sirenspull_logs | Just a middle-aged man

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Just a middle-aged man

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. ]

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[That outfit is offensive, what an embarrassment. But he is incredibly busy with rabbit, and thus grabbed, has no time to object.]

I want to return this one-!

[Yes let's see cute rabbits.]

[ He'd been meaning to show Reim the rabbits for some time, now. But somehow, there had always been a distraction. His eye, for starters...

He tugs on Reim's arm, leading him out of the room and down the stairs. ]

Don't be so hard-hearted, Mister Reim. I think it's very fond of you.

Well, it's excitable. What if it gets away?

[He says, as the it tries to climb up his shoulder to stick its nose in his face. Definitely a rabbit trying to flee the scene.]

That's always a risk, I suppose. But I doubt very much that it wants to.

[ His voice has that light, excessively casual sound to it... ]

[The tone, the tone. Anything but that; Reim wants to keep putting off bringing up that Break is embarrassed of his own feelings (moron), and that he himself is teetering awfully close to becoming a complete wreck--

The rabbit chooses this moment to make contact with his glasses, and he yelps, which startles the poor thing into hitting his glasses again more fiercely. He holds onto the rabbit, although the strangled kind of whining noise he makes as his glasses tumble down to the floor should be indication enough that he's only done so because it's alive.]

Xerxes...

[ He can't see what the rabbit is doing; but he does hear that yelp and strangled cry and his own name! ]

What? What?

Don't get so--

I've known you for years, since you were a child! Anyone would be upset in that situation! How was I supposed to know? Nobody told me!

But if it bothers you, well then! Just forget about it! Forget I-- Forget it happened, all right?

[ He thought he'd been pushing; but it seems he's been pushed, himself. He starts to stomp off, leaving poor glasses-less Reim with his rabbit! ]

[--What. What did he say that sounded like "freak out and run away," this time. He's stooped to the floor, groping around for his glasses with the rabbit making it difficult, but the moment he grabs them he's suddenly in the mood for some shouting!]

Where do you think you're going, Xerxes Break? Don't leave me here with this!

[There is a part of him that is content to stand there and shout and then storm off himself, and find someone else to hand the rabbit off to. It would serve Break right, he could go run away to his stupid blanket again and act like a child for another week! But.

"If it bothers you"... Of all the things to think might possibly bother him about the whole affair, Break chooses the moping?]

That has nothing to do with-- [Anything relevant, but especially those. Things. That he's never mentioned. But he always tells people not to make others worry, what kind of hypocrite would he be...

The kind that shouts a lot, it seems:] Not everything is about you!!

Ah...

[ It's a relief - an immense one - when Reim starts shouting. Because shouting means that everything is back to normal between them. Reim is alive and well and sensible and impatient and works himself up over inconsequential things. So if he's upset, that must mean everything is fine.

Flawless logic. ]

Haha!

Ha! Ha! Ha! My dear Mister Reim, if you require assistance with your rabbit, I'm delighted to oblige~♥

[ Break is bending down, taking Reim's arm again, helping him up and brushing him off. ]

Let go of me!

[He pulls away from Break's hold and fumes, quietly. A moment later he feels stupid for fuming at all- what was he expecting, the privilege of being taken seriously? Laughable at best. Anything he might have followed up with after that little outburst gives up before he even considers articulating any of it.

Don't make others worry. Don't let stress show. Keep it together. The moment is gone.

The rabbit is distressed; he pets it to calm it down.]

Let's continue.

[ Jerked away from and shouted at. Yes, yes - this is perfection, this is exactly as it should be. ]

Aiiiyah~! I'm only trying to help, like you asked me toooooooooo~!

[ He walks along beside Reim, too close, so that their elbows bump together. He's feeling good, he's feeling happy...

(except now he's beginning to feel a bit embarrassed about his latest outburst, but he'll shove those feelings aside for now, he can ruminate upon them later) ]

The rabbit hutches are just this way, past the gardens. There's a little out-building for them.

[Reim resists the urge to jab his elbow into Break's side. It's much easier to walk along in silence, fussing over the rabbit. His unpleasant feelings are far from his mind already, tucked neatly into a little box and put somewhere else where he doesn't have to think about them.

Nothing could possibly go wrong. Rabbits, then.]

I wasn't aware there was anything of the sort out here...

[Which is because, well, he doesn't go musing in the gardens or anything. You can't keep a desk outdoors!!]

[ It's one of those perfect autumn days; brilliant golden sunshine illuminates the garden. There's enough contrast that Break can make out shadows. So he skips ahead, waving his floppy sleeved arms, looking like a giant bird, until he comes upon a little gate. He unlatches it, beckoning for Reim to follow. ]

Be sure and latch this after you go in, every time. It's to keep the dogs out, you see.

[The weather lifts his spirits. He's somewhat amused by Break's carrying on, as he follows along -- even the rabbit is cooperating, settled in his arms and pleased about it. It is a precious moment.

Until dogs are brought up, and Reim quickens his pace and hurries through the little gate with more urgency than necessary. At least the errant barks he's thought he heard around the house aren't imaginary, for however much that's worth.

Er.] Of course it is. I'll remember.

[ Break is bouncing along again, and doesn't notice the change in Reim's pace. Presently, they reach the small outbuilding. Heavy Darkness-proofed doors stand open, letting light stream inside. Inside are the rabbit hutches. Break pirouettes, demonstrating them. ]

Here they aaaaaaaare~♥

Poor little things - they get fed regularly, and cleaned, as far as I can tell. But I don't think anybody plays with them that much. It's an aaaaaaaaaaaaawful shame, don't you think?

I suppose.

[He isn't really listening, busy looking around. Why even keep rabbits if they just sit in a far off building in little hutches all the time... He looks at the rabbit in his arms. why cute....]

It is a bit sad.

I'm sure if you wanted to help look after them, that would be--

[ One of those errant barks sounds. It's close. ]

Be sure you don't let them get out. The dogs can smell them, I think.

[ Reim is a desk worker, with little practical knowledge of the world, or so Break assumes. Thus he adds, helpfully: ]

Even a pet dog can injure or kill a rabbit, so be careful.

I wasn't offering-- I can't take care of animals!

[Animals that aren't dead birds, that is. He knows how to stand up cages after Barma knocks them down in a fit of being himself, but that's pretty much his limit.

And--dogs. He is tense. Calling them pets doesn't stop him from picturing a whole slew of huge, angry, hungry things with a penchant for necks--]

Perhaps someone else should do it.

--oh?

[ He's surprised. And a little disappointed. He knows Reim likes to stay busy, and playing with rabbits is the most benign occupation he can think of that doesn't involve pencils.

Reim even sounds anxious about it. How very odd. Anxious about rabbits, how could anybody--

And there it is again, that niggling sensation that he's missing something. ]

Well...

[ He would tease Reim about it, but that niggling sensation is telling him not to. ]

If you're sure.

[Actually, pencils can be very dangerous. He keeps a pencil box precisely because of all the times he reached into a desk drawer and came out with half a dozen pencil points stuck in his fingers.

That said.]

That is...

[He feels... bad? For the rabbits. He needs something to do, and they love him so much!! and how could he abandon them and most of this is probably March Hare's influence, dang. But what is he supposed to do if a bunch of crazed, violent dogs (he might have imagined those descriptors) corner him in this dumb little rabbit house--

He has an idea. It's. Genius.]

You'll have to help me!

[ Seriously, Reim? Seriously?

The idea that a fully-trained Pandora agent would need the aid of its strongest swordsman in the care of little bunny rabbits... ]

Y-yes. Of course. Of course I'll help you.

[ He'll hold in his laughter. For the sake of his dearest friend, he will. ]

[ ....

Five seconds later, he dissolves into a fit of giggles! ]

Hahahahahahahahhahaha! Oooooh hooo! HAAA! Ha-ha! Haaaaaa~!

[ He tried, Reim. Honestly, he tried. ]

[Wow, someone is super rude, as usual. Reim is stupidly relieved even as he frowns; they're just dogs, he shouldn't... think they're all going to try and eat him, but whatever.

He reaches out and whaps Break in the head, finally.]

Shut up, Xerxes!

[ That whap sends him flying. He sails through the air, out of the little rabbit house and onto the lawn.

Well, not really. More accurately, he jumped. But now he's lying down, sprawled out in the grass. ]

What was thaaaaaaaat for? I said I'd help you~!

[ A gust of wind sends a rain of golden leaves fluttering down upon him. He plucks one from his face and twirls it between his fingers. This is a perfect day.

Well. Almost perfect. That little niggle is getting stronger; he's sure he's forgotten something important. But... he'll sort it out later. ]

[Ridiculous!! Reim follows as far as the doorway, as he still hasn't put down this rabbit. It's... friendly...]

You never take me seriously!

[A general complaint; he does realize it sounds like rabbits make him nervous. That's not the point.]

How often do we have to come out here?

Come, come, Mister Reim. You know I never take anyone seriously~☆

[ He smiles; another happy thought has occurred to him. If taking care of rabbits is so far out of Reim's comfort zone that he feels he needs help, then there is no way he'll pursue something actually dangerous, like driving. ]

How should I know? I'm not the serious rabbit expert.

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