{ota} all those years

[eucre]

The quiet day.

According to Declán, this day where she wanted to sit very silent and just listen to the world was special. Something about it being the day she was born oh-so-many years ago. The day they were born.

Piper will be soft, out of the way as she always is on this date. Yet those looking for her won't have to look long to find her.

Comments

[eucre]

"Feilim was... was enough then. When Piper... needed more, you helped me." She believes it. Truly. Enough to try for coherency.

[piqued]

The effort is painful. She gets the same slight Stumble in her words their brother used to have when he was struggling to be a Proper Chives. "'ve not done so much but tell you something painful, you know."

[eucre]

"How... how is it painful? You've... made it better. I have... family now."

[piqued]

He takes the moment to simply fix his cuffs, toes off his shoes. Sits carefully down on the edge of his own bed. "...you have people now. Rather... different than most families."

[eucre]

"I have you," she replies obstinately, chin resting on his shoulder. "S'all I need."

[piqued]

"...an' that's sweet, Piper." If still not at all something he believes.

[eucre]

"S'true. So why... does he feel like s'not enough?"

[piqued]

"... 've never quite been, I suppose." Shifting takes a moment, back far enough that he can lift his arm around her, give her hair a soft tug.

[eucre]

"He's enough for Piper. S'all that matters." She leans to kiss him on the cheek, wrapping her arms around him.

[piqued]

There's a soft sigh for that. "For you. Not-- for everyone."

Certainly not for their Father.

[eucre]

"... so? Declán can't... save everyone. Can't be everywhere at once. Sometimes he is, though, so everyone should think that's enough."

[piqued]

"But they don't. An' if-- I were, Piper, we'd--" Still have a Brother.

She understands that, doesn't she?

[eucre]

"No." She shakes her head, giving him a half-smile. "Feilim was always meant for the sky. Declán could have been a real-life superman with superpowers, and Feilim would still have gone to the sky a little early."

[piqued]

That's not something a Good Sibling ought to disillusion, right? And yet. "What makes you say that?"

[eucre]

"He is Feilim. I don't know how to not know," she says simply, shrugging a shoulder.

[piqued]

"...expect th' world's just... different for the two of us." Which was No One's fault. He and Feilim had been different people as well.

[eucre]

"Not so different for him. He still has tea parties and watches and worries. Worry-worry-worrywart." She giggles a little at that. "He worries so we don't have to."

[piqued]

"...who, Feilim?" Because that might be True for a Joker, but not for a Butler.

[eucre]

"Feilim. Worrying all the time about us. The silly bills," she says in a sing-song voice.

[piqued]

Breathing in and then out helps keep him Centered in the conversation. "...it's different, the way the... two of you worry."

[eucre]

"How does Declán worry?" After a moment, she adds on, "how can Piper help?"

[piqued]

"You can't." Not beyond sitting like this, from time to time. Not beyond sometimes pressing her nose against his shoulder while they slept in the same bed. "You don't-- live in the same world I do."

[eucre]

"--But... I'm your sister," she protests. "I have to help."

[piqued]

"I know you are, but-- you've got to understand how-- different we are." Which isn't the Base of things. The Base is wanting to protect her.

[eucre]

"... then... what's the point of me if... if only you can help me and I can't help you?"