R. A. Linh

@bloodredvelvett

but you can call me Ro ;)

890 posts

Do you need something, sweetheart?

Well, you've come to the right place!

Nice to meet you, I'm dead! And my name's Rowan, if you must know.

Not much of a story to tell, I'll be honest. Fell asleep, woke up here, got a bit tipsy, ended the night with a new boyfriend, you know how it goes.

If you ever want a chat, you know where to find me! Don't be shy now~

- 🐈‍⬛

[OOC]

Hello! This blog is my own addition to the @waylay-managment-2 roleplay, set in, well, The Waylay!

Ro has been in The Waylay for some time now, just over a month; they are in a relationship with one of the waitstaff, Casper, and have recently met his (adoptive) aunt Candy – @thesweetestnyarlathotep .

Ro is 32 years old, bisexual and polyamorous.

They're also nonbinary, and use he/she/they pronouns, though gender doesn't matter to them much, so use any terms or titles you like to refer to them!

Things of note:

- I will not do nsfw/ sexual roleplay on this account. However, I will answer asks of a suggestive nature, and those will be tagged appropriately. Flirting is completely okay and highly encouraged!

-I will add trigger warning tags for sensitive topics! (E.g. 'tw' followed by gore, EDs, violence etc.)

- Art is welcome and very appreciated! Even if it has nothing to do with Ro, show 'em anyway they can't draw for shit I'm sure they'd love it.

- Harassment and/or bullying will be ignored. If it escalates, anon asks will be turned off.

- This is my first time ever running an rp blog, and I am also new to the world of rp in general, please be patient me and I'm sorry if my writing isn't always the best... [looks at the ground, tears welling up in my eyes]

(Ro appearance description and references below the cut!!)

#malevolent oc #malevolent da capo #ooc #partially #roleplay blog #oc roleplay

bloodredvelvett

She had tried everything, but no matter how much Rosa tried, she just didn't seem to be able to repeat her feat and enter her dreams consciously. It wasn't actually just her own dreams she wanted to enter, but Candy's as well. A shared dream where they could safely meet and be together. Though Rosa was one thousand percent sure she was safe in Candy's physical presence, she knew Candy's fears would overwhelm the goddess in a moment that was supposed to be nice for the two of them, and the artist didn't want that.

Rosa thought, however, it'd be easier, because Candy was... well, she was her girlfriend. Everything was supposed to be easier with her. Candy was her safe haven, Rosa's sweetest everything. And yet, there she laid last night, awake on bed for hours, utterly unable to enter Candy's dreams.

That was why Rosa was knocking on Ro's door that evening. She needed help from the professionals, and who could be more proficient on dreams than Rowan?

"Ro? Excuse me, are you in there? Are you... free now?"

@fromcanvastolife 🖌️

Ro sighed. How did people always know when they were in their room, and busy, no less?

"Yeah, but, not for long. Why?"

They answered the door in their pyjamas (which were always just a t-shirt and what ever boxers they had lying around), visibly tired, and in glasses– instead of their usual contacts.

"Casper's out for drinks with his co-workers, I'm waiting as long as I physically can for him to come back."

fromcanvastolife

Rosa looked at Ro, up and down, then blushed a little bit, cheeks shining in a faint pink. Oh, they were half dressed. Goodness. She massaged her hands and averted her gaze, focusing on their eyes solely.

"Apologies. Uhm, it's because I need some... coaching. On navigating dreams. Candy is having a... situation, and can't come out of her room. I was hoping that... I... That we could meet, in dreams, me and her. I've done this before, and it worked just fine, I think; but now I'm just... not being able to do it again."

bloodredvelvett

Ro was having trouble focussing on any of Rosa's features in their half-asleep state, bleary-eyed, but he managed well enough to look in her direction and understand most of what she was saying.

"Yeah, alright- I'll see what I can do. I can try and take you to her, but- you won't have much privacy, what, with me there."

fromcanvastolife

"Oh, you don't have to stay all the time," Rosa clarified, "I just need someone to kind of... help me get there. I've done this before; but I... can't seem to do it again. For some reason. The only person who could kind of help me would be my sister, but she's been... I don't know where. Thinking now, it's been a few days since I've seen her."

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if I can get you with Candy soon enough, maybe I could have a look for your sister, too."

fromcanvastolife

"Would you? Oh that would really help me. She... likes to wander off, and she's been doing this since forever, truthfully. I've never thought much of it, because there's not much that can really harm a non-corporeal being out there, but... now it's been days already. I don't know. We used to spend days without seeing each other outside of the Waylay, because being able to manifest for me in the physical plane was difficult. But here she should have no problems. She never has had any problems, so I think she must... simply not be here."

bloodredvelvett

"Weird... yeah, I can try my best. I mean, sometimes spirits find a way to move on to the afterlife, but- then she'd be here physically, would she not? Were you fighting over something before she left?"

fromcanvastolife

Rosa stopped, thinking; then shook her head, shrugging. "Not really. We were in good terms. Nothing out of the ordinary in our relationship, to be honest."

bloodredvelvett

"And there was nothinh else bothering her?"

fromcanvastolife

"Not that I'm aware of. Truthfully, she could just be wandering a bit longer outside. But... I dunno. It's probably that. I just... well, if you could check, I'd appreciate."

bloodredvelvett

"... Alright. I'll see what I can do. I'll try and look for you tonight, yeah? Don't be late, it's first come first serve."

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled, “EWWWW, I wouldn’t. That’s fucking disgusting.”

He did earn a chuckle though as the implication of everything else flew over his head. Third base was a term used in his world but he wasn’t exactly known for being in the dating pool. If he were sober, that likely would’ve hit him square in the face.

“Eden an’ COI people don’ have this..Don’t smell like mine. I smell’ike shit.”

bloodredvelvett

"You'd be surprised."

It actually wouldn't have bothered them all that much; however, that level of closeness might make them pass out on the spot.

"No! You don't smell that bad! Just very... natural, yeah, but not sweaty. I can mostly smell my own clothes and booze, honestly."

simon-thebutcher

“I was given a bath when I first got here. It was something about not an infection with my arm and somethin’something,” he held up the nub.

The sleeve of the jumper dangled off of it, making it look a tad silly.

“She’s bossy…gave me allll these commands.”

bloodredvelvett

"She's trying to help you feel better."

simon-thebutcher

“Ho’would you feel bein’ told what’o do after a demon burned off your arm?” he huffed.

Simon tried to roll up the sleeve so it wasn’t dangling so annoyingly only for it to flop back down. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and slapped a pillow with the loose fabric, lying back down.

bloodredvelvett

Ro ignored his protest, instead focusing on tying off Simon's jumper sleeve, then rolling it back up to the end of his arm. They patted his shoulder once they were finished.

"There. Better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon flapped the nub around a bit, testing it, only to smile at the success. Ro saw skin that was burnt to a crisp and likely had been neglected for treatment after he left the infirmary.

“Thank you!” He smiled and gave them a side hug.

bloodredvelvett

Ro hugged back, mind on autopilot, only registering the butterflies they felt after he had pulled away.

This was a man in desperate need of some gentle care and attention.

"Yeah! It's alright- no problem."

simon-thebutcher

He flopped back onto the bed, not even bothering to comfort the fall at all. When the mattress was this soft, there was no need for that. Simon was practically melting into the blankets.

“Do’ya’ave a bucket..?” He laid flat on his back, blinking at them.

bloodredvelvett

Like a massive cat, they thought.

"Oh- God. Er- I'd prefer if you were sick in the toilet, but I've got a bin, incase you don't make it."

simon-thebutcher

Simon nodded and rolled off the bed. He tried to catch himself before he was face first but forgot the whole one-arm thing. He landed a bit harder than he intended with an ‘oomf!’ before he sat back up.

He made his way over to the toliet after struggling to stand up. His descent to sit down next to the toliet wasn’t much better but he got there eventually, just staring at Ro.

bloodredvelvett

Ro cringed at the 'thump' sound his body made when it hit the floor.

"Are you alri- oh...okay-"

They stared back at him.

"Did you... need anything? More water? Hairband?"

simon-thebutcher

He shot them a thumbs up to indicate yes, he was perfectly alright before requesting a, “hair tie”

bloodredvelvett

Before they could think about the implications of what they were doing, Ro immediately rushed to the bathroom to tie Simon's hair back for him.

"Sorry- I- thought it might be hard one-handed."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched away at first with a slight yelp, falling onto his ass in the process. He didn’t take kindly to being rushed at quickly.

Once he was close and putting his hair up, he sat rigid with his shoulders practically up to his ears.

“Mmm,” he shrugged it off. “No worries.”

The man looked like he was going to have a heart attack.

bloodredvelvett

"Sorry, did I frighten you? You look a bit... shell-shocked, there."

simon-thebutcher

His gaze was distant for a second more, a faint red hue beginning to highlight his cheeks. If he was poked about it, he’d likely blame it on the alcohol.

That felt…nice. It wasn’t the touch of being pushed into his cell, handcuffs roughly clinking into place, nor the squirming bodies as they tried to fit three men in one twin bed. It was just gentle, careful not to tug on his hair, that admittedly was a bit thin in Ro’s hands.

“No, no, I’m uh— I’ll be good. You just came at me quick there and I wasn’t expecting you to help.”

bloodredvelvett

They noticed the blush, deciding now wouldn't be the best time to talk about it.

"I was just worried, honestly; I didn't want you to ruin your hair by being sick all over it – then we would've had to give you a bath."

simon-thebutcher

“I probably couldve bathed myself,” he refused to meet his eyes, cheeks. “I’hink? Doctors’elped me before but’hey weren’t doin anythin’ special. They just scrubbed.”

bloodredvelvett

"But it's nice to have someone help you, isn't it? You know, I get these migraines, and sometimes they're so bad that my fiancè has to wash my hair and brush my teeth for me... I really appreciate him doing those little things for me when I need it."

simon-thebutcher

He nodded slowly, “It’s…nice. Weird. People on Eden didn’ have much freeime to’elp. Prison didn’ care. My mom help me a lot”

His hand went to where his knife used to be stored only to realize he’d already taken it off.

“My mom was amazing”

bloodredvelvett

Ro looked at the floor and took a deep breath out, placing a gentle hand on Simon's shoulder.

"I miss my mum too."

simon-thebutcher

Simon’s hand went over the one on his shoulder, head leaning toward his touch. He smiled softly, bittersweet.

“I jus’ish I could’ve gotten to know her longer. She died when I was fourteen.”

There was plenty more to be said about that story but he was already sniffling as he swallowed his tears.

bloodredvelvett

Ro opened their mouth as if to say something, then closed it again; this wasn't the time for words.

They let go, only briefly, before wrapping their arms around Simon in a warm embrace.

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled, “EWWWW, I wouldn’t. That’s fucking disgusting.”

He did earn a chuckle though as the implication of everything else flew over his head. Third base was a term used in his world but he wasn’t exactly known for being in the dating pool. If he were sober, that likely would’ve hit him square in the face.

“Eden an’ COI people don’ have this..Don’t smell like mine. I smell’ike shit.”

bloodredvelvett

"You'd be surprised."

It actually wouldn't have bothered them all that much; however, that level of closeness might make them pass out on the spot.

"No! You don't smell that bad! Just very... natural, yeah, but not sweaty. I can mostly smell my own clothes and booze, honestly."

simon-thebutcher

“I was given a bath when I first got here. It was something about not an infection with my arm and somethin’something,” he held up the nub.

The sleeve of the jumper dangled off of it, making it look a tad silly.

“She’s bossy…gave me allll these commands.”

bloodredvelvett

"She's trying to help you feel better."

simon-thebutcher

“Ho’would you feel bein’ told what’o do after a demon burned off your arm?” he huffed.

Simon tried to roll up the sleeve so it wasn’t dangling so annoyingly only for it to flop back down. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and slapped a pillow with the loose fabric, lying back down.

bloodredvelvett

Ro ignored his protest, instead focusing on tying off Simon's jumper sleeve, then rolling it back up to the end of his arm. They patted his shoulder once they were finished.

"There. Better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon flapped the nub around a bit, testing it, only to smile at the success. Ro saw skin that was burnt to a crisp and likely had been neglected for treatment after he left the infirmary.

“Thank you!” He smiled and gave them a side hug.

bloodredvelvett

Ro hugged back, mind on autopilot, only registering the butterflies they felt after he had pulled away.

This was a man in desperate need of some gentle care and attention.

"Yeah! It's alright- no problem."

simon-thebutcher

He flopped back onto the bed, not even bothering to comfort the fall at all. When the mattress was this soft, there was no need for that. Simon was practically melting into the blankets.

“Do’ya’ave a bucket..?” He laid flat on his back, blinking at them.

bloodredvelvett

Like a massive cat, they thought.

"Oh- God. Er- I'd prefer if you were sick in the toilet, but I've got a bin, incase you don't make it."

simon-thebutcher

Simon nodded and rolled off the bed. He tried to catch himself before he was face first but forgot the whole one-arm thing. He landed a bit harder than he intended with an ‘oomf!’ before he sat back up.

He made his way over to the toliet after struggling to stand up. His descent to sit down next to the toliet wasn’t much better but he got there eventually, just staring at Ro.

bloodredvelvett

Ro cringed at the 'thump' sound his body made when it hit the floor.

"Are you alri- oh...okay-"

They stared back at him.

"Did you... need anything? More water? Hairband?"

simon-thebutcher

He shot them a thumbs up to indicate yes, he was perfectly alright before requesting a, “hair tie”

bloodredvelvett

Before they could think about the implications of what they were doing, Ro immediately rushed to the bathroom to tie Simon's hair back for him.

"Sorry- I- thought it might be hard one-handed."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched away at first with a slight yelp, falling onto his ass in the process. He didn’t take kindly to being rushed at quickly.

Once he was close and putting his hair up, he sat rigid with his shoulders practically up to his ears.

“Mmm,” he shrugged it off. “No worries.”

The man looked like he was going to have a heart attack.

bloodredvelvett

"Sorry, did I frighten you? You look a bit... shell-shocked, there."

simon-thebutcher

His gaze was distant for a second more, a faint red hue beginning to highlight his cheeks. If he was poked about it, he’d likely blame it on the alcohol.

That felt…nice. It wasn’t the touch of being pushed into his cell, handcuffs roughly clinking into place, nor the squirming bodies as they tried to fit three men in one twin bed. It was just gentle, careful not to tug on his hair, that admittedly was a bit thin in Ro’s hands.

“No, no, I’m uh— I’ll be good. You just came at me quick there and I wasn’t expecting you to help.”

bloodredvelvett

They noticed the blush, deciding now wouldn't be the best time to talk about it.

"I was just worried, honestly; I didn't want you to ruin your hair by being sick all over it – then we would've had to give you a bath."

simon-thebutcher

“I probably couldve bathed myself,” he refused to meet his eyes, cheeks. “I’hink? Doctors’elped me before but’hey weren’t doin anythin’ special. They just scrubbed.”

bloodredvelvett

"But it's nice to have someone help you, isn't it? You know, I get these migraines, and sometimes they're so bad that my fiancè has to wash my hair and brush my teeth for me... I really appreciate him doing those little things for me when I need it."

simon-thebutcher

He nodded slowly, “It’s…nice. Weird. People on Eden didn’ have much freeime to’elp. Prison didn’ care. My mom help me a lot”

His hand went to where his knife used to be stored only to realize he’d already taken it off.

“My mom was amazing”

bloodredvelvett

Ro looked at the floor and took a deep breath out, placing a gentle hand on Simon's shoulder.

"I miss my mum too."

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled, “EWWWW, I wouldn’t. That’s fucking disgusting.”

He did earn a chuckle though as the implication of everything else flew over his head. Third base was a term used in his world but he wasn’t exactly known for being in the dating pool. If he were sober, that likely would’ve hit him square in the face.

“Eden an’ COI people don’ have this..Don’t smell like mine. I smell’ike shit.”

bloodredvelvett

"You'd be surprised."

It actually wouldn't have bothered them all that much; however, that level of closeness might make them pass out on the spot.

"No! You don't smell that bad! Just very... natural, yeah, but not sweaty. I can mostly smell my own clothes and booze, honestly."

simon-thebutcher

“I was given a bath when I first got here. It was something about not an infection with my arm and somethin’something,” he held up the nub.

The sleeve of the jumper dangled off of it, making it look a tad silly.

“She’s bossy…gave me allll these commands.”

bloodredvelvett

"She's trying to help you feel better."

simon-thebutcher

“Ho’would you feel bein’ told what’o do after a demon burned off your arm?” he huffed.

Simon tried to roll up the sleeve so it wasn’t dangling so annoyingly only for it to flop back down. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and slapped a pillow with the loose fabric, lying back down.

bloodredvelvett

Ro ignored his protest, instead focusing on tying off Simon's jumper sleeve, then rolling it back up to the end of his arm. They patted his shoulder once they were finished.

"There. Better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon flapped the nub around a bit, testing it, only to smile at the success. Ro saw skin that was burnt to a crisp and likely had been neglected for treatment after he left the infirmary.

“Thank you!” He smiled and gave them a side hug.

bloodredvelvett

Ro hugged back, mind on autopilot, only registering the butterflies they felt after he had pulled away.

This was a man in desperate need of some gentle care and attention.

"Yeah! It's alright- no problem."

simon-thebutcher

He flopped back onto the bed, not even bothering to comfort the fall at all. When the mattress was this soft, there was no need for that. Simon was practically melting into the blankets.

“Do’ya’ave a bucket..?” He laid flat on his back, blinking at them.

bloodredvelvett

Like a massive cat, they thought.

"Oh- God. Er- I'd prefer if you were sick in the toilet, but I've got a bin, incase you don't make it."

simon-thebutcher

Simon nodded and rolled off the bed. He tried to catch himself before he was face first but forgot the whole one-arm thing. He landed a bit harder than he intended with an ‘oomf!’ before he sat back up.

He made his way over to the toliet after struggling to stand up. His descent to sit down next to the toliet wasn’t much better but he got there eventually, just staring at Ro.

bloodredvelvett

Ro cringed at the 'thump' sound his body made when it hit the floor.

"Are you alri- oh...okay-"

They stared back at him.

"Did you... need anything? More water? Hairband?"

simon-thebutcher

He shot them a thumbs up to indicate yes, he was perfectly alright before requesting a, “hair tie”

bloodredvelvett

Before they could think about the implications of what they were doing, Ro immediately rushed to the bathroom to tie Simon's hair back for him.

"Sorry- I- thought it might be hard one-handed."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched away at first with a slight yelp, falling onto his ass in the process. He didn’t take kindly to being rushed at quickly.

Once he was close and putting his hair up, he sat rigid with his shoulders practically up to his ears.

“Mmm,” he shrugged it off. “No worries.”

The man looked like he was going to have a heart attack.

bloodredvelvett

"Sorry, did I frighten you? You look a bit... shell-shocked, there."

simon-thebutcher

His gaze was distant for a second more, a faint red hue beginning to highlight his cheeks. If he was poked about it, he’d likely blame it on the alcohol.

That felt…nice. It wasn’t the touch of being pushed into his cell, handcuffs roughly clinking into place, nor the squirming bodies as they tried to fit three men in one twin bed. It was just gentle, careful not to tug on his hair, that admittedly was a bit thin in Ro’s hands.

“No, no, I’m uh— I’ll be good. You just came at me quick there and I wasn’t expecting you to help.”

bloodredvelvett

They noticed the blush, deciding now wouldn't be the best time to talk about it.

"I was just worried, honestly; I didn't want you to ruin your hair by being sick all over it – then we would've had to give you a bath."

simon-thebutcher

“I probably couldve bathed myself,” he refused to meet his eyes, cheeks. “I’hink? Doctors’elped me before but’hey weren’t doin anythin’ special. They just scrubbed.”

bloodredvelvett

"But it's nice to have someone help you, isn't it? You know, I get these migraines, and sometimes they're so bad that my fiancè has to wash my hair and brush my teeth for me... I really appreciate him doing those little things for me when I need it."

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled, “EWWWW, I wouldn’t. That’s fucking disgusting.”

He did earn a chuckle though as the implication of everything else flew over his head. Third base was a term used in his world but he wasn’t exactly known for being in the dating pool. If he were sober, that likely would’ve hit him square in the face.

“Eden an’ COI people don’ have this..Don’t smell like mine. I smell’ike shit.”

bloodredvelvett

"You'd be surprised."

It actually wouldn't have bothered them all that much; however, that level of closeness might make them pass out on the spot.

"No! You don't smell that bad! Just very... natural, yeah, but not sweaty. I can mostly smell my own clothes and booze, honestly."

simon-thebutcher

“I was given a bath when I first got here. It was something about not an infection with my arm and somethin’something,” he held up the nub.

The sleeve of the jumper dangled off of it, making it look a tad silly.

“She’s bossy…gave me allll these commands.”

bloodredvelvett

"She's trying to help you feel better."

simon-thebutcher

“Ho’would you feel bein’ told what’o do after a demon burned off your arm?” he huffed.

Simon tried to roll up the sleeve so it wasn’t dangling so annoyingly only for it to flop back down. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and slapped a pillow with the loose fabric, lying back down.

bloodredvelvett

Ro ignored his protest, instead focusing on tying off Simon's jumper sleeve, then rolling it back up to the end of his arm. They patted his shoulder once they were finished.

"There. Better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon flapped the nub around a bit, testing it, only to smile at the success. Ro saw skin that was burnt to a crisp and likely had been neglected for treatment after he left the infirmary.

“Thank you!” He smiled and gave them a side hug.

bloodredvelvett

Ro hugged back, mind on autopilot, only registering the butterflies they felt after he had pulled away.

This was a man in desperate need of some gentle care and attention.

"Yeah! It's alright- no problem."

simon-thebutcher

He flopped back onto the bed, not even bothering to comfort the fall at all. When the mattress was this soft, there was no need for that. Simon was practically melting into the blankets.

“Do’ya’ave a bucket..?” He laid flat on his back, blinking at them.

bloodredvelvett

Like a massive cat, they thought.

"Oh- God. Er- I'd prefer if you were sick in the toilet, but I've got a bin, incase you don't make it."

simon-thebutcher

Simon nodded and rolled off the bed. He tried to catch himself before he was face first but forgot the whole one-arm thing. He landed a bit harder than he intended with an ‘oomf!’ before he sat back up.

He made his way over to the toliet after struggling to stand up. His descent to sit down next to the toliet wasn’t much better but he got there eventually, just staring at Ro.

bloodredvelvett

Ro cringed at the 'thump' sound his body made when it hit the floor.

"Are you alri- oh...okay-"

They stared back at him.

"Did you... need anything? More water? Hairband?"

simon-thebutcher

He shot them a thumbs up to indicate yes, he was perfectly alright before requesting a, “hair tie”

bloodredvelvett

Before they could think about the implications of what they were doing, Ro immediately rushed to the bathroom to tie Simon's hair back for him.

"Sorry- I- thought it might be hard one-handed."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched away at first with a slight yelp, falling onto his ass in the process. He didn’t take kindly to being rushed at quickly.

Once he was close and putting his hair up, he sat rigid with his shoulders practically up to his ears.

“Mmm,” he shrugged it off. “No worries.”

The man looked like he was going to have a heart attack.

bloodredvelvett

"Sorry, did I frighten you? You look a bit... shell-shocked, there."

simon-thebutcher

His gaze was distant for a second more, a faint red hue beginning to highlight his cheeks. If he was poked about it, he’d likely blame it on the alcohol.

That felt…nice. It wasn’t the touch of being pushed into his cell, handcuffs roughly clinking into place, nor the squirming bodies as they tried to fit three men in one twin bed. It was just gentle, careful not to tug on his hair, that admittedly was a bit thin in Ro’s hands.

“No, no, I’m uh— I’ll be good. You just came at me quick there and I wasn’t expecting you to help.”

bloodredvelvett

They noticed the blush, deciding now wouldn't be the best time to talk about it.

"I was just worried, honestly; I didn't want you to ruin your hair by being sick all over it – then we would've had to give you a bath."

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled, “EWWWW, I wouldn’t. That’s fucking disgusting.”

He did earn a chuckle though as the implication of everything else flew over his head. Third base was a term used in his world but he wasn’t exactly known for being in the dating pool. If he were sober, that likely would’ve hit him square in the face.

“Eden an’ COI people don’ have this..Don’t smell like mine. I smell’ike shit.”

bloodredvelvett

"You'd be surprised."

It actually wouldn't have bothered them all that much; however, that level of closeness might make them pass out on the spot.

"No! You don't smell that bad! Just very... natural, yeah, but not sweaty. I can mostly smell my own clothes and booze, honestly."

simon-thebutcher

“I was given a bath when I first got here. It was something about not an infection with my arm and somethin’something,” he held up the nub.

The sleeve of the jumper dangled off of it, making it look a tad silly.

“She’s bossy…gave me allll these commands.”

bloodredvelvett

"She's trying to help you feel better."

simon-thebutcher

“Ho’would you feel bein’ told what’o do after a demon burned off your arm?” he huffed.

Simon tried to roll up the sleeve so it wasn’t dangling so annoyingly only for it to flop back down. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and slapped a pillow with the loose fabric, lying back down.

bloodredvelvett

Ro ignored his protest, instead focusing on tying off Simon's jumper sleeve, then rolling it back up to the end of his arm. They patted his shoulder once they were finished.

"There. Better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon flapped the nub around a bit, testing it, only to smile at the success. Ro saw skin that was burnt to a crisp and likely had been neglected for treatment after he left the infirmary.

“Thank you!” He smiled and gave them a side hug.

bloodredvelvett

Ro hugged back, mind on autopilot, only registering the butterflies they felt after he had pulled away.

This was a man in desperate need of some gentle care and attention.

"Yeah! It's alright- no problem."

simon-thebutcher

He flopped back onto the bed, not even bothering to comfort the fall at all. When the mattress was this soft, there was no need for that. Simon was practically melting into the blankets.

“Do’ya’ave a bucket..?” He laid flat on his back, blinking at them.

bloodredvelvett

Like a massive cat, they thought.

"Oh- God. Er- I'd prefer if you were sick in the toilet, but I've got a bin, incase you don't make it."

simon-thebutcher

Simon nodded and rolled off the bed. He tried to catch himself before he was face first but forgot the whole one-arm thing. He landed a bit harder than he intended with an ‘oomf!’ before he sat back up.

He made his way over to the toliet after struggling to stand up. His descent to sit down next to the toliet wasn’t much better but he got there eventually, just staring at Ro.

bloodredvelvett

Ro cringed at the 'thump' sound his body made when it hit the floor.

"Are you alri- oh...okay-"

They stared back at him.

"Did you... need anything? More water? Hairband?"

simon-thebutcher

He shot them a thumbs up to indicate yes, he was perfectly alright before requesting a, “hair tie”

bloodredvelvett

Before they could think about the implications of what they were doing, Ro immediately rushed to the bathroom to tie Simon's hair back for him.

"Sorry- I- thought it might be hard one-handed."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched away at first with a slight yelp, falling onto his ass in the process. He didn’t take kindly to being rushed at quickly.

Once he was close and putting his hair up, he sat rigid with his shoulders practically up to his ears.

“Mmm,” he shrugged it off. “No worries.”

The man looked like he was going to have a heart attack.

bloodredvelvett

"Sorry, did I frighten you? You look a bit... shell-shocked, there."

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled, “EWWWW, I wouldn’t. That’s fucking disgusting.”

He did earn a chuckle though as the implication of everything else flew over his head. Third base was a term used in his world but he wasn’t exactly known for being in the dating pool. If he were sober, that likely would’ve hit him square in the face.

“Eden an’ COI people don’ have this..Don’t smell like mine. I smell’ike shit.”

bloodredvelvett

"You'd be surprised."

It actually wouldn't have bothered them all that much; however, that level of closeness might make them pass out on the spot.

"No! You don't smell that bad! Just very... natural, yeah, but not sweaty. I can mostly smell my own clothes and booze, honestly."

simon-thebutcher

“I was given a bath when I first got here. It was something about not an infection with my arm and somethin’something,” he held up the nub.

The sleeve of the jumper dangled off of it, making it look a tad silly.

“She’s bossy…gave me allll these commands.”

bloodredvelvett

"She's trying to help you feel better."

simon-thebutcher

“Ho’would you feel bein’ told what’o do after a demon burned off your arm?” he huffed.

Simon tried to roll up the sleeve so it wasn’t dangling so annoyingly only for it to flop back down. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and slapped a pillow with the loose fabric, lying back down.

bloodredvelvett

Ro ignored his protest, instead focusing on tying off Simon's jumper sleeve, then rolling it back up to the end of his arm. They patted his shoulder once they were finished.

"There. Better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon flapped the nub around a bit, testing it, only to smile at the success. Ro saw skin that was burnt to a crisp and likely had been neglected for treatment after he left the infirmary.

“Thank you!” He smiled and gave them a side hug.

bloodredvelvett

Ro hugged back, mind on autopilot, only registering the butterflies they felt after he had pulled away.

This was a man in desperate need of some gentle care and attention.

"Yeah! It's alright- no problem."

simon-thebutcher

He flopped back onto the bed, not even bothering to comfort the fall at all. When the mattress was this soft, there was no need for that. Simon was practically melting into the blankets.

“Do’ya’ave a bucket..?” He laid flat on his back, blinking at them.

bloodredvelvett

Like a massive cat, they thought.

"Oh- God. Er- I'd prefer if you were sick in the toilet, but I've got a bin, incase you don't make it."

simon-thebutcher

Simon nodded and rolled off the bed. He tried to catch himself before he was face first but forgot the whole one-arm thing. He landed a bit harder than he intended with an ‘oomf!’ before he sat back up.

He made his way over to the toliet after struggling to stand up. His descent to sit down next to the toliet wasn’t much better but he got there eventually, just staring at Ro.

bloodredvelvett

Ro cringed at the 'thump' sound his body made when it hit the floor.

"Are you alri- oh...okay-"

They stared back at him.

"Did you... need anything? More water? Hairband?"

simon-thebutcher

He shot them a thumbs up to indicate yes, he was perfectly alright before requesting a, “hair tie”

bloodredvelvett

Before they could think about the implications of what they were doing, Ro immediately rushed to the bathroom to tie Simon's hair back for him.

"Sorry- I- thought it might be hard one-handed."

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled, “EWWWW, I wouldn’t. That’s fucking disgusting.”

He did earn a chuckle though as the implication of everything else flew over his head. Third base was a term used in his world but he wasn’t exactly known for being in the dating pool. If he were sober, that likely would’ve hit him square in the face.

“Eden an’ COI people don’ have this..Don’t smell like mine. I smell’ike shit.”

bloodredvelvett

"You'd be surprised."

It actually wouldn't have bothered them all that much; however, that level of closeness might make them pass out on the spot.

"No! You don't smell that bad! Just very... natural, yeah, but not sweaty. I can mostly smell my own clothes and booze, honestly."

simon-thebutcher

“I was given a bath when I first got here. It was something about not an infection with my arm and somethin’something,” he held up the nub.

The sleeve of the jumper dangled off of it, making it look a tad silly.

“She’s bossy…gave me allll these commands.”

bloodredvelvett

"She's trying to help you feel better."

simon-thebutcher

“Ho’would you feel bein’ told what’o do after a demon burned off your arm?” he huffed.

Simon tried to roll up the sleeve so it wasn’t dangling so annoyingly only for it to flop back down. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and slapped a pillow with the loose fabric, lying back down.

bloodredvelvett

Ro ignored his protest, instead focusing on tying off Simon's jumper sleeve, then rolling it back up to the end of his arm. They patted his shoulder once they were finished.

"There. Better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon flapped the nub around a bit, testing it, only to smile at the success. Ro saw skin that was burnt to a crisp and likely had been neglected for treatment after he left the infirmary.

“Thank you!” He smiled and gave them a side hug.

bloodredvelvett

Ro hugged back, mind on autopilot, only registering the butterflies they felt after he had pulled away.

This was a man in desperate need of some gentle care and attention.

"Yeah! It's alright- no problem."

simon-thebutcher

He flopped back onto the bed, not even bothering to comfort the fall at all. When the mattress was this soft, there was no need for that. Simon was practically melting into the blankets.

“Do’ya’ave a bucket..?” He laid flat on his back, blinking at them.

bloodredvelvett

Like a massive cat, they thought.

"Oh- God. Er- I'd prefer if you were sick in the toilet, but I've got a bin, incase you don't make it."

simon-thebutcher

Simon nodded and rolled off the bed. He tried to catch himself before he was face first but forgot the whole one-arm thing. He landed a bit harder than he intended with an ‘oomf!’ before he sat back up.

He made his way over to the toliet after struggling to stand up. His descent to sit down next to the toliet wasn’t much better but he got there eventually, just staring at Ro.

bloodredvelvett

Ro cringed at the 'thump' sound his body made when it hit the floor.

"Are you alri- oh...okay-"

They stared back at him.

"Did you... need anything? More water? Hairband?"

bloodredvelvett

She had tried everything, but no matter how much Rosa tried, she just didn't seem to be able to repeat her feat and enter her dreams consciously. It wasn't actually just her own dreams she wanted to enter, but Candy's as well. A shared dream where they could safely meet and be together. Though Rosa was one thousand percent sure she was safe in Candy's physical presence, she knew Candy's fears would overwhelm the goddess in a moment that was supposed to be nice for the two of them, and the artist didn't want that.

Rosa thought, however, it'd be easier, because Candy was... well, she was her girlfriend. Everything was supposed to be easier with her. Candy was her safe haven, Rosa's sweetest everything. And yet, there she laid last night, awake on bed for hours, utterly unable to enter Candy's dreams.

That was why Rosa was knocking on Ro's door that evening. She needed help from the professionals, and who could be more proficient on dreams than Rowan?

"Ro? Excuse me, are you in there? Are you... free now?"

@fromcanvastolife 🖌️

Ro sighed. How did people always know when they were in their room, and busy, no less?

"Yeah, but, not for long. Why?"

They answered the door in their pyjamas (which were always just a t-shirt and what ever boxers they had lying around), visibly tired, and in glasses– instead of their usual contacts.

"Casper's out for drinks with his co-workers, I'm waiting as long as I physically can for him to come back."

fromcanvastolife

Rosa looked at Ro, up and down, then blushed a little bit, cheeks shining in a faint pink. Oh, they were half dressed. Goodness. She massaged her hands and averted her gaze, focusing on their eyes solely.

"Apologies. Uhm, it's because I need some... coaching. On navigating dreams. Candy is having a... situation, and can't come out of her room. I was hoping that... I... That we could meet, in dreams, me and her. I've done this before, and it worked just fine, I think; but now I'm just... not being able to do it again."

bloodredvelvett

Ro was having trouble focussing on any of Rosa's features in their half-asleep state, bleary-eyed, but he managed well enough to look in her direction and understand most of what she was saying.

"Yeah, alright- I'll see what I can do. I can try and take you to her, but- you won't have much privacy, what, with me there."

fromcanvastolife

"Oh, you don't have to stay all the time," Rosa clarified, "I just need someone to kind of... help me get there. I've done this before; but I... can't seem to do it again. For some reason. The only person who could kind of help me would be my sister, but she's been... I don't know where. Thinking now, it's been a few days since I've seen her."

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if I can get you with Candy soon enough, maybe I could have a look for your sister, too."

fromcanvastolife

"Would you? Oh that would really help me. She... likes to wander off, and she's been doing this since forever, truthfully. I've never thought much of it, because there's not much that can really harm a non-corporeal being out there, but... now it's been days already. I don't know. We used to spend days without seeing each other outside of the Waylay, because being able to manifest for me in the physical plane was difficult. But here she should have no problems. She never has had any problems, so I think she must... simply not be here."

bloodredvelvett

"Weird... yeah, I can try my best. I mean, sometimes spirits find a way to move on to the afterlife, but- then she'd be here physically, would she not? Were you fighting over something before she left?"

fromcanvastolife

Rosa stopped, thinking; then shook her head, shrugging. "Not really. We were in good terms. Nothing out of the ordinary in our relationship, to be honest."

bloodredvelvett

"And there was nothinh else bothering her?"

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled, “EWWWW, I wouldn’t. That’s fucking disgusting.”

He did earn a chuckle though as the implication of everything else flew over his head. Third base was a term used in his world but he wasn’t exactly known for being in the dating pool. If he were sober, that likely would’ve hit him square in the face.

“Eden an’ COI people don’ have this..Don’t smell like mine. I smell’ike shit.”

bloodredvelvett

"You'd be surprised."

It actually wouldn't have bothered them all that much; however, that level of closeness might make them pass out on the spot.

"No! You don't smell that bad! Just very... natural, yeah, but not sweaty. I can mostly smell my own clothes and booze, honestly."

simon-thebutcher

“I was given a bath when I first got here. It was something about not an infection with my arm and somethin’something,” he held up the nub.

The sleeve of the jumper dangled off of it, making it look a tad silly.

“She’s bossy…gave me allll these commands.”

bloodredvelvett

"She's trying to help you feel better."

simon-thebutcher

“Ho’would you feel bein’ told what’o do after a demon burned off your arm?” he huffed.

Simon tried to roll up the sleeve so it wasn’t dangling so annoyingly only for it to flop back down. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and slapped a pillow with the loose fabric, lying back down.

bloodredvelvett

Ro ignored his protest, instead focusing on tying off Simon's jumper sleeve, then rolling it back up to the end of his arm. They patted his shoulder once they were finished.

"There. Better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon flapped the nub around a bit, testing it, only to smile at the success. Ro saw skin that was burnt to a crisp and likely had been neglected for treatment after he left the infirmary.

“Thank you!” He smiled and gave them a side hug.

bloodredvelvett

Ro hugged back, mind on autopilot, only registering the butterflies they felt after he had pulled away.

This was a man in desperate need of some gentle care and attention.

"Yeah! It's alright- no problem."

simon-thebutcher

He flopped back onto the bed, not even bothering to comfort the fall at all. When the mattress was this soft, there was no need for that. Simon was practically melting into the blankets.

“Do’ya’ave a bucket..?” He laid flat on his back, blinking at them.

bloodredvelvett

Like a massive cat, they thought.

"Oh- God. Er- I'd prefer if you were sick in the toilet, but I've got a bin, incase you don't make it."

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled, “EWWWW, I wouldn’t. That’s fucking disgusting.”

He did earn a chuckle though as the implication of everything else flew over his head. Third base was a term used in his world but he wasn’t exactly known for being in the dating pool. If he were sober, that likely would’ve hit him square in the face.

“Eden an’ COI people don’ have this..Don’t smell like mine. I smell’ike shit.”

bloodredvelvett

"You'd be surprised."

It actually wouldn't have bothered them all that much; however, that level of closeness might make them pass out on the spot.

"No! You don't smell that bad! Just very... natural, yeah, but not sweaty. I can mostly smell my own clothes and booze, honestly."

simon-thebutcher

“I was given a bath when I first got here. It was something about not an infection with my arm and somethin’something,” he held up the nub.

The sleeve of the jumper dangled off of it, making it look a tad silly.

“She’s bossy…gave me allll these commands.”

bloodredvelvett

"She's trying to help you feel better."

simon-thebutcher

“Ho’would you feel bein’ told what’o do after a demon burned off your arm?” he huffed.

Simon tried to roll up the sleeve so it wasn’t dangling so annoyingly only for it to flop back down. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and slapped a pillow with the loose fabric, lying back down.

bloodredvelvett

Ro ignored his protest, instead focusing on tying off Simon's jumper sleeve, then rolling it back up to the end of his arm. They patted his shoulder once they were finished.

"There. Better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon flapped the nub around a bit, testing it, only to smile at the success. Ro saw skin that was burnt to a crisp and likely had been neglected for treatment after he left the infirmary.

“Thank you!” He smiled and gave them a side hug.

bloodredvelvett

Ro hugged back, mind on autopilot, only registering the butterflies they felt after he had pulled away.

This was a man in desperate need of some gentle care and attention.

"Yeah! It's alright- no problem."

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled, “EWWWW, I wouldn’t. That’s fucking disgusting.”

He did earn a chuckle though as the implication of everything else flew over his head. Third base was a term used in his world but he wasn’t exactly known for being in the dating pool. If he were sober, that likely would’ve hit him square in the face.

“Eden an’ COI people don’ have this..Don’t smell like mine. I smell’ike shit.”

bloodredvelvett

"You'd be surprised."

It actually wouldn't have bothered them all that much; however, that level of closeness might make them pass out on the spot.

"No! You don't smell that bad! Just very... natural, yeah, but not sweaty. I can mostly smell my own clothes and booze, honestly."

simon-thebutcher

“I was given a bath when I first got here. It was something about not an infection with my arm and somethin’something,” he held up the nub.

The sleeve of the jumper dangled off of it, making it look a tad silly.

“She’s bossy…gave me allll these commands.”

bloodredvelvett

"She's trying to help you feel better."

simon-thebutcher

“Ho’would you feel bein’ told what’o do after a demon burned off your arm?” he huffed.

Simon tried to roll up the sleeve so it wasn’t dangling so annoyingly only for it to flop back down. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and slapped a pillow with the loose fabric, lying back down.

bloodredvelvett

Ro ignored his protest, instead focusing on tying off Simon's jumper sleeve, then rolling it back up to the end of his arm. They patted his shoulder once they were finished.

"There. Better?"

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled, “EWWWW, I wouldn’t. That’s fucking disgusting.”

He did earn a chuckle though as the implication of everything else flew over his head. Third base was a term used in his world but he wasn’t exactly known for being in the dating pool. If he were sober, that likely would’ve hit him square in the face.

“Eden an’ COI people don’ have this..Don’t smell like mine. I smell’ike shit.”

bloodredvelvett

"You'd be surprised."

It actually wouldn't have bothered them all that much; however, that level of closeness might make them pass out on the spot.

"No! You don't smell that bad! Just very... natural, yeah, but not sweaty. I can mostly smell my own clothes and booze, honestly."

simon-thebutcher

“I was given a bath when I first got here. It was something about not an infection with my arm and somethin’something,” he held up the nub.

The sleeve of the jumper dangled off of it, making it look a tad silly.

“She’s bossy…gave me allll these commands.”

bloodredvelvett

"She's trying to help you feel better."

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled, “EWWWW, I wouldn’t. That’s fucking disgusting.”

He did earn a chuckle though as the implication of everything else flew over his head. Third base was a term used in his world but he wasn’t exactly known for being in the dating pool. If he were sober, that likely would’ve hit him square in the face.

“Eden an’ COI people don’ have this..Don’t smell like mine. I smell’ike shit.”

bloodredvelvett

"You'd be surprised."

It actually wouldn't have bothered them all that much; however, that level of closeness might make them pass out on the spot.

"No! You don't smell that bad! Just very... natural, yeah, but not sweaty. I can mostly smell my own clothes and booze, honestly."

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

simon-thebutcher

Sober Simon might’ve taken note of that blushing but drunk Simon didn’t notice it at all. He was too fixated on his clothes to continue with his repetitive scans over rooms to check for danger.

“I like it…”

He pulled him closer, now just sniffing him like a dog. Simon was just moving him however he saw fit, sitting up in order to lead him down to sniff his hair.

They didn’t have this stuff back on Eden.

bloodredvelvett

They let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh, so we're smelling eachother's hair now? Didn't realise we'd made it to third base already... you are in my bed, I suppose... just stay out of my pits."

bloodredvelvett

He knew Manny said to feel free to wander around but Simon hasn’t seen a new environment for years, let alone one like this. It was always the same monotonous metal walls and same faces. This was hard for him

There was different with a multitude of new people buzzing about, all dressed much differently than him. He felt like he was being towered over as well, which didn’t serve to chill his nerves. On Eden, his frame was typically considered on the larger side despite how his ribs could be seen when he was shirtless.

Relax. Just take a deep breath. One thing at a time. He didn’t need his eyes to scan every tiny detail.

He sat down at the bar and prayed that whatever medication Daisy gave him didn’t interact poorly with alcohol. This kind of thing was a treat for him, considering how most alcohol was used for worship.

@simon-thebutcher 🫁

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

A voice cut through his racing thoughts – a man (?) with kind eyes and a lopsided smile seemed just about ready to take Simon's drink away.

"You're all jittery."

simon-thebutcher

Simon flinched, heart rate spiking more than was typical for him to walk to the bar and sit down. His expression chilled out into one of caution rather than panic within a millisecond as he eyed them up and down.

The man took a sip of his drink, a manhattan, nose curling up with the face of someone not used to regularly having alcohol. He just told the bartender to get him whatever he thought he’d like and this was not that.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he messed with his harness, his one arm left fidgeting close to where his knife was held.

“Just getting used to everything around here. How’bout you?”

bloodredvelvett

They chuckled,

"Are you sure? You don't look like you're enjoying that very much."

The stranger slid over their glass toward him; it had a stick of celery poking out of the top, and smelled strongly of... tomatoes?

"You wanna try mine? It's a bit weak for me normally, but I'm trying to go easy tonight."

simon-thebutcher

Simon only vaguely recognized the scent thanks to Penelope shoving food in his face every five seconds. He wasn’t complaining by any means but dear lord, his stomach was aching more than it ever had back on Eden.

He raised an eyebrow, “You sure? This is your drink after all.”

Did he do something to it?

bloodredvelvett

"Sure! As long as I can have this!"

They snatched the cherry garnish from his drink, smirking before they placed it in their mouth.

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, still remaining on edge. Mentally, he had to remind themselves that not everything was a slim, finite resource here. He could take the cherry and there’s still plenty enough cherries.

“That’s a fair enough trade to me but can you have a drink of what you gave me first?”

A test.

bloodredvelvett

They took a sip, and their face immediately scrunched up.

"Oh- cherry and tomato- not good- not good!" They muffled between the fruit still in their mouth, waving their hands around until they managed to swallow.

"That was me, not the drink."

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- Great job“ he shook his head with a grin and took the drink. “Thank you.”

How easily he took a swig was a good enough answer for him. If he had poisoned it then there certainly would’ve been a moment of hesitation at the very least.

He took a better whiff of it before taking a sip. Simon shrugged. It wasn’t the best thing he’s ever tasted but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

“You just go around checking on everyone as a hobby or what?”

It was a playful jab but still investigative.

bloodredvelvett

"I check on people when they look like they're taking a shot of straight formaldehyde whenever they sip their drink— which you did."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled, “Okay, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The last time I had proper alcohol, not including the isopropyl alcohol I chugged that one time, was probably when I was a little kid in church. You can’t exactly blame me.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, so you were doing the hard stuff, then." They joked back.

simon-thebutcher

“Pfft- God, if you count wanting to puke while not even getting drunk then sure, you can count that as the ‘hard stuff’,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

His guard was slipping away fairly quickly. It’s been awhile since he’s had the opportunity to properly let loose with all the chaos lately.

“0/10 wouldn’t recommend. It was a stupid decision. It feels like hell.”

bloodredvelvett

They laughed, casually taking sips of their Bloody Mary out of the same straw that Simon had wrapped his mouth around moments prior.

"So, Church? You Catholic? You look Catholic."

simon-thebutcher

“I’m Christian, yes..?” He raised an eyebrow. “How do I look Catholic?”

They were non-denominational on Eden, never officially labeling themselves as Catholic or Lutheran for example. When being taught their history, it was something he knew like the back of his palm though.

Simon’s confusion was only furthered by Ro helping himself to his drink. He just gestured to him, silently asking what was going on there with a smirk. He thought that was his drink now?

bloodredvelvett

"Long-suffering."

They stopped suddenly when they saw the look in Simon's eyes, quickly letting go of the straw.

"Oh! Shit- sorry- I thought you wouldn't mind me having a bit more. I'll just drink yours now, yeah?"

simon-thebutcher

He waved a hand dismissively, pushing the drink towards him, “No worries, you can have some. I’m not a huge fan of alcohol I’m learning. Either that or I haven’t found the right one maybe. I might just need a sweeter one. I was just a bit confused is all.”

Simon took another drink, trying it out once more. Yeah, it was just sorta meh.

He processed what he said a moment before that and the confusion and slight offense only grew, “Wait, excuse me?”

bloodredvelvett

Ro burst into laughter then, in awe at how long it took him to take offense to their off-handed comment.

"You know what I mean! Catholics, they're all about sacrifice! And- I hope you don't mind me saying, but you do look like you've had a rough go of it."

simon-thebutcher

“You just saying that because I’m missing an arm or what?”

He scoffed and the offense taken was pungent in his tone. Simon’s jaw was set way too tight to be lighthearted. Whatever nerve he hit was a sensitive one.

He just got a chance to relax and now he has to start saying this?

“I don’t even know your name. You don’t know me. You can’t speak with any amount of accuracy.”

bloodredvelvett

They nearly spat our their (Simon's) drink.

"Oh, god, no! I don't know how that happened –you could've been born with it, for all I know– look at you! You're covered in scars and bandages and you're half a stone sopping wet!"

simon-thebutcher

Simon rubbed his temple, resting his head in his hand simultaneously. Just take a deep breath.

“Let’s just move past that, okay? I’m Christian and I apparently look like shit with you think is related to my religion. Great. I still don’t have your name.”

He stuck out his left arm to shake, given the lack of a right.

“I’m Simon. It’s nice to meet you.”

bloodredvelvett

Shit. Ro really had to move on from this because they were started to get really worried that he was going to pounce on them like a feral cat.

"Rowan. Ro, for short. Nice to meet you too, Simon."

They shook his hand firmly.

"Listen- I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making jokes- or- or assumptions like that when I've only just met you. That wasn't nice of me."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took another drink to give himself a moment to get his bearings. Ro sounded all too familiar to the COI shooting out insults freely in the prisons. They’d get rehabilitation back into COI’s society? That was rich. They were nothing more than abused work dogs.

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine but it would have to be. Ro looked like he could pick him up by his neck with ease if he wanted. Besides, he’d relax eventually.

“You could’ve easily said much worse. You didn’t seem to mean it maliciously at least. Let’s just put it behind us.”

bloodredvelvett

"Soooooo... Simon.... that's a nice name. Any stories behind it?"

simon-thebutcher

“Not that I remember? I’m sure my mom has a reason for picking it but I don’t know if I ever asked. There’s religious ties with the sons of Jacob and Simon Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles though. It’s probably to do with that.”

He probably should have while she was alive.

“Does your name have a meaning or story behind it?”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah. I thought it sounded Biblical.

Mine's quite funny, actually. I was born with red hair, not black. My mum called me Rowan because she read that it was an Irish name for redheads– it's a kind of tree, too, part of some old mythology or fairytale, but I don't think she knew that...

Anyways, she was so happy to have a kid that was a redhead like her, 'til I went and dyed it behind her back as a teenager and never stopped since. One of my little brothers should go ginger to make her happy again."

simon-thebutcher

“Tree?” His eyebrows raised. “What’s this fairytale that it’s based on?”

He wanted to question the changing hair and if that’d be an option for him. He was a tad curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Well...there was a belief that the tree could protect you from things like evil spirits and magic, I don't remember much else of it, to be honest."

simon-thebutcher

“That’s…like the tree back on Eden,” his gaze was a tad distant.

“Could you find out about it for me? I’m curious about something.”

bloodredvelvett

"What? Like the garden? I don't remember that bit... I'm not a tree, though, in case you were wondering."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no— well, yes? In a way? Eden is where I come from. It’s a space station, one of the two major ones left after the quiet rapture. We have the last tree in the universe, hence the name Eden due to those similar ties.”

He had to reminded himself not everyone knew about the quiet rapture after an awkward pause.

“The quiet rapture made all habitable planets poof out of existence essentially. No one knows why. The COI and Eden were the two largest space stations left afterwards.”

He took another drink.

“I know you’re not a tree but do you know the fairytale behind your name?”

bloodredvelvett

Oh, an astronaut. Interesting.

Oh, an astronaut from a post-apocalyptic Christian nationalist alternate timeline... Interesting.

"Ah, I get it."

No they didn't.

"Well, I didn't come from a place like that... and I don't remember much else about the folklore... there was something about a lot of druids believing in the tree's power? They were like- very old-timey priests and teachers."

simon-thebutcher

Simon could tell from their expression they didn’t get it. He smirked at the very least.

“That sounds like Eden alright. The Father is on the older side and typically the priests are all elders too. Our teachers are typically just our priests.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, okay, so it's like Sunday school, just... all the time....

The Father, hm? Like- God The Father? Or is he another priest?"

simon-thebutcher

“No clue what Sunday school is but maybe?” He shrugged

“The Father is both apart of the Holy Trinity and another priest. The Father, in the context of the priest, speaks the word of God with God being apart of their soul. This priest is the highest authority and we all listen to him.”

bloodredvelvett

People who are in cults run by cranks don't usually take well to being told that they're in cults run by cranks.

"Oh, yeah, I've heard of things like that before.

So, what sort of things does he preach?"

simon-thebutcher

“That’s sort of a broad category. He preaches about a lot of stuff but generally it’s related to giving back to what God has given you in mind, body, and soul. Your body and the tree is a gift that we should treasure. Be grateful for his forgiving grace of sins and opportunity for heaven. Show kindness to his creations and love thy neighbor. There’s much more but this is what comes to mind. There’s a ton of teaching from the Bible.”

He took a longer drink, checking for a reaction.

bloodredvelvett

"Alright. Standard stuff, then. It's pretty much the same back home- I mean- we probably have the same Bible..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d ask to read it if I could read properly. Grace is trying to teach me but I basically just have the basic ‘phonics’ right now. I memorized the words I needed and went on my merry way. The priests were the only one with enough time to know how to read.”

bloodredvelvett

"There's probably one in the library somewhere, and I can't see Grace being the type to turn down someone who wants to read.

I read quite a lot in my freetime, honestly, there's loads of books I could recommend you if you wanna get into it. I write sometimes, too, but that's a lot more embarassing to share..."

simon-thebutcher

“I’d be open to it. It’s better than reading this magic treehouse shit. I feel like Im hallucinating just by reading that stuff. You can give me recommendations or your own writing. I don’t know why you’d be so embarrassed but share with me what you want to share. I’m curious either way.”

bloodredvelvett

"Well, if you're not comfortable with more complex language yet, I loved the Goosebumps series when I was little. They're like horror stories, but tailored to younger people's reading level, and just enough scare factor to give kids a bit of a thrill without getting too gory or unpleasant.

My own stuff is probably more ... adult... and I usually like to write about unconventional or unusual romances. It's not everyone's thing, but sometimes I just need to get those thoughts out."

simon-thebutcher

“You’re making me sound like a toddler! ‘Not comfortable with complex language’? I can figure it out easy enough. It’s just scribbles with meaning. I’ve figured out worse.”

He nudged him playfully.

“I think I can handle some odd adult stuff too.”

He had no clue what Ro meant. Romance smut books weren’t exactly a genre on Eden

“How old do you think I am?”

bloodredvelvett

"That's a trap, I'm not answering that!"

They chuckled, happy that Simon took everything they said better this time, and with a great level of open-mindedness. Maybe the cult he was obviously in weren't as traditional as they expected.

"You're old enough to handle it, at least... I was worried it wouldn't really be your thing, makes you different from most devout christians where I come from, I suppose."

simon-thebutcher

He let out a heart chuckle and took another sip, “Old enough to handle a book about romance? Geez, bud, what are you writing in there? I know you said it was odd but still. I can handle some kissing.“

bloodredvelvett

Oh. Oh, no.

"Yeah- so- it's a bit more than kissing..."

simon-thebutcher

He blinked.

It took him a second.

Then another.

Then horror dawned on his expression of the very crucial detail he missed.

“Oh. Uh—“

Ew. His nose curled up.

“I think I’ll pass on that then.”

bloodredvelvett

"Ah, not for you, then? No sweat, I know people who aren't into any of that either."

simon-thebutcher

“Is it…”

There was no way he was right.

“Is it what I’m thinking it is..?”

Why would someone write that?

bloodredvelvett

"Come on now, it's not that shocking, is it? All part of nature!"

simon-thebutcher

“Okay, yes but—“ his cheeks were turning beat red, “—uh—You don’t exactly gotta document it? That’s sorta just a wife and husband thing for kids.”

Someone pinch him and tell him he’s having a weird ass dream.

bloodredvelvett

Oh, he is one of those. Still, maybe he can take a bit of banter.

"If I wanted to 'document' anything, I'd just set up a camera, hun. It's all just fiction, even if the stories and the characters are inspired by my own interests, and they're still about a husband and wife sometimes!"

simon-thebutcher

He practically matched the color of his drink at this point. Simon’s face was partially hidden in his hands at this point and dear god, please give him guidance in how to answer this.

“What are you even talking about?”

Sometimes between a husband and wife? Own interests? CAMERA?

bloodredvelvett

"Listen, mate, if you're that confused, I'll let you read one of the straight ones."

simon-thebutcher

He took the largest swig of the bloodymary yet, just needing a second to get his shit together and to possibly have something to chill him out hopefully. Simon shifted in his seat, uncomfortable in uncharted territory.

“I mean—“ he shouldn’t. “I guess..?”

bloodredvelvett

"It's alright, you don't have to – I'm only offering. But- everyone has a first time, right? Nothing's gonna come out and bite you, promise.

Also- er- I don't exactly keep them on me. I'd have to pick some of my notebooks up from my room."

simon-thebutcher

Saying he wasn’t curious would be a blatant lie even if he swore he may explode any minute now. It’s not like he’s ever had anything like this back home and besides, he’d just not indulge in it like that. It was purely studies.

“I mean, sure, you have a point. If you’re fine grabbing them then yeah- we can uh— we can do that.”

bloodredvelvett

Their face seemed to light up a bit at that; he was willing to learn, that was good.

"Did you wanna come with, or...?"

simon-thebutcher

“If you’d let me, yeah.”

He stood and had to hold to the table for a second to steady his dizzying vision.

“Hold on.”

Simon took another moment to steady himself before grabbing the bloodymary, downing the rest of it, then doing the same with the manhattan with much more difficulty. His entire face scrunched up like he bit into a lemon.

“Elgh— okay, didn’t want to waste those.”

bloodredvelvett

"Christ! Yeah, let's go, you're gonna be shitfaced."

simon-thebutcher

“I’ll be fine,” he waved a hand dismissively as he began to follow.

No, he wouldn’t. He was a lightweight. Have fun Ro.

“It can’t be that strong.”

bloodredvelvett

"It is if you make that face every time you take a swig.

Have you had anything to eat? Or, just- water?"

simon-thebutcher

“My face wasn’t THAT strong but yeah, I have. I had a glass of water this morning and Penelope had me try eggs and toast but I tapped out since my stomach started hurting and I wanted to puke. Why?”

For it being about five in the afternoon, that clearly wasnt enough.

bloodredvelvett

"Simon! That's not enough! You need to line your stomach so the alcohol doesn't hit you as hard!"

Ro was planning an early night anyways, so they'd already allowed themselves a weaker drink with dinner; the bloody mary was just a treat. They were barely even buzzed, which was probably good on this occasion, as they'd soon be becoming Simon's caretaker.

"We're here, anyways. Sit down, I'll get you a non-alcoholic drink."

simon-thebutcher

“I sorta just forgot in my defense! I’ve been running around all crazy and usually I just have my two meals a day with my water at meal times,” he held his hands up in surrender while he sat down again.

“You guys throw me off with your food and water. I think my stomach would start sobbing.”

bloodredvelvett

Ro had begun sorting through their many notebooks to find a relatively tame story that Simon may enjoy; they had assumed he was straight, yet they still picked out one that featured two men — just in case.

"If you wanna put any weight back on, you need to be resting most of the time. And you need to be having drinks all the time, not just with meals. Your body needs more energy to recover."

simon-thebutcher

“I know, I know, Penelope doesn’t let me hear the end of it but it’s difficult. I feel like my stomach is going to explode both from the amount of food and just food itself. I feel scrawny here, like someone could just pick me up and chuck me if they wanted. I hate it.”

bloodredvelvett

"I felt the same a while ago. It's hard to get better when you're stuck in a hole you've dug yourself so deep into, but you'll be strong enough to pull yourself out of it, eventually... if you just keep working at it, a little bit at a time.

I'm going on a bit, aren't I? There's a glass of water, and here's your, er... reading material.

Did you... want me to stay? Hey- I could even hold the book if you need to- no, no, I'm joking- but I can help you with the tricky words!"

simon-thebutcher

“No, you’re completely fine. I want to eat and put some meat on my bones but it’s just hard to when my body apparently wants to keep me scrawny. It’s annoying but I swear I’m trying.”

He sighed and took a drink of the water. His stomach already felt like it was curling up in protest from the drinks from earlier but it was no more than the normal.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed…The company is nice. I haven’t talked to a human in what feels like forever,” he chuckled. “It’s all these Nyarls and weird humans but not?”

bloodredvelvett

"They're not all bad, you know? But- anyways,..."

Ro went to fetch some clothes from a chest of drawers, turning back to face Simon with an almost bashful blush to their face.

"I'll still be here. I'm just in the bathroom getting ready for bed, if you don't mind – this suit isn't very comfortable. You can start reading."

Part of them hoped that Simon would want to be left alone, so they didn't have to deal with the shame of someone judging their work; their next best solution was to make up an excuse to buy themselves a few minutes of not looking him in the eyes.

simon-thebutcher

“Eh, say what you want but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

He was too tired to argue. It’s been a long day of running around like a mad man. A single break was all he needed.

“You dont mind me laying down in your bed and all, right? I don’t have any diseases, I swear.”

He was only half joking as he glanced Ro up and down. There was no need to be flustered over changing clothes..?

bloodredvelvett

"Oh! No- no- just take your shoes off and I'll get you a blanket and a jumper, yeah? I don't like outdoor clothes in my bed."

If Simon were to change and throw a blanket over him in the time Ro left to get ready for the night, he would notice that their bed was incredibly soft and comfortable, with enough room for two people to spread out.

They returned around ten minutes later, significantly more dressed down – now in only an oversized band t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and some fluffy socks that felt almost uncharacteristically 'cute' for a man like him.

"... made any progress?"

simon-thebutcher

He didn’t really get what he meant by outdoor clothes but alright. All clothes were clothes that he wore to bed and outside. Simon complied though and slid off his shoes and waited patiently for the items.

The book was in his lap when he returned and he was about two and a half pages in. He was squinting way too much considering how close that book was to his face.

When he glanced up, he smiled and glanced him up and down. He maybe stared for a tad too long and he’d likely blame the alcohol.

“Yeah, I have. It’s cute so far.”

Ah, he hadn’t got to those parts yet.

“Is that what you mean by non-outdoor clothes..?”

It wasn’t judgy, just curious.

bloodredvelvett

"Yeah... is there something up with them? I mean- I know it's probably a bit too casual- but, to be honest with you, I really can't be arsed getting changed again."

Somehow, they could even pull off a ratty old shirt and boxers. The dark circles under their eyes were more noticeable now, and their hair was brushed back and no longer styled.

Ro seemed relieved that Simon was enjoying their work, choosing to sit on the bed, beside him.

"Well, I know I'm a bit of a freak sometimes, but I'm a sap, really. I can't help but make it all lovey-dovey."

simon-thebutcher

“No, no, there’s nothing with them at all. They’re nice on you. Do you have that jumper and blanket you were talking about though?”

He struggled for a moment to find a word to describe it. Complimenting another man’s(?) appearance wasn’t something he did often. Usually it was a compliment about their abilities.

“I don’t mind it being all sappy though. It’s cute.”

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, yeah, of course- one minute...here! I'll cover my eyes while you change your top, don't worry."

simon-thebutcher

Simon took it and shrugged, “‘don’t really care much if you watch or not. I changed in front of a lot of people in the prison so it’s not that big of a deal.”

He took off his sweater, folding it and putting it aside before sliding on the jumper. He took off the harness holding his knife as well.

He ran his hands along the fabric, enjoying the softness.

“Thank you so much.”

bloodredvelvett

Prison?

Well, that explained a lot, actually. Ro could only hope he was in for some petty crime -like interstellar tax fraud- and they hadn't just let a serial murderer or some other sort of creep into their bedroom.

Him carrying a weapon in a harness was not easing that worry.

"What- er- what do you want me to do with your...knife?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon raised an eyebrow at his worry and just waved a hand dismissively, “Just leave it there with my sweater. It’s not that big of a deal.”

He wouldn’t verbally question his fear yet but his face said it all for him. Simon was in prison for about half of his life, if not more, so the idea was just normalized to him.

“You don’t have to touch it at all.”

Please, don’t touch it.

bloodredvelvett

"Okay, okay...

You weren't there for like, murder, right?"

They let out a nervous chuckle. Part of them wasn't joking.

simon-thebutcher

His nose wrinkled upon remembering the events. For a second, his eyes gazed over as the events washed over him until he shook his head slightly.

“Uh— well, sorta? Basically, I was…” he glanced away, regretful.

bloodredvelvett

"You do realise that's not comforting in the slightest?"

simon-thebutcher

He shrunk into himself, but his tone got a tad snappy, “Would you rather I lie? That’s what I was sorta there for. Being a prisoner of war comes with that.”

bloodredvelvett

They placed a hand on their chest, sighing deeply in relief as they did.

"Oh, oh thank God. No- yeah- we don't have to talk about it- I'm fine- I just- didn't feel like getting dismembered tonight...

Ignore me. You can carry on reading, if you're comfy."

simon-thebutcher

He chuckled out a tired laugh and shook his head, “I wasn’t planning on doing that? I don’t want to hurt anyone, promise.”

Simon glanced back down at the book, squinting again, “Off topic, but do you have larger word sizes?”

bloodredvelvett

"I don't publish them, so I just use a type big enough for the few people I share these with to read, and me, when I have my glasses on. Are you struggling to see the words? Or is it that the words don't make sense?

simon-thebutcher

Simon shrugged and pointed at the text, “Both.”

He made the size of the text between his thumb and pointer finger like he’s about to pinch something, “They’re like this big and my eyes can’t read shit! Some words don’ even make sense either when I try to use the ‘phonics’ thing that lady taught me. Thanks, I can say it but I need the meaning in my brain.”

His voice was a bit louder than it likely needed to be and more dramatic too. Both were likely an effect of the drinks from earlier.

bloodredvelvett

Ro picked up their glasses and put them on simon's face, giggling slightly at how silly he looked.

"Is that any better?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon adjusted to the glasses and looked down at the book, glasses falling off his head onto the paper in the process. He giggled and picked them up, nearly stabbing out his eye in the process of trying to put them on. His coordination with alcohol in his system wasn’t doing him any favors.

“Hmmm, not realllly,” his lips puckered a tad as he tried to magically make them work. “A little..? Maybe..? I dunno.”

bloodredvelvett

They snorted out another laugh at his borderline pathetic display and took the glasses back.

"Okay, clearly not helping."

He was kind of cute, now that they thought about it.

No. Shut up, stupid brain. He's not yours.

"What if... I read it to you?"

simon-thebutcher

Simon perked up, posture finally straightening up completely. He blinked with a goofy smile that almost seemed out of place for his face.

“Please?”

It was like when his mom would tell him bedtime stories before he went to bed. If he ended up sleeping right now, he wouldn’t mind.

Speaking of, he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up, nearly falling from a mix of alcohol, dehydration, and malnutrition. Fortunately, he just stumbled his way into the bed instead.

bloodredvelvett

Well, that definitely wasn't helping.

"Of course. I'm not the best at voice-acting, though."

simon-thebutcher

“Fabrics are so soft…” he grumbled, curling up under the blankets.

He was practically rolling himself into a burrito, the warmth acting as his savior of his permanent coldness.

“Don’now voice acting though…?”

bloodredvelvett

"I can't really do character voices for... these sorts of romances. I end up sounding a bit silly."

They chuckled, even daring to pat him gently on the shoulder.

"Comfy there?"

simon-thebutcher

“Warm…You guys keep this building so cold…It’s so stupid.”

He grumbled and hardly reacted to his touch. Simon just tucked his head into the blankets more, only serving to muffle his voice.

“It’s okay. do whatever you’ant. You look silly like the rest of you guys.”

He didn’t mean it in the rude way but his filter wasn’t the most clear.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh so now I look silly too? I thought you didn't care about my clothes!"

They turned to him, faking surprise and speaking in a jokingly accusatory tone, but quickly laughed it off and continued the conversation.

"...But, yeah, I do like to keep warm in here. I get migraine's sometimes, and the cold can make them worse."

simon-thebutcher

“You guys all look so different than back home. Your’air is different and clothes are so…fresh?” He grumbled. “You smell weird too…you’specially. I’m’ust being honest! Not bad silly jus’illy.”

Simon shrugged.

“‘M cold allll the time.”

bloodredvelvett

"I smell weird? What do I smell like?"

simon-thebutcher

“Fire and sweet but weird kind of?” He came closer and took a whiff.

bloodredvelvett

"Oh, like incense? Sometimes I light it in here and the smell can kind of linger on your clothes."

simon-thebutcher

A hand came out of the blanket burrito and grabbed into Ro’s arm with way more gentleness than he might of suspected. He was dragged closer so he could smell his sleeve repeatedly, trying to consider the smell.

“Somethin’ else on clothes…”

bloodredvelvett

Ro was... blushing? Their face felt warmer, at least. They didn't expect that.

"O-oh! I mean, I washed this top yesterday, it might still smell a bit like detergent."

R. A. Linh @bloodredvelvett - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag