[006] Oh, When You're Gone Will They Say Your Name

[themuseabandonsyou]

Who: Orpheus (themuseabandonsyou) and others
What: April Catch-All
When: Throughout April
Where: Serenity Garden, Crenshaw, throughout the city

Warnings: Grief (loss of a loved one), depression, giant insect (Argonaut), flesh-eating monsters and potential for violent confrontation

I. And when you're gone will they love you the same
( OTA )( cw: grief (loss of a loved one), depression )
Orpheus shows up to Serenity Garden oddly dressed for the weather, in his denim jacket, a loose knitted cap and gloves. He looks a little too warm with all of that on, but taking it off isn't really an option - the symptoms of his ongoing corruption would be much too obvious. His hands are still gray and scaly, his antlers have yet to fully recede, and the set of four bony protrusions on his back where his beast form's wings were are still just barely too visible without a coat on. Still, even with all of that in mind, he's pretty sure he's okay to be out and about by now. Pretty sure. At the very least, he thinks he's reached the point where staying in his empty house all alone isn't helping him get any better.

So the first place he goes when he makes up his mind to venture out again is Airy's garden. He wants to see the fruits of her labors for himself, and it proves to be well worth it. Even in the gloom of April's at this point week-long night, it's beautiful, and he smiles what might be one of his first genuine smiles in a long, long time, just standing at the edge and taking it all in. Throughout the day, he moves slowly between the various benches and tables of the garden, sitting quietly with his guitar propped up next to him. He doesn't play it at any point. He doesn't have it in him. But it seemed important to bring it here with him.

II. Oh when you're gone we won't say a word
( OTA )( cw: grief (loss of a loved one), depression, giant non-hostile insect (Argonaut) )
On the roof of a small, powder blue house in Crenshaw sits a motley collection of beings. Four batcats lounge on the slopes and peaks, eyes alert in the moonlight, while sitting propped up against one of the gables is Orpheus, watching the moon and stroking something fluffy and white in his lap. At first glance it seems to be yet another batcat, but then there's a flash of compound eyes, of too many too-thin legs and mothy wings. It's Argonaut, come to rest his weary bones carapace?? for a moment.

Orpheus sings softly, almost too quiet to be heard from the street.

"Rossignolet sauvage,
Rossignolet sauvage,
Apprends-moi la manière
Apprends-moi z'à parler
Apprends-moi la manière
Comment l'amour se fait"
III. But you know that's okay
( OTA )( cw: potential for flesh-eating monsters and violent confrontation )
It's on his way back through the city from Serenity Garden that it happens. A ball of gold-white light plummets from the sky, looking for all the world like it's going to crash into the ground only to come to a gentle halt just a few inches above it. Orpheus, hesitantly lowers his arms after having thrown them up to protect his face and peers into it as it begins to unravel like a silken cocoon, the light fading away to reveal... a hole in the world? For a moment the daylight emanating through it is blinding in the long night of April, but Orpheus squints into it regardless, unable to look away.

[ OOC Note: If you pick this prompt please let me know if you'd like a Greek mythological monster or to meet one of Orpheus's old friends from home! If we've already plotted things out ahead of time you're good to go. If you don't specify I'll just pick for you. ]
IV. Wildcard
[ OOC: Need something else? Feel free to talk to me over at questionableveracity on Plurk or quodVide#2951 on Discord! ]

Comments

[themuseabandonsyou]

"She does," says Orpheus, glancing around. "They're like friends to her. I'm glad they came here with us." Even if he's not sure how they or really any of the other structures of Deerington got here. It's a blessing he isn't going to question too much.

And speaking of friends, and blessings - Orpheus looks back at Fern and hesitates for a moment, before saying;

"Um, thanks, by the way. For coming to visit me when I was..." He pauses, unsure of how to phrase it and uncomfortable putting it into words, and the lapse drags on long enough to be awkward but he's pretty sure Fern knows what he means, so he moves on. "I don't remember a lot of what happened, but. I'm pretty sure it helped. A lot."

[laminae]

Fern nods softly. If anyone was going to take good care of a grove of trees in this city, it's going to be Airy. She's kind and compassionate, and it's reflected in the love the trees have for her. And it's much better that the trees are here, than staying stuck in the crumbling dream.

He glances over at the gratitude, surprised. Without any hesitation, he's going to reach over and hug Orpheus. Sorry guy, it sounds like he needs it. "You're my friend, dude. There was no way I wasn't gonna help you when you needed it the most."

[themuseabandonsyou]

"Right," says Orpheus, not surprised by Fern's response in the least but touched all the same. He returns the hug, patting him on the back. "It was still good of you to do, though. You're a good friend."

It feels a little like stating the obvious, but Orpheus does realize that that sort of thing isn't necessarily always obvious to Fern, and he's the one who needs to hear it most, so it bears saying. Orpheus pulls back at and smiles at him, fighting the urge to apologize for causing trouble. He is sorry, but he's also pretty sure that's not what Fern wants from him.

"I just... I think I'd still be out there, if it weren't for you and everyone else who came to see me. It means a lot." It means the world, that people were willing to risk themselves over him. Like he said, he doesn't remember much, but he wasn't hurt at all when he returned to himself. No one attacked him, from what he can tell. Everyone had just come to talk. He's sort of blown away by it.

[laminae]

Compliments are still a thing he feels a little embarrassed about, like he doesn't really deserve them, but he's gotten much better at accepting them these days. With a slightly awkward grin he nods, doing just that before sitting back.

It doesn't surprise him to hear that's what Orpheus thinks. He probably would be, honestly. Losing someone like Eurydice isn't something a person comes back easily from, not without all the love and support from friends and family. If he had no one then what would have been the point in coming back?

"I get it. I would've done the exact same thing if Varian had left," he says slowly. "I know it sounds dumb, but - but you're really strong for coming back. Staying a beast would've been easier than this, even though I don't think it would've been right."

[themuseabandonsyou]

"Thanks," says Orpheus, smiling weakly. "It would've been easier. It wasn't, um, fun, being like that? But it was really easy, just... being all alone and angry at myself and everything else, and not trying to see the good in anything."

Even now it's a struggle not to sink back into that, shut himself inside and castigate himself over every little thing he could've done differently day and night. But he's trying, and he's here, and talking to Fern, and he feels the slightest bit better for it already.

He sighs.

"I tried to do something like that before," he admits, glancing away. "Not, um. Drowning people, but running away from everyone who was trying to help me, after I came out of the Underworld and Eurydice didn't. I didn't think I deserved their sympathy, and I didn't want it. That's actually what I was doing, when I wound up in Deerington? Running."

Shaking his head, he looks back at Fern.

"But there was nowhere to run, there, and people kept trying to help me after seeing me at my worst, and, um. I guess I have a new 'worst' now, but you're all still here for me, and that's - it doesn't make things okay, but it makes them easier."

[laminae]

Fern nods softly, quiet as Orpheus talks. Oh, does he ever know what that's like. He hasn't been unlucky enough to fall to beasthood here, but he did spend a significant amount of time in Ooo being alone and angry at everyone and everything.

"I'm glad it does," he says slowly. "That's - that's kinda how Deerington was for me, too. When I first showed up there I had just... tried to do something really awful, and I hated myself a lot. I didn't think I deserved any sympathy either."

He can't exactly say he likes himself now, and that all of that has been fixed, but he's improved. He's getting there. And he snorts. "The first thing I did in Deerington was trash the house I woke up in. It was dumb. If it wasn't for all the people there and here I think I'd still be like that. Heck, probably worse."

He grins up at Orpheus. "So it's awesome that I can do this for you."

[themuseabandonsyou]

"It is awesome," says Orpheus, smiling. "It's - I don't think Trench will ever really feel like home, without Eurydice, but knowing that there are so many people here who were willing to put themselves in danger to help me means... more than I can say. I still don't really know what I'm going to do with myself, now? But I know if I need help with whatever I decide, I'll be able to find it."

His smile falters, a little, and he looks down at his hands on the table in front of him.

"It's just hard making decisions right now. Thinking of the future, knowing she probably won't be there. I know she wouldn't want me to just... stop, because of her, so I'll figure something out sooner or later? But for now I'm just. Taking it one day at a time, I guess."

[laminae]

Yeah, that makes sense to him. If Varian wasn't here he doesn't think he'd have the same homey feelings about Trench as he does. The place isn't important, it's the people who you're with, and if you're missing that person in your life it doesn't matter where you are, that place is never going to feel fully like home.

"Okay, cool. One day at a time," he echoes. "And if you gotta do more than that and need help, all you gotta do is ask. We're all here for you, dude. If that means helping you with big decisions before you're ready for 'em, then - uh, well, I'll do my best. I'm just not super great at that kind of stuff."

[themuseabandonsyou]

"Thanks," says Orpheus. "I appreciate that? I've never been all that good at planning for the future either, honestly. That was, um. That was something Eurydice was better at."

He winces a little, then sighs.

"I guess I don't have to worry about working for a while, at least. We had a lot of food stockpiled in case the winter was bad, or we needed to help someone, and there's... just me, now, so it'll last a little longer." Hm. This thought isn't as comforting as it seemed when he started talking. Shaking his head, he pushes on. "The places I used to work will probably take me back? But I don't... know if I have it in me to sing for people, like I was before. It just feels like there's a hole in me every time I think about trying."

[laminae]

"Yeaahhh, same. Always been a wingin' it guy. Varian's the planner."

Varian is a much, much better planner than he could ever hope to be.

"Then you don't gotta sing," Fern says hurriedly. "If you run low on food or whatever we can help you out. Don't forget, dude, I'm awesome at growing stuff. You're not gonna starve."