ic inbox;

[madhatted]

[The voice that of the message is probably not the one you expect. And if you're Gilbert, probably causes traumatic flashbacks. It's certainly Break's voice, but a bit high pitched and more comical...]

Hello, this is Emily! You're obviously an idiot who can't even come see someone in person if it's important, but I'll take pity on you anyways. Leave a message and I'll tell the wonderful and charming Mr. Break about it if it's worth it!

[are you sure you even want to leave a message now]

Comments

audio; backdated to 02/12

[expiatrice]

[...]

Goodness. Ah... Good day! This is Ciel speaking. Would 'miss Emily' be so kind as to pass the message on to the 'wonderful and charming' mister Break that I apologize for the delay, but if his schedule is open today, we could have tea over almond sponge cake this afternoon? I know it's not among his favorites, but hopefully that would be okay, especially on such notice. Please let me know his reply as soon as possible once he's available. I look forward to hearing from either of you!

[...this

sure is a thing...]

[madhatted]

[But Ciel is a special person because she:

a) has cake
b) is playing along
c) has cake

So while most would have to wait quite a while for a reply, hers comes almost immediately, and with a cheerful laugh]

My, my, Emily has done an excellent job at ferrying messages today! There are no apologies necessary, since it's very kind of you to remember me at all... But luckily, I'm quite free this afternoon, so I would be glad to have tea with you!

[expiatrice]

[o-oh..... u///u SPECIAL TREATMENT if only she knew... actually wait was that too quick to almost be suspiciously so--

--WHO CARES??]

Ah, hello there! Please allow me to first thank you for the prompt response, and to miss Emily as well! [you two why...] Mm, would it be okay to bring it to your place, mister Break? I'd have you over, but... Some roommates of mine may get disruptive at the sight of baked goods, so we may get unwelcome interruptions. Would your apartment be any calmer normally, hopefully?

audio; some time earlier

[unicornered]

Break?

[ And here's a familiar voice, one who's finally found the time to address a matter she's been silent on for quite some time. ]

There's something I need to discuss with you.

voice;

[madhatted]

[ ...Well, this is a surprise! Usually Sharon tended to just come and find him when there was something she wished to speak with him about, so as soon as he gets the message, he calls back immediately. ]

Well, of course, milady~. Would you like me to come up, or over the phone fine?

voice;

[unicornered]

If you could come up, I'd appreciate it. This isn't something I'd like to go into too much detail about... ah, on this.

[ Not that she knows Yao already knows, but... ]

audio; probably the 16th or 17th

[unicornered]

[ here's a voice you may not have heard in awhile, Break. And it's not as hoarse as it had been, although there's still a hint of a rasp layering her tone. ]

... Break. Please answer me.

WAILS!!!!!!!!!!!!! (also audio)

[madhatted]

[ He had been expecting this call eventually, and he had run through a million scenarios of how it would go before it ever arrived. That was how Break dealt with anything that made him anxious. He would never show the anxiety at all, just run through every possibility he could think of until he stumbled across one that seemed like the best. He was a shrewd individual, so it had served him well for most things, but now?

Now, it's like he had never thought those possibilities out at all when he looks to his ringing phone and sees who's calling. It's cowardly, and he realizes it immediately, because his first instinct is not to answer. He dreads picking up that phone and hearing whatever may be in her voice, from hatred to disappointment, because every shade was just as bad as any other. But he doesn't deserve to be cowardly, either. His hand falters like his confidence as he picks the phone up, manifesting as a barely-there tremor, and when he flips the phone open and places it to his ear, there's a pause.

Hearing her voice and the raspiness in it... It assures him that he's done something so terrible, but at the same time, she's alive. She's alive, and Break is so thankful that the promise was kept, because he doesn't know what he would do if that, too, had been a lie. He closes his eye with a pained expression, not that she can see it, but his voice is soft and even. ]

I'm here, Sharon.

[unicornered]

[ But you weren't, she wants to say, irritably, and she would have, if the situation wasn't what it was. Because she'd said it to Elliot... before she'd had time to think, she hadn't wanted to see him. That is partly her fault, and she accepts it.

And that wasn't why she'd called. She clutches the phone a little tighter. ]

I'd like to speak with you in person. Is that possible?

action; backdated to 01/18ish

[expiatrice]

[so after having literally busted down a wall to find a buncha panderpa hurts inside the ruins of one of the schools, ciel DID notice a certain quippy and clownish member of their unstable brigade is a LOT quieter and passive than she remembers.

...

Well, she sort of knew shit went down, what with having ran into Sharon on the verge of cracking a few days ago. BUT YOU GOTTA HANDLE THESE THINGS WITH TACT, SO.

in any case, ciel IS going to skip the courtesy call this time and just

hunt him down in the wild. it's one of her best-honed inherent abilities: picking out where loser hobos are in horror jamjars. #life skills

She won't call him out right away even once he's in earshot range, however, opting to observe for a little longer on top of some ruins. ...Not stalking ok, this is just getting a better survey of what's to come!]</small?

[madhatted]

[ Break has taken to wandering the ruins of Haven during the daytime, at least when he's not bumming in Reim's room. He finds his own room more irritating than normal, since he's so certain that if Vincent so much as said a word about previous events, Break's respect to Gilbert wouldn't be able to stay his hand. So instead, it was safer to simply take walks. His cane taps lightly against the ground as he walks, though it's largely for looks rather than actually being used.

He becomes acutely aware that he's being followed, and once Ciel gets closer, Break stops. He doesn't know that it's Ciel, since even if he were to glance up at her vantage point, he couldn't quite be able to place her silhouette without her speaking up to match it. It's too far for his eyes to discern, at this point. So even though Ciel doesn't call out, Break does. ]

Goodness, if you're going to follow someone, I'd recommend following someone more interesting, you know~.

[expiatrice]

[The very fact that he was out for a walk spoke volumes. He lacked everything that someone who may be looking for anything specific would possess: the unhurried pace, the lightly slumped shoulder, and yet ever-so-present, also that worn alertness she could well distinguish, guilty of carrying the same airs herself more of late. It was so, that the conclusion seemed obvious to draw:

He's wandering.

Someone who does that without purpose, to her personal and interpersonal experiences, generally meant they may be avoiding something, while seeking solitude away from the faces of familiar people. Whether it was cowardice or to avoid complications wasn't important, deducing that much already drew up a peculiar but oddly specific image. (She'd know it well, her of all people.)

...And now, how he's calling her out. She wasn't trying to hide her presence; in fact, it came a habit to make herself known from a distance, a strange sort of courtesy given to whoever she's following, to let them know they're not alone. She should be no stranger to him, however. Is he not aware it's her? Or rather...

Part of why he was slow and worn, may be...?

A soft 'thud' on the hard ground, as she makes her landing and saunters over to catch up.]

I'm not picky, and besides, I have a relatively specific schedule about the people I follow, mister Break.

[When she finally speaks up, her tone is light and conversational. Nothing big, right? Might as well go with the flow, in that case!]

action;

[unicornered]

[ wherever you are, be it indoors or outdoors, rest assured that Sharon Rainsworth will find you. And she will kill you. ]

Break, a word.

action;

[madhatted]

[ sweats nervously ]

[ No, he'll be outside, assuming that Sharon will come find him not long after Cecil's broadcast. He's just finished his own call to talk to Cecil, and he's thankful for the good timing. When she calls out, he turns her way. ]

Lady Sharon...

[ It's all he says, since he has a feeling that he knows what she'll ask, though he also doesn't want to assume. ]

action;

[unicornered]

[ And with that, she knows he suspects, as well he should. She's straight-backed, calm-- but on the verge of irritated. ]

Did you know?

audio; backdated to (OOC date) 3/14

[weirdatlast]

[ The scientists have not yet arrived in Haven, but there is one scientist who has arrived. And then left. And there are scientists in Haven still, but. Not the one...

And it's possible Break has seen Cecil around before he makes this call. It's been a week, a little more, since he was in that office, since he was given the handkerchief now always in his pocket, the precious memento inside. Honestly, he has not been thinking about Break at all. But he is thinking about the corporation a lot, and remembering the promises he's made that are yet to be kept. ]

Hello? [ He calls, and asks, and his voice is not at all the way it usually is on the phone. ] Break, I'd... Like to meet you. To talk. If that's alright.

[madhatted]

[ If Break had seen him, he had certainly made no effort to approach. His request had been clear, to contact him if he had faced repercussions for his actions, and while their brief conversation had given Break a slightly different perspective on Cecil, it didn't mean he found his company any less irritating. It was something of interest, maybe even sentiments that Break could understand, but it didn't make them quite as friendly as Cecil believed, at least from Break's standpoint.

He has been waiting for a call, though, so for once, Break picks up right away. He notices the difference in his tone, and from that, Break starts to draw his own conclusions. But this is business, so Break's voice is cool and serious in response. ]

It is. Where would you prefer?

[ audio ]

[weirdatlast]

[ Sometime that's a more reasonable hour in the morning than dawn, Break will be getting a phone call asking simply... ]

Well? What did you get?

audio;

[madhatted]

[ So everyone did get something. At least Break doesn't sound irritated when he answers (for once), but his answer is short. There's not much to explain about it, after all. ]

My sight. I can see again.

action; whenever Break can SEEEEEEEEE

[unicornered]

[ Do you hear this knock on your door, Break? If you don't hear it at first, it's fine, since Sharon will knock insistently.

Someone is not pleased with any of the things that have happened over the past few days. ]

so much scary sharon in my inbox

[madhatted]

[ He's had an eventful day already, what with going to talk to Reim, speaking with Cecil, and now a visitor? He's actually just grabbing a quick meal, since he was planning on going to see Sharon next to let her know about his "reward," but she's beaten him to it.

He opens the door with an expression that at first shows he's clearly not impressed with having his meal interrupted, but it quickly softens and turns much more respectful and friendly to see that it's Sharon. ]

Milady—

[ Which is all he can manage to say, because honestly, he's a bit overwhelmed. He'd never thought he would see her face again, and yet, here she is. Even if she's angry, clearly, it's a little thrilling all the same. He can see now that she's lost some weight, that her cheeks aren't as full as they had once been, that her hair is definitely long and needs to be trimmed, and... So many other details he thought would be lost to him.

His reaction might be a bit strange, but if Sharon is able to push through her displeasure to notice it, the signs that he can see her should be pretty clear. Or just beat him up. Whichever!! ]

action;

[rewindingly]

[ She's been prepared for this meeting since the evening before. Homura decided to take some of her cookie stash and a few crackers, which is splurging for her. They had not quite agreed on a time, but she had left a message for Break to alert him when she left the apartments.

All that's left is to arrive at their meeting spot, lay down a tattered blanket, and wait. If she wants for this meeting to be as beneficial as enjoyable then she needs to play the role of 'hostess' just right. Homura sets out the cookies and crackers and begins checking her hammerspace shield for anything else that might impress him. ]

[madhatted]

[ Break, on the other hand, hadn't quite prepared so much. He had a single gift to bring, but that was waiting for a sleight of hand, at the moment. Even with the serious nature of the conversation ahead, Break could hardly help himself from being clownish. It was simply how he was, at this point.

He arrives after Homura, though when he steps out of the roof access door onto the roof and sees her set up so nicely, Break laughs softly and warmly as he bows his head. ]

My, my! It's not quite glamorous, though I do believe this would be considered luxurious for our little town...

[ He walks closer and bows playfully. He's a strange person, I'm sorry homura... ]

Good afternoon, Miss Akemi. I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long~.

[ action ] rm 5.1

[weirdatlast]

[ Literally immediately after this. Like. He made the phone call from his bed. Break probably even overheard it. He probably even overhead Sharon's hissing and spitting when he pulls the phone away from his ear and is hung up on.

A minute later, he'll turn to Break. ]

Sooooooooooo... Did you know anything about that chip when we were tasked to take it?

i'm sorry........

[madhatted]

[ cecil

Cecil, what did Break tell you about talking to Sharon? As soon as he recognizes the angry voice on the phone, Break stands up from where he had been sitting, fully intending on snatching the phone out of his hand, but Sharon beats him to it, so to speak, and hangs up on him. So in lieu of dramatically snatching the phone from Cecil to then focus on comforting Sharon, he settles for the next best thing.

With no hesitation whatsoever, Break throws a punch towards Cecil's face.

Regardless of whether he hits him or not, Break's expression is frightening with how angry and dangerous it is, and his tone matches. Cecil's question is ignored, because there's something much more important to address. ]

Did you misunderstand what I said, Cecil? As I recall, I had said that I would claim your head if you ever spoke to her again. It would be wise for you to convince me to not do just that.

[ Though, surprisingly, the fact that he's even giving Cecil a chance to explain himself is a token of how their relationship has improved, so. There's that. ]