Luceti Appointments

[i_speak_softly]

Need a thread with Don, but don't have a post for it and don't feel like starting one? Stick it here. Please note date, time of day, location, and any relevant circumstances.

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[semper_cogitans]

Y-You... [Robert really can't believe that this just happened, even after everything in Luceti that he's seen. He knows that kidnappings have been brief before, and that drop-offs can be short and even smooth, but this... this is beyond the pale. Are the Malnosso capable of teleporting their victims now?

Hesitantly, Robert reaches trembling fingers out, like he doesn't really trust that Don is there yet.]

You are... ... b-back...? But... but how... [How did it happen so quickly?]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don immediately puts his own hand out, twining his fingers with Robert's and squeezing tightly. It feels so good to be able to touch something.]

I've been here for days. You didn't notice.

[semper_cogitans]

...

[The reality of this hits Robert like a transport tube pod at full speed. Don's... been here? And his alcohol-and-hallucination-addled consciousness wasn't even capable of processing that on any level?

A shudder goes through his body, and though he clutches Don's hand just as tightly, his hand is clammy.]

I... I never s-saw...

I thought I was a-alone... [How much of his private hell did Don see?]

[i_speak_softly]

You were drunk.

[Don presses Robert's hand to the mattress and drops it, obviously furious in his own quiet way.]

[semper_cogitans]

[That answers the unspoken question. A small anguished sound escapes Robert, some muted noise of pain and shame, but he doesn't respond to that even as he curls forward and shuts his eyes.

What could he even say to defend himself? It's true, he's been in a dark and drunken haze for altogether too long.... It's the longest he's been wrapped in oblivion since Don died.]

[i_speak_softly]

[Robert, you are way too easy to guilt-trip. Don doesn't feel bad about it, though, as he turns to get out of bed.]

Clean yourself up. I'm going to make us some breakfast.

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert wrings his hands as he sits, suddenly paralyzed by the thousands of questions in his head. But he can only manage to put words to one.]

... Wh-what exactly did you see...? [What will he have to try ineffectually to explain?]

[i_speak_softly]

Everything.

[Not exactly true, since he periodically got fed up and left the house for a while, but he doesn't see any reason to explain that right now.]

[semper_cogitans]

[No.]

... I... I s-see... [He almost whispers it, not even so much a sentence as a disjointed murmuring, as he stands up, swaying slightly. He's shaking like a leaf in a windstorm, and being sick isn't helping stave off the sudden gut-wrenching fear that once again he's ruined everything.

But his face is nearly expressionless, despite the trembling of his body.]

[i_speak_softly]

[It takes a lot to make Don angry, but even more to make him abandon someone who's in danger of hurting themselves. When he sees Robert shaking like that, Don crosses the room, seizes the back of Robert's pajama shirt, and half-carries, half-marches him into the bathroom.]

Do you need me to wait with you?

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert goes quietly. Even if he wasn't half-out of his mind with sleep deprivation and the remainder of a hangover, he knows that everything that happened already put him on thin ice, and he's not going to endanger it further if he can help it.]

... Yes...

[It's a plea, almost. Stay with him. Don't leave him yet, even if he is a wreck.]

[i_speak_softly]

[Done.]

[Don turns the water on and makes sure Robert gets safely into the shower, then waits. The humid warmth of the bathroom feels good, anyway.]

[semper_cogitans]

[The man cleans himself with a precision bordering on mania, though he doesn't quite succumb to the extremes that happened during his solitude. The reminder that Don is there - waiting to see him begin to fix whatever problems he caused - is enough of a motivator not to lose himself in cleaning filth that does not exist.

He steps out of the shower about ten minutes later, still looking exhausted but somewhat better than he was, and wraps himself in a towel. Now that he's clean, the subtle marks on his hands from where he'd scrubbed off skin are all-too-obvious.]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don has had all week to notice these bizarre self-inflicted injuries. What he hasn't done properly all week is drink, so while Robert showered, Don downed one glass after another of water. He feels somewhat better now, though he still looks pale and tired.]

Can you walk now?

[semper_cogitans]

[Despite his own condition, Robert is lucid enough to notice these things, but he doesn't comment yet.]

... I... I can. [He takes a few steps to prove his point, though they still are less sure-footed than usual.]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don follows Robert back to the bedroom, where Carbon has perched herself on the end of the bed, staring towards where her two-legs had gone. While waiting for Robert to find some clothes, Don picks the cat up and nuzzles her affectionately, addressing her in Japanese but purposely using words Robert probably understands.]

< Hello, cat. How are you today? Do you know you're smarter than that scientist? >

[semper_cogitans]

[Unfortunately for him, he does understand at least enough to know he's being insulted. But while an emotionally-stronger person (or even Robert himself on a better day) might lash out against such an attack on his intellect, no matter how unreasonable, he just doesn't have the capacity to do so right now. So he doesn't comment on it, though he very noticeably does not make eye contact with Don as he dresses himself.

Carbon, meanwhile, is just happy to be getting some actual dedicated attention again. Too much distance from the shell-less one...]

[i_speak_softly]

[Robert seems to be doing okay right now, so Don puts Carbon on his shoulder and heads to the kitchen. He hasn't eaten anything all week and he's pretty hungry.]

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert doesn't accompany him. In fact, Robert doesn't really go anywhere. He just... kind of stands there until Don leaves, and eventually sits with a leaden heaviness on the edge of his bed, staring into the nothingness in front of him and slowly, methodically kneading his hands together.

His head is a blur of emotions tinged with pain of all kinds and he really just wants to lie down and sleep, but he's too frightened of the Pandora's Box of possibilities that opened up to actually be able to rest.]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don comes back after a while carrying two trays of food, one of which holds a bowl of plain rice and a mug of weak tea. This he holds out to Robert.]

Here. Be grateful I don't know Master Splinter's hangover remedy.

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert takes the tray, fingers shaking very slightly as he lowers it into his lap. His face is wet.]

... Th-Thank you...

[He takes the offered spoon then (good thing it is a spoon, he probably couldn't have handled anything else) and begins to eat very slowly, seemingly oblivious to his own condition.]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don sits down with his own, more heavily-laden, tray, and stuffs his face for a while before speaking again. He chooses his words carefully, translating his feelings the way he's learned to do for his partner.]

I'm angry because I love you. The things I saw you doing the last few days, I don't ever want to see again. Do you understand?

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert's hands shake hard enough that he actually drops the spoon he was holding.]

... S-Some of what you witnessed... I am not c-certain I can completely control...

[You're not expecting him to stop all of it, are you, Don?]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don automatically reaches to make sure the whole tray doesn't tip over.]

We'll talk about it when you're sober.

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert nods mutely at that and refocuses his fractured mind on his food, though he really doesn't want to eat anymore. It's probably the best that he gets some actual food in himself, though...

As he eats, he keeps his eyes on his tray, shamefully silent. This is bringing up all sorts of terrible memories, though at least so far this is going better than before.]