Higurashi aftermath

[sharpasafawkes]

[IN OUR LAST EPISODE Shaun and Cesare had a little trip down to the labs, if by "trip" we mean "a magical adventure full of torture-filled antics". Needless to say there's one historian laid up in a hospital bed, more or less asleep and bandaged like you wouldn't believe.]

Comments

[sharpasafawkes]

That's a start, just remember that in real life the pieces have feelings.

[maleborgia]

I will.

[sharpasafawkes]

[fluffing and then starting to preen]

You said you wanted another game...

[maleborgia]

*sometime later, after another game and a snack and the tiny climbing back onto the bed and falling asleep with the bird in his lap, Camp has decided that right now would be the ideal time to suddenly reage Cesare.

he's very awake and growing angrier and more frustrated by the second.

stands up suddenly, causing Shaun to topple out of his lap*

What was the meaning of all that?

[sharpasafawkes]

Cesare, I was having a normal...

[oh, oh god, oh god no. WORST TIME TO BE A BIRD]

[maleborgia]

You can't just tell him things like that! I don't care how upset you are! Do you know how much effort it takes to get him to behave properly? And now he's questioning me! This could very well ruin everything!

[sharpasafawkes]

[not answering, and starting to tuck his wings and claws in from his position on his back.]

[maleborgia]

Stop quivering! It's so damn annoying! *turning around to kick that chair, GOD*

[sharpasafawkes]

[yep, that's a terrified sound and he's trying to take to the air and just escape, damn the nurses and what they said the last time he tried to do that.

...

please take note of the "try", as the first wingbeat sends him to the ground, crying out in pain.]

[maleborgia]

*this is a noise of such frustration and he drops into that chair, not because he wants to but in an effort to make himself seem less threatening since he cannot actually calm down*

Get this through your head. I am not going to hurt you. I never hurt you, apart from when Camp forced me to. I am absolutely furious with you, with myself, with this entire place, and there is nothing that either of us can do about any of this.

[sharpasafawkes]

[Sorry, trying to crawl to the door]

Bollocks, you're a moment from slitting my throat, I can tell.

[maleborgia]

*voice raising, whiteknuckling that chair*

I'm not going to kill you!

*stands abruptly, pushing the chair back hard as he does so*

If you cannot calm down, I will leave. I do not need another death on my conscience.

[sharpasafawkes]

[That sparks another frantic attempt to get airborne, but it stops before it can really start, Shaun making a keen of pain as he flops back onto the floor, a bit of red staining his feathers.]

[maleborgia]

*FACEPALMING. SO MUCH FRUSTRATED FACEPALMING.*

[maleborgia]

*then striding across the room and quickly picking him up and putting him back on the mattress, making an effort to keep it as fast and as gentle as possible, backing up once he does*

Rue was right. I never should have come back here and I should not have sent him.

[sharpasafawkes]

[His breath is a little quick and he's still shaking, but at least he's responding.]

...You knew it was going to happen?

[maleborgia]

*still rather short with him, but at least he's not kicking furniture?*

I thought he might have been able to smooth things over or at least reassure me that nothing worse had happened while I was unable to see for myself. I did not think you would speak to him in such a manner.

[sharpasafawkes]

No, I meant you knew you'd turn into a kid?

[maleborgia]

*not sure where he's going with this*

Eventually.

1/2

[sharpasafawkes]

[...letting out a sigh of relief, then after a pause]

...

Get over here you bloody idiot. If you're not going to wring my neck, then that chair is damn uncomfortable and there's plenty of room on the bed right now.

[sharpasafawkes]

-besides, it wasn't a mistake, you did a bit of good as a child.

[maleborgia]

*confused and sitting on the edge of the bed awkwardly, waiting for Shaun to explain*

[sharpasafawkes]

[Shuffling over and then very, very, tentatively leaning against]

I can't control it when I shake or start panicking, or any of that rubbish, if I could I'd do it in a second. I don't like being afraid of a child or remembering... that sort of thing just because someone decides to go peel a little fruit in front of me. Look at me, I can't even say what happened without being afraid of it starting up again, and I hate that. I'm a grown man Cesare, if I can't even sleep properly or deal with these things in the hospital, how am I going to act like everything's fine if Malik comes back, it's not only humiliating, but dangerous.

...But I could admit all of that to you when you were younger. I didn't feel like I had to hold anything back and things would almost be like they were before. What he said made me understand what you're like, just a bit. Rationally I can't blame you for what happened, but it's like those damn shakes, it still happens. But, you didn't have all of that with you then, you were just Cesare Borgia, the glorified, if not mostly innocent, brat.

[maleborgia]

*startled a bit at the contact and lets Shaun finish speaking before giving his face a little nudge with the back of his hand and petting him lightly on the neck, allowing his anger to fade to relief for now at least*

I'm the brat? You're the one who called me out via a seven year old. God, do you have any idea the sort of note I'll have to write now? How on earth am I supposed to explain what you told him? He's not an idiot, you know. He was figuring out more than he told you and who knows what he'll end up piecing together if he runs this "dream" by Miguel.

[sharpasafawkes]

Oh get on the bed all the way, you look like you're hovering and that can't be comfortable, and I know he's not an idiot, he's you.

[leaning into the pettings, and then a moment later after stiffening with uncertainty.]

...what was he thinking about, and what's Miguel like?