He hands the clothes over, and politely looks away, even though he has probably seen plenty of strip checks on TV by now. It's fine. Once she's done, he'll turn back!]
Good, I'm glad. [He also has... a bag over his arm!! He holds it out; there's a bottle of juice and some snacks from Trader Binky's in there, as well as a container of dumplings from the Night Market.] Here--just in case you're hungry. Let's go sit somewhere else?
[Good!! Food!! FOOD FOR HER. He is marginally satisfied knowing that his fussing is helpful this time, and he leads the way out of the scrap yard; they can go settle in like. The library or something. The Kn*tting Nest?? Somewhere around here has chairs.]
Sure. [she is unsettled by what happened, but it's her nature to try to shrug it off.]
Owner and Guy were there, too. We were some kind of group exploring a ruin, and we found a journal. It started driving us insane. I kept thinking the others were going to try to take the journal from me, and I could use the journal to create my dreams.
[Yeah yeah I'm sure the cozy grandma chair makes up for the creepy dolls.
Luke knows enough about CYOAs by now to know that whatever she went through was probably A Lot, so for once, he won't accept her easygoing acceptance. But for now, he listens quietly--and his gaze sharpens as she explains.]
Just generally the stuff I wanted to accomplish - it felt like the journal could do that. [she shakes her head.] But it was cursed, everything it was doing was just trying to get into our heads.
[He nods slowly, though he clearly looks unhappy.]
...There were dreams in mine too. [Well. She saw that insanity for herself, but--still, he wants to clarify, to let her know she's not alone even though his experience was, in his opinion, far less traumatic.] How did you figure it out?
[Hmmm. He considers this--and his answer would've been the same regardless, because Luke will say whatever he needs to to get information he wants--but fortunately, he's wholly sincere when he nods.]
Okay. I promise. [He's pretty sure he's going to be upset regardless, but he understands the way these things work by now, so it's more of a vague sympathy and helplessness. And... well. Margaret's already dead. She ain't gettin' any deader, at least not yet. He can keep his cool this time.]
[HELP. THEY REALLY JUST WENT CRAZY AND THEN DIED ABOUT IT how very Lucien-core.
Luke sits with it for a moment--simply absorbing. Then he breathes in, and reaches for her hand.]
I understand if you don't want to say any more about it. [Even though it's hard to resist prying for every little detail, just to know it--to hold onto every little thing that's hurt someone he wants to protect.] But I'll listen, if you do.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
He hands the clothes over, and politely looks away, even though he has probably seen plenty of strip checks on TV by now. It's fine. Once she's done, he'll turn back!]
Good, I'm glad. [He also has... a bag over his arm!! He holds it out; there's a bottle of juice and some snacks from Trader Binky's in there, as well as a container of dumplings from the Night Market.] Here--just in case you're hungry. Let's go sit somewhere else?
no subject
[she didn't notice until just now, but it feels like she hasn't eaten in days.]
Let's get out of the trash, yes.
no subject
...Can you tell me what happened?
no subject
Sure. [she is unsettled by what happened, but it's her nature to try to shrug it off.]
Owner and Guy were there, too. We were some kind of group exploring a ruin, and we found a journal. It started driving us insane. I kept thinking the others were going to try to take the journal from me, and I could use the journal to create my dreams.
no subject
Luke knows enough about CYOAs by now to know that whatever she went through was probably A Lot, so for once, he won't accept her easygoing acceptance. But for now, he listens quietly--and his gaze sharpens as she explains.]
Dreams? [...] Anything specific?
no subject
no subject
...There were dreams in mine too. [Well. She saw that insanity for herself, but--still, he wants to clarify, to let her know she's not alone even though his experience was, in his opinion, far less traumatic.] How did you figure it out?
no subject
no subject
Then... to escape, you...
[If they didn't figure out, then the options have rapidly dwindled.]
no subject
...If I explain what happened, it's as a courtesy because we're friends. I don't want you to get angry about any of it on my behalf or anyone else's.
no subject
Okay. I promise. [He's pretty sure he's going to be upset regardless, but he understands the way these things work by now, so it's more of a vague sympathy and helplessness. And... well. Margaret's already dead. She ain't gettin' any deader, at least not yet. He can keep his cool this time.]
no subject
Well, it's fairly simple. We all went crazy and tried to kill each other.
no subject
But, ah... he winces, but he doesn't seem, like, shocked to hear it.]
I thought you might say something that. [Given last week's CYOAers... but that's not for him to share.] And then you... woke up back here, or--?
no subject
no subject
Luke sits with it for a moment--simply absorbing. Then he breathes in, and reaches for her hand.]
I understand if you don't want to say any more about it. [Even though it's hard to resist prying for every little detail, just to know it--to hold onto every little thing that's hurt someone he wants to protect.] But I'll listen, if you do.
no subject
I'm fine talking about it, I just don't want to put Sidon or Owner or Guy on blast if they wouldn't want to.
no subject
[Which she knows very well... but he's trying to be good and not interrogate her, like a normal person.]
Are you going to write to Guy and Owner?