[Open] Do you feel the chill crawling at the back of your neck?

[seeingthings]

Who: Richie Gecko, Seth Gecko, Others
Where: The Lodge
When: Near the end of and post snow storm.
Rating: Swearing, otherwise TBD
Summary: Richie comes back from out of the snowstorm after looking for Kate in a pretty sorry state. Angst ensues.
The Story:

[Closed] For Seth

Richard was nearly frozen to the bone when he finally stumbles back into their room.

He and Clementine hadn't saved anyone. It had been too late to do anything for her friend except shoot her, and Kate hadn't been out there. He'd known that going in that she probably wouldn't be anywhere. That she had probably gone home the way so many people did. But she was going home to die, the same way she would have died out in the storm, so what was really the difference?

There's frost forming on the edges of his skin, in his eyebrows. It's only the fact that he's bundles in heavy coats and gloves and a scarf that he made it back at all, and it was likely through sheer willpower.

He knew Kate's disappearance would fuck up his brother too. Losing both of them wasn't gonna fly.

The door shuts behind him and he leans against it, sliding down until he hits the floor, his expression vacant and lost.

He's not taking this well.

[OTA]

He's not his usually self as he roams around the Lodge. He's always got a bottle of liquor on him, it's never full, and his tie is half undone and hanging loosely around his neck.

This place has never been more fucked up. And to think most people considered this event a 'fun' one. Fuck that.

No skiing for him. He's staying in, people watching, and drinking by himself for the most part, but he's not going to bite if people bother him.

Probably, anyway.

Comments

[seeingthings]

[He looks at her out of the corner of his eye, is tempted to tell her to fuck off, but takes a drink out of his bottle instead before he answers.]

My girl went missing a couple days ago.

[If she'd died, she should be back by now, which makes it pretty likely the other option is what's going on here.

She's just gonna die permanently instead.]

[choosetruth]

Ah. [With her sunglasses, her expression's hard to read, but there's a slight softening of the hard line of her mouth. Sympathy. As much as she's ever capable of expressing.]

Guess with the event on it's hard to know if it's permanent or not, isn't it? [She grimaces. In some ways, uncertainty is the worst of all. At least if you know they're gone you know. Hope is traitorous and will get you hurt.]

I'm sorry.

[seeingthings]

Don't worry about it.

[He doesn't really want sympathy from strangers. He's finding his comfort in the bottom of a bottle, which is clearly healthier.]

At least she's not out in that storm.

[choosetruth]

Small blessings. [That don't bring her back.]

I vanished for a little while recently. When I came back my brother was gone. I just... know how much it sucks.

[seeingthings]

Pretty sure if my brother left I'd just fucking lose it at this point.

[Things he wouldn't admit if he were in any way sober.]

Did he come back?

cw suicidal ideation

[choosetruth]

He did. [She smiles slimly.] I came pretty close to fucking losing it, honestly. If he hadn't come back....

[Well. Killing herself would have been pointless here, unless she was prepared to do it five times. But she would have had to do something to express the bounds of her grief.]

But he did.

[seeingthings]

Then let's hope they both fucking stay here, right?

[The last thing Wonderland needs is two more crazies running around.]

[choosetruth]

They fucking better. [She'd add that Shaun not staying is okay if she goes too, but these days she's feeling a little more mixed about that. Wonderland's a thousand times better than what they had going on at home. But they couldn't forgive themselves if they abandoned their own world without setting things right. Good thing they don't have a choice.]

I hope your friend returns someday too.