voidtreckernet | video/action

[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!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She leans into the side-hug, using her own arm to return the gesture. Of course it's not as strong or big as he is, but the sincerity is all the same.

"You sound like you could use a nap. Or a hundred of them."

The sincerity is what matters. He gives her a squeeze. "I feel like I've already has a hundred naps," he admits with a tired chuckle. "Probably have a couple hundred more in the next few days too. I'm wiped.

"How are you holding up?"

"Not great. Not too bad, but not too good either." She admits, with a half shrug. "But we're all here again, and that's what counts..."

He makes an affirmative noise. "And we saved those people. All the others who were dragged into the mess by that-- that--" Nope. Too tired to think of a suitably vitriolic epithet.

He nods at their surroundings instead. "This was a good idea."

"Make sure to thank Tidus for it." She has to mention. "My initial idea was just to have one huge nap pile."

"I'll thank him too," Devero says, but he doesn't make a move to get up. Not yet.

He's quiet a moment, then says, "I'm sure you've listened to half the folks on this train by now." He's seen how many people have come by to speak to her; he knows she's not kidding when she calls herself 'Train Mom'.

"Do you need someone to listen to you?"

"... I would, if I knew what to say." She admits after a bit. "It's hard to pick just what. There's... a lot going on up here." She lightly thunks a fist to her head.

He shifts a little bit, turning towards her and leaning in. With his arm still around her, it's as if he's trying to create a little pocket of privacy in the big room. Given how much bigger he is than her, it might even be working a little bit.

"I don't know about you, but I don't have anywhere to be any time soon," he says with gentle encouragement. "Just pick one thing, one place to start, yeah?"

The gesture is appreciated it, and she's definitely leaning in as much as she can.

"... It's a weird thing to be jealous of." She admits beforehand. "... But I wasn't given a 'false family' like everyone else back in that world."

"Is that a weird thing to be jealous of?" he asks. "Family is pretty important to you, isn't it?"

A slow nod. "... It means the world to me. But that world... it was like... it didn't even trust me to be a mother."

"That world didn't know shit about us," Devero says with a touch of heat. "Do you know who I had in my happy fake life? No one." Given how obviously he and Koumyou are together on the train, he assumes he doesn't need to point out why that's wrong. "That rainbow asshole separated me from the most important person in my life and thought I wouldn't realize something was wrong!"

Get it together, Devero. He takes a deep breath and releases it, then continues, "Try not take that manipulative bullshit they put us through to heart. It doesn't mean anything whether they gave you a family or not."

Della turns a bit to look at him, eyebrows raised. "... Do you wanna talk about what happened?"

"Sorry," he mumbles, scrubbing his face wearily. "I-- didn't have as hard as time as most other folks, but it was still a really long mission."

"You don't have to apologize." She offers a smile. "This cart is for healing today. And in order to heal, you have to admit the injury is there first."

"That is such a crechekeeper thing to say," Devero says with a chuckle. He smiles back, his lips tilting wryly after a moment. "--But right now, I'm more interested in <making sure you get your chance to heal too."

"Right now, I'm more interested in what a crechekeeper is." Della has to admit. What can she say, she's easily distracted.

"Oh, uh." Hold on to your butt, Della.

"Where I come from, kids are all raised together in a place called a creche. A crechekeeper is anyone who works in one-- teachers, caretakers, kitchen staff.
Pediatricians. Counselors. The whole lot."

"Oh, so like a group mom or nanny! I'll take it as a compliment, in that case." Of course she would.

"Good," he says with a laugh, "because it is. They don't let just anyone be a crechekeeper, you know."

"Also good, because I'm not just anyone." Just gunna puff her own ego here, at last.

He grins and thumps her-- lightly!-- on the back with a hand. "Hell yeah, you are," he says. "You're a super-mom!"

She flashes him a happy grin. "And right now, that makes you a super-friend!"

He laughs. "You're too kind," he demurs, "but thank you."

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