This is fine. It's fine. We're fine.

[sharpasanarrow]

[Well that was.

Something.

Underneath everyone’s door they’ll find a slip of paper, in shaky calligraphy, that reads:

INVITATION

Meet in the Dining Room.

Do not bring alcohol of any sort.

Upon arrival into the Dining Room it’s clear that this is very much...not a party.

The center of the room is cleared of all tables, and instead has all the chairs arranged in a circle, facing inwards. On the tables pushed to the side are jugs of water, cups, plates of saltines, and several hastily-made pamplets that read on the front ”How to cope with Child homicide” that contains an advisory list:

1. Try not to think about it.
2. Do not get hysterical.
3. Crying is permitted, but keep it within a reasonable volume. (For the consideration of fellow mourners)
4. Maintain civility
5. Do not plunder the belongings of the deceased.
6. No drinking or gambling your sorrows away. Set an example.

Standing in front of one of the chairs already is Mr.Arrow. He clears his throat as people start to slowly come in.]

I gathered you all here because I believed it would be conductive to group morale if we all worked through our feelings regarding recent events. Talk about your feelings with one another, but not with me.

[He steps back a little, out of the circle of chairs, in what seems to be an invitation for people to sit down and discuss with one another.]

Comments

[kickbuttseatnuts]

[Okay that. Gets a raised eyebrow.]

...I wouldn't say no. Are you comfortable saying yes, is the thing?

[astronomics]

I... got a new appreciation for them, before I came here. So I'm a little rusty, but. I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't.

[kickbuttseatnuts]

Sounds like a heck of a development for ya.

Well... I'm not saying no. [Opens??? Arms???]

[astronomics]

It took a lot.

[ And she is going to just... look, Jyn Erso has done one hug in the last five years, and it was as she was on the brink of death by laser. It's not the best hug in the world. But it's a good effort. ]

[kickbuttseatnuts]

[Honestly, she kinda likes it. Its awkward but Doreen's a touchy person by nature and being a couple weeks without someone she knows enough to casually lounge on while studying has been weird. She's never been more than a day without at least a squirrel on her shoulder since she was 16. The reminder is nice.

She gives her a pat pat.] Well, we're always learning. That's life.

[Hasn't let go yet tbh]

[astronomics]

[ To be fair, Jyn does settle into the hug a little more after a second or so. She's still tense, but Doreen's... she trusts Doreen. Which part of Jyn, in the back of her mind, insists is a bad idea here, but. The hug is nice.

And if Doreen isn't letting go neither is she, So. There's that. ]

I guess so.

[kickbuttseatnuts]

Yeah.

[So this is. This. And This is comforting.]

.....I hope I don't smell gross, I didn't get to shower before. Everything.

[astronomics]

[ yeah This is p great.

that startles a small laugh out of jyn.. ]

You smell fine, don't worry.

[kickbuttseatnuts]

Thanks. [She thinks she hears a smile in that voice now and that gives her a bit of a smile too.]

For what its worth, you smell good too. [Which isn't exactly what Jyn said and might be an escalation and she isn't sure she should've phrased it like that and maybe its incredibly creepy and she should keep her mouth shut now forever.]

[astronomics]

I... thank you?

[ THAT'S. HUH. Wow her cheeks are getting kind of warm, uh- There's an amusement to her voice at least, tempered by a little bit of. Something else. ]

I do my best.

[kickbuttseatnuts]

[fuck she's bad at this she's so bad at this, she put things off too long with chipmunk hunk and wasted her name and then the moleman weirdness put her off and then the other thing happened and now she's proving exactly why she should never talk to anyone ever and just fuck off to the negative zone again]

Yeah. I can tell.

[FUCK FUCK FUCK]

How, um, you holding up? Considering. All that.

[astronomics]

[ wow, neither of them are any good at this, what a mess, okay. um. ]

I'm... doing as well as I can. How about you?

[kickbuttseatnuts]

Erm. About the same, I guess.

...Well, no, pretty bad honestly? I mean, not super bad, but not great but... yeah.

[astronomics]

That... I can't say that isn't about as well as I can do right now.

[kickbuttseatnuts]

I guess everyone's... like that right now. Recovering.

Except Negaduck probably, but he's a chump.

[astronomics]

Definitely a chump.

[ ... ]

The hugging helps.

[kickbuttseatnuts]

Yeah. I guess I've been pretty touch-starved, to be honest. [Just been Mew Mew]

[astronomics]

I don't... do a lot of touching, usually. But this is nice.

[ you know. when it's with her. ]

[kickbuttseatnuts]

It takes practice, I'll tell you that for free. I know a lot of heroes who aren't used to it.

[astronomics]

Yeah, well... it gets tough, when you don't have a lot of people you trust.

[kickbuttseatnuts]

Tell me about it. I don't know why but sometimes its easier to think people are against you than to put in trust.

[astronomics]

It can be, especially when you've been wanted by an Empire since you were eight. But... I trust you.

[kickbuttseatnuts]

[Oh. O H]

...I hope I'm worth it.

[astronomics]

I like to think I'm a decent judge of character. And you... don't remind me of a lot of people I've known. In good ways.

[kickbuttseatnuts]

I... I try to be good. I hope I'm good.

I guess I'll try to keep not reminding you of the bad.