Day 44: Arts and Crafts Room, Second Shift

[gothamsfuture]

Astor hadn't talked much after introducing himself, which hadn't bothered Terry. With all the crap their little hospital of horrors piled on the patients, he couldn't blame a guy for not wanting to open up to some stranger. Plus, not talking meant he could get a decent meal in, and then check out the bulletin for the latest in Landel's news and

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[byname_bynature]

Artemis was both aggravated, and concerned.

As they'd passed between shifts, Artemis had caught sight of Badou--his arm in a sling. Naturally, he slipped away from his nurse and went to interrogate the redhead about it. He got a hair ruffle for his trouble, and a promise that if Arty wanted to nurse him back to health, there was a dress waiting for him. He'd just have to hem it. Artemis may have shot something back about not being raped in the showers ('Men have 'cooties' too, you know.'), but his nurse had caught up with him again and was intent on dragging him off to Arts and Crafts, so Badou may not have heard him.

The distressing thing about a growing empire, Artemis decided, was that when one started to care about the people that it was made of, when things happened to these people, it was bound to upset him. And the sheer number of people he knew meant that he wouldn't be able to protect them all every single night. He wouldn't be able to be there when they might need him. Not that he could do much, but all the same...

Artemis picked up a pencil and a drawing pad, realizing that he hadn't drawn or painted in quite a while. He began sketching a smiling Haku in a regal, portrait-style pose. It was a shame Artemis had no adequate paints or materials to paint something better.

[Free~]

[windstwilight]

She had overslept. How great. The morning she should have gotten up early, checked on Falis, and found out how things had ended up, especially after.... And she had overslept. Her sleeping habits were beginning to ruin her. Especially since she had missed breakfast as well. Given the choice between the sun room and the A&C room, Senna shrugged at the latter. Maybe Momo would be there again, and they could finish discussing yesterday's topics. She hadn't really even got a clear answer, other than Momo thought the same. That Hitsugaya was too new.

The girl yawned, stretching her arms above her head as she considered the room. First Demyx, and the Nobodies, then Momo, for the Shinigami, and... And Artemis, for the human side of things. Huh.

Having not seen the boy since one of her early nights, Senna wandered over, glancing a sketch pad before sitting in a chair opposite. The girl tilted her head at him, friendly smile on her face. "Heya. How are you doing?"

[byname_bynature]

Artemis looked up from his sketching when Senna sat down across from him. He wasn't adverse to company, but he hadn't expected anyone to sit down with him, especially when he was drawing. But he smiled nonetheless and set aside his drawing.

"Miss Senna, wasn't it?" Artemis confirmed, folding his hands in front of him. Her question, however, went unanswered for a moment.

A lot had passed since he and Senna had gone over the wall that night. Renji had died, Hitsugaya had as well, and Artemis was dealing with a whole different sort of trauma now. Looking back, he thought he'd rather go back to the time when Mello had stabbed him--even if it had been painful. He knew a lot more now than he had then, he thought.

"I'm doing better," Artemis finally decided. "It's been a hard week, but I'm doing better. How have you been?"

[windstwilight]

"Hey, hey, don't let me stop you," Senna said, gesturing at the drawing. "But yeah, I am. You can forget the miss, though. And you're Artemis," she went on with a grin. "The 'Fowl boy'." Though that, too, was almost too much, too much like a joke when that Hitsugaya that had introduced them as such wasn't around anymore. When instead... There was a pause there that shouldn't have been, and she blinked, keeping the pleasant look and hoping she didn't give herself away. There was too much going on lately, for her to have people she barely knew worrying about her. There were more important things.

Artemis said better, but Senna really wondered. So much had went on lately--the Institute aside, too many people had fallen or died, and she knew that he had been friends with...--Had he seen him now, spoke with him? Did he come to the same conclusions as herself and Momo? The same. And altogether different. Too much. She swallowed, willing the thought away as best she could. She wouldn't be that good of a happy, friendly person like she was trying to be if she brought up stuff like that. "It... has been," she finally agreed, eyes flickering down and back. Senna shrugged, smiling again. "I'm okay. There's been some stuff, but nothing..." That won't get better.

She didn't know that. Not with Falis or Soma, or the A&C in general. Or anything else. "It'll be okay." It has to be. "Things'll work out." Senna looked at Artemis, something lacing her expression, close to amusement, maybe. "It's not a vacation, but we're doing the best we can."

[byname_bynature]

Artemis nodded. Apparently he and Senna were on the same page in some respect, and he hadn't seen her for a few days. It was almost sad, how in-tune they were, he thought. He wondered if everyone thought that their past weeks had just 'been'.

"Yes, things will work out," Artemis confirmed, pulling his drawing back to him and continuing to add lines and erase them. "The other alternative isn't acceptable, after all.

"Have you still been working with Arts and Crafts?" he asked, not so subtly changing the subject away from what he hoped would be something a little less depressing.

[windstwilight]

It wasn't. It really wasn't. Things would get better because they would make it better, and that was all there was in the end. She hoped Artemis had come to the same conclusion, and wasn't just saying that as a easy line of conversation. The problem, of course, was everything in front of them.

"Ah. Yeah," Senna blinked, thinking for a moment. The correct answer in this was.... Nothing. There was no way that this would end any way other than truthful. She was a horrible liar anyway. "It's been weird. Lately. Things are messy."

[byname_bynature]

Artemis nodded, continuing to focus on his drawing. "I suspected as much. Renji... While Hitsugaya was the backbone of the organization, Renji was its heart. I didn't know if the group would survive their... leaving. But with Hitsugaya back, perhaps he can regain control once he's watched someone else do it for a while."

But who would that be? Momo had left, and wasn't exactly looking back he thought. He'd heard of Rangiku's death as well, which left the group with none of the ladies in charge. Artemis... as simple as it would have been to step in now and assume control, he was focused on commanding his own army. It was a ragtag army, to be sure, but it was his. And he took pride in it.

"Perhaps you should assume control, Senna," he suggested, looking up from his drawing and smiling. "After all, you are a veteran now."

[windstwilight]

"Maybe," Senna answered, mulling over the points. It wasn't just Renji... It was Rukia as well. Her disappearance seemed to spark everything, and maybe that said something in itself. And then Orihime... The people from back there seemed to be more than others here, but damn, this place went through them fast. "And I don't know... If he's really back, you know?" Senna eyes skittered to the side, watching a group of people randomly. "I talked to him yesterday, and it's... different."

If she had been going to explain her words more, the chance didn't come. A touch on her back drew her attention around, and she watched Falis carefully for a moment. After her roommate settled herself, Senna relaxed marginally, smiling over at her and waving. A little girl didn't seem Falis' cup of tea for a conversation partner, but who knows?

She had heard Artemis' sentence as she had been half-turned, and even the delay didn't give her enough time to think of an appropriate response. She faced him again, and tried for a smile. Light. Things should be light. "You know, people keep telling me that," she said with amusement. "But I don't think I'd be too good at taking care of that many people." Senna made a face. "Even if it's a whole lot less lately. And anyway, I can't even, really. I'm not too high on the totem pole."

[byname_bynature]

Artemis looked over where Senna was looking and, not finding anything of interest, resumed sketching. "Yes, I know what you mean," Artemis confirmed, his sketch now expanding to include two adult males standing shoulder-to-shoulder behind Haku. "I spoke with him, and while some things were the same, some things..."

He could barely remember what it was like before he and Hitsugaya had just... clicked somehow. One major difference, he supposed, was that Artemis himself wasn't broken beyond repair. He wasn't hearing voices, he hadn't lost Renji or Hitsugaya yet, he hadn't been there for twenty days yet. Back then... he was fresh and shining. Recently, he felt dull and in need of constant propping up. Sad as it was, he wished he could see Butler again.

Badou and Schuldig were taking shape when Senna spoke again. He looked up to listen to her, nodding briefly. "I understand. It was only a suggestion. You've merely been here longer than Hitsugaya's current reincarnation--and while I trust his ability to lead and to strategize, he is lacking in experience right now. He'd heard about what had happened to me--what sort of relationship we'd had before--but he didn't seem to understand the gravity of the situation. I think you understand that well."

[windstwilight]

"...Yeah," she answered, something almost wistful in her tone. "I understand. There's just... differences." That Artemis had spoke with him gave light to a question she hadn't asked. Why he wasn't actively working with the A&C anymore. It could be for any reasons, but it could be because of that, too. Momo had left, after. It seemed a few people might have. And yet, she was still here, clinging to something for an unknown reason. She didn't even know if it really made a difference. Not now, at least.

And with Hitsugaya back, everything changed. Senna had been getting into a habit almost, getting used to things. And then when Matsumoto.... Senna had still been able to move with it. And then he appeared in front of her like nothing had happened, like nothing at all had happened, and took the reins as quick as possible. She was still reeling. She might be for awhile. "That's what Momo and I thought too. That he didn't have enough experience here right now. It's just..." Senna trailed off, biting her lower lip absentmindedly.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "And yeah. I get that. It was like... He brushed off all mentions of the past... here. The past him. It's..." She shook her head, something bittersweet in her expression. The sentence started remained unfinished. Senna tilted her head at Artemis. "You guys--you were friends before, right?"