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[thepattern]

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[necromanager]

[ His response is enough on its own to lighten her mood to the point of bringing a small smile to her lips as she leaves the bathroom to sink into the big armchair she favours for reading in. ]

1. If you really want a "why not": I look and feel like shit so I can't promise I'll be much fun.
2. Thank you.

I might honestly need some of that horrible monster coffee you made yourself.
And maybe some takeout.

[thepattern]

Trust me. You may feel like shit, but you never look it.

Takeout and monster coffee it is. Give me an hour.

[ It ends up being more like an hour fifteen, but Corwin really didn't want to push himself for a hellride, and he had to swap the horse for a car in an adjacent Shadow before stopping to pick up the food and beverages. But, an hour and fifteen minutes later, there he is, ringing her bell. ]

[necromanager]

[ You know, as much as she isn't one to worry overly much about her appearance she will take that ego boost today because sometimes you just bloody need it.

Her apartment is just one fairly big room with her bed hidden behind a screen divider that has a stylized lizard motif on it. Most of the walls are as covered in shelving as she has been able to make them to cram in a ridiculous amount if books, and there is an old apothecary cupboard where she keeps various ingredients for her spell work.

By one of the large windows ( bless tis high ceiling) is the aforementioned armchair.

The floor is covered in thick wool rugs with bright colours and intricate patterns. They don't go together super well and the effect is somewhat chaotic, but they are a delight to walk on and that's what matters.

There is a small dining table with four chairs surrounding it that she cleared off the accumulated dishes for most of the week while she waited for Cordon to arrive.

Now she opens the door wide, gesturing for him to come inside. ]

Hi, thanks for coming. What do I owe you for the food?

[thepattern]

[ Come inside he does, moving immediately to give her one of those hugs she asked for, the hand that's not holding the takeout bag and drink tray wrapping around her to place a comforting hand on her upper back. ]

How about a conversation? Does that seem like a fair enough exchange rate?

[ He lingers for a moment, then pulls back to give her a smile, before moving to set his purchases down on the cleared off table. ]

[necromanager]

[ She allows herself to just lean against him for a bit then, her arms wrapping around him too in order to give him a grateful little squeeze before he pulls away. ]

Deal.

[ She joins him at the table to peek into the bags, and then picks up one of the caffeine bombs to have a sip. ]

You were right, it just tastes like sweet coffee.

[thepattern]

[ Having visited Vivienne before, Corwin makes himself at home, popping over to the kitchen area to grab clean plates and silverware for the takeout. Over his shoulder, he adds, ] That's a rare flavor, too. Not just anyone gets "Extreme Monster Mocha."

[ Considerably rare, considering he purchased it in an adjacent Shadow. ]

[necromanager]

[ Now there's something that'll make any bad day better: A friend who will pop into an alternate universe to get you a treat.

Vivienne starts to free the takeout from the bag, her stomach audibly growling as the smell of food wafts through the air.

She's not a picky eater (aside from the fact that she's a vegan), but she still very much appreciates Corwin's ability to bring the good stuff. ]

Special treatment, I like it.

[thepattern]

Only for you.

[ He wouldn't make lengthy excursions through Shadow for just anyone.

Knowing her dietary preferences, Corwin made sure to bring a vegan dish for her, and a more meat-based one for himself. Vegetarians and the like are not common in Amber, but having spent much time on this Shadow Earth, Corwin has grown used to the variety in available cuisine. ]

The bigger one's yours. The other one's mine.

[necromanager]

[ Dealing with death as much as she does in her work, she prefers to have as little of it in her food as she can manage.

And after encountering the remains of too many people burned by demon fire... let's just say she has grim associations to the smell of cooking meat.

She opens her container of food to plate up a portion for herself, mentally rolling her eyes at the warm feeling that "only for you" left behind in her chest.

Don't get all mushy now, Vivienne. ]

I'm really glad you could come. I needed to see a friendly face.

[ A friendly face she doesn't need to hide things from, to be precise. ]

[thepattern]

[ The narration is right. This is getting dangerously close to mushy. Corwin sits, dishing himself up some helpings of his beef stir fry and offers Vivienne a smile without lifting his head. He peeks up at her, though, to gauge her expression. ]

Of course. Do you... feel like telling me why the friendly face is so sorely needed?

[necromanager]

[ He started it!

Vivienne sighs, taking a bite of her food and chewing slowly before she speaks. ]

Had to deal with a bad possession. A kid. Took me all night.

[ She can't entirely suppress a shudder as she thinks of it. ]

It's always worse when it's a kid.

[thepattern]

[ Corwin's hand stalls halfway between his plate and his mouth, lingering in midair for a long moment before he finally sets the fork down, looking over at Vivienne with an expression of solemn concern.

He's never been good with kids. He has a son of his own, but... Merlin grew into a young man in the Courts of Chaos long before Corwin even knew he existed. He definitely doesn't know how to handle a possessed child. ]

I'm sorry. Was the kid alright, after?

[necromanager]

[ She gulps down some more of the monster coffee, knowing full well that Corwin is likely to have a jittery mess on his hands once the caffeine really kicks in. ]

She wasn't possessed anymore, at least. Can't do a fucking thing about the trauma she's probably going to have to deal with for a long time.

[ Hopefully other people will be able to help with that part of the healing process. ]

[thepattern]

[ A jittery mess, he can deal with. It would be far down the list of difficult people he's had to manage, after everything he's been through. ]

No. The only trauma a person can do anything about is their own. And even then, it can be difficult.

[necromanager]

Yeah.

[ She sure as shit isn't always doing so great with handling what she's seen and done. ]

I hate this job.

[thepattern]

[ He tilts his head, shrugging, picking up the fork once more and poking at his meal. ]

Someone has to do it. Better you than some idiot who will fuck it all up.

[necromanager]

That's pretty much word for word my thought process, yeah.

[ She gives him a bit of a smile. See, this is why she texted him of all people. He gets her. ]

[thepattern]

[ He does get her. And she gets him. People like them have to step up and do the damned things that no one else can do, to keep the world turning on its axis for one more day. They don't need to acknowledge it, they just need to do it. ]

Last night was rough. And there are going to be more nights, probably even rougher than that one. But you're going to keep doing what you're doing.

[necromanager]

And occasionally need a hug and some monster coffee.

[ She salutes him with her drink. Sure, she was doing her thing and doing it well before she met Corwin too, but that doesn't mean she isn't glad to have him be a part of her life now. ]

[thepattern]

Which I will dutifully provide.

[ Not having a drink of his own to toast her with, he lifts his fork instead, before popping it into his mouth. ]

[necromanager]

[ That makes her huff out a tired little chuckle. ]

I promise not to abuse the privilege. How are things with you, anyway?

[thepattern]

[ He chews, shrugging, then sets down his fork and moves his arms in a wide stretch, leaning back in his chair. ]

Oh, business as usual. Family is still being family, for whatever definition of that word you choose to use.

[necromanager]

[ She points at him with her fork, eyes glittering with amusement. ]

You have the most insane family life of anyone I have ever known or heard of.

[thepattern]

That... may be putting it mildly.

[ His family is a royal mess, literally, and he knows it. ]

Thus why I try to spend as much time as possible away from them.

[necromanager]

You're always welcome here.

[ Even at her worst and least social, she'd try to make space for Corwin. ]