had_not_lived | ♕ |[71]| while barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day, and touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;

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♕ |[71]| while barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day, and touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;

Well, it's always nice to see everyone-- I'm afraid I haven't made so much progress on getting the next play together since last time you all came, but maybe we can time it, now, for next time.

But I'm glad you've come, of course. I always am.

[ooc: standard disclaimer applies! Please no other Neils (tho face doubles are fiiiiine) and don't outright tell him he doesn't exist. Otherwise, s'all good. ALSO this post is as always eternally backdating friendly! Hit me, bb!

EXTRA BONUS POINTS FOR VISITING CASTMATES? 8D ~~who will be kept forever chained to the carousel~~]

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Well, thank you for telling me...

[Slightly awkward pause.]

So where are you now?

[Oh no. Neil has started a chain of awkward pauses.]

Outside.

[Pause.]

Where are you?

Out-- the store's still open, sometimes the visitors are good for business.

Todd should be home before me, probably...

Okay.

If anyone comes out with you're belongings, I'll let you know.

[Laughing a little bit, because really what's he going to do about it.]

I appreciate it.

You could come by the store, if you like?

If you're not too busy.

I'd make it a point not to be too busy for you to visit.

[That's as good an invitation as any and Justin isn't going to be apprehending any possible thieves. He heads to the bookstore, somewhat surprised that he can still navigate in the City... and even more surprised by how little places like the bookstore have changed.]

Neil?

[The bookstore's seen its share of change-- their recent reorganization of the stock would make angels weep, or at least one angel make very disappointed faces-- but really, as far as its atmosphere goes, it's extremely resistant to alteration.

Neil is behind the counter, having just rung up a customer. Habit makes him glance at the door when it opens; and of course he beams, seeing who's arrived.]

Here you are! I'm glad you came by!

[That particular change is certainly an improvement.

Justin returns the smile.]

So am I. It's good to see you.

You, too.

[He drops a stray book onto a stack of others to be reshelved, then comes to Justin's end of the counter.]

It feels like it's been ages.

Only months.

[Which, in retrospect, is a lot like ages.]

It's long enough for things to change.

Some things.

[He pauses, looks at Justin for a long moment, wondering at the significance of that comment.]

Not everything, though.

[Justin moves over to the 'to be reshelved' stack and skims the titles, resisting the urge to sort the pile into genres and alphabetize within those genres.]

Not everything, no.

[Neil and Todd don't change--not in significant ways. Justin truly is grateful for that.]

I finally went to the Hall today. [He smiles ruefully.] There's a difference between knowing that someone is gone and confirming it, isn't there?

[That makes a lot more sense. Though Neil hadn't known Shiloh particularly well, he knew that she and Justin were close... That Shiloh was one of the people Justin visited regularly, when these days rolled around. That must have been-- well, something, when Justin had nothing left-- he can't imagine what it must be like to lose that.]

I'm sorry, Justin.

[It doesn't sound like much and Neil's a little embarrassed that he can't come up with anything better to say. There are situations, he thinks, where there simply aren't any right words.]

Don't be. It was inevitable.

[Surely Neil won't mind if Justin does just a little alphabetizing.]

The apartment has new occupants, too. I don't know where it all went--my plants, her insects, the cat. But that's the way it is, here and everywhere else. I don't expect time to stand still...

[He looks back up at Neil, calm in spite of his words. Now that he has gained some kind of control over his afterlife, Justin has had more than enough time to think about all of this, to try to come to terms with the loss of what was his in the City before experiencing it.]

I did love her, though. Shilo.

[Neil will never complain about someone helping out, and if it makes Justin more comfortable to do something with his hands, that's all the better. He stops short in what he's doing at that last comment, though. It's not that he's surprised-- he's always assumed as much-- just surprised to hear Justin, of all people, say it.]

You meant just as much to her. That's something, even if it doesn't make you feel any better.

[Things like emotions are easier without eye contact, so Justin starts sorting by genre as well. He's kind of surprised he told Neil that, too, although it felt right to let someone... know.]

It is.

[Um. Yeah.]

So... we should talk about something less maudlin, shouldn't we?

What would you like to talk about?

[He smiles, a small gesture that's as warm as he can manage. Lifting Justin's spirits is no small task but he'll make the best effort he can.]

Let's see... we've had a few strange curses, lately. All the color was gone for a while, like on television.

[Justin shrugs in response. He's in a mood to do more than wallow in self-pity--unusual, but certainly an improvement over his usual disposition.]

Where did it go?

I'm not exactly sure. There was a woman-- a monster, I guess, people called her one anyway-- who stole it somehow. But then there was a battle, and somehow people's emotions started to bring the color back.

That doesn't make sense.

[Pause.]

...But when does anything.

It makes City-sense, I suppose.

[He flashes a little grin.]

I'm glad it's back to normal, though it was kind of interesting to see.

As much as anything can make sense here. I won't even ask how emotions brought colors back.

It's like-- like finding books in the Library. There's a logic to it, but it's its own special kind.

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♕ |[71]| while barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day, and touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;

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