodbye, though, and he said that if he can he’ll come back, but he has some things he needs to do in his world first.

[Still, even if it felt more like an “until we meet again” than a “goodbye,” the hope isn’t quite enough to fully buoy her mood. Some comfort will probably be nice, either through the journals or if you find her in the castle kitchens.]

Comments

[blue_ice]

Don't worry about cooking. I'll tackle it today.

[ Not that he knew either of them well, but it was the least he could do. ]

[ricebird]

Oh. Thank you, Kaiba-san. I should be alright by dinner but... I appreciate that.

[Usually cooking is her go-to outlet for stress relief but... yeah, having the day to herself would be nice. And for dinner she might just use her pot.]

[blue_ice]

Don't mention it. You've done more than enough for us. Take some time for yourself.

[ricebird]

[Aw, that's actually really sweet.]

Thank you. I'll be around more this evening, promise.

[tempredmental]

Are you okay?

[ricebird]

[Good question.]

I will be. I'll miss him, but this is important to him, and I'm glad I got to say goodbye.

[tempredmental]

Yeah. [Keith didn't blame Hunk for going back home. He knew this wasn't for everyone.] If you need anything, though... just ask, okay?

[ricebird]

Thank you. Actually, Kaiba-san is taking over lunch for me, so... I'm not really sure what to do with myself.

[Other than cry. And either stress eat or fast, her appetite fluctuates a lot when she's THIS upset. Right now she doesn't really feel like eating.]

[afterthemoon]

[Trying to offer comfort through the journal proved difficult for Isa, he simply wasn't sure what to say, since most things that came to mind felt like shallow platitudes when he saw them written out on the page.

They did always say that actions spoke louder than words, after all.

It wasn't hard to find Kotori in the castle kitchens.]

Hey...

[His gentle voice was accompanied by a gentle hand on Kotori's shoulder.]

Everything okay...?

[ricebird]

[Honestly, she wasn't anyone to come so quickly, let alone a shoulder touch, so she blinks in a bit of surprise and her eyes are wetter than she'd like them to be.]

I-isa-san...

[afterthemoon]

It's okay to miss him, even though you had a chance to say goodbye..

[ricebird]

[She looks down and nods.]

I-I know, it's just...

[It just hurts a lot. It always does right after a parting like this.]

[takeittothebridge]

[ It isn't very long after her post goes up that Bridge comes to find her in the castle kitchens. Pausing at the doorway, he then knocks first so he won't startle her. ]

Hey...Kotori-san?

[ricebird]

[Ah, just in time to catch her wiping a few tears. It doesn't help that for just a second, her brain switches to the Denial stage of grief and looks up hoping to see him in the door. (Guess who entered the kitchen almost the exact same way last night?]

Ah... Bridge-kun, hi. Is everything alright?

[takeittothebridge]

[ He frowns a bit as he enters the kitchen. ]

I should probably be asking you that.

[ He didn't really know much about Varian, having only bumped into him a handful of times. But he knows Kotori, at least well enough to know that she might need a friend right now. ]

[ricebird]

[A soft sigh. She knows she can't really lie, but... still.]

I'll be okay, but...

[But she's not now. She knows he has some very important things to handle at home, both for others in his world and for himself, and she should be grateful he told her goodbye at all, unlike Hunk, but... she still misses him so much already, even as she tries to rein in her sniffling.]

[hatesviolence]

You gonna be okay?

Private

[ricebird]

I will be.

[She says that, but... after a pause she sends him a direct message.]

Varian... he's been my friend almost exactly as long as you have. We met at that big feast in the town square, just a couple hours after you and I met in the Library.

[Of course, half a year of that he spent away from the Index, but they ended up growing close the second time he came here, especially clear with the lack of a "kun" now.]

[hatesviolence]

I see...

Anything I can do to help take your mind off things?

[gobetween]

[Sure, he may've only been a passing annoyance acquaintance to, and with, Varian, but he knew Kotori well enough by now to know she'd been close to him. Still, it took him a minute to figure out what to say. How much easier would it be, in its own way, if this was a death situation? Not wishing bad on Varian, of course! But the finality was easier to deal with in its own way, rather than 'just went home, might be back, who knows?' And at least he had experience with helping someone with grief...

Though... It's still grief, isn't it? Just in a new way. Now knowing what to say, he replied.]

I'm glad he was able to say goodbye. Sometimes, that isn't always possible. And at least until he comes back, you'll have the times you spent together to remember him by.

[ricebird]

[Those are really nice words, and it helps that with Gobo, she knows they're sincere.]

Thanks, Gobo-kun. I know, and I appreciate it, but... it still hurts now.

[gobetween]

There's nothing saying you can't hurt for a while, or be sad. It might take some time to feel good about it again, in its own way.

Just... Take your time with it, okay? It'll be alright.

Kokichi Oma | Lampwick

[shslliar]

Awwwww... And I really liked the guy...

[ricebird]

I did too. He was a very good friend.

[shslliar]

Yeah... Pretty interesting guy, too.

[ And it's making him sad he can't really "go home..." For reasons. ]

Hope he has fun back in his world.