003. (v2) [video]

[snowtop]

[At first, there is no sound; there is only the image of Xanth's forearm. Lines of letters curl around his fingers, twist around his hand, and spiral onto his arm. The ink, jet black, is stark against his pale skin.]

Th-this-- it means I-I've been-- t-too quiet, right? I-It... it wants me to-- t-to say... s-something.

[It's been a while since he's checked in, made sure people knew he hadn't vanished, but there is nothing to say.

The feed remains set on Xanth's arm.]

I'm... o-okay. I'm s--still here.

A-Are... are you guys... o-okay, too?

[He heard that crack some days ago. No one has called for help on the journals, so no one was hurt in the expedition that came after, and no one had been hurt during the initial bang.

Or so he hopes.]

Comments

[heavyweaponsbot]

[Dadbot would comment--! If... he knew what happened in the woods :(]

[snowtop]

[Xanth hopes you're okay, Dadbot :(]

[Audio]

[lightwithin]

I'm okay.

[She hasn't spoken to Xanth since they both returned to the barracks. It isn't that she'd meant to avoid him. She's just... Been preoccupied.

Xanth, on the other hand, doesn't sound okay.]

I have some oranges...

[The offer is there before she's finished, but she'd hoped making smoothies could be something fun. Xanth doesn't sound like he's really up for fun.]

Do you want some?

[Audio]

[snowtop]

[She's okay and she's talking to him. That's good.

Xanth almost turns her away, if only because he's not exactly presentable, but... he really would like the company. And she's offering oranges - he can't say no.]

S--Sure.

You... y-you know-- m-my room, right?

[Audio]

[lightwithin]

Sure.

[Even if she can't remember the number, she remembers the way.

And a few moments later, she's outside the door with half a dozen oranges - more than they could eat - and trying to knocking gently with her elbow.]

[Commentlog]

[snowtop]

[Xanth doesn't bother to clean up for Kairi's visit. She's seen his rooms in varying states of disrepair before, and she probably won't mind.

Besides, he doesn't feel like cleaning.

At her weak knocking, he opens the door with a smile. Xanth, like his room, is not in the best state. His hair hasn't been washed in a week, and it's about down to his shoulders now; his clothes, while clean enough, are rumpled; he's got dark circles under his eyes; and he looks a little thinner than before, his cheekbones and knuckles more pronounced.

And there is the matter of the ink on his arm that he still hasn't washed away.]

H-Hey--

[And without another word, he moves to take some of the oranges from Kairi's arms.]

[Commentlog]

[lightwithin]

[Xanth looks... Well he looks gross and a bit unwell. But Kairi doesn't have long to scrutinize him because he's already taking some of the oranges from her. She catches sight of the ink on his arm.]

Don't worry about it.

[She tries to salvage the oranges.]

Aren't you going to wash that off?

[Commentlog]

[snowtop]

[Xanth's only taken two oranges from her at this point, but he stops. Instead, he just steps back and holds the door for her to come in.

One would hope that Kairi likes book piles, clothes piles, and blanket nests, because those are what's scattered around Xanth's room.]

Y-Yeah but, um-- I-I didn't have t-time, before you... c-came over.

[You are like right down the hall, man.]

[Video]

[agentknockknock.livejournal.com]

It wants you to say something?!? Don't listen to it! That is really not good. Really, really not good.

Look I've seen this before, and I can get rid of it. Have you touched Edger Allen Poe's book or quill? I need to find it now before [She trails off ominously.]

Well, I just need to find it. Then you'll be OK.

[She thinks.]

[Audio]

[snowtop]

[... well this does give him pause.]

Um. N-No, I... I-I haven't? The-- th-the only quill I've t-touched recently is-- the-- th-the one that... c-came with my j--journal.

[The last book he touched, aside from his journal, was Common Fauna of the Tropical Rainforest.

The Keep is lacking fascinating reading material, unfortunately.]

[Video] I'm just gonna go ahead and apoligize for her.

[agentknockknock.livejournal.com]

[Huh, well that's not right.]

Maybe it got switched when you weren't looking. Do you have any enemies?

I can fix this, I just need your pen. And don't write anything violent or painful!

[Audio] NO I LOVE HER

[snowtop]

I-- wh-- w-why would I write-- um.

[All this confusion is actually nice for a change. It gives him a little something to focus on.]

I-I think-- I think you've-- g-got it wrong, um-- this d-didn't just happen to-- to me, it, the, the ink thing-- i-it happens i-if you don't-- m-make entries in your j-journal thing.

I mean. I. I-I think.

[He's seen other journal posts about it. Not for a while, but in passing, in the past. Unless he was misremembering...]

[Video] XD

[agentknockknock.livejournal.com]

Woh woh woh, let me get this straight. If you don't write in this thing. Creepy words sprawl out all over you. And you're not worried by this?

[OK something is wrong with people here, cause she'd be worried if ink started crawling on her.]

If I'm wrong no big whop, if you're wrong [She trails off.]

Did you touch any other books? Besides your journal?

[Video]

[snowtop]

[It's just now that it dawns on him that no, he's not worried by this; he's just so jaded by the supernatural.

But perhaps this woman is right.

The video comes on and sweeps over Xanth's Pile O' Books. Some titles are visible and some are not; those that are visible are only research books.]

U-Um. Yeah. Just... th-these from the-- the library...

[ghostly-stutter.livejournal.com]

Xanth.

[A soft sigh. Relief.]

I--I'm glad you're okay.

[snowtop]

S--Same to you.

[A beat.]

...y-you are, though, r--right?

[ghostly-stutter.livejournal.com]

[A pause, which Chloe is quick to fill.]

Y-Yes. Fine. I'm okay.

[More or less. Okay, maybe a little less fine than she wanted right now, but she didn't need Xanth to worry.]

So...what is that on your arms? Is it gone now?

[snowtop]

[That stutter is telling. She's not fine, but he doesn't press. Not right now, at least.]

I-It's-- ink, l-letters, w-words and-- s-stuff. And... y-yeah. I-It washed off af... after I m-made the-- the e-entry.

>.> /sneaks in another tag and clings in the meanwhile

[ghostly-stutter.livejournal.com]

Words? Could you read any of them?

[That captured Chloe's attention. She wonders if the writing was Xanthus, or something else entirely.]

At least they came off.

/snuggles and wraps in a blanket

[snowtop]

N--No. [Xanth shakes his head, even though Chloe can't see it.] S-Some-- some letters l-looked fami--m-miliar, but... n-not enough.

Are... y-you sure you're-- o-okay?

[He's sorry. He couldn't hold off.]

[Audio]

[angha-firebird.livejournal.com]

Xanth.

[There's relief and warmth in her voice, along with the smallest bit of vulnerability she is trying very hard to hide. They hadn't talked at all after she re-gained her memories, after all.]

I am glad you're okay.

[Those markings worry her, however, she she leans closer to inspect the journal.]

They do not hurt? The markings on your skin?

[She wasn't going to mention her sleepless nights or internal conflict with her friends. She hadn't harmed Xanth, at least. For that, she would count herself fortunate. Alex's words have been haunting her. She needed to tell them. Everyone one of them. She never wished to be a danger ever again. But how to go about it? And when would she find the time?]

[Audio]

[snowtop]

Y--Yeah. You... you too.

[He hasn't spoken with Aara for some time. Not since he took her back to his room after her revival. Though he doesn't ask, he wonders: what has she remembered?]

They-- th-they don't, th-they're just-- l-like the t-tattoo on... m-my face.

[Only these letters don't just shift; they shift and they spread.]

[Audio]

[angha-firebird.livejournal.com]

That...that is good.

[It makes her wonder all the more about the markings on his face, though. She thought he was different. Like her. That the markings were a part of him. Had they been put there, though?]

Xanth... I...I wish to thank you. For taking care of me. Helping me. [Even if she also remembers she had been naked. And covered in blood. Most likely her blood, though she supposes she aught to be thankful for that. Still, she trembles. The memories of her death hit her hard. She only wonders what horrors others at the Keep faced.]

I do not know... how trying, or terrible, or exhausting the past few weeks have been for you, Xanth. If you need anything, though--anything at all--I am here.

[Her quiet voice cracks at the offer.]

When things have calmed...ah... I have something to tell you.

[Audio]

[snowtop]

H-Hey, don't-- don't w-worry about it...

[He tries for as comforting a tone as he can, but then she says she has something to tell him, and all that comfort drains away from him.

There is a short pause.]

Um. What-- w-what is it? You-- y-you can-- tell me now.

[Might as well get it over with, if it's something bad. Or maybe she needs help.]

[Audio]

[angha-firebird.livejournal.com]

[Aara relaxes at his assurances. His next words cause every muscle in her body to tense up, however. Her brows knit together as her lungs struggle for air. What if... what if she scares Xanth away?

...What if she hurts him in the future, because she never warned him away? Aara hangs her head.]

Can I... tell you somewhere else?

[If she loses a friend, she does not want it to happen where everyone can see. Her chest constricts at the thought, and she hadn't told him a thing yet. Inhaling a shaky breath of air, Aara steels her nerves. Xanth was her friend. She would abide by whatever he wished after he heard her out.]

Please?