ueAXKAMV

1Tuesday, July 25, 2017
2Spades Slick added Benny Fulmer to this conversation
3Spades Slick has renamed the conversation to “you made water How”
4
5Wednesday, July 26, 2017
6
7Spades, 11:40 AM
8[Taptaptaptap.]
9
1011:41 AM
11[You're seated at a little tea table on the floor. There's one cup for him, once cup for you, and between them, a tiny vase of strange black blossoms.]
12Come in. 
13
14
15Spades, 11:48 AM
16[You peek in before actually walking in.]
17
1811:49 AM
19[You don't look up at him from where you sit cross-legged - though he wouldn't have been able to tell if you did, anyhow, seeing as your eyes are all sclera. You gesture almost gently at the cushion on the other side of the table.]
20Take a seat, if you wish. 
21
22Spades, 11:54 AM
23[You cough as you walk over and sit.]
24
2511:55 AM
26The tea should soothe your throat. 
27I took my time with this brew. 
28[You sip some of your own, slowly.]
29
30Spades, 11:58 AM
31Ain't my throat that's th' problem.
32
33[You take some anyway.]
34
3511:59 AM
36I know. But easing a symptom is still something.
37[You set your cup back down.]
38If nothing else, the taste will hopefully be a distraction. 
39
40Spades, 12:07 PM
41[You tug your mask down and Sip.]
42
4312:10 PM
44[You don't ask him how it tastes, but the question still rests on your face. You make no attempt to hide it.]
45
46Spades, 12:24 PM
47... 'S pretty good.
48
4912:26 PM
50I'm glad.
51Have as much as you'd like. I made plenty.
52[You're not smiling, but your statements seem sincere. You take another sip from your own cup, too.]
53
54Spades, 12:34 PM
55[You glance at the tea pot, and take another sip.]
56
5712:35 PM
58[The whole tea set is made out of plain, featureless porcelain. There are no painted patterns or cracks in the china.]
59...You can talk about anything you'd like.
60I confess I'm more here to listen than to offer my own words.
61
62Spades, 12:41 PM
63[You lean against the table. Hmm.]
64
6512:45 PM
66[You close your eyes while you wait for him to speak. You're moving your hands like you're sewing something, but there's nothing in them.]
67
68Spades, 12:56 PM
69... Whatcha doin'?
70
711:01 PM
72Mediating. 
73Practicing. 
74I had much spare time after my banishment, so I developed this as a way to keep myself from boredom while idle. 
75
76Spades, 1:03 PM
77Hm.
78
791:05 PM
80Does it interest or confuse you? 
81[You open your eyes again.]
82
83Spades, 1:07 PM
84... Interest, I guess.
85
861:08 PM
87I could teach you how, if you desire. 
88But I must inform you that it requires dedication. 
89
90Spades, 1:11 PM
91... Sure.
92
93Nothin' much else t' do.
94
951:15 PM
96Very well, then.
97[You gently push your teacups and the vase of flowers out of the way, and then lay your hand flat on the table.]
98Place your hand on mine. 
99
100Spades, 1:19 PM
101[You glance at your gloved hand.]
102
103... Bare?
104
1051:21 PM
106It doesn't matter.
107You'll be moving through space anyhow. 
108
109Spades, 1:25 PM
110...
111
112[You just. Put your hand on his.]
113
1141:27 PM
115Untie your mind.
116
117Spades, 1:32 PM
118[You blink, and assume he means "relax and let yourself go blank." You try, you really do, but only end up frowning, with your brows furrowed.]
119
1201:33 PM
121I'm not asking you to make everything clear. 
122Just don't focus. Don't worry. Make friends with your fear. 
123
124Spades, 1:38 PM
125[You seem Very Nervous about doing that.]
126
1271:39 PM
128I promise, Dumaya, that I will be here. 
129[Your tone is almost...fatherly, despite the fact that you seem to slowly be falling into a trance.]
130
131Spades, 1:42 PM
132[You lick your teeth nervously. His tone caught you off-guard.]
133
134... Ok.
135
1361:46 PM
137[You nod gently.]
138Take your time. You needn't speak.
139I'll guide you when you've reached the peak. 
140
141Spades, 1:55 PM
142[You take as deep a breath you can right now without coughing, and close your eyes.]
143
1441:56 PM
145Your thoughts congeal and coalesce. 
146Don't hinder them. Allow the mess.
147[Your voice is gentle and soft. More of a reminder than a command.]
148
149Spades, 1:57 PM
150[Small nod. You try to let that happen.]
151
1522:01 PM
153[You wait a minute, until you can sense that his mind is full. This time, you gently, quietly sing your next instructions.]
154Let your bloated brain balloon and float away.
155
156Spades, 2:22 PM
157[You exhale slowly, and let go.]
158
1592:24 PM
160[For a brief moment, you move your thumb slightly so you can rub a few circles in the side of his hand, reassuringly. Then, in a parallel to how he's let go, you move your hand away from his and start to show him the motion to do next.]
161Wet the end of the thread...
162
163Spades, 2:43 PM
164[You aren't so sure what that means. You kind of glance up.]
165
1662:48 PM
167[Since neither of you have a thread, it's more metaphorical. You pinch your fingers on one hand and slowly bring them up towards your mouth, and then lower them back down to your other hand. It's just a way to ease yourself into the motions that'll come next.]
168
169Spades, 2:49 PM
170[You mimic the movement. He knows what he's doing more than you know what you're doing.]
171
1722:55 PM
173[If you heard that thought, you don't know if you'd agree. Mimicry is almost better. It's less overthought. You look...proud, also. Not of yourself, but of him. You slowly show him the next motion, which is like threading a needle.]
174Thimble upon your index...
175
176Spades, 3:00 PM
177[You emulate the movement. You think it's working.]
178
1793:01 PM
180[You actually smile, now. You don't know if you've ever smiled during meditation before. The next part is easy, repetitive. It's just like sewing, sewing nothing, but it isn't nothing, really. It's yourself.]
181Set the needle on its path, up and down and bobbing past.
182
183Spades, 3:45 PM
184[You'e sewn a few times with fabric, so the movements aren't too choppy.]
185
1863:49 PM
187[He's doing well. You remain Very, Very proud of him. Your words aren't instructions, anymore, they're just habit. Ritual.]
188Threads and seams turn into one, with every thread and each spool spun...
189
190Spades, 4:03 PM
191[You continue the motions. It's... It's helping a lot, really.]
192
1934:05 PM
194[You just hum now. Simple melodies, complex harmonies...the only awareness you have is waiting to see when his hands get tired. Yours won't - you're not made of the same stuff he is - but you know your creations are different. You made them that way, after all.]
195
196Spades, 4:45 PM
197[You can keep it up for a while, it seems. You look very relaxed.]
198
1995:00 PM
200[You try taking slow, deep breaths, to see if he can sync with them. You're careful to keep them just shallow enough that he won't cough.]
201
202Spades, 5:09 PM
203[You slowly sync up with him. You're thankful they're shallow.]
204
2055:12 PM
206[That should help him relax even more. You smile a little wider.]
207(I'm a slave to the sight...) 
208
209Spades, 5:17 PM
210[You glance up at him when you hear that.]
211
2125:24 PM
213[...You didn't realize that that...wasn't just a thought. Your eyes meet his, and your movements nearly falter. But eons of practice ensure that they don't, and you look back down, neither hiding nor giving away anything.]
214
215Spades, 5:24 PM
216[You notice the slight falter. You wonder if you should ask what's wrong.]
217
2185:27 PM
219[Nothing is wrong, not really. It's just...surprising you how right everything is.
220
221You hum the melody of the platitude O taught you. You don't want to confuse him by singing it - you know how that feels acutely - but the notes are elegantly arranged. You can't help yourself.]
222
223Spades, 5:32 PM
224[You're about to think further when he begins humming. Oh. That's a good song.]
225
2265:34 PM
227[You play with the melody, composing variations and improvising continuations. Maybe someday you'll come up with something as riveting as the original, but you doubt your ability to surpass the truly divine.]
228
229[You're content to sit and listen, for now. Whatever the song is, it's very pretty.]
230
2316:07 PM
232[It almost pulls you in deeper. Normally, you'd allow that, but this time, you aim to stay mindful, to play with it more than to give in to it. You still want to keep an eye on him. It's...hard for you not to show off for him. Old habits die hard.]
233
234Spades, 6:33 PM
235[The humming is doing wonders to relax you. You'll have to ask later what the song is.]
236
2376:39 PM
238[You see his hands moving slightly out of sync, and you know it's time to give them a break. You slowly, gently reach out your hands, and place them over his.]
239And so, now that we're through...
240The rest is up to you -
241To do with, what you'll do.
242
243Spades, 6:41 PM
244[You shake your head a little bit to clear yourself from that state, and look at his hands over yours before looking at his face.]
245
2466:43 PM
247[You're smiling with both softness and pride. Your eyes almost seem to sparkle.]
248You did well, Dumaya.
249
250Spades, 6:45 PM
251[You recognize what he said, just before. Your eyes are watery from needing to cough. You get one word out before it starts.]
252
253Thanks-
254
2556:46 PM
256[You form a wing from hard light that folds so half of it is directly in front of him. Something for him to cough into. Or hold onto. Or both.]
257
258Spades, 6:47 PM
259[You feel bad coughing onto an angel's wing.]
260
2616:48 PM
262It's alright, Dumaya. You can use it. 
263
264Spades, 6:51 PM
265[You keep coughing for awhile, and by the time you're done, your face is hot and you sound wheezy.]
266
2676:52 PM
268[You imagine up a cold, damp rag, and hand it to him.]
269Here. This should help. 
270
271Spades, 6:53 PM
272[You take it with a weak "thanks" and wipe your face.]
273
2746:53 PM
275Do you want a glass of water, too?
276
277Spades, 6:54 PM
278[You wave your hand and gesture to the tea.]
279
2806:54 PM
281...Cold water? 
282[Tea is Hot.]
283
284Spades, 6:55 PM
285[You pause. Then you nod.]
286
287(Yeah.)
288
2896:55 PM
290[You imagine up a glass and hand it to him.]
291
292Spades, 6:57 PM
293[You take it and sip, then gulp it down.]
294
2956:57 PM
296I can make you more, if you need it. 
297
298Spades, 6:58 PM
299[You finish the glass and nod.]
300
3016:59 PM
302[You refill it. Thank goodness you don't need to weave all of this stuff.]
303
304Spades, 7:00 PM
305[You empty this glass, too, but slower than before.]
306
3077:01 PM
308...More? 
309[You look genuinely concerned for him. You have this entire time, really.]
310
311Spades, 7:09 PM
312[You're still a little hoarse, but significantly less wheezy.]
313
314'M good.
315
3167:13 PM
317Alright.
318Let me know if you need anything else. 
319
320Spades, 7:19 PM
321Gotcha.
322
3237:20 PM
324...Do you feel well enough to converse? 
325
326Spades, 7:21 PM
327[You nod, and take a sip of tea.]
328
329Yeah.
330
3317:21 PM
332...Good. 
333I admit I would have been disappointed. 
334
335Spades, 7:23 PM
336... Really?
337
3387:24 PM
339Yes. 
340I've heard a lot from others. 
341Many things about you...intrigue me. 
342
343Spades, 7:24 PM
344[you seem Genuinely Surprised.]
345
3467:25 PM
347[You'd moved back to give him some space while he recovered, but you lean back towards him now.]
348Do you know, for instance, what your name means? 
349
350Spades, 7:26 PM
351... Not really.
352
353[You seem a little upset at this.]
354
3557:26 PM
356I do. 
357A Dumaya is an angel of death. 
358
359Spades, 7:27 PM
360...
361
3627:28 PM
363[You let your wings shift into existence and spread them wide.]
364I worked with many. 
365Death is the opposite of birth, but it is not the opposite of life. 
366It's as important to the cycle as its counterpart. 
367
368Spades, 7:34 PM
369[You gently chew your lip.]
370
3717:37 PM
372...Dumaya are not the reason for any deaths beyond those in the very beginning, though. Their purpose was to ensure that early generations neither died prematurely, nor carried on forever. 
373They were guardians as much as they were executioners. 
374
375Spades, 7:38 PM
376...
377
378[You snarl slightly.]
379
380Bullshit.
381
3827:39 PM
383You're right, but not for the reason you think. 
384[You hang your head.]
385When I was banished, to the darkness and solitude I had created, every other life left and went to the Light. 
386Including every angel, save myself. 
387If I could even be considered that.
388
389Spades, 7:42 PM
390... 
391
3927:42 PM
393Since I'm the reason the Dark even exists...
394You can blame me. 
395
396Spades, 7:42 PM
397No, no.
398
399God turned his fuckin' back on an' entire group a people, an' entire goddamn species 'cause  one guy was prevebtably led astray.
400
401You ever see him, you tell him t' fuck off.
402
4037:44 PM
404...
405...They didn't leave a people behind when they went to the Light. 
406They left me behind. 
407The people...
408Came after. 
409Both from the Light, and from...
410Myself. 
411
412Spades, 7:53 PM
413None a it woulda happened if that piece a shit listened!
414
4157:55 PM
416...It was still my action. I cannot deny my culpability for what the world befell, whether whole or partial. 
417I should not have done it, whether I felt my talents were recognized or not. 
418
419Spades, 8:02 PM
420[You hmph and lean back.]
421
422Yeah, an' O shoulda realized what would happen if he didn't fuckin' speak up.
423
424If he was so goddamn omniscient.
425
4268:03 PM
427He gave me the information I needed. 
428I simply didn't understand it. 
429
430Spades, 8:04 PM
431Then he shoulda said it different.
432
4338:04 PM
434...He couldn't.
435Or at least, it was difficult to convey as-is. 
436Do you remember how during the exercise earlier, I could only speak in rhyme? 
437
438Spades, 8:19 PM
439Yeah.
440
4418:20 PM
442O is always in that state. 
443He speaks purely in poetry. 
444That melody I hummed, that you enjoyed -
445It belonged to the advice he gave, when I first confessed I had fallen in love. 
446
447Spades, 8:23 PM
448...
449
4508:23 PM
451[You close your eyes.]
452Dream with your eyes closed.
453Try and pluck the pearl from your bones.
454
455Spades, 8:37 PM
456...
457
458What the fuck does that mean.
459
460It only vaguely rhymes even!
461
4628:39 PM
463I asked myself the same questions. 
464If I had the patience then that I do now, I would have come to understand it much sooner. 
465He was warning me against letting my dreams cloud my judgement, and extricating my pride.
466
467Spades, 8:45 PM
468...
469
470Still.
471
4728:46 PM
473...I do wish it had been more straightforward. 
474Or that someone else would have...
475[You sigh.]
476But there are countless reasons I can name that it is no one's fault but mine. 
477
478Spades, 8:54 PM
479... 'S a shared blame.
480
4818:57 PM
482I still cannot help but feel that it falls most on me.
483[You close your eyes again, and speak softly.]
484(I am sorry, Dumaya, for creating the burnt world you were forced to inhabit.)
485
486Spades, 9:00 PM
487...
488
489[You shake your head.]
490
491(Only people that did that t' me was yer descendents. Not you.)
492
4939:08 PM
494(I meant the first time. The time that made it an ash-covered waste.)
495(When I took away the light.)
496
497Spades, 9:09 PM
498(I know.)
499
500[You take off your glove and rub your damp eyes.]
501
5029:12 PM
503...
504[You imagine up a box of tissues, but you also offer your hand.]
505
506Spades, 9:25 PM
507[You take the tissues with your ungloved hand, and slowly tske his hand with your gloved one.]
508
5099:46 PM
510(...I don't know what I did to deserve one of my children forgiving me, but...)
511(I am grateful more than you can know.)
512Thursday, July 27, 2017
513
514Spades, 3:23 PM
515('S 'cause I read up on what happened.)
516
517(It was a lot a avoidable things that happened. Can't blame one person fer it, but some carry it more than others.)
518
5193:27 PM
520(...I'd rather blame myself than those who were victimized.)
521(Although I...I didn't know that...what I did would...)
522
523Spades, 3:28 PM
524(O knew what would happen.)
525
5263:29 PM
527(...I...I don't know if...if he could have stopped me.)
528(I can't think of...I don't know why he wouldn't have, if he could, I...)
529
530Spades, 3:29 PM
531(He coulda.)
532
5333:30 PM
534(Then why not?)
535[You bury your face in your free hand.]
536(What about me wasn't worth saving? What part of me is unlovable?)
537(Was it my pride? My anger? My talent? My passion? My love?)
538
539Spades, 3:31 PM
540(I unno.)
541
542(Sometimes shit like this happens... Jus' because.)
543
544(With no satisfyin' reason why.)
545
5463:33 PM
547(...)
548[Your hand tightens its grip on your face.]
549(That's not the kind of world I wanted to create.)
550
551Spades, 3:58 PM
552(I know.)
553
554[You reach over and pat his hand, the one holding yours.]
555
5564:03 PM
557(I tried, Dumaya, I really did.)
558(I loved creation.)
559(It was the most gratifying thing imaginable.)
560(I wanted to make something that was as beautiful as I felt when...)
561(When he...)
562
563Spades, 4:08 PM
564[You rub his hand, gently.]
565
5664:17 PM
567[It's your turn to cry, softly and quietly. Your tears look like watery, thin ink, and they run down your hands and land on the table. You're shaking just barely.]
568(I-I'm sorry.)
569
570Spades, 4:18 PM
571('S okay.)
572
573[Your turn to hold his hand, with both of yours.]
574
5754:30 PM
576[You sound only...half like you're talking to him. Your voice sounds oddly far away.]
577(I broke y-your trust.)
578(I took everything w-we had and...)
579
580Spades, 4:42 PM
581[You shush him before he gets any more distant.]
582
583(Nah. You didn't break my trust.)
584
5854:44 PM
586(I b-broke the whole world's trust. I had power a-and I- )
587(I should've never- never been-)
588[You're cut off by a sob.]
589
590Spades, 4:51 PM
591[You slide around the table to hug him.]
592
5934:57 PM
594[It takes you a few seconds to process what he's doing, and a few more seconds for you to realize he deserves the same amount of care from you. You wrap your arms around him, too, then, and you hold him tight.]
595
596Spades, 5:01 PM
597[You remove your other glove, finally, and rub his back. Trying to calm him down.]
598
5995:19 PM
600[What's mostly helping is how tightly you're holding him, but him rubbing your back certainly doesn't hurt, either. It's taking you a while all the same, though, because you started violently sobbing Very Fast and it's hard to come down from that.]
601
602Spades, 5:24 PM
603[You know that from experience. "I's okay," you say, patting his back.]
604
6055:28 PM
606[You want to thank him, but you know it's best to focus on breathing more evenly. After a couple of minutes, you're doing and feeling somewhat better, but you still hold tight to him.]
607(I still don't...understand...why you're taking care of me so much.)
608(But I'm grateful.)
609(I can't thank you enough for - for everything.)
610
611Spades, 5:48 PM
612[You hum in approval when he begins evening out his breathing, and you do the same with him.]
613
614(You needed it.)
615
6165:59 PM
617(...You needed it too.)
618[You wait for his hands to be out of the way, and then you form your wings again and wrap them around him.]
619
620Spades, 6:14 PM
621[You don't say anything to that, and just move your arms to his lower back. You lean against him a bit more, though.]
622
6236:22 PM
624[You try to alter the light that makes up your wings to make them softer, with moderate success. Your own hands gently rub his shoulders.]
625(You're kinder than you think you are.)
626
627Spades, 6:23 PM
628(Mmh. Only t' people that need or deserve it.)
629
6306:24 PM
631(That's still kindness.)
632[You gently rub your wings against him, too.]
633(You've hardened your soul, but you left cracks where your emotions shine through.)
634(Not on purpose.)
635(But they're there nonetheless.)
636
637Spades, 6:26 PM
638(...)
639
640[You just snug into him a little. Slightly. Barely.]
641
6426:29 PM
643[You reach up and gently brush your hand past his face.]
644(That's the reason why you're unhappy. You're not being true to what your soul wants.)
645(...Well, not the only reason.)
646(But that's part of it.)
647
648Spades, 6:37 PM
649[You 'hmph' at that.]
650
6516:39 PM
652(I know.)
653(It's not what you want to hear.)
654(But you'll feel better if you let yourself be...)
655(Softer.)
656(More vulnerable.)
657(I know from where you're standing, it sounds counterintuitive, but I promise it will help.)
658
659Spades, 6:49 PM
660[You seem very uneasy about this.]
661
662(... Maybe. But not openly.)
663
6646:50 PM
665(You don't have to announce it to everyone, no. Though I'm sure the people here would accept it.)
666(And you can start small, too.)
667(Offering a helping hand here and there.)
668(Being honest about your feelings, if you trust someone.)
669
670Spades, 6:53 PM
671(...)
672
673(Well, I mean, I already kinda help people 'round 'ere...)
674
6756:59 PM
676(Right...right, I heard about that.)
677(Why don't you tell me more about it?)
678[You sound Interested.]
679
680Spades, 7:01 PM
681[You lean back a little, but stay in his wings.]
682
683(The, uh. Most impressive, I think, is this one-)
684
685[You pull out a little vial of liquid with an enhydro agate in it.]
686
6877:05 PM
688[You stare at it for a moment.]
689(...All the properties of water while being fundamentally chemically different.)
690(I saw some of it in someone else's room.)
691(You made it for someone else?)
692
693Spades, 7:14 PM
694(Yeah.)
695
696(He's amphibious an' can't go in water without extreme pain.)
697
6987:21 PM
699(...That's an awful combination.)
700(May I...may I see the vial?)
701
702Spades, 7:21 PM
703[You hand him the vial.]
704
705(Well, he's sorta owned by a demon, so it was kinda a rule t' stay outta the water.)
706
707(Real bad fer him, though, since he's got two sets a gills.)
708
7097:24 PM
710(I can...imagine...)
711[You're getting a little distracted by how well-engineered it is.]
712(...How on Razia did you make this?)
713
714Spades, 7:26 PM
715(Lotta distillin' an' purifyin'. Started with liquids that didn't have water in 'em.)
716
7177:31 PM
718(What filters? And methods?)
719(What...substances did you use to purify...)
720[You turn the vial upside down.]
721(It's only a fraction away from water in weight, too.)
722
723Spades, 7:35 PM
724(Boilin' it off an' takin' th' steam from that. Kinda like meltin' metal an' scrapin' th' gunk off th' top.)
725
726(Some fabric filters, an' some mineral ones.)
727
728(Th' enhydro agate worked out th' best.)
729
7307:40 PM
731(...You made multiple versions of this with different substrates?)
732[You're sounding more and more amazed.]
733
734Spades, 7:40 PM
735(Yeah. I had th' time t' do it, anyway.)
736
737(Di'nt make sense t' only do one at a time, then sit there an' stare at it.)
738
7397:41 PM
740(How long did it take?)
741
742Spades, 7:41 PM
743[You rub your chin.]
744
745(Couple months? I'd have t' check logs an' stuff.)
746
7477:42 PM
748[You nearly drop the vial.]
749
750Spades, 7:42 PM
751(Whoa, hey-)
752
7537:42 PM
754(TWO MONTHS?)
755
756Spades, 7:42 PM
757[You put your hand on his.]
758
759(Oh, no, uh. 5 I think?)
760
7617:43 PM
762(St- FIVE?)
763[Your eyes are wide. At least conveying surprise doesn't depend on an iris.]
764
765Spades, 7:48 PM
766(Or. Maybe it was 2.)
767
768[Furrowed brows.]
769
770(2 or 3.)
771
7727:49 PM
773(...Either way.)
774(You-)
775(I don't know if I could have made this.)
776(Given years.) 
777
778Spades, 7:53 PM
779(... Really?)
780
7817:54 PM
782(I never had to work with any constraints beyond the ones chemistry dictated - I had no set rules -) 
783(This is...this is unlike anything I ever did. And far more remarkable.)
784(This is a feat of alchemical engineering.)
785
786Spades, 7:57 PM
787[You flush with embarrassment.]
788
789(Oh.)
790
7918:04 PM
792(...)
793(I've...almost never been so proud of one of my children.)
794
795Spades, 8:06 PM
796[Increase Embarrassment]
797
7988:06 PM
799[You place a hand on his shoulder, again.]
800(You don't need to be embarrassed.)
801(You can be proud of yourself, too)
802
803Spades, 8:11 PM
804(Jus'... 'S kinda weird t' get accolades.)
805
8068:40 PM
807[And your heart sinks like a stone.]
808(...All the more reason why you should hear it.)
809[You wrap him up a little tighter.]
810
811Spades, 8:42 PM
812(... Yeah. I guess.)
813
814[Very slowly put your head on his shoulder/chest.]
815
8168:44 PM
817(You deserve praise, Dumaya.)
818(I promise.)
819
820Spades, 8:49 PM
821(Mmh.)
822
8238:53 PM
824(S- )
825[You stop yourself, thankfully, and take a deep breath.]
826(...Just. Please.)
827(Believe me.)
828
829Spades, 9:03 PM
830[Little nod.]
831
8329:06 PM
833(Your gifts are precious. Your life is precious.)
834(I know it's hard for you to believe, but- I wouldn't lie to you.)
835(Not about this.)
836
837Spades, 9:10 PM
838(... I know.)
839
8409:26 PM
841[You hold him a little tighter, but you...don't say anything. You're not sure if more kind words would hurt more than they would help.]
842
843Spades, 9:38 PM
844[You inhale as deep as you can, and finally give in and lean against him.]
845
8469:57 PM
847[You rest your head against his, too, and rub his back gently.]
84810:31 PM
849Weary dreamer, sunlit beamer 
850There's no more work left to be done 
851Turn your hands down, let your mind drown 
852In the emptiness where you'd begun