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

[had_not_lived]

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]

Comments

[had_not_lived]

[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.]

[absinthe-eyed.livejournal.com]

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.

[had_not_lived]

[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.

[absinthe-eyed.livejournal.com]

[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?

[had_not_lived]

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.

[absinthe-eyed.livejournal.com]

[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?

[had_not_lived]

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.

[absinthe-eyed.livejournal.com]

That doesn't make sense.

[Pause.]

...But when does anything.

[had_not_lived]

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.

[absinthe-eyed.livejournal.com]

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

[had_not_lived]

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