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 Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:37 pm
((backdated to just after the meta))
Before had heard about how people had gone to pay their respects to the gravestones or to the deceased's room. He didn't know why exactly he couldn't do the same. He had no trouble going to visit Julie or Killzone's graves. He'd even made something in memory of them. But with Bix it was... different.
Like he couldn't bring himself to believe it had happened. He didn't want to believe it had happened. His Bro had always been the stronger of them. The better aimed, level-headed, most stable dude he'd ever met. And he just. Bix just can't be gone!
Moping could only last him for so long before he was forced to face the truth. Unfortunately, this was Before and he did better in running away from emotional problems than he was in actual battles. God he hated himself right now. Maybe that was why he found himself looking for someone who must hate him just as much and would either encourage him to stay a coward or would make him squirm and force him to go into Bix's room.Dragain Yes, that would be Ariane O 3O
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 4:29 am
Ariane was exhausted; ever since they returned to the island from that mission, she had been unable to get a good night's rest. Although falling asleep was easy, keeping herself asleep was not; often, she would wake up in the middle of the night, wondering why it was so quiet... As much as she hated to admit it, she missed Kintama. She was even starting to miss his crude, perverse jokes.
And then there was Bix... Strangely enough, it felt like she had chosen the wrong time to get closer to him, after neglecting him for so long. It probably wouldn't be this painful to see his lifeless body if she hadn't ran into him and his weapon-in-a-golem that day, and decided to repair some old relations. However, speaking of old relations...
She pursed her lips, and stopped in her tracks, having noticed a familiar face at the other end of the corridor.
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:32 pm
Before knew in the back of his mind who he was looking for, his feet having taken him in the direction he had long promised himself he'd avoid. In fact, he'd done such a bang-up job of avoiding her all this time it had to be because he was looking for her that Before ended up spotting the former Beta Boys leader.
"B-err, Ariane," he greeted carefully, the nickname of old almost slipping out of his mouth. "You, uh, you heading somewhere?" teal eyes studied her carefully, cautiously, the beginning of this is such a bad idea already forming in his head.
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Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 9:37 am
Ariane remained silent for a few seconds after Before asked his question, wondering why the Life hunter wasn't running away from her upon spotting her - which was what he usually did, ever since that incident. However, since she had never planned to avoid him, she wasn't against talking to him.
"No, not really," She replied, having been wandering around aimlessly; it wasn't as if she could do much now, without Kintama, "Something the matter?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 4:15 am
The former Lifer folded his arms across his chest, teal eyes suddenly downcast as he scuffed the soles of his boots against the floor. Obviously he hadn't quite figured out just what he was hoping to accomplish when he accidentally (on purpose) sought Ariane out. The best course of action at this point, he was sure Vanna would agree had she been present and conscious and not currently a tablet nestled in his breast pocket, was to simply continue the conversation. "You mean apart from our partners being a tablet and Bix being d-d-d-" He still couldn't bring himself to say it.
Before was glad that he was looking down, staring at his feet rather than facing Ariane. Of course it made the first tear trickle down that much faster. Then another and another. The Mist hunter just stopped trying to talk altogether as he quietly sat down.
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 11:35 am
Ariane totally did not notice the change in division. Yup.
"Dead," She completed the sentence for him, softly muttering that last word that Before could not say; it was still hard to believe that she would never be able to talk to Bix or make fun of him ever again, but she was quickly getting past the stage of denial... How could she not? She heard they had already erected a tombstone for the hunter.
When Before started to cry, she said nothing - offered no words of comfort, because she didn't know how. With Jude, she could speak her mind, with Gale, she was awkward, and with Before? With Before, she preferred silence.
Not saying anything was the best she could give him. They were all grieving... Why say something, and risk making it worse?
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 5:11 pm
Before hadn't been looking for comforting words or kind gestures or empty promises of how everything was going to be okay (because past experience in Deus made it pretty obvious things could only get worse). What he wanted, needed, at that moment was strength. Hearing someone use that word specifically came a close second. "Y-yeah, that word," he miserably confirmed with a nod while haphazardly wiping at his eyes. "Other than what we just said, nothing's really the matter."
Several seconds of silence passed before the Mist hunter, who was still sitting on the floor, asked, "How do you do it?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:20 am
Ariane wasn't sure why she was even still standing there, especially since Before was all crying and miserable, and she wasn't doing anything about it - just watching him.
"How do I do what?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:25 am
"Not cry. Not be upset. You just look tired," Before mumbled, not bothering to glance up and see if his words had any effect on her.
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Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 8:58 am
"Uh huh," Ariane rolled her eyes at Before, feeling a little ticked off, even if she didn't exactly show it; his words had rubbed her the wrong way, and she wondered if maybe it was a good thing they don't meet up that often, "And you know that because you know me so well, I'm guessing?"
She's going to give this 5 more minutes - or maybe 3 - before walking away, if this keeps up.
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Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 9:10 am
At that Before looked up, resting his chin atop his knees to regard the woman he once called Boss. "Just stating what I see right now. I didn't mean it as an insult," he murmured, then wiped away the tears that trickled down his cheeks. "Sorry for assuming."
He took a deep breath, then sharply smacked his palms against his eyes, as if the impact would somehow put a stop to his crying. "Sorry for losing it in front of you." His voice was even, a dead monotone more than anything. Yeah this was a bad idea all around.
Before began to stand and dust himself off, trying to regain what semblance of composure he had. "Was actually heading for Bix's room."
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Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 12:13 pm
"Right," Ariane muttered, going silent again; at his apologies, she just nodded each time to acknowledge them, not quite sure what to say... Although if he had wanted comfort or something, he shouldn't have greeted her in the first place. She was probably one of the most awkward, uncomforting hunters on the island.
"I see," She replied, pausing for a second before she decided to ask, "What for?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2012 10:46 pm
"Iunno," Before mumbled, scratching the back of his head as he answered. "Mebbe make sure no one was a scavenging jackass and tried to loot his stuff? He's a Hunter now and got his own place and everything. Or mebbe visit his old room when he was still a trainee," he rambled. The Mist looked like he was desperately trying to cling to whatever good memory he had ever since waking from the pod.
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Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 4:03 am
"Try to loot his suite?" Ariane raised an eyebrow, "He doesn't have much to loot." Unless he kept his valuables out of sight or something, since she didn't see a lot of things worth taking from him.
"Why would you even want to visit his old room? It's most likely vacant anyway, or taken up by a new trainee," She frowned, staring at him; she could understand protecting Bix's possessions, but going to his old room? Whatever for? She would rather go visit his grave, although to each their own, she supposed.
"Just go do whatever you want," She shrugged, turning to walk away. After a few steps, she paused, adding as an afterthought, "Or need to."
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Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 4:10 am
"Because I'm a sentimental old schmuck," Before stated evenly. "Because in the end, I know all that I'll have are memories and I want them to be the good kind." Before sounded like he was going to cry again, instead he buried his hands into his pockets, almost panicking that he couldn't find Vanna's tablet in either of them until he remembered he had slipped her into his breast pocket earlier. To keep her close to his heart or something equally sentimental.
"And, iunno, maybe it'll be easier for me to actually go to his new room after visiting his old one."
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