[GP/EP] Check-in Day

[st_igmatized]

It was a musical day at the Madonna Inn, both inside and out. Curnen had taken her usual place up on the roof and was singing charms to the sky to keep any wanderers from getting lost (though that part of it was not immediately obvious). Unrelated to that, Sunny was on the dance floor in the bar, summoning songs of her own with her knife to keep her moving before she went to do her shift at the library later. It was one of those days where if she thought about it too hard she’d start thinking about that empty bed in her shitty room and the person she most wanted to be there.

This of course eventually seeped into her magic. She knew better. Maybe she’d even wanted that to happen.

Because just once, between different pop hits and dance beats came a rather unexpected French love song. She sighed and rolled her eyes, but the exasperation didn’t last. Before the lyrics started up she was waltzing. By herself and not caring how it might have looked. And for those three and a half minutes, she dared let herself hope for the slimmest chance that Orlu might come through that door.

She didn’t let herself hope too hard, though. There was admitting to feeling things and there was setting yourself up for certain disappointment. She’d lived too long with disappointment to do that to herself.

Comments

Corbie - OTA

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Corbie would like to say that after so many arrival days, you got a sense of when someone was coming and when they weren't, but the truth was, you had no damn idea. That and the possible stimulation of meeting a new person, it got a body busy. People were in their usual places even if that meant ‘the hell away from the inn’ because some just didn’t want to do the new people thing. Today felt different, though. And after a moment, she realized why.

It was May fifteenth. The anniversary of when she’d stumbled through to this tiny, enclosed world.

She had been here for an entire fucking indiction.

Already feeling off, from there Corbie became downright listless. Gran would be ashamed, she knew. Corbie had been raised to believe that working was better than worrying, that staying occupied at least filled time with something useful while idly moping or fretting was an indulgence they couldn’t afford. And it had been. At home, she would never have been able or allowed to sit idle when there was so much to be done.

Today, though, the weight of ‘what’s the point?’ had gotten to her. She was sitting in the cafe with what was supposed to be lunch—technically breakfast, since she hadn’t eaten yet today—and found she still had no appetite. She wanted to eat. But just the thought of swallowing around what seemed like was becoming a fixed lump in her throat was tiring.

She pushed the plate away, folded her arms, put her head down, and closed her eyes. She missed her friends and her teachers. She missed church and the crowds of cities. She missed knowing where she was and what her place was there. She missed Felix so much, it felt like she’d never breathe right again.

After a while her fingers began to move as though over a string of beads, over a coraline she’d left behind, lips moving in murmured prayer, “I believe in the great Lady, She who waits behind all things...”

Alec/Corbie

[st_x5_494]

Alec could usually tell where Corbie was in the room. Somehow she just had that presence about her, even if he didn't want to admit it. When he walked into the cafe and saw her like that, he knew something was wrong - Corbie was usually the solid one.

He walked over, eyeing the food that didn't seem to be touched, and slid into the seat across from her. For a moment he didn't say anything.

"You okay?"

Re: Alec/Corbie

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Corbie was concentrating so hard on praying, taking comfort from the familiar cadences even if faintly distressed by her empty fingers, that she didn't notice she had company until Alec spoke. She lifted her head just enough to meet his gaze, resting her cheek on her fist. Her free hand paused, as if still holding an invisible bead. Station three, she reminded herself. "I'm not hungry," she mumbled.

Re: Alec/Corbie

[st_x5_494]

That definitely was not like Corbie at all. He hid his frown and instead nodded as if understanding. "Want me to eat it for you? I can describe the taste. A friend of mine back home was good at describing everything little thing about food. I'm pretty sure most of it is BS trying to impress Max, but I could mimic him."

When had he started calling Logan a friend? Clearly his head wasn't on straight.

Re: Alec/Corbie

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Corbie shook her head best she could in her position, then nudged the plate with the untouched sandwich toward him. "That's okay. But if you want it, go ahead. Wasting food's a shitty thing to do."

Re: Alec/Corbie

[st_x5_494]

Something was definitely wrong. His lips pressed together. "What's wrong, Corbie?" He paused. "Who do I need to punch?"

Re: Alec/Corbie

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Under other circumstances that might have gotten either a twitch of a smile or scolding that that was excessive, but Corbie only shook her head again, her cheek rubbing against her arm. "Ain't anything to punch."

Corbie & Mildmay

[st_onecoldfox]

Mildmay had been in Corambis long enough to recognize the motions of Corbie's hands and what it meant. Finding her a coraline went on his list of things to do, and soon. Wasn't right she didn't have one. Since she was praying, and yeah, 'cause he was still himself, when he slipped into the seat next to her, he didn't say nothing. Sent a steady glare around the room warning off anybody who might want to bother her right then, but let his presence at her side say what she needed to know.

Something was fucked, Corbie hurting like this, and Kethe if Mildmay knew there was anything he could do, but he'd try.

Re: Corbie & Mildmay

[st_rikingblueeyes]

It took Corbie a moment to realize Mildmay was there, and even then the realization came to her slowly. She had been so intent on praying that his quiet presence took a while for her to feel.

Corbie opened her eyes and looked at him, not raising her head from the table. There was never any point lying to him, unless she was deliberately saying 'I'm fine' as an indirect 'I don't want to talk about it.' She didn't try. "Is this what exile felt like?" she asked softly.

Re: Corbie & Mildmay

[st_onecoldfox]

Oh. The feel of Mildmay's quiet changed, from steady and solid presence to considering her question. After a long moment, he nodded slightly. "Yeah."

Part of him wanted to pull in her into his lap, tell her it wasn't so bad here. But he wasn't gonna lie, and right then, it was just that bad for her. He did smooth a hand over her hair, tuck her closer to his side with an arm around her shoulders. "'Cept keeping Felix alive and fed took way more work."

Re: Corbie & Mildmay

[st_rikingblueeyes]

The comment startled a little laugh out of Corbie, though it did carry the wavering quality of a suppressed sob. She sat up so she could tuck herself against him properly, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I didn't think... even with all the weird shit here, I didn't really think I'd be here so long."

Re: Corbie & Mildmay

[st_onecoldfox]

No. She wouldn't have. It was hard to wrap your head around something like that. This place was too weird to believe you were really truly stuck for good. Or maybe Mildmay just couldn't let go of the idea he'd get back to Felix sometime before his brother got himself into more trouble he couldn't magic his way outta.

"That part's different," he told her, quiet, but clear as he could make it, 'cause focusing not slurring so much meant he didn't have to feel too hard about what he was saying. "Ain't never been no going home for me, not outta exile." He wasn't the one officially exiled, that was Felix, but Felix had always had hope of maybe someday making amends or them needing something only he could do and going back. If Mildmay ever went back to the Lower City, he'd wind up dead, sooner than not. And now the obligation d'âme was off him, the hocuses up to the Mirador'd wanna execute him too, not that that was ever fucking home.

Re: Corbie & Mildmay

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Which she'd known, and Corbie immediately felt guilty for even bringing it up. Corbie's chin wobbled and she felt hot tears spilling down her face. "Oh, Mildmay, I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

Re: Corbie - OTA

[st_illfleshandblood]

Jackson had gone on lunch break, in the middle of his shift, because nothing was happening, and he'd been hoping to catch sight of some newcomers - maybe some of them would even be in need of medical attention, who knew? A man could hope. When he spotted Corbie in the café, he didn't think twice about heading over, especially given that her body language screamed 'not doing too well here', at the very least. Lunch could wait, and the clinic could wait, too.

"Hey, darlin'," he greeted her softly as he reached her, putting a hand on her back as he crouched beside her. "What's goin' on?"

Re: Corbie & Jackson

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Even when her face was half hidden, Corbie was an absolutely terrible liar. She knew Jackson knew this about her. And yet, when the impulse to try came, she went with it anyway. She turned her head to hide her face completely in her arm, her words too fast, her tone too frantic. "Nothing. Just not hungry."

Re: Corbie & Jackson

[st_illfleshandblood]

"Right." Jackson looked around, grabbed the nearest chair, and dragged it right beside Corbie. He took a seat, then drew her gently into his arms, and kissed her hair.

She might not want to tell him, but that didn't mean he couldn't help some other way. Or try, anyway.

Re: Corbie & Jackson

[st_rikingblueeyes]

That was stupid. She was stupid. Still, when Jackson kissed her hair she couldn't say that she didn't welcome the affection. Corbie tucked herself against his side and put her head on his shoulder. For a long moment, she didn't say anything. Then, very softly, "Today's my anniversary. A whole fucking indiction, today."

Re: Corbie & Jackson

[st_illfleshandblood]

Jackson stroked a hand over her back, and kissed her hair again. A goddamn year. That was way too long for anybody to be stuck here. "'m sorry, darlin'."

Re: Corbie & Jackson

[st_rikingblueeyes]

It was all anybody could say. There was nothing anybody could do to change her circumstances, or their own, or anybody else's. There was no point complaining or crying to people who by and large felt exactly the same way you did. But Corbie couldn't put on her cheer or even her maturity right now. Her face crumpled and her chin started to wobble. "I wanna go home," she said, and it came out a whine much as she didn't want it to. "I don't wanna be here anymore."

Re: Corbie - OTA

[st_andingtall]

Sam had only been passing through on his way to check the roster and see if any of the new guests had ghost roommates who needed someone to talk them through the sudden invasion of the living. He wouldn't have stopped, except that arrival days had a rhythm, a particular energy, that he'd gotten used to. Caroline, Kitty, Corbie, in particular always seemed to be around, bright smiles for the new arrivals, but when he scanned the cafe, at first he didn't see Corbie.

Then he did, and she had her head down on her arms and she seemed to be praying a rosary or something like it. He wouldn't have bothered her, but she just seemed so flat compared to what he was used to that he found himself sitting down beside her and putting a hand on her shoulder. He didn't say anything, because he didn't want to interrupt. He could wait until she was done.

Corbie & Sam

[st_rikingblueeyes]

However carefully laid, the hand on her shoulder startled Corbie out of her prayer, if not out of her slumping posture. Her shoulders twitched slightly and the words stopped, but she turned her head more slowly to look up at him with tears in her eyes. "... Hi."

Re: Corbie & Sam

[st_andingtall]

"Hey." Sam's brows furrowed at the tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?" He really hoped no one important to her had left. "It's not Jackson again is it?"

Re: Corbie & Sam

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Corbie shook her head and almost rolled her eyes, the question inspiring both affection and exasperation. "Nah, he's fine. Only so much trouble he can get into on an average day 'round here."

But when it came time to say what it actually was, Corbie felt suddenly shy. After all, Sam had been here much longer than she had, what the hell was she getting so upset about? She bit her lip and half hid her face in her arms.

Re: Corbie & Sam

[st_andingtall]

"Corbie." Worried, Sam ran his hand through her hair. He wanted to pull her into a hug, but they hadn't been that close since the mistletoe kiss and he didn't want to assume that would be welcome. "Come on. Talk to me."

Re: Corbie & Sam

[st_rikingblueeyes]

The touch that she got, though, was welcome. Corbie's body relaxed some at the feeling of fingers moving through her curls. "It's an indiction today. Fuck. Year. Fucking whatever."