disinherits | voicemail.

[Her cottage is darker now, but not because she's lost any power. There are far fewer flowers and more empty vases sitting on the side tables. There just aren't many places to find fresh flowers these days, but she still has a vase of purple aster and sage in the kitchen, and a small arrangement of dried statice placed on the far end of the table.

She puts it down on the table before turning to the cupboard to find plates and forks.]

Then close the door and sit down if you're staying. And don't track any dirt inside.

[ He'll do as requested, tapping his shoes on the mat before he'll nudge the door closed behind him. Judging by the noises in the kitchen, while she shuffles around, it's easy enough to locate her. Curious as he is, he'll glance around as he goes - and the statice, well. He'll advert his eyes and quietly pull out a chair to take a seat at the table's opposite end. ]

I'm glad you were able to keep things up well enough around here, after the change.

[ He attempts at conversation, more to keep his mind busy than anything else. ]

[She scoffs under her breath.]

'Well enough'? The world is falling apart. The best I can do is put out dried flowers and try to keep the dust from settling on everything too quickly.

It could have been worse, is what I mean. But it's good that it wasn't.

[ He's seen what's become of some structures around here, and naturally, it wasn't pretty. Still, perhaps it was a poor topic to pick. Who wants to think about how this world is crumbling, when their own is facing the same fate? Sort of a sore subject, in that way. ]

[That she can't argue. Some buildings have completely fallen apart; at least she's been able to keep her electricity and running water for now.

With a small sigh to compose herself, she brings the plates and forks to the table and sits down across from him.]

Where are you staying now?

I still have the same living arrangements, staying with Oswald. Jack, and Alice, too.

[ Sure, the latter two names aren't said so cheerfully, but it's Jack and the other half of the twins. Even after all this time, it's still a little awkward to think about those people being in such a close proximity - or maybe it's just harder to avoid, now that their once spacious household has squeezed them all in closer together. ]

The walls have been holding up, I suppose that's the most we can ask for!

[She's about to hand him the knife and let him cut the cake, but then she realizes that letting him have a sharp object might not be the smartest idea. She's still not sure what he's up to here, after all.

Leaning forward, she cuts two slices of cake, puts one on his plate first.]

It sounds crowded...living with so many people.

[The words are nothing more than compensation for her own loneliness.]

[ As she divides the portions, he places their forks - once that's done, accepts the plate by sliding it closer, then. Normally, he'd wait for her to take the first bite, but considering her suspicion, he figures that he might as well cut into his slice. ]

It's not so much the number of people, as it is the people themselves... Is that why you're no longer staying with Edward and Lizzie?

[ Probably not something she'll like him asking so casually, but she can deal!! He'll just shove that cake into his mouth like it's nothing. ]

[Seeing him dig right in, she figures that maybe it's really okay after all. But hearing Edward and Lizzie's names, she hesitates before picking up her own fork.]

I was only staying with them temporarily...I never meant to stay as long as I did.

That doesn't mean that you had to leave.

[ He'll lick his lips free of frosting, but hold off on eating anymore, for now. It's pretty rich, anyway! ]

You should talk to them about living together, permanently. It's safer staying with someone here, now, isn't it? I'm sure all of you worry about each other, so it'd be a relief, in a way.

[ Might as well talk about it from a practical standpoint. Less chance of getting the Nightray flustered! ]

[It's not a topic to be offended over. Not exactly. But Vanessa still feels her temper, that famous Nightray family temper, starting to boil over as he speaks. Even if he means well, the idea of living with Edward permanently would be nothing but a burden on him and mortifying for Vanessa. The boy deserves his space, as does Lizzie. And even if it means being able to keep a closer eye on each other, she's another mouth to feed, another body to clean up after and another person to get in the way of an already established daily routine.

She won't impose on people any longer.]

I get on just fine on my own! Does it look like I'm struggling to you?!

[She snaps as she points her fork at him.]

[ Leo laughs! What are you going to do, Vanessa, stab him with that? ]

I was just saying that you were doing well with this place, wasn't I?

[ But he's not laughing anymore. In fact, his features may have softened a bit. ]

You just seem lonely. That's all.

[Maybe!!

But he's definitely said something to trigger a vivid reaction. Her eyes widen, that familiar Nightray blue staring directly at him.]

I...

[She is lonely. She misses so much.]

He used to play the piano at night. [Here, in Somarium, back when the world felt alive and as normal as one possibly could when faced with such a wretched, unfair afterlife.]

I'm not lonely. Everything is just too quiet now.

[ She says that, and it has his eyes drift to the dried statice. Without realizing it, his smile fades. It just... hurts to hear, he supposes. ]

If it's music you want, I can play for you.

[ But it isn't the same, and they both know it. ]

[He's right, it would never be the same. He could match Elliot's notes perfectly and Vanessa would always be able to tell the difference.]

...Why?

[Why the offer, why the cake. Why still stay close when no matter what the situation she's always treated him as an outsider, as someone who would never be worthy of staying at her brother's side?

Or at least, she's tried to treat him that way. This afterlife has changed that, slowly bit by bit, no matter how much she's fought it.]

[ The question comes by surprise - and honestly, he's not quite sure, himself. His lips quirk just so, as he wonders. ]

... Well, because no one deserves to be alone, no matter who it is. Silence can be nice, but we need to be reminded of what it's like to live every once in a while.

[ Enjoying music, remembering the sweet things that make you happy -- just having company, once in a while. Before he learned of it, himself, existance seemed so bleary. Elliot wouldn't be happy knowing she had been so lonely, either. ]

[She bites her lip and attempts to finally cut a forkful of cake. To be reminded of what it's like to live; Edward has helped with this, to be sure. Before she'd been brought here, her devotion had been towards her family, watching over her mother, making sure that the household had remained running despite her father's negligence and her mother's downward spiral into madness. But now here, knowing all of what had happened and having lost her brother a second time, it's easy to find herself staring out the window at nothing in particular and forgetting altogether that somehow she's still alive.

Elliot would be upset to know that she often thinks of giving up, but she'd been confined in this cage for far too long.

She takes the bite of cake and chews it as she thinks over her answer. And to make things worse, it actually tastes delicious. It would be much easier if it had tasted terrible, then she wouldn't feel as bad about potentially throwing a tantrum and tossing it out the window or in his face.]

It would be nice to hear piano music again. [She finally answers.] I have a song he wrote here. The sheet music. I think maybe he would have wanted you to...play it.

[ Leo tries his hardest not to gawk because that is not what he expected to hear. Maybe that he's an idiot, that the cake didn't taste anything like it was supposed to - certainly not any sort of agreement, no less a sense of... acceptance as Elliot's friend. ]

Ah, I... [ Smiling, he nods. ] I would like that.

[She would go silent, give them both a moment of repose with which to think about Elliot and maybe remember his beautiful playing, but she's spent enough time sitting around crying about him lately. She continues on.]

Oswald's piano is a bit out of tune, but it should be acceptable enough to play on.

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