Room 324, Saturday Early Evening

[wwiii]

Warren had just about had enough of... everything. After heading Karla off at the Causeway, after getting his bearings and picking himself off the ground and trudging back to his room, he'd done more... well, more moping with the rabbit. It wasn't until a few hours wore on that he reached for his phone, thinking maybe he'd call someone, or check to see if maybe there was new news about... anything at all, that he realized that there was a message waiting for him.

Not five minutes later, Warren's wings were pressed up solidly against either wall, his chest was heaving, and he was staring blankly at the remains of his phone, punctured clear through by his claws, and sitting splintered on the floor.

It wasn't like there was anybody left who was going to call him, after all.

Warren was done, damn it. He was just... fucking done with it.

[Open with some slight SP heads-up, since I'm still animating and running largely on energy drinks.]

Comments

[wwiii]

It was... part of it, at least.

"It is." That was mostly a murmur, said as he leaned over to pick up the rabbit that was making himself at home on the dorm room floor. "It's starting to get to people pretty badly."

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

Another nod. And a frown. Warren looked (and sounded) like he was feeling even worse that Rapunzel. And she couldn't just stand there and do nothing. She walked across the room and leaned over to give Warren an awkward one-armed hug.

She really hoped he wouldn't think it an intrusion, but he just seemed so... well, the word he'd used, tired, fit. It just didn't seem to cover it. Still, she had to offer something, even if it was inadequate.

[wwiii]

No intrusion. Not in the least. If anything, it was the first real bit of just flat-out comfort that he'd gotten today, and in the face of losing two good friends and his girlfriend, there weren't words for just how much he needed that. Between her popcorn bowl and his bunny, the hug was a little lopsided. But... still good.

He was seriously trying not to just flat-out cry when he eased back again.

"Thanks," he whispered. "I... I really, really needed that."

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

Rapunzel considered his words, and his tone, for a moment. And that spurred her into another quick squeeze before she eased up herself. But she wanted to give him more. He'd helped her so much when she'd first arrived on the island, and now maybe she could begin repaying some of that debt.

She hesitated for a moment, then held out her bowl. "Would you like some popcorn? It's very good."

[wwiii]

"Popcorn...?"

Really, Warren had no appetite to speak of at the moment, but he could recognize an attempt to comfort when he saw one, and gave a tiny nod. Eating was probably a good idea anyhow, even if it was just the little handful of popcorn that he reached for.

"Thank you," he said again. "I haven't really eaten today, yet."

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

"Really?" And now Rapunzel was a bit worried. "I could... make you something. And sandwich?" Anything? Not eating was bad!

[wwiii]

"You don't have to trouble yourself," Warren replied, trying for a reassuring smile and mostly just managing to look more tired for the effort. "I'm not really very hungry right now, anyhow."

Thor squirmed a little, apparently pretty antsy in Warren's arms. Warren glanced down at him, and then sighed and bent over to deposit him in his cage.

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

"Oh, it wouldn't be any trouble," Rapunzel insisted.

"But... if you're not hungry..." That was okay, too.

[wwiii]

Warren chewed his lip for a moment, and then he offered her a small shrug.

"I probably wouldn't be able to keep it down at the moment," he admitted, his voice softening a little more. "I've been pretty worked up today."

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

Rapunzel's eyes widened. "Are you feeling sick?" She... didn't really know what to do about that, other than helplessly hold out the popcorn bowl for him.

[wwiii]

"Not really sick," he replied, after a moment. And then he sighed and sat down on the edge of his bed, looking down at the floor. "Sorry, I... I got some bad news today. To... kind of add onto the pile of bad news."

And the fight with his girlfriend.

... Ex...

With Karla.

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Rapunzel was silent for a moment. Then she reached out for another hesitant one-armed hug.

"I'm sorry," she offered quietly. "I wish I had something nice to offset it... Other than the popcorn..." Which she doubted helped much.

[wwiii]

It took a bit of effort for Warren to keep from sniffling into that one-armed hug, there. But he managed, and even managed a shaky little smile as he eased back, taking the popcorn bowl and setting it on his nightstand so she woudln't have to stand there holding it.

"Your company is nice," he offered. "I mean, the last thing I really want right now is to sit here in the quiet, alone."

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

Rapunzel managed a half-smile in return. "Keep you company? I think I can manage that." Definitely within her abilities. And she was glad to do it, if it would help.

[wwiii]

"Thanks." See? Little smiles were pretty keen, weren't they? "... How have you been doing, Rapunzel?"

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

"Well, I haven't had any bad news?" She shrugged a bit shyly. "And Kenzi taught me about popcorn." And other junk food.

[wwiii]

Hey, popcorn was totally healthy!

"So, not too bad, all things considered?" Warren's smile went a little more sincere. "That's probably the best thing I've heard all day."

... Which was kind of sad.

"You don't have popcorn back home, huh?"

That was also sad.

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

Rapunzel shook her head. "I've never thought of drying the kernels out and then trying to cook them." But it was a neat idea! She wondered what else that might work with.

[wwiii]

Some kinds of rice! And amaranth! And quinoa! And sorghum!

"People in this reality have been popping popcorn for thousands of years," Warren offered, shrugging. "I guess something as good as popcorn is going to have to have staying power, really."

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

Rapunzel giggled. "It's just that good?" she asked, ducking her head to try to hide her amused grin.

[wwiii]

"It's just that good. Some things just need to last forever, you know?"

If these Auditor things managed to strike popcorn from reality, Warren was going to be ticked.

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

She tried to pout. It was super unconvincing. "Then why didn't you introduce it to me earlier? You must be a very bad friend."

Or the complete opposite. One of those two.

[wwiii]

"Because I didn't want you to choke on it while we were doing all that flying around," Warren replied, shaking his head and biting the inside of his cheek a little. "But I guess I do owe you something for putting up with me being crazy while we made those cookies."

So, so many cookies...

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

Rapunzel laughed and shook her head, sending her hair cascading. "No! You were so adorable!" She'd loved that little baking session.

[wwiii]

"Even when I was completely bent on trying to make them out of, like, the entire container of cocoa?"

They had been pretty good cookies, even after Warren had grown up again.

"You worked some pretty serious magic, rescuing them after that, you know."