now i'll never get to say all the things i should have said

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ There's not a party, not by anyone's estimation. But there is a teenage girl with a lot of excess energy, time on her hands, and a couple of cookbooks from the library. And in a way, can't that be a party?

There aren't any invitations or decorations, nothing that official. But within the hour there's... a haphazard cake with a little too much sugar, a plate of pasta with butter, and a few quickly-assembled snacks in the Lounge, with a quickly handwritten sign on the door that reads as follows: ]

I made some food if anyone wants. Try to eat something if you can, we need to keep our energy up as much as possible.

- Artemis

[ Wherever everyone ends up tonight... here's where an afterparty would go. ]

Comments

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[She doesn't answer, but the door is unlocked.]

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ She's gonna just. Slide in quietly. She's good at that. ]

I made some food, if... you want some.

[ Totally Why She's Here, Yup. ]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[For what it's worth, she's not dead. And the room isn't in shambles from a rage-induced breakdown. But that's not exactly a high point for her right now.

She on her bed, eyes downcast and focusing on nothing, while her right hand fiddle with a yellow bracelet on her wrist. She just barely looks up as Artemis enters.]

Thanks. I'll eat it when I'm hungry.

[Said with all the energy of someone who probably won't be eating anytime soon.]

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

Alright.

[ She sets it down on... a table? We'll go with a table. She will not, in fact, be feeding Cassandra, that would be weird. ]

You know... we don't have to talk, but [ I don't think you should be alone right now. ] do you mind if I stay in here for a little while?

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[There's probably an end table in here somewhere for it. Please don't force her to eat.]

...If you want to stay, I'm not going to stop you. Kind of thought you'd all be staying away from me.

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ She takes a seat on the floor, back against the wall. Near the door, in case she's asked to leave.

Shakes her head. ]

I mean... I can't talk for anyone else, but I'm not mad at you.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[She not going to object, even if she left plenty of space on her bed itself.]

You're not mad that I... [It's hard to say, even harder to admit.] What I did to Rapunzel?

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ Give her time, Artemis might get there. ]

I...

[ She pulls her knees to her chest. ]

If I felt that way about someone, I think I would have done the same thing.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[...Ah.

That catches her, enough that she does finally look up at Artemis.]

You think so? [Hm, she breathes out, shakily.] I wouldn't recommend it. It feels awful.

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ She nods. ]

It's probably a bad idea. But... better I feel awful than she go through something like that, I think. [ ... ] That probably doesn't help, but... it's true.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

...It does. I'd do it all over again, if I had to. I don't want to imagine Rapunzel being forced into one of those executions.

But it was all I could think about, all day.

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

Yeah. [ she wonders, briefly, if she would have helped clean up the scene if cass had come to her. the thought had occurred to her at some point in all that, but... ] It would be harder to not have done it.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[It was hard enough doing it herself, she wouldn't have forced that knowledge onto Artemis, or asked her to help.]

Exactly.

[....]

She made me promise to free the Genie, so... I still intend to do that. Even if the others aren't exactly happy with me right now.

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ and she is thankful for that ]

I'll help you. Like I said during the trial, I trust you, and I trust her. I'm here with you, whatever everyone else thinks.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

...I trust you, too.

[And for the first time today, Cassandra's lips twitch in the direction of almost a smile.]

I uh, didn't really think about what would happen if I survived the trial... and Raps didn't. But I'll start thinking of a way out.

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ Artemis nods. ]

I'll help. But for right now... I hate to be the one who says it, but the best thing to do is probably rest.

[ Look today was intense for her she can guess it was probably intense for Cassandra, all things considered. ]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

Not going to be a problem.

[She kind of just.... sinks back into her bed. All that chamomile had worn off long ago. She was anything but calm. Just... numb.]

I think I'll stay in here then, if that's okay.

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

Sure.

[ a beat. ]

I can stay, if you want. So you don't have to be in here alone.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

...I wouldn't object to it.

[hm]

I can help bring your mattress in here, if you need it.

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ She looks sort of. Awkwardly at the hallway. ]

I'm not... sure it would survive. I was really angry when I woke up here. But I have blankets and pillows, I can bring those.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

Ah. [she gets it]

That works too. I'll spot you a pillow if you need it.

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

I wouldn't mind. Let me see what I can pull together.

[ shes getting soft.... getting used to having things like "matresses" and "blankets," and "security that someone wont wake her up with a surprise attack."

She heads out for a few minutes and comes back with... a mostly intact set of sheets and blankets, a towel or two, and like. A couple stuffed dalmatians at the top. She just kind of... drops the stack on the ground somewhere a little out of the way of the bed. ]

There we go.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[You get used to it after a while. Really. It's nuts.]

I like the stuffed animals.

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ hecked up if true ]

Sometimes the mask gives out good things.

[ guess who HASNT BEEN SOCIALIZED TO BE EMBARRASSED BY THIS ]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

Yeah, sometimes it does.

[guess who ISN'T GOING TO RUIN THIS FOR HER]