pc catchall for cinnabar (globs)

[foodbin]

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week one, sunday.

[foodbin]

[It's about halfway through the afternoon when Cinnabar gets a knock on their door. The voice they hear isn't one that's spoken to them recently, but she sounds less displeased than the last time they spoke.]

Hey. Cinnabar? It's Emma.

[globs]

[ they recognize her voice, if only because there's only so many people they've ever heard talk in the first place. However, there's no sound of them getting up to answer the door - instead, they just shout their answer from inside. ]

What do you need?

[ i'm sorry they're like this ]

[foodbin]

I wanted to talk to you.

[She pauses for a moment, hesitating, then:]

...I get it if you don't want to talk to anyone, though.

[globs]

You want to talk to me?

[ they sound puzzled, genuinely, and wary, even through the door. ]

... What?

[foodbin]

I wanted to see how you were doing. That was a lot for all of us, but...

[Her tone implies that she thinks it was probably worse for them than most.]

[globs]

[ Oh. This again. Are all humans like this? They're always coming to check on Cinnabar - even before they knew the poison was ineffective. ]

It's fine. We "won." There's no reason I wouldn't be okay.

[ they learned that humans really have a lot of fluid in them today... ]

[foodbin]

[There's another pause, before:]

This is kind of a weird conversation to have through a door, you know.

[globs]

[ an exasperated sigh... then the heavy sound of Cinnabar's footsteps as they drag themself to their feet and open the door, giving her a flat look.

Nana's house is basically exactly the way she left it, but evidence of Cinnabar recently taking up residence there is clear to see: puddles of viscous silvery mercury dot the floor, and there's a dark stain against one of the walls where the puddles are a bit more numerous. Where they were sitting before this, most likely. ]

[foodbin]

[It'd be a lie to say her eyes didn't catch on the puddles and the stain for a moment, but she doesn't comment on it all the same.]

Thanks. [...] Do you really think we won?

[globs]

[ yeah, they notice that. And they feel embarrassed about it, as usual, but what can they do? They've learned to live with the constant shame. ]

We did what we were supposed to do, right?

[foodbin]

Part of it, at least.

[It seems like there's more she wants to say about that, but instead of getting weighed down in it:]

I'm sorry about your partner.

[globs]

... Don't waste your energy feeling bad about it. I barely knew her.

[ a dismissive shake of the head. ]

[foodbin]

[After a moment:]

I wouldn't be here if I thought it was a waste of energy.

[globs]

Well, you thought wrong.

[ they cross their arms, stubborn as always, and look off to the side. ]

We weren't friends. I never even stayed in this house with her.

[foodbin]

[She can probably guess, given the puddles, but...]

...Why not? Where were you staying?

[globs]

Somewhere I wouldn't bother anyone. It's none of your concern.

[foodbin]

...Why do you make it sound like I'm being an asshole?

[globs]

... A what?

[ DON'T DO THIS ]

[foodbin]

...An asshole.

[She repeats it, surprised they don't realize what she means, but then:]

You know, a jerk...?

[globs]

Just say that, then.

[ humans and their anuses... they don't understand... ]

I'm not. I just don't want to tell people where I sleep. Even I don't want to be destroyed in the middle of the night...

[foodbin]

[She frowns a little before she continues, glancing towards the ground for a moment.]

Even you...? Why would it be different for you than anyone else?

[The emphasis there seems strange to her, even if she's not sure how comfortable that topic might be.]

[globs]

... Well, I could be put back together, if one of you could figure it out.

[ they'll just go with that answer instead of the more complicated "i am decently suicidal" one ]

[foodbin]

...I wouldn't hold your breath on that.

[When have they ever figured anything out, etc, etc.]

[globs]

Lune knows. [ a beat. ] If he decided he'd actually try to help us, for once.

[foodbin]

...Lune's helping us as much as he can.