[PCA] REMEDY HOUR

[skinstealer]

[id: maes and charon sitting at a restaurant table, a bowl of soup next to maes. the atmosphere is cozy and inviting, with maes looking charmed and relaxed as charon returns their loving expression.]

 

Maes takes a small sip of their soup, taking in the flavors- and the atmosphere of the restaurant during its slow hours, something they and Charon had discovered over the course of the past few months.

Nice and quiet.

 

Charon can't help but watch quietly, more than content to see Maes enjoying themself at the table.

It’s a few sips before they actually speak, resting their chin on one hand.

MAES: ...How's your food?
CHARON: Good, yours?
MAES: Delicious as ever.
MAES: I think they've gotten better at it every time we come.
CHARON: Mm, and we managed to drop by at a nice time too.
CHARON: No long wait, no noise…
MAES: They treat us like regulars, too...I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be considered that.
MAES: A regular customer.
CHARON: That's exactly what we are, just two regulars on a date.
 

They can't help but smile at that.

MAES: I feel so silly whenever we call it a date, but...it is.
CHARON: Small dates are nice too.
MAES: It's not about the size, just...another thing I never expected to have as a regular part of my life.
CHARON: Seems like you've discovered a lot of those recently.
MAES: It's overwhelming, to be honest.
MAES: I'm happy, but...
CHARON: I'm happy too, but.. what's bothering you?
MAES: It's not...a full happiness.
MAES: I don't want to sound ungrateful- I am, I really am...
MAES: ...but there's still plenty of times where I feel sick and miserable, even if it's for short moments more than extended stretches.
MAES: I may be more confident about my future choices with my body and overall presentation, but I still can't do anything about that.
MAES: I've told you pretty much every secret I have, but I still get insecure over whether it'll be too much someday.
MAES: I go on dates, I go shopping, I eat plenty of delicious food...
MAES: ...and even with all the therapy, it sometimes feels like I'm out of my depth, and that I don't deserve it.
CHARON: To be blunt with you, for all the progress you've made you're still very much at the beginning for a lot of it.
CHARON: Of course it feels unfamiliar, unclear, and even undeserved at times.
CHARON: It's ongoing as a process...
CHARON: But that said, don't feel like you haven't earned your happiness.
CHARON: Don't let people take from you what you had to go through so much to get.
MAES: ...thank you.
 

They go quiet as they eat some more soup, thinking.


There’s so much to say, and yet…
I don’t feel confident in saying any of it.
What if it sounds stupid?
What if he doesn’t get it?
…
He…he loves me, though.
And he’d want me to try.

MAES: It feels like I've been letting people take for a long time.
CHARON: No more of that, your life is your own.
MAES: We'll see...I can't help but feel like all of these changes with the lab, with stepping back, with outing cult members, with dealing with the investors...
MAES: ...there's going to be consequences.
MAES: And I'm scared, admittedly.
CHARON: I'll do whatever I have to for the people to stay safe.
MAES: ...you take on a lot though, yourself.
MAES: This whole time, you've been supporting me without a single complaint...
MAES: ...it shouldn't have to be on you.
MAES: I know you want to make sure I'm happy and safe- and the rehab program as well-
MAES: But I worry you're neglecting yourself, too.
MAES: I don't want this to be about me as much as it has been.
CHARON: I've got a large support group of my own.
CHARON: I call my therapist, my family, my guild... and of course I always have you.
CHARON: You deserve to have that too.
MAES: Still...I can tell when things get to you.
MAES: Homesickness, things with the angel pocket, stress from work...
CHARON: And we talk about those, no?
MAES: ...it feels like it's taken a backseat for my problems, what with the whole therapy thing.
CHARON: That therapy isn't just important for you, it's potentially part of the rehab program.
MAES: That's true, but-
 

They reach a hand across the table.

MAES: You're my partner of more than a few months now, at this point.
MAES: You're equally important to me, and I won't have you unsupported either.
 

He meets their hand.

CHARON: Is it strange to say that it feels way longer than that?
CHARON: I couldn't see myself leaving anytime soon.
MAES: To be fair, from what I can tell, we committed to each other fairly quickly compared to most relationships.
MAES: It took some time to warm up, but once we had…
CHARON: It just feels like something clicked magically after a point.

The tiniest smirk crosses their face.

MAES: You and magic.
MAES: What if it was a matter of science?
CHARON: What do you propose, doctor?
MAES: A natural attraction, perhaps.
MAES: After all, it took you only minutes to spot my teeth.
CHARON: It's in my nature.
MAES: I thought fiends would be the ones to be more into biting.
CHARON: Mutual biting is a thing…
MAES: You've never brought that up before.
CHARON: It's a form of affection between fiends, said to strengthen the bonds between them beyond mere physicality.
MAES: Hmmm...that sounds very appealing, why hasn't it come up?
CHARON: Because I wasn't a biter until recently.
MAES: I suppose letting you feed like we have would bring up urges…
CHARON: It's very new to me, I've only fed a handful of times before this.
MAES: How does it compare?
CHARON: Better, never did this with a partner before.
MAES: Perhaps we can dabble a bit more when we get back, mm?
CHARON: Mm..
MAES: ...though...perhaps it'd be good to talk out more thoughts before we do.
MAES: I've still got so much rumbling around, and I'd rather not ruin things in the moment.
CHARON: More than fair, I'm all ears.
 

Let’s see…

MAES: ...do you think that Papaya is ready for the rehab program?
CHARON: They managed to get you to stick onboard this long, and I have seen you looking better as of late.
MAES: Yes, but...we still haven't talked through the last of this whole sordid affair.
CHARON: Mm... I think if you feel you can do that, they're plenty ready.
MAES: You don't think it'll be too much?
CHARON: Not at all.
MAES: ...do you think they'd tell me if it was?
CHARON: Maybe.
CHARON: They've played it fairly close to the vest so far, but they haven't seemed bothered either.
MAES: Sometimes they've spoken up, but always at my mother's actions, never mine...
MAES: ...I suppose I'm worried, still.
CHARON: We'll have to see to find out but...
CHARON: I have faith that this will be good for the program.
MAES: It was good for me, after all…
CHARON: Imagine what this could do for all the people in the lab who've gone through that era.
MAES: It's a lot of people, though.
MAES: Will they be able to handle such a brutal workload?
CHARON: Could always look into a second doctor, someone they trust.
MAES: I suppose I'd trust a referral…
CHARON: We'll make it work.
MAES: I know.
 

They finally pull their hand back, digging into their soup again.

CHARON: We'll find out soon enough anyway.
MAES: Here's to hoping, right?
 

They manage a smile, looking a little lighter.

MAES: Next week's the big one.
CHARON: I'll be with you the whole way through this.
MAES: You always have.