CLOSED ♔ don't know what the country's coming to

[behindcloseddoors]

♬ on an evening in roma - dean martin

WHO || Rafael, Des, Buffy, their best pal in the world
WHAT || An unexpected incident
WHERE || Rome
WHEN || June 7th, 2014
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread.

Who knows how long unconsciousness has them all swallowed in its grip. But when it finally allows them to resurface, they'd notice the smooth motion of a car indicating they're... still riding in a vehicle. A wis check of 14+ might recognize it's a different limo, however, and it doesn't take a wisdom check to recognize that they are all crammed together on the same side of the seat now. With... hands cuffed to the seat between their legs.

Across from them, a large figure sits grinning manically... wearing a familiar gray cassock. Oh hi. :)

A single glance out the window at the bustling city outside is enough to recognize that is sure as shit ain't London. And Anderson will be quick to clear that up for y'all, waving one hand at the view.

"Well, now. I hope you all enjoyed your rest. Let me be the first t'bid ye welcome... to Rome."

Comments

[romanticidal]

Have you tried asking her to keep them at bay?

[slay]

... Asking her?

[ what is prayer. ]

Well, I—I mean, I would, but I didn't exactly get her number, and the long distance bills have gotta be killer. I wonder if you can call the Spaces In Between collect ...

[romanticidal]

[ he gets the tiniest smile at that ] She is a god, carina. You need only say the words and she will hear them.

[slay]

... So, I just talk to air? I think that's how people wind up in institutions. In fact, I'm almost positive.

[romanticidal]

It need not be out loud, Buffy. [ it's his turn to think that you're being adorable ] Though for some, that helps them feel that they are more likely to be heard.

[slay]

Caught choosing between god-like super-hearing or mind-reading, huh? [ bOTH SOUND UNPLEASANT why do people find this comforting. ] That's a toughie.

[romanticidal]

When the communication is only one way, at least there is no chance that you'll hear an answer that will only disappoint.

[slay]

Look, don't take this the wrong way, but ... If no one's answering, what's the point? How do you even know she can hear?

[nothingsodivine]

[Apparently Des's deep penguin dream sleep isn't enough to not hear the tailend of this conversation (listen 27 dayum boy).

He doesn't really need the context, because what he has to say sort of... just applies to anything.]

I think they call that faith, Blondie.

[romanticidal]

[ raf glances back at des for a moment, and doesn't say anything for a tense moment. when he does speak, he sounds tired. ]

... Si. I think that is what they call it.

[slay]

[ buffy turns to look into the backseat, eyebrows raising. ]

Good morning, sunshine.

[nothingsodivine]

[well des is too sleep deprived to catch on to Rafael's sad half-elf in snow shtick. He yawns and stretches.]

Mornin'. Are we there yet?

[romanticidal]

[ rafael is actually pulling to a stop bitches, deal with it. but he's also... staring in horror through the front window, and before they even know what's happening, his door is open and he's numbly stepping out of the car. ]

No...

[ when they look back out front again, they'll see what he's talking about. his once beautiful palazzo is... all but gone, charred to a crisp, a few walls standing and blackened here and there. ]

[nothingsodivine]

[oh

well.

that sucks.

As soon as Rafael gets out, Des clambers out over his seat and steps out behind him, looking stunned as hell. Not having anything to say about the guy mourning his HOME, Des wanders out a bit closer to the wreckage. Doing his detective thing. (Wis 17)]

This looks like it was done awhile ago. Whoever did it probably didn't stick around.

[HE'S BEING REASSURING. As he picks through the rubble.]

[slay]

[ buffy’s brow furrows as they stop, turning back around and settling in her seat just as rafael climbs out of the car. the image before her causes a pit to sink in her stomach, rooting her there for a moment and preventing her from doing anything but staring.

finally, she climbs out of the car numbly, devastated by the sight before her. des’ remarks only sicken her, making her shut her eyes and tune them out. it’s so clinical. detached. he just starts investigating, like it isn’t his best friend’s house that they just found scorched. ]

Oh god.

[romanticidal]

[ ♬ something i can never have - nine inch nails

rafael walks in a daze towards the remains, stepping over what had been the entrance hall where hiro had once greeted them, his shoes crunching against debris. a puff of ash rises below his feet as he moves through the familiar layout, looking back and forth in slow, pained disbelief. when he finally reaches the place where his piano room once was, he sees the destroyed instrument, and notices something sticking out from beneath it. he bends down to pull it out, ripping it slightly in the process.

he pulls up one of the photos of jade that had sat on the top of the piano that night buffy had spied on him playing. it's cracked, burned, and scarred, and he stares down at it, looking entirely lost. ]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des's clinical detachment is a necessary evil. No one can mourn if assassins are jumping out at them. Still once he's done investigating, his expression shifts to something pained and he runs a hand over his face as he paces the length of the wreckage.]

I'm sorry, Rafael.

[slay]

[ buffy approaches the house—it had only been a night, so she's not familiar enough with the layout to know what rubble she's standing on. if this spot was once the guest room, the hallway, the dining room where they'd had dinner. they're essentially unrecognizable in the rubble except for things like the charred piano, and the collapsed garage.

a million questions run through her mind, trying to make sense of it, but she knows none of it will help. asking why the police didn't come, why no one had called him to warn him, who could have done this—none of it will change the fact that his home is gone.

everything he had left, she realizes, is gone. even his best memories of jade have been tainted by what they found here. rather than say anything, knowing that there's nothing to say, she searches for anything salvageable (take 20 search tbh no hurry here). ]

[romanticidal]

[ rafael closes his eyes, and lets the photograph fall from his hand back into the rubble. buffy manages to find some intact handguns where the kitchen once was. ]

There is nothing left for me, here.

[nothingsodivine]

[des blows his hair out of his face.]

Maybe it's a sign. A fresh start. A new beginning. I dunno.

[a sigh] But mourning won't bring Tara back, Fluffy. C'mon. We still have to get out of Italy.

[slay]

[ buffy grabs the guns and passes des on her way to walk over towards rafael, hesitating beside des to note, gently: ] Rein it in or give us a minute.

[ if you can't be comforting, gO WAIT IN THE CAR. we are not on your schedule, bro. she doesn't linger long, but rather keeps moving to where rafael stands with closed eyes. she doesn't touch him (you can decide for yourself if that's just bc her hands are full WITH GUNS), just comes up to stand beside him. ]

Here, maybe. [ she turns away from the ruin to look up at him. ] But I know Isabella's worried sick right now. [ so he hasn't lost everything he knew before they came and uprooted his life. some things remain—people. even if jade isn't one of them. ]

[romanticidal]

Likely, yes. [ he glances at her briefly ] We should a place to stay for a few hours. We all need the rest. A hotel that will take cash.

[nothingsodivine]

[ALL RIGHT FINE. Des can see where his... horrible brand of support isn't wanted. He heaves another sigh and starts walking back to the car.]

[slay]

Hey, no argument here. I'm running on empty. I just ... [ she presses her lips together a moment, straining to find the right thing to say. ] If you need time, we don't have to rush. [ it's been one thing after another today: she will understand if he needs to just stand here and process or cry or anything. ]

[romanticidal]

No. [ he turns, looking at the guns in her hands and frowning deeply, before moving past her ] What I need is not time.