pc w/ throne

[applebough]

girlboss meets girlfailure

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[naeddre]

[she startles slightly, but doesn't pull her hand away.]

... Hello. [she starts with.] I suppose it's stupid to ask you if you're alright.

[applebough]

Haha...

[ She clutches the cushion as her fingers dig into it. ]

I'm fine. Mostly. Am I in your way?

[naeddre]

No, you're not. [she watches her fingers for a moment.]

You're angry?

[applebough]

... A little. I feel... frustrated. I... want to feel that I'm doing something right.

[ She hugs the cushion tightly to her chest. ]

[naeddre]

[she sits down.]

You're not alone in that. [...] Do you feel as though you're not? You've done a lot right in my eyes.

[applebough]

I want to do more. I want to do it right. I...

[ She buries her face into the cushion and her fingers scratch on top of her other hand. Not like it matters, since both hands are 100% rust-covered. ]

I want to do things better. I want to do them well... if I fail...

[naeddre]

... You're not going to fail.

[a beat.]

None of the people here will let you fail, Yuri. [...] Will you answer a question for me?

[applebough]

[ Yuri lifts her head from the cushion. Her sole gray eye seems a little lost for a moment. ]

... Yes? What is it?

[naeddre]

Did you do the delivery job this week and get a note from Nut and Bolt?

[applebough]

I... think so...?

[ Yuri squints. She was a child... ]

I don't remember doing it. Moreover, I didn't get one last week either, and that was a job that I very much did.

[naeddre]

[a little nod.]

... Arthur was insistent that he mediate an argument for me, and he did the job, so I had wondered if this sudden fear of failure was related.

[applebough]

[ Yuri doesn't know Arthur well. That's why she asks-- ]

... Is that really job-related? I feel like he would get into an argument even in normal circumstances.

[naeddre]

[this makes her laugh, actually, despite everything, and she covers her mouth.]

... Well, you're not wrong. Which is why it was strange that he wanted to solve an argument rather than continue it.

[applebough]

[ Yuri smiles a little. ]

Ah, I see...

[ She's a little more relaxed now. ]

Truthfully, I don't remember what happened on Wednesday, but I felt extremely sore when I came to.

[naeddre]

[a little huff of amusement.]

... You were a very active child. [a beat.] At least, that's what I heard. When I found you, you were very insistent on trying all the different types of food.

[applebough]

I turned into a child?

[ Ah. That explains a lot. Yuri is about to say that she wouldn't be so insistent about trying out so much food, but then she pauses. ]

... I can't deny anything about that. When I saw something that I knew that I couldn't experience very much, I wanted to partake in it.

[naeddre]

[a pause.]

... We tried a lot of it. [she tucks her hair behind her ear.] You got to experience a lot.

[applebough]

[ Ah. Yuri pauses and her shoulders lower, relaxing a little before her face turns a little red. ]

I... thank you, for taking care of me...

w5, SUNDAY

[naeddre]

[oof.

puts us on the tram - she's on her way somewhere, but she pauses when she sees yuri, frowning. she doesn't get in her space - if there's anything throné knows, it's sometimes you really don't want to be crowded - but she approaches.]

... He's not far. I know that doesn't help. [but.]

[applebough]

[ Yuri looks up when she hears Throne's voice on the tram. Yuri has been riding this tram car for a while, no matter how many times it's circled by now. ]

...

[ Yuri holds out her gloved hand towards Throne. Come sit next to her. ]

[naeddre]

[she wanders over, carefully settling down next to her. if she wants, throné takes her hand - her own is gloved, as well.

for now, she doesn't say anything, just sits.]

[applebough]

[ They can hold hands for a while. Despite them both being gloved, just this sort of physical contact is enough for Yuri to muster energy to start speaking. ]

... I know. It helps though. Thank you.

[ But she's not sure if that's better or worse. ]

[naeddre]

Of course.

[she says, squeezing yuri's hand once.]

To tell you that we will find him and bring him back seems almost patronizing. [a little sigh.] I suppose... I hope that you have a little more hope in you.

[applebough]

Mm. I was working hard to see if we could bring the deceased back over here to us... now, I really can't mess up. I need to work harder than ever. So, it's alright Throne. I've been working for it... It doesn't feel patronizing.

Thank you. I really mean it.

[naeddre]

You are not the only one working for it. [she tilts her head.] All of us intend to find a solution.

You are not alone. Rely on us, and we will rely on you.