[DRP] Annabel Lee (Horace + others)

[The Semblance of Unity]

Bittiface

BROMANCE

Horace felt bad... for not telling Dylon everything, for holding his cards close to his chest until he could sort things out, for not being a better friend. Maybe it would've been easier if Dylon had been there. Horace wished, not for the first time, that one of his friends had been in that cave by the sounding sea.

Horace smiled gratefully. "I'd appreciate it. And of course you can stay, Dylon." His hand fidgeted with the sheets. "It's surprisingly quiet when no one's around."  

[The Semblance of Unity]

Grey Dragon

Jello or Candy?

As Oliver sat down, Horace slung his good arm around the other boy's shoulders. It was easier to focus on someone else than himself. He remembered how wan Oliver had looked in his infirmary bed. That sort of spectral nervousness hadn't faded from him, even as his scar had healed. Normally, it made Horace want to bullyhim, just a bit, but Horace was so tired. He felt too blank, lukewarm, as though most of his emotions had drained away. But he tried, for Oliver, because Oliver had brought something very very normal with him. It was... nice.

"Do you normally carry so much candy around?" He blinked slowly at the pile and did not ask if it was Valentine's candy. That holiday seemed faded, out of reach. "How many pockets do you have?"  

[The Semblance of Unity]

Beejoux

Things we say

He watched her, eyes still fatigued and dull. It was increasingly clear that everyone had been out not to save him, but to catch Jan. Even Peyton, although her least of all. It was a little upsetting that they had assumed none of his friends would've come along. If he never talked to America or Taym again, it would be a blessing, despite the fact they'd rescued him. He could not find it in himself to be grateful, not really, not with how he'd been a baggage. Part of him said it was wrong to think like that, but he couldn't not.

"Yeah, it'd be nice to read them all. From the beginning, I mean." He paused. HEr apology didn't sounds like an apology so much as a 'let's not talk about this', which was fair - he'd meant the same thing, more or less. Instead, he looked down at his left hand and slowly flexed his remaining fingers. "Once I'm out, is your offer of teaching still open?"  

[The Semblance of Unity]

Prolixity

Pick-Me-Up

"I'd share the info if I had it. I have no idea who's sending me stuff. It doesn't taste bad, though." Maybe later he'd care more who sent it. But caring seemed like effort.

He shot Jordan a glance. He still needed to see Jan, to figure out sosme things... but Jordan gave off 'trust me' vibes. "Hey, after I get out, can I swing by? I m-might need your opinion on something."  

[The Semblance of Unity]

Huni Pi

Late

He accepted the fruit with a small thanks. "Pulling K.P. a lot lately? I usually get stuck washing dishes." He tried to keep his tone light and easy. "I think they put me on temp ban from teh jungle outpost duty.. possibly because I swung from a vine." It seemed like a very, very distant memory, even though it really had been a scant two months ago. Had it really been so short a time? Horace stared blankly at the white curtain.  

[Bittiface]

The Semblance of Unity

BROMANCE

Dylon smiled, a little relieved, and left Horace to grab his things.

Dylon took some time, but eventually he made it back. "Oh good, you're still here." He kidded with a grin, sitting back down and placing the younger man's belongings on the bed. "This won't be as fun as Harley's underwear parties, but we can make do. I can read you smutty novels or make out with you." He grinned widely, waiting to make the man break his stitches with laughter.  

[prolixity]

Pick-Me-Up

"That's the amazing part," Jordan said solemnly.

He nodded, eyes softening slightly. Something was on Horace's mind, something that the kid thought Jordan could help with. "I'm usually around in the evenings, or shoot me a text when you want to come by," he answered. He wasn't going to speculate on what it was yet, but it was clearly something private.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[Enoh Love]

SCREECH

Harley wasn't sure what to make of his silence, especially since he had just finished pouring his heart out to her, but she could at least acknowledge that something had gone wrong. Perhaps a little bit of pessimism had snuck it's way into her naturally super optimistic demeanor, or perhaps it was simply because she wasn't equipped to handle something this serious, but whatever the reason, she felt like she had done a terrible wrong.

Even if he did thank her, she felt like she had failed somehow.

"Of course you are, you had a hard day, right?" She tried to pass it off, tried to bring the smile back into her voice. Her fingers continued to run though his hair, while the other kept a firm hold on his shoulder, holding him as best as she could. "Do you mind if I stay? I'll be quiet I promise! I just...really wanna stay, for a little bit. Okay?" She was being selfish, she was being pushy, but she couldn't imagine going home right now. Especially after he had cried so hard on her.

the semblance of unity

 

[Enoh Love]

The mature, adult thing to do

Hattie made a point of visiting as often as her schedule would allow. Most of the time she came with gifts, be it a snack with actual taste to it or a new (to her, hopefully to him) book; he was recovering, and hospitals were boring, she knew from experience.

Today, though?

Her arms were empty. There was no bag, no candy wrapper, no book. All she had was herself, dressed in her usual tank top and skirt with high top converse...and one large, mischievous grin that showed perhaps a little too many teeth to be innocent. If he was paying attention though, he might have noticed that her lipstick was a much brighter red than usual, and certainly a little thicker than she'd have normally worn it.

If he even got the chance to notice right away, of course.

"Good morning, sunshine!" She announced, despite it being late afternoon, and then wasted no time in crawling on the bed - and then in stretching her leg over him, so she could sit on him instead. Comfortably on his legs, where she wouldn't hurt much at all.

She grabbed his face with both of her hands to prevent his escape, and then leaned in to press a purposely firm kiss to his cheek.

the semblance of unity

sorry not sorry for the drabble title

 

[Grey Dragon]

Jello or Candy?

Oliver resumed sniffling almost immediately, and although he didn't lean into the friendly gesture, neither did he pull away. Instead he picked up pieces of candy and set them down again, re-organizing them in a way that was not apparent or even important. An idle gesture to keep his hands busy.

He nodded, briefly glancing up at Horace with those pale, wet eyes. "I-I d-don't know, but there's at least fifteen pockets... And it's always good to have a snack. I don't always leave the labs for lunch, or dinner sometimes, so it's better to have something on me to eat."

How Oliver ate what he did and still resembled a fit human being would be a mystery forever.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Bittiface

BROMANCE

"Why would I go anywhere when I knew your beautiful face was coming back to me?" Horace tried to put on a bit of his normal good cheer for Dylon. Dylon had been nothing but a good friend to him. He stacked his notebooks carefully. There were things he needed to write down, thing he needed to not forget. He was so focused, he almost missed Dylon's quip.

Horace stared for a second; he wasn't in the mood to joke, not really. He felt mostly blank and tired and hurt. But nevertheless, he stuck out his tongue and waggled it a bit at Dylon. "No makeouts for you, Casanova. But I guess reading to me will be alright. If I laugh too hard, I'll pop my stitches, though, so be gentle with my body."  

[Bittiface]

The Semblance of Unity

BROMANCE

Dylon gleamed, and slowly pulled out a shoujo manga. Sliding closer to Horace, he opened it to the first page.

"Usagi-chan! You're going to be late!" He shrieked in a feminine voice, "KYAAA! Mom, why didn't you wake me up!?"  

[The Semblance of Unity]

Bittiface

BROMANCE

Horace gave him a Look. The high-pitched kyaa nearly made him jump of his skin. No, Horace had never watched or read Sailor Moon.  

[The Semblance of Unity]

Things we say

"Thank you," he said softly. "I warn you, I read quickly." Horace did blaze through books, when he could concentrate. His concentration was shot recently, though. He blinked slowly and thumbed through the book, opening it to a familiar passage.

“We feel cold, but we don't mind it, because we will not come to harm. And if we wrapped up against the cold, we wouldn't feel other things, like the bright tingle of the stars, or the music of the aurora, or best of all the silky feeling of moonlight on our skin. It's worth being cold for that.”

He swallowed and set the book down again just as Peyton asked her question. It was Horace's turn to blink up at her. "Of course I do, Pey. You're one of the best to learn from and you're my friend and I'll... I'll need it." His gaze slanted down to his left hand and the missing finger. Even if he felt bitter towards Peyton, he recognized that it was not an emotion he could do anything about. And she, of the three, had been kindest, in a way. Every unpleasant emotion was tied up in the rescue and still some part of him wondered if he'd been better left there. He did not tell Peyton this.

beejoux