trans_9 | Man, you look just like I feel [Open]

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Man, you look just like I feel [Open]

Despite the uproar that had taken place only a day earlier, it was all quiet at the Susono Inn. Well... mostly quiet, anyway. It was home to some of the most stubborn crew members on the ship, almost all of whom had gotten involved in the brawl with the Kessek.

Allenby's arm had been broken. Simon had taken a hard one directly to the ribs. Zouichi would probably take a week to get back to real fighting form.

And Howard... well, it would probably take Howard a while to recover from what had happened.

[Visitors welcome!]

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"No, there's uh." Howard's cheeks flush and he pays particular attention to his teabag. "Your teeth are nice. I mean fine. They're totally normal teeth."

Someday he'll get the hang of this attraction thing without being hella awkward, just you wait.

"I thought I might've damaged them," Cedric provides as his flimsy explanation. "Thanks---the damage is just everywhere else."

He smirks and sips his tea, entirely too happy about this. "Do you usually drink yours black?"

"Nothing permanent, though. That's the important part." Mostly. Sometimes permanent damage isn't physical.

"Uh." Apparently Howard's lost his tongue. "I don't really notice taste or anything. I usually put more sugar in, extra calories just in case, you know. Something happens."

"Thankfully." Cedric smiles again, looking around for the sugar.

"Is there any? I don't mind if there isn't, but...calories are good, yeah," he finishes with, instead of his original sweet tooth crack. He shouldn't be flaunting how much food he's used to, or how fond he is of fine cooking.

"On second thought, save them for yourself." Howard needs the extra strength more than he does.

"No no, I got some, hold on." Howard searches under the bed and pulls out a large plastic box. Inside, it's stuffed with sugar and condiment packets, part of Howard's hoard. He holds out two packets to Cedric, then thinks better of it and switches to just offering him one. He uses the other for himself.

"I don't need the extra calories now," he says as puts the second sugar in Cedric's hand. It sounds like he's trying to convince himself more than Cedric. "We're safe here. As long as we never leave."

He sits back and covers his face for a moment. It's so exhausting, living like this.

Cedric doesn't mind it. He probably shouldn't have so much sugar anyway, it's not good for his health. His fingers fold over the packet, then empty its contents more delicately than usual. Sugar is a valuable resource, and he missed it. All these little things Howard does make him more aware of just how much his life depends on.

"Do you really think you could live like that, though? Just here?"

"No." Howard uncovers his face and sighs. "No, I think I'm stuck in another dangerous situation and I'm going to end up dead soon. Same as you."

He thought that maybe he'd have a chance if he could get off Stacy. The threat of Punishment killed that chance. Now he's resigned to dying young, again.

He figures Cedric would understand that better than anyone.

It's true, isn't it. Cedric's mouth droops. No hope? No.

"But...that doesn't mean we'll never enjoy anything again. It might take time, but we'll do some things. All right?"

"Like what?" Howard tilts his head and stares past Cedric at the wall. He's been concerned about making Cedric uncomfortable or feel flirted with so he doesn't invite Cedric to do things. He'd rather Cedric set the tone of what he's comfortable with.

Cedric tries to lift his head, to get a look at Howard. Staring at the wall is not what he has in mind for fun, not at all.

"You know...more things like the snowball fight. Swimming, boating, maybe flying on something stabler than a broom. Fishing? Seeing shows, shopping. I've wanted to try skydiving since I've heard about it, but I gather that's not your idea of a good time."

"Yeah. Those sound nice." Howard still seems a little zoned out, but he'll come back to. He does focus his eyes back on Cedric. "Not the skydiving, though. You can do that if you're that dead-set on being stupid."

Cedric nods encouragingly. Yes, it'll take time for Howard to recover from this, but they can have some fun.

"I've heard it can be quite safe if everything's done properly. Honestly, Quidditch is probably more likely to hurt a person."

He briefly daydreams about this excitement, then sinks back into place on the bed. "I know better than to adventure now, though. I should be...reading, or something."

"Are you trying to scare me away from Quidditch? Because that is totally making me not want to ref." Right, they're still doing that, aren't they? Howard's completely forgotten in the craziness of the last few days.

"Good boy. Read and play safe sports. Don't do this crazy life-risking thing."

"No, it's not dangerous for you!" Cedric repeats. "We'll protect you with spells and the Sensorium protocols. I'm the one who has to worry, I've come out of a match looking worse than this," he laughs just a little.

"Woof," Cedric barks half-heartedly in response to the idea of safety. He'll be a good boy. Just not a perfect one.

"Then I have to worry too." Howard says this more to the wall than to Cedric. In his roundabout way, he's come around to the idea that he cares about Cedric. He doesn't like that he does, and that doesn't mean they're friends.

"That I'll make more work for you?" Cedric teases. "You can leave it to someone else, or say I deserved it and let it heal on my own. I reckon that's what Madam Pomfrey wanted to do with me most of the time."

His expression softens, though. "But I'll be careful. Believe me, no one wants to be hit in the face with a Bludger."

"That could do serious brain damage," Howard says in his 'talking to idiots' voice. He disparages because he cares, Cedric; it's his backwards way of showing affection.

And mostly because if Cedric wants to ignore that Howard just said he'd worry about Cedric for Cedric's sake, Howard's A-OK with that.

"I won't let that happen," he insists. "We'll have protective charms to keep the damage less extreme. Sort of like...invisible helmets."

That's not exactly how it works at home, but he's prepared to take extra measures to keep the new players safe. Cedric cares about his teammates and poor Howard's stress level.

"Uh...huh." Howard just squints and shakes his head at Cedric. Magic is so weird. Not offensive, like Zouichi presumes, but weird. You make a flying attack ball and then give yourselves protection charms so it doesn't attack you as hard.

Howard pulls Sushi onto his lap. "I should probably get some more sleep. Thanks for coming by."

It's a lie - Howard's gotten more sleep in the last two days than he has in weeks - but he does need some alone time again. His ability to focus on a conversation is rapidly fleeting.

[OOC: Wrapping up so we can do Quidditch stuff!]

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Man, you look just like I feel [Open]

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