Just a middle-aged man

[maddeninghatter]

Who: Xerxes Break and Phancyhive
When: September 24th
Where: Under a blanket
Summary: In the aftermath of this (squick warning), Xerxes Break is hiding from the world. Unfortunately, the world can find him pretty easily.
Warnings: References to eye squick

[ Break had spent the first few days afterwards recovering: sleeping mostly, and occasionally poking at his NV. But now, as he's feeling better, the enormity of what happened is beginning to sink in…

Not so much his eye popping out in front of everyone at dinner, that could happen to anyone (that his erstwhile eyeball has been marauding the mansion is a detail of which he is, as yet, blissfully unaware).

But that Gilbert, of all people, had chastised him. And he'd deserved it. Even worse - the way he'd been behaving for weeks and weeks, so much foolishness, over something that hadn't even happened! He's been so public about it, so obvious…

Well. He's… he's just going to be here in his room. Under his blanket. ]

Comments

[retraced]

[Sigh. He shifts the tray in his hands, so Break can probably hear the teacup rattle sightly if he's listening close enough.]

May I come in?

[maddeninghatter]

[ tinkle tinkle tinkle tinkle...

The sirens song of tea. ]

F-fine.

[ He really should fling the covers off and make himself more presentable. This is Gilbert, after all. But the blanket is warm... and soft... and comforting. He's going to stay under it, for now. ]

[retraced]

[He sighs, but doesn't hesitate to open the door and step inside. He's seen Break in bed before in the past, after he'd overused his power, when he'd been hurt here and forced to rest on one of those stupidly tiny hospital cots.

But he's never had a chance to see him looking like a blanket burrito.

Under better circumstances he'd probably laugh...]

Break? Does your head hurt...?

[maddeninghatter]

[ Gilbert probably doesn't want to see him, either. Not after all that. So - why is he here, why is he bringing tea, why is he enquiring so solicitously...?



Perhaps if he stays under the blanket, Gilbert will go away.

Weakly: ]

No, no - I'm feeling better.

[retraced]

Is that a lie...

[He mutters under his breath, more to himself than to Break. With a sigh, he sets the tray down and pours a cup without being asked.]

You can't drink your tea under there, sit up straight.

[maddeninghatter]

[ Break's hand darts out from under the covers. He can drink tea in a blanketfort, thank you very much. ]

Seven lumps, if you please!

[retraced]

Break.

[Can you hear the lineface through that blanket, Break? Can you?]

[maddeninghatter]

[ ...


He lifts the blanket just enough to illuminate his single red eye. ]

What's taking you soooooo long~?

[retraced]

[H-HE WON'T BE INTIMIDATED....!

Except that he will be.

- no, no, he's strong!]

Break! Stop acting like a child! [He snaps as he leans over to try and grab the blanket off of Break's head.]

[maddeninghatter]

[ Revealed! He is crouching on the bed in his pajamas, glaring balefully towards Gilbert. Is he really going to tolerate such treatment? But... Gilbert's got tea and his cane is...

Hang on. Where is his cane? He'd lost track of it, in all the excitement. How completely infuriating. ]

Seven lumps~♥

Or did you forget the sugar?

[retraced]

Of course I didn't forget the sugar!

[But he's still not handing it over.]

1/2

[maddeninghatter]

[ He looks, for a moment, as if he's about to retort with something particularly mocking; but then… his sightless gaze softens. ]

No.

Of course you didn't.

2/2

[maddeninghatter]

[ His voice goes sing-song again: ]

Little Gilbert is all~ grown~ up~♥

[retraced]

[BREAK YOU ARE EMBARRASSING.

He gives up. Seven cubes are tossed quickly into the tea and shoved in his direction.]

Drink your damned tea!

[maddeninghatter]

[ Another smile - a real one, though he hides it straight away.

He reaches for the cup. It has cooled, by this time, so he drinks it down in one long sip, finally upending the cup and slurping the still-undissolved, tea-soaked lumps of sugar. His tongue flicks at the rim of the cup, delicately. ]

So.

[ He's been sitting, crouched, with his knees drawn up before him. But now he relaxes, leaning over and reclining across the bed, propped up on an elbow, his hand against his cheek. He holds out his cup, lazily, for more tea. ]

How are our most recent arrivals settling in?

[retraced]

[And since he's a tool, Gilbert leans over the bedpost and fills Break's cup again, dropping another 7 cubes into it before finally leaning away and giving him his space.]

Well enough. But it's understandable that they might still feel...uneasy.

[maddeninghatter]

[ Yes, well. Having a person's eyeball pop out at dinner might be what some persons would describe as alarming. Break swirls the tea in his cup around; the sugar cubes knock against each other.

He would feel ashamed again; but a happy thought has just occurred to him: ]

I imagine Lord Phantomhive must be beside himself.

[retraced]

[Ciel had definitely not taken it well...an eyeball creeping across his kitchen table dropped by the man who stole his car and his Oreos.]

I think he's finally calmed down.

[maddeninghatter]

Haha! I suppose it's testament to his regard for you that I'm still here.

[ He's doubtful that you'll accept even so roundabout a compliment, Gilbert, but he'll try the experiment. ]

[retraced]

[He doesn't get the compliment part of it, really, but he still knows it to be true. Gilbert is the one who has to keep vouching for his boss, no matter what sort of crazy crap he gets himself into.]

Why don't you just apologize to him?