adolphe catchall

[florescences]

i've only known him for an hour but why does he have to be unlocked...

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[chrysanths]

... To like living.

[ Elysia will probably sense that Adolphe is nowhere near mentally exploding again, but there's a deep-seated exhaustion and apathy that's slowly starting to sink in as well. ]

[florescences]

[ she closes her eyes. she doesn't like that, but it's not something that's strange to her. it's not so shocking, after the memories she's seen, but it continues to hurt, to know this is how he feels.

she only wishes it didn't have to be like this for him. she's never not liked living, but it doesn't mean she's never seen the light fade in people or to know people who may have never had light in the first place. ]

After this week... I'd like to try. Will you let me help you try? I know you want to stop, but... if you'd let me be selfish, I don't want you to.

I don't want to see you go down a road that I can't walk alongside.

[chrysanths]

[ Adolphe is too tired to understand what that means on a deeper level. ]

For all of my selfishness, you sure are persistent.

[ hehe ego

He sounds a little resigned though. ]

[florescences]

[ baps you

she smiles, hearing the resignation. it's promising. ]

I'd never mind your selfishness. You don't hate it, do you?

[ her persistence. ]

[chrysanths]

[ There's a bit of silence as if Adolphe is pondering his answer, but it's really the usual reluctance about admitting a soft truth. His voice is quiet. ]

... I don't hate it, no. Not from you.

[florescences]

[ she takes that as a positive sign that she's getting through to him, at least a little. ]

Hehe, I'm glad. I hope you won't mind this, too.

[ she is holding him up, but she she shifts her hold so she can kiss him on the cheek. ]

[chrysanths]

[ Another kiss on the cheek... Adolphe is the luckiest man in the afterlife, but he can't fully appreciate it because he's currently insane (but it's dying down). However, he does feel more calm with a lot less of that hollow feeling. There's not even embarrassment, but a tinge of gratitude as he closes his eyes. ]

You do that to everyone you like?

[ But it's also hard to feel like it means something because Elysia likes everyone. Probably. This is his current dilemma about people who love everyone. ]

[florescences]

[ he doesn't have to appreciate it. her affection is something she wants to give. it doesn't have to be received. ]

Not everyone. I told you, I have people I like more than others.

[ loving everyone doesn't stop her from having favorites. ]

[chrysanths]

I'm aware that you do.

[ He just quietly sighs. ]

What if... the person you like more than others tell you to stop liking everyone else? What then?

[florescences]

It depends on how they want me to stop liking others. It's not as if the way I love everyone is the same.

[ she can be locked into a monogamy, but. ]

If they think I can stop loving others at all, do they know me at all? Do they love me?

[ she has too much self-worth to change that. her ego will always remain. ]

[chrysanths]

[ He lets out a breath. It almost sounds like a laugh and a sigh mixed together. ]

... I guess you have a point. You'll just have to cut out the ones who'd want you all to yourself, huh.

[florescences]

[ she tilts her head as she watches him. ]

I don't know if I'd go that far because... it wouldn't reach that point. [ in a hypothetical. ] What type are you, Adolphe? Would you want to keep the person you love all to yourself?

[chrysanths]

[ It's really funny because he was on an insane rampage and now he's calmer and talking about this. ]

... I think I would be jealous if other people looked at them that way.

[florescences]

[ it is, but this is what elysia wanted... to deescalate his mental breakdown. if she can calm him down by asking if he's open to poly or not, so be it. ]

You think so? Would it be a dealbreaker? Do you think you would only ever love one person? What if you loved two?

[chrysanths]

At the same time?

[ He looks confused. ]

If that's what you mean, wouldn't that just be a disaster? I don't think I can be like you and Yves.

[florescences]

I don't think so... not if everyone is on the same page. You don't have to be like me or like Yves. I want you to be you.

[chrysanths]

I'm not sure if I can love two—

[ ............

Adolphe frowns. ]

That's not even the important part. I don't understand how that can be done... for me, in my perspective. I think I'd just give up on both if that happened.

[ Does he think he deserves to love someone? Let alone two or more at once? Laughable. ]

[florescences]

[ she remembers the things she's seen in reflections and from his behavior and from how he's answered most of her affections.

if they have to start from the beginning... from the ground up, she may as well try. ]

You deserve any and all love, you know. Anyone would be lucky to love you and be loved by you. It doesn't have to be two. It can be just one.

[chrysanths]

... People would be lucky? Really?

[ Oh, to be emotionally vulnerable in a church with a beautiful person comforting you. ]

It must sound like the same song and dance, doesn't it?

[florescences]

I would feel lucky.

[ she is thinking about how they're surrounded by so much broken glass, but she is also thinking she wants adolphe to know love. ]

What do you mean by that?

[chrysanths]

You say nice things—not for the sake of being nice—and get rebuffed most of the time.

[ He is aware.

The glass shards start flying out to restore the church to its former glory. It doesn't take long, and all is back to the way it was. ]

Would they be lucky because of how rarely I do it?

[ He quietly huffs. ]

[florescences]

[ so he's aware. she smiles and shakes her head. ]

Everything I say is because I want to say it.

[ elysia hasn't seen the graveyard repair itself yet, so it's nice to know this side has that over the other side. ]

That would be part of it, but they would be lucky because it's you. If you let someone love you and if you let yourself love someone, why wouldn't that be one of the most fortunate things?

[chrysanths]

...

[ Adolphe looks off to the side. ]

Because I wouldn't be good enough for anyone. Subjecting the person I love to everything I am would be a disservice.

[florescences]

[ she thinks about his memories again, and she truly believes some people shouldn't be parents. ]

You and I are going to have to be enemies again.

[ she says that in the lightest tone, but she's so sincere. he isn't looking at her, but her determination is set. ]

All you've ever done since I've met you is help me. All I've done since meeting you is benefit. All you've done is convince me to want to know everything that you are.

[chrysanths]

[ Adolphe looks at Elysia, quiet. He's more back to normal and less of the void that was his emotion. ]

... I really... don't understand how it worked out like that. I can't understand you, but I tried to accept your actions anyway.