chicago ♔ it’s a tragedy to be left only with memories

[savemyself]

WHO || Failboat and friends [Closed]
WHAT || As the trial drags on, the Knights spend their last few months in Chicago and tensions mount
WHERE || Various locations, Chicago
WHEN || November 21st - The end of the trial?? [Back AND Forward dated]
HOW || Actionspam, don't sweat tag order


Everybody loves a media circus and the trial of Rafael Giovanni is no exception. If he was famous before, in the days following the shooting, now he's all people are talking about, and all the tabloids want to focus on. The complications presented at some of the early hearings by Jaka, regarding the identity of the Black Scourge and Rafael's alleged reaction have only made the story more appealing to the millions watching.

They've also caused the trial to drag out for months as facts are checked, evidence is poured over, and the jury becomes only more split on the issue. In the meantime, the holidays fly by, and one of the most terrible winters in years blankets Chicago in blizzards.

This log covers any work and non-work related shenanigans the Knights have while staying in Chicago, immediately following the last log and continuing for the next couple months. This will be the Knight's last time in Chicago before the trial: after which they plan to return to the castle to fully Knight Violet and Elena and decide where to head next.

Make your own threads, don't fuss about tag order, feel free to threadjack multiple people into one thread for hang-outs, ask me if you want a certain scene with an NPC, etc. forever whatever.

Comments

[nothingsodivine]

[Des is presently tangled in his own sheets, still mostly dressed barring his shoes and his jacket which have been tossed haphazardly onto the floor. More than his murmurings, she could feel that he is very clearly in emotional distress, caught up in a vivid nightmare.

He's repeating the same phrase over and over again, so quickly it smashes together into one long string of nonsense. Ididn'tknowididn'tknowididn'tknow.

I didn't know.]

[witchwoman]

[Ever since Vi had started to experience her nightmares, it had been something Myri had grown almost accustomed to. But it's not the same. Every person feels different, after all. And she can't help but remember that he's saying the same thing now as he had when he was regaining consciousness.

Slipping into the room, Myri closes the door softly behind her and moves to the edge of his bed. She hesitates for a moment before leaning in to place a hand to his shoulder and shaking lightly.]

Des? Des, wake up...

[nothingsodivine]

Huh-what? [Des jolts awake and blinks blearily at Myri for a second.

What is she doing here? Is something on fire? He looks around.] What happened?

[witchwoman]

You were... [She feels immediately out of place, like she's intruded.] Are you alright? You were talking. I think you were having a nightmare.

[nothingsodivine]

Oh, that's what that was. [He hesitates a bit, like there might be something incriminating he could be muttering in his sleep. Damn, he needs to remember to keep that door shut.] What was I saying?

[witchwoman]

[One arm comes up to wrap around herself, her hand rubbing the opposite arm lightly.]

It was hard to make out, but... mostly you just kept saying that you didn't know. Just like before. [Gonna just leave that there to sort of call you out on maybe lying to her before??? Sure seems like it's more than you made it out to be.]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des runs a hand through his hair.] Just like befo- [Oh right. When everyone banded together and decided to play KICK THE DESCANT. He sighs.] It's nothing, Little Bit. It's just something that's come up a lot in my dreams is all. Every time it gets quiet, that's all I hear.

[witchwoman]

[Sensing your motive ... 25 ARE YOU SURE IT'S NOTHING???]

Have you ever thought to try to talk about it? It might help you sleep.

[nothingsodivine]

[He certainly looks sincere about it, so yes. He's sure.]

Wouldn't know where to begin. It's just a jumble. You get my age- and God forbid you ever get my age- you go to sleep and it's just a kaleidoscope of memories you barely remember experiencing. And sometimes all you get are the bad ones.

[witchwoman]

[just checking

She feels awkward standing around so she just... sits at the edge of his bed. Still kind of awkward but at least slightly less so.]

There isn't always a place to begin. Sometimes you just have to start- even if it's in the middle. It doesn't have to make sense, so long as it might help.

[nothingsodivine]

So you do you want "One time, the Spanish Inquisition..." or "this other time, half the Roman Legion..."

I'm gonna end up giving you nightmares.

[witchwoman]

I just want to help, Des. That's all I've ever wanted. Besides- only one thing has ever scared me enough to wake me and until he comes through the Veil, I'll be just fine. I'm not as frail as you think.

[nothingsodivine]

[He looks at her for a long time and then he sighs.] Myri, when was the last time you did something that was just for you? Not because you wanted to make sure someone else was okay and that made you feel good- I mean honest to God, one selfish decision that only made you happy.

[witchwoman]

[Her smile is a little forced, because lately? She's been having a lot of selfish thoughts. Thoughts about running away and not looking back.]

I kept Spike and Buffy out all night, ate pancakes, and went to the planetarium when they opened in the morning. The stars were beautiful.

[Which wasn't really selfish because they had helped orchestrate the whole thing to cheer her up the night after the break up.]

[nothingsodivine]

There you go. Ever think maybe your inability to handle other people's emotions is because you think yours are less important. If you stopped thinkin' so hard about what other people are feeling, you might actually get a better handle on it. And you'd be happier for it.

[witchwoman]

[She knows that everyone worries about her, knows that by telling them how her gift works, she gave them an open invitation to tell her how she should handle it. But it's hard to describe an instinct that she's had for as long as she can remember. But she'll try.]

When Jade was... [Yeah, she feels like an ass for using her as an example but it's all she's got.] When she was alive, if you could know when she was hurting, sense her pain... would you be at all concerned with anything that you were feeling in that moment?

[nothingsodivine]

[Touche.]

Sometimes you can't make the pain stop, Little Bit. Sometimes you just drive yourself crazy wondering how you can. That's how everything falls apart. Jade and I worked, because I never dug too deep when she didn't want me to and I never tried to fix her. I let her be who she was. And if I knew every second she was in pain, then I'd yeah, I'd think about my own feelings, because they help me relate to hers.

[He shakes his head.] Love's not always about making it better. Love's about knowing you're both hurting and enduring it together without trying to pretend that you can fix each other.

[witchwoman]

Maybe people like me aren't meant to love, then. [This may still be a sore spot for her.] Because if that's what love is? If I'd have to give up on the only thing that I've... [she trails off and shakes her head.]

It's not something I can turn off. I've been this way for my entire life. I've been chased from villages, called a demon, hunted. Don't you think I would have stopped then, if I could? [None of that was for the empathy. That was for the healing and the backlash that came when someone died on her watch. But it's all connected to her.]

[nothingsodivine]

You're talkin' to someone who knows a few things about curses. The trick is not letting it define you. There's more to you than being the cuddly feel-good member of this team.

[witchwoman]

It's not a- Des, I'm not cursed. My magic comes with a price that most don't encounter, yes, but... I've never wished it gone. What was done to you was meant to punish you. But I was born like this. [at least as far as she knows] And nothing will make it stop or go away.

[nothingsodivine]

It don't matter how you got it. If you spend 85% of your life being miserable about it, it's not really a gift, is it?

[Yeah, okay, maybe he doesn't get it because he spends 100% of his life being miserable about his.]

[witchwoman]

[She presses her lips together in a thin line, which might be hard to see since it's dark but her frustration with the discussion is probably evident.]

We weren't talking about me, you know. We were talking about your nightmares. Something's bothering you, Des. It has been since the trial.

[nothingsodivine]

Yeah, maybe you missed the part where I got hurled into a glass table. That doesn't do wonders for a man's mood, Myri.

[witchwoman]

You can't tell me that was the worst you've seen in all your years.

[nothingsodivine]

Coming from someone I know personally?

[He thinks on it.] Maybe not. [Oh my God, Myri. He cringes.] I just have a lot on my mind. Iscariot's not gonna let me off easy and the case keeps getting more complicated. It's nothing to worry your pretty little head over.