To be or not to be

[brandedfirst]

Brando has been busier than ever. There is always some crisis or another that needs taken care of either here or in other places, but he realizes that there are people who probably need to talk to him in the basement

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[swingsetheart]

Lavendar, when entering the basement, might not seem quite as happy as she normally is. She's just come from her park, after playing with a few of her children before slipping back into the Hotel.

Upon seeing Brando, though, she smiles, because she hasn't seen him around in a long while. So no matter that she's a bit upset, she still approaches him with a light heart.

"Hello, stranger." She giggles a little, looking up at him with eyes bright.

[brandedfirst]

Brando smiles, warmly, at her. He is able to tell rather quickly that something is wrong. It's difficult to hide things from a First Angel.

"Lavendar." He nods and gestures for her to sit next to him. "I'm sorry I haven't been around. How have you been settling in here?"

[swingsetheart]

"No, it's okay. I hear you have big important stuff to do." Lavendar smiles at him even brighter as she settles in beside him. She's always happy to see people she's met again.

"I like it here, lots." She nods, "All sorts of people here, yep. I met an angel like me, too." There might be a giggle or two here, because no matter the worries she has, this place is still very exciting to her.

She leans over and presses her cheek to his arm, looking up at him for a moment, "But how are you?"

[brandedfirst]

"Good. Yes, I met him, too. He's a nice guy."

If nothing else, he's glad that those down here could be there for each other even though he's not around to do so.

Brando smiles. "I'm all right. Busy, but it's just how it goes."

[just_the_spare]

Regulus was a mess. His curly hair was wild, what little color his skin had was fading fast, his pajamas were rumpled, and he had pulled the blanket from his bed around his narrow shoulders. He didn't know how to deal with this sort of stress. So many new people, Remus was often scarce, he couldn't go out, no money, and he'd practiced the same spells over and over.

Not wanting to be cooped up in his room anymore and shuffled into the common room and stopped dead in his tracks. Brando was actually in the hotel. Biting his lip, he internally debated whether or not he should stay or run back to his room and wait it out.

[brandedfirst]

"Regulus." Brando has that deep, captivating sort of voice that most have difficulty ignoring.

He'd ask if the boy was all right, but the answer to that much is obvious. It creates a heavy weight of guilt in the pit of his stomach. "Would you like to sit down?"

[just_the_spare]

Regulus nodded and shuffled over to the angel. Sitting next to him, he pulled his knees to chest and wrapped the blanket around them.

Swallowing nervously, he looked at Brando, "Hi."

[brandedfirst]

"Hi." There's concern in his eyes as he turns to face Regulus, to watch his expression, and focus in on the boy. "I heard you were sick not very long ago. How have you been feeling lately?"

[thatsortofaman]

The Doctor's been on the lookout for him, having got a good description from Martha - of course, the wings and halo do rather give it away. He studies the man by the fire for a minute or two before walking over, stopping beside him with a warm, friendly smile.

"And I suppose you'd be Brando, hmm? Do you mind if I sit?"

He does, of course, without waiting for an answer.

[brandedfirst]

"Yes. And you would be Martha's Doctor." Brando smiles back and doesn't bother answering the sitting question since the Doctor didn't wait for an one.

Martha's told him a lot about the Doctor. What they went through together. Brando doesn't get to talk to many wanderers like he did with Martha, because she was one of the first to come through.

"It's nice to finally meet you."

[thatsortofaman]

"Yep, that's me," the Doctor says, smiling as usual, and in general looking nothing like the ancient-and-forever, Oncoming Storm Doctor people keep mentioning. "Thought I ought to say hello, considering. So. You're in charge here, I hear."

He's playing with his sonic screwdriver as he speaks, spinning it through his fingers, occasionally tossing it up in the air. You'd think he'd know better than to go flinging his very expensive (not that he paid for it) and very necessary toy around, but usually if he breaks one he can just nip off to the thirty-second century or anywhere around then and pick up a new one or ten.

He hasn't quite registered that that's not possible here and now.

[brandedfirst]

"Well, the closest thing to being in charge. I own the hotel, bought it after we found out what was going on down here, and I'm the oldest from this world."

He does know that Des is older than human.

A human that's older him. Strange.

Brando shifts on the couch so he's facing the Doctor. "I hear you think you can find a way to reverse the rift. Get everyone home."

[worseforfears]

She should talk with him, really. About... lots of things.

She doesn't really want to, though. And she gets the feeling she'll try to lie, despite that being a very bad idea, if he asks how she is and what's going on.

So there's a skinny 19-year-old angel of death curled up in a chair as far away from the fire as she can get. But she's in the room.

And her head is rather loud.

[brandedfirst]

"Becky..."

Unfortunately for the angel of death, Brando has legs that work and her head is loud. To the point that he couldn't ignore it if he wanted to. And he doesn't want to.

He walks over to her, placing his hand on top of her head, gently.

[worseforfears]

Becky grimaces a little when he touches her.

She'd been hoping maybe, perhaps... he wouldn't notice her. Or wouldn't come talk to her. Or... something. But of course, he would come over. He's just like that.

"Hey, Brando," she says softly, staring rather intently at her knees.

[brandedfirst]

"Sorry. It's habit to notice." And take care of those he considers his own.

Brando removes his hand and watches her expression, carefully, as much as he can considering how intently she's staring at her knees.

"Talk to me, Blue-eyes."

[wakenedaworm]

Casey has set herself up at a table in the back of the room, wings out; a desk lamp, papers, and a couple of notebooks take up almost the entire surface of the small, round table. It's about time to set up an actual system for organizing information about the basement and those who come through the rift, instead of the informal organization currently in use. Her mind is, for the most part, direct and focused; but below the data, there's a feeling of contentment, despite the rift and despite the ever-present worries.

She notices Brando when she looks up to stretch. She'd like to go over -- to say hello, to find out if there's any new information, just because it's nice to be near a comforting presence -- but she's not sure if she'd disturb him.

[brandedfirst]

"Casey?"

Brando notices her, obviously. Hears her thoughts. He walks over to the place she's set up, taking a seat across from her at the table. "I see the books are coming along nicely."

[wakenedaworm]

"Yes. There's still a lot of information to go through, but getting the information is going smoothly."

Looking up, Casey's demeanor changes almost completely from the business-like way she talks about the records. She gives Brando a small but bright smile and asks, "How are you? Busy, I'm sure."