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[youngtimer]

NeverAcorned - Standard UN || HoratioV - Fog/Lighthouse UN || 5ofDiamonds - Casino Business || Odyssean - Anonymous/Sock UN

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action, backdated to the end of June!

[knifemonopoly]

[Knock knock, Horatio.

It was actually a little tricky to knock on Horatio's door with his arms full of unconscious girl, but Atem manages, and there's no sign of awkwardness when the door to the suite at the casino opens. It's late but not terribly late, and Celeste's being cradled with care. The bandage over the bite mark is hidden under the high collar she favors, but she's pale and Atem's got a lifelike flush and that alone might be enough for a keen observer to piece together what's happened.

Atem doesn't look particularly guilty, though. He's unrepentant, but not gloating, either -- from his expression, he might as well be walking a friend into a hospital with a broken leg. An injury that's not life threatening, but which needs care, and one he doesn't feel guilt over.]

[youngtimer]

[he's in the middle of reading a book he borrowed from Javert's library on the various forms of manticores, a margarita at his elbow, when the knock disturbs him. he barely even looks up, guessing it's Celeste]

Just come on in, Jesus...

[but she doesn't. he sighs, wondering if she's got her arms full of groceries or some ridiculous wardrobe finds, and gets to his feet, abandoning his book. as he pulls the door open, he's not shocked. not angry. just ... yep. this is his life. his lips purse inward and he turns to lead Atem toward her room]

Follow me. ... What the fuck happened this time?

[knifemonopoly]

[Ah, she is staying with Horatio. That's good, that it's a stable arrangement, if short-term...

But that isn't going to answer Horatio's question.]

Penalty game. I bit her. She's lost a lot of blood, but she's stable -- the fog's due to come in tonight, so I expect her to pull through without losing a life, but she could still use someone to keep an eye on her, just in case.

[Still weirdly unashamed about any of this!]

[youngtimer]

Penalty for what, exactly?

[he turns down the covers, feeling an inevitable sense of deja vu. he knows how important games are to both of them, so it all tracks - he's not angry about it, but he's surprised at how concerned the pallor of her face - like a gothic china doll - makes him. a voice for him, silence for Atem:]

(Funny, that used to be your type.)

... shut up, Dolores.

[knifemonopoly]

I--wait, who's Dolores?

[Atem straightens, a little concerned that he hasn't noticed someone else in the room. A shade, maybe? Whoever it is, can they be trusted? Atem's grip around Celeste's shoulders and knees tightens a moment as he tenses.

He trusts Horatio, generally. But someone invisible, who isn't revealing themselves...that sounds like bad news!]

[youngtimer]

Oh - I'm sorry, bad manners. I was preoccupied.

[he gestures into the room they came through]

Atem, this is my ex-girlfriend, Dolores.

(You're always so rude. Especially lately. You're paying more attention to that girl than me.)

Don't start now! Jesus, we've got company...

[knifemonopoly]

[Atem, still holding Celeste, peers back into the other room.

He looks left.

He looks right.

???

??????

I don't see anyone...

There's a broken mannequin, but. Like. That can't be it, right?]

Is she a monster, too...?

[Atem, the spirit of a dead pharaoh, doesn't believe in ghosts, generally. There's usually an explanation for paranormal ocurrences, and he doesn't think non-shade ones exist in Ryslig....so he doesn't wonder for more than a moment if it's a ghost.]

[youngtimer]

No, she's right there.

[he clearly looks over at the mannequin.

duh.

come on, Atem.

d u h.]

[knifemonopoly]

She's a mannequin.

[Just. Confirming.

Maybe...Dolores was haunted, or something, where Horatio came from...but he also seems to be talking to her now...

It says something that "doll's haunted" is more immediately believable to Known Skeptic Ex-Ghost Atem than "my friend hears voices that aren't there."]

[youngtimer]

... Yep.

[it isn't a "so what" sort of tone, just... bald acknowledgement. he jerks his head toward the bed that's become Celeste's]

You should probably put her down, yeah?

cwing for dismissive/ableist mental health talk in the meta

[knifemonopoly]

[Is Horatio pretending, is there some kind of magic at work, or is this some kind of...neurosis? A way he'd coped with the apocalypse? Is it madness?

Is Horatio mad? Is Celeste still safe here?

.....

....yes, obviously Horatio is a little bit mad, but that doesn't mean he isn't a good friend who's worth trusting. Atem's gotten nothing off of Horatio that would imply Celeste wouldn't be safe, and she chose to stay here with her sharp senses for people's intentions, so Atem accepts this fact about Horatio and moves on.]

Right. Yes, of course.

[And he'll finally set Celeste down on the bed, beside the downturned covers.]

[youngtimer]

[one of those guesses is completely right. if Atem ever does ask, Horatio will gladly tell him their story. but for now, he follows Atem into the guest room and tucks Celeste in]

So, tell me about this game. ... I'd offer you a drink, but you've already had one.

[knifemonopoly]

Heh!

[True enough! What's the good of being a monster if you can't laugh at the parts that aren't too horrible for laughter? This game didn't end in anyone dying -- Atem hopes, feels strongly, that Celeste will wake up feeling more like herself. So, it's a laughing matter, that he's drunk her blood.]

I told you, it was a penalty game...

[Horatio might have heard of these, if he's familiar with Japanese comedy and variety shows. A batsu game is when the loser of a bet or contest has to do something unpleasant, though not particularly deadly.]

...she lost a bet, and being fed on was what we agreed would happen to the loser!

[A beat. Then, a touch more soberly:]

She hadn't been around lately. I hadn't seen her since we got her out of the tree...

[He doesn't have to say anything about the state Celeste was in when they got her out. They both saw. Her disappearing from the 8th floor and not showing up for work after that was worrying.]

...so, I figured a contest with supernatural stakes would be the best way to draw her out.

[youngtimer]

[he's not familiar with them in the least, but Atem's explanation does the trick quite nicely, and he nods, not only in understanding but assent. he listens to the justification, keeping his expression neutral, almost bordering on a scowl.]

That was an asshole move, Atem.

[a smirk]

And a good one. She needed a kick in the ass.

[knifemonopoly]

[Do you know, Atem actually sweats a second. For a moment, Horatio gets him, and Atem wonders if this is going to turn into a fight, if Horatio won't agree with what he did until Celeste wakes up, he figured hiding it would imply shame and guilt that wasn't there and would arouse suspicion but if announcing that he lured Celeste out and drank her blood isn't a reasonable and understandable thing to do, faeries might be a tricky type to fight--

--and then, nope. Ha! The relief in Atem's face is part oh, good, no very-late-night fights in someone else's home territory and part you got me!]

She's been much too careless with her own wellbeing lately. Ever since I died, when that parasite was pulled out...

...but I think I got through to her. I expect she'll wake up feeling more like herself than she has in a while.

think we're close to a wrap?

[youngtimer]

[maybe it's the fact that he's a fae, maybe it's just his old asshole streak from the Commission, but the sight of that flash of fear on Atem's face is immensely gratifying. it means that he values his opinion, and that's ... pretty nice, really, once he drills right down to the bottom of it. Horatio grins at Atem, and for once there's nothing feral or sarcastic about it. just two dudes being friends]

Yeah. I noticed that, too. Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't do anything particularly idiotic. ... Thanks for bringing her here.

yyy I believe we are

[knifemonopoly]

[...huh, this relaxed atmosphere...it is nice.]

Thank you for looking after her. And out for her! But I've imposed on your hospitality long enough...I'd better get going!

/thumbs up <3 TY for being awesome as always!

[youngtimer]

Atem, if you were an imposition? Trust me, you'd know. But if you've got other places to be, I won't stop you.

[he gets to his feet with the stiffness of his true age and a roll of his neck, his posture bowed for the first few steps as he means to see him to the door like a proper host]