They say an end can be a start

[busball]

Who: Klaus Hargreeves & you
What: Telekinesis hijinks
When: The last two weeks of January
Where: Library, Windjammer, and the pool (and wherever you want tbh)
Warnings: Definite references to drug/alcohol abuse, withdrawal stuff, depression, Klaus' entire life possibly.
Notes: Are you friends with Klaus? Please assume you got a text about their sobriety. Ilu. Thank you.



1. Library

It’s been…a time recently. Klaus has been doing his best to avoid any establishments with drinking. It’s kind of deprived him of Disney movies and…well…any movies, but it’s fine. He’s gotten used to the idea that things are sort of out of reach. Sure, there’s been a lot of weird stuff happening that he can’t explain recently, but that’s gotta be like…ship stuff. Like a whole piano came to life and tried to eat people. Why wouldn’t a bunch of papers start flailing around in a weird pattern? Sure, he was feeling a little frazzled, a little frustrated after having dropped something because his hands were shaking too bad for him to hold it, but…maybe the papers were just mad?

What do they know?

Speaking of not being able to hold something that well, they are staring very hard at their cup of hot chocolate, which is still very hot. They don’t want to get burned, but their hands are definitely still sort of shaky.

When they pick it up, they at least manage a couple sips without burning their mouth or dropping it. But as they go to set it back down, it falls, nearly ending on the floor except that suddenly it’s back on the table???

Klaus stands up and squints at it in confusion before looking around. “The ship is getting so weird these days.


2. Pool

Watson said to consider exercise and the pool and so Klaus is here to try to take advantage of it. He’s got Under the Sea stuck in his head at the moment, which is forcing him into a better mood.

This good mood sort of turns into a state of pure bewilderment as the pool floaties they’ve brought out start to dance just above the water to the tune, going in a circle, as they hum a little while getting ready to get in. Of course, they drop almost instantly as he seems to notice them. Confused, they hum the song again, but nothing happens. “What the hell?” Okay. Just weird ship things. Guess this is the vibe this month? Weird stuff?

3. Windjammer

Forcing themselves to eat is one of those things that’s just kind of happening. Klaus doesn’t really want to question his craving for baby carrots. It’s just one of those things. They need something that feels simple and probably won’t upset their stomach, right? Sure. That seems fair and accurate.

They are absolutely focused on grabbing more carrots and eyeing the garlic bread from afar, so if anyone comes up behind them, they are getting pelted with baby carrots, or the peas or…whatever else is at the veggies part of the buffet. Not that it seems like Klaus has thrown them. Mostly they seem to have thrown themselves from the buffet at whoever is behind him.

If they’re confused, so is Klaus. What is going on with the ship this month?

4. Promenade

Klaus is supposed to be avoiding these places and...really...he is. He's avoiding them. Mostly. It doesn't stop them from just sitting here and staring at Hurikane very intently from a bench in the middle of the promenade. Their hands are clenched around the seat of the bench, white knuckles obvious if you look. They are very purposely not going over, so that's...that's not nothing??? Probably. He's very obviously not paying attention to anything else around him.

It's only when he goes to stand up, very nearly deciding to go to Hurikane (but not wanting to) that a chair close by comes clattering in front of him and he looks at it in confusion for a moment. "What is with this place? Seriously." But on a more serious note, it might be time to phone a friend.

5. Wildcard

Hit me with whatever you like~ If you wanna run anything by me, my plurk is kingdonkey and otherwise, discord is kingdonkey#6187. This is just some random telekinesis shenanigans, but it can be anything else if you need it!

Comments

Wildcard, later in the month

[astrogator]

[It hasn't been difficult for Ari Tayrey to avoid Klaus. It wasn't even a conscious choice at first. They'd already been on unsteady ground, and then there had been the way he spoke to her after her escape attempt, and the way he abandoned Nobunaga at the trial. Afterwards, she'd turned fairly reclusive herself for a while, and he'd had his own troubles, which she'd heard about second-hand.

She's stubborn and set in her ways, but Ari's not completely uncaring, even if she'll pretend it sometimes. Passing through the lounge area, she spots Klaus, sitting. Maybe the sensible thing is to walk by, act like she hasn't noticed him.

No, that's not happening. She stops, a short distance away.]

How are you holding up? Oda told me what you're going through.

[busball]

[Klaus has been aware of the absence of Ari, but he's been carefully avoidant himself because it hasn't been worth it. Even with Nobunaga insisting that he misses her, he's stubborn and full of strong emotions. So it's just...whatever.

The sound of her voice makes them look up in mild confusion before he tries to mask that confusion with something more neutral.]

I'm...still alive. So I guess reasonably okay? [Their hands are at least not still shaking and the overall physical shit's not...as bad. They're still not sleeping very well, but concealer can cover that up...mostly.] You?

[astrogator]

I'm fine. Thank you.

[That's an automatic response, but it's mostly true, or at least as true as it's ever going to get in this place. She has stopped expecting that people are going to leap out and confront her over anything that happened in the hotel. She's less worried about Nobunaga, and no longer looks exhausted now that she's sleeping properly, not just a few hours taken when she can.

She did notice the confused look, but it doesn't trouble her.]

I'm glad you're coping - and I'm glad you and Oda patched things up. He really cares about you.

[Ari doesn't think she'd have forgiven that kind of betrayal, but if the betrayed party has forgiven it, she won't hold proxy grudges on his behalf! That part of it all, at least, isn't about her. Nobunaga's happier with Klaus, that's what matters.]

[busball]

[Klaus doesn't argue with her response and just sort of nods. None of them are fine strictly, but they're too tired to really get into too much unless it's offered up as something or the person in question probably needs him to. Like with Johnny.]

Oh. Thanks. [Does he know really how to react? Well...no. Not really. Still, he's just...keeping it chill and relaxed.] Thanks for...uh...you know...looking after him in the in between.

[There's been a lot of conversation and he knows Ari's meant a lot to Nobunaga, but...he knows things are awkward.] I know he was relieved to have you.

[astrogator]

[For Ari, fine equates to functional. She's not falling apart. She has plenty to keep herself occupied with. That's the best that she can hope for, in the short term.

There's a flicker of concern on her face, and it takes her a moment to answer, because she's trying to find a phrasing that won't sound like she's just trying to criticise Klaus. She can't say that she's always there when Oda needs her, that she'd never let him down. Those things might be true, but she has to tread very carefully.]

He means an awful lot to me. He was there when I needed him, so it was only right for me to do the same for him.

[Very balanced, very fair contract, no need to bring more into it than that.]

He's feeling stronger now. The worst is over. Is the same true for you?

[busball]

[Klaus nods a little.]

Well, I know that he feels the same. [It might all be very balanced and very fair contract, but Klaus is fairly certain that's not true. Either way...]

I'd like to say the worst is over, but now I have to... [There's a brief pause before they wave it off.] It'll be fine. Withdrawal's a bitch, but...yeah. I'll be fine.

[astrogator]

Good.

[This is going well, right? Better than she expected. No arguments, no insults. Horrendously awkward, but Ari can live with that.]

I'm sure you're capable, and it'll be worthwhile, despite how difficult it is. It's brave of you to do it.

[busball]

[This is Klaus keeping someone generally a bit further than arm's length. It's sort of like he told Nobunaga. Just...no personality. Just generally basic interaction because he doesn't really...know how else to exist anymore.]

Yeah. I've done it before. [Multiple times, but he's not trying to open up, really.] It's not really. It's just...a thing. People do it all the time. [They shrug, adjusting their sitting and cross their legs.]

Thank you anyway, Tayrey, for your words.

[astrogator]

[She actually smiles faintly when he calls her Tayrey, because she's genuinely grateful for it. It means one less terribly awkward conversation topic.]

You're welcome. I mean them. Maybe people do it all the time, but not in these circumstances. They're very exceptional. So give yourself credit for that.

[He does seem to be coping well, to her inexpert eye. She briefly considers asking if there's anything she can do to help, but she doubts there is. It's just something he'll have to get through.]

[busball]

[They look down, avoiding eye contact. It is only for Nobunaga's sake that he keeps himself from doubting her words outwardly and just sits with it inwardly.]

It's nothing. I'm just... [A slight shrug. And still uncomfortable with kindness of any kind.] Anyway. It's not worth discussing. I'm sure there's something less...this to talk about.

[astrogator]

[He gets a nod in return, because if he doesn't want to discuss it, she's certainly not going to try to make him.

Change the subject, then. To what? She has no idea what's safe. Ari had always found it easiest to talk to Klaus over drinks, and while she has no intention of joining the ship's little temperance movement, she won't do anything to make things harder for him, put temptation in his way.]

Sure. The last poetry club meeting was good fun. I managed to convince Oda to go, and that wasn't a certainty at the time. [When in doubt, talk about Nobunaga?] I think it was good for him. He's going to teach me to use knives, too.

[busball]

[He looks down for a moment, trying to find something to do with his hands, but failing to find anything more than fidgeting with his shirt for a very brief moment.]

Oh. Huh. [Klaus doesn't really know what to say about that other than...well...what they've said. They're glad Nobunaga went to poetry club, but this all just feels awkward and stilted the longer they go.] That's useful at least. Knives. I got a knife...It was from...ah...nevermind. [Cause they don't do well with talk of war-times and it is from Vietnam.

Klaus pushes up the sleeves of his shirt, frowning slightly at everything. Ugh. This is dumber than everything.] I don't...know what to say. Here. [A vague gesturing between them.] And normally I'd just...do a lot of weird stories shit and whatever, but I'm just...[A small sigh.] I'm kind of exhausted. And this is...uncomfortable. Not...not like...I dunno. I'm not trying to upset you...but I'm just... [Have some more vague gesturing as they try to figure out the words] Tired. My emotional and mental bandwidth is just kind of limited at the moment.

[They sigh, because they know Nobunaga has mentioned being clear about things with Ari and...he doesn't want her to feel like this is him telling her to fuck off. It's not. It's just...he's set a boundary with Valdis and it worked and now maybe he just needs to do like he told Pratt he'd pretend to do. Maybe not just stare into the Void and ignore it.]

I don't have a lot of people experience. Outside of my family. So I don't know what to say here or whether I should just keep talking about shit like I'm talking about the weather just to keep things...neutral. I don't know what to do. [That's probably not overly clear or concise, but Klaus feels like it...might work? Maybe? Or it'll make it worse.] I don't feel like fighting today, so... [They don't have anything, just a shrug at this point.]

[astrogator]

[Ari's not hurt by what he's said. It seems honest. It seems like 'I can't deal with talking to you right now, Tayrey' without being rude about it or starting an argument, and she can absolutely respect that.]

I'm not upset, and I don't want to fight with you. [Not today, not at all.]

Look, we don't have to do this. You're exhausted, so you rest up, focus on yourself and what you need to do to make things more bearable. If that means not being around me, I get it. I'll leave you in peace. I didn't want you to think that we couldn't ever be in the same room together because of something on my side. It's not like that. But you've got other priorities right now, so don't worry about... this.

[She turns her head, looks back in the direction she'd been heading before she spotted him.]

I'll go, alright? You take care of yourself.

[busball]

[That...went better than he really anticipated. So he just takes a soft breath in and out.]

I...don't not want to figure it out. I just know right now it's...I've got this and...everything else. [Like apparently new powers, but that's...a different creature.] I don't want to say something I don't mean cause my head's all...[A vague gesture] More of a mess than usual.

[They don't really want to let her go, but they're not sure it's...going to be a good idea before they get their shit together a little better.] Yeah. Okay.

[astrogator]

[It's a surprising level of self-awareness, and she appreciates that too, so she just nods.]

It'll take time. It's fine. I hope it goes well, or if not well than as easily as possible, and I'll see you around.

[She almost wishes him safe skies, but there's no point, he doesn't have the cultural understanding for it. So instead she takes one last look at him before she continues on her way.]