IT'S MY PARTY! AND I'LL CRY IF I WANT TO, CRY IF I WANT TO

[fashionfever]

[One hour after the execution, prisoners who have gone back down to the dorm floor will find Angela waving outside the mess hall.]

In honor of what Akira definitely would have wanted and Vita probably at least would have laughed about, we're all having dinner together.

[There's pots of coffee, and glasses of soda, and something like garlic bread, and spaghetti, and it sounds like there's even more food cooking in the kitchen.]

This would be a great time to share anything you got from playing ET, too, you know? [She's just trying to start conversation about literally anything else...]

Comments

[fashionfever]

[stares at him... begins pausing in between making chopping motions that are just as fast as before]

[losergod]

Miss Napoli.

[ It's the tone a very stern father would use. You know, that, "I'm going to count to three soon if you don't stop or there will be consequences". ]

I think you're aware of how much you've had to drink, are you not?

[fashionfever]

i HAVE had ONE bear.

[She holds up a single index finger.]

The others are for the other adults. ...s's bodies.

[losergod]

[ He is giving you such a look, Angela.

Just... such a look.

He disapproves and he is very disappointed. ]

[fashionfever]

I-I promised him! No "witlessness"!! I can legally drive!!!!

[losergod]

[ ... ]

You couldn't even say it right. Miss Napoli, please go sit down.

[fashionfever]

Witlessness! It's a word! It means the state of being witless, I guess!

[losergod]

[ Okay, now he's just amused. ]

It sounds like you're struggling to say witnesses, but that's aside from the point. Alcohol is a depressant. You know that, right?

[fashionfever]

Yeah, maybe I want to depress my anger at the universe, ever think of that?

[losergod]

[ His frown deepens. ]

Miss Napoli... you realize the rest of us are here too, don't you? And that no one wants to see you hurt yourself just because you're grieving? I understand how you feel, believe me, possibly more than anyone else, but... I don't want to see you get hurt because you were careless and upset.

[fashionfever]

[she loudly puts down the knife behind the pan]

WHY DOES EVERYONE TREAT ME LIKE A HELPLESS BABY DEER? I'd never seen a stiff before, but I have been to jail! I know my way around, around hair crimpers that burn you! Sharp objects are the safer ones a lot of the time! You, you bandage—

[getting out of breath]

[losergod]

[ He looks a bit hurt by her tone, but tries not to show it too much. ]

Miss Napoli, you remind me of the girl I caretake. She may as well be my daughter, since her parents are never around. If you want to hurt yourself, I won't stop you, but know that I don't bother people about these things unless I sincerely care.

[fashionfever]

I appreciate your concern, I guess, you're like my brother in arms or whatever's going on here, but I don't... Want to hurt myself. What's so hard to understand about that? I just want to have this one little thing I can do right for once in my life?

[losergod]

... Miss Napoli, you do plenty of things right all the time. I don't see what you're talking about.

[ He sounds very assured of that much. ]

[fashionfever]

...what?

[she's giving him the same look as when he says things completely psychotic sounding to her, like the moon is made of cheese]

[losergod]

[ Listen y'all pulled out his Dad Side so you're getting His Dad Side. ]

I don't believe I stuttered. You've done nothing except attempt to help and improve the atmosphere since we all ended up in this place. There are innumerous examples of you helping out without any real reward for your troubles.

You do plenty right. It's just that in situations like these, people tend to focus on the negative and it feels like you do anything but.

I KEPT MEANING TO DO THIS BECAUSE IT WAS SO MEANINGFUL

[fashionfever]

...but... I...

[Her shoulders have crumpled entirely. She's a little pear-shaped insofar as the bulkiest part of her body is her legs, so with them underneath her in the chair, in this position Angela looks very small.]

I got to help Akira with the meetings, you know...? If my classy atmosphere was so helpful, why didn't it make him trust me enough to say something? Anything! It didn't help at all! He just went straight into—

[pounds her fist on the counter for emphasis.]

[losergod]

Miss Napoli.

[ It's a little firmer than he usually tends to speak. Enough to snap her out of it. The sort of voice a father would take with their child when the kid is starting a fit, perhaps, or is distressed. A call to focus. ]

It was not your fault. He made a mistake. He chose to go in alone, and admitted as much. It was not about how little or how much he trusted the rest of us. It was about that he made an error of judgement. What happened was not your fault.

[ A smile, gentle, reassuring. ]

You shouldn't blame yourself for his shortcomings. He realized his mistake. But you've made none. You are a good person.