In a matter of days I'll never be the same, tomorrow can I change? [W4, Sunday, Post-Execution]

[hydrokinetics]

[It was bittersweet, he thinks. Catching a murderer was one thing, but catching the wrong murderer simply because he confessed seemed anticlimatic and sad, but what else could be done?

After the execution and after some time, he finally finds himself heading back to the hotel. If he's at all surprised to see Sara outside, he says nothing, but he does call out a little distance away to alert her to his presence.]

How's your hand?

Comments

[alcobrawlic]

[ Sara gives him a glance, before she looks down at her hand and shakes it lightly. The knuckles are still a little scraped, but... eh. ]

Not that bad, honestly. I've had worse.

[hydrokinetics]

I have, too, but I had enough people ask me about mine last week. [He gets close enough and it's easier to see the concern in his features.] ...what're you doing out here by yourself?

[alcobrawlic]

Just getting some air. [ And she'll flap her non-scraped hand, because Percy no don't look at her like that. ] Inside feels a little weird right now.

[hydrokinetics]

[...a slow nod.] Mr. Barnham said the same thing when I asked him. I guess I can't blame either of you. Too bad the air never changes around here, you know? [Percy, what.]

...I'm sorry about everything.

[alcobrawlic]

... Why are you sorry?

[ Wow, Percy, she's pretty sure you didn't tell Ezio to do... any of this. ]

[hydrokinetics]

Because I know how much it sucks to want to believe in someone and then lose them because they did something awful? [A wry tone.] Especially when that person thinks they did it for the right reasons.

[alcobrawlic]

[ There's a pause-- and then Sara chuckles softly. ]

Well, I figured that's how it'd go, the longer this goes on. People we care about... who knows? Next week, it might be someone else we care about, for reasons we hope we never have to understand.

[hydrokinetics]

I'd really rather that not be the case, even if I know you're probably right. [A frown.] That doesn't make any of this easier either.

…he never gave any kind of tells, did he?

[alcobrawlic]

No, not at all... I probably should have expected that.

[ But she's still miffed. ]

[hydrokinetics]

[A light shrug.] Probably.

[There's a little bit of a lull before he leans against the railing of the porch. Does the porch have railings? It does now, probably. It's harder for him to get a read on Sara than it is Barnham, but he can try?]

...I don't know how to cook, but I can probably make you a sandwich if you want? [What.]

[alcobrawlic]

... Sorry, what?

[ What kind of transitional statement was that?? ]

[hydrokinetics]

[An awkward shrug.]

...whenever bad things happen my mom would make food or tea and I don't really know how to do either around here, but a sandwich isn't that hard.

[alcobrawlic]

You know...

... Sure, I'd take a sandwich.

[ She never knows how to handle comfort. ]

[hydrokinetics]

[He doesn't exactly know how to give it to people he hasn't known for years, or people who aren't kids, but he can try.]

Cool. Come on, there should still be stuff in the kitchen. [And he's turning to head that way. A pause.] ...do you like peanut butter?

[alcobrawlic]

I like pretty much anything, as long as it isn't bland.

[ Still making jabs at military blowhards and their godawful food, yep. But she'll fall into step beside him. ]

I THOUGHT I ANSWERED THIS WTF ME...sorry kia :c

[hydrokinetics]

Peanut butter and jelly's never bland if you make it with really good jam. [Into the hotel they go then and onward to the kitchen.] But that does make everything a little easier. Kinda wish we had more options here, but I'm also used to food coming from other places.

[Once they're in the kitchen he's going to start hunting around for bread and peanut butter and jelly that he's squirreled away.] On the other hand, maybe I can't complain too much.

HUSH YOU'RE FINE

[alcobrawlic]

It's true. [ she'll just lean against the counter to watch him, because he's not asking for help?? Kids have to grow into their own skills!!

Or she's just lazy. ]

I was a little worried we'd be killing cows ourselves.

[hydrokinetics]

[He's totally self-sufficient!! Or, at least, he knows how to make a sandwich which is good enough.]

Man, don't even joke about that. You never know what Hal's actually going to do to us the longer we're here. [A pause.] I don't even know how to kill a cow anyway. Minotaur, yes, cow, no.

It still gets to me sometimes that everything keeps being restocked. I'm not complaining, but it's weird to think about.

[alcobrawlic]

I think if you can take on a minotaur, you won't have much beef with a cow.

[ Sara stop. ]

But yeah, in the scheme of things... you're better off wondering about something else.

[hydrokinetics]

I should withhold your sandwich just for that pun. [But he's grinning anyway. Let's figure out how to evenly spread peanut butter and jelly...] Also I had a sword at the time, I didn't really take it on empty-handed.

What should I be wondering about instead then?

[alcobrawlic]

Oh, anything. We've learned a little more about how the Bandits operate-- or are forced to, anyway, but I'm still curious about the letters people have been getting.

[hydrokinetics]

[His shoulders tense just slightly, the only sign that he's curious about this topic suddenly.]

What letters? The only letter I've heard of is the one we found on Manfred. Unless you mean from people who aren't here anymore. I know where those are coming from, I think.

I'm crying because I was like WAS I INFOMODDING

[alcobrawlic]

Do you? You mean, it's not just 'beyond the grave'?

SORRY I literally just woke up. Like I'm in bed still

[hydrokinetics]

...sort of, but I promised not to tell where they are. [In a handwaved conversation, whoops.] When Jason and Shinnosuke broke into the post office it opened our line of communication, I think. Before I got her letter on Thursday I got a package from Annabeth on Tuesday.

I want to ask the Sheriff more about these things.

STOP TAGGING

[alcobrawlic]

Here's hoping he's actually helpful with that.

... [ A sigh. ] But if you promised not to say anything, that's fine.

I'm already up!!! And my alarm just went off...

[hydrokinetics]

In my experience he's only partially helpful if you already have information from other people. Maybe that'll help. [But he turns and presents a sandwich on a small plate.]

Just don't be surprised if someone sends you one in the future.

Re: I'm already up!!! And my alarm just went off...

[alcobrawlic]

I can't think of anyone who'd want to right now... hopefully it stays that way.

[ But she'll take that sandwich and unceremoniously bite into it. Mmmmm
]

[hydrokinetics]

What, not into the idea of sending and receiving spooky letters that you may or may not know where they're coming from? [There's a teasing smile and he's moving to make his own sandwich now.] Maybe I'm just used to things like that. Annabeth and I once sent a letter by burning it on an altar in the darkest part of the Underworld. We're hoping it actually went through.

[alcobrawlic]

... Should I ask what you were doing hanging around in the depths of the Underworld, which is where I'm assuming your dead people go?

[hydrokinetics]

It's definitely where our dead people go, but we've had a few quests down there, too. [Mm...]

...Annabeth was being dragged down there by a monster. I couldn't let her go by herself, so I jumped off of our airship and followed her down. We had to find the Doors of Death to close them and stop more monsters from coming into our world and keep them from respawning over and over again.

when you only just realize how many things you forgot to tag back

[alcobrawlic]

... Well.

[ Uh. ]

It sounds like you don't get too many days to just sleep in and do nothing, huh?

I know this feel well tbh

[hydrokinetics]

[There's a huff of a laugh as he finishes making his sandwich.]

A friend of mine once said, "with great power comes great need to take a nap." People like us usually don't have a lot of time between one quest and the next but we do get some downtime. When Annabeth and I first got here it bugged both of us that this place was so quiet. I sort of miss that.

[alcobrawlic]

Never underestimate the bliss of a completely boring and quiet day.

[ Said with the air of someone who adores them. ]

[hydrokinetics]

Sara, I have a hard time believing you've ever had a completely boring or quiet day in your entire life either. I'd like them if we had them more, but I've realized that will never really be the case.

[alcobrawlic]

They're called 'Free Days' and teachers love them, and I've had a grand total of like six.

[ So. There.

Except then she usually ends up having to grade papers or wandering out of town to beat up monsters, so. ]

[hydrokinetics]

Six. Wow. A real vacation. What do you even do with all that time?

[Don't even give him that, Sara.] I get a break from school in the summer but I'm still at camp and can be called off for a quest. In the fall through the spring I have classes but I can still be called off to fight monsters. Maybe after this we should both try to take a free day.

[alcobrawlic]

That'd be nice... I think I can aim for that!

[hydrokinetics]

[With that, he raises his sandwich almost in a mock-toast.]

Then okay. Here's to a good life and a free day. For both of us.

[alcobrawlic]

[ And she'll do the same. ]

I'll toast to that! Cheers, Percy.