Audience - Koharu

[holyspirits]

Comments

[cupidsammo]

I'll be okay here.

[ 'Here' being Koharu has now decided to carefully set herself down upon a comfy seat. There are already like three kitties lazing about here. ]

Eventually they start crawling on you on their own.

[holyspirits]

[ watches one slowly approach and offers a hand. ]

What a life, right? Just hanging out and doing whatever you want with people wanting your attention. [ this does not entirely sound like a thing they want and more like a comment. ]

[cupidsammo]

No doubt they've been getting a lot of love this week.

[ Koharu starts scratching at a tabby's head; needless to say it isn't long before it turns into a purr machine. ]

But I'm glad. I'd hate to see them get lonely.

[holyspirits]

[ there's a slight smile visible through the glow of their face when the kitty starts purring. the other one approaching them immediately crawls into their lap and flops over uselessly. guess they're not getting up. ]

Yeah. I think when this project's over we'll try to push for more people to come back and visit this island to hang out with them. Give them people to spend time with.

[cupidsammo]

Ah... Others from the rest of heaven?

[holyspirits]

Yeah. Right now you guys are closed off from the rest of the residents of heaven, but after this is over it'll be back to just the people who were already here and whoever chooses to stay.

[cupidsammo]

I see... No doubt they'll have lots of company, then. Who doesn't love cats?

[holyspirits]

People who have never known joy, that's who. [ scritches the kitty behind the ears... ]

... sometimes it's nice to just come back to a place that feels simple. Especially when everything else feels so complicated.

[cupidsammo]

[ Aforementioned tabby has definitely crawled into her lap. Time so give it sooo many pets. ]

Yes... it is. I hope I didn't pull you away from anything important, but... I did need one thing to feel right, for once.

[holyspirits]

Come on. If I was doing something important, would I have offered? [ scritches under the chin now... ] It was a rough day. And things got really... really intense at the end. Worse than usual.

[cupidsammo]

[ a small nod ]

I— I'm really worried about Marcoh, but I don't think there's anything I could do.

[holyspirits]

[ yeah... ]

... wanna tell me a little about it? [ like what she's thinking about marcoh's situation, or why she feels that way. ]

[cupidsammo]

I don't mind, just...

[ Pet, pet; at least her hand has something to do while she thinks, then speaks. ]

... I don't know how he is with others, but he keeps to himself a lot, and I noticed over the week he wasn't feeling well, but... then this weekend happened.

[ ... ]

W- well. I think maybe I should leave him alone.

[holyspirits]

[ continues cuddling this cat as they listen patiently. ]

He came by the bar yesterday. I let him go at it with a punching bag I had out back and he broke the thing, but it was better than him going out and doing something I know he'd regret later because he can't control what grief's doing to him. [ pensively. the cat's tail winds around their wrist, and their fingers brush over it idly. ]

It's hard to want to be there for someone you care about, but you don't know if it's better or worse to do that. In some cases, it's hard for a person to see reason at all because they're too trapped in their own sadness. They'll lash out, because it's the only way they can try to process their feelings. [ a pause. ] I don't want him to do that to you. None of this is your fault, and it wouldn't be your fault giving him some space. You have to take care of yourself, too.

Easier said than done though, right?

[cupidsammo]

[ A long pause follows, but eventually, Koharu does nod. ]

A little. But.

[ She stops, uncertain, and then hesitantly: ]

As... much as I want to help... I guess I'm afraid to now, because of that.

[holyspirits]

[ yeah see, that's not where they wanted her to be. ]

... I don't think there's anything wrong with taking a step back. Wanting to help is fine. I want to help as much as I can, too. But you can't put yourself in a situation you don't feel safe. You get that, right?

[cupidsammo]

... Yes, I do.

I guess leaving it alone is all I can do, then.

[holyspirits]

[ ... ]

Uruha's back Monday, right? Maybe... try talking to him. Not like Marcoh's not going to need support even after he comes back. It's not the kind of thing a person gets over so easily.

[ which is gonna make tomorrow brutal. ]

[cupidsammo]

[ haha! ha. yeah. thanks gabe thoughts. ]

I'll try... I'll try to do what I can—even if it isn't much. Either way... I'm just glad I never have to sit through another trial again.

[holyspirits]

[ sorry. they both know it's true. ]

It might still be more than you think, Koharu. It at least shows you tried. And I think when somebody's drowning in their own misery, even if they don't appreciate it now, they'll be able to look back and appreciate it later.

But... I'm glad, too. You guys shouldn't have had to sit through those trials to begin with. It's kinda insane that all of this happened at all.

[cupidsammo]

[ another slow nod, as she hugs the tabby a little closer to herself, a hand rubbing between its ears. ]

I don't understand why, but... I had figured it was something we were never going to get an answer to. [ well also, it wouldn't be a murdergame otherwise, but details ] But I still can't think that was normal.

[holyspirits]

[ they're just leaning back a little against the seat she's in, holding onto this cat and thinking. ]

... has anyone told you about what happened to God?

[cupidsammo]

[ ... ? ]

Um... I've heard a little—there was a note the other side sent, right?

[holyspirits]

There's been a lot of notes. Which one are you thinking of?

[cupidsammo]

... Right—the one on Thursday. After Mary was captured.