(Untitled)

[guppy_sandhu]

Life Support gets going a little late, due to the necessary absence of one of the team. However a little time later, the circle of chairs around the table is set up.

LIFE SUPPORT
OPEN TO ALL!

Recovering from a difficult holiday season?
New and confused?
Want company?
Need someone to talk to?
Just want free food?

Come and join us!In the middle

Comments

[onabirdswing]

The sign only gets a cursory glance from Rue as she wanders over; it's the brightly-colored candies that have caught her eye.

"Are these for anybody?" she asks. Always best to make doubly sure.

[leadinghome]

"Yes, anybody." Connor offers a nice smile, nodding. "Have a seat."

[onabirdswing]

She does as she's told, taking a small handful of the gummy bears.

[leadinghome]

Connor pours himself a cup of tea, taking a seat across the table: close enough to talk, far enough to not be on her space. "I'm Connor. Welcome to Life Support."

[onabirdswing]

"I'm Rue."

She pops one of the gummy bears into her mouth. It's sweet, almost like the (edible) berries from the arena.

"What's Life Support?"

[leadinghome]

"It's a space set aside by our local doc for people to meet, talk, have a snack and relax. He noticed Milliways had a big share of people who felt lost here, out of place, uncomfortable and so on." He indicates the table and chair. "Anyone is welcome to come around, have a snack, talk about anything."

[onabirdswing]

"Anything?"

[leadinghome]

He nods. "Anything. Which includes nothing, if you don't feel like talking, too." Connor takes a sip of tea, relaxing on his chair and giving the girl space.

He's there to help, if he can, but will not push.

[onabirdswing]

She doesn't feel like talking, not just yet she thinks. Instead she nibbles on another one of the candies, a green one that tastes like a citrus fruit of some sort.

Not that there aren't things that Rue wants to talk about. She wants to talk about being dead, about wanting to go home so desperately, about her family and how she worries that she may forget them the longer she stays here. But the words won't (can't?) come. So she keeps silent, nibbling on gummy bears.

After a while she finally speaks, perhaps having gotten some courage from the candy. "I thought being dead would feel...different." Rue looks up at Connor. "Is that weird?"

[leadinghome]

"No." Connor speaks softly, choosing his words but not making awkward pauses.

He probably has a knack for strange?

"I was surprised about learning people come here after death. Religions, science, philosophy... people say all kinds of stuff about death and dying and end and afterlife. But a Bar at the End of the Universe? Expecting things to be different is not weird."

[onabirdswing]

His words bring to mind something Rue overheard one of the Peacekeepers in her District say once; something about insanity, and repeating the same actions but expecting different results.

"Will it ever get easier?" she asks, squeezing a gummy bear between her thumb and index finger; not hard, but just enough to make it bulge a little with each squeeze.

[leadinghome]

"People who come here to stay, adapt to it. They make friends, they go visiting other worlds, they even get jobs here." He nods. "It should get easier."

"It's not easy, but you will have plenty of people up for helping." She has one, right here and now.

[onabirdswing]

"I have made a few friends," Rue admits. Sallie. Rachel. Maybe even Peeta as well.

[leadinghome]

"And you will make more." Connor is very much confident about it. "It might not be the same thing as back in a normal world, but it will not be bad."

"It's strange. But you will be all right." He smiles reassuringly.

[onabirdswing]

She mirrors his smile, although hers has a bit more sadness to it, before popping the now-somewhat squished gummy candy into her mouth.

"I hope so."

[leadinghome]

He gives a nod. "Would you like a hug?"

Might be a strange offer, but it is a sincere one.

Hey, if he were 12 again, dead and in Milliways, he would like a hug.