( audio | un: warlock )

[necromantiae]

Indulge my curiosity for a moment, would you?

( could you deny a face like his? could you? you couldn't. which is good because he's going to ask a somewhat morbid question. )

We're all, apparently, dead. But some of us have died again and been returned via the church. Some of us have disappeared or died and not been returned. Are they still here somewhere? Or have they been sent back to where they came from?

Those are hypothetical questions, by the way. Feel free to try and answer but I think it's going to be a lot of time that could be spent on something more fruitful.

My actual question: could the the way of dying a second time crucial to who stays and who goes? Or did those of us that have been lost end somewhere in this place that we've yet to find?

( he knows that it's not necessarily a fun thing to think about but he recalls the resurrection of his aunt hilda after her many deaths at the hands of his other aunt versus how harvey's brother had come back. two dead people returned to the land of the living but only one went on to live a relatively normal life.

ambrose knows that might be because hilda is a witch herself and tommy was a normal human. but his curiosity still stands. )

Do we need to institute the buddy system to make sure no one else wanders off and doesn't come back?

( he's joking. mostly. )

Comments

[necromantiae]

Right, I do remember your love for books. You know, one day I'm going to ask you to tell me about some of your favorites. I'd like to hear about what attracts you to them so much.

( ambrose doesn't mind books but he's always been more attracted to people and action. but, maybe he just hasn't given books enough of a chance. )

It might take your mind off this place being so strange.

[quotability]

I wouldn't mind doing that.

[ grizz finds himself smiling, briefly, not that ambrose can see. it's still there in the warmth colouring his tone. ]

[necromantiae]

Excellent. It's been so long since I've been regaled with stories that I didn't know.

( now, you had a challenge, grizz. )

Because I'm getting the feeling you've read a lot of things that I haven't even heard of and I want to know all about them.

now i'm going to have to actually read up on the stuff grizz reads oh god

[quotability]

Do you know The Marriage of Bette and Boo?

[ challenge gladly accepted. ]

a challenge in more ways than one

[necromantiae]

I do not. But now I'm curious. Who are Bette and Boo?

( expand his knowledge, grizz. )

truly

[quotability]

They're a couple trying to have a big family, but after their first son, things start going wrong and they grow depressed. He starts drinking, she starts nagging, and they have to cope with their extended families, too.

It's about pain, but it's also about finding humour and dealing with pain by means of laughter and compassion.

It's one of my favourite plays.

[necromantiae]

That sounds depressing.

( and not unlike some families he knows. he'd gotten lucky in that his extended family had taken him in and loved him but it wasn't like that for everyone. )

Did they manage to keep it together in the end?

i don't know how it ends

[quotability]

The way it's written, it's not that depressing. It's — hopeful, I find.

[ taking the bad in life and finding some way to turn it into something better. ]

They did.

lmao making shit up is the best thing

[necromantiae]

Not many hopeful things in life these days.

( so, it was good to take them where you could get them. )

You still feeling hopeful here?

[quotability]

[ that's a hard question ]

I'm trying.

[necromantiae]

Is there anything I can do to help?

( sincere question. )

[quotability]

Maybe?

I mean. Do you want to do anything? Drink, play some game, something like that?

[ sometimes, staying distracted helps. it makes it better, temporarily. ]

[necromantiae]

Oh, I am always up for doing things. Pick your poison.

( if it was something he wasn't familiar with, he'd learn. if it was something he was good at, he'd show off. that was his way. )

And we'll make it happen.

[quotability]

We could start with a beer. Do they have board games here? Or movies? Most of the things we used to do back in New Ham need a lot more than two people.

[necromantiae]

I think we can probably find something like that in the general store. You have a preference? I can grab the beer and a movie or a board game.

( just call him the welcome wagon who wants to make a very handsome man feel a little calmer. )

I'll treat.

[quotability]

Beer and a movie sounds amazing. Something fun? Maybe an action comedy or so.

[ it's not a date, it's just dudes hanging out together.

right? right.

(he doesn't think about sam. it hurts to do that.) ]

[necromantiae]

( just two dude hanging out. bros being bros. that's it, that's all.

yep. )

I can do that. I'm an expert movie picker.

( or he could say he was at least. grizz didn't know if it was true or not. )

Where are you staying at again?

[quotability]

In one of the cabins in the village. Miner's Castle, #1.

[ just bros being bros is something grizz can definitely handle right now. ]

[necromantiae]

Brilliant. Give me just a little bit of time to get the supplies and I shall be knocking at your door, laden down with fantastic things and me.

( obviously both important things! )

[quotability]

Sounds good. I'll be here.

[ and, well ]

Thanks.

[necromantiae]

Please, no need to thank me. It's benefiting me as well.

( and true to his word, he does arrive in a short amount of time, laden down with the supplies and the movie he'd been able to find. since his hands are full, he gives the door a few light kicks to let grizz know he was there.

he could have used magic to help him carry things but eh, sometimes it was fun to do things the old fashioned way. )

[quotability]

[ grizz responds, something along the lines of "still" and they chat for a little longer — and then there's nothing for him to do but to wait for ambrose to come by his place.

his. it doesn't really feel like it and looking around with a critical eye, grizz notes (not for the first time) how bare the walls are, how little decoration there is so far. no time to change that now, and he wouldn't even know where to begin.

he tidies up what little there is just to have something to do until ambrose knocks (or kicks) on his door. ]

Hi.

[necromantiae]

Hello!

( yep, he was still cute. )

I'm glad to see you all in one piece and thank you for inviting me over tonight. It can sometimes be difficult to find normal things to do here. It's nice to pretend that things are...well, normal.

( because they most certainly were not normal. )

[quotability]

It helps, for a little while, right?

[ playing fugitive, pretending that things are normal. it takes some of the dread and anxiety out of existing, at least for a moment. ]

It's not much, but - [ he shrugs a little, stepping back and letting ambrose into the little cabin. ]

[necromantiae]

Please, you don't have to impress me.

( what matters is that grizz is comfortable. he's lived in big places and small places and as long as it makes you comfortable, that's what's important. )

I live in a small room. So, you're doing a little better than I am. We'll make it work.