video/action

[sos_pilot]

[Video]

[ Della's face pops up looking... well, like everyone else - exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. She smacks her beak a bit, before speaking. ]

... So. That sucked.

[ Fully aware that's the understatement of the century, Della draws a breath, and tries again. ]

I think we could all use a nice, long breather after everything... and, gosh darn it, as Train Mom, that is my sacred duty. Hugs? Head on the lap? Head-pats telling you that you did a good job? A shoulder to cry on? Venting out all your feelings without judgement? I'm right here.

[ She slaps her chest, then slaps a small sign on on the sports/gym car. It reads

EXHAUST PILE WITHIN

But as she does this, Tidus enters the scene - Della jumps, surprised, almost forgetting his presence.

He just smiles, holding up two cups with steam coming off them, then addresses the video feed as well. ]

We're also making big batches of cocoa too. Any of you that're gonna stress bake? There's room for that room - s'long as you don't need a nap first.

[ It's a small chide though, his smile small but sympathetic. ]

I've gotten out some incense pots from the supplies - you guys who got your head thrown into a blender by that aash-- uh, that jerk, [ he takes a swift glance at Della, then back ] --it'll help you relax. Just some, but better than nothin'. I'll set some off in Momma Duck's air nest, but if you're not doing great and you think you need a pot? Tell me. Raven made a lot of good stuff for good nights sleep if you need any in the medcar, too.

... So, yes. Cocoa. Incense. Hugging. And if you want to sleep with friends for a couple nights, we got air beds and extra pillows in here. Nobody has to get up and go until they feel ready.

And if that's not enough, that's fine too. Maybe next month we do something a little more organized, if you have any suggestions - movie night, sleepover night, big eat night, whatever, I'm listening. And I'm here for you.

[ Action ]

And inside the sports gym, the pair can be found. They have a few airbeds blown up, but there's more that still need airing up if you pop in straight after their message. There's also a tremendous amount of pillows. If you want to help, get blowing, and make these airbeds look nice and comfy!

The transgate from the standard coach has mysteriously been moved to the sports gym's outer hallway. Who did that? But it makes it easier to bring in the cups of hot chocolate from the kitchens, and for anyone who wants to bring snacks to do so. Take a seat, remember to bring your sleeping bag and whatever else you want. Plushes, your own musical instrument to offer some de-stress medication of your own with a melody.

And there's an area where small incense pots burn away, a gentle mist rising up. It won't heal the mind completely, but it will offer it some peace. And if you're worried about nightmares, a few of Raven's sachets and teas are available.

So come get a mom hug. Come and offer hugs. Just come and get something out of the company, whatever it is. Tidus and Della - and others - will be here to give a hand.

The life you had might've been fake, but the people around you aren't.

((OOC: consider this a mingling post, where everyone is free to tag everyone else! be the comforter, the one offering comfort, both, whatever!))

Comments

[flatteries]

"Hey," Inigo responds in turn. His voice a little more quiet than usually, but it's more out of consideration for the other people in this place, moreso than anything about his own mood. There's a smile on Inigo's face, after all, even if it might not stretch from ear to ear.

"I promise, I promise I'm here for the hugs too," he holds his hands up as if it's supposed to be some sort of peace offering, "but.. you know. You said we had to talk later, and I figured that if I didn't come to you first, you'd hunt me down."

And there's nothing more terrifying than Della on the hunt. Please.

[sos_pilot]

"Hug first. Then talk." And they would talk, that was a promise. But right now, with her memories "fresh" and ten years of being touch deprived brought back to the surface? She needs hugs.

So she grabs his hands and pulls him in.

[flatteries]

It's not like he's going to protest or move away, so it's very easy to drag Inigo into that hug. He even moves his arms to wrap them around her in turn, moving so he's on a bit more of an even level with her too - just to have the most comfortable hug possible in this moment.

"You could've just told me if you wanted a hug from me, you know! No need to set up this whole cuddle party excuse for it." Of course he knows that's not it, and that Della just wanted to make things more comfortable for everyone - but it's a nice way to make a slight joke and keep the mood relatively light for a moment.

[sos_pilot]

"I will take every and any excuse to have a party." Her own joke, but not as strong as she usually makes. She strokes his hair a few times, sighing.

"... What do you define as a 'family', Inigo?"

[flatteries]

"Ah.. Sheesh, going for the difficult questions right away?"

He pulls back a little. Not fully trying to leave her grasp, but more just making sure that he can actually look at her while he's talking, even though he looks a little conflicted as he speaks. It's just the sort of feeling that's hard to bring into words.

".. I don't know. I mean.. A family's a family, right? How else would you explain it?"

[sos_pilot]

"Then how about I give you my definition?" Della offers while stroking Inigo's hair.

"To me... family are the people you've made bonds with that last all your life. They're a part of your heart, no matter how long or short you've known each other. And you, Inigo? You're a part of mine. I care about you so much that... when I remembered you, when I realized I'd forgotten you... it felt like someone had tried to rip out my heart. When Chaos took away my memories, he also took away parts of me that made me... me. That means you."

[flatteries]

Inigo swallows. Something in the face of this, of everything that Della is saying, leaves his throat feeling very, very dry. He doesn't know how to deal with this. With so much loving acceptance coming from someone, when all Inigo is used to is constant rejection.

"Why.. do you care so much about me though, Della..?" He doesn't sound like he's doubting it. If she's saying it really hurt to have forgotten him, he's willing to believe it. The only thing is that.. that Inigo just can't understand. "After all, I'm just.. me. I don't feel like anyone important. Nothing that could make you who you are."

[sos_pilot]

Maybe Della should have grabbed some tissues for this party. Something to note for later.

"It's more like... how could I not care about you?" She counters, touching his cheek. "I love everything about you. Your strengths and your weaknesses. I could list all your good points... but, knowing you, you'd try to deflect each of them, try to find loopholes that could 'explain away' why they're not good. But the fact of the matter is, that's a losing battle." She smirks a bit.

"Simply put... nothing will change my mind or my heart."

[flatteries]

At least he knows that much about Della.

When she makes up her mind about something, she sticks to it. So there's no hesitation in believing that last part, at least. He knows that nothing he says now could change her mind, so he won't try to convince her he's not all that great.

So instead he mumbles, half-awkwardly and with red cheeks: "Um.. Thanks."

Sure, a statement like that deserves more than 'thanks', but it's the best that Inigo can do under the current circumstances.

"Although the whole 'mom' thing is a little difficult for me. Because.. well, I know my mother has already been dead for a long time now. But I'd still have a hard time seeing anyone other than her like a mother."

[sos_pilot]

"And I could never take her place." Della isn't hesitant to say that. As much as she loves her Uncle Scrooge, he couldn't take the actual place of her real parents. "I wouldn't want to. I'm not asking you to replace anyone."

A little smile. "How about 'cool aunt'? Or 'awesome big sis'?" It's said a little playfully, hopefully letting him know things are cool between them. She doesn't HAVE to be everyone's mom - she never could be.

[flatteries]

Thank god for Della, really. Because she seems to grasp the problem instantly, and even goes along with it - so sweetly, so lightly, making sure there's no room for worries or misunderstandings. Inigo immediately understands that she gets what he means when she gives that for an answer.

And though he's still blushing - it also makes him smile a little when he looks over at her.

"I think I have some room for a cool aunt," he says. Look, at least it doesn't feel as weird to have multiple aunts, compared to having one mother he's super attached to already.

[sos_pilot]

"Aunt Della has a nice ring to it." Della says with a light chuckle. "And you can never have too many aunts and uncles!"

There, see? There was no need for fuss. She strokes his hair again. "You feel better? Even just a little bit?"

[flatteries]

He nods. Carefully, though, as if he doesn't want to accidentally shake off that touch in his hair. It feels rather nice..

"Yeah. Though I.." He hesitates. It's hard for him to openly talk about his feelings, okay. But he's trying, because he knows Della would want him to. So he takes a moment, sucking in a deep breath, and then he says: "I still feel kind of bad about the mission. I keep thinking about all those people who died.. We had such a good track record so far on these missions."

[sos_pilot]

Oof. What a downer. Della had been trying not to think about that particular subject, but one couldn't avoid it forever.

"... We were thrown into something way over our heads." Della says after a moment, with a sigh. "We did what we could. You have to know that - that every single one of us gave all we could."

[flatteries]

"I know."

There's no hesitation in that. Inigo believes in everyone on the train. That they're always trying to do their best. That's how they've managed to come so far.

But Inigo, of all people, knows that sometimes your best just isn't good enough. And while some people can be at peace with that idea, to Inigo, it just feels like failure.

"But I should have done something more." There's a weird smile on his face as he's saying it. As if, even now, he can't quite bear the idea of looking too upset in front of someone else. "I should have saved those people's lives."

[sos_pilot]

Della grumbled. She could do into the usual "You did your best" routine, but that clearly wasn't working. So she'd have to try a different one.

"And what could you have done that none of us did?" She asks a bit firmly. "With your brain scrambled, the world turned upside-down, and best friends turning on one another... what could you do that you didn't?"

[flatteries]

Now he lets out a sigh. It's not fully defeated though - there's something frustrated in it on his end too.

"I don't know, but I should've done more than nothing!"

After all, he didn't even know. It was only when that news came out, showing a few of them as terrorists, that Inigo realised. Even though he was sure the story had been spun in such a way that it was made to seem like their fault even though it wasn't, it didn't change the fact that those people just died.

And Inigo hadn't even known it was about to happen until it did.

[sos_pilot]

"Did you really do nothing?" Della shot back, ready to bring him back down to reality. "Did you lay down and stop moving? Did you give up and hole yourself away in a dark room? Did you ignore cries for help? When you saw people in danger, did you just ignore it and walk on?"

Because she knows darn well he didn't - she saw it for herself, when she was in danger from the mutated zoo animals.

[flatteries]

"No.."

His voice trails off. But he knows as much. He knows that he kept fighting until the end. He knows that even when those people died, he was busy going door to door with Tidus, trying to snap as many people out of the illusion as possible. But no matter how much Inigo thinks of the hard work he did do, all he can think about at the same time - if not moreso - is the hard work he didn't do.

"But that won't bring those people back. Nor does it change the fact I failed them."

[sos_pilot]

"... I wish you would treat yourself even half as nicely as you treat others."

More hugs won't fix the problem, but it's not like they'll make it worse. So, more hugs it is.

[flatteries]

At least he'll accept the hug. It's true that it doesn't fix anything, but it's not like it's bad either. At least it makes sure that he won't feel alone - because that'd just make the problem worse - even if it can't solve this specific problem.

"Well.. It's since someone has to carry the burden," he softly mumbles. "I'd rather have that be me than anyone else."

[sos_pilot]

"Too bad you forgot something big." Della says, stroking his hair again, even giving it a little bit of a preen with her beak.

"This train is full of good, loving people who all want to carry the burden."

[flatteries]

"Then I'll fight them."

Something about his voice is faintly pouty as he says it - but at least that indicates he doesn't mean literal fighting here. More.. metaphorical fighting. Becoming the highlander.

"Everyone is way too nice and kind to have to deal with something like that. And--" He shakes his head. "I know you're just going to say that counts for me too! But I'm used to it. I've done this for years. People who have never had to bear that sort of weight before shouldn't have to start now."

[sos_pilot]

"I'll wrestle you for it." Della quips, knowing that HE has to know how she feels about all this. "I want my fair share of the burden. And you can't have any of it. No matter how much your cute face begs of it."

[flatteries]

He lets out a whiny noise.

"Come on, Della! I don't want you to be upset!"

Because that's what this burden feels like for Inigo, the weight of all those souls bearing down on him. It's already hard for him to bear, and he's had to deal with having so many people die because he wasn't good enough before - in sheer numbers he doesn't think many people on the train have witnessed.