014 • action

[grimreaping]

[ If you awaken early this morning, all will be peaceful save for your hearing a slight rummaging outside your residence. Should you investigate, you may find one (1) Death the Kid affixing a second door handle on your entranceway, so it looks something like this. It seems that something has set his OCD off today, so while he'll be quite polite and

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[foreseen_future]

...DeeDee. What are you doing?

[grimreaping]

[ Kid looks up, screwdriver in hand, eyes focusing on Nura. ]

Oh, hello. I'm almost done here.

[foreseen_future]

Is this another episode, DeeDee? [Ogod is she going to need to cart his butt to the medic center?]

[grimreaping]

It's not another anything, I'm just fixing the door.

So that it's even.

[ He goes back to installing the handle, but he doesn't seem as intent on it now, like he can't quite work with the same efficiency in her presence. ]

... why are you calling me that again? You don't-- nicknames are for people that you...

[foreseen_future]

What? [She puts her hands on her hips.] I can't give a nickname to Death's son? Sorry but, some people aren't really mature around the word "death", much less the name Death. [shrugs her shoulders.]

[grimreaping]

[ he's literally, literally struck speechless at her words; the world seems to jitter, like a skipping record

a hundred things come to mind to say

but what comes out is just small, and plain ]

That's true, after all. DeeDee is... just fine.

[foreseen_future]

Good. Now. Put the screwdriver down. We're going to go paint circles, and then, we're going to draw the number eight over and over...

[grimreaping]

[ as tempting as that sounds, Kid really wants to finish the door handles... but he'll follow inside mutely, distantly wondering what the hell is going on because this is like a weird, weird dream, as ironic as that is ]

Actually... would you like breakfast?

[foreseen_future]

I'll cook. [she ushers him along.] I'm married to Mr. Critic-this-and-that, so I can at least make you some smiley-face pancakes with bacon. C'mon.

[grimreaping]

[ gah. he was going to offer, half in thanks and half in apology for everything ]

That sounds good, but I can help too.

[foreseen_future]

No, no. You're going to draw some circles for me. I need them for my shop. Sit. Sit. [She seats him at the table and then goes into the kitchen.] Do you like buttermilk pancakes or wheat?

[grimreaping]

Buttermilk, please.

[ he's actually not sure now that he's not dreaming. or maybe hallucinating. ]

[foreseen_future]

You got it. [She starts to get out the supplies.] So how are your tests going? The ones that test the authenticity of wishes in this place?

[grimreaping]

[ oh good something to talk about ]

Ah, yes. It's going very well. I'm doing the next text this weekend, actually. Gathering a number of people in the same place and having them all wish for the same thing, to see if it's more effective.

[ fingers absently drawing symmetrical patterns on the table's surface ]

It's been... educational. People seem very cooperative.

[foreseen_future]

Cooperative, huh? You seem to be very diplomatic about Splendor's issues. [She starts to mix the ingredients in a bowl, putting in the soft texture.]

[grimreaping]

[ Kid is quiet for a moment, then slides from his seat and comes to stand next to her, hands clasped behind his back. ]

I never did get the chance to apologize to you properly. Back then you said I was preaching at you, and you were right. My words to you were tactless and you were right to be angry. It wasn't acceptable behaviour from anyone, let alone someone wanting to be trusted with responsibility.

I never wanted to change you, or fix you. I don't think you're incredibly flawed. [ swallows ] I'm sorry, Mrs Dox.