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

[upgradeit]

I don't think that bastard knows the meaning of the word mercy.

[He says "bastard" like it carries a weight it doesn't really in English. Because he translated a swear into English from Japanese purely for Marco's benefit.]

I mean, just look at all the things he was telling us! He - he called my brother a murderer. Tadashi would never.

[Hiro is 100% of the Tadashi apologist squad.]

[nachosquire]

[thank you hiro, you are a true friend

Actually, Hiro swearing has Marco's eyebrows raise a little in shock. He may be a misunderstood bad-boy but swears are for sailors, mister.]

Yeah... yeah. He called my best friend a murderer too and said "they" voted for her but that's not possible right? Like, I saw her just the day before I was kidnapped so there's no way she could've been here before.... right?

[He might be legitimately asking Hiro this. He's smart, he would know the answer to that.]

[upgradeit]

I don't think anything he said was . . . I mean, it can't be. My brother is - [He swallows.] My brother is dead.

[pops up like a fucking mameshiba: hey did you know this is the first time Hiro has acknowledged his brother is dead rather than ambiguously Not Around :)]

He can't have murdered anybody.

[nachosquire]

[hey r do you take constructive criticism?]

......um...

[Marco starts, but the words quickly die on his tongue. He wants to tell him that Lekmet was brought to life, that it was possible Randall brought his brother to life but he.. he's not sure he wants to actually bring up that possibility. It's hard enough thinking that Star could have murdered someone, but he can't imagine what it'd be like to think your dead brother killed someone.]

Y-you're right. He couldn't have killed anyone.

[Marco reaches up to Hiro's shoulder with his hand, gripping it a little bit tightly from comfort and to try and ignore the twisting feeling in his gut right now.]

[upgradeit]

[:D]

Sorry, I. Today was a lot.

[Hiro brings his hand up to his shoulder cover Marco's and smiles before letting his hand drop back down. That's not too gay, right???? Is that weird?????? How do people do physical affection????????????]

I didn't mean to just dump that on you.

[nachosquire]

[Nah man, that isn't too weird. He's held hands with a demon guy he used to hate before so it's Fine.]

What? Nooo, it's... totally fine.

[Marco takes his hand back then, and rubs his other arm with it a little awkwardly.]

I came in to see if you were okay so, like, I dunno... I'm glad you trust me enough to open up like that, I guess?

[It's better than if Hiro said "I'm okay." and left it at that, he thinks.]

[upgradeit]

. . . I'm not really used to hanging out with people my own age?

[All of his friends are ambiguously 4 or more years older than him, because uh. He sure skipped almost 4 grades.]

It's - it's nice. Sometimes I wish I could have gone to school with people my own age.

[nachosquire]

[Oh.. he's his first age appropriate friend.. somehow that's touching for Marco, and he lets out a little laugh.]

Nah man, high school sucks. It's just full of a bunch of sweaty, hormonal teenagers who all hate each other and want nothing more than to get the heck outta there.

[upgradeit]

Yeah. It sucks because they don't let you skip out of high school, no matter how smart you are.

[Hiro smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. His high school experience was, uh. Super not great.]

[nachosquire]

See? You probably had a way better time in college than in high school.

[He sees the way you're smiling, he knows.]

But I'm glad you're not too used to adults to be friends with someone like me.