Winter our discontent (RP)

Benji is standing next to Emma, drying the clean dishes with a tea towel. He doesn’t interrupt Persephone’s explanation or her confrontation with Howard/Zhiyu except to wave cheerily at Circe when introduced.

- Persephone -

"I wasn't 'naked'." Circe objects. "The towel covered more than half the dresses in your closet!" She has a point. "Anyway, I checked before making the run, and he was resolutely looking the other way."

Does Circe sound disappointing that 'Howard' did not try to sneak a peak? Surely not! And then, you have to admit, your intention was to bring people, including a 'man', over to your place while you took a shower.

Circe certainly seems more embarrassed that her guest is cleaning up than that he might have caught a glimpse. She heads over to his side to help him. Yes, she is definitely showing off, now. The single layer of borrowed clothing clings slightly to her hastily-dressed, still-damp body. Circe seems a bit miffed that neither of the men in the flat are paying her displayed attributes the attention they deserve.

Because 'Howard' does not notice. His eyes are on you, studying you as the words spill forth from your mouth.

"Humblest apologies." He says contritely. "I did not mean to startle you." Though he definitely seems pleased, like he has confirmed something.

"'Howard' is my brother." He blinks and a look of realisation crosses his face. "Was my brother. Wuhao."

"I regret to inform you," Zhiyu is watching everyone —but mostly you— carefully for any reactions as he speaks. "My brother passed away..." He says, thankfully not saying: 'in that same club, where you were the last person to see him alive'.

How do you react?

What do you do?

- Emma -

"Oh! I was fighting the big bag of... well... beans, I think?" She says excitedly. "I got punched by a punching bag. Actually one of those small ones that hand from the ceiling." She obviously finds this funny.

What do you do?

- Emma -

"I thought so too!" Circe says, also sounding disappointed and little resentful. "But then Pers hauled me out of bed at the crack or dawn and told me she had arrange for my own lessons. I thought, maybe, she did not want me tagging along with her friends?"

What do you do?

- Persephone -

"I am sorry you had to see that." Zhiyu says. "Though I am glad he was not alone near the end." There is a gravity to his words, as though his brothers 'loneliness' is weighing on his mind.

"Thank you all, for your kind words." Zhiyu says, even though Circe is showing more concern for you than for him right now. She has just done the maths and worked out that 'the other night' is probably where you were returning late from 'having a bad night' and 'losing your stuff'.

"You never said someone died!" Circe says, more focused on her own 'problems' of your not telling her you were struggling than on what you must be going through, or what poor Zhiyu is going through.

"It's a bit early for that." Zhiyu says, wondering if your offer for a drink is one of those often-codeword for 'time to leave' ("would you like another coffee" being the common idiom expected to be followed by "No, no. I really must go."). Zhiyu does not want to impose on your party. "I would, very much like to speak to you some more." He says. "Before the funeral. There are Chinese traditions about the last people he spoke to. You know." This last part sounds ... made up, but as an Asian-Americans you might not know all the intricate details?

What do you do?

- Persephone -

"Thank you." Zhiyu says. "It will be helpful to understand what he was thinking... at the end." Howard did have a suicidal amount of cocaine on him, so maybe Zhiyu is just trying to understand his brother's mindset?

Emma inadvertently invited Zhiyu to stay for lunch. Do you extend that invitation, or exchange numbers and arrange a time to meet up and put him out?

What do you do?

- Persephone -

"That would be great." Zhiyu says, agreeing to your time.

"It was nice to meet you all." He says to the rest of the group. "Thank you for your hospitality, Circe."

Circe looks disappointed that he is being dismissed, but even she can tell that yours is a conversation best done without an audience. She takes it upon herself to see Zhiyu out (unless you step in first and prevent that (this would give you all —you all who are 'in the know'— a few moments to talk without her hearing)).

What do you do?

- Persephone -

Bev plays it cool, to the best of her ability. She was quite proud that she caught on that there was a whiff of demon about you, she knows about this stuff... Though, in actuality, she only knows about vampires and demons —and she only learned about vampires, like, a week ago— and since you were not seeming to know about vampires, she assumed you must be the other one. The way you are talking suggests to her that you don't want to reveal your nature to the others —though Emma seemed to know something was up with your blood— so she does not mention it.

Your questions about breaking deals gives her a strong hint about what your nature must surely be, and she seems as interested in hearing about other boogedy-boos as you are.

"Oh, sure! I have a good friend who’s a demon. He runs a bookshop. He’s out of town, unfortunately, else I would introduce you," says Benji, still happily drying dishes, apparently not at all perturbed by the rather grim discussion leading up to this. "And Bev’s, um…" He pauses, glancing at Bev uncertainly. "…Well, Bev and I have a mutual friend who’s a demon hunter, but she’s also out of town, I’m afraid. I’m not an expert on demonic contracts, by any means, but I know my friend was able to escape hell and stay on earth based on a loophole in his orders. He never told me the details, but that suggests demonic deals and bargains and such aren’t always completely airtight. Perhaps there was a way Wuhao could have wriggled out of it…"

He smiles, amused by Persephone’s flurry of questions about aliens and bigfoot, of all things. "Werewolves and ghosts, certainly! Although you won’t meet many werewolves in London anymore… As for the rest of that stuff— I’ve never personally met any frankensteins or, uh… bigfeet, but anything’s possible!"

"If it’s any consolation, I know plenty of perfectly nice monsters," adds Benji. "Being not-quite-human doesn’t mean you have to be evil."