probably super late sunday/early monday week 7

[crazily]

[ Weirdly, Break actually isn't in his room or getting punched by Undyne. In fact, he doesn't return to his room until very late at night/early the next morning. He has a handkerchief in his hand that's stained with blood, but he tosses it on one of the beds without much thought. Break paces around the room briefly, and it seems like he's anxious about something, but finally, he laughs. His gaze turns up, and he feels stupid doing this, but he takes a seat on his bed and folds his hand in his lap. He's not quite looking at anything, and his breath is heavy and wet because of the death shocks, but he still speaks to... seemingly no one. ]

...If you're listening, then let me just say first that you're a bastard, Gilbert.

[ He's talking about the letters here, as will become clear as he continues. Break shifts uncomfortably where he's sitting on his bed, since this is a bit awkward, but he just continues talking softly. ]

But... I'll do my best. There was a while where I hesitated, but it's like I said to you before. I have to remember my priorities. Even if— Even if it doesn't end up working in the end, I have to try and survive. I still have no intention of dying here. I'll take your stupid letter to heart.

[ There's another pause, but this one is longer before he stands up. ]

I just wanted you to know that. Even if you're dead, I know you'd be worrying like an idiot.

Comments

[stupidly]

[There's a quick one-two sounding set of flicks on the yes paper.]

[crazily]

[ Break nods, and there's yet another long pause before the next question. Gilbert will be able to see how his face shifts to a familiar expression, though it might be a slightly worrying one. It's determination, but it's also edged with the sort of desperation that's worrying to see on Break's face. ]

Can I save you?

[ And everyone else, he guesses. But listen, no one here is going to be surprised if he has a bias. ]

[stupidly]

[Slightly worrying, yeah he's definitely worried when he sees that. Break will feel a small flick against his forehead...

But then there's silence for a good five or ten seconds, so clearly Gilbert's having some trouble with this one. He'd been tempted to just grab a paper and shake it around, but eventually, Break will feel something in his palm instead: the shape of a ? is traced out.]

[crazily]

[ Because Break has no frame of reference for where Gilbert is, the flick against his forehead gets him to flinch sharply, and he brings his hand up to his forhead with an indignant noise. There's another familiar expression, but at least this one is less worrying. It's definitely the sort of indignant embarrassment that he had on his face when Gilbert had (accidentally) punched him, but Gilbert has the advantage here this time. He can't get smacked with a cane, after all. ]

It's a fair question!

[ UGHHHH SHUT UP AND LET HIM SIN? ]

[ But considering the pause, he feels that's roughly answer enough, though the question mark he feels traced against his hand at least confirms it. It's not a "yes" like he had been hoping, but it's not a "no" either. That's good, and at least a start, however small. Though Break's next question might seem a little more random to Gilbert if he hadn't seen the execution or heard about it. ]

The woman I told you about from my dream when Vegeta was executed— Should I trust her?

[stupidly]

[That definitely earns him a little laugh, not that he can hear it or anything. But Gilbert also makes a mental note to not do that if he can help it, since the last thing Break needs is a series of small heart attacks when dealing with ghosts...

HE'S APPRECIATIVE OF THE QUESTION, THOUGH - or at least the sentiment behind it. Break will feel a light touch against his temple, and then the no paper is flicked. He hadn't seen or heard about the execution beyond what Break had very, very briefly mentioned about being stopped, so it's not as aggressive a no as it would have been if he knew more details.]

[crazily]

[ That's good to know, at least. Even with the touch against his temple (stop being so sentimental and wasting your energy, Gilbert!), he relaxes a little and sighs with a nod. He seems relieved about something based on his expression. ]

...That's what I thought. I have a feeling she likes— No, approves of me, though.

[ Yes, what a surprise, Sin Mom being proud of one of her Sin Children sinning... ]

What about Miata? Is she telling the truth with all of this?

[stupidly]

[FUCK YOU BREAK YOU CAN'T TELL HIM WHAT TO DO!!!!

There's a curious pause in response to that, though. Ugh why does Sin Mom like her Sin Child so much STOP THAT SIN MOM, you stop leading Break down bad paths!! He doesn't like the fact that Break's earned her approval but he doesn't waste his energy trying to communicate that distress.

The pause stretches onward which is probably an answer as it had been before, but then there's another ? against his palm.]

[crazily]

[ That's more or less what he expected, since a straightforward answer would be laughably easy, and therefore not fitting with either of their luck. Break nods, and a neutral sound accompanies it. Those were more or less the questions he was hoping to answer on his own, so now he's going to try and play twenty questions instead of guessing at things randomly. ]

You'll have to forgive me for making this complicated, but being unable to see limits me. So is there something you want to tell me? Nothing sentimental. [ He has to clarify... ] I mean about this place.

[stupidly]

[He really did have to clarify, because "take care of yourself" is 100% the thing Gilbert would have used his energy on otherwise and then he'd just be stuck cursing in Break's room lying on the floor trying to gather up his strength again LIKE A FOOL.

But fortunately one of them isn't a sentimental moron, so there's that. There's a tap on the yes paper.]

[crazily]

[ Break knows you, Gilbert... Don't waste your Danny Phantom powers on something that Break isn't going to do anyways. ]

All right, then narrow it down for me. If it's something about a person, tap the one on the left once. If it's about this place, tap the one on the left twice. If it's something about the nature of the murders, tap the one on the right once. If it's something else, tap the one on the right twice.

[ If nothing else, Break can at least be efficient with playing twenty questions... ]

[stupidly]

[Honestly this is the reason Break isn't the "stupidly" one. What the heck, that's more efficient than Gilbert can be even with his words...

There are actually quite a few things he wants to tell Break too, but he's starting to feel the Ghost Burn now, so he'll carefully think that over and pick one. Eventually, he taps on the left one twice.]

[crazily]

This place...

[ He repeats that part aloud, and he has to consider his own question carefully, since that one is a bit more difficult to ask about. He thinks about what Gilbert would want to relay to him above anything else (since he does expect that there's more than one thing). ]

Tap the left one once if it's something for the sake of escaping. Twice if it's about the very nature of the town. If it's something else, tap the right.

[stupidly]

[There's another pause, and then there are two taps on the left.]

[crazily]

[ He nods, but at least his next question is a bit more certain, since he does have a guess about that, at least. ]

Is it related to the sins?

[stupidly]

[Hmm... Another pause. The yes paper is flicked first, but then the no paper is flicked too.]

[crazily]

[ Ugh wtf Gilbert, follow directions!! Break does look mildly annoyed, but it comes with a laugh. ]

What kind of answer is that? You only get to pick one.

[ But he at least gets the gist that the answer is "sort of." He exhales a heavy sigh as he thinks through it, but then nods. It's difficult for hm to think around with his own experiences, but maybe that's a starting point. ]

Is it similar at all to something from our home?

[stupidly]

[HE'S TRYING HIS BEST HERE DAMMIT. They really do need a third option to say "NO IDEA" since that turns out to be the one Gilbert needs the most.

There's some hesitation, but then the yes paper is hit.]

[crazily]

[ There's another nod, but this one comes with a smile. He had been wondering, but some confirmation was still nice. His directions are definitely getting a little more clipped, since Break definitely needs to Go The Fuck To Sleep to get rid of these death shocks, but as always, he's being stubborn. ]

Once on the left for Sablier, twice on the left for the Abyss, one on the right for Chains, twice on the right for something else. If it's more than one, just pause between each.

[stupidly]

[Both of these grandpas are struggling but neither of them are giving up yet, ugh.

That said, enjoy, because there will be one hit on the left, two hits on the left, one hit on the right and two hits on the right with the proper pauses between each.

He really wishes he could be more helpful. Really.]

[crazily]

Damn...

[ Break clicks his tongue in frustration, since he can't really be that surprised, considering they're all related in their world too, but he was hoping for a little better than this. He taps his fingers against the dresser almost anxiously as he thinks through it, but he nods. ]

Then the same signals. Which one would you say is most important for me to dig at?

[stupidly]

[DON'T LEAVE THESE DECISIONS UP TO HIM...

But after a pause he'll once left for Sablier and twice left for the Abyss, since he can't pick.

But since he's getting really dang tired by now, he pauses to lay one paper flat, since that seems as good a way to say I'M DONE as any.]

[crazily]

[ Break's brow furrows briefly, but he nods slowly all the same. He starts to ask another question, but he hears how the paper is... laid flat, he thinks? He reaches out to touch it to confirm, but he can at least guess at the meaning there. ]

Then it gives me a place to start.

[ That's all he needed, really. Or so he thinks. He grabs the notebook again to tear out another piece of paper, which he folds up four times to make a more heft piece of paper. He sets that at the back of the dresser behind the television. ]

If you need to speak with me, move this piece of paper to the front and center of the dresser. It might take me a while to notice, but I'll check it regularly. Will that work?

[stupidly]

[A flick to the yes paper, which is the only one left up by now.

If he really needs Break immediately, he can always just throw another handkerchief at his face or something anyway. THIS IS FINE...

That said, though there are definitely a lot of things he has left to say - and things he wants to ask, like where were you until now - he's pretty much reached his limit. So after a few more seconds of silence stretch out, Break will be able to feel a touch against his shoulder first, and then a hand resting against the top of his head. Break isn't Oz or Alice, but he figures he could use a good headpat now regardless. It's the most he can do to communicate everything he can't say: that he's sorry, that he'll be here if he's needed, that he'll do his best from where he is, that he'll still hope beyond his damndest that Break will survive.]

[crazily]

[ The flick of the "yes" gets Break to sigh heavily, and it's easy to see the exhaustion in how his body moves. He bows his head deeply so it's more like he's hanging his head, and it seems like he might slump against his dresser at any moment. But he doesn't, thankfully. He pulls himself up, since he actually will sleep tonight for once, but the touch on his shoulder gets him to stop. He thinks that there's something else that Gilbert wants to say to him, and just with how Break thinks, he's still assuming that it's something more direct and informational. He listens for something else, since he's expecting to have his attention drawn somewhere else.

The touch against his head instead gets his eye to widen briefly, but the expression of surprise soon softens into understanding. He almost wants to criticize Gilbert for continuing to waste his time and energy on things like this, but he decides that he's too tired to do so. Though perhaps part of him is just denying that there's a comfort in that gesture. Break actually doesn't move away immediately, and he mulls over his thoughts before speaking. What he actually says is also rather surprisingly gentle and sincere, both of which are qualities that Break very, very rarely shows to others minus perhaps Sharon and her family. ]

You didn't deserve to die at all, much less like that. If I had— [ He pauses and seems to change his mind about what he wants to say, then just bows his head lightly. ] I'm sorry, Gilbert. I couldn't protect you either.

[ But after that, Break walks over to whichever bed is closer and flops down on it quite unceremoniously. It almost looks like he passed out for a second like that, but luckily Gilbert won't have to have a heart attack over that. Break has one more parting thing to say. ]

...But so long as things are like this, then just continue to be my left eye. You can see and hear things that I can't, so just report back to me when you can. I'll talk to Rhys and see about figuring out something that's quicker than the paper.

[ Break closes his eye, then sighs in a way that comes with him visibly relaxing. It seems like he's not even going to change into night clothes, but that's probably not that new... Break probably just takes random naps when he's too exhausted to continue without one. He grabs a pillow and pulls it closer, since it seems like he's not even going to crawl up the bed, but the last part is muffled into a pillow: ]

If there's a way to save you, I'll find it.

[ But after that, Break will actually be fairly quick to go to sleep. It's not any longer than usual, though. Just five hours or so and Break will wake up with a start in a cold sweat, but whatever he was dreaming of will remain a mystery. ]