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[al_truism]

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[al_truism]

You'll know me -- and Luca, and Ed, and Mr. Urahara, and Miss Rachel, and everyone in the house. And anyone else you choose to talk to.

Luca's happy, but he's missed you. You're definitely a person, and you can be one here.

[ex_apricots766]

I'm scared.

[al_truism]

I will protect you.

[ex_apricots766]

[ he sighs outward enough to make his shoulders sink, then sits up slowly. ] I'll clean up now ...

[al_truism]

[Al ruffles his hair and gets to his feet too, going to get the mop bucket, a bag to put the remains into. Soap.]

[ex_apricots766]

[ it's weird to hold the body. it's more stiff. cooler under the feathers. his knees feel weak and he wants to vomit, wants to cry again, but instead he manages to keep quiet and still. he strokes feathers, and frowns at al when he sees the bag once he comes back. ]

It needs a burial. We have to ... I want to send it off.

[al_truism]

... there's a place at the edge of the property. I'll find a spade, we'll dig.

[He finds himself relaxing -- Alois seems to think more of this now.]

[ex_apricots766]

[ tiny nod. ]

Do we have flowers?

[al_truism]

I can make us some.

[He puts water onto the floor, scrubs up each and every drop of blood, finding each bit of feather.]

[ex_apricots766]

Al...!

[al_truism]

Yeah? What is it?

[He straightens up quickly.]

[ex_apricots766]

I'll do it.

[al_truism]

[Al waves him down, then, handing him a cloth.]

There's another spot over there-

[ex_apricots766]

[ he takes care with it, when placing the hen's body back on the floor, setting her up like she's sitting. afterward, he takes care of the spot al mentioned, any remaining, helps him generally get the kitchen back into an acceptable order.

cleaning is strange, and this is definitely, since his arriving, the only time he's done it willingly or without half-assing it. ]

[al_truism]

[Al works quickly in the interest of time, and a certain small boy he'd rather not have see this. Comparatively, it doesn't take much time at all.]

... all right. Go get my coat -- it's hanging on the back of the chair there. It's cold out.

[He points it out, and moves to gather up the remains of the hen.]

[ex_apricots766]

[ alois pads over to collect al's coat for him, draping it over his arms, and when al is ready, he follows him out the door. ]

[al_truism]

[Al stops to take the coat out of his arms and put it around Alois' shoulders before they go.

The morning is quiet and grey.]

[ex_apricots766]

[ ...! this stalls him, and al might get a couple steps or so ahead before alois regains composure and gently tugs the lapels of it closer around himself. he follows al to the edge of the property he mentioned before, saying nothing, tucking his chin into the coat, hyper-aware of the fabric against his knuckles where he keeps it clutched around himself. ]

[al_truism]

[It's a relief to leave the house, and he leads the way first to the small tool shed to pick up a spade, then to a low copse of shrubbery with a small tree at the edge of the property. The branches have already shown signs of autumn. It's a pretty little place, out of the way.]

[ex_apricots766]

It's not really fair to them, is it? Even crows can fly.

[al_truism]

There are plenty of birds that can't fly -- chickens are just built more for the ground.

[ex_apricots766]

Then, it's not fair to any of them.

[al_truism]

It's not fair that we can't fly either, isn't it?

[He smiles, just a small bit.]

[ex_apricots766]

To Luca. He's already so much like the sky.

[al_truism]

I think he'd like to be a bird- but really, he's more like a kitten. Curious about everything.

[He turns, and quietly hands Alois the spade. ... it's impossible to make this right. It kills him that something had to go through that pain. He's angry and worried and scared, knows that he's facing a true battle, but he doesn't believe that Alois is beyond help.

Today will be the first step.]