Voice | Fiddlesticks Day 4

[loveandduty]

[Minako was at least settled since she first arrived with it having been Day 4 now. Because of that she already had things on her mind and that was things others probably were not expecting someone to want to talk about.]

So... it's not been long since I first arrived on the train and I have met many people and it made me realize there are many good looking people on the train.

So I am now going to ask. Who do you think is the cutest man or woman, boy or girl on the train and who do you think is the hottest? Like you would have a massive crush on them hot.

Comments

[emerald_mirror]

[Xander can be obedient at least. He crosses his arms, then, thinking it's a bit too challenging or closed off--two things that are less than a good idea, right now--he lets them drop to his sides. At least he's not babbling...]

I was asked. [No, he particularly may not have been singled out and asked, but he responded all the same. Only he didn't realize that he probably could have named more than one person. But in either case, Alice is the one at the top of his proverbial list. But he's had some time to collect what wits he has, too, so he attempts to explain.]

You are still pretty. Probably not what I should start with, but I think so. [He shrugs, there.] But I know how hard it is for you to do some things. I'm admitting that now 'cause basically we're in private. [Because he'll be damned before he tells anyone her secrets. That's up to Alice, and she may never choose to do that. And it's okay, as far as Xander is concerned.]

But you could let yourself not be nice. And you're still pretty nice, even after...everything! Sure, you have some raw edges, but so do I. [Even if they're not that obvious, but if he got rubbed the wrong way, they would be.]

Besides the fact that I mean, yeah, I kind of like you, you're doing your best to heal yourself and get better. To overcome the things you had happen to you. And that's worthy of respect, you know? [Considering he's a bit scattered right now, he figures he ought to stop while he's ahead...]

[irrationally]

[ It's so true that it's a lot harder for Alice to see Xander's raw edges than the other way around. Her own are so obvious, after all, and while she does think he has some less than stellar traits, they feel more like normal traits. Just being a bit of an idiot, being a bit too reckless, a bit of a blabbermouth.. Those certainly are better than having a hair-trigger temper like her.

But she won't argue that point right now. He's trying to explain, so she wants to try - emphasize on try - to be reasonable and listen to him without blowing up all over again. ]

I.. see.

[ It's still hard to think very positively of herself, and him thinking all of this feels mind-boggling to wrap her mind around, but she's trying. Even though she looks really unsure what else to say to all that. ]

.. I do suppose I'm trying. [ Alice will admit that much to him. Trying to be better. Or at least a semi-decent person. ] Even so, I'm very much unused to anyone telling me anything like that. I feel like it might sound ridiculous, but hearing so many positive things feels.. hard. Overwhelming.

[ She lifts up a hand, idly rubbing at her temple. She can feel a headache coming up. Just too many emotions to process. ]

Still.. I suppose it wasn't right of me to blow up at you like that. I reacted too hastily.

[emerald_mirror]

[When it comes down to it, Xander would also admit that he cheats. Not that any of this is really a game to him--it isn't. But still, being able to read emotions? Most people don't have an in like that to another's psyche--and he does.]

I understand. I have my moments, too. [He pauses then, thoughtful, and shrugs.] It might be because I don't remember as much as I think you do. Not sure if I've blocked it out, or there's just not that much to recall, I couldn't tell you.

[Nor was Xander terribly sure it meant anything in the end. The past couldn't be reset, so sometimes, to him? There was no worth to dwelling on it.]

It doesn't hurt to give you positive reinforcement for your attempts, you know. You might not give yourself enough credit, but some of us notice. [He does, for sure, especially since he's got a better view of Alice's struggles. Xander doesn't want to out her to anyone--that wouldn't be appreciated--but trying to lift her up?]

Thank you. [Xander didn't really think Alice had to apologize to him, but she'd made the gesture, and even that was probably a big hurdle for her, so he didn't want to discount it, either...but he could sense that headache, too.

It's cheating too, but maybe he could get away with it here, and just this once. Really, it wouldn't take much, either. So Xander gives Alice a quick hug, trusting his empathic healing during that brief touch to ease that headache out of existence. It won't do anything to help her process those so-confusing emotions, but at least there's not a headache to pile on, any more.]

I understand, though. I'm not mad, and it's okay. But thank you for the apology. It means a lot.

[irrationally]

[ ?!?!?!?!?!?!?

It's a good thing that Xander's power - without Alice noticing, since she's very much distracted by something else here, thank you very much! - takes away that headache, because otherwise it would have blown up for sure at this point. Alice's mind goes into full panic mode the moment she suddenly feels those arms around her, no matter how they only linger for a short moment.

It's still a hug. He still hugged her. That just happened, didn't it? God, what was even the last time anyone hugged her? Probably not since before the fire.

It's so weird. And weirder yet is the fact that she doesn't feel the need to get angry with him for it. Sure, it'd be easy to chalk that up to the fact that she only just apologized for getting angry too quickly, but it's something more than that. It's almost as if despite it feeling weird, it didn't feel bad per se.

When he pulls away she's just staring at him as if he grew a second head for a few moments. The words Xander said are completely lost on her - she didn't even hear half of it with that hug completely throwing her off.

After said few moments all she manages to say is: ]

.. you really are something else.

[ And yet it doesn't sound aggressive. There's no anger radiating from her. At most it's just surprise with the tiniest, tiniest core of general fondness. ]

[emerald_mirror]

[He can't help but shrug at that. Xander's a lot of things, really--uncertain that he's even a person, much less his own person, but he's him, definitely...]

I gotta be me. Whatever 'me' is. I'm trying. [And he can't really help but smile, either. Even when he's upset about how certain things are going? He's got a kernel of confidence, there. But it hasn't pushed itself into cockiness, either.]

You feeling okay? [Of course he knows the probable answer, but Xander would rather hear it from her.]

[irrationally]

I think I have to go lie down for a while.

[ She says it dryly, to the point where it almost sounds like she's making a joke in her usual deadpan way, but Alice does just mean that honestly as well. This has been too wild of an emotional rollercoaster for her. She's gone way beyond the social energy she has for any given day.

There's too much to think about. Like how weird that hug made her feel. Something she has to contemplate by herself in her room.

She lets out a half-exhausted, half-exasperated sigh. ] Just.. give me a warning in advance next time before you do that again.

[ .. which means she isn't saying he can't hug her again. ]

[emerald_mirror]

Okay. If you need to, you need to. Go lay down.

[At this, he nods more than amicably. He can feel the emotional exhaustion in Alice, and he kind of feels guilty about it, but Xander isn't going to let it show. Not if he can help it. He doesn't want Alice to avoid him.

Well, not unless he's done something really stupid, and she's mad at him. He's well aware it could happen, because he's him. And he'd hug her again, but he figures he's pushed it far enough.]

I'll try and warn you next time, but I think you've figured out I don't always think before I do stuff. Sorry.

[The smile he gives her is more than sheepish, but if she's going to go, he's going to watch her do so before he gets up and goes back to taking care of the plants here.]

[irrationally]

[ Alice definitely needs to. She feels like she needs at least fourteen naps to try and come to terms with any of this. Especially with him admitting that last part - just being aware of it isn't enough to make it okay, you know!

But this isn't the time to throw a fuss about that. She really is too tired. There's too much to think about. So Alice just nods at him in return before turning around and taking a few steps towards the exit.

She isn't fully gone yet though. Before she leaves through the door, she does turn back to look at Xander and actually say something rather than just leave without. ]

.. You really are a handful.

[ Somehow that doesn't sound like a complaint.

But before he can say anything in return, she quickly leaves to actually go take that nap. ]