strohl catchall

[disingenuous]

how many metaphors can i fit in here

Comments

week 0, tuesday

[disingenuous]

[ from wherever she's seated in the gate area, the moment he looks in her direction, she'll pat the chair next to her. ]

[halians]

[ oh. he gestures to himself, briefly, like he's a little surprised - and then trots right over, obediently, and plops down. ]

'llo, Miss Roxana. You holding up alright?

[disingenuous]

[ what an obedient boy. ]

Hello, Strohl. There isn't anything to bother me other than the wait for team assignments. How are you?

week 0, saturday

[disingenuous]

[ roxana is out on the flight deck, touching some of the plants there as if trying to soak in some of the outdoors after being stuck in the terminal. ]

What are you thinking?

[ a lot happened. ]

[halians]

[ i'm glad we're all like this bc i have written so many starters that were like iM TOUCHING GRASS I NEED OUT OF CONTAINMENT

by which i mean!! strohl's also out here with the plants, standing with his arms folded, one foot tap tap tapping away - when he hears roxana, he looks over, then dips his head politely in greeting. what is he thinking. ]

...That it seems like we'll be playing by the rules of other people's games, while we're here. [ is eventually his answer, thoughtful if grim about it. ] And that we've a long, long way to go.

[ a pause - that thoughtfulness shifts, to something softer, a touch of concern. ] That came as a surprise to you, too, right? Are you alright, Roxana?

[disingenuous]

[ airport air has a distinct stuffy quality to it, too. they must breathe in the outdoors.

she offers him a humorless smile. ]

It was a surprise, but I'm fine. I'm more frustrated by not anticipating it more than anything. I don't know what we'll see from your game, but it'd be best to keep an eye out for anything familiar, however horrible.

week 1 friday

[halians]

[ crawls in ara love me

as roxana is out and about today, she might hear a noise - the cacophony of metal hitting glass, the shriek and shatter like nails on a chalkboard, electrical sparks flying.

and then, immediately after that, she'll hear a scream. it's not a scream of fright, no. it's angry, but that's not quite it either. it's -- like a feral animal. a noise so guttural and devastated that it's barely human, the sort that chills you to your bones. grief, made aural.

investigate? ]

[disingenuous]

[ she investigates. she approaches the direction of the scream, of glass shattering. she is no stranger to horrible and feral sounds, human or otherwise. she knows it is more likely grief than not today. ]

[halians]

[ grief indeed.

the sound becomes immediately obvious - the glass came from a shattered departure screen just outside of the sim room. as roxana comes around the corner, she'll notice a few things.

the first is that it's strohl. he has his greatsword out, and as to be expected, just in front of the departure screen, shattered into showers of glass. sparks fly off of the electronics, and his shoulders are heaving, still standing there with the sword strike completed, metal buried into the ground.

the second is that his tattoo of the week is visible on his back. it's huge - the text is repeating, thick black strikes of ink that cover his family crest entirely.

YOU FAILED HER AGAIN YOU FAILED HER AGAIN YOU FAILED HER AGAIN YOU FAILED HER AG

it doesn't seem that he's noticed he has company, or heard roxana yet. ]

week 1, saturday

[disingenuous]

[ where else would they be but outside after trial? yes, it's the flight deck again. ]

What are you going to do about Rosamund, Strohl?

[halians]

...You always get straight to the point, Roxana.

[ he says, after a moment - it comes with a laugh, a soft huff. they ARE on the flight deck. better yet, it's not just them! it's also strohl jr, sitting his lap, yawning like he just had the best nap ever. ]

They said that they're no longer afflicted. [ ... ] If that proves to be true, then it proves to be true. I think... I need to speak with her, before I think of anything.

[ now that the first layers of immediate, aching grief are gone - he's able to be logical again. unclouded by anger and abject misery, his thoughts are clear.

a beat. ] -- Though, I'm going to pass on blowing the place up with Wis'adel. [ dryly ]

[disingenuous]

[ sorry, that makes her laugh. it's more of a chuckle than anything. ]

Things said before knowing any better... I still don't think you'll lack for any options to help you burn this place down.

[ there are many other fire-coded people here. ]

I do want what the hosts said to be true. [ that no affliction will linger after the trial is done. ] Even if doesn't make relationships simpler.

week 2, monday

[halians]

[ how many pcs are you going to have in the butterfly garden...at least one more

so we're in the butterfly garden! strohl is staring at his phone with a look that must be related to the morning's network shenanigans. a look of distaste... ugh.... this again...

unbeknownst to him because he was focusing so hard he has like

ten butterflies on his horns. ]

[disingenuous]

[ what the fuck i know i wrote a response to this I'M SORRY SISI you can ignore this super late response after running a cyoa

she watches the butterflies land on him for a second. ]

Is your love life in shambles again, Strohl?

week 2, friday

[disingenuous]

[ she's seated in the relaxation area, looking a bit tired. the thought of untangling four bodies.... ]

Tomorrow is going to be a struggle.

week 2, SATURDAY!!!!

[halians]

[ ara our missed connections this week ALSO LISTEN MY BRAIN WAS FRIED LIKE EGG IN THE SUMMER SUN AND NOW YOU'RE LEAVING ME I WAS DISTRAUGHT!!!!!

anyway!!! saturday!!! strohl will come to see roxana once some of the initial hubbub has calmed down - even just taking a look at his face, he looks deeply conflicted, mouth pulled into a tight frown as he eases in through the door and comes to settle down by the jail bars. ]

...Roxana. [ soft, voice a little rough. ] What a damned mess.

[disingenuous]

[ CRIES I'M SORRY I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED i hope you had fun at pride

roxana is seated on the bed, looking composed in comparison. ]

It didn't seem like any of you were certain of anything.

[halians]

No, we weren't.

[ i tried to catch up and was even more confused - strohl, however, was definitely there the entire time and therefore immediately looks pissed, though it's not at roxana by any means. ]

--And yet, forced to vote anyway, based on conjecture - and someone has to pay the price no matter their guilt or innocence. Fork tongued bastards who run this place and find this suffering amusing - it makes me sick.

week 4, sat!!!

[halians]

[ divebombs back in and makes a snow angel in this pc log

well!!! that all happened! strohl is not full of joy after all of that. in fact, he's sitting at one of the bars (i have barely read the locations so if all the bars are horrible thats on me) with a half empty ale in one hand - the bags under his eyes are especially pronounced after all that and looks a little bit like a mess, clearly exhausted. however, he does seem stable, at least?

though he's sitting and rubbing his temples, when he hears footsteps, he glances up, and... tiredly raises his ale in a greeting. hi... ]

[disingenuous]

[ some of the bars are nice. they can be in the nicer one.

this is about what she expected. ]

Is your guilt weighing you down?

[halians]

[ mercy......

anyway. typical roxana to cut right to it - strohl smiles a little, lopsided, tired. ]

... Depends on which part you think I feel the most guilty for; some are heavier than others.

[ as he reaches to nudge out the seat next to him with his heel, if she'd like to come sit. ]

week 5, tuesday

[disingenuous]

[ roxana is in the arcade. she's playing skeeiball, and the vibe is satisfied because almost every ball she flings up the lane is at least a 30 or higher. ]

[halians]

[ the emotionshare of IMPRESSED


when she finishes out a row of skeeballs, strohl claps politely from behind her from where he was observing. ]

Aim of a marksman, Roxana! Well done.

week 7, monday

[disingenuous]

[ she's seated in the new meadow that's obviously for the horses. ]

It's no wonder the horse is so angry, isn't it? If they had to lose something like this. How have you been in the week we've been apart, Strohl?

[halians]

I have to say, I empathise with the thing. Would be nice if we could just make it understand we all want the same, one way or another.

[ strohl is also here laying on his back with his arms behind his head, just enjoying being touching grass... his emotions are nostalgic and somewhere, a little bit sad, but they warm up as he looks over. ]

Oh, you know... forced into appreciation of the world's most terrifying cat related opera, suffering curses, supporting those divorced from their agency in the name or a television show... the usual. [ this is so dry, but the twinkle in his eye is clear, anyway. ] What about you, Roxana? Not too tired by it all, I hope.