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[A week of research was a questionable coping mechanism. It succeeded in keeping him from having to talk to anyone. Also, in keeping him busy. However, a week buried in information brings on a loneliness that makes unchecked depression go rampant.
That's the worst part about it, sometimes. Being so utterly incapable of breaking the ice, of visiting someone and drudging up polite conversation and leaving that loneliness behind. He can't conjure the energy to visit anyone or ask for a visit, but everything is so much worse when he's lonely. Walking that circle is worse than rummaging through page after page of data, wanting to find and yet terrified of finding. He hated it alone in the research rooms, but feared going back to the same cycle, the same circle, as before.
When he comes back, he puts off going back to the flat for as long as possible. He sees to the horses at the stable, introducing the new mare to the others. Horses don't require conversation, but they provide companionship. Gregor is faintly disturbed by that thought, as if working with the horses might be more harmful than therapeutic. He finds himself clutching Babushka's mane in both fists, his face buried in her shoulder, heart pounding with the sudden, dizzy speculation that the one thing that makes him feel happy in this place is poisoned by his own weakness. No. No, no, no, he's not about to start thinking that way. Working with the horses means working with the hands, and that's human interaction. He enjoys that part. There's a premise to it, nothing forced. It's okay. He's being ridiculous about this. Gradually, he releases Babushka's mane. Her placid temperament helps. It's as if she barely noticed.
He should go home and take a shower, but instead he sits in the stable and sends a written message out, filtering it only lazily since it's nothing important.]
[Filtered to Ivan Vorpatril, Buffy Summers, Adele LeBlanc, and everyone who works at the stable or takes lessons - 35% unhackable]
I've come back.
--GVB
[/Filtered.]
[Then, it's anything he can do to keep from going back to that apartment. He knows once he's there, he'll nest in his safe little area and be completely trapped, alone with his own thoughts. So he plunks himself into the coffee shop with a cup of coffee and a cream cake he brought over from the bakery. He should check up on Loki (he has his own problems). He should talk to Nephry (she shouldn't see me like this). Or Molly (neither should she). Or Buffy (no pretending no no no...). Or Adele (nothing she can do). The trouble is that he's not fit to be seen by anyone. There's really nowhere to go but home, is there? Like it or not, he's chained to that place. Heaven forbid he send out a message to any one of them, or even that idiot Ivan, saying, I need help, today is a bad day, I don't care what you do just make sure...
Make sure of what? That he doesn't topple off any more balconies? He knows where death leads here. Everyone does. It would sound so stupid to explain why having one week asleep, one week ushered painlessly by during the wait to go home would be worth a death penalty.
...He needs to talk himself out of thinking that way.
At last, he sends out a voice message.]
The public stables are open, with three horses available to anyone who needs them. Just check them out with the on-duty stable hand.
[After inquiries are responded to, there's nothing to do but go home. Once he is there, he is most likely to curl up on his couch and not answer the door or any messages.]
That's the worst part about it, sometimes. Being so utterly incapable of breaking the ice, of visiting someone and drudging up polite conversation and leaving that loneliness behind. He can't conjure the energy to visit anyone or ask for a visit, but everything is so much worse when he's lonely. Walking that circle is worse than rummaging through page after page of data, wanting to find and yet terrified of finding. He hated it alone in the research rooms, but feared going back to the same cycle, the same circle, as before.
When he comes back, he puts off going back to the flat for as long as possible. He sees to the horses at the stable, introducing the new mare to the others. Horses don't require conversation, but they provide companionship. Gregor is faintly disturbed by that thought, as if working with the horses might be more harmful than therapeutic. He finds himself clutching Babushka's mane in both fists, his face buried in her shoulder, heart pounding with the sudden, dizzy speculation that the one thing that makes him feel happy in this place is poisoned by his own weakness. No. No, no, no, he's not about to start thinking that way. Working with the horses means working with the hands, and that's human interaction. He enjoys that part. There's a premise to it, nothing forced. It's okay. He's being ridiculous about this. Gradually, he releases Babushka's mane. Her placid temperament helps. It's as if she barely noticed.
He should go home and take a shower, but instead he sits in the stable and sends a written message out, filtering it only lazily since it's nothing important.]
[Filtered to Ivan Vorpatril, Buffy Summers, Adele LeBlanc, and everyone who works at the stable or takes lessons - 35% unhackable]
I've come back.
--GVB
[/Filtered.]
[Then, it's anything he can do to keep from going back to that apartment. He knows once he's there, he'll nest in his safe little area and be completely trapped, alone with his own thoughts. So he plunks himself into the coffee shop with a cup of coffee and a cream cake he brought over from the bakery. He should check up on Loki (he has his own problems). He should talk to Nephry (she shouldn't see me like this). Or Molly (neither should she). Or Buffy (no pretending no no no...). Or Adele (nothing she can do). The trouble is that he's not fit to be seen by anyone. There's really nowhere to go but home, is there? Like it or not, he's chained to that place. Heaven forbid he send out a message to any one of them, or even that idiot Ivan, saying, I need help, today is a bad day, I don't care what you do just make sure...
Make sure of what? That he doesn't topple off any more balconies? He knows where death leads here. Everyone does. It would sound so stupid to explain why having one week asleep, one week ushered painlessly by during the wait to go home would be worth a death penalty.
...He needs to talk himself out of thinking that way.
At last, he sends out a voice message.]
The public stables are open, with three horses available to anyone who needs them. Just check them out with the on-duty stable hand.
[After inquiries are responded to, there's nothing to do but go home. Once he is there, he is most likely to curl up on his couch and not answer the door or any messages.]
[ written ]
Date: 2012-10-08 11:29 pm (UTC)From:-BS
P.S. Welcome back
[Action]
Date: 2012-10-08 11:48 pm (UTC)From:And he has a lot of things to talk about. Even if he knows, deep down inside, that he won't really. He never does. His mind still feels too disordered.
He picks up a bottle of wine since that seems polite and goes to Gregor's house. There, he knocks and waits.]
[action]
Date: 2012-10-09 12:44 am (UTC)From:She sees a familiar face, one she hasn't run into since the experiment where Gregor caught her singing. Amelia walks over to the table where he's sitting, nodding her head toward the cream cake.]
You must really like those things. Do they even serve them here?
[ written ]
Date: 2012-10-09 01:29 am (UTC)From:-GVB
P.S. Thank you.
[Action]
Date: 2012-10-09 01:30 am (UTC)From:Come in.
[He glances at the bottle of wine and looks somewhat glum again.]
[action]
Date: 2012-10-09 01:35 am (UTC)From:Re: [action]
Date: 2012-10-09 01:42 am (UTC)From:Right. So how are you doing?
[Pretty standard question, after an experiment.]
[action]
Date: 2012-10-09 01:53 am (UTC)From:Re: [action]
Date: 2012-10-09 01:54 am (UTC)From:That good, huh?
no subject
Date: 2012-10-09 01:55 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2012-10-09 01:59 am (UTC)From:Better than the last one, I hope.
I went to a wedding.
[ voice ]
Date: 2012-10-09 02:03 am (UTC)From:[That is a very hesitant tone in her voice.]
no subject
Date: 2012-10-09 02:30 am (UTC)From:[voice]
Date: 2012-10-09 02:34 am (UTC)From:[It's entirely unrelated, really. He just heard the guys voice and realized it had, indeed, been a while]
[ voice ]
Date: 2012-10-09 02:36 am (UTC)From:[voice]
Date: 2012-10-09 02:37 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2012-10-09 02:37 am (UTC)From:You aren't answering my questions.
[ voice ]
Date: 2012-10-09 02:38 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2012-10-09 02:40 am (UTC)From:[ voice ]
Date: 2012-10-09 02:41 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2012-10-09 02:42 am (UTC)From:What's going on?
no subject
Date: 2012-10-09 02:44 am (UTC)From:[It's a touch rude, yes, indicative of how very not-fine he is today. And Amelia is pushy, and Gregor doesn't really like talking about himself.]
[ voice ]
Date: 2012-10-09 02:49 am (UTC)From:[ voice ]
Date: 2012-10-09 02:56 am (UTC)From:[ voice ]
Date: 2012-10-09 03:11 am (UTC)From:[She can't just go... ride your horses without helping. Although if they weren't exercised regularly...]