Sacris Solemniis

[collector]

[Teapot before him, a plate of pastries beside it, Braxiatel sits at the kitchen table with Strindberg's Ett drömspel open in front of him. Braxiatel stirs sugar into his tea, and a faint smile crosses his face as his eyes flicker to something in the seat to his left.]

[He leans forwards and pours a second cup of tea, then lifts it up to hand it over, the smile widening.] I don't know what you mean by 'ulterior motives,' Comman—

[Braxiatel's fingers tighten on the cup before he can let it go. For a moment, it hangs there, hoping for a hand that cannot take it.]

Ah.

[It is a quiet realization.]

[Braxiatel sets the cup down, away from him. He leans back in his chair and picks up a scone to eat.]

Comments

[insynch.livejournal.com]

[He startles a bit.] That's-- that's not important!

... Are you okay?

[collector]

[with a slight smile] Relatively speaking. But it's a waste of good tea, which is difficult to abide by.

[insynch.livejournal.com]

[M-maybe he can cheer Brax up after his apparent... hallucination.]

Aah... Do you want some chow mein? It's good, I promise. Mom taught me how.

[collector]

[Braxiatel's eyebrows briefly lift, but then he smiles wider.] I don't think I could turn down such a generous offer. Thank you.

[insynch.livejournal.com]

[Daisuke brightens like a flower finding sunlight for the first time.] Okay! [He scurries and finds two bowls, spoons in a good amount of stir-fried noodles, and then returns to the table. He has forks! It takes him a minute to arrange everything. He sits at Brax's right, though it's unclear if it's bad table manners or because he doesn't want to disturb whatever memory is in the other chair.]

This way the tea won't go to waste, right?

[collector]

[Braxiatel's smile has now settled nicely into half-amused.] Quite so. What a conscientious young man you are.

[insynch.livejournal.com]

[BLUSH] Well, you showed me that sculpture the first time we met. Besides, eating alone is sad. [He would've been back eating with Argentine and Satoshi, probably, but this is okay.]

[collector]

I disagree. Not that I mind the company, but I find it very relaxing to eat over a nice book.

[insynch.livejournal.com]

That's a little different, isn't it? You have art with you.

[collector]

That's a very good way of putting it. How have you been? The monsters haven't been causing you too much trouble?

[insynch.livejournal.com]

[He smiles a little more and then sips some tea.] Ah, I've only seen them from a distance. Not like anyone would want to get closer... I've been hanging around my friends most of the time, so... I'm fine. I just hope everyone at home isn't worried.

[Two weeks without Dark or Riku. There's a sadness to his smile that Brax can probably pick up on.]

[collector]

[Braxiatel's fingers slip under his teacup to support it. He is a well-practised liar. Though he isn't certain, he can speak with certainty to try to make a small offer of comfort.] I'm sure time won't have passed when we manage to fix things up. They won't have a thing to worry about.

[insynch.livejournal.com]

[Daisuke has been told similar things before. He continues to smile, but it's one of those fake don't worry about me smiles. He has a few of those.]

Yeah, you're probably right.

[collector]

[Braxiatel looks at it a moment, but there isn't anything he can do it about it. He wasn't designed for this sort of thing.] I have a history of not being wrong. Have you been reading much? I imagine it must be very dull.

[insynch.livejournal.com]

Ah, a little. Mostly I've been drawing when not looking for clues. [He sighs and stirs his noodles.] I'm a little stuck though. How are we supposed to find out who did it unless they say it themselves? It's been a few weeks, so I'm really hoping they'll come forward...

[collector]

In these circumstances, would you?

[insynch.livejournal.com]

[That actually makes him hesitate.]

... If I couldn't figure out a way to fix it, then... I think I would. You can't do everything by yourself.

[collector]

[with a slight smile] Wise words. But a few here have expressed some . . . worrying sentiments about what they might do to whoever is responsible for trapping them here. You may not be able to fix things by yourself, but you can often avoid being tossed into a black hole.

[insynch.livejournal.com]

[Daisuke winces.]

Ah... yeah. But what if they told someone who wouldn't do that to them? Not everyone wants revenge. I think people would try to stop that sort of thing.

[collector]

Then perhaps we need to convince the responsible individual, whoever it may be, that we've no intentions of turning on them.

[insynch.livejournal.com]

Yeah! How do you think we should do that? Maybe we can make signs...

[collector]

[shonen derps are so endearing] Certainly. And perhaps a declaration? There are a few people whose mere presence enforces honesty. Around them, no one can doubt your words.

[insynch.livejournal.com]

[His eyes widen.] R-really!? I've never heard of something like that happening...

It seems kind of underhanded though, using something like that to get someone to talk.

[collector]

It's only to assure them of your own integrity.

[insynch.livejournal.com]

True... [He scritches at his cheek.] I'll keep my eyes out for a meeting while I work on a sign to put in the kitchen. That way everyone will see it, I think.

[Yes, he is willing to put himself under scrutiny. Daisuke has a lot to hide, but he'd rather help people than hinder them. And anyway, Satoshi would troll him relentlessly if he didn't do it.

He sips more of his tea. It's surprisingly delicious for Daisuke not having put any cream or sugar in it.]